MORE TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS

 

Nikki & Christine enjoying the views

It's been a very benign spell of weather for over a week now. For much of the Highlands we've enjoyed high pressure conditions. Most days its been hot sun, no wind and many mountain areas experiencing temperature inversions. Here's another catch up on the last few days of work and play. 

THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 

I was guiding Pat & Barry from Essex on Beinn Damph today. They are staying at the Torridon Hotel for a few days. We had a glorious sunshine and completely blue skies day on this fabulous Corbett above the hotel. They couldn't have asked for better weather.

Fabulous views of the big Torridon hills

Views in every direction 

Time to take it all in

Don't need to walk far for great scenery 

SATURDAY 28 AUGUST 

For 8 years I've been running winter skills courses for the overly folk from the Highland Hilwalking Club based in Inverness. Last winter we couldn't travel so their annual winter course was rescheduled to a Navigation Course in Summer as a replacement. Erica and Nikki were keen to build on their existing Navigation skills. More hot and benign weather unfortunately! When you want cloud you never get it! The Cairngorms offer excellent featureless terrain so we honed in on the micro navigation,  pacing and timing and contour interpretation were covered well today.

Map and compass, the only way to learn

Last of the Bog Cotton 

Off paths

Identifying features 

Micro navigation 

Navigation to wonderful lunch stops

Route finding 

Down the ridge 

SUNDAY 29 AUGUST 

NE RIDGE, SGOR AN LOCHAIN UAINE 

It's always a pleasure to have return clients back with me. Friends Catherine and Nikki have been on a few mountain adventures over the last couple of years. Both are very quickly racking up their Munro tallies. They had Sgor an Lochain Uaine and Braeriach to do so I planted a seed to ascend them on a conassuiers route, the finest route. The NE ridge of Sgor an Lochain Uaine,  Angel's Ridge. A big day out and made easier with the bikes, riding into the edge of the Lairig Ghru thereby knocking off at least 3 hrs of walking. The sun shone after a very low cloud morning. Perfection as we headed up the fine ridge from the Garbh Choire Mor.

The ridge ahead, walking into Garbh Choire Mor 

Loving this

NE ridge 

Fabulous situation 

Nearly there

Cairn Toul

Nikki enjoying the views

Lochain Uaine 

Garbh Choire Mor and Braeriach plateau 

What a place 

Grand views

Cloud sweeping in later 

Cloud on Braeriach 

Biking out a breeze

WEDNESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 

Another temperature inversion. The cloud band started at 700m and the top of the cloud was around 1000m on Cairn Gorm this morning. A completely clear afternoon and very warm again. Ptarmigan Photography today. No wind so perfect conditions. 

Another temperature inversion 

The shrinking Ciste Mhearad snow patches 

Ciste Mhearad 

Looking north

Cloud breaking up by lunchtime 

Cairn Gorm 

Northern Corries