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| Braeriach emerging out of an inversion, Saturday |
The Winter season has got off to a sporadic start. Just the odd day of snow and cold conditions on the mountains, replaced by several warm fronts with temperatures soaring into double figures in Aviemore. Of course getting winter conditions for a prolonged spell in November is by no means an indicator that we would be in for a bumper season. Cast your mind back to the November of 2019 when we had some amazing, early and full winter conditions. That wonderful low lying snow was wiped out by December that year. The following January was one of the worse January's for many a year with hardly any snow at all for that month! Most folk actually think November is still Autumn. Well, yes it technically is but the mountains offer something very different. It will often catch folk out. Keep checking my blog for the latest!
Here's some images and words from my last week or so in the hills and with work.
SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER
With a very wet and windy day forecasted on the high tops, we decided on a good leg stretch at lower levels. The Dava Way is a long distance path that runs from Grantown-on-Spey to Forres. We've done bits of it before but never in its entirety. Much of it is the old disused railway line that ran between these two towns. 40km of very easy, flat walking most of the time. We hardly saw anyone, only the last few km's into Forres when there were a few locals wandering about. We started at dawn and finished before dusk. The last of the Autumn colours were the highlight. We had just 20 minutes of light rain and finished with 2 hours of lovely sunshine. I think I would bike it next time. An easy mountain bike ride.
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| 40km of easy navigation |
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| Afternoon sunshine |
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| Last flush of Autumn colours |
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| Colourful walking |
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| Last 10km into Forres |
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| Quiet walking |
TUESDAY 9 NOVEMBER
Another mild day but a very pleasant one. The Mountain Hares are just starting to morph into their winter pelage. Spent an hour with this guy.
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| What a face |
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| Curious |
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| Not long now |
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| No snow |
Some lovely light at times.
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| Morning sun |
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| Coire an Lochain |
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| A glimmer of a view |
By dusk we had dramatic clouds and a beautiful end to the day.
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| Wonderful cloud and light |
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| The Golden Hour |
SATURDAY 12 NOVEMBER
A promise from the weather forecasts of a lovely day in store. Pleasant conditions of light winds with a small ridge of high pressure over much of the Highlands. We headed up to the Cairngorms and planned a walk over to Ben Macdui.
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| Fog Bow on Ben Macdui |
We had set off pre-dawn and were hoping for an early morning temperature inversion. Sadly the cloud was above us and not below. We were soon walking in clag at the 800m contour. We reached the summit of Macdui before 9am. It was damp, chilly and completely viewless. The layers were on and the flasks were out. We waited patiently and trusted the weather forecast which promised bright sunshine by 11am.
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| Sgurr an Lochain Uaine & Braeriach out of the inversion |
We had only waited an hour before the magic unfolded. First signs of some brightness was the sun trying to burn through the thin cloud cover. Soon we had a Fog Bow forming right beside us with a Broken Spectre thrown in. Brilliant. Slowly the Braeriach- Cairn Toul plateau appeared above the cloud.
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| Fog Bow and Temperature Inversion |
Minute by minute the stunning inversion unfolded. The peaks of Cairn Toul, Sgorr an Lochain Uaine and Braeriach emerged from the top of the cloud. Absolutely wonderful. I've seen lots of temperature inversions over many years and I am always spellbound at their shear beauty. One of the finest spectacles you can witness in the mountains.
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| The mountains revealed |
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| The sun burns the cloud away eventually |
By 10 am the sun made a full appearance on the high tops with the inversion still lingering in some corries and glens.
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| The granite tors of Beinn Mheadoin |
Father and daughter team Ali & Katherine were out with me on a day of Navigation and Wildlife photography. Yes, you can do both in a day if you choose to go with a flexible and enthusiastic company who don't set fixed, open group days. This was a Birthday present from Katherine to her Dad who was keen to brush up on his navigation skills and to use his new camera for some terrific wildlife we have here in The Cairngorms. They had initially booked for the Tuesday but the Monday was a much nicer day. I always try to provide a flexible approach to a day in the hills with regards to going on the best weather for the activity. It turned out to be a cracking day.
After a look at maps, compasses and planning a route in the comfort of an Aviemore cafe we set out to the Northern Cairngorms. It was warm sunshine at Coire Cas and even up to the 900m level.
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| Map reading in sun and no wind |
We soon made our journey onto pathless terrain, high up on the Cairngorm plateau. We navigated to one of my favourite locations to photograph the Ptarmigan. A flock of 8 Ptarmigan were spotted flying nearby which was wonderful. Then we saw a pair at my regular and reliable area.
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