Here's the thing about November in Scotland. Half the hill still looks like autumn, the top bit is dusted white, and everyone's itching to get on the ice. Most people wait until the routes fill in, then try to learn everything in one frantic weekend. That's where it goes wrong. The smarter move is to practise the dull stuff now, while the snow is soft enough to forgive you. Scottish winter mountaineering rewards people who turn up with the basics sorted, and November is when