Thanks to Spike Sellers for this photo of the top section of Curved Ridge, taken today. The snow encrustations in the background are of Crowberry Tower. The weather was fine, but breezy and very cold.

Thanks to Patrick Scanlon for this photo taken on his i-Phone camera on the summit plateau of Nevis today.

The snow on Ben Nevis is well down.

A fair sized cornice is lurking at the top of No 5 Gully.

Point Five detail. I doubt if the material is very well bonded. A few teams were out valiantly ploughing deep furrows. One on Tower Ridge, another going towards No 2 Gully and plenty of tracks on Ledge Route.

Winds in excess of 100 mph and plentiful rain forecast over the next couple of days. Maybe easing off at the weekend and a definite trend towards snow on the tops.

Finally home from our short trekking holiday in Nepal. Below are a few photos to give an idea of our experience. Our whole trip was very well organised by Himalayan Guides They even set up trips to Delhi and Taj Mahal and the Red Fort at Agra. I cannot recommend them more highly and would use them again without question. Also, rather than try to offer advice on trekking projects and problems which might surface, just read the extremely detailed Lonely Planet – Trekking in Nepal

Even if you are trekking alone, please consider using porters, as they make such a big difference.

Kangchenpo (Tilman’s Fluted Peak) offered us inspiration towards the head of the Langtang valley

Kyangjin Gompa at 3749m was a resting place before moving up to a higher camp.

As it was autumn time, very few flowers appeared. I believe these to be a form of Gentian.

Our Sirdar NawaRaj on left and the superb cook Hasta Tamang on right. This was the one day of poor weather we experienced on the whole trip.

The whole team to support four of us. Ten porters, one Sirdar, one cook and three cook helpers. Langtang Lirung and Kimshung on the skyline.

Clouds of Snow Pigeon often littered the sky.

A CowYak cross.

Abinash (centre), with one of his brothers (left). This guy was always smiling, even though he got the smelly task of carrying the cooking stoves and kerosene, which were not properly sealed.

Nepali kids just love to see themselves in video.

No problems with grey-haired old men taking pictures of smiling children in Nepal.

We had hired our own transport to travel from Kathmandu to the trekking area. Much quicker than the local bus. We took seven hours. The bus only costs around £1.00.

The handbrake on our vehicle.

Sunset from the Taj Mahal.

More photos to follow as time permits.

Just arrived in Kathmandu Namaste and the weather is very fine.

A holiday with friends will take us to the Langtang Valley for twelve days trekking and some simple peaks hopefully. More to follow on our return.

We have employed Himalayan Guides to organise this small trip for four of us and so far the service has been very satisfactory and included, airport transfers, a good hotel and various sight-seeing trips in this bustling capital of Nepal.