Good ski-ing in the Outdoor Capital

Monday, April 14, 2008

Views from a lift queue at Glencoe Mountain Sunday 13th April 08

Pic of Ben Thorburn by Kevin Thomson taken up at Nevis Range 12th April 08

The Outdoor Capital is enjoying great weather whilst it seems that the rest of the country gets all the rain.

We are enjoying great spring ski-ing with both Nevis Range and Glencoe busy at the weekends.

I went to Glencoe ski-ing on Sunday, with most runs including Flypaper open and complete, it was only a bit thin ski-ing back to the chair at the end of the day. However the snow was in good nick higher up the mountain. As we came down at about four the BBQ was on and the music was pumping and there was a great atmosphere.

A friend Ben was at Nevis Range all weekend, getting up to some gnarly tricks off the back corries; in his words '... I had some cracking turns down Spikes and into the back bowl from Easy Gully.'

Make the most of the spring snow....and have fun

Labels: Ben Nevis, Glencoe, Nevis Range, Scottish Ski-ing

posted by ocuk @ 2:37 PM  0 comments

Bonnie Prince Charlies Cave Walk

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

On an afternoon off from the office my Mum and I dodged the showers and went for a lovely scenic forest walk up by Caig Falls, Loch Arkaig. With the River Caig in spate the falls were raging and very dramatic. We chose to do Prince Charlies Cave Walk, where with a short detour you can see for yourself where Bonnie Prince Charlie hid from Goverment redcoats all those years ago. There is quite a steep climb up at first but you are rewarded with fantastic views across Loch Lochy and Loch Arcaig. There are many great low level forest walks in the area suitable for all abilities.

posted by ocuk @ 11:47 AM  0 comments

Snowy walks

Monday, March 31, 2008

Spring is in the air down in the glens, and with the evenings drawing out it is a great time to get out. However up on the hills climbing and ski-ing conditions are good with conditions still being pretty wintery.

Friends climbed Hidden Chimney over in the Cairngorms on Saturday, they reported it was wild on top but the climb was in nick. Jane from the Outdoor Capital ski-ed at Nevis Range on Saturday, visibility deteriorated later in the afternoon but the snow got better and better as the day went on.

On Sunday 30th March I walked along the ridge on the north side of Loch Leven with a friend, Hilda. Parking at a layby near Callert Cottage we walked back into Kinlochleven taking in Mam na Gualainn and Beinn na Caillich. This is a great walk, not quite so comitting as some of the higher mountains(you climb to just under 800 metres) we took, but didn't need ice axes, but it was pretty snowy so we were glad we had warm kit. This walk gives fantastic views of the mountains in Glencoe, the Mamores, and through to the sea and is really worth doing - you get great views for not so much climbing. Descending we joined the West Highland Way and walked into Kinlochleven.

For more info on the Glencoe and Loch Leven area of Lochaber, ideas of where to stay and things to do visit the regional pages on the Outdoor Capital site.

Hilda's boyfriend did Hadrian's Wall on Ben Nevis on Sunday and had great day too. See Abacus Mountaineering's site for more info on current climbing conditions.

Anna

posted by ocuk @ 10:04 AM  0 comments

Skiing is for everyone!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Cold Climbs in the Outdoor Capital

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Right Edge, in the Lost Valley, Glencoe

On Ledge Route, Ben Nevis

An early Easter and wintry weather from the north meant the Outdoor Capital was packed with snowboarders, skiers, climbers, walkers and all kinds of visitosr all making the most of the cold spell and the long weekend.

Here at the Outdoor Capital office staff got out into the great outdoors. Some took friends and family sledging at Nevis Range, others went ski-ing and reported good conditions on Aonach Mor with the back corries open too.

I went climbing. On Friday we did the first pitch of Right Edge in the Lost Valleyin Glencoe, and then on Saturday we did Ledge Route on Ben Nevis . Saturdays weather was great and conditions were perfect. We met Dave Macleod on the way up to the CIC hut - he looked pretty fresh considering his amazing repeat earlier in the week with local film-maker Jo French, on 'Don't Die of Ignorance' . See our news page for a full update on that or go the Sunday Herald article.

Anna

Labels: Ben Nevis, climbing, Glencoe, Scottish Ski-ing, walking

posted by ocuk @ 11:38 AM  0 comments

Family fun in the snow

You didn't have to be on skis or a board to enjoy the lovely Easter snow this weekend - Nevis Range had their busiest weekend of the year, with over 2,500 people up enjoying the snow - even if they didn't have full-on snowsports in mind.

Whether trying out exploring on snow-shoes, admiring the fabulous snow-peaked views from the restaurant at the top of the hill, building snowmen or whizzing about on sledges, there was a fantastic family atmosphere with something for even the youngest of snow enthusiasts. We had friends up visiting with 3 wee nippers under 5 and they had an absolute ball up the hill...when we let them have a turn on the sledge!

Labels: family acitivities, Nevis Range, snowsports

posted by ocuk @ 11:34 AM  0 comments

Easter on the slopes...

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Steve with Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis lurking behind, 15 March

If sitting around waiting for the Easter Bunny to come isn't your idea of an exciting Easter holiday weekend, why not head up to the Outdoor Capital of the UK for some fantastic spring skiing and boarding at Nevis Range, outside Fort William. We popped up for a few hours at the weekend and it was lovely... we stuck to the main Summit Run and the Goose but the back corries were looking fab too (as pics below show).

Boarder in the back corries, 16 March

Weather conditions for the long Easter weekend look pretty good, with Saturday and Monday shaping up to be ideal ski days, with dry days and low winds.

Have a look at http://www.nevisrange.co.uk/ for latest news, conditions and live web cams of the slopes and check out the conditions on the go, with snow reports direct to your mobile at http://winterhighland.com/

Labels: Ben Nevis, Carn Mor Dearg, Nevis Range, skiing

posted by ocuk @ 10:20 AM  0 comments

There is snow at Nevis Range

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Swampy from Ski Patrol out enjoying boarding at Nevis Range on 16th Feb 08

Skier up at Nevis Range Terrain Park with Ben Nevis in the background.

The last 10 days have been really dry but there is snow at the top of Nevis Range, runs are narrow but with sunshine and blue skies it's worth a visit, with the views alone making the trip. Stevie Mckenna took these pics on Saturday 16th. He noticed chairs being put onto the Braveheart lift so when the next dump comes there will be lift access to the back of the mountain!

People get ready....with the Mountain Festival on until the 23rd Feb why not visit the Outdoor Capital to get some homegrown sunshine

Labels: Ben Nevis, Highland, Scottish Ski-ing

posted by ocuk @ 11:16 AM  0 comments

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