british exploring | Yellow Van Mountaineering

Last weekend we headed up to see some expedition friends in the Cairngorms. Looking at a forecast of high winds, low cloud, snow, and high avalanche risk, we decided not to take any time off work and just go for the weekend.

The drive up on Friday started well, but we soon slowed to 25 mph from Stirling to Perth with reasonable snow drifts on the road. We didn’t know that road went particularly high, so we thought we might be in for a very long night north of Perth. Surprisingly the roads cleared after Perth – maybe the gritters were caught off guard in the wrong place. We arrived at 0030, found some beds and collapsed into them.

We woke surprisingly early and easily the next day – and then sat around at breakfast while everyone was uninspired. Eventually, people split with some going to Aviemore, some having a look in the Northern Corries, and a group that we joined going up Meall a Bhuachaille. We managed to stay out the cloud for most of it and the views over Glen Mor and Loch Morlich were spectacular. The snow soon started though and the wind really picked up as we reached the summit and turned to descend directly into it. A great wee ridge for the weather, and it’s been a while since we were on it. Great to have a leg stretch and see what the conditions were like.

Sunday had a better weather forecast, but with loads of snow on the ground and a drive home to do, we wanted something new, short and climbable. A look around the guidebooks found nothing. A few people had seen climbers in previous years on the crag at Sron na cho above the Ciste car park, on the east side of the 1028 spot height, so we thought that might be an option, being slightly lower than the main corries. In addition, I’d spotted a crag (GR NJ002069), visible from the Ciste car park, from Meall a Bhuachaille the previous day. I believe this crag is called Cranberry Rocks, I haven’t found much more about it.

We went exploring.

From the car park the crag looked plausible, so we decided to stop by before heading over the top to the higher crags at Sron na cho. Once at the bottom of the crag, we spotted a couple of likely routes. The ice and snow was just firm enough to allow winter climbing so we got started. I thought the first ice gully looked a bit interesting and so started on something a bit easier. The slab round the corner was still some of the harder mixed climbing I’ve done. I bailed below the second bluff with powdery snow above it, where the line and my confidence ran out. I belayed there, and then traversed out to find the start of a second line. An initial difficulty gave way to straightforward climbing leading me straight into a chimney crux. Despite having not climbed for 9 months I was feeling good and tackled the harder line rather than the gully exit round the side. I must admit Jo made the crux look more elegant than I could, despite having the hot aches.

We went back down for some lunch and then tackled the ‘harder’ ice gully. Turned out to be straightforward, bold and well trodden but nevertheless enjoyable. We sat enjoying the sun and lack of wind for a while and then headed home. An excellent crag for the day – allowed us to push our climbing unwittingly, and have a little exploring fun just out of the car park. Also allowed me to play with my new axes, and for Jo to tangle my new rope.

Descending from Meall a Bhuachaille

Raised Ptarmigan prints, with the crag behind

First pitch

First bluff on the slab

2nd pitch fun (I knocked out some gear, and had a moment until I replaced it)

straight forward until the last chimney

Ice gully

The view from the gully.

Alpine feeling at the top

For six weeks from the middle of July, we went to northern Norway with the British Exploring Society – Dave as a Mountain Leader and Jo as a Science Leader. We were based in Nuvsfjorden, near the town of Øksfjord, some 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle. The expedition consisted of 16 leaders, 14 trainee leaders, and around 50 “Young Explorers”, split into smaller groups for science work and adventurous activities.

We were part of the advance party, which established various camps and carried out an initial recce on the access glacier to the Øksfjordjokelen ice cap, around which we hoped to undertake a week-long journey. Unfortunately we were subsequently plagued by a week of very hot, sunny weather, which – while being very pleasant for swimming in glacial meltwater and similar activities – meant that the upper glaciers became inaccessible as their snow covering melted and exposed some rather serious crevasse fields.

Despite this setback, the expedition carried out some worthwhile exploration of the surrounding valleys, ridges and coasts, and science projects including geology mapping, biodiversity surveys, hydrological measurements, and marine sampling to investigate ocean acidification. We did some mountaineering training on the lower glaciers and nearby boulders, saw the midnight sun, ate a large amount of bilberries, learned bushcraft skills, and caught mackerel from the fjord. There was also a lot of companionable tea-drinking and chatting with new friends, as well as the opportunity to properly relax away from the demands of life back at home.

A highlight of the trip was a sub-expedition to the island of Sørøya, during which we ran a Gold DofE qualifying expedition. The island was beautiful, with rolling rocky hills, clear lakes, exciting geology and several stunning sunsets – highly recommended. We also got a good taste of Norwegian culture and history here, spending some time in the main town of Hasvik and visiting a cave in which local residents sheltered for several months during the Second World War.

Jo’s and Dave’s photos are online in the usual place, with a selection below to give a flavour of the trip.