Author Archives: Simon Richardson

About Simon Richardson

Simon Richardson is a passionate Scottish winter climber

Forked Gully Buttress

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Simon Richardson

On November 22, Stephan and Gerhard Mors added a rare early season route to the Arrochar Alps. “After abandoning Plan A on The Cobbler (too bare) and Plan B on Fan Gully Buttress on Beinn Ime (too sunny/unfrozen), we climbed … Continue reading →

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Early Season Cairngorms Pioneering

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Simon Richardson

“Early season new routes are hard work,” Andy Nisbet writes. “For a start, not many places are in nick, and you did those routes last year. High in the Cairngorms is obvious, but there aren’t many new routes left. Actually … Continue reading →

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On The Breadline

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Simon Richardson

Mike Lates, Mark Francis (Beads) and Murdo Nicholson found a good mixed addition in the Cuillin on November 22 when they made the first ascent of The Breadline on the North Face of Am Basteir. “One quick blast of winter … Continue reading →

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New Winter Season Starts

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Simon Richardson

After a warm autumn the Scottish winter season finally got underway on November 14 when a plunge of cold air covered the Carngorms with the first snows of the season. Coire an t-Sneachda was predictably popular with ascents of Fingers … Continue reading →

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Book Review – In Some Lost Place

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Simon Richardson

Over the course of 18 days in 2012, Sandy Allan and Rick Allen made the first ascent of the Mazeno Ridge on Nanga Parbat. The Mazeno was one of the last great problems in the Himalayas and had been attempted … Continue reading →

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Five Hundredth Post

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Simon Richardson

It’s been such a busy season that I didn’t have time in March to acknowledge the 500th post on scottishwinter.com The blog has been running five years and has attempted to record the majority of significant winter climbing activity in … Continue reading →

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Angels and Demons

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Simon Richardson

Masa Sakano and Phil Ingle made an enterprising visit to the remote An Garbh Choire in the Braeriach massif on March 22 and added a long mountaineering route to the north face of Angel’s Peak (Sgor an Lochain Uaine). The … Continue reading →

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Alas Poor Clachlet

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Simon Richardson

Such a neglected hill; Clach Leathad in proper Gaelic. My Dad used to talk about about it affectionately as one of his favourites (also easily reached when no-one had cars), but then it was demoted as a Munro. And there … Continue reading →

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Call Me Ishmael

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Simon Richardson

Uisdean Hawthorn had a remarkable run of routes on Ben Nevis last week. The first three days were a prelude for the main event – a new route on Indicator Wall. But even so, Boomer’s Requiem, Le Panthere Rose, Astral … Continue reading →

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Goodeve’s Buttress

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Simon Richardson

Sunday March 15 was a glorious day on Ben Nevis. The sun shone and the air was crystal clear. After last week’s thaw the snow had re-frozen into hard neve, and the high-level ice routes were in superb condition. The … Continue reading →

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