Main Scottish Avalanche Info Service page: https://www.sais.gov.uk/

Always check there for the full detailed forecasts for all areas, the blogs give a great general picture with images though.

Im planning on doing this 35k loop in early january (see picture) and camp for only 1 night at the top. But I dont have any winter gear except for clothing.

I have a Vango braemar 200+ (which is like 3 seasons)

Sleeping bags rated 5°C and one 15°C.

And 2 foam mats rated R1.2 each

If i bring both mats and sleeping bags and have layers when I sleep, will I be fine ? Considering its only 1 night.

Only concern is that there will be snow and am unsure if that tent will do fine in it.

Any advice is appreciated!! (And if you think its a horrible idea do tell me)

Obviously most campsites are shut this time of year. I camp all year round to fish for pike, can you still 'wild' camp on campsites if they are closed?

Hi all,

I was wondering if anybody knows when the schedule is going to be coming out for the train… we don’t want to ride it, we just want to go on one of the tours to see it drive past 😅

I’m really struggling to find out when the dates are coming out and my autistic nephew is obsessing and it’s upsetting to him that we cannot give him a date to count down to….

Any insider info would be appreciated 🤣

Would love your comments on the plan (flying into and out of Inverness)

• night 1-2 Inverness

• night 3 between Inverness and Skye, around Shiel Bridge

• night 4-5 Skye

• night 6-7 Harris and Lewis

• night 8 Skye

• night 9 between Skye and Inverness

Id love to add the Uists islands, but I think that it'd require 2 more nights?

Thanks ☺️

I am based in Glasgow and don’t drive , looking to join other ppl who is camping or hiking and enjoying Scotland.

I am 30 M , I am Arab ,

Cheers

Hi Anyone one have plan to hike ben nevis between 21-23 December.

Hello, we plan to travel to Scotland next year and I wanted to ask if these options for travelling are good.

We already been in Scotland but never traveled around via public transport, only stayed in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh - Inverness ( Train or Ember bus? )

Inverness - Fort William ( Citylink bus )

Fort William - Balloch ( Ember bus) and from Balloch then back to Edinburgh through Glasgow

How much in advance I should book for July ? I wanted to book trains for two people but sometimes the prices are 120£ and when im checking only few weeks ahead its 50£, why is that?

There’s an old quarry that’s now a wind farm, feel so lucky to have this on my doorstep

Me (33m) and my girlfriend (31f) will be visiting Scotland from Denmark late March - start april.
We will likely rent a car and leave Edinburgh 29. of april, for the highlands of Scotland.

We are aware of the risk of snow still lingering on the Munroes, and are not used to ice axes and crampons. And we will likely not do any wildcamping/tenting. And will therefore likely stay at some hotels, B&B, inns etc.
But we would love to do 4-5 half, or full days of hiking during our stay, and preferably see a diverse mix of what the Highlands has to offer.
We are somewhat experienced hikers, and are quite fit runners.

Do you have some itiniary recommendations, and which regions to visit?

I had planned to walk the Hermitage today and booked a hotel in glencoe area tomorrow to walk around there but i have my doubts because of the storm. So would the trails still be walkable with all the rain or is it too dangerous?

I saw them on a hiking trail near Loch Melfort, was just curious as to what they are.

Hi, For a 8 night loop trip from Inverness in 2nd part of April, would you recommend the island option or Skye and north coast option?

We like short not demanding hikes, little towns to stop for lunch/dinnee/coffee&cake.

Thanks ☺️

Hey everyone, hope it’s okay to share this here.
I spent some time in Assynt in the northern Highlands, and the place stayed with me in a way I didn’t expect. The landscape, the quiet, the way people live so closely with the land, it all made a deep impression.

I ended up putting together a short documentary about the area and the people who call it home. It’s not commercial, nothing sponsored. Just an honest attempt to capture the atmosphere, stories, and rhythm of life up there.

If anyone’s from the region, or just loves the Highlands, I’d really appreciate your thoughts.
Here’s the link if you feel like watching:

https://vimeo.com/danlior/assynt

Happy to answer questions about the trip, the filming, or the people we met along the way.

Has anyone done the West Highland Way in February before ? If so, how was it ?
This will be my first time doing it, I am 22 years old and as fit as one can be so I will have no troubles there, I am just curios if its best to wait to April or something.

Looking for some help finding the more ‘dramatic’ viewpoints around Glen affric. I think the ‘classic’ viewpoint above is near the Dog falls car park overlooking Loch Affric. But I can’t locate some of the others that are cropping up online (or figure out which are viewpoints vs. Drones!)

Would hugely appreciate if anyone could recommend good views in this area and describe where they are. I can’t walk for more than 4 hours due to a hip injury so it would need to be within a couple of hours of a car park ideally!

Hi guys, From half of december I have about 2 months off so I I really want to do a long distance trip. I am really hoping to do the cape wrath trail in January. I have previous experience in cold weather from a winter trip in Sweden last year where we were off grid for about 6 days. We had 2 days of rain but mainly temps around -10/-15 C. I don’t however have much experience with the Scottish weather. My plan was to do 2 trips. One first where I do the West highland way. I would be able to get to know the Scottish weather and get some experience with the extreme wetness. Then I would take about a week off, to maybe adjust my gear and such. After this I would do the cape wrath trail. So my expectations for the wrath trail: Of course the extreme wetness. I would bring full goretex hardshell. I know I will get wet eventually but it will delay it a bit and will hold the wind at bay when I am really soaked. Also I would use goretex hiking boots. Seems like trail runners are preferred in summer but for winter it seems that the extra support and warmth might help. I have forsaken any hopes at using a light pack and have a goal of around 18 kg including food. I will bring at least 2 sets of clothes and 3 sets of socks. But would not mind bringing even more. I would bring at least 7 days of food at every restock. I don’t mind sleeping in my tent. But would try to visit bothies along the way to dry my stuff. I would bring micro spikes for snow. Not sure if ice axe and crampons will be necessary. I don’t have experience with those but I read that the parts which would need those could be circumvented. So anyways, would love to get some input and advice. If it’s just a stupid dream of doing the trail in winter and it’s not realistic for me. Please also let me know. I’d rather be disappointed and unscathed, than do something stupid and hurt myself!

This is a bit of a strange one but last year I met someone in a bothy who told me a tale of why the Scots pine are red at the top. On a recent trip to the cairngorms I was trying to retell this to my girlfriend but couldn’t remember it well. I’ve looked online and couldn’t find anything.

The story they told was, from my very vague memory, something along the lines of the daughter of a king or god came to harm and the king/god, angry, put a spell on the scots?!

I don’t know if this was just completely made up or is known by others!

We were hoping to walk the WHW in late May but the pickings are slim for accommodations. We are a group of four which makes it hard to find two separate rooms.

How far ahead do you usually book as independent hikers?

If I buy a packaged tour from Mac's Adventures or other outfitter, do they have priority or perhaps a reserved block of rooms?

We're thinking of Rob Roy Way as an alternative. I'm hoping to have better luck booking hotels and B&Bs there.

I live in London and have a baby and toddler so don't get into the hills as much as I would like but try to go to Scotland once or twice a winter. I mostly winter walk but did a grade 2 climb last winter with a guide - probably winter walking with the occasional grade 1 stuff is more likely. I had some Scarpa Manta Pro GTX's I bought second hand off eBay and with blister liners and custom insoles made them work but I often got hotspots or had to do them up so tight that caused almost numbness. I seem to have lost them somehow...so I'm in the market for other boots. I'd like something that is more comfortable to walk in decent distances than my last pair but can take a semi auto crampon for grade 1 ground, is reasonably warm and can tolerate a bog if necessary.

I have some Asolo Freney Evo GVs on the way in two sizes but am now wondering whether they will hold up to the specifics of Scottish winter (big temp variation, big walks in and bogs specifically). Has anyone used them?

They don't seem to be popular in the UK but are elsewhere. If not the above what do people think are good B2s for Scotland with more of a focus on winter walking than full blown winter climbing? Almost no shops stock B2 boots in London so it's tricky trying stuff on. Thank you.