Scotland Winter 2020 Dates Now Live
Written by Jack Nicholl
We’re extremely pleased to announce that our Scottish Winter course dates are now available to book, with a whole new range of courses for all abilities and aspirations.
Every winter the Plas y Brenin team head north from Capel Curig to Scotland to take advantage of the fantastic winter conditions in the mountains of Glen Coe, and deliver a course programme that offers something for people of all abilities and aspirations.
Our temporary Scottish base is the supremely comfortable Alltshellach Country House & Hotel, a former bishop’s mansion located on the shores of Loch Leven, with stunning views and sweeping gardens that lead down to the shores of the Loch. The hotel has a heated indoor swimming pool with panoramic views to the mountains; perfect for soothing aching muscles at the end of a long day. The kitchen serves a hearty fare and makes excellent use of carefully-sourced local ingredients, while the Highland Bar is the perfect place for a nightcap.
From Alltshellach, our team will deliver a programme of courses that caters for all; from the beginner winter hillwalker to those seeking to become Winter Mountaineering & Climbing Instructors (the highest level of qualification on the Mountain Training climbing instructor pathway). This year, the course programme has been significantly expanded, with dedicated Avalanche Awareness, Winter Navigation, Winter Skills, Winter Ridges and Alpine Preparation skills training on offer, alongside our classic Scottish offering.
Helen Barnard, Chief Instructor at Plas y Brenin, said:
Our Scottish winter course programme is one of the cornerstones of our calendar, as it enables us to deliver training and assessment courses to the highest possible standards, while also offering incredible guided experiences to passionate winter mountaineers. In response to customer feedback and popular demand, we’ve expanded our programme with a range of all-new skills courses, plus we have also introduced a new range of weekend courses – perfect if you’re looking for some more flexibility from your time in Scotland.
Plas y Brenin’s 2020 Scottish Winter programme runs from 15 February to 22 March, with online booking for all course dates now open. Full listings of available dates can be found below:
Two-day skills courses
Scottish Winter Skills, 15-16 February
Introduction to Scottish Winter Mountaineering, 15-16 February
Avalanche Awareness, 15-16 February
Scottish Winter Skills, 22-23 February
Scottish Winter Ridges, 22-23 February
Introduction to Scottish Winter Mountaineering, 22-23 February
Avalanche Awareness, 22-23 February
Scottish Winter Skills, 29 February-1 March
Scottish Winter Navigation, 29 February-1 March
Avalanche Awareness, 29 February-1 March
Scottish Winter Ridges, 14-15 March
Scottish Winter Navigation, 14-15 March
Avalanche Awareness, 14-15 March
Alpine Preparation, 16-17 March
Scottish Winter Hillwalking, 21-22 March
Five-day skills courses
Scottish Winter Mountaineering, 17-21 February
Alpine Preparation, 17-21 February
Scottish Guided Winter Classics, 17-21 February
Scottish Introduction to Winter Climbing, 17-21 February
Scottish Winter Hillwalking, 17-21 February
Scottish Winter Mountaineering, 24-28 February
Scottish Performance Winter Climbing, 24-28 February
Scottish Introduction to Winter Climbing, 24-28 February
Scottish Winter Mountaineering, 2-6 March
Scottish Winter Ridges, 2-6 March
Scottish Guided Winter Classics, 2-6 March
Scottish Performance Winter Climbing, 9-13 March
Scottish Winter Hillwalking, 9-13 March
Scottish Winter Mountaineering, 16-20 March
Scottish Winter Ridges, 16-20 March
Scottish Introduction to Winter Climbing, 16-20 March
Mountain Training Awards
WMCI Assessment Preparation, 15-16 February
Winter Mountain Leader Refresher, 15-16 February
Winter Mountain Leader Training, 16-21 February
WMCI Assessment, 24-27 February
Winter Mountain Leader Assessment, 24-28 February
Winter Mountain Leader Training, 1-6 March
Winter Mountain Leader Assessment, 9-13 March
Find out more about PYB in Scotland