Thursday 6 December 2012

The difference a day makes in the outdoors!


Loch Loyne.


The long thrutch!




Yesterday was very cold and really clear in the hills. It was one of those days that makes Scotland the finest hill walking country in the world. I was out in the hills above Loch Loyne. The relatively short and straight forward ascent of Meall Dubh 788m turned out to be anything but. It was tough going through the knee deep heather and fresh snow. A battle of wills ensued to get us to this obscure wee hill's summit. Today was another world all together. The early morning drive to Fort William was grim. I was expecting new snow at least but to no avail, it just lashed down! A brief morning at West Highland College expedition planing and then the afternoon at the crag teaching group abseiling techniques and a detailed look at the pros and cons of such a session. For once I didn't take a photo apart from one of my hand.
Snow is falling high up, which is brilliant for the ski season in Glencoe and at Nevis Range and of course for HPL's winter courses, as the base will be forming nicely, filling the gully's and plastering the crags.  What a difference a day makes!