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| The cliffs of Coire an Lochain on Saturday |
Out of the office window I am watching the first falls of snow down to Aviemore level this season. It has been a great November, up on the mountains. We've enjoyed many days of winter conditions. Now the temperatures are dropping and snow falling to lower levels. We've also had some cloud, wind and warmer spells in the hills, all quite normal in November. Overall, a brilliant start to the winter season. Snow and low temperatures forecast down in England and Wales usually gets folk thinking of winter courses. On Monday I had 5 winter course enquiries in the space of 12 hours! Thank you, thank you for choosing Tarmachan Mountaineering! A winter course in the Scottish Highlands will offer far more reliable conditions than south of the border, of course.
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| A nice covering of snow at 750m, Monadhliath |
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| Mountain hare tracks, following there usual run in summer |
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| Cold, snowy and frosty at 700m |
On Saturday I went up to my usual place in the Monadhlith to see how the lovely mountain hares were getting on. Above 500m there was snow lying and some icy, frozen bare ground to lower levels too. The cloud hung about until mid day before some lovely winter sunshine peeped up above the clouds. I was over thr moon to spot 2 pairs of Ptarmigan at 820m. In the 10 years I have been to this particular hill and area I have never once seen Ptarmigan. Absolutely wonderful.
This area isn't ideal for ptarmigan as it is largely made up of heather moorland with only a few small places where there are rocks. So it was a real treat that they had landed here. I know every contour, peat hag and mounds of rock on this particular hillside. Definitely a first, unless they hid from me on a few occasions :) .
I spent a good 30 minutes with these 4 ptarmigan, just has the best of the days bright light made an appearance.
On Sunday I headed up high to the Northern Cairngorms. A cracking day with beautiful clear skies. There were plenty of climbers enjoying the conditions on the crags of Coire an Lochain & Coire an t-sneachda.
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| Rime iced rocks, looking over to Braeriach |
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| The top of The Couloir, Coire an Lochain |
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| Ben Macdui plateau with a good covering |
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| Cloud rolling in from the west by noon |
The next weather front was making its appearance out in the west. By 1pm the high tops were shrouded in cloud and poor visibility.
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| Cloud about to cover Beinn Mheadhoin |
Staying very cold on the high tops all this week and into next week. Summit temperatures of minus 8 C. Down in Aviemore today it is just about freezing point.
Winter is here!
Many weekends are now fully booked and first half of January is full. Plenty of midweek dates left in December and Christmas dates are still available.....for now :)
The snow falling is getting heavier outside :)
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