After some stormy weather over the previous few days, the weekend of 3rd/4th Jan promised 70% chance of cloud-free Munros in the SE Highlands, so Lochnagar was calling us for the first proper route of this winter. Matt, Maria and I decided on Central Buttress, a 300m grade II route… Continue reading
“All the gear and no idea”! After learning to ski earlier this winter, I decided that it was about time I tried out ski touring. After all, I could ski a pisted blue run now – how hard could it be? Mike (a far more experienced skier than I am) was… Continue reading
Catherine had read the weather forecast. She took “Saturday will be a wet day” rather too literally, by going full-length into a stream as the advance party of 6 walked up Corrieairack Pass. Praise be to General Wade, for the changing facilities at his nearby bothy ! … Continue reading
The Forcan Ridge of The Saddle and Beinn Udlaidh There haven’t been many good weather weekends this winter, so when the forecast for the 1st weekend in March referred to 70% chance of cloud-free Munros in the Northwest, a long drive beckoned… The Scottish hills are plastered with huge amounts… Continue reading
The first whiff of passable winter conditions enticed Messrs Ferguson Dixon Carrier and Diggle up to Braemar on a Friday night with high hopes of doing a nice easy Grade II / III route on the magnificent Lochnagar, and ticking off the first route of the year. We enjoyed the… Continue reading
PINNACLE RIDGE 22nd November The big smooth slab below the ‘finger” offered few possibilities for traction under its light covering of snow. At this point Various Stratagems were implemented to maintain upward progress, and indeed the rope came out. … Continue reading
… in DOGstycam GULLEY Just as the gulley top got tantalisingly close (about 20 metres away) I ran out of rope. The so-called ‘rock” had led me on for some time looking for runners, through snares and delusions in the form of blind cracks and loose blocks, over too-soft… Continue reading
The Torridonian Alps Well, it may have been the NW of Scotland in February, but with blue skies, sunshine and snowy mountains, it felt more like the Alps… Slioch The week started with a great hillwalk, going clockwise round the horseshoe ridge of Slioch. … Continue reading
Winter mountaineers and ice climbers often debate the merits of leashed or unleashed axes. As I hung from my Grivel elasticated leash below my DMM Apex about a metre above my last fairly dodgy ice screw, I felt the debate had a firm victor in my mind. I am certain… Continue reading
WANNA MEET MY SISTERS ? On the summit of A’ Ghlas Beinn, Paul and I suddenly swapped a gloomy misty morning for a glorious afternoon. Two figures came up, and turned out to be girls from Dornoch (but not Sisters) ; whom we’d met… Continue reading
