Scotland the White

I love Scotland, and have always fancied a winter visit, so when I heard that a few others were heading North for the weekend, it seemed rude to say no!

We drove up on Friday evening, staying at the Ballachulish Hotel. The sunrise was stunning, but there was no time to hang around as we dashed to Aanoch Mor and the Nevis Range ski area.


The views were breathtaking, looking right the way across to the Skye Cuillins. The skiing wasn't bad either! It was a bit of a culture shock actually queueing for a lift, rather than engaging in a scrum.


It was also the first time that I had seen the summit of Ben Nevis, so close up and so clear. I could make out more detail than when I had climbed it!

The decision had been to ski at Cairngorm on Sunday, so we headed over that way to sleep. The following day couldn't have been more different to Saturday - blizzards, no visiblity and generally grotty conditions. At one point I was being blown backwards up the hill! At about 2pm they took the decision to evacuate the mountain. I don't think I've ever been so wet skiing. It was still a fun day, and gave amazing bragging rights this morning in the office!

Margery Hill

I'm told that Margery Hill is the highest point within the City of Sheffield.


I left the car at Kings Tree and walked via Slippery Stones up to Howden Edge. There were quite a few people around, mostly running or biking. Once up on the edge, I toyed with the idea of heading along Outer Edge, but decided that would take too long. As it was, I thought it may be going dark before I got back.

I followed Howden Edge, past the trig point of Margery Hill and then down past Nether Hey to by Howden Dam. The path from there seems to go on forever, as you can see Kings Tree on the other side, but have to go a long way round.

(Technical Data: distance = 14km, ascent = 500m)

Magpie Mine

Having looked at the weather, I decided that today was not a day for walking. With that in mind, I decided to go out to Magpie Mine near Sheldon. The old mine workings looked quite dramatic in the mist.

Alport Castles

Having had a frustrating few months with my knee, aggravating it every time I've been out, I'm hoping to get a few walks in over Christmas/New Year. I need to be careful as we're starting to get near to the ski season!


Having left the car at Bridge End, I took the steep path up on to the ridge, and then on upwards to Alport Castles. From there, there is a path down Ditch Clough to Howden Reservoir. Despite it being the holidays, there weren't too many people around. Even Fairholmes wasn't too busy - and the cafe was open :)

(Technical Data: distance = 14.5km, ascent = 425m)

The Old Man of Coniston

Drove up to the Lakes for the day with the intention of doing a circuit of the Old Man. The weather was dry, but a bit windy and there was low cloud. We walked up from Coniston, and it wasn't too bad up to Low Water. After that, the wind picked up and by the time we got to the top, it was blowing hard.

The original plan had been to descend via Goat's Water, but as we dropped down that side, the wind was blowing us off the hillside. After a few minutes, common sense prevailed and we headed back up, to descend the way we came.

(Technical Data: distance = 10.5km, ascent = 1000m)

Bleaklow & Cock Hill

Decided to go for a walk from Glossop. The forecast wasn't too bad, but as soon as I started walking, the rain began. I took the path up Doctor's Gate, and then along the Pennine Way past Bleaklow Head. The path wasn't clear, so I missed the turn off and had to double back to Torside Castle. From there I went across to Cock Hill (pictured above) and then back down into Glossop. It was wet!

(Technical Data: distance = 16km, ascent = 580m)

Ben Lomond

Ben Lomond is the most Southerly Munro, and a convenient stop-off on the way home from Glencoe.


I walked up the Ptarmigan ridge, and round to the summit. This seemed preferable to doing an out-and-back up the main path. The initial route finding was a bit tricky (I went a tad too far along the West Highland Way) but once on the right path it was fine.


All the way up, there was cloud covering the summit. I arrived at the top and stopped for a drink. As I sat there, the cloud cleared briefly, allowing me a chance to look at the view.


The path down was a bit busier than the path up, and those arriving shortly after me at least got to see something!

And then the long drive home, and work tomorrow!

(Technical Data: distance = 11.5km, ascent = 1000m)

Glencoe Lochan etc.

A bit of pain in the knee, and dull weather meant that I decided to have an easy day today. I plan to drive down to Loch Lomond tonight and do Ben Lomond tomorrow, so made do with some short walks.


I started off by going up to Glencoe Lochan. Despite it's proximity to a car park, I'd never been. A short walk and a beautiful location. Surprisingly it was deserted...I guess everyone else was up high.


I then went to Inchree Waterfall, and then drove round to Corpach. Ben Nevis was playing hide-and-seek with the clouds.

Buachaille Etive Mor

Having had such a good time earlier on this month, and with my knee feeling better, I decided on another quick trip up north.


Stob Dearg is one of the most recognisable mountains in Scotland.....except few people know it's name. It's commonly known as Buachaille Etive Mor, which is actually the name of the ridge which connects Stob Dearg with Stob na Broige. Anyway, however you look at it, it's a classic that has to be done.


When you park at Altnafeadh, there appears to be no way up. The path, tha starts off comparatively gently, soon gets lost among the rock. It isn't until you get up close, that it becomes apparent that there is a way without having to climb.

Once up onto the ridge, the view is extensive, across to Blackwater, Rannoch Moor, and then when you are further along, down Glen Etive and Loch Etive.



After the hard work up onto the ridge, the walk becomes pleasant. The sun was out, and reaching the three main summits on the ridge (Stob na Doire being the central one) was straight forward. The descent into Laraig Gartain was steep and once down, the path was boggy.

(Technical Data: distance = 12.5km, ascent = 1200m)

Ben Nevis

After watching the weather for the past two weeks, I finally got a day that I thought was worth the effort of climbing the Ben.


It wouldn't have been my 1st choice of route, but as I knew the cloud level wasn't that high, I decided to do the Mountain Track. It was heaving. Not my idea of walking, I like the isolation. After the previous 2 days, where I saw no-one, it came as a bit of a shock!


The top was in cloud, so no nice views. Based on today, I won't be rushing back. It may be the highest, but it seems wrong that this one is crowded, when the others on the area are deserted.

I thought going up was bad, but the descent was even worse. The path is consistently steep, so there is no respite. Unfortunately I seem to have aggrivated a knee problem that I had while skiing, so I think that may be the end of this trip :(

(Technical Data: distance = 16.5km, ascent = 1343m)

.....and back!

This morning was bliss. After camping for a week, to wake up to a cooked breakfast was a treat. Especially the venison sausages from the Corrour estate. As a result, I set off a little later than planned!


I decided to go back to Kinlochleven via Luibeilt and Loch Eilde Mor. This meant that the walking I'd do later in the day would be on a track, therefore hopefully easier going. The decision that I had to make was which side of the Abhainn Rath to walk. I favoured the path on the North side, but knowing that the weather hasn't been great, I decided not to risk having to do a river crossing at Luibeilt. This proved to be a good decision!


When I got to the bothy at Staoineag, the stepping stones were completely submerged. The path fades out here and with the riverside boggy, I took my time trying to find the best route. I'd already given up on the idea of trying to keep my feet dry, but at times the challenge was trying to cross water without it reaching the top of my gaitors.


Eventually I spied the buildings at Luibeilt and found my way onto the track. Knowing that the next hour or so was along the track, I began to relax. At this point the rain decided to soak me from the top down! The path alongside Loch Eilde Beag and Loch Eilde Mor was a welcome relief, and on another day I'd have enjoyed the walk, however by this time, I just wanted to get back.


The view along Loch Leven gave me a bit more impetus to finish the walk. Unfortunately I then made a bad route choice. What I should have done was followed the track round to Mamore Lodge and then down, but I chose the more direct route...down a very steep path. It was nice to get back to the car and then the tent!

(Technical Data: distance = 21.5km, ascent = 300m)

Corrour, take 2

While there last week, I'd booked myself into the Corrour Station B&B for tonight. The plan being to walk in from Kinlochleven one way and out the next day by a different route.

I decided to go via Blackwater reservoir. The first section of the route follows the West Highland Way, before branching off towards the dam. The path is a track, but the easiest walking is along the water conduit. The water enters the conduit (below) from the dam and is piped down the hill into Kinlochleven. The reservoir was built in the early 1900s to serve the aluminium smelter in Kinlochleven. It is the last major British project to have been built by navvies, at a cost of many lives. The smelter closed down in 1996, and the pipes now feed a hydro-electric plant.


Once across the dam (you're not allowed across the dam wall, but I ran fast enough that they couldn't catch me!) the path follows the side of the reservoir. Due to the recent weather, this was boggy in places. I managed not to get too wet, despite the occasional downpour. After about 1km, the path leaves the reservoir and heads North East towards Loch Chiarain. The bothy (below) was a welcome stop off for lunch, and the only time during the whole day when I met another person.


Once past Loch Chiarain, the path seemed to go on forever. With mountains on both sides, the scenery didn't change much, so the sight of Loch Treig (below) was very welcome. It also helped me chart my exact position.


From Loch Treig, the track headed uphill. A passing train gave me the excuse to stop and wave at people and spurred me onwards to my dinner. The track passes under the railway, but following this takes you down to Loch Ossian, and was out of my way. The alternative path seemed to go through bog. Having spent last week memorising the train timetable, I took my chances and walked a short section alongside the railway lines. The track is on a raised bed and went directly to my destination.



(Technical Data: distance = 27.5km, ascent = 850m)

Sunset

This was taken last night, looking down Loch Leven.

Rannoch Moor

Had a logistical nightmare today. I decided that I wanted to walk from Kings House to Rannoch Moor Station. The only problem was how to get back! I eventually decided to park at Fort William and get the bus to Kings House, then I could get the train back. Ended up in a bit of a rush and forgot my camera :(

There were 2 other people who got off the bus at the same place, but they headed in a different direction, so I had the path to myself. The first section is the driveway up to Black Corries Lodge, and then it becomes a footpath. This was clear and surprisingly dry. The final section was a pleasant track through the woods.It was at this point that I started to see a few people, presumably doing a short walk from the station.

I'd walked quicker than I expected, so had a bit of time to kill in the station cafe waiting for the train. I got chatting to a couple in there, lost track of time, and had to dash out to catch my train! It's a long wait for the next one.

It's a few years since I've done the train journey from Rannoch Moor to Fort William, so I sat back and enjoyed the scenery.

(Technical Data: distance = 20km, ascent = 330m)

The Robbers' Waterfall

The road down Glen Etive is a dead end, so it doesn't get too much traffic. It is a beautiful glen, leading to Loch Etive. The road passes along the foot of Buachaille Etive Mor before entering a forest. The path up to the Robbers' Waterfall crosses the River Etive and then starts to climb. Unfortunately, with the rain of the past few days, the burns higher up were in spate, so I couldn't get right up to the waterfall.


I retraced my route and drove to the end of the road. The broken jetty is a sign that not much sea traffic comes this way these days!


On the way back up the glen, I encountered this fella and his better half. She wasn't keen to have her photo taken, but he was pleased to oblige.

(Technical Data: distance = 7.5km, ascent = 280m)

Oban

Okay, so not technically a walk, or a ski, but a great day out! I decided that it was time to have a rest day, so went for a drive to Oban. The weather in Fort William wasn't great, but by the time I got to the coast the sun was out.

Monessie Gorge and the Puggy Line

The Puggy Line was the railway that was built to aid construction of the tunnel from Loch Treig to Fort William. It was closed in 1977 and most of the track pulled up. It is possible to walk most of this route.

I thought twice about doing a walk today, as the weather has been a bit grizzly. But, donning the waterproofs, I set off from Coire Choille and joined the Puggy Line just South of Inch. The path was boggy in places, and there were a few scrambles down steep banks to cross burns. Despite how they may appear in the photo (above, the bridges are not safe to cross.

I left the Puggy Line by the disused adit, and joined the track to Monessie. The gorge is best viewed from the railway, but the swing bridge across was an experience! Every step I took, I was convinced it was going to give way.



I retraced the route to the adit, then continued along the track back to my car.

(Technical Data: distance = 12.5km, ascent = 300m)

Steall Falls

Having waved goodbye to my dad, and been reunited with my car at Bridge of Orchy, I drove to Fort William in search of somewhere to pitch my tent. Having settled on a "car camp" rather than a backpack, I went for a short walk.



Glen Nevis is a picturesque valley at the foot of Ben Nevis. The road eventually hits a dead end, and then there is a path through a gorge out to Steall. The waterfall is one of the biggest in Scotland, and is spectacular when in spate. The steep slopes to the North lead to Ben Nevis and Aonach Beag, and to the South is the "Ring of Steall".

(Technical Data: distance = 5.5km, ascent = 350m)

Beinn na Lap

Beinn na Lap is a nice rounded Munro to the North of Loch Ossian. Despite being 935m, the starting height of 400m makes it a reasonably pleasant climb. Certainly the view from the top was stunning.


Rather than come back down the short route, I continued NE and descended via Loch na Lap and Strathossian. As with many such hills, there was no path, and picking my way down to the lochan was steep and boggy!

(Technical Data: distance = 22.5km, ascent = 695m)

Loch Ossian

After a good night's sleep I wandered up to the Corrour Station House Restaurant for breakfast and to meet up with my dad who was staying there. The presence of flush toilets was an added bonus! My dad had seen a walk in Country Walking magazine that he was keen to do, so we walked a full circuit of Loch Ossian. The path (track) on the North side of the loch is the estate road that runs the 16 miles from the station to the A86, while the path on the South side is more like a walking path.


The Corrour Estate was owned and developed by Sir John Maxwell, to whom there is a memorial plaque near the New Lodge. The guests to the estate used to get the train to the station, and then were transported by horse and carriage to the boat landing stage (now the Youth Hostel). They were then taken by boat, the full length of the loch, to the Lodge.

(Technical Data: distance = 14km, ascent = 150m)

Rannoch Moor

Had booked to stay at the Loch Ossian Youth Hostel for a few nights, so decided to walk in from Rannoch Moor station. This route starts at a remote train station and finishes at an even more remote hostel. I only saw one other person once I left the station.

The path was clear all the way, skirting round the base of Carn Dearg, and passing by the ruins of Corrour Old Lodge. This was once an isolation hospital...and I can't think of a more appropriate location! On the way, there are great views across the expanse of Rannoch Moor, with the railway in the foreground and Blackwater Reservoir in the distance.

Eventually Loch Ossian came into view....just as the weather turned, and the rain started.

The Youth Hostel (above) hidden in the trees, was a welcome site. It is an eco-hostel, where they utilise wind and solar power and have compostable toilets. As for showers - well, you've got a loch outside!

(Technical Data: distance = 16.5km, ascent = 365m)

The Great Ridge

After yesterday's epic, I decided to cheat a bit on this one! I had my parents with me, so we drove up to Mam Nick car park and started the walk from there. Having left the other car in Hope, this meant that we could avoid the steep uphill bits.

The Great Ridge really is one of the classic walks in the Peak District. Today was a clear day, so the views were stunning. As usual, we made good use of the Woodbine Cafe in Hope before heading back up to Mam Nick to collect the car.

(Technical Data: distance = 7km, ascent = 150m)

Edale - A Long Walk

Decided that today was the day to walk the route that I'm planning for the Norton Charity Challenge in September. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and I've now got sore feet.

A full account of the route can be found here.

(Technical Data: distance = 30 km, ascent = 1160m)

Castleton

Decided to do something a bit different today. Had thought about doing a really long walk, but then had a lie in! Finally decided to park at the Blue John Caverns and walk along Rushop Edge. It's a long time since I've walked in that direction, usually favouring Mam Tor.

Walked along Rushop Edge, down the lane to Perryfoot, along past Eldon Hill Quarry and down into Castleton via Cave Dale. Had intended to walk back up Winnats Pass, but changed my mind and went up the subsided road beneath Mam Tor.

It appears that summer has finally arrived. The sun was out most of the afternoon, and it made a pleasant change not to have to make use of my waterproofs.

(Technical Data: distance = 15.5km, ascent = 529m)

Redmires Conduit

As a change, I decided to head out to Redmires after work today. I waited in the car as it chucked it down, then managed to stay dry while out.

I often do a short walk that starts from the car park at the top of Redmires, and joins the conduit track back round. However today I decided to explore the conduit in the other direction.

This was never a footpath until it became access land. It leads out to a small reservoir, which isn't named on the OS map. Anyone know if it has a name? It wasn't the prettiest, but it was a spot I'd never been to before, and is fairly well hidden.

Just goes to prove that even places on your doorstep can be new and exciting!

More Ladybower

I know, I know. Twice in two days is a bit predictable, however, it's an easy, flattish walk on good paths and has toilets half way round. Where else would I want to walk on my way home from work?

The weather wasn't quite as good today as it was yesterday, but I didn't get wet.

Ladybower

Now that I have a car again, and the weather is okay, I'm hoping to get back to going out walking after work. Today was sunny, so I went for the old favourite - park on the A57 and walk round Ladybower. As an added bonus today, I was early and the snack bar at Fairholmes was still open, so I treated myself to an ice cream :-)

Scotland - the work trip

(Scotland - the holiday will hopefully follow!)

Hmm. Where to start with recounting this one?

As you may be aware, I run a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Group, and this was a Gold Expedition trip. The students are out on expedition for four days, but when you add in travelling and recovery days we are away for eight.

As we have done for the past few years, we stayed at Caolasnacon which is about 30 mins drive south of Fort William. The weather forecast was mixed, and Saturday was drizzly. The groups set off on Sunday, and those that had forgotten their suncream were in trouble! However, it didn't last. Monday brought torrential rain, bog, mud and us having to re-route groups away from flooded areas!

The week didn't get any easier from there, although the rain did stop, and we had a bit more sun. The midges weren't too bad either!

On a personal note, I got very little walking done. I'd hoped to be able to do a few days, but the way things worked out there just wasn't the time. I did one walk/bike ride up near Mamore Lodge Hotel, above Kinlochleven, which gave great views along Loch Leven, but unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me. Oh well, another place I have to go back to!

Trains to the Peak

Frustration at not being able to get out into the Peaks after work finally drove me to the trains, and more specifically, to Edale.



The weather was good, so I decided to walk up to the top of Mam Tor, along the ridge to Lose Hill (shown in photo), and down into Hope station. Naturally, I took a slight detour to visit the Woodbine Cafe in Hope. It seemed the best way to kill 40 mins until the next train.

Get my new motor on Tuesday, so hopefully I can get out more :-)

On my bike....

I'm now officially car-less. It's a sad state to be in, as to get to work by public transport takes at least 2.5 times as long as driving. So, this morning I attempted the impossible...

I cycled to work!!

Amazingly, it took around the same time as it does on the bus, but is far healthier and cheaper. I may try again sometime.

Switzerland.......in Spring!

Well, it started off okay. A nice easy walk from Mannlichen to Kleine Schiedegg, enjoying the alpine flowers. It was drizzling, but an okay day. Then, we woke up to this....




Not quite what I'd planned for! Would've been fun if I'd had my skis with me. Still, we made the best of it, and had quite a lot of sun for the rest of the week.

Most of the mountain paths were closed due to snow/avalanche risk, but did manage to First-Bachalpsee in knee deep snow. I guess I'll just have to go back when the weather is better.

Fox House

Went off to Fox House to try and find some people. I just can't believe that I'm in the 2nd most visited national park in the world!! Eventually I found a group of climbers on Burbage edge...but it took a fair amount of hunting.

The weather was beautiful, and I wished I could have stayed out longer. It was the perfect spring evening. However, if I'd done Stanage edge as well, it would have been dark before I got back.

....And Again

I'm a creature of habit. I find a walk that I like and do it over and over again. So, in that spirit, and with the limitations put on me by my car, I returned to Houndkirk Moor. Once again, I was surprised by how empty the place was. Okay, so it looked like it was going to rain, but really....three kids and a dog isn't quite what you expect to meet on a 1 1/2 hour walk that is no more than 15 mins from the centre of Sheffield.

Fortunatley the rain held off, and I had a nice stroll across the moor, and along Burbage Edge. And no, there wasn't an ice cream van at Upper Burbage Bridge :-(

Houndkirk Moor

Sad news. My car is has a terminal diagnosis :-(

The result is that I can't quite get back from work without it overheating. The midway point in my journey is somewhere near Ringinglow, so I decided to stop there and go for a walk on Houndkirk/Burbage Moor.

Usually when I go out in this area, I'm parked at Foxhouse and doing navigation training, so it was nice just to be able to wander. It is great how many nice places there are walk, that are within easy reach of work or home.

As with Ladybower, I was amazed how few people there were out on a beautiful spring evening. Still, mustn't complain....it's better than it being busy!

Ladybower

One of things I love about the light evenings, is being able to get out to the Peaks after work. It's amazing how quiet it is. The past couple of weeks I've been out four or five times to Ladybower. If I park on the A57, it's a nice walk to Fairholmes and back, round past Derwent dam. It also has the added bonus of toilets half way round (I drink far too much tea at work!).

At this time of year, it's quite common to see low flying aircraft trying to emulate the dam busters practices...however the one that I saw tonight was even lower than usual. It was quite a sight, and I almost felt that if I reached up that I could touch it.

Edale

Or to be technically correct, Upper Booth.

This has to be my favourite campsite in the Peaks. It's isolated enough that it feels like a proper rural campsite, and you wake up to amazing views of the hills around you. It's even nicer when I'm not sharing it with 100s of teenagers, but...hey hum!

We spent both nights at the same campsite, with two of the groups heading up onto Kinder on Sat, and the other heading along Crowden Edge towards Edale Cross, before doubling back towards Edale. Tony & I had a lazy morning, not expecting anyone back before 3pm. We were just about to go for a walk when one of the groups arrived back at the campsite. They were adamant that they had been to Kinder Downfall and back...but couldn't describe what Kinder Downfall looked like! (Yes, it was the same group that didn't know where Stanage Edge was). So we went for a stroll to Edale instead. They've not long opened their new visitor centre, so we went for a look round that. A fair amount of it is dedicated to the Mass Trespass that occurred on Kinder Scout in 1932, and was the catalyst for the opening up of much of our countryside to the general public.

Hathersage

Last year I had good intentions to keep this up-to-date throughout the summer as well as the winter, and it came to nothing. So this year, I'll try harder!

Life is busy at the moment. No sooner had I got back from Austria, I was thrown into busyness at work, with two weekends in the Peak District on D of E practices.

This weekend we've been in Hathersage. One of the great myths about running The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is that I have to do lots of walking. In fact, it's the precise opposite. The students do lots of walking, and I do lots of driving/sitting in tea shops/hanging around the campsite. I was based at Glenbrook Guide Association campsite (on the main road between Bamford and Hope), and had one group with me on Friday night, and two on Saturday. The other night they were at Hagg Farm campsite (just off the Snake Pass). They had a short walk on Fri evening, a long walk between the two camps on Sat, and then a shorter walk on Sunday.

Group dynamics were interesting, as were some of their navigation skills. Quote of the weekend goes to one group who phoned me up lost on Sunday.

Me: "So, where are you?"
Them: "Don't know"
Me: "Any idea at all? What can you see?"
Them: "We think we can see Stanage Edge. What does Stanage Edge look like?"

Er....well, it's big, and it's an edge, and.....

Wagrain - Part 2

This week it's been even hotter than last week. It's been reported to be 24-25C in the valley during the day. Not surprisingly, the snow is suffering, and it is no longer possible to ski back to Wagrain. There's something a bit depressing about "downloading" in a gondola rather than being able to ski home. The snow up top is being well managed, and there is still good skiing around. We've spent more time in Alpendorf this week, as it is more suited to the large numbers of beginners we have.

We did a torchlit walk on Sunday evening. There's something dangerous yet exciting about letting teenagers carry fire! Fortunatley nothing burned that shouldn't have done.

We had one kid visit hospital yesterday. Nothing serious, but after not having any injuries last week, I thought I was on a roll! Still one in two weeks isn't a bad ratio.

Salzburg

Wagrain is only about an hour's drive from Salzburg, so we decided to finish skiing early on Wed and go and visit the city. It's not a big place, but it's beautiful. I really don't know why I haven't been here before. A weekend trip is definitely on the cards, as a couple of hours really wasn't long enough.

The castle dominates the city skyline, with mountains all around...it's amazing to be in a city that has such dramatic scenery. The shops are concentrated around one main street and a market area. I didn't have time to visit the Mozart museum or the tourist attractions on the other side of the river. I'll definitely have to return.

Wagrain - Part 1

One of the great things about working for PGL (other than being paid for going skiing!) is that I get to ski resorts that I wouldn't normally think of going to.

Wagrain is part of the Sportwelt Amade ski area in Austria, along with Flachau and Alpendorf (there are other bits as well, but I haven't skied any of them). It is a typically Austrian village, whose main attraction outside of skiing is the Wasserworld swimming pool. It is also famous for being one of the villages where Joseph Mohr was vicar (Joseph Mohr famously wrote the lyrics to Silent Night).

I'm out here for 2 weeks, this week working with an all boys catholic grammar school. There are over 20 British school groups here this week, so it's busy. The place that we're staying is about 15 mins walk from anywhere, so I'm getting fit.

The snow is holding up well, despite it being warm. The ski area is mainly intermediate terrain, but I'm having fun....I just hope that the snow stays good until the end of next week.

Snow, Snow, Snow

What a week!!

The snow situation in Europe this season hasn't been as good as it normally is. In fact, some areas have had a really mild winter. When we arrived in Wengen, it looked more like May than March. It was just about possible to ski to Allmend, but there was no chance of getting back to the village.

And then it snowed.

I was away with a group of snowHeads staying at the Victoria Lauberhorn in Wengen (very nice wellness centre for after a hard days skiing). While I have been there dozens of times, most of them were on their 1st visit (some had ever skied in Switzerland before!!). We didn't manage to ski at First, but did a couple of days over at the Schilthorn Iincluding checking out the new Riggli lift) and managed to ski down to Grund (through someone's back garden). Brandegg was a hit with everyone, and we had lunch there most days. It would have been nice if the sun had been out a bit more, but other than that, the perfect week

Back Home......

in Wengen :-)

Foppolo

It's in Italy. About 2 hours from Milan. And it had some snow (although they don't seem to have got the internet yet)!!

I'd tried to do some research prior to going, but there's not too much info out there about Foppolo. I knew it was a small resort, but the piste map lies....it shows a ski area double the size to the one actually in existance!

I was working as a ski rep for a school group, so didn't mind too much that the skiing wasn't great. There was enough open to keep me amused, and the hotel couldn't have been in a better position. And, best of all, I only spent €15 all week :-)

The resort is ideal for school groups, as it has everything within a small area. Ice rink, swimming pool, bum boarding and skiing. The hotel was okay...but I never want to see tomato pasta ever again.

The snow conditions were poor - several runs had mud strips across them, so the skiing was limited. We did have one interesting "off piste" experience where we thought we were on a black run, but ended up trying to get down a steep slope covered in shrubs. I've never been so glad to reach a drag lift!

We also had fun with a helicopter rescue from the slopes...but that's another story!

Back on the Snow

After getting so much skiing in last year....it's been a long summer. I had intended to update this blog with my Summer walking adventures...but it doesn't seem to have happened.

However, winter has arrived, and the skiing starts again - tomorrow :-))

Back Home

After a long, long journey I've made it home. It's been a great month, and if the snow hadn't been about to melt, I'd have been tempted to stay out there. I need to start looking for a well paid job in the Alps!!

Best Of The Week

Most of the snowHeads left this morning...just as the sun came out. The remaining few of us headed off to ski Mont Vallon, which was in great condition. The lifts in that sector all seemed to be closing at around 1pm, so we headed back over to Plain Sud for lunch.

Doing the last run is always sad....but all good things must come to an end - until next season!

SnowHeads Race Day

The second snowHeads SNAFU cup race was held today. I had a fall on the training run, so took it steady and posted an okay time, but not one that would challenge for the title. Several of the guys were very up tight about it all, and seemed to forget that it was supposed to be "fun"!!

After the race we went and skied some off piste over in the fourth valley (they market it as the three valleys, but there are actually four!).

More Of The Same

The weather forecast doesn't show too much improvement for the next few days. Visibility is poor, and occasionally it improves for a bit, and then closes in again. The snow condition is quite good though.

White Out

Visibility was virtually zero today. There had been a small amount of snow overnight, so conditions "under ski" weren't too bad, but it was definiely a day for a long lunch. One of the great things about being part of a large group, is that you can always find someone in a mountain restaurant.

Courchevel

Skied across to Courchevel 1850 today. They have kept all the main link lifts open, but much of the terrain is shut off. I think that Meribel and Courchevel officially closed at the weekend. I wanted to ski the Grand Couloir, but it was closed due to avalanche risk :-(

After yesterday's lesson, I now can't ski. I'm too aware of what I'm doing wrong to continue that way, but not able to get it right yet.

EOSB

After an early start, I made it to Val Thorens, and met up with some of the snowHeads who had already arrived. We got out on the slopes around 11am, and had a fun day exploring the runs close to the resort. The snow isn't in as good condition as it was in Zermatt, but there are various forecasts for snow, so hopefully we'll get a top up soon.

The rest of the bunch arrived on the "Lardy Bus" from Geneva at around 9pm. I know quite a few from previous trips, but there are still quite a few unknown faces.

Managed to watch most of the Liverpool v Chelsea match....come on you Reds!!

Day Off

Well, not quite. But a slower day. I woke up feeling a bit rough, and when I saw breakfast for the second time, I decided to take it easy.

One of the great things about Swiss skiing, is that a lot of resorts have trains as part of their lift system. These usually go at a slow/steady pace, but you get to sit down and relax! I got the train up to Gornergrat, and went up to the hotel, where there were 100s of Japanese tourists getting very excited at being 3100m above sea level. I pottered around the slopes for a bit, and then went for a long lunch - sat in the sun, admiring the Matterhorn.

I'm due in Val Thorens early tomorrow morning, so I'm staying in Moutiers tonight. The hotel is a bit of a comedown from the standards that I'm used to...and is more expensive!!

Ski Safari

Zermatt has a "ski safari" where you can ski 10,000 vertical metres in a day - or go for the big one and ski 12,500 (includes more mileage/slow lifts in Italy). I set off 1/2 hour after the lifts opened and bombed it around. I couldn't ski right the way down into Valtournenche, as the piste was shut, so I had to make up that distance on another lift. It is certainly a full day exercise...I didn't even have time to stop for lunch!! But it was good fun.

It was another sunny day, but cold up top. This is keeping the snow in good condition...although lower down, it is hard work in the afternoon when it has softened up. I think I'll have an easy day tomorrow!!

Just Like Sydney

When we went to New Zealand, we stopped off for two days in Sydney. I wanted to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. When I was there, I took 100s of photos...all the same! I seem to be doing the same thing here. The Matterhorn is so impressive, that it just has to be photographed....every time you look at it! Fortunately, I now own a digital camera.

Checked out the "wellness centre" in the hotel. There is a big gym, but I have no intention of doing any hard exercise after a day's skiing. More to my liking was the whirlpool, sauna and steam room. I could get used to these sorts of things.

Two Countries

Decided to stay in Tasch, as it is about 1/3 price of Zermatt. (Tasch is a giant car park, with a couple of hotels). It is the place where you have to leave your car and get the train up to Zermatt, as it is a "car free" resort. In practice, the roads are really busy up there, it's just milk floats not cars!

One of the great things about Zermatt, is that you can ski across the border into Italy. I had intended to have lunch in Cervinia, but all they seemed to serve was burger and chips. I found a restaurant higher up that did bacon, eggs and cheese...but didn't use their toilets as they were the "hole-in-the-floor" type!

Had a wander round Zermatt this evening. It's quite a nice town, and there are loads of tourist shops to look at. I finally got a "proper" view of the Matterhorn. This morning, it was totally covered in cloud, and although I got good views from Cervinia, it was of the "wrong" side.

Family Skiing

One of Susan's friends who used to work for Oak Hall joined us skiing today. She wanted to do some "family skiing". For that, read really slow cruising blue runs. Jeanette and Mark had slightly different ideas, heading straight for a mogul field, and then doing lots of videoing.

We ate lunch in the revolving restaurant at Allalin (one of three in Switzerland - can you name the other two?), and then visited the ice grotto under the glacier.

I skied down to Saas (the others went down in the gondola), and it was a bit slushy at the bottom, but still not bad for the time of year. I think they're quite jealous that as they go home tomorrow, I'll still be skiing!

Easter Day

It's really strange being away at Easter...It's sort of passed me by. The hotel left some mini eggs on the breakfast table, and the lift company had a big bucket of mini snickers. At least I'm not going short of chocolate!!

Am bored of Saas Fee now. It's a nice enough resort, but I've skied it all several times, so am ready to move on. Still, one more day and then I'm off to Zermatt, although I've not got any further with sorting out accommodation there...it's all really expensive.

Made the most of the hotel facilities, swimming, whirlpool, Sauna and a strange thing that involves walking across stones in ice cold water (it's meant to be good for your feet!!). Just been back to the Roby for dinner...their pizza was 100 times better than last weeks (but still not a patch on Nibbles!!)

Snowboarding

Decided to give the board another run out. It's such a slow process compared to skiing, but the only way I'll improve is to keep tryng. Susan was giving me expert instruction,which resulted in many bumps and bruises as I tried to correct my bad habits. I had one particularly nasty fall that will leave me with a nice bruise on my stomach. Back to skiing tomorrow I think!

Came down fairly early from the slopes as it was snowing and visibility was poor. Am enjoying having a relaxing evening watching the snooker from the Crucible (complete with German commentary).

Posh Hotel

The Roby, where I've stayed the past two nights, is fully booked, so I've had to go upmarket. The tourist office gave me a few options, the cheapest being a single room with basin. I was about to go for that when I noticed that one of the others (£3.50 more expensive) had a swimming pool, sauna, gym and en-suite. So I'm now in the Hotel Touring, enjoying all the facilities.

The sun was out today. After the last few days being snowy, I'd forgotten how hot it can get at this time of year. I now have a nice "glove mark" on my arm, where I'd rolled my sleeves up and the sun had got at them.

Just been out for dinner with S, J & M. Had a Rosti with bacon, egg and cheese. Very nice, but not quite as good as at Winteregg or Brandegg.

Small World

Met up with Susan, Jeanette and Mark this morning, who are here with Oak Hall. As we were eating lunch, someone walked past who I recognised, but couldn't place (turned out to be Lisa who I used to play football with). The next minute, up walked Val (who I'd bumped into in Wengen a few weeks ago!!). It turns out that there are several from St Toms on the trip, and a big group from Fulwood. Sheffield rules!!

I didn't ski much last time I was in Saas, due to being horribly ill. However, I'm not sure I missed too much! The ski area is dominated by T-bars (the downside of glacier skiing), and is fairly limited. It's certainly not somewhere I would choose to ski, but it does have the advantage of altitude. It also has one of three Swiss revolving restaurants (the other two being at Leysin and Murren).

Davos

Hmm. Not too sure what I think of Davos. The skiing was great, but I'm not impressed by the place. Arrived at 8pm, to find that tourist office was shut (not a surprise), and there was no trace of any vacancies board, or accommodation phone numbers. I had the name & number of one place, and saw a sign for it...but couldn't find it. I tried phoning, and it was an answerphone! Fortunately, I knew that PGL had a group in Davos last week, so I dug out the details of that, and they'd stayed at the youth hostel (which had space!). It cost more for a night in a dorm than it had for a private roon in Saalbach!

I went up Parsann (got given a mini snickers bar when I bought my lift pass!!), and the skiing was awesome. I headed right for the top, and skied down a black run that hadn't been pisted. The powder was almost up to my knees, and only a couple of people had been down it. I went back after lunch and it was still in great condition. The snow was good right the way down into Klosters, and I'd have loved to stay a few more days.

Finally decided to go to Saas via Zurich and the Loetschberg rail link. If I'd have realised how long this was going to take, I'd have stopped off in Adelboden (or Wengen), but after last night's fiasco, I'd booked a room in Saas Grund for tonight.

Kitzbuhel

The rain that was falling last night when I went to bed, at some point turned into snow! When I woke up this morning there had been several inches of fresh snow in Saalbach. Fortunately they keep the roads clear, so I was able to start the journey in the direction of Saas Fee.

It was a toss up between Kitzbuhel or Zell am Ziller for the final day of the Super Salzburg Pass. I decided on Kitzbuhel...with the intention of skiing the Hannenkahm race route. Unfortunately, visibility was virtually non-existant (and it isn't a piste), so I wimped out and skied the red run that runs alongside. Snow conditions were great, and there was some deep powder on several black runs :-)

Kitzbuhel has a couple of fun gondolas. The Hannenkahm one has a bubble named after each winner of the race, and one of the other gondolas has a different country's flag on each one. I looked out for the England one, but I heard a rumour that they'd kept it inside as it had a habit of grinding to a halt in snow!!

Going Round In Circles

Today I planned to do the Saalbach Circuit. The way the resort is laid out, you can ski a complete circuit, crossing the valley twice. I thought that as snow conditions weren't great, this would be a fun challenge. After the 2nd lift, I took a wrong turn, and bumped into Katherine (one of the PGL reps who travelled down to the training with me) and Jim (the dad of one of the ski instructors). They were heading down to Leogang, so I joined them. It was fun skiing with them, and after they had to leave to meet up with their group, I managed to complete the circuit before the lifts closed!

After last night's food, I've just been to the supermarket and bought several ready meals that just need hot water adding!

Leogang

Saalbach has ski slopes on both sides of the valley. The North facing ones have snow right down to the valley floor, the South facing ones are heavily reliant on artificial snow. I started off on the North ones, but as the two runs I wanted to do were both shut, I headed over the other side, and skied down to Leogang (also North facing). Conditions weren't too bad, but the ski back into the village was hard work.

After last night's lack of success in Saalbach, tonight I headed to Hinterglemm in search of a pizza. I went into the pizzeria next to the swimming pool, only to be told that they don't do pizza!!! I was so shocked I didn't ask what they did do. I eventually found somewhere that was open, but the food was very disappointing. It's a rare occasion that I leave pepperoni pizza!

Saalbach

Arrived in Saalbach around 5pm, and am settling nicely into Pension Aigner. I've booked in for 2 nights, but will probably stay 3. The plan is to ski locally the next two days, and then try somewhere else for the 4th day of the Salzburg Area Pass that I've bought.

The town seems to be dead - a lot of the hotels/restaurants have already closed for the season. I've only spotted one English speaking family...they've been here a day and don't seem too impressed with the locals!

Austrian TV isn't up to much...the only English speaking station that you can get here is CNN. At least the TV has teletext in English on that channel, so I can keep in touch with football results.
Skiing wise, on the North slopes, the snow looks to be in good condition, and there is coverage right down to the town. On the South side, there is far more green than white :-( This was pretty much what I expected, and there are some good black runs on the North slopes....so I should be okay for a couple of days.

After two nights of not much sleep, I'm suffering. All my muscles have seized up, and I'm looking forward to an early night :-) I'm currently trying to decide if my need for food is greater than my need to not leave my room!!

Kaprun (attempt 2)

The conditions were absolutely perfect at Kitzsteinhorn today. The recent snow has improved the whole of the Zell area, but due to it's altitude, the glacier has had the best of it. The pistes were beautifully prepared, and it was definitely a day for high speed carving.

Lack of sleep led me to finish slightly early (I could easily have fallen asleep in the sun...it's surprising how comfy your skis can be as a bed!), and it was really hot down in Zell. Spring has definitely arrived...2 days after heavy snowfall in the town. We've watched the lake go from completely frozen at the start of the week, to having boats out on it today.

Despite my best efforts with suncream, I'm fairly high on the oompa lumpa scale. I've definitely caught the sun today...you could fry an egg on my forehead!!

They've Gone!!

It was touch and go for a while, but the coach finally left. They were an hour behind schedule, due to a last minute dash to the hospital (suspected broken leg turned out to be stretched ligaments), but should be able to make up the time. This was a new record, as we told the doctors that we were in a rush, and she was in, treated and out in 35 mins.

Part of me was sorry to see them go, as it's been a great week, but I'm looking forward to being able to relax. It's hard work skiing all day and then working all evening. At least this group made things as easy as possible for me. They bought me a couple of boxes of chocolates as a thank you, which was really nice as they had obviously picked up that I wouldn't appreciate a bottle of wine (which was what they bought for the instructors).

I skied with the advanced group today (most have only done 1 week previously) and they've improved so much. We skied down an icy black run and none of them fell over. They also like bombing around, so I had fun. The sun has come out, and conditions are good. However the forecast is 15 degrees Celcius for tomorrow, so I'm not sure how long they'll stay good.

I'm planning on buying a 4 day Super Salzburg Pass, which allows me to ski at 20 resorts. The plan at the moment is to ski Kitzsteinhorn tomorrow and then head to Saalbach for a day or two.

I'm really tired after last night. I was home by 1.30am, but didn't get too much sleep. We started off at Greens (the bar where a lot of residents go), but it was dead, so we headed to Crazy Daisy's. It's just one of those places that you have to go to if in Zell. They had a band playing, who were really good, otherwise I'd have left a bit earlier.

Race Day

If there's one thing kids like, it's a ski race. Even the complete beginners get to have a go down the slalom course (although they have an easier one than the better skiers). Some of ours hadn't quite grasped the concept of having to cross the finish line, and stopped at the last gate!! Another group all thought that they had to go through the poles rather than round them.

The ski classes were filmed by a chap who maked DVDs, and for €10 each they could have a copy. They all bought one...it's a great momento to take home with them. Unfortunately, it was snowing most of the day, so visibility wasn't great, although the snow was.

One of the great things about the Zell ski school, is that all the instructors come along to the presentation evening. The kids love this, and they all got a ski school race certificate, a medal, a PGL certificate and a special award that had been thought up by the teachers (with a little help from me!!).

The last night, they have a disco in the hotel for all the groups. This was really good, except the German groups wanted some of their music playing! All the ski instructors stayed for the disco, and are about to take us out to Zell for the evening.

Fortunately the snow that was falling heavily in town this morning has stopped and all the roads are clear of snow. I really don't want to have to play around with snowchains at this time of year.

Glazier

Owns Man Utd or fits windows....certainly not something you can ski on. However, at least one of the teachers and several of the kids seemed convinced that this was the name of what they were skiing on. I hope none of them are doing Geography!

The glacier (Kitzsteinhorn) was open and looking good when we set off, but by the time we got up to the top, they were shutting all the lifts due to high winds. All the groups managed to ski one run, before we took the decision to abandon the plan and go back to Zell for the afternoon. I didn't even manage one run as I decided that a meeting with my boss was more important (okay...it included hot chocolate!!

The afternoon at Zell was okay, until one of the lads decided to have an arguement with a tree. I saw the blood wagon go past, and then seconds later my mobile rang!! My second visit to the hospital took longer than the 1st, as they discovered he'd cracked a vertibrae and wanted to keep him in overnight. Fortunately the hotel are good at serving food at any time of the evening!
The school were bowling in the hotel, so I decided to opt out and start on all the paperwork I have to do everytime there is an accident.

Krankenhaus

Well, it was bound to happen at some point. One of the kids fell and fractured his thumb, so I made my first visit to Zell hospital. It looks more like an appartment block than a hospital, but they were very efficient and the whole thing (2 x-rays, diagnosis and plastering) took about an hour. And yes, it is a state hospital!!

I took the snowboard out today...I still don't like lifts (other than gondolas where you carry the board!), but was far better than I remembered being. Still, back to skis tomorrow.

Tonight's activity was ice skating. Some of the kids were good, but quite a few of them had never skated before. One lad didn't let go of the side all evening, despite doing a reasonable number of laps.

I decided against skating, as I don't want to risk injury more than I have to, so went into the bar at the ice rink to watch the Champions League. Austrian TV have an interesting way of showing the football - there were two games being played, so they showed 5 mins of one, then 5 mins of the other, and kept alternating. The result was, you had no idea what was happening in either match!. One day I'll find out who won!!

Snow!

Today it snowed. Okay, so it was rain on the bottom slopes, but it made the top far better than yesterday. Visibility was low, so I had a relaxing day, and skied a bit with the other two beginners groups that I hadn't yet seen.

After skiing, we went into Zell so that they could do some shopping. What actually happens is that they all go to McDonalds and then don't eat dinner! There are some local shops in Schuttdorf that they can get to on other days, as Zell is a 10 minute bus ride away. I'm not sure how many of them actually bought anything like postcards or presents!

We had a disco this evening. The kids love it...and one of the staff was keen to dj, so I had an easy evening. It was the 13th birthday of one of the girls in the group, so we all had cake. She seemed to enjoy herself :-)

Ski Lessons

We have four instructors from the local ski school. Three of them are English (although one has a strong Kiwi accent) and the other one Dutch. One group has skied before, the other three have just done a dry slope lesson. The beginners have been split by age initially, but I think there will be a lot of movement between groups.

There was a mix up at lunchtime, with the staff going to one restaurant, and the instructors, kids and me going to a different one. The result is that the instructors are going to take them for 5 hours solid and include lunch in that. This means that I don't have to come back to meet them for lunch each day :-)

I spent the afternoon with the youngest group. They are all girls, and most of them have pink ski suits! The poor instructor was trying his best, but they were far more interested in throwing snowballs than they were in skiing. At least they seemed to enjoy themselves.

The snow was heavy, and by the end of the day, the lower slopes were very slushy. You can still ski down into Schuttdorf, but it's being kept open by using snow cannons. You can just see this thin line of white going across the green fields.

Arrival

The journey went quite well. I only got lost once, when I ended up in Brussels City Centre rather than on the ring road. I got about 4 hours rest at a service station in Germany, and made it to Zell for 11am. I went to the hotel, intening to "check in" and then go for lunch in Zell, but I bumped into one of the other reps, and before I knew it, a plate of food had been put in front of me. The Family Pecile do look after people well :-)

The school were about an hour late arriving, as the coach drivers had got lost. There must be something up with the directions, as we struggled in Feb, and 3 coaches got lost today!! It was straight into dinner, and then ski fit. Having PGL kit is harder work than going to a ski shop, but as it is in the hotel then that compensates slightly. The number of people who don't know how to undo a buckle on a ski boot is staggering!!

The group seem really nice...there are a lot of "girls in pink", and I'm sure some of them had suitcases bigger than themselves! I'm on the same corridor as them, so I hope that they are quiet.

Zell am See (Part 2)

Back to Zell am See this weekend for another week at Club Kitzsteinhorn. The place is great for kids, and not too bad for grown up kids!!

The snow conditions at Zell aren't brilliant, but the glacier has just had some fresh snow, so there should be some good conditions. As the Kitzsteinhorn glacier was where I learned to snowboard, I may have to ditch the skis for a couple of days in favour of a board. (note to self....remember to pack wristguards!!)

Wengen

Wow!! What a great week. Powder, sunshine and beautiful scenery.

We got the timing spot on. A week of heavy snow, and we arrive just as it decides to dump a load more overnight, and then the sun comes out! I couldn't have planned it better if I'd tried ;-)

The conditions at Murren were especially good, and the Schilthorn run was far more fun when it hadn't been pisted!! I made it my aim to ski all the runs, especially those that I hadn't skied before...yes there were a couple. The runs down to Grund were in good nick, so I visited there a couple of times. Didn't make it round to First, but visited Interlaken one evening.