Winter is coming!

Bookings for this coming winter are starting to come in and although we have no snow on the mountains at the moment, forecasts are starting to suggest that this may change in the next week or so.
We offer a wide range of courses from learning how to use crampons and ice axe for the first time, right up to being guided on some of the Scottish classic mixed and Ice climbs. All of our courses are bespoke, so there is no hanging around waiting for some 'other' person in your group or feeling like you are having to work too hard just to keep up. Your course will be designed around you and run at a pace that suits you.
Not sure whether we are the right people for you? Our Facebook, Tripadvisor and testimonials page will hopefully give an idea of the quality of instruction you will receive.

Please have a look at the winter pages of our website and please feel free to get touch if you have any questions about what might be right for you.

It's coming!

The wintery weather continues

I'm home again after another couple of days up on Skye for Skye guides, it was supposed to be a traverse attempt but the mixed weather put an end to that idea. Saturday was by far the best day so we headed up on to Pinnacle ridge to give Hans and Deborah their first experience of the Cuillins. As always it didn't disappoint and the weather improved as the day went on to give us a cracking day out.
Yesterday was a different story as the stormy weather returned, we made our way into Coire na Creiche to head up the Spur. The wind didn't seem too bad on the walk in and I was starting to doubt my decision but seeing the waterfalls higher up the coire being blown back up hill gave us some idea of what the wind was doing higher up. Sure enough as we made our way out onto the ridge we were hit by the wind and add in the odd hail shower and it felt like a very wild day.
Looking out the window this morning I can see that the higher tops of had a good dump of snow overnight and more to come I believe. When will the summer finally begin?

A stormy looking Coire na Creiche.

A wintery day on the Aonach Eagach and a busy end to the month.

I worked a successful Cuillin traverse last weekend for Skye guides, which we managed to fit into a very short weather window. So much so, it stopped raining as we reached Sgurr Nan Eag and started again as we got back to our bags after Sgurr nan Gillean.
Yesterday I was out with Justin and his 13 year old son Noah on the Aonach Eagach, the forecast looked like it could be a day in the middle of February but we decided to give it a go. They both did really well and made very short work of the route. We had some very heavy snow and hail showers pass through but nothing settled for very long.

It's a long way down.

Tackling the Pinnacles.

A mix of weather on Skye

I'm just home from five days on Skye with some very varied weather. We had a full mix with snow, hail, sleet, rain and sun. Day 1 was a great day with blue skies and dry rock but unfortunately this didn't last, today though the sun made another appearance for our traverse of the classic Clach Glas and Bla Bheinn. A few days off now before I head back up.

A busy day on the Inn Pinn.

The views from the top.

Back to snow, rain and cloud.

Approaching the Bealach at the start of the Clach Glas - Bla Bheinn trav.

The slanting V-groove onto Clach Glas.

The final difficult step to get us onto Bla Bheinn.

Ledge route and the CMD yesterday.

I'll just let the photo's say it all.

The final weekend of winter work.

I spent the weekend working for Hebridean Pursuits with a great bunch of guys on a winter mountaineering course. We climbed Stob Coire nan Lochan via the hidden valley on Friday, made the best of a poor forecast on Saturday with a tour of the Douglas gullies on a very quiet Ben Nevis and then yesterday we had a great day on Sron na Laraig. There has been plenty of fresh snow over the last couple of days and the snowline has crept down the hillside over night.

Whilst I was out with the guys, Hannah, Dave and Julie were on the Ben with a group of 24 from Falmouth and Exeter university. There plan was to do the three peaks but unfortunately one of their minibus' broke down on the way here, so it just turned into a Ben Nevis weekend for them. They did a great job and were up and down in 7 1/2 hours, which is very respectable for a winter ascent, especially seeing as most had not been out in winter before. 

A murky West gully

The final slopes on Sron na Laraig

A successful team on the summit of Ben Nevis. photo: David Buckett.

Spring in the Outdoor Capital

Well spring has well and truly arrived in the Outdoor capital, this is a great time of year with so many choices and not enough free days to fit it all in. Down in the Glens we are enjoying dry rock and dusty trails but on the higher tops there is still great ice climbing and skiing to be had. I've had a great few days off enjoying the weather with the family after a busy winter and a few bits of work in between, yesterday I was out mountain biking above Kinlochleven with 2nd years from the University of the Highlands and Islands. It was a stunning day to be out no matter what you were doing but winter has made a return this morning with snow down to about 400m, just in time for my last weekend of winter work.