Nearly there....... Crunch, crunch!................... Your crampons bite into the hard snow......... Heart pounding.......Cloud drifts in and out, losing the horizon........This feels like a different mountain to the summer.........there's something rising ahead....... It's the observatory....... We're there, 4,435 feet high......Nowhere higher in all of Britain.............. Big smiles...........The summit of Ben Nevis in winter!

If you are a 3 season hillwalker and looking to get into winter, this is the course to give you the essential skills needed for safe winter walking. It is not a mountaineering or winter climbing course.

We use Killin, located at the head of Loch Tay and looked over by Ben Lawers (3,984 feet) as the course base, which gives us good access to the surrounding mountains as well as a selection of accommodation in the area.

We'll be making the most of the prevailing winter conditions to introduce you to the wonder of Scottish winter hillwalking. You'll leave fitter, wiser, more experienced and full of great memories from your two Scottish winter days.

Course Outline

Winter Preparation
Winter equipment, food and clothing
Selection and use of ice axes and crampons
Ice Axe arresting
Movement on snow and Ice with and without crampons and ice axe
Avalanche Awareness
Next Steps

 

Course Price

£ 130 course only.

This course includes all instruction and guiding and operates on a maximum ratio of 6 clients to 1 instructor. Travel around the local area will be shared.

You will need to provide ice axes, winter boots and crampons, which can be hired locally in Fort William or Aviemore.Download our Winter Equipment list here (Requires Adobe Reader)

Previous Experience/Fitness Required

To get the most from the 2 days, you need to be reasonably fit. That means hillwalking regularly or doing some form of regular weekly exercise.

Summer hillwalking experience desirable.

Available Dates 2008

Email or phone us (01492 531475) for availability of your preferred date or to arrange a private course for you or your group or a winter ascent. All dates are Saturday/Sunday unless indicated otherwise. We also run this course from Fort William. See more here...

January 26/27

February 23/24,

March 8/9, 21/22, 29/30

Useful Information and links

 

Accommodation in and around Killin

Bridge of Lochay Hotel - A hotel for "all seasons"

Fairview Guesthouse - A 3 star guesthouse located in the village.

Scottish Tourist Board - Search facility for different types of accommodation from Hotels to guest houses and self catering

Equipment hire - Killin

These stores hire out axes, crampons and winter boots. See our winter equipment notes and advice for further information on what you need.

Tiso - hire available from Glasgow and Edinburgh stores

Killin Outdoor store - based in the village

Travel to Killin

Killin is located approximately 1.5 hours drive from Glasgow & Edinburgh and an hour from Stirling/Callander. See map here

A number of airlines fly into Scotland.

Aer Lingus - to Glasgow & Edinburgh
British European - to Glasgow & Edinburgh
British Airways - to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness & Aberdeen
British Midland -to Glasgow, Inverness & Edinburgh
Easyjet - to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness & Aberdeen
Eastern Airways - to Aberdeen & Inverness
Ryanair - to Glasgow Prestwick