Winter returns!!!!!!

Got back to Cumbria yesterday after 10 days in Scotland where winter returned with a massive dump of snow on the last day of March.
We travelled north after work on Friday 26 March to attend the An Teallach Mountaineering Club AGM at Milehouse - a hut owned by the Ladies Scottish Climbing Club. This was our first meet since the last AGM but we soon caught up with old friends and the craic was good.

Saturday saw us heading to Glenmore Lodge with Gavin Muir and Ian Rennie to climb Bynack More on a bright but very windy day. There was no snow on the approach but above 700m there was full cover and we soon had crampons on to allow safe progress. The gusty wind made things tricky but the views into the Loch Avon Basin and across to Ben Avon from the summit ridge made carrying on worthwhile. This was my fourth and Susan's third ascent of this very accessible Munro. We only met one other guided group on the hill as we descended back to the Lodge.

Susan and Gavin climb towards the summit ridge.

Susan braced against the wind at the summit cairn.

Team An Teallach - Gavin, Ian and Susan on the summit of Bynack More.

Susan looks SE towards Ben Avon.

The 'team' strung out on the descent.

Gavin and Ian descending on a great day in the Scottish hills.

Susan - glad to be out of the gusting wind.

The AGM on Saturday was followed by a communal Mexican meal in the hut and again the craic was good.

Sunday saw most people heading straight down the road as the forecast wasn't great but we had arranged to stay on another night in the hut and were determined to get out. Our objective was a Corbett to the north of Kingussie - Carn an Fhreiceadain. The rain started soon after we'd left the car and turned to wet snow above 500m. It was again windy and there were no views. A day to enjoy only when your off the hill and sitting in front of a warm fire after a good meal.

Monday dawned bright, frosty and calm and for a change we decided to go for a road bike ride. We headed first to Kingussie and then turned for Aviemore where we had lunch in the superb Mountain Cafe (http://www.mountaincafe-aviemore.co.uk/index.html). The first few miles were very cool but we soon warmed up and really enjoyed the riding on quiet well surfaced B roads. From Aviemore we headed back to Milehouse and we were soon packing and heading down the road to Symington.

Outside Milehouse ready for the ride.

Susan makes new friends on the road to Kingussie.

Posing in Kingussie.

Susan on the road in Glen Feshie.

Tuesday was very wet and windy in the Borders and not a day for heading out. Worse still the forecast for Wednesday was 40cm of snow!!!! As we went to bed the snow started but it was hard to believe that the weathermen would be right. They were - as the pictures show:

Symington 31 March 2010.

Thursday (1 April) dawned bright and windy. There was still a lot of snow in the village and our planned cycle tour to Dumfries was not going to happen. We decided to make the most of the snow and headed up Tinto. The conditions made the climb very hard work. We were frequently wading through knee deep drifts wishing we'd brought the snowshoes up from Cumbria. The views and fantastic snow formations, however, made the effort worthwhile.

A return to winter on Tinto.

Wind flutted snow and the view east across the snow covered Clyde valley.

Spring on the summit of Tinto.

The Border Hills from Tinto summit.

Deep snow on the descent.

Our original plan for the week was to do some long cycles so when we saw that the snow line had risen on Friday morning we decided on a ride to Peebles. It was very cold when we left the village and there were icy patches on the road so we had to be carefull. The views were, however, stunning and encouraged us to keep going. The road over Dreva was the high point of the route but it was rideable despite snow covering about half of the surface. We did, however, have to get off and push one section near Peebles due to ice and snow across the whole road. It was great to see lambs out in the fields despite the cold Spring weather.

On the road to Broughton and Dreva.

The high point of our route to Peebles.

A beautiful day to be out cycling in the Border Hills.

Saturday was another wet and windy day so we didn't venture far but on Sunday we had a quick ride before heading down to Dumfries to see Susan's mum on route home to Cumbria.

As I write it is wet and windy but the forecast promises a better end to the week. Fingers crossed.