Beginners’ Winter Skills

• dates: Fri 27 Feb - Mon 02 Mar 2009
• duration: 3 nights
• adrenaline rating: 3
• fitness rating: 3
• max group size per instructor: 6
• location: Fort William show map
• price: from £150.00 pp
• availability: Places Available

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• About the Break
• What's Included?
• Itinerary
• Destination
• Travel
• Reviews

• About the Break

  This course is aimed at the summer hill walker who wants to be out in the hills on those wonderful crispy winter days.

  From our base in the Scottish Highlands this Beginners’ Winter Mountaineering course has been specially designed to give you real winter mountain experience in the company of expert instructors. You’ll learn the skills to make the very best of winter months in the mountains, including:

  - using crampons
  - using an ice axe
  - ice axe arrests
  - planning winter walks
  - navigating
  - calculating risk
  - making good decisions
  - understanding winter weather
  - avoiding avalanches

  Arrive Friday night, enjoy Saturday and Sunday in the winter hills, and depart Sunday evening or Monday morning.

• What's Included?

  Course Only

  • 2 full days instruction and guiding
  • Fully qualified expert instructors
  • Crampons, Ice axe, helmet
  • First aid cover
  • Digital photos of the course (put on a special website for you to access)
  • 15% Discount Voucher for Cotswold Outdoor

  With Hotel Accommodation:

  All of the above plus:
  
  
  • 3 nights accommodation at the 3 star Alexandra Hotel, Fort William
  • 3 breakfasts with choice of continental and full Scottish breakfast
  • Packed lunches on Saturday and Sunday
  • Transport from the hotel to each day's venue
  • Free entry to Leisure Club facilities

• Itinerary & What to Bring

  • Friday

  • Make your way to Fort William, Scotland
  • 7:30pm: Drinks, Welcome briefing, Introductions at the Alexandra Hotel bar

  • Saturday

  • 8:00am: Meet your instructor at the hotel. Depart for a day in the winter hills
  • 12:30pm: Lunch break
  • 1:15pm: Continue with the day
  • 4:00pm: Return to Fort William (if time permits via a Highland pub)

  • Sunday

  • 8:00am: Rendez vous with your instructor. Depart for the day's chosen route
  • 12:30pm: Lunch break
  • 4:00pm: Return to Fort William
  • 7.00pm: Evening get together, drinks, dinner, farewells

  • Monday

  • Guests depart

  What should I bring?

  Please remember to bring the following clothing and equipment with you.

  • Boots - quality leather or leather/Gore-Tex combination, must be rigid enough to take a crampon (B2 or B3) - local hire available
  • Lots of warm outdoor wear - fleeces, thermals, leggings etc.
  • Good quality walking socks
  • Waterproof jacket and over trousers
  • Gaiters
  • Warm hat and at least two pairs of gloves or mitts
  • Balaclava
  • Ski goggles
  • Large Day Rucksack for your daily use (35 - 50 litres)
  • Rucksack liner (bin liner)
  • Map, compass & whistle
  • Headtorch with spare battery and spare bulb
  • Survival bag (plastic is fine)
  • Water bottle
  • Flask for hot drinks
  • Emergency food
  • Personal first aid kit

• Destination

  The Fort William and Lochaber area is a fantastic winter playground with some of the most breathtaking mountain scenery in the world including Glencoe, The Mamores, Ben Nevis, and Aonach Mor.
  

  This choice of venues allows us a great deal of flexibility and also the option of mechanical uplift (Gondola or Chairlift) in order to reach the Snow and Ice with the minimum of effort.

  The Alexandra Hotel, The Parade, Fort William, PH33 6AZ

  We use the 3 star Alexandra Hotel which is in a great location in the centre of Fort William, with shops, pubs and the train station within easy walking distance. http://www.strathmorehotels.com/alex_site

  The hotel is one of the best in the area, providing everything you need to relax after a hard day on the hill: good en-suite rooms, comfortable bar, restaurant and high quality food.

  Best of all, as a guest at the Alexandra Hotel you get FREE access to the facilities at the nearby Leisure Club, with a fantastic sauna, steam room and 84-degree heated swimming pool. So don’t forget your swimming kit!

• Travel

  Fort William is the largest town in the west Highlands of Scotland . The area is well serviced with good rail and road links, and Glasgow and Inverness airports are 98 and 70 miles respectively from Fort William.

  Drive up from central Scotland or Northern England, or fly from London Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton or Bristol to Glasgow or Inverness, followed by a 1 - 11/2 hour drive or a connection by coach or train.

  Alternatively Scotrail operate a train service Fort William, with sleeper services from various cities in England. Contact Scotrail on 08457 48 49 50 or at http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/

  You can be picked up and dropped off every day at the hotel, so it is possible you can do without your own transport.

• Reviews

  Just a quick email from Janet and myself to say what a wonderful weekend we both had.You made us feel welcome and very much at ease and although a little stiff this morning at work, it has spurred us on to do more of these activities and hopefully more with yourselves. Many thanks once again.

  Steve and Janet: Winter Walking Weekend for Two 2008 February

  Thanks for your enthusiasm and patience, I enjoyed the trip thoroughly and learned a heck of a lot. I'll definitely come again and will certainly pass on my recommendation in the future. Until next time.

  Sean: Winter Mountaineering, Scotland 2008 February

  I would like to extend my thanks for the time we spent with you up in the mountains last weekend - an amazing amazing weekend..... I really did learn a lot....viva snow, viva ice!

  Olly: Winter Mountaineering, Scotland 2008 February

  read more testimonials

• Call: 01248 671 177
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You might also like:

• Hot Rock in SardiniaSat 18 Oct - Sat 25 Oct 2008
• Beginners’ Winter SkillsFri 13 Feb - Mon 16 Feb 2009
• Improvers’ Winter MountaineeringFri 27 Feb - Mon 02 Mar 2009
• Navigation SkillsFri 06 Feb - Sun 08 Feb 2009
• Climbing for BeginnersFri 17 Apr - Sun 19 Apr 2009
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• Navigation
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• Snow & Ice
• Hill Walking

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