UKC

Can anyone suggest a Scottish winter (in snow) route that fits the following criteria?;

• Walking Axe and crampons required for a least small sections,
• Fairly simple navigation (in suitable weather) - ie. limited risk of taking a dangerous line,
• Limited exposure,
• Not a huge walk in,
• No need to take or use a rope, harness etc.

Something like Striding Edge maybe...

I was up in Aviemore, just over a week ago and did Ben MacDui and Cairngorm Mountain.  While the distance in the cold, deepish snow and wind were a challenge, it was just a plod.

Looking at the Fiacaill Ridge from the sides, that looked a bit gnarly, with potential to get off line an make a huge mistake.  This was the view I had https://goo.gl/images/3GV8kg

Any ideas?

Cheers - Matt

traverse of Ben Starav (I)

Bidean nam Bian summit (summit)

Carn Mor Dearg Arete (Grade-1)

A few obvious ideas: 

Buachaille Etive Mor, normal route (but watch out for avalanche hazard in the corrie).

Beinn Alligin (traverse with the horns)

Most of the Mamores ridge walks

Ben Nevis via the CMD arete

Mullach Fraoch Corrie (Glen Shiel, or pretty much any other Glen Shiel ridge walk)

Beinn a'Bheither (Ballachulish), maybe via the NE Ridge of Sgorr Bhan.

If conditions are right, there's an easy (or easier) depending on your perceptions by-pass of the final climb to the right - you just need crampons and axe. But it may be a bit thin there at present.

Ben Lomond via the Ptarmigan Ridge can be fun in the right conditions too.

Thanks everyone.  I shall read up on the ones I haven’t done - I’ve done the well known ones in non-winter conditions.

Depending on your scrambing experience & route finding, you might find the Fiacall Ridge ok.  When I did it last march, we approached it via Corie an Lochan to the right side, traversing up from here meaning the butress was avoided.  Didn't find it too difficult after that, was able to find a route up without ropes, but as you say footwork is key here to avoid stepping on a cornice by mistake.

Think others have already said a few of the others that I could recommend.  Good Effort on doing Ben MacDui, that's a lot of walking but worth it in the end

I know you're not asking for it because you probably know already, but I'd recommend checking the SAIS avalance reports and weather conditions before any days venturing into Scotland in Winter. 

Have fun

Jim

Alligin with The Horns?

Advice is to take a short rope on that on scottishwinterroutes.com

What about Stob Ghabhar?

Last year I did Cruach Ardain full loop from Crianlarich and used crampons and axe on the ascent of CA from col with Stob Garbh (not to be confused with Stob Ghabhar!)