THE FINAL WEEKS OF WINTER

 

Ben Macdui & Cairngorm plateau last Saturday 

It's always a sad period when the end of March comes along, Winters end drawing closer. We've certainly enjoyed a fabulous season. Cold and very snowy down to low levels most of January and February. I usually call it Spring time around mid April. This is normally the time when the SAIS Avalanche forecasts end their season. You never, ever know what the month of April will bring us. So don't be hanging up your Winter boots, clothing, axes and crampons yet! Still full snow cover on  the high Cairngorms and in the corries. Enjoy the last few weeks of Winter - the finest season.

My catch up on days out recently:

FRIDAY 26 MARCH

Fresh snow to 500m on the Monadhliath 

A cold snap with lowering temperatures. Constant snow showers through the morning and it was cold enough for wet snow falling down at Aviemore level. With a forecast of some brightness towards the end of the afternoon I had a late 1pm start for a quick check of the hills. At 300m I was walking in a blizzard up in the Monadhliath. Poor visibility and enough wind to think about getting the goggles out.

Snow blowing and lying at 300m

Big cumulus and snow showers

This spot was bare heather 2 days earlier

I got up to the 600m contour and it felt like it could have been any month in Winter. A strong, cold wind, horizontal snow blowing and limited visibility. I had a snack before getting my camera out to have an hour or so of Mountain Hare photography. It was after 2.30pm at this point so not a great deal of time to capture any images. I was hoping to get an 'atmospheric snow blowing over a Mountain Hare' kind of photograph. 

There was a break in the clouds shortly after getting the camera out and blue skies above. The hefty snow showers eased off and the views were tremendous. Beautiful clarity of air. The area where I was walking had ankle deep snow drifts. Only 2 days previously it was just bare heather. Such is the wonder of the Scottish hills in Winter. Magnificent. 

Sunshine and the Cairngorms revealed!

Snow cover again!

Drifted ankle deep snow

No Mountain Hare photos today. The one shot I was kicking myself for not getting was exactly what I was after. A hare in a heavy snow shower with the sun streaming through the cloud and lighting up his/her face. I was just a couple of seconds too slow! That's wildlife photography for you. That's why we keep going back time and time again.

Late afternoon, clear skies

SATURDAY 28 MARCH

Cairngorm plateau in the sun

A fine day to be out on the high Cairngorms. Lightish winds, full snow cover and the chance of some sunshine.  The snowgates at Glenmore are still closed so timings for days out are longer with the extra 300m+ walk up. More daylight so no real issues. We decided on the classic Northern Corries circuit.

Lurchers Ridge, full snow cover

Windslab from yesterday

Frozen hard snow and ice. Crampons compulsory!

We set off early doors to beat the 'crowds'. We saw hardly anyone all day in fact. There was  still breeze at 900m but nothing to be of concern. Some fresh windslab around from the previous couple of days high winds and fresh snowfall.  Most aspects the terrain was predominantly hard, frozen, wind scoured old snow. You wouldn't have got too high without crampons anywhere today. Fabulous walking. 

Cairn Lochan

Coire an Lochain

Cloud coming and going

From Cairn Lochan the clouds lifted and we enjoyed the best sunshine of the day. Perfect timing. So we had a quick detour to the finest viewpoint in the Cairngorms. 

Loch A'an

Looking towards Ben Macdui

A distant Cairn Gorm with full snow cover

The odd climber in the Northern Corries 

The winds seemed to increase on the walk back over to 1141m. We made our way back down the hill as the clouds also  increased . Great snow cover and icy, firm snow all the way down to 800m. 

Iced rocks at 1141m

Firm snow down to 800m

Fiacaill Buttress and Coire an Sneachda 

SUNDAY 28 MARCH

The odd break in the clouds

It was a drab, dull morning but mostly dry. I headed back up for a few hours to see the Mountain Hares at my usual area. Yet again the temperatures had gone up a few degrees. The snow from Friday and virtually all melted away. Despite a rise in the mercury,  there was the odd snow shower above about 650m.

Beautiful creature

I spotted a lovely female hare from a short distance away and quickly gained her confidence. She sat nicely in the snow patch and wasn't at all concerned about my presence. Beautiful facial markings as the hares are now slowly changing from Winter to Spring pelage.

Beautiful facial markings

Day by day changes into Spring pelage

Full of character

Great timing for some bright sunshine as  I sat for an hour with this beauty. It's a fascinating time of year as their coats transform into Spring.

Look at that beautiful face!

The stretch after a nap

MONDAY 29 MARCH

Mountain Bike back on the trails

Anyone who owns a road or Mountain bike will well know how difficult spare parts have been to get hold of since Covid times. A shortage in the supply chain had meant a 4 month wait for a new back wheel I had needed for my Mountain Bike. Having 'old 26" wheels didn't help matters, they seem to be harder to find than a honest politician these days. Thankfully Bothy Bikes in Aviemore did a grand job in sourcing a wheel and got me back on the trails.

Windy & cloudy over the Cairngorms 

Warm sun and blue skies to the North

One of Strathspey's 'secret' lochs

Quiet trails beside the Spey

I had a lovely ride North of the Cairngorms,  away from the cloud looming over the hills. There are always nice, quiet places and trails you can find if you want to escape any crowds. I wanted a peaceful location for some birdwatching. I had a wonderful hour or so beside one of Strathspey's 'secret' lochs. Here I counted around 50 Greylagg Geese, 50 Black Headed Gulls all enjoying the sun and water. There were Oystercatcher here too. All very nice and pleasant.

Goldeneye

Greylagg Geese

Oystercatcher

Peaceful, 'secret' loch

It was a windy day low down, no doubt a rough day up on the high tops. Abnormal temperatures yesterday down in the South of England. Apparently mid 20 C. Don't panic though. Winter is prevailing up here. We have snow falling on the Cairngorms and temperatures lowering throughout the day. Winter conditions and some lovely calm days coming up over this weekend. If you don't like cold air and snow on the mountains then no good for you :)

Winter WLL continue......

WARM AND NOW BACK TO WINTER

 

Cairn Gorm & Coire Cas, Monday

The long spell of warm weather brought by the huge High pressure system lingered on into last week. We are now in a run of Atlantic lows crossing Scotland. We've had  some high winds knocking about in Aviemore and on the mountains this week. The temperatures lowering to around average for this time of year. It has been  much cooler at the end of this week and some snow for the high mountains. Yes, Winter hasn't gone away. You knew that though didn't you? 

Here's a catch up over the last few days of my adventures.

SATURDAY 20 MARCH

Braeriach and Loch Coire an Lochain

 With a fine morning forecast I headed back up onto the Sgorans above Glenfeshie. Feeling a bit miffed at missing out on photographing the Ptarmigan we saw last week I decided to see if they were still in the same small area, high up on the plateau. Wishful thinking I know. They are birds and they do move around! I cycled up Glenfeshie from the house. En-route I stopped off to capture this lovely Brown hare.

Well hidden in the log grasses

Brown hare can be a tricky customer to photograph. They hide well in long grass, their preferred habitat. So early Spring can be a good time to see them properly before vegetation starts growing! This wee guy was well hidden though.

Glenfeshie Pines 

Beautiful Glenfeshie 

It was breezier on the tops with winds up to around 35mph by the time I reached Sgor Gaoithe. By mid day high cloud rolled in from the West. I didn't see any Ptarmigan but some cracking views of Braeriach. 

Braeriach and Lurchers Crag to the left

The Ribbon of snow running down is known as 'The Escalator'

High cloud by midday 

I hadn't seen anyone on the hill until on the way down from Sgor Gaoithe. I decided to head back the shortest, quickest way. I saw half a dozen folk by the time I reached the treeline on the excellent path. One couple who had just set out at 2.30pm asked me where the path goes. The carpark had 8 cars there. The hills look like they're starting to get busy again!

Recent path repairs

Lovely bike ride home again

SUNDAY 21 MARCH

Brown Hare, Glenfeshie

Back to beautiful Glenfeshie, third time this week. It is a glorious glen. A special place and one of Europe's largest, most ambitious Rewilding programmes. This is a long term ( we're talking over 50 years) of regeneration and rewilding this enormous area. If your interested in this and lots of details check out the excellent website: Cairngorms Connect

Today my wife and I had a leisurely drive to the area in search of wildlife and birdwatching. I spent a good couple of hours wanting to capture some more images of the beautiful Brown Hare.

Woodland, precious

Sunny and warm by midday 

After a dull start the skies brightened up by midday. Beautiful ad warm and the Brown Hares were showing well. 

Later on in the afternoon we meandered further along Strathspey and found some beautiful quiet spots to do some birdwatching and enjoy the sunshine down by the Spey.

Tree Creeper

Long Tailed Tit

Amongst the many birds we spotted were: Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Grey Heron, Curlew, Great Spotted Woodpecker, tree Creeper, Long Tailed Tit. A glorious end to the day and beautiful sunshine.

Sunshine down on the Spey

Quiet and peaceful 

MONDAY 22 MARCH

One of the few bright spells in the afternoon 

A benign day and quiet dull. There was a stiff wind, even on the lower hills. The mid to late afternoon saw some brightness, just enough to get a few Mountain hare photos. I've found over the years that they tend to eat and more relaxed by around 2 pm this time of year. Perfect timing to coincide with the brighter weather!

Amongst the rocks

Dinner time

Afternoon brightness

There is hardly any snow left below 900m in the high Cairngorms and even less here in the Monadhliath. The Hares are still in their Winter pelage but are starting to morph into their Spring coats. With so little snow they find shelter and camouflage amongst the beautiful lichen and moss covered rocks. The closest to anything 'white' for them.

Well camouflaged

I'm off

What a view for 'home'

WEDNESDAY 24 MARCH

Snow showers over The Cairngorms 

A much cooler day today. With snow showers down to 500m in the Monadhliath and I would say even more on the high Cairngorms. There was a cold, strong wind blowing and definitely a return to March conditions. In other words normal end of Winter weather! I keep banging on about Winter never truly finishes until at least mid April here in the Scottish Mountains. The high tops of the Cairngorms still had huge covering of snow, some aspects frozen snow and ice. Worth checking the latest SAIS blogs and reports which detail these conditions. Today I was back in the Monadhliath with the hares.

Their Spring pelage coming through very clearly

Beautiful colourings amongst the lichens and mosses

A fine, sunny start to the day on my bike ride to the hills from the house. By mid morning the first of the snow showers rattled across the hills. It was a blustery day even at lower 600-700m elevations. I just got the camera out when the visibility dropped and snowing. By mid day some lovely bright spells were enjoyed. Unfortunately these brighter periods were short lived and did not coincide with Mountain Hare moments! You can't always win them all. I did manage to get some images and the showers did ease off in the afternoon.

Shower clouds looking wonderful

Some brighter moments for the Cairngorms too

Great cloudscape photography

Very quiet on the hill. Just 1 person seen all day. The hares were well and truly outnumbering humans, not that I usually see many folk in this area. I also spotted a pair of Golden Plover which was lovely to see again. Looking forward to more birds and wildlife on the hills over the coming weeks, the most important time for ground nesting birds.

Sheltering from the winds

That surprised look!

Shaking off the snow

Flat light

I got a good soaking on the way  home on the bike as the showers merged. More snow and cold temperatures forecast on the high Cairngorms the rest of the week. 

Winter continues......

You can't beat a bit of Duck Tape