A Local Ski Tour Before Storm Bert Arrives

The Cairngorms at dusk

Snow deep enough to ski from the front door is rare in November. After more overnight snow there was enough today though. I thought I’d better go out and enjoy it before the big storm named Bert by the Met. Office arrives tomorrow bringing high winds, snow turning to rain, and rising temperatures. By tomorrow evening most of the snow will probably be gone.

Sunshine on an old wall

The day was calm and cold with much sunshine and a lovely blue sky. The snow was soft with a depth of around 20cm. Just enough. No breeze had disturbed it. The snow lay gently on the land. Where there were tussocks of long grass and reeds it covered up the spaces between them, giving the illusion of a fairly level surface. I knew from walking here just how rough and uneven the ground actually was and so wasn’t surprised when my skis broke through and sank deep, the tips sometimes disappearing. It was still much easier than walking though.

Old but still functional!

As I was only heading out for a few hours I took my old waxless skis, dating from 1986, as I can just grab these and go, no preparation needed. They’re battered enough that I don’t mind clipping the occasional stone either, something I did several times as some rocks were only lightly covered.

Care needed

Mostly I stayed out in the open out in the fields, where I could enjoy the sunshine, a rare delight this month, and let the skis run as the snow was deepest here and anyway I knew there were few stones. It was in the woods, in the shade of the trees, that the snow was thinnest and rocks more prevalent. Here I had to take more care, slow traverses down slopes rather than straight runs. Even so the joy of slipping across the snow was there, the rhythm of skiing. Every year when I first go out on skis I remember the delights of being able to cross snowy terrain so effortlessly.

Snow forest

The lack of wind meant the snow had stayed on the trees, creating beautiful delicate traceries and lines. Far beyond the forests the Cairngorms came and went in drifting clouds. Ben Rinnes was a white pyramid, looking bigger than usual, the Cromdale Hills a pale undulating ridge.

Ben Rinnes

As the sun dipped into distant clouds I turned for home. The temperature dropped rapidly, soon down to -7°C. A warm fire and a hot drink called.

The Cairngorms

The ski season has begun.

Wall & forest