Foul Weather Alternatives

Foul Weather Alternatives (FWAs) need serious thought and are often the hardest aspect of route planning. Inadequate or missing FWAs are the main reason for routes requiring revision. There are some routes where they are mandatory (see list below) but in other situations the need may be more nuanced. Please do not be upset if you are asked for additional FWAs. It is better to have a plan B for when conditions are dire, and it is easier for Challenge Control to anticipate where you might be if there are concerns about you.

At all times, good common sense is needed. If you start later than anticipated, or you’re not going so well, an easier day can mean future days will probably be better.  It isn’t a competition, there is no obligation to complete your high route as you have an alternative, so it makes sense to use it if you need to.

What is a Foul Weather Alternative

A Foul Weather Alternative (FWA) is an alternative route that avoids:

  • summits and ridges where exposure to wind and potentially snow and ice may make conditions treacherous.
  • other high ground especially where crossing pathless ground or are exposed for long periods of time.
  • unbridged burns and rivers that are potentially difficult or impossible to cross safely in spate conditions.

Scotland is famous for its rain but there are other forms of bad weather are often more likely to force you onto an FWA.

Photo: John Tattersall
  • Wind. Scotland is the windiest country in Europe. You might choose to take your FWA because of rain but it is wind speed that is more likely to make it a necessity. For example, the Lairig Ghru is an infamous wind tunnel.
  • Rain alone would rarely make a high day infeasible but combined with wind on the hills or if it causes rivers to rise it may make your FWA preferable or even a necessity. Combined with wind at some point you will experience Scotland’s speciality of horizontal rain!
  • Poor visibility. Low cloud shouldn’t stop a confident navigator from taking a high route but if you can’t see anything you might prefer to be walking in the glens
  • Winter conditions. Overnight temperatures can be sub zero in May even in the glens but it can be seriously cold on the tops. Snow and ice are common on the hills and may require winter equipment or force you to retreat to your FWA. Windchill can be significant.
  • Heat. It can be hot and sunny too. In recent years heat exhaustion has been a problem for several Challengers. In hot conditions you may prefer an early start on your FWA and an easier day.
Planning FWAs
Photo: Neils Blok

Some people don’t spend much time on their FWA planning in the expectation that they won’t have to use it. From our experience a good FWA is essential and can determine whether a Challenger manages to finish their walk or not. Being obliged to come off the tops due to bad weather and finding that your FWA is a dreary trudge along miles of tarmac in the rain can be demoralising and very hard on the feet. 

Many experienced Challengers planning a higher level route will plot their FWAs first to ensure they have an enjoyable crossing even if forced onto their FWAs. Then they will add in higher days where they are feasible.

In some places (see below) an FWA is mandatory. In other places it may be advised particularly if there is an easy lower alternative or a clear track available.

“Feeling Weary Alternatives”. The weather doesn’t have to be terrible to use your FWA. It can be a used in the case of fatigue, minor injury or you just fancy an easier day and an earlier camp. It may also be that conditions would allow you to walk you main route quite safely but you might not want to be there if the weather is less than perfect. You might prefer to walk those hills on a day when you can see something other than the inside of a cloud!

If you are struggling to find a FWA for a section it may be because it needs to extend over several days. This a particular problem as you move east with large areas of high plateau often making lower level routes long and circuitous. The Multi-day FWA section gives some common solutions on frequently used routes.

When is a FWA required?

Routes over 900m and any significant summit always need one whilst routes under 500m usually do not, except for potentially hazardous river crossings. However the need for a FWA is not solely defined by altitude. It takes into account:

  • The nature of the terrain.
  • duration of walking at an exposed height.
  • whether a clear path is evident.
  • whether a lower alternative is easily available.
  • the experience of the Challenger(s).
  • un-bridged burns and rivers that may be impossible to cross safely in spate.

A FWA may need to be more than one day long – for example Jock’s Road and the Lairig Ghru both need multi-day FWAs.

Mandatory FWAs
Lairig Ghru – Dean Read

Below we have listed places on more frequented routes where an FWA is always required. It may well be your route takes across ground where your Vetter feels an FWA is appropriate. A reminder that any summits ridges or ground above 900m always need a FWA.

High Passes

The further east you go, the more you encounter high plateaux where it becomes more difficult to find lower level alternatives. For the passes listed below you will need multiday FWAs. See the section below for common solutions.

Lairig Ghru

This is a high pass (over 900m) and exposed for a fairly lengthy distance with boulder fields on the summit.  It is also a wind tunnel which may mean crossing boulders can be quite tricky, especially if covered with snow or ice.

Jock’s Road

The ” path” marked on Ordnance Survey becomes somewhat indistinct and easy to lose as it climbs out of Glen Callater and traverses Crow Cragies. You are significantly exposed to the elements for several kilometres.

Kilbo Path

Another high path, indistinct in parts passing between two Munros – no place to be in high winds.

Carn an t-Sagairt Mor path/Dubh Loch route

This is a much used and fairly obvious route from Loch Callater to Loch Muick and is a great walk in fine weather.  However, it over 900m and the path indistinct in parts and exposed to the elements.  On descending to the Dubh Loch there is a steep descent over rocks slabs which can be treacherously slippery when wet.

Mount Keen/Mounth path

We mention Mount Keen here as it lies just off the Mounth Road and is one of the Munros most climbed by Challengers on the popular route between Ballater and Tarfside. We accept the bypass path to the west as it is wide, clear and 200m lower than the summit.

Unbridged rivers

After heavy, prolonged rain almost any burn can become difficult to cross and you need to have the skills to assess if a safe crossing is feasible and be prepared for potentially long detours when needed.

River Ling

This River is notoriously difficult to cross anywhere from its source to its one and only bridge near Kililian. The most common place where Challengers wish to cross is to access Maol-bhuidhe bothy at NH 052 359. Even in good conditions this crossing can be tricky. In spate conditions you will need to find an alternative which will involve foregoing the comforts of the bothy!

River Calder (Allt Madagain), Glen Banchor

There are no bridges in Glen Banchor. The crossing by the bothy at NN 648 983 can be impossible in spate and the Allt Balloch can also be a formidable obstacle. Whilst it is possible to make your way along the pathless south side of the River Calder it is rough going and includes scaling some deer fences and crossing some steep terrain on the approach to Newtonmore. The route along the minor road in Glen Truim is a good FWA avoiding the A86, which can be plagues by fast and dangerous heavy vehicles.

River Tromie

This is a difficult river to cross in even mildly raised water levels. None of the bridges upstream of the road bridge exist or are useable, with the only feasible crossing being at the Loch an t-Seilich dam at NN 762 881.

The commonest place Challenger plan to cross is by Bhran Cottageand was a common FWA for Meall Cuaich; however, the bridge here was was washed away in 2023. A pathless route from Coire Chuaich via Maol an t-Seilich directly to the dam is acceptable for those comfortable with pathless ground.

River Feshie

The only useable bridges are the road bridge at Feshiebridge and the footbridge south of Stronetoper at NN 850 964.

When approaching from Glen Tromie the best place to ford is around NN 845 918 where it is wide and braided. In normal conditions it is often barely above ankle depth but in spate the whole river is a dangerous and uncrossable torrent. The only safe alternative is to divert north to the Stronetoper bridge adding 9km (if your overnight halt point is Ruigh-aiteachean bothy).

Fords of Avon and inflows to Loch Avon

The Fords of Avon (A’an) NJ 042 031 are a boots off wade at the best of times but can quickly become impassable. Diverting west in the hope of circumventing Loch Avon (A’an) is not an option as its feeder burns (Feith Buidhe and Garbh Uisge Mor) are also likely to be dangerous to ford. There is no easy solution – see the Multiday FWA section for ideas.

Which routes do not need a FWA?
Monadhliath – Matthew King

Sometimes we have to be a bit pragmatic as some routes which may be borderline for needing an FWA do not have easy alternatives and it would be very rare for conditions to be so extreme that they would not be feasible. The following do not generally need an FWA though a few, might be best avoided if you are not comfortable with pathless ground.

  • Corrieyairick Pass goes up to 770m but has a clear track all the way. On rare occasions some burn crossing may be tricky in spate.
  • Monadhliath Hills. We accept routes without FWAs as long as they handrail burns where possible and utilize cols rather than going along ridges. When crossing the Monadhliath north of the Corriyairick it is almost impossible to avoid some short sections of pathless walking.
  • Shoulder of Bynack More. This route through to Glen Avon from Loch Morlich goes up to 790m, but exposure at that level is relatively short.
  • Spittal of Glen Muick to Tarfside via Shielin of Mark. Although there is a pathless stretch of several kilometres, this is a well used route and should be within the capabilities of all Challengers.
  • Capel Mounth rises to 680m and is quite exposed to the elements for 3-4km but is on a good track all the way.
  • Clova to Tarfside – the most marginal of all is the “path” from above Lock Brandy, which is feint, only marked by small cairns, and is over 800m for 6km. This is not a foul weather option for the inexperienced Challenger. If you are not comfortable with pathless ground in poor visibility you should avoid planning a route to Clova, as there is no satisfactory alternative.
Multi-day FWAs
Shielin of Mark – Gerena Sumen

It isn’t always easy to make your FWA for a section join up with your main route before its overnight halt problem. You may therefore need a multi-day FWA which joins up with your main route in 2-3 days.

In our experience, it is rare for an FWA to last more than this so if you can’t make it connect back to your main route within 3 days ask the Coordinators or your Vetter for advice.

Presenting multiday FWAs on your route sheet can also be tricky – take a look at the Filling in Your Route Sheet – FWAs YouTube for guidance and examples of how to do it.

Below we give acceptable solutions to the most common multiday FWA conundrums:

Lairig Ghru/ Cairngorm plateau

This is quite a conundrum as you cannot use the Lairig Ghru or the Lairig an Laoigh (because of Fords of Avon) as a FWA. The solution depends on your next destination and spotting a bad forecast relatively early. Both the routes below are beautiful routes in their own right – even in the rain!

Aiming for Braemar – The only solution from Aviemore/Coylumbridge is to head down via Loch an Eilein or the Speyside Way to Glen Feshie and then follow Glen Geldie to the River Dee and Braemar. It will take most people 2.5-3 days which is generally half a day more than traversing the Larigh Ghru so it is worth building a Braemar rest day into your main route to allow for this.

If you have Kingussie or Newtonmore on your route you can head for directly for Glen Feshie saving considerable time and distance.

Aiming for Ballater – From Aviemore the best option is via the path over the shoulder of Bynack More then along Glens Avon, Builg and Gairn over 3 days.

Fords of Avon

Not a problem if you are aiming for Ballater but if Braemar is essential to your route then you’ve a long diversion ahead as you cannot rely on being able to divert around the western end of Loch Avon as the inflow burns also need an FWA.

You will need to go east via Glen Avon the south via Glen Builg to Invercauld Bridge then west to Braemar. It will take many people an extra half or full day

Our advice if you have the Fords of Avon on your route. Don’t make Braemar an essential stop but think of Ballater instead. If Braemar is essential build in a spare day there.

Jock’s Road / Cairn an t’Saigairt Mor / Lochnagar

Firstly, we advise looking at the forecast in Braemar before committing to a trip to Lochcallater Lodge. The commonest solution is:

Braemar – Lion’s Face- Invercauld Bridge – Gelder Shiel Bothy – Spittal of Glenmuick – Shielin of Mark – Muckle Cairn – Glen Lee – Tarfside.

Note: There is a pathless section between the Allt Darrarie and Muckle Cairn. The route takes most people 2 to 2.5 days

Got a bed at Clova? That’s a bit of a problem. We do accept the Capel Road path without an FWA but it makes for two much longer days from Braemar and in truly extreme weather you may prefer to give up you bed and head for Tarfside (not forgetting to tell Challenge Control and the Clova hotel of your change in plan).

If your knees really don’t want to do any rufty-tufty stuff after Braemar, talk to Challenge Control. Re-routing along the Deeside Way may be your friend.

Escape Routes

If your route takes in a long ridge or stays high for several days, what are you going to do if the weather turns. This is where it’s helpful to add some escape routes from your main route to your FWA.

For example, if you want to walk the Affric ridge, you may plan a high camp part way along. If you wake up to poor weather how will you escape to your FWA?

Sometimes you may be on an entirely different FWA until it can reconnect with your main route or main FWA. It can get complicated but if you need advice look at the Route Sheet FWA YouTube or contact the Coordinators for advice.