No 6 gully Aonach Dubh, Glencoe

the pictures don't entirely do it justice but we had an ace time, the ice was in excellent condition. You can just about make out elliot's downfall in the last pic, I got a better one but it was too cold for my flash to work.

Is nice, we like!

solo in the wetness

I had planned to go for a hill day today. Packed my bag the night before and got up early. Despite the fact that I had to work late last night until about 11:30, I still managed to drag myself out of bed into a badly heated room. Also despite the fact the weather was fairly minging. Once I was up I felt obliged to go for my walk. I don't think I would ever choose to go walking in weather like this if I wasn't working towards my winter ML... I did however have a stragely satisfying day. I headed for the top car park and wandered up to the Ptarmigan then headed south east towards the saddle, down to Loch Avon and then along the loch and up Coire Raibert, up to spot height 1141 and down.

I had planned to head up Beinn Mheadhoin but did not get enough of an early start due to a meeting at work. I was out on my own today and had lots of opportunity for some confidence boosting nav practice. The vis up near the Ptarmigan was about 75m. This was the first time I had navved in poor weather in winter on my own. I am a capable navigator and I know my compass works (!!) but it still felt quite isolating (and exciting) walking off into a sea of vast whiteness on my own. I walked so accurately on my bearing I almost walked over the edge of the steep slope/cornice above the stream at Marquis Well... it's quite hard to see the change in angle of the slope when everything is white.

The snow lower down was quite patchy - as you can see from the pictures of the Loch Avon basin and Coire Raibert - and although there was a lot of ice, it was starting to melt. The temperature was about 3 degrees apparently - it was raining all day even on the plateau.

On the way back up Coire Raibert I could feel the wind picking up and took a bearing for the col below spot height 1141 before I reached the top. As predicted there was a strong northely wind and I had to put my goggles on. I walked on my bearing for what seemed like an eternityand eventally reached a point near the col (which after 1.2km is not too bad). Finished in the dark. Very wet.

I stopped for a quick bite to eat and attempted to take some photos of myself eating, probably a moment of temporary insanity due to walking around in the cloud for too long... ha ha ha

Sron na Lairig

Today I went up Sron na Lairig in the Caingorms. I was aiming for Braeriach but set off at a bit of a leasurely pace for that and realised that due to lack of daylight I would end up walking in the dark for 5 hours if I went for it... didn't fancy negotiating an icy Chalamian Gap in the dark. Still an excellent day with panoramic views of the Gorms, the Monadliath, Dubhs ridge and lots of hills further north on the far horizon.

Last week Hannah and I passed our BCU UKCC L2 certificate in coaching paddlesport. Pete Gwatkin has been observing some of my sessions and giving lots of feedback. Here's some pics of me coaching James in Open Boat on the pond at Glenmore Lodge! On another day we also practiced throwing lines for each other on the pond and had to break the ice which had formed on the surface, which was entertaining.

some hills

I've been trying to get fit for winter recently and get some hill days in. Some pics of Glen Markie on a beautiful windless autumn day a couple of weeks ago, and Rachel and myself about to get blown about on Meall Cuich near Dalwhinnie at the weekend - it continues to be very windy and wet up here...

Middle Findhorn

Paddled the middle Findhorn yesterday with Malcolm Ian Chris O and Laura. Lots of water really good fun. No pic of the Middle Findhorn but some of the grade 3 rapid on the Dulnain at the Old Packhorse Bridge, Carbridge. Definitely in spate! Malcolm and Chris were tempted but we had run out of daylight...

Winter

so what's next? Snow :) there is a sprinkling on the hills but nothing significant yet. I'll be posting pictures. Anyone up for winter hill days or climbing give me a shout. You can sleep on my floor!