What SNH haven't said is that 'their' research is not - in fact - their own. It is a direct lift from Adam Watson et al and the annual snow patch survey that is conducted every year and published in the Royal Meteorological Society's 'Weather' magazine.

As far as I know they haven't acknowledged this in their papers (thus far).

Thats very naughty of them - as a scientist that sort of thing really annoys me!

I saw the piece broadcast on BBC Scot yesterday. - I thought it was a bit superficial. The interview beside a thawing patch, was talking about important moss varieties. SNH chap didn't make clear that his snowpatch always thaws each year.

Louise Batchelor was a total PRAT:- "It's almost mid-summer, but standing on Cairngorm today you could mistake it for mid-winter!"

What total nonsense...it was just a bit of cloud & rain. - More like "Wimbledon" weather, and certainly nothing like winter.

theres a link to the report here

[news.bbc.co.uk]

Got some views of Cairn Toul, Braeriach area yesterday. - [www.winterhighland.info]

Took a few more detailed shots of the area, plus Macdui & Sputan Dearg snow patches. - Can sort them out & post or email later. More snow than I'd expected on Midsummer Day.

Firefly, I have emailed you some photos from Saturday's trip. - Couple of examples below...

Attachments: 2008_0621Macdui0014.JPG (514kB)   2008_0621Macdui0031.JPG (491kB)  

Just looking at Sputan Dearg snow patch over last 5 years, 2008 looks quite good for June.

21st June 2008:


27th April 2007:


24th April 2003: (Not same angle, but similar cover down to lochan, as other pics.)





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 10.47hrs Mon 23 Jun 08 by HTH.

Attachments: SputanDearg-21june2008.JPG (58kB)   SputanDearg-27april2007.JPG (57kB)   SputanDearg-24april2003.jpg (63kB)  

not got any pics (home computer busted), but i was up in glencoe on sat. Quite a few patches around, mostly on bidean/nan lochan area, but also counted a couple on the buchallie, and a good few left around the white corries- front and back of the hill. Ben more also still got a couple of patches and counted one on ben a dothaid(sp)..

Hi guys,

Great pictures. Looks like a fabulous day up there that you had.

We'll be conducting a general survey in the next week or so of the amount of snow left, and will report back in due course.

Henry, that wouldn't happen to be a cyclist called Dan in your 2008 photo, on a
Cannondale Prophet? I heard he might be headed up on MacD that day.

surely Dan would have taken a more challening line, down the rocks at the side?

Sean, you could be right. - There were 2 bikers. We chatted a few mins. I noticed one of the bikes was a Cannondale, with "mono-fork" which is unusual.

They had biked up the climbers path via Northern Corries and across plateau to Macdui. Return via Etchachan. - looked like they were enjoying their day out.

Small world! - H.

One for the Angry Corrie!






Edited 1 times. Last edit at 21.17hrs Tue 24 Jun 08 by HTH.

Attachments: Dan on Snow.JPG (89kB)  

Dan's Cannondale Prophet runs a "Lefty" fork, one leg on the left side of the steerer tube. Lighter and stiffer than a conventional fork but also complex and expensive.
They were headed for an overnight in Braemar before heading back to Aviemore on Sunday; must have got a bit wet. No idea yet what route they used on the second day, probably Geldie-Feshie as it was too wet to go high up.

Telemarker is right, I'm surprised he took the easy line down the snow, not the crazy one down the rocks...

Yes, I remember now he said they were making a complete traverse to Braemar.

I have wondered many times about doing the same with my rather less expensive bike, and looks like they used the same routing as I had speculated about. - Must give it a go, because the descent from Macdui has always caught my eye.