USEFUL LINKS

Frost Guiding- Our Skye Guides man in the Alps.

Es Tresidder- Action packed adventures by the latest top climber working with Skye Guides.

Gordon Stainforth- THE mountain photographer (and vey good friend). Also lectures, interviews and filming.

Transformed by light- High quality photographs by client Michael Stirling-Aird.

Bella Jane boat trips- Run a very good service for climbers on their rigid inflatable boat, £13-50 one way in 2007. 01471 866 244. Also great family boat trips to see seals or wildlife trips to Rum, Eigg & Muck.

Weather Links-

Metcheck.com- usually good for longer term outlook. For very fine analysis of how weather patterns are looking for the whole UK see the home page of Metcheck. For Cuillin weather I then type in my home postcode of IV49. Updated regularly it's the best option for seeing exactly what time rain will arrive or depart.

M.W.I.S.- Mountain Weather Information Service is usually good for predictions of wind direction/ferocity, temperature, precipitation and cloud-base on the mountains. NW Highlands forecast which is a PDF download. Wordings need to be read and reread as north and south can refer to either the UK, Scotland or the NW highlands themselves. Skye lies north of the Great Glen and south of Torridon- often both used to say how far or fast weather is approaching. Prone to longer term mistakes.

WEATHER

No other UK mountains are affected so dramatically by the weather. Wet rock and poor visibility make progress & navigation very slow, complex and scary. Conversely a fine day can make the Cuillin into a playground for those who are fit and light on their feet. A good day is worth waiting for and certainly shouldn't be missed with some feeble excuse like visiting Dunvegan Castle!

Weather changes very, very fast on Skye. Luckily forecasting has improved beyond all recognition. Generally forecasts for the proceeding 12-24 hours will be very accurate. If Radio Scotland says that the sun will appear after midday in it's morning forecast it is well worth delaying your start especially with light through to 11pm from April 'til August.

Long-term forecasts should only be used to plan the ideal build-up to an attempt.
It is crucial to weather watch in all but the most settled of periods.

How?

I get every forecast possible and try to make my own interpretation. In addition to the websites my schedule ideally takes in all of the following:

Sunday
11-30 Country file or Landward 5 day forecast.

Daily

07-55 Highland forecast on BBC Radio Scotland- the most reliable for the day by far
18-20 Grampian TV Weather flick to BBC1 national weather
18-50 Heather Weather. BBC1 Scotland
19-10 Radio Scotland forecast for hill walkers.

22-30 latest satellite pictures on BBC1 and Grampian following national news. These are now available as a video forecast on teletext page 400 from BBC channels and are the most up to date views I have found.

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