Head in the clouds.

In my true family fashion, we were jam-packing our days to the absolute last second. After we’d ticked off Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, we were speeding towards the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis.

Ben, of course, had been looming over us for awhile now but as we got closer, the colossal size of him and his mountain-y friends was beginning to overwhelm me. Standing at 1,344 metres above sea level, Ben is the peak of the Scottish Highlands.

We hadn’t intended to stop in at Ben, due to time restrictions but had spotted a sign for a gondola going up Aonach Mor, one of the mountains in the Ben Nevis range. Thinking we couldn’t pass the big fella without getting up amongst the clouds, we paid our money and jumped in the gondola and watched the people below us get smaller and smaller.

Going up the gondola

We scored an excellent day. The wind dropped as we reached the top of Aonach Mor and the fluffy clouds looked cartoon like against the perfect blue sky. We had even timed it perfectly so that the large group before us were heading back down as we walked off the gondola. There was a walking track which took you out to a higher peak on the mountain. Mum and I fast-tracked to the top point where the landscape made our jaws drop to the rocky ground. We could not only clearly see Ben Nevis and the Great Glen but the clear skies gave us a view spanning for miles. I know I say this a fair bit, but this was hands down, one of the best views I’ve ever seen.

Walking up the viewing point.

Best.view. EVER!

Mum and I were the only two up here and it felt like we were on top of the world. The air tasted fresher and it made you feel pretty damn lucky that you are alive. We stayed up there for awhile, in awe of the view until other people started to come along. Heading into the cafeteria, we grabbed a bottle of water and jumped back in the gondola towards lower ground.

The gondola station which sits at 2150ft above the starting point.

 

We met Dad down at the bottom, stoked with what we had just experienced. I would have to say this has one of the best things I have done, thank God we decided to stop in!

We jumped back in the car and said goodbye to Ben and his hilly friends as we delved further down the A82.

Unbelievably, I’m not even finished my day of driving through the Highlands. Read on to see how we dealt with witnessing the most extraordinary places on Earth.

J. x