Help Wanted: Ben Nevis needs YOU!

Ben Nevis is the UK’s mightiest mountain, but it’s more fragile than you might think. This is what you can do to help

We’re very proud of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain at 1344m. Even if you haven’t been there, you’ve probably seen photos and videos of the mountain and the beautiful glen it sits in – some ares even featured in the Harry Potter films! The wild and bleak landscape looks like something out of a fairy tale, and the hills and rivers are a fantastic playground for all sorts of outdoor sports.

In fact ‘the Ben’ is very important for tourism in the area, and it’s estimated that over 150,000 climb it each year. This puts a lot of pressure on the environment and trails, from simple erosion by the passing of so many feet, to litter dropping and the impact and disturbance to wildlife.

HELP WANTED!

Ben Nevis & Glen Nevis are wonderful, you have heard about them I’m sure and you have probably seen lots of stunning photography of mountains, trees and rivers that look like something out of a fairytale.

The Nevis Landscape Partnership are working with partners Friends of Nevis and the John Muir trust to maintain the paths and continue to develop sustainable tourism and recreation in the area. They say: “Our aim is that a legacy of social cohesion, economic stability and environmental protection will emerge and sustain itself long into the future. Similarly, a collective response to land management is the only way large-scale challenges like climate change, sustainability and community resilience can be met effectively in the long-term.”

With support from the Heritage Lottery Fund among others, they are working to develop a community-based approach to trail maintenance, but they need YOUR help to continue doing so and keep Nevis pristine so all of us – and future generations – can continue to enjoy it. If you live in or visit the area regularly you can help by joining one of their monthly volunteer work parties, or if you don’t want to get your hands dirty but totally support those who do you can make a donation or subscribe to their membership programme.

Learn more about what you can do to help here.  

OAG