As last weekend approached, I was obsessively checking views on webcams, and weather reports. The met office had been forecasting severe weather for Thursday to maybe Saturday, with blizzards and strong winds. Even Edinburgh had snowfall on Friday, and it was lying (for a while, at least). The plan was a EUMC trip to Knoydart; but with the possibility of roads closed, who knows where we might end up? I set off for the minibus with a bag stuffed with tent, food and gear to find out.

As it turned out the roads didn't seem very bad at all, with not much snow left, but by the time we got to the Knoydart turning I think the decision was long made anyway; it's still possible that the long single-track road leading to our start point wouldn't have been easily passable. Instead, we were headed for the club bothy, located below the Five Sisters of Kintail. We duly arrived and went off to bed, around midnight perhaps.

On Saturday I was up around 8. I could see snow on the hills, and waited impatiently to be joined in wakefulness, hoping to find some company to climb a hill or two with. In the end the entire party of 10 set off up Beinn Fhada, since an attempt on some of the sisters was (at least to my mind) likely to end in benightment by this point.

In spite of the poor weather forecast, it was a tremendous day. I set off expecting to be battling wind and perhaps snow/sleet/rain, but in fact it was mostly calm, and the battle was with the vast quantity of snow higher up the hill. I thoroughly enjoyed myself breaking trail through deep powder, although there was one tricky spot involving swimming a few metres up to reach a short rocky section. I obviously need to work on my technique for such spots; since I can't exactly lose weight, the best way to avoid sinking may be to learn levitation?

After reaching the summit ridge, and a pleasent stroll along that, we reached the top. Replenishments were briefly had, and then we were off back down the hill. Descent was relatively rapid, by bumslide.

Back at the bothy, food was duly eaten, drink drunk, and silly stuff done. Another night's kip, and in the morning I got up to find a couple of people about. I followed a couple of folk up into a corrie of one of the Sisters, which made for a very pleasent walk in the end, with nice views, and refrozen snow making for easy walking.

Subsequently we retraced our steps back to the bothy, gathered stuff up, and it was off back down to Edinburgh. A weekend as enjoyable as it was unforseen. More pictures here.