Guided Summer & Winter Hillwalking
The Cairngorm Mountains are an excellent hillwalking and climbing destination which can provide exhilarating experiences and are very accessible to the more adventurous individuals.
The Cairngorm National Park has some of the most spectacular areas of Scotland and is a popular area all year round. We offer guided hill and mountain walking courses that will take you to some of the most wild and beautiful landscapes in Scotland.
These courses will also give you the skills to assist in making you more independent and increase your confidence in the Scottish Mountains.
My name is Ewan Gourlay and I have more than 30 years of hillwalking and climbing experience in the Scottish Mountains. I hold the Summer Mountain Leader qualification and a full member of the Tayside Mountain Rescue Team. I am a very keen walker and climber and my main pastime is scottish winter climbing although I have a passionate interest in Norwegian waterfall ice, multi-pitch rock climbing and climbing in the European alps and Canadian Rockies.
Aviemore is the perfect base for outdoor activities in Scotland as sits within the Cairngorm National Park and its central location gives good access to the Cairngorms, Lochaber and the Central Highlands. Ben Nevis, is 1.5 hours away while Glencoe is only half an hour further.
The courses will generally be hillwalking within the Cairngorms however depending on weather a trip west or further afield would also be likely. We offer comprehensive walking and mountaineering courses that will cover all aspects of walking in the Scottish hills. This will go over; equipment, navigation skills, route choice, weather, planning and tactics.
While the mountains in Scotland are relatively low in comparison to many mountains around the world, they are still hazardous particularly in the winter months when the weather is poor combined with short daylight hours. Many people have underestimated the Scottish hills and have got themselves into trouble, requiring the cavalry to be called. So the best way to prevent the need for Mountain Rescue is to learn all the necessary skills and be properly equipped to stack the odds your favour.
This will make your adventures into the hills more enjoyable while minimising the inherent risks.
Munros
Ben Macdui
An ascent on to the second highest mountain in Scotland is relatively straight forward and is easily accomplished from the Ski centre car park.
The are a variety of routes onto the summit and one of the most popular is to head south west following a well defined path that bends around the Fiaciall Choire Chais. This is the main path that heads towards Coire an t-Sneachda and Coire an Lochain which are well known climbing areas, the northern corries.
It’s important to stay on the right hand path after about 5 minutes from leaving the car park as the other fork can lead into Coire an t-Sneachda and take you off route.
The path then drops down and heads south west passing Coire an Lochain before starting to ascend on to a shoulder to reach point 1083m. This leads to the Cairngorm plateaux.
In a southerly direction the summit of Ben Macdui can be reached after about another hour of hiking. The Cairngorm plateaux is a large featureless area and good navigation skills are essential especially in poor weather conditions.
Returning to the car park is via the same way and retracing your route. Allow 5 to 6 hours under good weather conditions.
Braeriach
Braeriach is the third highest mountain in the UK, being 1296m above sea level, Ben Nevis (1343m) and Ben Macdui (1309m).
The best approach to tackling this peak is to start from the Sugar Bowl car park and head southwest towards the Chalamian Gap which is an easily recognisable notch in the skyline .
There is some steep and bouldery ground within the gap so care is essential to pass through to reach the start of the ascent onto Braeriach. Once across the Larigh Ghru there is a steady climb on to Sron na Lairige before turning west towards the main summit of Braeraich along a fine ridge. This mountain has many deep corries and the summit is situated above Coire Bhrochain giving spectacular views of the Cairngorm massif.
Corbetts
Ben Arthur (The Cobbler)
The Cobbler (884m) is one of the most distinctive peaks of the southern highlands and is very popular with walkers and climbers.
An ascent of the Cobbler starts from the car park near Succoth and the path zig zags up the hill and then follows a burn known as the Allt a’Bhalachain to the Narnain boulders.
The path leads into the col between the north and centre peaks which is the highest point. A short scramble is essential and a good head for heights when bagging the summit of this famous mountain.
Weather & Web Cams
Met Office (http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/)
Scottish Avalanche Information Service ( http://www.sais.gov.uk/)
Mountain Weather Information Service (http://www.mwis.org.uk/)