Outdoor Capital of the UK Blog
Want to know the latest about your favourite outdoor activities? Get an inside look at what's happening in Lochaber with our blog.
Winter is definately here!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
There is no point living in the outdoor capital if you don't take advantage of it.! There was snow falling on the hills over the weekend, and plenty of people out at Glencoe and Nevis Range. I had family up at the weekend and Fearn (13) and Zac (10) were desperate to learn to board. They had a great time on Sunday with their instructor and even inspired their Mum to have a go!
The weather on Sunday was so-so but Monday dawned bright and clear so the Outdoor Capital staff team decided that some product testing was in order so an executive decision was made and on Monday afternoon we shut the office and headed off up the hill. It was my first ski of the season and my technique was definately a bit rusty! It was cold but not windy and conditions were pretty good considering it is quite early in the Scottish ski season. Ski-able down to the gondola at Nevis Range, and I have heard it's good at Glencoe too. We were rewarded with a wonderful sunset as we walked back - beats working in the office!
On the way back down we bumped into Alan, one of the instructors at the Ice Factor , who was with a couple of clients. All were grinning from ear to ear. They'd had a great time on Golden Oldie which is on my tick list - so maybe this weekend? Marian from Nevis Range says climbing conditions are good on Aonnach Mor but it's been pretty quiet climbing wise - don't forget there is a climbers gondola at 8am which gives all importatn extra climbing time. Currently the last gondola is 4.15pm.
Anna (Project Director at the Outdoor Capital)
posted by ocuk @ 9:30 AM 1 comments 
1 Comments:
Getting prepared at Nevis Range
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Chatting today at the guys at Nevis Range and they are hopeful. Right now there is an early season feel to the ski-ing. Davey ski-ed today and he said the Summit and Goose runs were great – ungroomed and powdery, but it's a bit of a sprackle to get all the way back down to the top gondola station. So stay high up the hill to keep a smile on your face!
Overnight the freezing level may move up to 750m so not good for lower areas and it's llooking windy for Friday Sat could be OK check on the Nevis Range link above to check before you travel.
For the climbing the avalanche risk is high up to a four - check the Scottish avalanche service. There are drifts in back corries, so the gullies are loaded. Ridges and buttresses are better. The wind changed direction today so west side could also be loaded. But overnight rain could change it all so keeping the forecasts and take a prudent line.
Overnight the freezing level may move up to 750m so not good for lower areas and it's llooking windy for Friday Sat could be OK check on the Nevis Range link above to check before you travel.
For the climbing the avalanche risk is high up to a four - check the Scottish avalanche service. There are drifts in back corries, so the gullies are loaded. Ridges and buttresses are better. The wind changed direction today so west side could also be loaded. But overnight rain could change it all so keeping the forecasts and take a prudent line.
posted by ocuk @ 5:38 PM 0 comments
0 Comments:
Wild weather for the New Year
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The weather was slightly crazy over New Year, with high winds and storms lashing the West Coast but as a friend had come up from London especially to go hill-walking, hill walking we went. Over 4 days we managed to get up munro's three days and crowned New Years Day by bagging Stob Coire Raineach in Glencoe. A fitting hill to do as we had been beaten back on the same hill several years earlier on New Years Day because of high winds, and a few days earlier had had to turn back on the approach because of bad high winds on the walk in up the Lairig Gartain. We worked out this was the lowest the wind had ever beaten us - a mere 400 metres above sea level.
I wonder if our determination made us a bit foolhardy - the pictures shows us at the summit. I am sitting down because it was just too windy to stand up! One of those situation where you are OK as long as nothing goes wrong but there wasn't much room for error with wind speeds up to 50 miles an hour. I was definately having trouble staying up right. Thankfully we had no need for the Glencoe Mountain Rescue team and got back down safely!
We checked out the weather in advance with the Mountain Weather Information Service so were prepared for wild weather - an essential thing to do when hill-walking in Scotland in winter.
posted by ocuk @ 3:20 PM 0 comments
0 Comments:
Short New Year stroll to a stunning waterfall
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
After a wild few days of stormy winter weather, we finally got out to enjoy 2007 yesterday - deciding to take it very easy with a short woodland stroll from the village of Kinlochleven to the spectacular Grey Mare's Tail waterfall. This is a great option for families, as well as the scenic viewpoint overlooking the waterfall, there are easy to moderate short-walk loops. From here you can also link to longer walks in the Mamore mountains, between Glen Nevis and Glencoe, and even walk to Spean Bridge to the north-east of Fort William. And we couldn't visit Kinlochleven without popping in to the Ice Factor - the award-winning climbing and ice-climbing centre in a historic renovated factory building. It's a great option for a relaxed lunch or coffee as you watch the climbers having a go on the largest indoor ice wall in Europe. Click here to find out about other forest and low-level walks in Lochaber. - Lisa
posted by ocuk @ 12:29 PM 0 comments
0 Comments:
Archives
Hello
Peter from Distant Hills Guest House here. I was up snowboarding later that same week and I had a great time although I was very rusty. The area to the South under the chair is great fun. Mid week was quiet so no queues at the lifts at all! Brilliant