For the last month, I have been spending as much time in the mountains of Scotland as possible to prepare for my winter mountain leader training. This has given me a fantastic opportunity to be out in the best snow I have seen in many years (including skiing in the Alps). Although the snow has been great all the way through, it has been hard going on some (if not all) the days. The depth of snow has been phenomenal. Some days it has been shin-deep, which is fine, but other days it has been up to my hips. The result is, after carrying my kit through the snow, I am now fitter than I was after Christmas. I would recommend winter walking and mountaineering as a great form of fitness training as it is both a good workout and great fun – particularly when your friends aren’t expecting to be hit by snowballs.