Model T Ford on Ben Nevis

In 1911 Henry Alexander Jr, son of a Ford dealership owner in Edinburgh drove, a 20 horse-power Model T Ford to the top of The Ben as a publicity stunt. The feat involved 10 days of reconnaissance work - finding and checking a drivable route to around half way up the mountain, and placing bridging planks over impassable gullies and streams. It took three further days to drive the car to the halfway point and two more days to cover the rest of the distance to the summit. Alexander was helped by a large support team who would haul to safety whenever the car sank in boggy ground. Which it would do continually on the lower slopes of the mountain, often axle deep. On returing to Fort William, Alexander was hailed a hero, and after only some minor adjustments to the breaks, and no other repairs necessary, he drove the car back to Edinburgh. In 1928 he returned to Ben Nevis' summit, this time in a Standard New Ford (Model A Ford).