Professional mountain training and guiding in the Scottish Highlands
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Awesome winter vistas and learning environments
We run 2 types of course
Dates and prices are at the bottom of the page.
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Our Winter Skills courses will teach you how to enjoy the winter environment in safety and experience a landscape that will take your breath away.
The Munros under the cover of snow are a beautiful sight, but without the winter skills and knowledge required to move around them safely, they can be lethal. Conditions underfoot can vary from hard ice to deep unstable snow and navigational features like paths, lochans and fences disappear under deep drifts. Daylight hours are short and the weather can be considerably more extreme. Add to this a very real risk of avalanche and you can see why venturing into the high mountains at this time of year demands that you know what you are doing.
On our Winter Skills Courses you will learn how to manage these risks and:
On the summit crest of Sgurr Bhan
We run two different lengths of open Winter Skills courses.
A great introduction to the skills needed to look after yourself in the Scottish mountains.
A typical itinerary for our 2-day course follows:
Day 1
Day 2
Winter hillwalking at its best
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A comprehensive course covering all the skills you need to look after yourself in the Scottish mountains, with the opportunity to put these into practice as we journey into the high mountains, taking in the summits of several classic winter Munros.
A typical itinerary for our 4-day course follows:
Day 1
Digging emergency shelters
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
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Dates and prices: are shown in the table below.
Other dates are also available, weekends and mid-week throughout the season. Note: if a course is full, it can be worth getting in touch anyway, as often there is enough demand to run a second course. Similarly, if you are looking for an open course and the dates don’t match, just ask as we may be able to advertise additional dates to fit with your diary.
Open courses | Price per person - open course | Price per person - private course (choose your own duration) |
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Introduction to Winter Skills - 2 day course Course full? Get in touch anyway as often we can put another one on for you. Other dates are also possible, especially mid-week. Just get in touch to check availability. Sat 22 & Sun 23 January 2022: Aviemore/Cairngorms - nearly full Sat 5 & Sun 6 February 2022: Glencoe/Fort William Sat 19 & Sun 20 February 2022: Glencoe/Fort William - ** FULL ** Sat 5 & Sun 6 March 2022: Glencoe/Fort William Sat 19 & Sun 20 March 2022: Glencoe/Fort William April onwards dates TBC dependent on snow conditions | £180 | See table below for private course prices |
Winter Skills & Summits - Comprehensive 4 day course Course full? Get in touch anyway as often we can put another one on for you. Other dates are also possible, especially mid-week. Just get in touch to check availability. Mon 17 to Thurs 20 January 2022: Aviemore/Cairngorms - ** FULL ** Sat 5th to Tues 8th February 2022: Glencoe/Fort William - spaces available Mon 7 to Thurs 10 February 2022: Glencoe/Fort William - nearly full Tue 15 to Fri 18 February 2022: Glencoe/Fort William - ** FULL ** Sat 26 Feb to Tues 1 March 2022: Glencoe/Fort William - nearly full Other dates March onwards TBC - get in touch if you have a request. | £360 | See table below for private course prices |
Private courses | Total price - private course |
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Introduction to Winter Skills - 2 day course Winter Skills & Summits - Comprehensive 4 day course | 1:1 £390 Add extra group members for £50pp 1:2 £760 Add extra group members for £80pp |
Click here to make a booking or to find out more. You can also contact us by telephone on 07702 942980.
Above Kinlochleven
Accommodation & transport: You will need to source your own accommodation & transport to the meet point each morning. The meet point will vary depending on conditions on the mountain and the ambitions/skill level of the group. For courses in the west, consider accommodation in the Ballachulish/Glencoe areas. For those in the east, Aviemore works well.
Ages and abilities: The winter environment can be extremely challenging, so this course is for adults only and for those who already have experience of long days hill walking in the high mountains of the UK. Fitness is important as days are long, approaches generally tough and packs heavy.
Group sizes and ratios: Our instructor to client ratio never exceeds 1:6
Kit: We will share a kit list with you when you book, but you will need warm and waterproof clothing, crampon compatible boots and crampons. You will also need a walking/alpine axe. Boots, crampons & ice axes are available to hire at a competitive rate. We can offer advice on all kit when you book.