Today on the Blogger Network, TGO contributor Fiona Russell shares a few lessons from the Arrochar Alps

Fiona Russell is a prolific outdoor blogger and writer for various publications, including The Great Outdoors. In her latest post, she tells the story of a winter day out in the Scottish Highlands, highlighting the importance of flexibility – although they originally planned to climb a Corbett near Loch Tay, they ended up bagging Beinn Narnain in the Arrochar Alps.
Fiona’s post is packed with useful tips for beginner winter hillwalkers, and is perhaps timely. Conditions are warming up and days are getting longer, which might lull beginners into a false sense of security, but don’t be deceived – the mountains are still in the grip of full winter. Fiona’s tips are crucial: be flexible, be aware that the weather could be savage at the top, take time to think situations through, carry spares, have the necessary skills.
But worse was to happen. Although I had been very carful to keep hold of my down gloves as I fitted my crampons, a tiny lapse of attention saw one of them lifted up by the wind. I could only watch I horror as it flew at high speed over the snow and into the far distance. I tried to look for it but I doubt it will ever be seen again.
This left me very alarmed because I suffer with Raynaud’s and without a down glove I would be highly likely to suffer frostbite. By this point my fingers has already turned white.
Thank goodness that Rob had packed extra gloves. I normally have a spare pair of warm gloves with me but I had packed in haste and forgotten to add them to my rucksack. (Another lesson learned.)
Read the full post here.