FIVE DAY WINTER WALKING, CAIRNGORMS

 

The ladies enjoying light winds and wonderful snow

Sadly it was the final day taking out four fun ladies around the mountains in the Cairngorms. It's been a brilliant week and a varied itinerary that was geared towards their aspirations and at their pace, not the other way around. Too many companies have rigid timetables and 'off the shelf' day to day schedules. This is not the way Tarmachan Mountaineering runs. We aim to please and listen to groups and individuals. 

Today we made a final visit to the high Cairngorms. A day to consolidate essential and core axe and crampon skills. We found some lovely quiet mountainsides with wonderful snow.

Bright spells and great snow

There were some bright spells this morning and only light winds as we set off up the hill. No one around, we had the place to ourselves. The snowpack had firmed up a touch so no post holing and sinking to your shins and above.

Amazingly there was no one at Ciste Mheard for lunchtime. We had to make fresh snow shelters. All good fun aswell as a good skill to have in case of emergency and you are stuck upside hill in winter. 

Snow shelters

Ready for some more wind and snow

In the afternoon there were a few light snow and Sleat showers as we made our way off the plateau. 

Heading down

Rime and wind

More rime

A fabulous five days with these ladies. They may well be hooked on winter now.

March is looking kinder with regards to winds.

Always my favourite month in Winter.

I'm as busy in March as I was in February!

MOUNTAIN HARE PHOTOGRAPHY DAY

 

Fabulous day for hare photography 

Day 4 with Erica and her three friends on a 5 day winter activities holiday here in the Cairngorms. Today we were out to see and photograph the adorable Mountain Hares. What a stunning day for it! The forecast had improved overnight from an original overcast, dull day to one of wall to wall sunshine. 

The Cairngorms looking good

There was a stiff moderate breeze but this was bearable. It was just above freezing and with the bright sun all day it felt very pleasant to be out. We got some wonderful sightings of several mountain hare. The best was at the end of the day.

Fabulous snow above 650m

I've been so busy I've not had time to look at my last 3 mountain hare photography workshop images. I'll get round yo it when I get a chance!

Fabulous end of day

Great views on the descent 

NAVIGATION DAY

 

Navigation in a remote setting

Day 3 for my fun group of 4 ladies. With a forecast of high winds on the big hills we opted to stay lower today. Today was all about Navigation and route choice. We headed onto the lower hills of the Monadhliath,  walking directly up from Aviemore.

Maps and compass out

Snow still lingering at 400m

I always bang on about Navigation being the no. 1 'skill', this goes for summer and definitely winter. Map and compass skills are something every hill goers should be mastering.  

Wind and snow

Good snow cover in places 

The hills above High Burnside may only be 500-700m but they offer challenging navigation, being featureless,  rounded and easy contours with no paths. No one really visits these hills. We were expecting no other humans. We didn't see anyone. 

Navigating down the runway

Aviemore in sight

Nice end to the day

Navigating over fences

CAIRN GORM, THE FINEST WAY

 

Lunch with a view

Day 2 for Erica's group on their five day winter walking holiday in the Cairngorms with TarmachanMountaineering. The weather looked very promising today so we made the most of it and got up high on the  Cairngorm plateau to soak in the views and a great walk. 

Sneachda Burn and a well trodden trench

We set off from Coire Cas just as the sun broke through the high, thin cloud. It was heaving with skiers, climbers and other winter enthusiasts. From the word go it was terrific underfoot walking conditions. A well trodden trench on the lower Northern Corries paths.

Excellent walking on Lurchers 

We took the line of footprints that gained the plateau. On Lurchers Ridge it was wonderful underfoot snow conditions. What we've been hoping for all winter! Only a few days ago we were sinking in ankle to shin deep unconsolidated snow. What a contrast! A sheer joy and effortless today.

Braeriach plateau 

Superb walking in the Feithe Buidhe 

We left the crowds behind and headed over to the finest viewpoint in the Cairngorms , in solitude.  Absolutely glorious walking underfoot in the Feithe Buidhe area. Excellent snowcover across the plateau. 

Greatest viewpoint

After soaking in the views we made our return via the Northern Corries. Lots of folk out climbing and walking. There was some high level cloud creeping over, harbouring the next weather front. This cloud in its early stages was absolutely beautiful,  lenticular in appearance and a sure indication of winds increasingof course.

Fabulous cloudscapes 

Shelterstone cloudscapes 

Firm snow, gorgeous skies

More views

We finished off the day by gaining Cairn Gorm. We certainly eeked out a route via he finest, most scenic and long route for this Munro. You'll no see this route in any tinternet walking sites.

Last views of the Shelterstone Crag

Wonderful walking

Coire Domhain,  excellent snowcover

Coire Domhain was looking superb  with a full cover of snow. The winds had just started to pick up on the way over to Cairn Gorm, around 3pm.

Fingers 

Fiacaill Buttress 

Cloud creeping over, windier

From the top of Cairn Gorm and down Windy Ridge the winds really did increase. From the cafe the they were around 40mph, half way down Windy Ridge it was gusting 55-60mph. Wonderful to experience and see the change in the weather throughout the day.

More of this

Cairn Gorm in the bag

A fabulous day again with these ladies. What's instore tomorrow? Maybe something at a less windy altitude. 

5 DAY WINTER HOLIDAY

 

Light winds, great views, what's happening?

This week I am joined by Erika
and her friends Nicky, Jennifer and Hayley on a bespoke 5 day winter holiday in the Cairngorms. They were looking for a flexible, varied and fun trip in the mountains so of course they found Tarmachan Mountaineering. Our ethos is to provide a flexible and adaptable course or  holiday that is geard around a group or individuals needs and desires. Not clumped into a rigid itinerary with other individuals.

Self belay

Firm snow and no winds

After a chat and kit check we opted to stay lower, staying away from the high Cairngorms to keep out of the strong winds. There's a great location I have used for many years which is very well suited to this.

Step cutting on neve

We were soon in a sheltered area and some great snowfields of neve and wind scoured drifts. 

After lunch we moved onto some steep ground and talked about route choice, avalanche awareness and movement skills on steeper inclines.

Something steeper

Good here

Moving down

A big snow shower and poor visibility drifted in during the afternoon as we made our way down the hill. It's wonderful to see winter conditions prevailing now. 

A great first day with the ladies who were always cheery, chatty and fun. We'll savoir tomorrow's excellent weather forecast of light winds and even some sunshine. The high tops may well be getting a visit again.

Snowing on the descent