UKC

Inspired by the winter van post that Rhys started, I found there are quite a few folk that have experience in what I want to do this winter, spending January and February in the highlands park up with my van. The van is a long wheel base Movano, really comfy with a diesel heater and fully kitted with winter tyres.

My question is what would be a good starting base to be parked. I know that I will have to follow conditions, but being a total rookie in Scottish winter climbing, I would appreciate any advice on to where to base myself to start with. I've heard that early season is better in the Cairngorms.

Second question is, I'm after some recommendation for bunkhouses or cheap hostels that I could check in for a night or two to dry off my stuff and get showers. Again, any either east or west would be appreciate it .

And third, if anyone is in need of a winter climbing partner, I'll be looking for people to climb with once I'm up there as I haven't got any partners line up. Come and say hi if you see a white LWB Movano parked next to you

Thanks!

In reply to Ramon Marin:

I would abandon any notion of having a 'base'. Nowhere is more than about 3hrs from anywhere else so just look on here for where's good and go there when you arrive, if things then look better somewhere else then it's easy to move. That said, you are right that the Gorms are a good starting point.

In reply to Ramon Marin:

I don't do the van thing, preferring a semi-permanent base, but the bunkhouse next to the Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore is one of the better ones I've been to, and is well placed for the Cairngorms.

I don't know my plans for the Winter yet, but I have a loose-ish plan for about 4-6 weeks in the highlands from January, depending on how my current contract works out. Until then it will be the odd weekend hit as conditions allow.

In reply to Ramon Marin:

Not long now til it all kicks off, Cairngorms mixed is always a good bet early season. But the Ben had mega ice conditions even in January this year so you never know what is going to be in and when or where. Play it by ear and drive around for the conditions with returns to civilisation (Aviemore, Inverness and Fort William) from time to time for re-supply and rest.

Let me know when you are around, always keen to climb with new folks and based in Fort William.

In reply to Ramon Marin:

I have overnighted in the large Coire na Ciste car park on Cairngorm. Also the Creag Mheagaidh car park sees a few vans overnighting in the winter.

In reply to Ramon Marin:

I'm often to be found in the area parked up in my Mazda Bongo. The public toilets in Aviemore have showers available. Coats a couple of quid but every fews days I need a proper clean up.

In reply to Ramon Marin:

I'm usually to be found living in van parked by the river at the Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore, but like everyone says, follow conditions. Plenty places in Scotland to park up for short periods, most Inn's don't mind you parked up for the night if your spending money, think the van is the modern day equivalent of the horse! Public shower in Aviemore only opens from 11:00 to 14:30 so wait for bad weather day, very good one in Fort William train station, better than I have at home, they even give you a towel!!! I'll look out for that Movano,I'm in a Vivaro!

In reply to Ramon Marin:

Conditions considerations aside Fort William is a good base, morrisons, places to get food/drink/wifi late on and showers that open late (ish) throughout the week. I can second that they're good showers and well worth the money, not having to get back in the car with a wet towel is great and you can dry your minging clothes on the radiator while you slowly take the dial up to max temperature. Oh and of course there's some good climbing there too but I really just go for the showers.

Would be great if you could rent a key for the week and access them out of hours.

In reply to Ramon Marin:
Last season spent about six weeks living in the van in Scotland.North face car park is good,but busy wkends,sugar bowl Cairngorms again nice spot,can get a bit windy headed lower down a few nights.Creag Meg another ok spot.

I take the mountain bike with me and use that for admin runs into to town,that way can leave the van roof up and all ready to go.

Yha are awesome ,most of them let you shower and dry kit if it's not to busy,I spent he odd night for a break.

My drying room was the tail, end of the van,I would leave the internal heater on all night,only for the back and sleep in the roof.no problems with condensation and all kit dried.I also use the heated ski boot inserts to dry the boots when needed.

Some guys I met joined a gym and used there facilities .

In reply to Ramon Marin:

If you a living in a van without a bog, a good investment is a disabled toilet key.

They only cost a couple of pounds, but it means you can get into any disabled public loo after the others have been locked up.

In reply to Mr Trebus:

And forge a blue badge while you are at it, park anywhere then eh?

In reply to 3leggeddog:

If the public toilets are open, then I would obviously use them, but often they are locked in the evening.

If it comes down to craping in a carpark/ lay-by or in the disabled cubicle of a public toilet, I know what I'd pick.

In reply to andy foers:

Thanks guys for all the information, very useful. The idea to spend every third night or so in a YHA or bunkhouse, specially to dry everything off properly and showers. I'm planning to keep moving the van around to keep the charge up in the leisure batteries.

In reply to Ramon Marin:

I use a couple of hand trowels. One to dig a hole to dump in, and then use both trowels as hand supports for squatting.
Too much information.

In reply to Ramon Marin:
If you're looking for people to climb with I'd love to climb with you, I believe you've met my friend Joe Barlow at Neist over the summer. He's coming to stay with me, Just north of the cairngorms and we're planning to try and get out as much as we can over the christmas break. So basically I'll be trying to climb every day between the 1st of january and the 25th of january. Also thanks for the tip off about the offer on the cryo axes, I bought them over the weekend You'd be more than welcome to drop past my house if you wanted a shower/toilet too