Making the most of the dry weather.....

Admiring the evening light from Stac Pollaidh summit

Over the last week I have managed several days of playing on the rocks with friends, great to have got out whilst it was dry. Rain and unsettled conditions have now returned. Routes climbed include Sword of Gideon VS 4c in Applecross (a route originally soloed in the 1960s by that most prolific of Scottish climbers, Dr Tom Patey, who was also the GP in Ullapool!), Summer Isles Arete Direct VS 4c on the incomparable Stac Pollaidh north of Ullapool, and Ardverkie Wall HS 4b in the Central Highlands, which must surely be one of the best routes of its standard in the UK.

Alex at the last belay on Summer Isles Arete Direct, Stac Pollaidh

Stunning evening light, Stac Pollaidh

Beautiful, delicate climbing on Ardverikie Wall

The crux traverse of Sword of Gideon, Applecross

Heatwave

We have been enjoying some fabulous weather over the last week, especially so on the West coast, where temperatures have been consistently some of the highest in the UK, in the mid 20s Centigrade.
At the start of the week I had a quick dash to the incomparable Torridon hills to do a mountain bike loop that has been on my list for some time. This is the classic Beinn Damph loop. Although not enormous in terms of distance, there is a good amount of tricky climbing to get done, before the final long, long blast down singletrack all the way back to Loch Torridon. The final ten minutes of descent through the sun dappled warm pine forests, rich in scent, were a fitting finale to a great day. A change back to Arctic northerly air streams tomorrow, so forecast to be much colder, albeit still dry!

Fantastic singletrack riding, fantastic views

Good spot for a break

And another!

A pause for breath during the helter-skelter descent. Beinn Alligin looking magnificent across Loch Torridon

More rocky adventures

Since my last post I have managed a couple more days of rock climbing, both on the West Coast. First up was the very accessible but still wonderful crags of Polldudh in Glen Nevis, slap bang beneath the bulk of Ben Nevis. This was followed by a trip to the incomparable landscapes of the NW Highlands, and the wonderful crags at Diabaig. I think the pictures say it all.........

Flying Dutchman Direct, VS 4c, Glen Nevis

The superb 2nd pitch of Flying Dutchman

A great day in prospect, Diabaig

The Grunter, VS 4c, Diabaig

Superb slabs

Fantastic

Difficult to concentrate on the climbing with views like that.......

Final moves......perfection

The art of navigation

Really productive last two days for me, attending a two-day workshop for Providers of the National Navigation Award Scheme. The idea was to learn and share ideas for teaching navigation, moving away from the "traditional" ways of teaching hill navigation, and thinking afresh. Lots of great ideas to maximise time and help clients "visualise" what they should be doing, as well as learning by doing and not in the classroom. Plenty of things for me to think about and incorporate into our
existing courses to make them even better. Thanks to Nigel Williams for delivering the course, and to James Woodhouse from Lathallan School for hosting and organising the conference. Great stuff.

Contours in the classroom

Contours outside

How best to introduce the compass....?

Dry rock

Spring for me is always heralded by getting back out onto the crags, hoping for dry rock and sunny skies. I have managed to squeeze in a few days already, at Cummingston on the Moray Coast, Huntly's Cave near Grantown, Reiff in the NW Highlands, and today a few hours of bolt clipping at Moy Rock near Inverness. More please!

Hy Brasil VS 4c, Reiff

and again from the other end!

Moy Soldiers 5+, Moy Rock

Spring has officially Sprung

If you're looking for inspiration the On High Hills Spring Newsletter is now out. With the clocks changing Spring finally feels as though it is here (well in the glens at least!), and we are looking forward to getting out in the long hours of daylight onto the hills over the coming months. Hope you can join us.

Dreaming of days like this to come.......

Creag Meagaidh

There are worse places for a lunch break......

Yesterday I was out and about in the Creag Meagaidh hills between Aviemore and Fort William. Wall to wall sunshine, and whilst it was sweltering in the glens, it was still winter on the tops, with a chilly breeze to act as a reminder that it is still March. Very Spring like conditions just now, with large but dwindling areas of snow interspersed with exposed ground. What snow there is is very soft in the sun.

First view into Coire Ardair

View to Creag Meagaidh

Creag Meagaidh summit plateau from Stob Poite Coire Ardair--Mad Meg's Cairn on the left, the summit on the right

View from The Window

Looking back up Upper Coire Ardair to The Window

Not a good time of year to be on steep South-facing slopes.......

Nice views of the Cairngorms on the way home too---Braeriach from Aviemore