Winter Skills Foundations
Pathway: Winter
Level: Foundation
Learn the movement, equipment and decisions behind confident winter walking.
Winter Munros & Walking Journeys
Private Scottish winter walking and Munro days, with the route chosen around weather, snowpack, experience and the best conditions.
- Duration
- 1-3 days
- Ratio
- 1:1 or 1:2
- Location
- Cairngorms / West Highlands / Scotland
£320 for one day of 1:1 Guiding
£350 for one day of 1:2 Guiding
Prices are total private booking prices, not per-person prices. 2 linked days: £620 1:1 / £680 1:2. 3 days: £925 1:1 / £1,015 1:2.
Guiding Overview
A Scottish Munro in winter is a mountaineering day, not simply a summer walk with snow on it. Short daylight, wind, whiteout, hard snow, deep drifts and avalanche terrain can completely change the character of a familiar hill. Winter Munros & Walking Journeys are for walkers who want a summit or mountain journey to be the focus, with a qualified winter mountain professional choosing the right route for the day and managing the winter environment around the team.
Key Information
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Routes are selected from the Cairngorms, Lochaber, Glen Coe and other suitable areas according to conditions.
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Possible objectives may include classic Munros and ridge journeys, but no summit is promised regardless of weather or avalanche conditions.
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Ice axe, crampons, navigation and winter decision-making form part of the day naturally, but this is an objective-led service rather than a formal Winter Skills syllabus.
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Scotland is used for the main winter season because snow and ice conditions are generally more reliable than in the Lake District.
Who It's For
- Experienced summer hillwalkers who want a supported introduction to Scottish winter summits.
- Walkers with some winter experience who want to tackle a bigger Munro or ridge with an experienced guide.
- People visiting the Highlands who want the route chosen around the best weather and snow conditions rather than a fixed itinerary.
- Pairs who want a private winter journey paced around them.
What To Expect
- A full winter mountain day where route choice may change the evening before or even on the morning as forecasts and avalanche information are updated.
- Use of winter boots, crampons and an ice axe where conditions require them.
- Navigation and terrain choices that reflect snow cover, visibility, wind and avalanche hazard.
- Potentially slower travel and greater physical effort than an equivalent summer route.
Pre-requisites
- You should have good general hill fitness and some summer mountain experience.
- Previous use of axe and crampons is helpful.
- If you are completely new to winter equipment and want a structured introduction, Winter Skills Foundations will usually give you more value before a summit-led guiding day.
What to Bring
- You will need full winter clothing, waterproofs, warm layers, spare gloves, hat, goggles, food, drink, headtorch and suitable winter boots.
- Ice axe, crampons and helmet can be provided.
- We can advise on boot hire where needed.
Start your enquiry
How To Book
Tell us where you will be based, your recent hillwalking and winter experience, any Munros or areas that interest you and your preferred Private Availability. We will advise whether the objective fits a walking day or whether a Winter Skills / Mountaineering option is more appropriate.
Thank you
We have your enquiry and have emailed you a copy. We will be in touch soon to talk it through, and we will confirm your date once we have checked the diary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Winter Munros & Walking Journeys FAQs
Can you guarantee a particular Munro?
No. In Scottish winter the best route depends on weather, snowpack and avalanche conditions. We plan around your aims but keep the mountain choice flexible.
Do I need winter experience?
Some experience is useful. Strong summer hillwalkers can sometimes use a guided day as a first winter summit, but complete beginners may be better starting with Winter Skills Foundations.
Are axe and crampons provided?
They can be provided. You will still need appropriate winter boots and full winter clothing.
Why choose Lake District Mountaineering?
- Highly qualified mountain professionals. Technical guiding is delivered by appropriately qualified MCI / WMCI instructors.
- Low ratios and personal planning. Standard technical guiding is 1:1 or 1:2, allowing the day to be shaped around the client or pair.
- Local knowledge and condition-led decisions. Route choice responds to weather, rock condition, snowpack, wind and the best available terrain.
- Objective-led private days. The focus is the mountain, ridge or climb you want to do rather than following a fixed teaching syllabus.
Related Options
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Scottish Winter Mountaineering
Season: Winter
Classic ridges, gullies and mountaineering objectives in the Cairngorms or West Highlands.
