Scottish Winter
Looking to make the transition from summer hillwalker to winter mountaineer? Join us this winter in the Scottish Highlands - our variety of courses are designed to meet your aspirations and get you functioning in the winter environment.
In general, all courses will be run on the West Coast (Fort William area) or in the Cairngorm National Park.
Kit lists will be provided to you. We have some equipment available to rent for a minimal cost, there are also very good equipment rental opportunities in both Fort William and the Cairngorms where the courses are run.
Courses are run from January to the end of March, please see below for next available course dates or get in touch to organise something bespoke.
2 day Essential Winter Skills Course
Winter 2027 dates:
16-17 January 2027 Fort William area
13-14 February 2027 Fort William area
13-14 March 2027 Fort William area
An introduction to essential winter skills including movement on snow, ice axe and crampon use, avalanche awareness, navigation & route planning, and emergency procedures – all with a practical, hands-on approach in the Scottish hills.
£150 per person (1:6 max ratio, min. 3 people to run)
5 day Advanced Winter Skills Course
Winter 2027 dates:
17-21 February 2027 Fort William area
This extended course covers movement on snow, ice axe and crampon use, avalanche awareness, navigation & route planning, and emergency procedures in much greater detail, and focuses more on the development of individuals into well rounded winter mountaineers, capable of planning and executing their own adventures in the Scottish winter environment.
£400 per person (1:6 max ratio, min. 3 people to run)
Private Guided Winter Walking
A bespoke experience tailored to you or your group's personnel objectives. You may be a smaller group looking for private tuition in winter skills and navigation, a more experienced winter walker looking to further a specific skill set, or simply want to tick off that Munro you’ve always wanted to do in winter conditions.
£250.00/day (Max 3 people - larger groups by arrangement)
Family Winter Walking Experience
Focused on delivering a fun shared experience to remember, we will tailor the day(s) for your family's specific goals but account for a possible range of physical abilities depending on age and fitness.
Cost dependent on number of participants and days.
Planning a winter day out
Planning an outing in winter conditions in Scotland can look a little different to planning your usual hill walk or rock climb, here are some pointers to get you thinking along the right tracks.
Looking at a map is often one of the last pieces of the puzzle - The deciding factors of your days outing are most likely to be dictated by the weather and avalanche forecasts.
I often begin my planning by considering if the weather is suitable to venture out into. Mainly, is the wind speed too high? And what are the temperatures and precipitation levels? I will look at a range of forecasts, such as the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS), and Met Office Mountain Forecast for the specific region I am in.
Now armed with a weather forecast that suggests I will have a good day in the hills, I will head over to the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) and look at the forecast for the area that I am in. This service is an absolute gem, and must be well understood to be used correctly - there is a wealth of information on the site that can be used to help decipher the avalanche forecast. Take a look at the SAIS' "How To Interpret Avalanche Reports" Here
The avalanche forecast will give me an idea of what the snowpack is looking like on the mountains, and how it may respond to the forecast weather influences of the next day. The avalanche forecast will now allow me to decide the type of day I am going to have the next day. Will I be going for a woodland walk if the hazard level is too high? Or will I be completing a high level traverse of Braeriach?
Planning is a huge aspect of being a well rounded winter mountaineer, and good planning only comes with experience. Our winter courses will help you gain experience in this skill alongside seasoned winter professionals. We look forward to welcoming you on one of our courses.
