Scotland - Climbing & Mountaineering

Our Scottish courses run all year round. In the summer we offer Scottish rock climbing, scrambling, ridge traversing and summer mountaineering skills. In the winter we provide Scottish winter skills, winter mountaineering and winter climbing courses.

We have a degree of flexibility with regard to the exact locations of our Scottish courses so contact us if you have something specific in mind. Below are a list of popular destinations.

Aberfeldy - Rock Climbing

During the summer many of the rock climbing courses are based from the beautiful village of Aberfeldy on the river Tay. This has a unique location close to the geographical centre of Scotland.

There are a huge variety of crags in the area which offer excellent rock climbing opportunities. Single pitch crags such as Tulliemet are perfect for learning the ropes, short multi-pitch venues like Dunkeld are great for gaining the skills needed to progress to bigger mountain routes that can also be accessed for a day's mountain rock climbing. Sport climbing venues such as Weem and Kirrie Hill all offer athletic and well protected challenges suitable for climbers of all standards.

The Aberfeldy area lies in the rainshadow of the Cairngorms to the north and Central Highlands (Ben Nevis and Glancoe) to the west and therefore has exceptionally dry weather for Scotland. Due to the central location it is possible to access both the West Highlands and East Highlands for summer mountain skills and rock climbing courses.

On rock climbing courses it is also possible to access lowland crags in both the east and west. This gives us a huge amount of flexibility regarding the choice of venue for each day’s activities and therefore we can enjoy our climbing, mountaineering and hillwalking where the conditions are best.

Aviemore - Winter Courses, Summer Scrambling & Mountaineering

Aviemore lies in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, an area which is famous for its Scottish Mixed and Ice Climbing. The Northern Corries of the Cairngorms offer some of Scotland’s most reliable and accessible winter climbing - the car park lies above 700m and the base of the corries can be reached in approximately 1 1/2 hours, allowing you to maximise your climbing time.

The Northern Corries hold winter conditions well with the climbing at Munro height and the corries facing north. There are an abundance of classic routes in the area from classic grade 1 gullies such as Alladin’s Couloir, to moderate ice routes such as The Runnel and technical mixed climbs like The Seam - there really is a lifetime of climbing in the area.

The Cairngorms are not just about winter though; there are a huge selection of summer scrambles and mountain rock climbs in the area. It is also one of the UK's premiere best hillwalking locations.

Fort William - Winter Courses, Summer Scrambling & Mountaineering

Fort William lies at the foot of Ben Nevis in the district of Lochaber, on the west coast of Scotland. This area is a honeypot of classic winter climbs: Ben Nevis offers long mountaineering climbs of an almost alpine character which require a high standard of fitness as the approach, descent and climb are all challenging; nearby Aonach Mor is a contrast as climbs are easily accessed by using the Aonach Mor Ski Area Gondola and a relatively short walk in; Glencoe offers classic climbs on classic peaks such as Buichaille Etive Mor and Stob Corrie Nan Lochan at a slightly lower altitude.

The summer scrambling, ridge traversing and long mountain rock climbs are also excellent in the area surrounding Fort William.

Skye - Ridge Traversing & Scrambling

The Cuillin Ridge offers the most consistently challenging terrain in the British Isles. Because of this, the Skye Ridge really is a mountaineer’s playground.

Almost all of the eleven Munros that lie on the Cuillin ridge require technical scrambling to reach their summits, while a few, such as the Inaccessible Pinnacle, need rock climbing techniques.

The best times of year to visit Skye tend to be late spring and early autumn although it is possible to undertake the Skye ridge or Munros through the summer as well.

A full Skye ridge traverse offers a unique challenge on an alpine scale. It usually requires two very long, physically demanding days of scrambling and climbing with a heavy backpack. The days are split by a bivi on the ridge.

Many Munroists find the local knowledge, rope skills and mountaineering judgment of an AMI instructor a real asset when undertaking the Skye Munros. Hiring an instructor can make a trip much more productive, especially if the weather is less than perfect.

For more information about traversing the Skye ridge or hiring a guide either to join you on the whole ridge or to climb particular Munros, please feel free to e-mail us at info@ryanglass-mountaineering.co.uk

Aberfeldy Accomodation

Balnearn House is a luxury guesthouse in Aberfeldy.

Coshieville House offers high quality bed and breakfast accommodation in Aberfeldy.

Loch Tay Lodges offer self catering accomodation in Acharn near Aberfeldy.

Taymouth.co.uk offers luxury self catering accomodation in Kenmore near Aberfeldy.

Aberfeldy Holidays offers self catered cottages in Aberfeldy.

SYHA offers cheap, comfy accommodation in the Scottish Highlands.

Pitlochry YHA offers budget accommodation in Pitlochry.

Hostel-Scotland is a site for hostel accommodation throughout Scotland.   

Aviemore Accomodation

SYHA offers cheap, comfy accommodation in the Scottish Highlands.

Aviemore Bunkhouse offers hostel accommodation in Aviemore.

Hostel-Scotland is a site for hostel accommodation throughout Scotland.

Fort William Accomodation

Fortwilliam Backpackers is a hostel near Fort William, Scotland.

The Great Glen Hostel is also in Fort William.

Bank Street Lodge offer accommodation near Fort William.

Farr Cottage offer accommodation outside Fort William.

SYHA offers cheap, comfy accommodation in the Scottish Highlands.