A guided day in Scotland's winter mountains, based from Fort William or Aviemore.

By midwinter, footpaths disappear beneath ice and silence takes hold across the Highlands. Ridgelines sharpen against a pale winter sky, corries fill with snow, and the views reach for miles in every direction. The same conditions that make it beautiful also make the ground demanding.

Your guide reads the conditions and shapes the route as the day unfolds, keeping you engaged in every decision along the way. This is not a summit day. You will explore the hills and glens around Fort William, in the shadow of Ben Nevis, or around Aviemore, on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, with terrain chosen to suit the group and the weather. You will also pick up winter skills and techniques as you go, demonstrated by your guide and shaped to the group's interests. You will want a reasonable level of fitness and the stamina for several hours on changing terrain, but no prior winter experience is needed.

This is a day to grab life and do something different, whether it is your first taste of Scotland's winter mountains or a step towards a bigger winter trip. You are guided the whole way by someone who knows these mountains inside out.

Choose your BASE

Fort William

Fort William, beneath Ben Nevis Based from Fort William, at the foot of the UK's highest mountain. Routes explore the surrounding hills and glens rather than the summit itself, with the Nevis range setting the backdrop for the day.

Aviemore

Aviemore, in the Cairngorms Based from Aviemore, on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. Broad plateaus and rolling glens give a different winter character, with routes shaped by your guide to suit conditions on the day.

What the day includes

  • A route shaped around the day's conditions, from rolling glens to exposed ridgelines.
  • A qualified guide's live decision-making, visible throughout the day.
  • Extra skills and techniques, based on the group's ability and interests.
  • A short debrief at the end of the day, covering what you did and what's next.

How the day runs

  • Meet your guide in the morning for a briefing on conditions and the plan for the day.
  • Head out in a small group and cover ground suited to your pace, fitness, and interests.
  • Finish with a debrief on the day, guided throughout from start to end.

This day runs around the weather, we adjust the route to make the most of whatever conditions we get.

Want structured skills training instead? Our 2 Day Introduction to Winter Skills course teaches from first principles.

Prefer one to one guiding? Our Private Winter Skills course is built entirely around you.