My friend, still in his winter coat April often brings much more settled and calmer weather across the Highlands of Scotland. It's one of my favourite months outwith winter. Unfortunately we haven't really had many amazing days of clear skies, no wind and fine views. When they have come they seem to only last for 24 hrs. In-between this we've had a fair amount of rain and the temperatures haven't settled down. Below freezing one day, next day into double figures. There has been a day or two of fresh snow on the Cairngorms, next day it's rain. There were a couple of days last w ..read more

  Saturday 16th March, fresh snow above 600m It may well be the 'official start to Spring' now we are at 21st March. The daffodils are flowing but that doesn't mean a thing up in the mountains. Here in The Cairngorms and many other Scottish mountains it is more than likely to be full on winter conditions. This is true every single year. We already have a fair amount of 'old snow'. On top of this it is forecast to be colder temperatures, high winds and frequent snowfall from Friday onwards. My 'record' of delivering a full on winter skills course is 11th MAY! It will almost certai ..read more

  Fabulous mid afternoon light, CMD arete, Ben Nevis My blog has been getting a bit neglected in the last couple of weeks. I've been busy on various courses since early March. I've been running 1 and 2 day winter skills courses, a CMD arete on Ben Nevis weekend with success! The winds were calm and the views splendid. Two groups of return clients. One on a recap on skills, the other a winter Munro course. Lots of content on my FB pages which are more regular but here's some images from the last 10 days or so. It's still winter! Despite the temperature fluctuations and gales we w ..read more

  Good snow cover returns! Catching up on my blog after a busy period. The winter weather and conditions have been up and down but it now looks more settled as we go into March. March is always the finest month in winter. Longer daylight hours, usually the most depth of snow and (sometimes) nice weather conditions with less gales! I've been running lots of winter skills courses, plenty of Mountain hare Photography workshops and a guided Ben Nevis trip via the CMD arete. For the 3rd time lucky this went to plan. The other 2 in December and January ad to be shelved because of high ..read more

  Blue skies and calm winds, Cairn Lochan We've bben enjoying some calmer conditions in the Cairngorms over the last few days, at last! Temperatures have stayed well below freezing on the tops and some cold, frosty mornings in Strathspey. Great conditions to get up on the high tops and even some views with a bit of sunshine! The lower paths and trails have been icy and the snow above as also been frozen solid. Some serious runouts below 900m so careful footwork and locations for safe travel. It's now half term school holidays, the hills have been busy (as always this time in win ..read more

A well prepared group of mine in mid winter  February marks the halfway point in the winter season. It does make me giggle every single year around this period. Folk on various social media channels claiming 'spring is just around the corner'. The snowdrops may well indeed be in flower down on the south coast of Englandshire, up here in The Highlands it is full winter conditions, usually. The snow is once again lying outside in my garden at Aviemore as I type this blog. Winter finishes around the end of April in these parts.  It's been yet another unsettled spell of weather ..read more

  Descending off Ben Macdui yesterday The last week in January has seen more changeable weather and snow conditions. One day of snow to low levels, cold and relative 'calm', the next day rain and wind. We've had some very different weather day by day. Just a typical winter really. Yesterday and on Monday I was running a winter skills course for Steven & Juliet. Just by pure chance they booked 2 days of great weather and conditions. That's the way it goes really. We've had another couple of named storms passing through, thankfully they were on my 'rest days'.  Here's som ..read more

  Cold temperatures, nothing these guys can't put up with What do they say on the news? A weeks is a long time in politics? Well a week in the Scottish mountains can havedrastic changes too. The last seven days we have seen some extraordinary and changeable conditions, temperatures and winds! Arctic, snowstorm, high windchill to rain, some snowloss and two named storms. Here's a few images and words from my recent guiding trips. TUESDAY 16 JANUARY Fergus enjoying the full winter experience, 17th January Wonderful On 16th January Fergus was out on a day of win ..read more

Braeriach last Friday, 12 January  The fine spell of conditions and weather continues here in The Cairngorms. Lovely to have some nice settled conditions last week. Richard, Cat, Kyle & Lynsey had booked onto a 4 day winter course. Richard booked this course for him and his friends way back at the end of July. My first winter booking. I love forward thinking folk! They picked a cracking few days for their course. THURSDAY 11TH JANUARY Sunrise oer Coire an t-sneachda. Thursday 11 Jan The team above a temperature inversion, 11 Feb Late afternoon wand ..read more

Sgor Gaoithe, 9th January  It has been a brilliant start to 2024 with wonderful snow conditions here in the Cairngorms. The Eastern Highlands has had the best of the snow so far this season. There was a small, temporarily blip in the temperatures, going above freezing  but in the last week of more we have enjoyed some wonderful snow and weather. This is coinciding with one of my busiest winter seasons ever. I have only a few remaining dates still available in January and February. Enquire if you are flexible with midweek dates. You may be lucky. After all I do want the odd ..read more