29 January - 1 February Glen
Affric
Programme of
Events
Tickets can be bought individually or as a 3 day pass at £110
GET KITTED 12 noon - 4pm Tiso Outdoor Experience, Inverness
For all people hiring winter gear for the WinterFest walks. Help and assistance will be at hand to ensure that you have the best advice and equipment to suit your needs, plus the use of a personal shopper. This is your only chance to let the experts check your kit prior to the weekend of walking. Remember if your kit is not up to standard you will not be allowed to join the WinterFest walks. Paramo test gear will be available for issue throughout the WinterFest on a first come first served basis.WELCOME DRINKS 6 - 7pm Bog Cotton Cafe, Cannich
This WinterFest 2010 introduction with mulled wine tipples to provide a relaxed environment to discuss the schedule for the weekend.Saturday 30th January
WS1 Sgurr na Lapaich (1036m) Winter Skills Session. £40
For sheer ‘in your face’ points then the top of Sgurr na Lapaich is favourite walk in Glen Affric. It is the dominating mountain that can be seen from the Affric car park. Winter Skills are the focus for the day and we explore the area below the east facing crags of Sgurr na Lapaich to find the best locations to get out the spikes and look at the snow. Time and weather permitting there are options to get to the top with stunning views west to An Tudair 1074m, as well as north to Mam Sodhail and Carn Eige.HL1 An Tudair (1074m) & Mam Sodhail (1181m) High Level Munro. £40
This walk really does go the extra mile! The rewards from this strenuous, less frequented route to Mam Sodhail will make this walk one of your all-time Munro highlights. An Tudair is located on the finely defined SE ridge between the Coires Leachavie and Coulavie. This is a wild place where this beautiful undulating ridge often provides dramatic cornices in winter. We take the stalker’s path north of Affric Lodge leading to the foot of Coire leachavie. Heading NW to round An Tudair Beag we find a route up and onto the An Tudair ridge. From the high vantage point on An Tudair we may see the Winter Skills group to the east on Sgurr na Lapaich. Our route continues NW to join the main Affric ridge from where it is a short climb to the large summit cairn of Mam Sodhail. Conditions allowing we journey on to take in Sgurr na Lapaich and descend the stalker’s path to Affric Lodge.LL1 Loch Affric Low level walk. £20
The Loch Affric Circular Walk takes us on a journey through the ancient Caledonian Forest passing beneath the white topped giants of North Affric. The walking trail on the north of the loch gently undulates as it passes ruins of times gone by; of crofts and sheilings and fleeing princes. We will keep our eyes alert for signs of deer and eagle and marvel at the picturesque location of Affric Lodge and beyond. Once on the Southside we are able to join the route of the drovers just before Strawberry Cottage. Once back along the loch we will be afforded grand views up into the wild Corries of Coulavie and Leachavie a perfect location for photographers as the snow capped peaks are reflected in the loch. We may even be able to watch the progress of the other walks as they traverse the high tops before all return for the evening talks.Evening Talk Winter 284 - The Ultimate Winter Round? £Free - donations
Not content with such achievements as climbing all of the Munros on a non-stop Lands End to John o’Groats Challenge, Steve Perry is the first person to have climbed all of the Munros in winter in one long continuous walk without the aid of motorised transport between any of the mountains!! Just take a few seconds to think about it. Mad - perhaps -but we like to think that this is just the sort of spirit that takes us all to the wild places in winter. Find out for yourself as Steve provides an insight to the 4 month epic journey sharing stories and wonderful images.Sunday 31st January
WS2 Tol Creagach (1053m) with Mountain Rescue Winter Scenario Session. £40
Today you will be in the safe hands of the Torridon Mountain Rescue team. Building on the Winter Skills gained on WS1, you get the rare opportunity to learn hands-on from the experts. Using different scenarios, you will learn about search techniques and the use of transceivers; how to deal with a winter casualty and report an incident. You may even have the chance to see a search and rescue dog team at work. And to top it all you get the opportunity to climb another Munro!HL2 Mullach Fraoch-Choire (1102m) High Level Munro. £40
When you look south from the North Affric Munros there is a hill that demands the eye – Mullach Fraoch-choire. Not usually ascended from the north, Mullach Froach-choire sits at the northern end of an 8km-long ridge between Loch Cluanie and Glen Affric. From the west end of Loch Affric, we continue along the track turning south into Gleann na Ciche. Our route then heads SW to join one of the main ridges bordering Fraoch-choire and leading to the fine summit of Mullach Fraoch-choire.LL2 Tomich Trail Low level walk. £20
It's not all about high places. Starting in the historic Victorian village of Tomich, the walk heads up to the hill lochs above the village and the Tomich monument to Lady Tweedmouth with superb panoramic views across to Glen Affric. We then head across country via the Guisachan Estate to visit the Gladstone Pine planted by the PM himself, before a stop off at the spectacular Plodda Falls. Forest trails bring us back to Tomich for a welcome cup of tea.LL3 NIGHT WALK lit with Glo Sticks. Plodda Falls (non guided) £Free
Follow the Glo Sticks on an enchanted circular walk around Plodda Falls. Listen out for faeries and gaze at the stars before returning back to the start. This walk is non guided and all participants must carry torches and wear suitable clothing. In partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland.Monday 1st February
HL3 Guest Glen - Ciste Dhubh (979m) & Am Bathach (798m ) High Level Munro. £40
An early start allows us to commute to this year’s Guest Glen – Glen Sheil. Starting at the Cluanie Inn, on the shores of Loch Cluanie, our sights are aimed at Ciste Dhubh and Am Bathach. Ciste Dhubh rises from Bealach a’ Choinich via a fine arête to a rocky summit about 5km north of Loch Cluanie. The finely featured route to the top alone makes for an amazing end to Winterfest 2010, but to cap a great few days we intend to descend back to the welcoming environment of the Cluanie Inn via the beautiful ridge of Am Bathach.
