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Fort William Mountain Festival Workshops

FORT WILLIAM MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS

Our popular Winter Workshops will be running again for the Fort William Mountain Festival in February 2025. Join a full day Winter Walking Skills Workshop to learn all the basic skills you need to start exploring the Scottish mountains in the winter, then finish off your long weekend in style by joining fellow winter enthusiasts on our Ben Nevis Guided Walk.
The Winter Skills Course will start at 8.45am at Nevis Range where we take the gondola to 650m, getting on to the snow and ice with minimum walking time. We finish for the last gondola back down at about 4.30pm so you get a full seven hours of coaching. Use of the gondola is weather dependent so in the event that it does not run there are a number of poor weather alternatives.
The Ben Nevis Guided Walk starts at The Ben Nevis Inn, Achintee at 8am. It will take 4 to 5 hours to reach the summit and 3 to 4 hours to descend again so we'll be back down by around 5pm. The Ben Nevis Inn is an excellent place for a debrief at the end of the day!
Fort William mountain festival
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The Fort William Mountain Festival exists to create and promote opportunities for people to share and find inspiration in mountain experiences, ideas and visions! What will YOUR adventure be in the Outdoor Capital of the UK...

​Dates for your diary… 13th to 16th February 2025
Can't make the dates below? Have a look at our Winter Skills and Ben Nevis Winter Ascent pages to make a private booking.
​If you are interested in joining one of the workshops please get in touch to check our availability and make a booking.
CONTACT US
  • Dates & Prices
  • What's Included
  • Kit
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One Day Basic Winter Skills Course
​£100 per person
Maximum ratio 1:6

15th February 2025
Ben Nevis Guided Walk
​£100 per person
​Maximum ratio 1:6

16th February 2025
To make sure you get the most out of your day we've included the following:​
  • Kit list
  • Helmet
  • Safety Brief
  • Experienced Mountain Leader or Mountaineering Instructor
  • Action photos
You will need to organise accommodation, lunch, personal equipment and insurance.
The weather in the Scottish mountains can change in a matter of minutes. Snow is likely and it can regularly feel as cold as -20 degrees Celsius on the summits. Make sure you are ready for your day by packing the items on the list below.
To wear
Thermal base layers – polyester or woollen, no cotton
Warm fleece
Walking trousers – no jeans
Spare fleece or synthetic insulating layer
Waterproof jacket and trousers with side zips
Warm hat and gloves (spare gloves recommended)
Stiff walking boots – B2 or B3 rated
Other equipment
Rucksack – roughly 30 litres
Mountaineering ice axe and crampons
Helmet (not required for Ben Nevis walk)
Lunch and spare food
1 litre flask or water bottle
Head torch
Ski goggles
Map and compass
Whistle
Walking poles (recommended but not essential)
Sunglasses & sun cream
Mobile phone in a waterproof case
Camera
​Personal 1st Aid Kit - plasters, blister kit, all normal medication including asthma inhaler if you have one

​​If you need winter equipment Scottish Mountain Hire in Fort William hire out winter boots, crampons and ice axes. They can also supply 30 litre rucksacks and clear goggles. ​Please contact them directly to book:
[email protected] | +44 (0) 7752587388


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[email protected]
  • Home
  • Adventures
    • Ben Nevis >
      • Ben Nevis Pony Track
      • CMD Arete
      • Ledge Route
      • Tower Ridge
      • Events and Challenges
      • Ben Nevis Winter Ascent
    • Summer Guiding >
      • Ring of Steall
      • Glen Coe Walks
      • Curved Ridge
      • Aonach Eagach
      • Rock Climbing
      • Sea Stack Odyssey
      • Private Guiding
    • Skye and the Cuillin Ridge >
      • Cuillin Ridge Traverse
      • Cuillin Munro Bagging
      • Inaccessible Pinnacle
    • Provident Sailing & Hill Walking
    • Winter Guiding >
      • Winter Walking >
        • Winter Skills Courses
        • Guided Winter Walking
      • Winter Climbing >
        • Intro to Winter Climbing
        • Winter Climbing Progression
        • Classic Winter Climbing
        • Guided Winter Climbing
      • Skiing >
        • Intro to Ski Touring
        • Scottish Steep Skiing
        • Ropework for Skiers
      • Avalanche Awareness
      • Fort William Mountain Festival Workshops
      • Winter Resources
    • Mountain Leader Courses
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • About
  • Sustainability
    • climate donations
  • Booking
  • Partners