A change of scene. Dry rock on Erraid today.

Today the students on the Outdoor Learning Academy course headed for the beautiful island of Erraid. Erraid boasts some of the finest rock climbing in the Uk and it's setting is unique. The students were concentrating on movement on rock and scrambling terrain. It certainly put their ascent of Ben More yesterday into context. It was a chilly day on the coast but dry and we had some fantastic views.

Ben More on Mull today. Full winter conditions.

The students on the Roses Project Outdoor Learning Academy were putting all their navigation planning to good use today on Ben More 966m

on Mull. A murky day but a very exciting and challenging day in full winter conditions. It appears we missed an inversion on Mull. Only a few miles away from Glencoe and the mainland, but that can make all the difference. Still it was very atmospheric up there and we did see two White Tailed Sea Eagles.

Dorsal Arete and Glencoe continues to be Alpine.

February is starting so well for our courses in the mountains. Blue skies continue in the mountains and the sunsets are sublime. Shepherds will be delighted. We are moving operations to Mull for a week to run a winter hill walking course. Ben More is covered in snow so it should be excellent, especially if the high pressure holds out.

Solitude on Dorsal Arete today.

A perfect day for guiding and instructing in the mountains today. Glencoe was just sublime, light winds and wall to wall sunshine. Conditions are interesting for climbing and it does need care and considered route choice. It warmed up today and the snow was very 'gloggy' at 1000m. Reports of cruddy snow and ice in the classics such as Twisting Gully and SC gully. With a drop in temperature it will consolidate wonderfully.

Instructing in West Gully III on Beinn Udlaidh today.

A fantastic day today on Beinn Udlaidh. It was reasonably busy with parties making the most of good conditions on most routes. Although the grade 5's like Organ Pipe Wall are not in yet. Folk were reporting hollow ice on routes such as Sunshine Gully.

West Gully was banked out in places I have never seen before. I guess winter routes are never the same year in year out. I did West Gully two years ago on the same date and it was a running waterfall behind the main ice falls, we got soaked. But today the main crux pitch was in good condition and well hooked out. Kirsty was happy to climb her first grade 3 ice route, so a great day all round.

A short film about our Winter Walking Course in Glencoe.

Please check out this short film made by one of our clients this weekend

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206010628008468

Manchester University Mountaineering Club Winter Mountaineering and Walking Skills Course.

This weekend we have been working for Hebridean Pursuits out in the mountains with students from Manchester. They were back for their annual skills course weekend. And what a weekend it was! A fantastic bunch and so keen to learn. The conditions allowed us to really instruct the essential skills required to get out into the winter mountains. Day 1 and 2 are seen in these pictures. We headed to Aonach Mor where we found brilliant snow to practice ice axe and crampon techniques and a whole lot more. The weather was very changable and pretty wild at times but this gave the students a reality check of just how tricky it can be in the Scottish winter mountains. With 27 students out on the hill we broke into smaller groups to go off on a journey up the Nid Ridge where we found wonderful neve and blue ice bulges to practice climbing on. Day 2 Sunday, was a totaly different day. We headed up into Stob Coire nan Lochan to put all the skills into place on it's majestic peak. We ascended it's 1150m summit in near perfect conditions. The NE ridge was scoured and ideal for cramponing up. The sun shone most of the day. All the team reached the summit and rightly they were impressed by the sublime views way out to the west coast. A truely classic day out in the mountains. Thanks to Scott Kirkhope and Julie Baum for working with us theis weekend. And to Alan Kimber for his support with boot hire and the students loved staying at Culluna. And of course thanks to all the students, Joe Fisher for coming up to Scotland for the weekend. Andy Spink