Summer Mountain Leader Training Course

Navigating away from the snow in the Cairngorms

This week I've put my bike away and I'm in the East observing a Summer Mountain Leader Training Course at Glenmore Lodge, being run by Bill Strachan and Sandy Paterson. It is a summer course, but I've brought all my winter clothing because it's still winter high in the hills in the Cairngorms. Over the weekend people have been downhill skiing and ski touring, and developing their tans in the sun! So the challenge this week is to avoid the snow, compared to some of the winter courses this year when people were searching for the snow.

 There's a great deal of snow on the hills. Skiing was a hit this weekend, in the sun, and you could spot who forgot their suncream over the weekend, by their glow! I should have had a camera when I met Freda and Matt!

In the morning the weather was good and visibility was reasonable - the northern corries were clear for a time, but then the weather turned just as I got my camera out! Finally the snow reached us, and I put on my winter jacket and gloves!

 Before the snow hit us

Teaching summer navigation, when it's snowing!

So it was a good first day of training with most types of weather, ranging from sun to rain and snow. The students started to learn about navigation, the environment, leading a group, with later workshops on ropework and mountain weather.

Butterwort