By Stuart McClune
Attendees
Current members
Alex Smith, Catherine Spilsbury, Jennifer Hack, Charlotte Krishek, Stuart McClune, Rowan Dixon, Elizabeth Porter, Sonny Burniston
Life members
William Jones
Aims and Objectives
Our aim of the tour was for new and proficient members to gain more experience in winter mountaineering to allow them to practice winter climbing safely. We hope that these skills will allow members to both plan their own winter trips and keep winter skills active in the club.
This is also a great base for building future mountaineering and alpine skills that would be great to further instil within the club.
Objectives
- For new members to gain key winter skills, including avalanche safety, route planning, equipment choice, self-arrest, movement skills and pick placement.
- Members with more experience should begin to practice leading winter routes independently to cement the skills they developed in previous years.
- Improve general summer mountaineering skills, including navigation and route planning, on the lower hills or munros (weather permitting).
- Introduce the concept of dry tooling to improve pick and crampon placement.
Overall, we felt we achieved the aims of the tour. Charlotte, Stuart, Sonny and Rowan were instructed on winter skills for two days with a guide that gave them essential winter skills and more! Lizzie used the second day of the course to refresh her existing winter skills. Jen and Alex honed their winter skills from last year by leading their first winter route. Cat and Will practiced moving together quickly over easier ground. Munro bagging on Bynack More allowed us to practice our navigation skills and a day in Newtyle Quarry introduced the group to dry tooling.
Financial overview
| Income | Value |
|---|---|
| Member Income | £1593 |
| ICU Funding | 311.93 |
| Total | 1904.93 |
| Expenditure | Value |
|---|---|
| Vehicle hire | £509 |
| Fuel | £313.26 |
| Accomodation | £375 |
| Linen | £72 |
| Food | £235.46 |
| Guide hire | £400 |
| Total | £1904.72 |
Tour log
Day 1
An early start for everyone on the first day of the winter break as we met at the Union at 6am! With the back of the bus piled with climbing gear and sleepy climbers, we started our 550-mile journey to the Cairngorms. Jen and Alex heroically drove the 10-hour journey between them. Stopping only for a tour of the UKs service stations and to stock up on food for the week, we made good time and arrived at a little cottage in Nethy Bridge – our home for the next week.
Day 2
Despite the early start the previous day, we were keen to make the most of the snow! Leaving the new members for an extended sleep before meeting their guide, Jen, Alex, Cat and Will set off to Coire an t-Sneachda to start our walk in at first light. Despite nearly walking into the wrong coire, we made a speedy approach to the base of our routes. Cat and Will started up Spiral Gully (II), but due to driving rain and the first pitch comprising of a pile of slush, backed off and made their way back to wring out their clothes and drink hot chocolate. Jen and Alex made their way slowly but surely up the Runnel (II). A classic winter route that usually does not involve an extensive rocky chimney pitch, but lack of good snow upped the challenge! A fantastic first winter route for both Jen and Alex!
Meanwhile, the rest of the group met up with their guide who talked them through the basics before taking them out for some practice in the northern coires. Soon the group were practicing cutting steps, ice axe arrests and winter navigation.
Rowan, Stuart, Sonny, Charlotte and Kev demonstrating some well-cut steps!
After a cold day for everyone, we headed back to the house for some well-deserved showers and dinner!
Day 3
After swinging by Aviemore train station to pick up Lizzie, we headed back to Sneachda. Most of the group continuing with their guide to consolidate a few more winter skills and have a go at putting them in to practice. Ending their skills course with a hidden gem – an unmelted ice pitch!
Charlotee cruising up the ice.
Jen, Alex, Cat and Will made the most of the clear day and beautiful weather by tackling Ficalli Ridge. Not only could we practice moving together, but it offered incredibly views of Coire an Snechda and lochan!
Will, Jen, Cat and Alex at the start of Ficalli Ridge. Alex falling down one of many holes.
Day 4
After two days of (somewhat) winter conditions, our luck run out. The weather turned warm and rainy with strong winds, so we headed for the coast in search of dry rock and milder weather! After scouring UKC we came across a crag full of promise! Sea cliff trad in an idyllic location, what could go wrong? Unfortunately, when we arrived at the crag we began to realise why it didn’t receive much traffic! Covered in a thick layer of yellow lichen and dripping wet despite the sun, even the boldest of us didn’t fancy the abseil down to the sea.
Looking down at the yellow, lichenous rocks.
Determined not to waste the day (or the long drive), we headed back to the bus and continued another 20 minutes down the coast to a crag we had enjoyed the previous year. After a brief detour to a ruined castle and navigating around the collapsing coastal path, we arrived at a secluded rocky outcrop. A little wet and not the biggest of crags, but it packed in some good routes.
Stuart cruised up a slabby Bladder Wrack (S 4b), utilising probably the most unnecessary heel hook ever used in ICMC. Lizzy led her first HS, Fisherman’s Tail, and demonstrated excellent trad face. Charlotte battled her way up the soggy Poacher (VS 4 b), learning that gear can be your friend – especially when pumped!
Stuart and the Unnecessary Heel Hook. Lizzy with a fine example of trad face. Charlotte and the Inescapable Pump._
Day 5
With no sign of winter returning, the group looked for another way to practice their axe placement and show off those lock offs – dry tooling at Newtyle Quarry!
Alex crushing at Newtyle.
Jen, Will and Cat opted for a walk in the nearby forests, taking in the gorgeous local scenery. Finishing up early, they made a start on a full roast dinner with all the trimmings for that night’s dinner.
Day 6
We sadly had to say goodbye to Sonny and popped him on an early morning train home. To make the most of the early start, we decided to take everyone on a long walk. Still in darkness we left the minibus at Glenmore Lodge and started the climb up to Bynack More (1090m). We were treated to beautiful views of sunrise over the Cairngorms as we went.
Sunrise on the approach to Bynack More.
Having reached the summit in excellent time, we decided to continue the day taking in A’Choinneach (1017m) and Cairn Gorm (1245m) itself. We gratefully stopped in the warmth of the café for hot chocolate and cake before descending back to the minibus. Unfortunately, some bridges marked on the map were distinctly absent and an impromptu river crossing left everyone with soggy shoes! We headed home to start dinner and find somewhere to dry out eight pairs of shoes!
Crisp and clear: A beautiful winter’s day walking.
Day 7
For our last full day in the Cairngorms, we were determined to try and pack in some climbing. We set off to a hidden gem, suggested by Jen, Huntly’s Cave. Our hearts sank as we drove closer, the rock was looking less than dry. In time old ICMC tradition, we filed out the bus to touch the wet rock. It turns out we weren’t entirely right. It wasn’t just wet. It was covered in a fine layer of frost. While most of us were content to gaze at the incredible assortment of blocky, overhung routes and dream of summer, Charlotte is never one to back down from a challenge. She geared up and started up an impressively damp and slimy route. We watched, shouted encouragements and ate popcorn while she made her way up. Jen followed and confirmed it was a heinously slippery route. Not encourage by this review, we made an executive decision to retreat to a quaint tea shop.
That evening, the house was filled with activity as everybody worked on their Secret Santa present and Jen cooked her eagerly awaited ‘Nutty Bol’. Dinner was a treat, copious amounts of mulled wine was drunk and a fabulous array of homemade gifts were swapped. Altogether not a bad way to end a trip!
Secret Santa! Alex trying on his new light-weight harness.
Charlotte’s new state of theart gear placement simulator.
Lizzie showing off her own mini-mountain range.
Day 8
We got up early to do a final sweep of the house and started on our long journey back. Jen and Alex, our absolute superstars, drove us back to London. The rest of the group slept the majority of the journey back, dreaming that Christmas would bring some better winter conditions!
Useful Information
Guide
Coordinated through Cairngorm Adventure Guides. Contact Liam on liam@cairngormadventureguides.co.uk or visit http://www.cairngormadventureguides.co.uk
Accommodation
Lorien in Nethy Bridge – A Scandinavian style bungalow that can comfortably sleep ten.
Contact John on lornethy@ntlworld.com or visit http://www.lorien.org.uk/index.html
Food shopping
Stop at the Tesco Superstore just off the M9 past Glasgow in Stirling.
SPAR in Nethy Bridge is next door but has sporadic opening hours.
Climbing
Winter: Coire an Sneachda is a 30-minute drive from Nethy Bridge and has the shortest walk in. It has a good selection of winter routes for beginners. Coire an Lochain is approached from the same car park and also has a few good routes to start out. Park at the Cairngorm funicular railway and ski centre car park.
Summer: If it’s wet in the mountains, the coast is a good alternative. Logie Head has a selection of nice routes at varying grades. See the North East Outcrops guidebook. Huntly’s Cave is in good proximity to Nethy Bridge and has a number of overhanging trad routes at all grades that may be dry when surrounding rock is wet.
Dry tooling: Newtyle Quarry is a bolted slate quarry that is good for a day of dry tooling. The routes start at M3 and have a couple of other easy routes.