BEINN ALLIGIN

Not the best circuit of Beinn Alligin today, it was light rain through out and low cloud by afternoon. The views out to sea are superb but not on a day like today.

LIATHACH

I fabulous day today up in Torridon. Lorna, Alice and I were on Liathach, my second favourite mountain (after An Teallach). It started cloudy but by the time we reached the An Faserian pinnicles the sun broke through, clouds parted and it was a superb, clear afternoon with beautiful views. This was Fiona's pen ultimate Munro and she is due to finish her round of Munro's on Slioch. Well done to her and should be a good party on Slioch next month!

FAR OUT IN FISHERFIELD

I was out backpacking in the wonderful Fisherfield forest of the NW Highlands. The NW of Scotland was supposed to be the sunniest part of the UK today but there was still a fair amount of cloud about. So I changed my plans and didn't go onto An Teallach ( it deserves the best weather!) and instead walked into Loch a' Bhraoin and ascended a couple of quite remote Graham's (mountains of 2000ft-2499ft in Scotland) Groban and Beinn Beag. I had a quick look in at the Loch a' Bhraoin bothy which has recently been renovated and now boasts sleeping platforms, wood burning stove and a sink with water tap and inside toilet! I walked out to Kilochewe just as the sun came out.

TRYFAN NORTH RIDGE

It's been a fantastic spell of weather this last week, especially for the NW Highlands. I caught the last of the good spell in Snowdonia today with a day up the classic scramble up Tryfan's North ridge. Unusually I had the whole route to myself in glorious sunny skies and warm rock. There was some cloud as I carried on to a couple more nice scrambles on The Glyders, up and down Glyder Fach's North ridge then back up the Y Gribin ridge onto Glyder Fawr.

EASTER BUNNIES

It was another lovely sunny day here in the Highlands, although it was hazy and some high cloud after mid day. Just in time for Easter I saw a mountain hare high up on Ben Lawers but no chocolate eggs. On the way down the South/SE ridge I bumped into Jan who works for the Scottish National Trust, he was out doing some footpath maintanance.

KEEP ON SHINING

It was another beautiful sunny day in The Highlands and warmer than yesterday with only light winds on the tops. I was scrambling about on Creag na Caillichs' Eastern ctags then along the Tarmachans'. The gullies here are good spots for some winter easy lines but there's more turf than rock for summer scrambling, still a quiet way up and graet for plant and flowers. The purple saxifrage around here is beautiful at the moment, in abundance in places. Also just out is wood anemone. Clear visability today, central gully on Ben Lui was quite prominant in views and is still full with snow, maybe I was wrong about winter over? Last chance for winter action maybe...........

WINTER OVER

Well I'll have to admit today with sadness that winter is over! At least here in the Southern Highlands, those looking for winter action will have to go high on The Ben or Cairngorms. Today Peter and I were on a couple of lowely but quiet hills to the South of Loch Voil. We had nice sunny spells and good views over to Stob Binnein. It felt like Spring was finally here when Peter put on his sun hat. On the way down we spotted a pair of golden plovers.

SNOWY,SUNNY,SLIPPY,SLIDEY

After a wet and colder night the hills today had a covering of snow down to 800m. It was a showery morning so I nipped out after mid- day just in time for the sun to come out. The fresh snow became quite wet and added to this the saturated ground it became quite slippy under foot. I went into the Cam Chreag corrie on Tarmachan, as fast has I was going up one of the gullies the snow was rolling off down the hill. The crags higher up had ice on them but this too was melting rapidly. Shame it's not any colder to keep the snow. Interesting weather coming up over Easter period, wet at all levels tommorrow, then snow again to 800m for Friday. Still got chance to roll those Easter eggs down the hill!