A quick hit on Ben Nevis today with Will. We climbed Gremlins, just next to Thompson's Route. I had a good look at it yesterday and in fact I've been eyeing it up for years now waiting for it to ice up. Today was the day and it was a great climb.

Will led the first pitch with a nice bulge half way up. The second pitch was more sustained but never too full-on, just a little thought provoking with the slightly variable ice. The snow is now solid everywhere and there is some great climbing on offer. Orion Direct and Astral Highway look brilliant and have no cornice or avalanche danger at all now. 

Brilliant weather and great climbing today for Mike and me on Ben Nevis. It's been a while since Mike has been out climbing but with what he's been through it was great to share such a good day with him on his return to climbing.

The clouds did not clear last night so there was no frost and the snow low down was quite soft and wet still. Higher up it was cold enough though and on Thompson's Route the ice was great for climbing. It was dripping a little still but really not much. The last pitch was on perfect snow and ice. On top we soaked up the warm sunshine and admired the view before enjoying the best slide down the Red Burn I've had for a while. A top day.

There were not many other people out and the Orion Face was empty. Big cornices still threaten the climbs from Hadrian's Wall Direct to Point Five Gully which is a shame because it looks like Nemesis is iced up. Dave, Ezra and Arlo had fun and enjoyed the sunshine on NE Buttress.

There are cornices above the cascades still and many of the gullies on Number Three Gully Buttress and Creag Coire na Ciste. They are reasonably stable but you would not want one to fall off while you are underneath due to their size.

Vanishing Gully is complete but thin and probably a bit cruddy. Italian Right Hand was climbed today and looked good. Tower Ridge also had a few ascents as did Gremlins.

Blue sky this morning gave way to cloud and light drizzle for much of the day. The wind dropped but it was still a soggy that will be consolidating the soft snow quite nicely. Alex, Yasin and I are ticking off the great ridges of Ben Nevis with one climb each year. We have done Ledge Route and Tower Ridge so today it was Castle Ridge.

The wind yesterday scoured much of the soft snow from the ridge and indeed much of the Castle Coire seemed to be scoured too. The Castle was back to the old snow as well as what I could see of the slope above The Shroud. So the climbing on Castle Ridge was not buried, there was just enough snow to make it a bit footery. The first crux corner had some snow in it but the main crux chimney was mostly just rock. Good fun climbing though and a good introduction to technical mixed climbing for Yasin and Alex.

Dave, Ezra and Arlo climbed Douglas Boulder SW Ridge including the steep first pitch. This is much more mixed than it was before the big thaw a week ago giving entertaining climbing all the way up. Looks like sunshine and colder temperatures tomorrow and Thursday.