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Ben Nevis is actually higher than realized

A new Ordnance Survey calculation has puts Ben Nevis’s height at 1,345 meters. This is one meter higher than when it was last surveyed, way back in 1949. Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for Great Britain. The agency is very old, with its origins dating back to the aftermath of the Jacobite rising leading to the Battle of Culloden (Scotland) in 1746. Here the British government realized it needed more accurate military maps.

Ben Nevis (or ‘Beinn Nibheis’, in Gaelic), is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The mountain is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands.

For nearly 60 years the height of the mountain has been officially recorded as 1,344 meters (4,409 feet.) However, in March 2016 it was re-assessed using the satellite based Global Positioning System. This has led to the new height being assessed as 1,345 meters (4,413 feet.)

Mark Greaves, OS geodetic consultant, was the first person to discover the change. He told The Guardian:“The new height relates to the highest natural point on the summit and was measured as 1,344.527 meter.”.

The mountain is a popular destination, attracting an estimated 100,000 ascents a year. Now climbers can boast about scaling an extra meter. The most hardy of climbers attempt the “National Three Peaks Challenge”, where they aim to climb the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland. These are:

Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland,
Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England,
Snowdon (or Yr Wyddfa), the highest mountain in Wales.

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Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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