Still catching up on the backlog of stories that need to go up on here from when my Internet was down... only a week behind now!

Last weekend I went up to Scotland with Martin. Our plan was to get in some winter climbing before the end of the season. We set off around 6.30pm on the friday evening and hit glasgow soon after 9pm making excellent time. Quickly grabbed some food and continued to head northwards. Eventually hit aviemore around 11.30pm and decided to drive up to one of the lower ski carparks to camp. Found ourselves a nice pitch and threw up Martin's Q2 then crashed out.

Woke to lots of wind and rain. Yay. Packed stuff and drove up to the Day Lodge, lots of rain coming down now. Decided to pop out to check the forecast which told us what we already knew really, it was going to be very wet and cat 3 avalanche conditions on most slopes. Back to the car to come breakfast and we debated about what to do. Eventually decided to go and 'have a look' to see what things were like in Schneacda so headed up there.

Eventually the rain turned to snow and conditions were actually reasonably pleasant for a short while in the corrie base. Spied a few teams on a few different routes so geared up by the rescue-box and set off up to take a look at crotched gully (II). Moved together up the first section, doing about a pitch before deciding that it was probably best to back off. There was loads of snow flowing like a river down the gully and the wind was really picking up, didn't know where the snow was coming from, either spindrift being blown in from the plateau or maybe bits of the cornice!? Down-climbed down to floor before deciding where to go next. Contemplated Jacob's Ladder, but then decided it was probaly going to be in similar state to Crotched gully so traversed across to the Goat Track, taking a route of our own just left of Goat Track Gully (II). Was pretty easy all the way up, about I apart from a steep section of deep snow at the top which was a little tricky especially with the 70mph winds coming off the plateau! Stayed roped up on top because of the wind and moved round to 1141m. Saw somebody get airlifted out of Jacob's Ladder, apparently they died on arrival to the hospital which is quite sobering to think about. Defently made the right decison not to go up there. De-geared at 1141m then fought the wind all the way up to Caringorm. Had a bite to eat by the weather station then down to the Ptarmigin and followed the white lady tow down.

Went into the day-lodge and thoroughly abused the drying facilities with gloves and jackets hung on the fireplace and martin drying his trouser on the hand-dryer in the toilets! Left about 5pm for a curry in Aviemore. During our meal debated where to go on Sunday... notions of maybe the west coast, Glencoe were all destroyed when we learned that Sunday was going to be cat 3 with cat 4 in some areas! Instead we headed south to Loch Rannoch, about and hours drive and pitched up in a little car park below a nice munro called Schiehallien.

Woke to nice, but cold weather. Cooked up a breakfast of bacon and potato cakes and then set off. Schiellhallien is effectively a long ridge, meaning lots of false summits. Eventually got to the top in nice conditions around lunch and and dug two small snow-holes to eat in. The way down was great fun as we kept to stopping for extreme bivy bagging! Martin has some amazing footage on his camera! Down for soon after 3pm, got changed and set of southwards. Took minor roads all the way to Stirling, going through Crieff, Muthill and Gleneagles saw some of wilds of Pethshire!

Eventually home for 8ish, got changed, showered, ate a dinner and then out for Network at the pub. Talked Ash regards DESC and many other thngs and with Lucy before she goes to Libiya on Sunday. Then home to crashout, utterly shattered.