Winter Climbing and Winter Walking Skills Courses over the last three days.

Winter is still firmly in charge in The Highlands. Today we were running a winter walking skills course in Glencoe. Jamie took a Venture Scouts Group out onto and up 'The Little Buachaille' whilst ascending they concentrated on essential skills for venturing into the Scottish mountains in winter. The Scout group will be back out tomorrow. Over the last three days we have also been running a winter climbing course. Scott was instructing a team of four in all things winter mountaineering and climbing. They headed on Friday for Glencoe, on Saturday for West Gully on Ben Nevis and today Sron Na Larig in Glencoe. We will post some photos when they come in from our instructors. If you fancy a spring winter mountaineering course do get in touch. There is plenty of snow and ice left.

Technical Advice in The Lake District. Scrambling Skills.

Over the last few days we have been down in the The Lake District working with the outdoor staff from Silverdale School. We have been delivering their annual Technical Advice and in house training. We were concentrating on very specifuc scrambling skills on Cam Crag Ridge and Intake Ridge in Borrowdale. Day one was like a summers and day two returned to winter. A constructive and educational few days for all of us. And it was excellent to be back in the gentle and beautiful hills of The Lakes which were a stomping ground in my youth. Happy memories.

Andy Spink's 26th Winter Working Season Selfie.

So Hebridean Pursuits 26th season of winter courses continues but my winter working season is nearly over. As a dedicated follower of fashion here is my selfie of some of my working days this season. Just over 19,000 metres of ascent so far and a good balance of Grim and Sublime conditions, for walking skills, Mountaineering and climbing days. Thanks to all our clients, Instructors and Guides I have had the pleasure to work with this winter.

Snow anchor and belay techniques course. In sunny Glencoe.

Today we were back up in SCNL in Glencoe. We were instructing members of the Northumberland College Crag and Mountain Club. Last year they suffered terrible blizzard conditions but this year they only had to suffer wall to wall sunshine. It felt like being in the Alps. We concentrated on specific snow climbing skills so the guys can move into steeper gully climbing and we also practiced escape methods using a variety of techniques. What an early spring we are having. Routes such as SC Gully, Twisting and NC gully all

were ascended today. Although reports were of the ice being a little cruddy and soft. Some tock fall was seen from the Dorsal Arete area. Scotland at it's finest.

Adventure Activities Week. Coasteering, Via Ferrata and Canyoning.

An amazing three days. With a brilliant school group.

We have been guiding a school group on an Adventure Week of activities. They did so well. The weather has been fantastic. The sea was warm, the burns low, the sun shone and the rock was dry. What more can you ask for. Well done everyone especially the pupils. An epic adventure week.

Perfect mountaineering conditions in Scotland.

After the gales comes the spring sunshine. Just fantastic and I guess some what owed. The last three days have been tremendous in Glencoe and the Southern Highlands

. We have been instructing and training a High Atlas Mountain expedition team from UHI West Highland College and guiding pupils from George Heriots School.The photos tell the story.

Coasteering Technical Advice and SLSGB Course on Skye

A very mixed bag of weather was handed out over the last few days. From

sublime spring sunshine to severe gales and snow at sea level. Skye was as always tremendous and dramatic. We have been running this very specific training and skills award up on Skye for a variety of freelance instructors and Skye Advetures. Skye Advetures offer tremendous Cullin Ridge adventures and guiding and have recently started coasteering on the island. The coastline is awesome for coasteering. We offer technical advice to the outdoor industry and are very happy to travel to your venues to run training courses.

Winter Walking Skills. Roses Project Outdoor Learning Academy.

Over the last couple of days we have been working with the trainees on the Roses Outdoor Learning Project. These two days have been based in Glencoe. We have been finalising their winter skills programme. The weather has been challenging, very windy and wet in the mountains. The snow has taken a large thaw but there is still masses of the white stuff left. A freeze will indeed produce some wonderful neve to climb on. Snow holes, survival skills, ice axe arrest and plenty more over the last two days. Their next sessions are scrambling and rock climbing based in May.

Winter climbing course.

Great two days working on a winter climbing course on behalf of Glencoe Climbing. It has been pretty harsh up in the mountains over the last few days. Storm force winds have been shifting large amounts of fresh snow around and has deposited it on north through to South so do check the SAIS.org before heading out. We climbed Dinner Time Buttress today and it gave excellent grade II climbing and fantastic belays and anchors for teaching leading. A challenging couple of days but classic Scottish winter experience.

Winter Climbing Course Today in Glencoe.

Lots of new fresh snow again in Glencoe. We stayed low and concentrated on technical skills for leading and abseiling.

Today we were working on behalf of Glencoe Climbing. It is great to see James, SImon, Andrew and Dave back again on their annual trip up north.