Human History in the Ben Nevis Area
Historically, the Nevis area belonged to the MacSorlie branch of Clan Cameron. In 1851 Nevis Estate was sold by John MacSorlie to Sir Duncan Cameron of Fassifern.
The first recorded ascent of Ben Nevis was in 1771 by the botanist James Robertson who noted, "I ascended Ben Nevis, which is reckoned the highest mountain in Britain. A third part of the hill from the summit towards the top is entirely naked, resembling a heap of stones thrown together confusedly. The summit far overtops the surrounding hills."
The second recorded ascent was in 1774 by John Williams, who prospected for valuable minerals (he found none of commercial interest). John Keats, the English poet, climbed the mountain in 1818, comparing the ascent to "mounting ten St. Pauls without the convenience of a staircase."
The development of Ben Nevis as a climbing area in the 1880's was a key factor in defining the nature of Scottish mountaineering. A big surge in ice climbing and climbing in general came in the late 1930's, with further surges in the 1970's and 1980's.
The pony track was built in 1883 for the Ben Nevis summit observatory. Meteorologists made hourly observations there for 21 years from 1883-1904, when it closed. The observatory and its later temperance hotel annexe have been in their present ruined state since about 1950.
The 20th century brought large scale forestry, and hydro electric works on and around the Ben for aluminium smelting. Sheep were taken off the ground in upper Glen Nevis in 2002 after Ben Nevis was purchased by the John Muir Trust in 2000.
Did you know?
The earliest remains
of human habitation found in the Nevis area include the vitrified Iron Age fort of Dun Deardail in Glen Nevis, more than 2500 years old.