UKC

I'm heading to Aviemore with my dad between Christmas and New Year and we're looking for some winter walking/scrambling recommendations. My dad fell runs and has plenty of winter walking experience but isn't a climber so not looking for anything too technical.

Unfortunately the forecast is looking pretty terrible mainly due to the wind so if anybody have any recommendations of routes and maybe some bad weather alternatives that would be great.

In reply to JakeWShaw:

Meall a' Bhuachaille is the popular choice when the ski road is shut, I've seen this hill rammed with folk in 100mph+ winds, for that reason. Good fun watching everyone stagger around.

In reply to JakeWShaw:

The hill Creag Dubh just west of Newtonmore is a great walk. It's a Graham, so not too long but still a nice shaped hill with some gentle scrambling on the crest (but no big drops).

In reply to kwoods:

Some other worthwhile smaller hills:

Geal-charn Mor from Lynwilg.
Creag Dhubh from Loch an Eilean, or Whitewell, or the Glen Feshie glider strip.
Stac na Iolaire from Glenmore.
Geal Charn from Dorback Lodge.
Carn an Fhreiceadain from Kingussie.
The Fara from Dalwhinnie.

In reply to JakeWShaw:

Two day circuit of the Lairig Ghru and the Lairig an Laoigh with a stop at Bob Scott's Bothy? Entirely in the valleys so relatively sheltered...

In reply to JakeWShaw:

Personally I'd take the less technical option and stick to hillwalking. As the wind will be stronger higher up I'd aim a bit lower - the Corbett Geal Charn Mor at Lynwilg as recommended above came to my mind. Easy access as well. Meall a'Buchaille is another good shout. If it is forecast to be as bad as tomorrow (Forecasting for gusts at Munro level of 130mph)I'd sack it.
Good luck with the weather, it's got to improve some time!

Hopefully a wee lull on Boxing Day will help alleviate a serious bout of Stir craziness!

In reply to JakeWShaw:

Mind the Gorms rule of thumb - if the hooly is blowing and you have to fight to open the car door don't go on the hill.

Loads of really good low level walks in the area to add to the wee hill list others have mentioned too. Abernethy, Rothiemurchus and upper Glen More pine woods are all magic under fresh snow. You can hire snowshoes locally too.

In reply to Jake:
>> relatively sheltered...


The first word is probably the one to note here, given the forecast. People die in the valleys too when it's like this.

http://heavywhalley.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/the-corrour-tragedy-60-years-o...

You can get 100mph winds in the Lairig Ghru as well as on the plateau. You probably know why the Clach nan Taillear is so called?



If it was me, I'd go to the Ice Factor and climb some indoor Grade IVs

In reply to Tim Chappell:

I nearly posted similar. I once set off up the LG to try to reach the Corrour during a stormy period, (the one where that poor family were swept off the causeway on Benbecula....has always stayed with me that one

We thought it'd take us a couple or three hours......quite a winter adventure, and then we'd come back over the tops. Six hours later we stumbled into the Corrour, knackered. Fighting against deep snow and wind is torture, and it was a good job we were very fit and strong at the time.
We then had to walk out the next morning via Linn of Dee, as the wind was so strong, and now Northerly, so we would never have gotten back up the valley.
We got a lift from a Mar Estate car to the village, and then it cost £70 in a taxi from Braemar to the Sugar Bowl.

Respect the wind! :0

In reply to JohnnyW:
Back in the days when we didn't know any better, my mate and I once took a taxi up to Achlean at about 7pm on a fairly bad New Year's Eve, rucksacks brimming with inflatable curry, brandy pudding, and malt whisky, aiming to walk the 3 or 4 miles of wide flat easy track up the glen to Ruigh-Aiteachean and have our Hogmanay there.

Hah! We stepped out of the taxi and the wind nearly blew its door off. Before we could change our minds and get straight back in, the taxi scorched off (the driver had been telling us about his plans for getting hammered in Aviemore once he'd dropped us off, we were his last run before he stopped) and before we could open our map the wind had shredded it. By the time we'd got head-torches on we were freezing. We stumbled around bent double for half an hour trying to find the path out of Achlean farmyard; force 9 or 10 in the air, ice everywhere underfoot.

We ended up feeling our way back to the road, were quite relieved when we located it, and walked back 2 or 3 miles along it to the nearest B & B.

This was emphatically the correct decision

In reply to JakeWShaw:

Cheers for all the useful replies and the usual UKC concern/death warning!!

If it's 100mph+ winds we're obviously not going to try and get out but if the weathers reasonable they look to be some sensible suggestions

In reply to JakeWShaw:

Lots of low level walks ideas here http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/

In reply to JakeWShaw:

Another good place to be in almost any weather is Rothiemurchus Forest. Try a bit of mountain-biking round Loch Garten, e.g. along the back roads between Feshie Bridge and Abernethy. It's absolutely beautiful, even when it's pissing down/ snowing hard and blowing a hoolie

In reply to JakeWShaw:

check avalanche forecast... serious on any North ish facing slopes.

http://www.sais.gov.uk/latest-forecasts.asp

In reply to JakeWShaw: Ben Rinnes. Up the road in Moray. Cracking wee hill with great views across the Firth if it's clear. Tie it in with a distillery tour, Glenlivet would be my choice!