mild winters in this country usually mean zonal dross with days, weeks, months of rain and mist.. yuck
And wind-storms, which bring their own interest. Although I'll freely admit they're probably just as disruptive to the general population as snow.
Why I don't like mild winters
http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/tac/tac48/talesfro.htm
A foot of rain fell on me - and my ice axe, crampons and severe cold weather gear - that night
Yes, I've been in a similar situation in the Cuillin. We set off from Slig in about 20cms of level snow that had fallen overnight to meet up with some mates at the bothy at Coruisk for a birthday party. This was early November, so the snow at sea level was quite early. Everything was iced up under the snow, it was a nightmare hike. In the end we had to turn back and decided to console ourselves with a few drams by the fire at the slig hotel (the nice bit). My boot laces were iced up when we got to the hotel, had to thaw them out to get them undone.
So, headed off home and woke up the next day to wet, wet, wet. It had rained all night, and a very rapid thaw took place. When my mates finally got out of Coruisk they told us of the nightmare journey, and basically got soaked with all their ice gear. How the weather changed from frozen to mild!
Ah, the West Highlands weather......fond memories of very changeable weather day. No harm was done in the end though
To keep on thread, no idea about this winter.....time will tell.