A Friday nighter again: out after work to Keiloch then a night hike to the “secret” howff as forward staging base. I’d thought about taking my folding mountain bike, but had a faff of other winter kit and wanted to keep my route options open rather than being forced to return to “bike drop”. The howff was empty fortunately, I’d not taken a tent so my secondary options would be a howff in the Bhuird corrie (rough terrain and another hour or two of hard slog) or make my way across a couple rivers to Muir cottage, neither easy options at night in winter.

Arising before sunrise, conditions looked great, but nearing Beinn a Bhuird cloud began to accumulate and thicken rather than burning off as the sun rose.

By the time I’d started the ascent from the Bhuird corrie following the stream up to Cnap a Chleirich, I was heading into murk. I mostly avoided snow but a steepish snowfield required a bit of kicking and was enough to get the axe out with a runout into the stream. Reaching the big snow pot I began to test for snowholability, I wasn’t planning on staying over with high wind the next day, but checking state for future trips.

The best snow lay high on the side where quite steep – the old snowpack was very hard and I cut a few steps in the side and made a shelf to have a seat. It occurred to me the very dense snow-ice here would cut into sturdy blocks, and I spent a bit of time assembling a rough “snow tent” on the bare grass – normally at this time of year this whole gully would be deep in snow. I wondered if the snow tunnel would form this year in the main covered area.

I headed onwards to Cnap a Chleirich top in misty gloomy surrrounds, and after the last trip which had been a grey void all day, wasn’t highly motivated to do so again across on Ben Avon where the navigation beyond it’s top would be more challenging. I decided to head east to the Glas Allt Mor and then decide – an easy route out if so.

I’d made my way down beside the west fork of the burn, managing some glissading before reaching the main stream where some big snowbanks and occasional pools showed. The rocky coire was thin of snow not having the usual impressive cornices but some tumbling ice instead. A spot or two of blue appeared and convinced me to head back to the sneck and on to Ben Avon.

The cliffs nearby had 2 eagles soaring high above the upswept wind, I reached the dark tor but decided not to stop yet in the chill breeze with a few baggers to and fro, thinking to explore a few more snow-coves.

The first of many glissades on the hard snow got me quickly down over some patches to a fork of the Allt an Eas Mhoir. and I could see big snow banks and whirls aplenty so pottered with the probe, testing depth and snapping some blown sculpture.

With the sun now blazing, and great snowhole conditions all around, I wished I’d not dropped my sleep kit earlier back above the howff, which I’d decided to do to lighten the load.

I made my way around to the gem hunter’s cove, glissaded down again where a huge snow bank was as expected and stopped for lunch, serenaded by the odd ptarmigan gurgle which I emulated back, knowing such a remote spot was free from visitation for embarrassment to be caught in such childish antics. Hacking up the slope back out, unwisely without crampons on but daggering with the axe I crossed footsteps – surprised to see somebody else out maybe touring the tors, a tough gig at any time.

After some bare plateau I headed back down the northern part of the Allt an Eas Bhig which had a pleasant snow runnel, not quite steep enough to slide but a pleasant stroll.

Reaching the snow tunnel burn from Carn Eas down to the Allt an Aitinn was a different story: a gradually steepening wall of neve with a bulging ridge from recent northern winds that I couldn’t quite see past, so after cramponing down a bit, then seeing some steep bare grass below, I contoured around carefully to head down amongst some boulders instead. After picking my way through some chunky ground I made for the col of Creag an Dail Mhor where a bit of a stone shelter wall lies and could be a good flat camp spot.

From here the sensible plan would be to follow the burn west to join the main path, but I thought I’d explore a bit more – the lumpy terrain on the map around Carn Eag Dhubh. This proved worthwhile, with a series of rocky gullies and nooks winding down along the north and east sides, holding snow despite being lower and providing a few final glissades.

Back at the howff I picked up the sleep kit, re-weighted and with a sigh marched into the deepening afternoon shadows of the glen, my throbbing feet now wishing that I’d taken a bike and could relax to the chatter of wheels on gravel, but a beautiful sun-baked day out enjoyed and a few new places explored.