Pentlands avalanche warning: Hills 'still risky' after snow spotted tumbling down Turnhouse

Dave Wright, leader of Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team (MRT), took a photo yesterday from his home in Penicuik after an avalanche yesterday on the south side of Turnhouse Hill.

But despite the snow melting in some areas, Dave says that is still the danger than another avalanche could occur.

He said that other hills in the wider region could also see similar avalanches which could easily sweep walkers off their feet or bury them under snow.

He said: “It's not just about Turnhouse, it's about similar slopes in the area at a similar angle and facing a similar direction.

“If the conditions are right then there's real risk it could happen.

“It's certainly still a risk, there's a lot of snow on the open slope.”

Dave also warned that avalanches are often more likely in the afternoon when the sun has had longer to melt the snow and weaken its bond with the ground.

But he added that the risks should hopefully lessen over the coming days.

“What we have here is snow which was reasonably dense and wet and it's weakly bonded. But what we're expecting over the next couple of days is that it will become more consolidated and firmer. It'll be a little more stubborn and a little more stable, and less of a risk."

However, in the meantime, Dave urged anyone up in the hills to take care as the danger still remains.

"Our caution would be to anyone like boarders or skiers who might venture up there to be careful.

"If you go off the paths then there could be risks

“Avalanches aren't that uncommon in the Scottish Borders and the Cheviots.

"It may not be those large powder events that you may see in the movies.

“It's more likely to be slab type avalanches where plates of snow form and break away, like a seismic shifts.”For more information on avalanches, go to the Scottish Avalanche Information Service website: www.sais.gov.uk/