Ben Nevis

Highest mountain in the British Isles (1,344 m/4,409 ft), 7 km/4 mi southeast of Fort William, Scotland.

The northeast side of Ben Nevis has a precipice of 450 m/1,480 ft. From the summit, which consists of a large plateau, there is an extensive view of the Scottish Highlands and islands, as far as the Hebrides. There is a well-marked and easily negotiated path to the summit, but also more difficult rock-climbing routes.

An observatory was built in 1823 to study sun spots. It was closed in 1904, having also been used for the collection of meteorological data. The base of the mountain, which measures about 48 km/30 mi, is composed mainly of granite and gneiss, while the upper part (the visible cliff) if formed chiefly of andesite, lavas, and agglomerate.