My friend Cath and I were both keen for some time outdoors but we did not want to travel too far from our homes. We chose Meall Mór, a mountain rising to 738m above Alness in Easter Ross. It features on the list of hills known as Fionas or Grahams, depending on your preference. Here are 10 things we learned while hiking Meall Mór on a winter’s day.
1 It’s important to weather check
The weather in Scotland is very changeable and also frequently localised. The forecast appeared to suggest a day that would be fairly dry, although very windy at higher altitude. The Met Office had very strong winds for the nearby Munro Ben Wyvis, which is why I chose a lower hill.
We knew the wind might still be quite strong but it was unlikely to be too much for us to cope with.
2 Pack for the worst weather
Cath drove us in her four-wheel drive vehicle because we were unsure how icy the roads would be. It was a winding, single-track tarmac road to reach the start of our route at Boath, west of Alness. The boot was full of all the kit we thought we might need and more.
The list included snowshoes, micro-spikes, crampons, hiking poles with snowbaskets fitted, waterproof jacket – I was testing the new Berghaus Ridge Seeker GTX jacket – waterproof trousers and hiking boots.
We had rucksacks filled with winter gear, including insulated jackets, a fleece layer, winter gloves, waterproof over-gloves, a personal locator beacon, map, compass, phone, food, water and a flask of tea.
I wore Dexshell waterproof socks, fleece lined Flanci tights, hiking gaiters, a long and short-sleeved top, a lightweight insulated jacket, lightweight mittens, a neck buff, a head buff and sunglasses.
Once we got to the start of the hill and could better see the conditions, we decided exactly what we would take with us – and then added a few more bits and pieces to be sure.
Our aim was to stay as warm and dry as possible. We also took micro-spikes in case of ice underfoot.
3 Even with all the kit, it was a tough walk
Our route – OS Maps and Strava – was 18km with 675m of ascent. On another day in summer conditions, this would not have been too daunting for us. We are very familiar with fairly long mountain hikes but the ground conditions made it very tough.
To start with, the track was a maze of ice, snow and mud and that required us to carefully pick our route and jump over ice patches, puddles and thick mud. We walked from side to side on the track and along the edge, then in the middle to find the best way ahead.
As we started the hill climb, we found the path was deep with snow. It was hard work taking steps in the snow. Even at higher altitude, where the snow was not so deep, there was a mix of thick vegetation, snow and snow-covered streams.
Cath and I took it in turns to break trail and we found we needed to work hard with each step, lifting our feet from deep snowy footprints or picking our way carefully over the heather. It was a rough and arduous ascent.
The descent was also tricky, with a lot of potential for slipping over on steep snowy slopes or stepping knee deep into thick snow and finding there was a stream below.
A final stretch of track along Loch Morie, rather than being the flatter, easier-going hard-packed trail we had been hoping for was covered in snow, ice and deep mud. A lot of the track had been turned to a river by the melting snow.
At various times, we both suffered in the cold. Cath had cold hands and I had very cold feet. We had all the right kit but even so the cold wind and freezing and wet conditions underfoot tested us to the extreme.
In retrospect, I wished I had worn more solid winter boots and taken heated mittens. Cath wished she had worn thicker winter gloves.
4 We planned two route options
The route we had chosen could be walked as a start-to-summit and return, or a circuit. We decided to assess the conditions at higher altitude before choosing how we could complete the route. In the end, we did the circuit of 18km because the wind above about 600m was quite spiteful and unrelenting.
On the ascent it was an icy wind in our face and coming from west. This meant that as soon as we turned round and descending north, the wind dramatically diminished.
If the wind had been less dramatic or coming from another direction, we may well have chosen to do the out-and-back route. It was good to have two options so that we could reduce the impact of the wind.
5 The best piece of kit was hiking poles
The poles were very useful for keeping us upright on the snow, ice and vegetation. They also aided uphill walking, especially when we were stomping through deep snow.
I used a pole to prod the snow to see what depth it was and, at times, to see what was below. I didn’t avoid every snow-covered stream but the pole allowed me to identify some.
When it was windy, the poles helped to keep us stable and then, when descending, we were grateful for the poles to prevent too many slips. The final walk along the track was long and hard-going, but the poles were useful for keeping us striding out and purposeful.
Overall, I am sure the poles prevented too much fatigue in our muscles.
6 We made it to the top, but we discussed turning back
In the end, Cath and I did push on to the summit but there was a spell around 1km from the top when the wind became stronger and a cloud of sleet dumped on us. We walked in silence and the hike turned into a bit of a relentless trudge. We were cold, wet and needed to battle the sleet and wind to keep going.
At one point, I said to Cath that we didn’t need to get to the summit; that we could turn back and come back another day.
It would not have been about defeat, but about making the day more enjoyable.
While we considered this option for a short while, we both agreed it wasn’t too much further and we had waterproof kit, hoods, buffs and gloves etc. We were safe enough to push on and so we did.
I am glad we got to the summit of Meall Mor but, equally, if Cath had decided it wasn’t for her, or I had been very unhappy with the conditions, both of us knew we would be able to retreat.
7 Food and a flask of hot drink are vital in winter
It’s easy to lose energy on a winter’s hike. Having a plentiful supply of sandwiches, snacks and tea made the outing much easier because we were well fuelled. Cath is really good at making sure she is fed and that others with her remember to eat.
The other thing about a winter hike is that it can be too easy to “not bother” to eat because it feels like too much hassle in the wet and cold but you need to maintain energy.
8 Always ‘be bothered’
I say this a lot on hill walks and runs. If you feel cold, hot, low on energy, thirsty or a bit lost, you should always be bothered to stop and sort things out. Leaving things until you really feel cold, hot, low on energy, thirsty or lost is never a good idea.
9 Choose your hiking companion wisely
There were many times during this hike when I was grateful for a good friend by my side. Cath has a positive and enthusiastic attitude. She is calm and collected and a good navigator. She cares if I am having a good time, or not, and she worries if I look cold, too wet or I have not eaten enough.
I hope she feels the same about me. It is important to have a walking companion that you can trust in, feel able to say how you are truly feeling and also have good chat and fun exchanges with.
10 Learn from your experience
Cath and I discussed what we might have done differently and then made plans for re-assessing our winter walking kit. We were both aware that our hands and/or feet had been cold and that meant we needed to ensure better protection on the next outing.
We wondered if snowshoes would have been a good idea. We left the snowshoes in the vehicle because the upper slopes did not look fully snowy enough. In the event, there was more snow on the ground than expected but it was the heavy and wet type that would not have made snowshoeing very easy.
We could have chosen a different location or stayed at a lower level but the overall challenge was within our general capabilities and comfort zone, with only a few sections of unpleasant. I am a big fan of the smaller Scottish mountains in the winter.