January 2015 - Moffatt then Winter Mountaineering and Skills in Torridon

Walks Summary

Hope to get some use out of these little beauties during this trip

First trip to Scotland of 2015 and hopefully a fairly easy and achievable schedule.
Purpose of this trip is preparation and conditioning for the Winter Mountaineering and Skills course I have enrolled for in Torridon at beginning of February.
Each time I return from a trip, no matter how much gym work I put in at the beginning I always feel I have full hill fitness by the time the trip is over.
Well this time I have scheduled this trip in before the Winter Mountaineering course to prepare myself physically, and for that matter probably mentally. As long as you have the core fitness there is nothing like doing the event you do to build the fitness for that event. Living in Suffolk there are just not enough mountains or even hills on the doorstep
No Munros on this part of the trip there will be plenty of opportunity for these in Torridon under careful tutelage of MountainVision starting on 01 February 2015.
At no more than 9 miles (one less than 6 miles) and only one with significantly more than 800m of ascent all walks should be achieved comfortably within the shortened days of the time of year and all being well well within my physical capabilities.
Plan to move on to Torridon on 29 January 2015 so leaves 6 walking days to complete the five walks planned; to be walked in 6 days leaving one rest day/bad weather day. Given the time of year I expect more than one bad weather day so in all honesty really only expect to complete the first walks 001 - 003 with one of the 3 Corbetts on each of the walks in the Moffat hills. The remaining 2 walks 004 &005 will be considered a bonus to add to my Marilyn and 2000' (Sim) total. But if the weather conditions look favourable and I feel physically capable to recover in time to start climbing in Torridon on 02 February 2015 I may well stay on an extra day if it means completing all 20 planned peaks

001 - Hart Fell from Ericstane

Expect this to be the first walk of the trip and will walk an extra mile at beginning and end of walk along Old Edinburgh Road from campsite at Howslack Farm to Ericstane.
002 - Broad Law

Nothing too difficult about this walk. Just depends on if I can get to walk start point. Unlikely if lots of snow or icy roads.
003 - White Coomb

Three route options here. The blue route is the planned walk. At 11.81miles the red route to pick up Lochcraig Head and Mols Cleuch Dod will be too long to complete with daylight hours available at this time of year. If conditions dictate there is also the option to do a shorter 4.61 mile walk to ensure the Corbett and Marilyn is picked up on this trip. Just a straight up and down via Carrifran Gans from Carrifran on the A708.
004 - Croft Head and Capel Fell

No Corbetts on this walk but just a chance to complete 2 Marilyns as part of a relatively short5.83 mile route. 
005 - Andrewhinney Hill ridge

A veritable peak baggers fest to complete 7 summits 6 of which are above 2000' and includes one Marilyn. Expect this walk to be the last one attempted and only if I can arrange taxi transport to walk start point after dropping van at walk finish point.