ABOVE US ONLY SKY

What a fantastic temperature inversion on the mountains around Loch Tay today. With sub zero temperatures over the last few days, a light dusting of new snow and hard neve, water ice and frozen ground it was pure delight. The top of the cloud was at around 700m with blue skies and bright sunshine. Superb visability in every direction. Quite a few folk on Ben Lawers today, we took the quiet route up on the South ridges from Tombreck, the finest walking way up with great views over to An Stuc and Lochan nan Cat. Dissapointing to see quite a few folk totally under-dressed and ill equiped for winter mountains - no rucksacs, ice axes, crampons or even boots. Settled, cold conditions are set to continue through to 2009. HAPPYNEW YEAR!

NEVE NEW YEAR

It was another day of sub zero temperatures above 400m today. There was some good lines of neve on Carn Gorms Eastern crags which were linked up to get to the summit. There was a very cold wind chill on the tops in the moderate Easterly breeze. A great mix of neve, water ice and rime ice on the hills. Looking cold and dry for the next few days here in the Highlands. Still plenty of excellent neve in the sheltered gullies to play in.

NEVE ON TARMACHAN

Cary and I were on Tarmachan today. The snow above 700m is well frozen and excellent cramponing terrain. Still quite big areas of snow to play in. The weather has been quite benign over the last few days, dry, mostly cloudy and lowering temps. It was a much colder day on the tops today. Forecast looks the same, at least for the next few days.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

I was on the Eastern slopes of Meall Greigh today, getting a white Christmas with a 200m snow slope to the summit. The snow is now well consolidated, there is now only snow in gullies and above about 700m. Merry Christmas!

PLENTY SNOW

Despite the warm spell there was plenty of snow on the North corrie of Ben Ghlas today, up to one metre in places and starting to consolidate with the freeze thaw temps.

ALPINE CHRISTMAS?

The weeather looks very settled over the next few days with a big high pressure influence over the Highlands. With snow on the tops and clear skies forecast for the Perthshire hills it should be Alpine like on the mountains over Christmas. We are running winter skills and guided hillwalking days right through the Christmas and New Year period. Bookings can be made on: 077 2000 1326.

WINTER STILL IN THE LAKES

We still have snow on the hills despite the rise in temperatures today. The Highlands seem to be looking good still while here in The Lake District today there was still snow on the tops, above 600m. It was a good day for winter navigation on the hills today, with a cloudbase down to 500m. We were on the hills to the East of Troutbeck, some depth of snow still in places and the snow was becoming consolidated with the freeze/thaw cycles. Great hills for navigation, we didn't see a sole all day. Looks like a rise in temperatures through the rest of the week and some very windy days to come, with snowfall on the highest tops.

The Scottish Avalanche Info Service has started this week, check out: http://www.sais.gov.uk/ for daily avalanche reports through out the winter season.

CLEAR SKIES AND WINTER LAKELAND HILLS

A stunning winters day again in the Lakes. Skiddaw was very busy today. Beautiful clear views, great snow with ice in places on north facing aspects.

WILD AND WINTERY STILL

Yesterday was a day of very wintery, wild and stormy weather here in the Lakes, with roads becoming very icy. Today was a great day for navigation on the hills 'back of Skidda'. On Knott and Great Calva it was a day of map and compass in the low cloud and snow showers. No one on the hills here today.

BLENCATHRA

A beautiful day in the Lakes today. Clear skies and a good covering of snow on Blencathra.

WINTER DOWN SOUTH

Its been full on winter conditions, even down here in The Lake District. I was on St. Sunday Crag and Fairfield today in constant snow showers and strong Northerly winds. Not a sole to be seen on the fells today, it felt more like the Highlands.