EVEN HOTTER THAN YESTERDAY

Another hot day in Coire an Lochain

Strathspey

looking inviting

Ptarmigan again

and his partner

Temperatures were probably up a notch since yesterday. Apparently Kinlochewe was the highest recorded temperature in the UK yesterday. Aviemore was probably low 20's again this morning. Up high in The Cairngorms there was the faintest of breezes, just enough to make it not too hot! Looking for Mountain Hare today but no luck. Sometimes wildlife doesn't always play ball. Plenty of ptarmigan around as usual. Looking glorious in the sunshine. More blues skies and hot sun tomorrow!

FABULOUS WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY DAY AGAIN

The beautiful Dotterel

The beautiful song of the Snow Bunting

The wonderful croaking of the ptarmigan

The much quieter Wheatear

The comical laughing of the Red Grouse

Can't sing with your mouth full

Female ptarmigan

Feithe Buidhe and glorious sunshine 

Feithe Buidhe Slabs & Ben Macdui 

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

Cairn Lochan. Yes, this is mid May

Just waking up

Ring Ouzel at over 950m

Female Ptarmigan

Full snow cover on the high Cairngorms

Time for a nap again

The cliffs of Coire an Lochain

Male ptarmigan

It was a beautiful sunny day here in the Cairngorms. Wall to wall sun and light winds. There is still an unusual amount of snow on the plateau. Full cover across to Ben Macdui. It's usually around this time in May that the Dotterel return to the Scottish hills to breed. As they are ground nesting birds then they won't be arriving on the high tops any time soon. Lower down the hill it was a different story. Lots of wonderful Springtime wildlife. First time I have seen a Ring Ouzel at such a high altitude, over 950m. A lovely sight and sound in the mountains. The mountain hare's are well into their Spring pelage. One guy I was photographing kept going back to sleep after a shuffle and yawn. It's also the best time of year to see the ptarmigan in their Spring plumage. The male and female plumage are so very different and very easy to identify in Springtime.
Great weather set to continue all next week. Enjoy!

BIKING THE BEALACH NA BA

A fine morning

What joy, empty roads

the long haul up

Great coming down

Applecross and looking out to Skye

Not a long ride so should be ok

The Torridon hills, finish in sight

Black Cuillin of Skye from Applecross

Picturesque road

Nearing the top of the Bealach na Ba

The café at the end (and start!)

The Bealach na Ba (626m) is the third highest road in the UK, only surpassed by the two ski roads here in The Cairngorms. It's been some time since I last biked over this, approx. 15 years! I'm not into competitions or 'challenges' but my wife signed us both up for the annual Bealach na Ba bike event. It's the only day the road is closed to all motor traffic (apart from when it's snowed up in winter of course). What a day to have a beautiful bike ride. Temperatures just perfect, not too hot or cold and bags of beautiful sunshine. Apart from being a high road it is, of course, one of the most scenic journeys in the world. From Shieldaig it's a nice easy 'warm up' before the big hill. A joy to bike with no cars. Brilliant. The run down the other side to Applecross village is also beautiful. The view out to Skye so clear. Then there is the coastal road back to Shieldaig. Even more beauty! And some big ups and downs to make the overall climb around 1200m. A great day out. Where did I finish? Who cares, I enjoyed the views and stopping for photos. I reckon I came first in the 'Photographing the route' category! :)

WINTER COURSE IN MAY

Axe,  crampons and full winter gear

Cairn Gorm summit 

White out in May

Spot the Mountain Hare

Coire an t-Sneachda 

It was full winter conditions again today in The Northern Cairngorms. A constant light snowfall throughout the day, stiff winds, poor visibility and around minus 3 C on the tops. It may well be The second week in May but it was out with the full ironmongery today. Friends Judy & Suzane were out with me for a fun day in the hills. Trudy was last out with me on a Navigation Course around 11 years ago!  Time flies.  The ladies relished their first taste of using axe and crampons.  We saw just two folk all day. It really could have been any day in mid winter today. I even had to get my compass out for a 10 minute stretch on the plateau.
Spring is on hold until next week.

WINTER CONDITIONS IN MAY

Northern Corries 

Fiacaill Buttress 

Fiacaill Coire Sneachda 

Coire an t-Sneachda 

Sunny ridges

Alladin's Couloir and Cairn Gorm 

Top of Jacob's Ladder 

Afternoon snow showers 

It's not at all unusual to have snow cover high up on the Scottish mountains in early May. This year is no exception. What's the saying?  'Don't cast a clout till May is oot'. The Cairngorms, of course,  have lower temperatures than most other mountains and the last few days the summit temperatures have been well below freezing.  There has also been a few snow showers too.
It was a great day to be out enjoying the late winter conditions.  Plenty of blue skies and sunny spells in the morning,  hardly any breeze on the summits.  There is a fresh covering of snow down to 800m in the Northern Cairngorms. Of course it's all superficial and cosmetic. Once the temperatures go back to normal May figures it will vanish quickly, but forecast is for remaining below freezing on the tops for the rest of the week.  Remember this time last year?  We had glorious hot temperatures and the beginning of the Scottish heatwave.
My 'record' for delivering a winter course stands at 11th May. Will it be broken?

BEN NEVIS, A MORE INTERESTING ROUTE

Upper Coire Leis

The scenic side of The Ben

Coire Leis

The team on the top

North Face under blue skies 

Down

Still smiles on the descent 

For any regular readers of my blog you may have wondered why there's been an absence of posts for over 3 weeks. I've been having lots of brilliant adventures in Arctic Greenland. More on that soon.
Meanwhile on Saturday James and Rich were guiding a group of 12 lovely folk on Ben Nevis for Tarmachan Mountaineering. They had good weather conditions , even though it is unseasonably cold. They were a fit bunch and the guys guided them on a far more interesting route to the top. Around to the Northern side of The Ben and the steep route at Coire Leis which loads up to the end of the CMD arete. Well done to all the group and a big thanks to Rich & James for guiding. 
All photos courtesy of James and Rich.