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| Full snow cover on the Cairngorm plateau |
A week of warm temperatures and several Atlantic low pressure systems crossing the Scottish Highlands in rapid succession. You may be lead to think that our wonderful snow on the high mountains will have melted away. No chance. Despite temperatures in double digits at sea level the conditions up high have been in melt/freeze cycles. Perfect for getting great snow and ice conditions for walking and climbing. This is good news! Normally January is the windiest month up high. Quite the opposite this winter. The last week has seen gales on the Cairngorms and other Scottish hills.
My usual round up over the last week.
Wednesday 17 February
A half decent day. Mild temperatures and strong winds. I went up to my usual Mountain Hare location on the Monadhliath. The snow at this 500m altitude is now very patchy and big areas of heather. The Mountain Hare are smart. No camouflage here so they have migrated higher up the hills were there is still decent snow cover.
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| Patchy snow below 550m |
I didn't have to walk much further up hill before getting some nice shots of one particular Mountain Hare who was nicely sheltered from the strong SW winds. He was actually sat in the same spot that I normally sort out my gear and camera and a bite to eat before photographing. It was at this point that a big snow shower came in. 1 hour later and the snow had reached lower altitudes. There was wet snow lying in Aviemore and I was soaked by the time I got home, can't remember being wet this Winter with all our wonderful cold and snowy conditions.
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| Hare at my usual sitting spot! |
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| Snow receding lower down |
Saturday 20th February
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| The Feshie river levels up |
A couple of days of grey, mild and wet weather down in Strathspey. Some flat areas and rivers had flooded with all the rain and some snow melt. Some places worse than others. We tend to not have any issues in these parts. A few, short walks on Thursday and Friday. Very quiet even in popular low level paths around the Aviemore and Strathspey region at the moment. This period in winter is normally my busiest time of year with work. Schools half term and the height of winter.
Sunday 21st February
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| Snow banks showing depth of snow we have at 500m |
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| Above 700m still good cover and firmer |
A reasonable day on Sunday with excellent bright spells but still breezy on the Monadhliath and Cairngorms. Another very quiet day on my usual walk. I saw only 2 people from a distance all day. Plenty of Mountain Hare. Around this period in winter the hares are just getting into their 'boxing' mode. This is the mating season and the 'boxing' is done by the female who is fending off her male admirers. That is until she finds a suitable guy! There were a few wee slaps from a couple of hares but nothing on camera. I did spend an hour crawling along the snow to get some shots. Despite the warm temperatures I still had my many layers of winter clothing on.
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| Yawning hare in the sun |
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| The female is the larger of the two |
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| Sleepy walk |
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| Still in full winter pelage |
Monday 22nd February
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| Loch A'an and Shelterstone |
A fine weather day and lighter winds in store before another lower pressure system coming our way on Tuesday. I made the most of the 24 hour spell. A day on the high Cairngorms was on the radar.
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| The ski road to Coire Cas |
All winter the snow gates have been shut at Glenmore. So any venture up to the Northern Cairngorms has been longer than normal with the extra hour of walking up the ski road (or skinning up on skis until the recent thaw). We had a very wild day last week which drifted a lot of snow onto the ski road. The 'downhill' section of road is still deep with snow at one section.
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| The section of old ski road covered |
It was still a breezy day even at the 600m level. But with clear skies and bright winter sun this didn't seem to matter or me. I was keen to get up high on the tops. I took my telephoto lens along in the hope of finding some Ptarmigan and Mountain Hare.
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| The usual Snow Bunting at the Coire Cas carpark |
I walked up into Coire Cas to gain the Cairngorm plateau. I knew it had been well skied and pisted so this would make life easier for walking, thinking any lower snow will still be deep and tiring. Heading over to the Cas ridge I need not have been concerned. It was brilliantly icy and firm once off the main pisted track. Superb snow cover above 800m and no one around. Fabulous.
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| Moon rising over Cairn Gorm summit area |
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| Cairn Gorm |
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| Wonderful icy slopes down to the cafe |
Walking down from Cairn Gorm summit was even more wonderful. Perfect hard snow and icy slopes. You'd have found it difficult without crampons for most of today and definitely on the summit slopes of the UKs 6th highest peak.
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