BACK TO THE ALPINE HEAT

Rock climbing on the Aguillete

Last of the Ultra Trail runners

Aguille Rouge, where's the ibex?

Aguille de Tour

Aiguillette and Mont Blanc range

Fun on The Ladders

The Aiguillette de Argeniere

This guy still hanging on with his sense of humour

Unfortunately this guy looked wasted

Back in the Chsmonix valley for probably last stint this summer. Nice to have time off before work. Had a wander up to Lac Blanc via The Ladders and caught the tail enders of the Ultra Trail ( The run around the TMB). Some really wiped out folk in the heat. I used to see Ibex every time I walked in the Aguille Rouge area bit this year not a single one.maybe it was all the runners today. Respect to all the competitors. Not for me!

THUNDER IN THE GLEN BUT NOT IN THE HILLS

Noorthern Corries & Loch Morlich

Blue skies out to the east

Dramatic clouds over Cairngorm plateau

Heather looking fine just now

I love clouds

So here's some more

Aviemore is throbbing with Harley's this weekend, The annual Thunder in the Glen motorbike event. Peace and quiet out in the hills and the showers eased by this afternoon on Meall a' Bhuachaille. This wee summit gives wonderful views over to the northern Cairngorms. Lovely light and cloud formations by the time we got to the top. A chilly wind, Autumn not far away now and the blooming heather is looking wonderful. A nice leg stretch as always especially with a travel day coming up tomorrow, back to The Alps for the final time this season.

KINTAIL FINAL DAY

Elevenses with fine views

More loch views

summit pic-nic

Lovely sun on the descent with the Five Sisters

Spot Eillean a Donan Castle

For Kath & Eve's final day in the superb Kintail area we had a great day out on Sgurr Mhic-Bharraich. This isolated Corbett, which is so prominent from Shiel Bridge, gives stupendous views of mountain & loch. There is a fine stalkers trail which heads up toward The Saddle's big western corries before it swings back east and the final, pathless slopes to the top. There are great views of The Five Sisters, Knoydart and Loch Duich. We descended the north eastern ridge which gives even better views of Loch Duich all the way down. We had good sunny spells and not a breath of wind all day. What a contrast to yesterday! Of course this meant we were attacked by the dreaded midge but small price to pay for another top day out with great company.

SEVERE WINDS - IN AUGUST!

Hot sun and windy skies

Hit by the wind on the ridge

The huge ridges and corries of Ben Fhada on our route

Defeated today

The windy col

The overnight rain and weather front had quickly headed off leaving a clear and beautiful clear skies morning. Unfortunately there was a severe wind high up on the summits. For our second day out in Kintail we chose a lower altitude Munro without any narrow ridge. There aren't many of these in the area! A' Ghlas Bheinn from Morvich was our choice for the day. The approach up the beautiful glen with its superb stalkers path was a delight. Along the way you get a sense of  how big Ben Fhada, it's close neighbour is as the path winds it's way to the bealach. No midges today with the stiff breeze lower down. As expected the winds increased at the narrow bealach between our hill and Beinn Fhada. We struggled up another few metres to around 600m in a constant 70mph+ SE. Reluctantly and frustratingly we backed off and called it a day. Never before have I had to admit defeat to very high winds in August! Good luck to anyone who made the Munro tops today.

FIVE SISTERS, THREE LADIES, ONE CRACKING DAY

Looking over toward The Saddle

Sgurr na Spaintach

The summit of Sgurr na Ciste Dubh, the first Munro of the ridge

Fine ridge walking and views to Loch Duich

Looking down to Glen Cluanie

Great views to The Saddle and The Forcan Ridge

Sunshine

A few days ago the weather forecast for this weekend was looking a bit grim. Today couldn't have been a better day all in all. Regular client, Kath is up in The Highlands for another long weekend of Munro walking. This week we are based up at Kintail and Kath was joined by Eve & Karen for a wonderful day up on The Five Sisters. One of the finest ridge traverses in the area. Three Munro's and several Munro tops complete this high level roller coaster on the magnificent North West coast. We enjoyed lovely late morning sunshine and superb views. We had the mountain to ourselves until the final two summits when about a dozen folk caught up with us. There was a bit of light drizzle on the final hour or so to the road. But this was nothing compared to the ravenous midges that bit came following us down the hill. Brilliant day and great company.

BLESSED WITH ANOTHER CAIRNGORMS SUMMER DAY

Looking down onto Loch Avon from Stag Rocks

Shelterstone Crag

Looking west from Cairn Gorm

Loch Avon

Reindeer grazing again

Cairn Gorm across Sneachda

Sun kissed rocks

Fury Antlers

Fiacaill Ridge in afternoon sun

By late morning the weather front had passed by and we got another nice afternoon here in The Cairngorms. I had a blast up to Cairn Gorm then over to the lip of the Loch Avon basin. Some lovely views and a sense of remoteness here. The ground was dry and lush. I don't know if the reindeer were following me or I was stalking them but all the way along the plateau edge I came across three groups of them all happily grazing away in the sun. Went out in the hope of seeing the Dotterel but none today. May well have all flown to foreign shores now. A few snow bunting on Cairn Gorm summit. The wind strengthened markedly by mid afternoon and was approaching 50mph at times. Still it was a warm southerly and I escaped the battering by descending the Goat Track. A fine day out.

A SUMMER DAY IN THE CAIRNGORMS

Fiacaill Ridge bathed in sunshine

Ptarmigan chicks growing fast

The Reindeer heard cooling off in the heat on the Coire Domhain snow patch

The gem of the Cairngorms - Loch Avon Basin

Antlers getting big

Afternoon light over Glenmore

Female ptarmigan

Loch Avon

Taking it easy

More ridge shots

Coire an t-sneachda

Feithe Buidhe snow patch

Fury antlers

A rare glorious warm and sunny day in The Cairngorms today. A day of ridge scrambling on the Fiacaill followed by some wildlife watching on the plateau. Young ptarmigan basking on the rocks, young reindeer basking in the lush grass, older reindeer cooling off on the snow patch in Coire Domhain, wheat ear, snow bunting, dotterel all out there. Catch them while you can as many of the Cairngorm migratory birds will soon be gone form our hills including the Osprey which we were observing yesterday. Still big patches of snow in some places that is usually gone this time of year. A wonderful day to bout on the hill.