TWO VERY FINE DAYS

After our teams rest day in Cormayeur it was back on the trail and onto the Monte de Saxe ridge. This is the finest day on the TMB trek (IMHO). Great ridge walking, fan views to Mont Blanc and Grand Jorasses, a mountain summit,quiet and lonely feel & a night in the superb Bonatti Refuge. What's not to like? Today we continued in hot sunny skies over the Grand Col Ferret and into Switzerland. Beautiful views again. The group loving it and the superb weather.

TMB NUMBER 1

First guiding trip on the Tour of Mont Blanc for this season. My group of 12 folk are from all corners of the globe: Canada, USA, Saudi Arabia, India and England. All enjoying the terrific mountain scenery and lovely weather. Couple of times its looked like downpours but we've enjoyed sunshine most of the way. Rest day at Cormayeur before the finest day on the trek over the Monte Saxe ridge and down to Refugio Bonatti.

ALPS

Aiguille du Dru  from near Lac Blanc, September 2013

Off to Chamonix and first stint of work in The Alps this summer. Guiding on Tour de Mont Blanc trips and I guess plenty more views like this  :)

ANOTHER CRACKING CAIRNGORM DAY

Shirley enjoying her first Munro, Cairn Gorm

Shirley enjoying her rest on Cairn Lochain

Female ptarmigan

Looking down The Couloir, Cairn Lochain

Ptarmigan chick

Cornus suecica (Dwarf Cornel)

Big difference in plumage of the male and female ptarmigan

Shirley was treated to another stunning day in The Cairngorms on her second  hiking day. We headed up to Cairn Gorm and she bagged her first Munro summit. The weather was beautiful, very warm but a lovely wee breeze so perfect really. She was still full of energy after the summit of Cairn Gorm so we carried on along the tops of the Northern Corries for lots more mountain views and sunny skies. We spotted a female ptarmigan with at least 10 chicks waddling along the path running down from Cairn Lochan, always a lovely sight. An abundance of Dwarf Cornel flowering lower down the hill too. Well done to Shirley and she's picked a great week for walking in the Highlands. I was guiding for Walkabout Scotland today.

MEALL A' BHUACHAILLE

Shirley enjoying the great weather on Meall a' Bhuachaille

The great path up to the summit and lovely views

The Northern Corries of The Cairngorms from the summit

Red squirrels outside the Glenmore Visitor Centre & cafe

Shirley from Florida is out with me for a couple of days walking in The Highlands. Her first visit to Scotland and we have weather and heat like her hometown in the USA! Meall a' Bhuachaille is a lovely wee hill with big views of the Cairngorm mountains. All day I was promosing her a red squirrel sighting, finally she  got to see our red's just outside the Glenmore Visitor centre. Looking like another very warm and sunny day again tomorrow for our trip up to Cairn Gorm. I am working for Walkabout Scotland today and tomorrow.

SGOR GAOITHE

Excellent views today. Great views from the top across to Braeriach

Braeriach and Loch Einaich

Moss Campion on the higher slopes

Views over to The Great Moss

A lovely spell of weather this week, very warm and sunny in most parts of The Highlands including Sgor Gaoithe today. There was a lovely light breeze on the hill so perfect walking conditions. Sgor Gaoithe is a great hill as an introduction to hillwalking. It's over 1000m but with excellent paths on the approach and most of the way up the easy angled slopes. If you have more energy then there are several more tops along the undulating, broad ridges. Of course there are superb views to boot.

SKYE, SEALS & SLUMMING IT IN THE SLIGACHAN

A lovely weekend over on Skye with Karen. We wandered up to Skye via Plockton and Karen bagged her first Munro on The Cuillin, Bruach na Frithe. Sunday we had a cruise out on the water and some seal spotting but no otters. We were slumming it in The Sligachan Hotel, very nice too!

LIATHACH

The guys all grins scrambling on Am Fasarinen

The start of the ridge traverse and the sun comes out

Beinn Dearg and the Flowerdale hills

Nice exposure

Beinn Eighe beyond

As much down scrambling as up

The final tower

Arrgh it's almost over

Coire na Caime and Beinn Alligin beyond from Spidean Coire Liath

Final day with Mark and Mal and the second best mountain on the planet - Liathach. The weather forecast wasn't looking promising, heavy showers and lightning but we set off in hope. Just before we got to the start of the ridge we had a heavy hail shower but we continued and only 10 minutes later we were basking in hot sunshine and clear blue skies. The cloud did roll in again but most of the time it was above the summits so we had great views. WE got to the start of the exciting bit on the traverse, Am Fasarinen Pinnacles. Grade 2 scrambling and we had the place to ourselves, once again the guys loving every minute of the up and down wonderful Torridonian sandstone towers and pinnacles. A great 3 days out with superb company. It's rare to have clients who want walk and scramble on my favourite mountains ever! Well done guys, they're now thinking about some winter mountain fun!

AN TEALLACH

The wonderful Corrag Bhuidhe Pinnacles

The fun begins on the Corrag Bhuidhe Pinnacles

Lord Barkeley's Seat & Sgurr Fiona from the Pinnacles

Great views to Loch na Sealga and Beinn Dearg Mhor in the Fisherfield

We're half way along the Corrag Bhuidhe Pinnacles and more to come :)

Mal having a great time

Nearing the summit of Lord Barkeley's Seat

The final section of scrambling to Sgurr Fiona

Looking back and classic view of Pinnaces and Sgurr Fiona from Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill

 

Day two and out on the finest mountain on the planet, An Teallach. This was a notch up on the scrambling Mark and Mal had previously done with me when we were on Ledge Route a couple of years ago. It's a fair way up along a couple of summits before the technical bit of The Corrag Bhuidhe Pinnacles start. The guys soon got into the hands on stuff and loved the scrambling, before we knew it we were on the Munro summit of Sgurr Fiona. Just a simple 'stroll' to the second Munro top and those beautiful classic views of the ridge. It was very humid today with some cloud later in the afternoon and just a couple of very light showers, we were lucky as the rain came on just as we hit the road.

THREE DAYS OF THE FINEST MOUNTAINS ON THE PLANET (PROBABLY)

Liathach rom Beinn Damph

Summit views aren't bad

Loch Shieldaig

Fine ridge walking

The summit and looking out to Sgurr Ruadh

Summit views to Beinn Alligin and Liathach

Last Sunday return clients Mark and Malc were out with me based in the finest mountain area on the planet, according to me! Actually the guys had chosen a 5 day holiday based in Torridon so it's not just my humble opinion! Malc and Mark aren't bagging Munros as such, they just love the big fantastic looking ones and enjoy some adventurous routes with scrambling. To kick off the show we had a 2pm start on Beinn Damph to 'warm up'. This fab hill just misses the magical 3000ft height by just a few feet. We had glorious skies with just one or two brief showers. Beautiful views of Loch Torridon and the big Torridon giants of Beinn Alligin, Liathach and Beinn Eighe. Appetites whetted .....