Stay at home

[kaye.cantlay]

Hello!

I wonder if any of you more experienced Munro baggers and winter walkers might look at my map of 'left to dos' and recommend Munros that might be doable in the current snow conditions, day length, and accessible with a 2 wheel drive car!!!

I have my eyes on Fionn Beinn, Moruisg, Ben Macdui (maybe), Bynack More, Beinn Dearg (Atholl - at a push), Beinn Bhuidhe...

[kaye.cantlay]

ps....have some winter walking experience, mostly solo, but not too technical or scrambly, 2 day winter mountain course, a cautious tendency, but good fitness

[Border Reiver]

Beinn Dearg (Atholl) is a very long walk, usually made easier using a bike. Biking likely too difficult just now, so almost certainly you would run out of daylight.
Bynack More and MacDhui are both doable (especially MacDhui) , but both would be difficult in the event of a sudden whiteout. Walkers have lost their bearings near Bynack More and ended up going towards Tomintoul. Ben MacDhui from the Cairngorm car park and below the Northern Corries would be the shorter walk and great on a good day, but I've been out there on a clear calm day and cloud / whiteout conditions have come in within an hour. Navigation skills must be tip top. Also, on that route to MacDhui, the path will cross areas where water ice is covered with a thin layer of snow - lethal if not wearing crampons, I know from experience.

[kaye.cantlay]

Thanks BR - I do have reservations about all of the routes mentioned....
Beinn Dearg probably is too long a day.
I realise biking will be out and had though of starting out in the dark, but maybe not.

I know what the conditions might be like in the Cairngorms - was there last Jan, so also a bit reserved regarding MacDui and Byack More

Any other suggestions I'd not considered?
Might well just look at lower summits

[wee black dug]

Bynack More has a few points at which you could make a decision, and safely turn back if the weather was dodgy, because it's a fair walk in.

Catches a lot of snow though - a few years back we only got as far as Ryvoan Bothy before deciding a summit attempt was unlikely to be successful.

[scoob999]

You have a double and a single at Loch Quoich, not Gairich though it's full of holes under the snow
the others should be easy enough

[kaye.cantlay]

Wee Black Dug - WOW - that's a lot of snow!

Scoob - yes - had though about those, if the road is OK and not too iced up, particularly the single Munro (can't recall name)

[theduckoutofwater]

Does anyone have any tips for easier winter munros, accessible from Edinburgh in a day trip? Have done a winter skills course but not much more winter experience.

[pjm1]

You have a double and a single at Loch Quoich, not Gairich though it's full of holes under the snow
the others should be easy enough

We've targeted that pair on the North side of the loch for next month with a wild camp somewhere lochside Conversely, Gairich is one of my least favourite hills that I've walked - for lots of reasons!

Kaye, Beinn Bhuidhe is an option and you probably could cycle the "boring bit" if you wanted and have a MTB.

The Cruachan pair ought to be comfortably doable as well, but getting there the A83 is still looking dodgy so the long way around (Tyndrum) might be necessary?

[kaye.cantlay]

Thanks pjm

I am doing the Cruachan pair next Saturday actually in company, and may do Bhuidh the day before or after.

Will think about the Quoich pair and single too, and avoid Gairich!

Duck - how about Ben Chonzie, Ben Vane (loch earn), or Schiehallion? All are quite straightforward. Schiehallion was my first winter Munro, and first one solo

[Mal Grey]

Fionn Bheinn is a straightforward climb from Achnasheen. Nice when snow covered, especially if you have a clear day. Nothing exciting particularly, but great views over the Fannichs and towards Torridon.

[kaye.cantlay]

Thanks Mal....I settle for Ben Vrackie today, but thinking about Fionn Beinn in the next few days - I deliberately didn't do it earlier in the year, thinking it might have more 'worth' in winter...

[Mal Grey]

Thanks Mal....I settle for Ben Vrackie today, but thinking about Fionn Beinn in the next few days - I deliberately didn't do it earlier in the year, thinking it might have more 'worth' in winter...

Some write off Fionn Beinn as a bad weather, short day, hill. I think the opposite, if a hill is relatively featureless, but in a wonderful area, do it when you get endless views. We were lucky, we did it as a "rest day" during one of the best weeks we've had in Scotland. Not much of a rest, the snow was knee deep at times, but the sky was a perfect deep blue and the views to die for.

[kaye.cantlay]

Mal - I climbed Fionn Bheinn today - it was absolutely fantastic.

Not at all 'easy' in deep snow, but I was treated to a cloud inversion, and the most spectacular views ever.

It was a fantastic lunch stop at the summit, and has made the entire week!

[kaye.cantlay]

I'm pretty much resigned to Corbetts now though - my remaining Munros don't really lend themselves to January walking - if it's not the roads, it's the terrain, or the long walk in in unfeasibly deep snow!