The Cairngorms
This is one of the most reliable locations in Britain for winter conditions. If The Cairngorms isn’t ‘in’, then chances are, nowhere is! With winter routes being completed as early as November, this area is a winner for both conditions and access. Quick access from the Cairngorm Ski Centre car park at 600m means you can be in and above the snowline quicker than just about anywhere else in the UK. Just an hour’s walk gets you to huge coire cliffs like Coire an t-Sneachda, or venture further afield across the Cairngorm plateau into places like the Loch Avon basin for a proper remote adventure. Britain’s largest national park, the Cairngorms is like an upside down mountain range. Starting on easy slopes and gullies you work your way up to the arctic tundra of the Cairngorm plateau to uncover huge coires created by sunken glaciers. Remote, wild, cold and thrilling is the perfect way to sum up the Cairngorms.
First steps:
A great starting place for beginners seeking their first winter walking mountain journey is the traverse of the Cairngorm summit via Craegan Dubh ridge (or the adjacent gully), then over Cairn Gorm summit and returning via the Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais ridge. This is a short day, with broad ridges and Britain’s second highest summit with easy escapes back to the Ski Centre. A perfect introduction to winter mountaineering or your first winter session of the season.
More adventurous:
The Norries Horseshoe. The Northern Coires are the two huge impressive coires of Coire an t-Sneachda and Coire an Lochain, the latter holding the UK’s highest named body of water. A traverse of these impressive coires and cliffs is a significant day out in winter conditions. While not technical in nature, routefinding can be a challenge in poor conditions, but it is well worth the effort. First stop is Lurcher’s Crag, which presents stunning views into the Lairig Ghru, one of Scotland’s most iconic mountain passes, cutting the northern Cairngorms in two. Continuing from here, traverse the ice cliffs of Cairn Lochan and watch the climbers making their way up famous high grade climbing routes like Savage Slit (beware of the cornices!). The positions and views are maintained to the north across Fiacaill Buttress and probably the most popular winter venue in the UK on Coire an t-Sneachda. This truly epic winter mountaineering day is completed with a descent down the broad but atmospheric ridge of Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais back to the Ski Centre for hot chocolate in the café.
Don’t miss:
A walk to one of the many bothies in this area. The Ryvoan bothy at Glenmore is very accessible and only 40 minutes’ walk. Or try one of the bothies further afield such as Corrour or The Hutchinson Hut. Some of these bothies are very remote and you need to cross the plateau to access them. They should only be accessed in good weather conditions and it’s important to have excellent winter navigation skills for these areas, especially on the Cairngorm plateau where navigation can be especially challenging in bad weather.
Why not:
Spend a night in a snow hole. Digging, then eating dinner and sleeping in your snowy home you’ve just made, is a unique experience. Snow holes can be dangerous though. You’ll need proper training to dig and stay in your own snow hole. Make sure you employ a qualified person or company to take you on an adventure like this.