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What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

What are your favourite winter mountain walks?


Postby catherinejm » Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:14 pm

Looking for inspiration! (And a chance to reminisce about great days in the hills)

We’ve got a week in the highlands in January, wild camping from the car and chasing the best weather so looking for ideas for great mountain days. Long or short. Munros, corbetts, grahams etc all welcome. Walking not scrambling, we’re happy up to grade 1 ground but not looking to push beyond that currently.

I’ll start (from a similar trip 2 years ago - which will also give a decent idea of ability!)
1) Ben Lawers circuit from Glen Lyon - up Meall a Choire Leith for sunrise then anticlockwise round Meall Corranaich, Beinn Ghlas, Ben Lawers and An Stuc. We dropped directly down the west side of An Stuc as we felt the continuation of the ridge down towards Meall Garbh was too difficult.
2) Ring of Steall from Glen Nevis - An Gearanach, Stob Coire a Chairn, Am Bodach, Sgurr an Iubhair then descended west (towards Stob Ban) and missed out the devils ridge as we’d started a bit too late and were running out of light.
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby Mal Grey » Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:30 am

As always, As it’s my favourite area in the world, I’d recommend the NW Highlands, especially the Lochcarron, Torridon and Ullapool areas.

Coulin Forest; Beinn Liath Mor, Sgurr Ruadh, Maol Chean Dearg etc are very fine in winter without major difficulties.
Beinn Eighe also, mostly!

Fannichs not far away, also the Ullapool Beinn Dearg hills and Fisherfield if you feel like real wilderness ; a tough area in winter.

Only problem is that the NW is probably less reliable for snow than the Central Highlands or Grampians.
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby Phil the Hill » Thu Dec 16, 2021 2:13 pm

My best days on the winter hills were the Ring of Steall (which you mention) and the Five Sisters of Kintail, but it depends so much on the weather and those were the classic walks on which we got great conditions with neve for cramponing. Up Ben Nevis by the waterslide route from Glen Nevis and via the CMD arete was also epic on a good winter day, and safer than in summer when frozen.
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby catherinejm » Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:46 pm

Thanks!

I absolutely agree our best days are often more dependent on the conditions than the hills themselves (hence persisting with snowy camping to keep maximum flexibility). I too have been lucky enough to spend a fantastic day on the 5 sisters several years ago - probably the first time I really appreciated how wonderful Scottish winter can be. I remember the brothers looking good though if anyone has any thoughts on them?

And the further North suggestions all look great. I've never really thought about that area for winter trips, probably because as you say the conditions are less reliable but will certainly give it a think if we get lucky with lots of snow
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby Mal Grey » Fri Dec 17, 2021 10:35 am

catherinejm wrote:Thanks!

I absolutely agree our best days are often more dependent on the conditions than the hills themselves (hence persisting with snowy camping to keep maximum flexibility). I too have been lucky enough to spend a fantastic day on the 5 sisters several years ago - probably the first time I really appreciated how wonderful Scottish winter can be. I remember the brothers looking good though if anyone has any thoughts on them?

And the further North suggestions all look great. I've never really thought about that area for winter trips, probably because as you say the conditions are less reliable but will certainly give it a think if we get lucky with lots of snow



Another one that would be worth looking at in the NW is Beinn Damh; see BP's current report https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=109787 or mine from a few years back https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=78860. BP's punning is far superior.

Mamores and Grey Corries would be good shouts too. To be honest, its all good in nice winter conditions though!
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby WalkWithWallace » Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:04 am

I'm a bit of a winter fearty after giving myself a couple of scares on a winter epic on the Mamores a while back, so I like the less technical hills in winter, for me the Cairngorms are hard to beat for that true winter wilderness feel. 8)
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby matt_outandabout » Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:36 am

The next bluebird sky day I get :)
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby Colin1951 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 5:06 pm

Mmmmmm….one of my feartiest days was on Ben Macduff in a whiteout. Somebody once said they were great for navigation practice, to which the writer and conservationist WH Murray said, best to practice elsewhere and leave the Cairngorms for the last and sternest test.
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:20 pm

If you were based around Spean Bridge or the southern Great Glen you have got the potential to go east or west according to weather and snow conditions.

West is good for narrow ridges, plus some shorter but excellent days, such as Ciste Dubh, Sgurr a'Mhaoraich and the Loch Lochy hills
East may have more snow cover, and offers plenty of scope for easier/safer routes. Watch out for avalanches in Coire Ardair!

Tim
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby WalkWithWallace » Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:56 pm

Colin1951 wrote:Mmmmmm….one of my feartiest days was on Ben Macduff in a whiteout. Somebody once said they were great for navigation practice, to which the writer and conservationist WH Murray said, best to practice elsewhere and leave the Cairngorms for the last and sternest test.


Very true, but you don't have to venture too far into the Cairngorms for a nice winter's day out, you've got the likes of Bynack More, Derry Cairngorm and Cairn Gorm it's self plus lots of Corbetts on the fringes.
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby dave munn » Sat Dec 18, 2021 5:07 pm

In early 80s walked into Ben Alder Cottage from Rannoch Station over Carn Dearg and Sgorr Gaibhre. Next day walked up Glen and then back over Ben Alder in fantastic alpine conditions. Final day back up the Glen and tackled Gael Charn, Aonach Beag and Beinn Eibhean. Finished by glissading all the way down to Glen. Final night in Cottage again before walking out to Corrour. Absolutely epic trip, remote, great weather , great hills. In those days little concern about having enough space in both. Today l would be carrying a tent.
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby gaffr » Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:53 am

From the park on the ski road. At the end of March '75. Sron na Lairige, Braeriach, Sgor an Lochain Uaine, Cairn Toul, Devils Point, Carn a'Mhaim, Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm. Good firm snow conditions on the high ground with crampons used on the iced up plateau.
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Re: What are your favourite winter mountain walks?

Postby Caberfeidh » Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:37 am

Drive to Braemar, on to the Linn O'Dee, leave the car at the car park there and head up the track (or, if too snowy to find the track, follow the river) up to Derry Lodge and the patch of Caledonian Pine forest where the glens of Luibeg, Lui and Derry meet. Camp around this area, do not pitch your tent under a tree, make sure you are well clear of any trees. I saw a tent there which was just missed by a huge branch which was torn off by a heavy snowfall overnight. The guys inside got quite a fright Head up Carn Crom and go along the ridge to Derry Cairngorm. If there is enough daylight you could continue to Loch Etchachan, or descend into Corrie Etchachan then down into Glen Derry and back to Derry Lodge (a locked-up ruin). Or simply return along the ridge to Carn Crom. There are bothies at Corrie Etchachan and downstream a few hundred yards from Derry Lodge, but they tend to get busy.

Lairig Ghru#5b.jpg
Derry Cairngorm from the Black Bridge in Glen Lui. Antlers optional.


Derry Woods.JPG
Luibeg, Derry Woods with Carn Crom top left


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Looking back down Glen Lui towards the Linn O'Dee car park. Bob Scott's bothy is in the clump of trees by the river.


nice view#r.jpg
Looking down Glen Lui back towards the Linn O'Dee.


012dR.jpg
Loch Etchachan
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