Winter Skills Courses for Walkers Scotland
New for the 2027 winter season Graham Uney Mountaineering are offering a range of winter skills courses and winter mountain walking holidays.
On each winter skills course, conditions permitting, we'll aim to go through the techniques of winter mountain walking, including:
Winter route planning
Weather and avalanche forecasts
Winter clothing and equipment
Personal admin and resilience
Using the boot as a tool
Step cutting
Ice axe arrests
Walking in crampons
Emergency procedures
Winter navigation
Looking after your equipment
While for our winter mountain walking holidays you will need to have the basics of ice axe and crampon technique already, although there will be plenty of opportunities during the week to refresh these skills as we journey into the mountains.
You'll need your own winter mountaineering boots (B1 boots as a minimum, but we'd recommend boots rated B2 for extra stability and warmth), as well as winter clothing, goggles, hat and gloves, and a packed lunch. If you have your own ice axe and crampons you can of course use those, but we can hire these to you for £20 if you haven't bought them yet, or if you're not sure of the best ones to buy.
When you book we'll send you a kit list along with your booking confirmation and joining instructions.
You should aim to be very flexible in your expectations of conditions though, as some days it'll be great for crampon technique, but not so good for ice axe arrest, for example, or we may have perfect snow and weather conditions for an ascent of a mountain on one day, or may decide to keep out of the wind and weather on another day and practice skills in a sheltered corrie. This is what UK winters are all about - understanding the conditions and the skills needed at any one time, and being flexible in our planning to be able to make the most of the day whilst making sound mountaineering decisions. On any course we'll tailor the skills taught to suit the snow and weather conditions on the day.
Dates for winter skills courses the 2027 season:
Scottish Winter Skills 2-day Course (arriving on the Friday night, and departing late Sunday afternoon)
January 22nd - 24th - based at Braemar Youth Hostel (Cairngorms)
February 5th - 7th - based at Braemar Youth Hostel (Cairngorms)
February 26th - 28th - based at Glencoe Youth Hostel (Glencoe and the Mamores)
Course fees for the 2027 season:
2-day Scottish Winter Skills Course - £240pp (minimum of 2 required)
This is an instruction fee only. Our groups all stay together at the same accommodation. Once you’ve confirmed your booking with us you’ll be sent details of how to book your hostel accommodation).
Ice axe and crampon hire is £20pp per course. When you book you'll be sent a full kit list.
