Scotland Winter Skills Course
Glencoe/ Fort William
3 out of 5: Moderate
2 or 3 Days
1:6 (Needs 3 to Run)
From £200
Course Overview
At Northwest Mountaineering, our Scottish winter skills courses in the West Highlands are designed to help you explore the mountains around Fort William and Glencoe safely and confidently. Led by experienced instructors, these 2-day and 3-day courses cover essential skills such as using an ice axe for self-arrest, walking with crampons on steep terrain, navigating in winter conditions, and understanding avalanche awareness and avoidance. Whether you’re new to winter hiking or looking to refine your skills for winter Munro bagging, we’ll provide the knowledge and hands-on experience you need to move confidently through Scotland’s snow-covered landscapes.
Course Length
Our Scottish Winter Skills course is 2 & 3 days. We offer bespoke courses and run these in the West Highlands from December until April.
Cost
The 2-day course cost is £200 and the 3-day course is £300 per person. These courses need a minimum of 3 people with a maximum of 6. Northwest Mountaineering also offers a private course at £300 per day with a cost of £100 per person after 3 people.
Experience Needed
This course is perfect for those with good fitness and hill walking experience. The days are often 6-7 hours in length in a mixture of Scottish winter weather.
When
Whenever suits you. We also schedule dates for our Winter Skills Course
2025 Open Course Dates
Our Scotland Winter Skills Course is designed to help you feel confident and capable in the challenging yet stunning mountains of the Scottish Highlands and other mountainous terrain in winter.
Based around Fort William and Glencoe, the course is led by experienced and qualified instructors who adapt each session to suit the weather and snow conditions. You’ll learn essential winter skills, including how to use an ice axe for self-arrest, walk safely with crampons on mixed terrain, navigate in winter conditions, and gain knowledge in avalanche awareness and avoidance.
Whether you’re new to winter or looking to refine your techniques, we’ll guide you through some of Scotland’s winter terrain and journey onto iconic Munros like Ben Nevis, giving you the skills and confidence for your own winter mountain adventures.
Key Skills Covered on the Scotland Winter Skills Course
-
Develop essential avalanche awareness skills, including hazard assessment and how to interpret Scottish avalanche forecasts for safe route planning.
-
Learn to use crampons effectively for secure movement on icy and mixed terrain commonly found in the Glencoe and Lochaber area.
-
Master ice axe arrest techniques to stop a slip or fall on steep winter slopes, an essential skill for Scottish winter mountaineering.
-
Improve your winter navigation skills, including map reading, compass work, and navigating in poor visibility on snow-covered terrain.
-
Understand efficient movement on snow and ice, learning techniques like step-kicking and using crampons on steeper slopes.
-
Discover how to layer clothing for winter conditions, ensuring you stay warm and comfortable in Scotland’s often harsh and changeable weather.
-
Learn how to assess terrain and choose safe routes to minimise risks while ascending or descending winter slopes.
-
Gain experience using essential winter equipment and understand its limitations to ensure you’re prepared for challenging conditions.
-
Apply your new skills on classic summits in the West Highlands, such as Ben Nevis, Buachaille Etive Beag, or Stob Coire nan Lochan.
This Scotland Winter Skills Course based around Fort William and Glencoe provides a solid foundation for those new to winter or looking to refresh their skills, offering practical instruction and hands-on experience in one of Scotland’s most iconic winter mountain regions.-
Our Winter Skills Courses maintain a maximum ratio of 1:6. This approach prioritises safety while allowing for personalised instruction on the essential skills needed to stay safe and enjoy the unique challenges of the Scottish winter mountaineering environment.
The Scottish winter can be demanding, particularly when combined with the effort of a strenuous hike to reach higher summits, often carrying a heavy pack from sea level. Therefore, we recommend participants have prior experience with winter mountain walking and be at least 18 years old.
Winter 2024/ 2025
Below is a list of dates for our Scotland Winter Skills Course in the winter of 2024 - 2025. We also run bespoke dates (including midweek) if none of these work, so feel free to get in touch.
The 2-day course cost is £200 and the 3-day course is £300 per person. These courses need a minimum of 3 people with a maximum of 6. Northwest Mountaineering also offers a private course at £300 per day with a cost of £100 per person after 3 people.
