Sandy Patterson and Chris Plant spent the day in the northern corries of the Cairngorms today. They climbed 'Western Rib' (II/III), which after clearing away the fresh snow was great, although the wind on the top pitch made life a little more interesting! Chris reported that the new snow needs some consolidation, teams being out on 'The Runnel', 'Patey's Route', and 'Goat Track Gulley'.

It looks like the next few days are due to be stormy with a few freeze / thaw cycles. This should consolidate the snow in the gullies, and will certainly aid conditions on the higher mountains on the west coast.

In the Peak District occassional showers have forced people to grab the odd bit of bouldering, or routes on the grit. However, the more sheltered limestone venues such as Stoney Middleton, and Wild Cat in Matlock have also seen some traffic.