Perhaps the most stand out climbing memory for me this year was another sensational Scottish mountain trad trip with Rafe to the North West Highlands (you can read more about that here). After a few days climbing on the coast we headed inland to the wild and ill-frequented Fionaven cliffs in search of adventure and solitude, both of which we found more of than either of us were expecting! Other great days include craggin' in the Lakes and on the crags around Stirling. Thanks to everybody that came out and held my ropes (and put up with my bad jokes!).
Anyway! Without further ad-hue...
10 - Storm (HVS 5a), Glen Nevis
A Glen Nevis classic that needs no introduction. Storm climbs one of the biggest buttresses in the valley in 3 very contrasting pitches. It does however have the worlds most awkward tree belay.. hang off a high branch with your legs in mid air, or wedge yourself between the tree and rock and prepare for the biggest changover faff ever. Its your choice! Thankfully that hanging finger crack is so good it makes it all worth while!
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| Ed climbing the fantastically steep and juggy second pitch crack on Storm, Glen Nevis |
9 - Breakaway (E1, 5b), Lord Raey's Seat
Breakaway is perhaps the only route I'll ever put in a top 10 for the adventure factor alone. While the rock on this route was some of the worst I've ever climbed, the positions were outstanding and the buzz you got from surviving the thing when you topped out was euphoric. What made this even more amazing was the fact we were probably 20 miles from the nearest human, a similar distance to the nearest road and over 50 miles to the nearest hospital. What a place to be out on the edge climbing the biggest pile of jenga known to man!
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| The very wild and remote Lord Raey's Seat. Breakaway climbs a run a grooves and shattered pillars left of the main buttress |
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| The first pitch of Breakaway. From here it appears solid, but then again looks can be deceiving! |
8 - Tainted Elixir (V,6), Ben Cruachan
First of the winter routes.. and this one is a belter! Set high on the far side of a munro, Tainted Elixir climbs the Cairngorm like north face in 2 pitches with hooks abound and exposure to boot. Ironically its altitude and aspect make this a great option for the early season as it comes into condition quickly, unfortunately we missed that memo and slugged up through snow from pretty much the hydro station, only to find the whole face buried under a thick layer of powder. Since neither of Rafe or I are very good at making sensible decision in situations such as this, we decided to go and have a look as we'd made the effort to get all the way up there. The omens were good because as soon as we'd abseiled in and looked at the route, Rafe realized he'd forgotten half the rack. A bit of frantic wading and some standing star jumps later we got started and had a total battle with iced up and buried cracks. At that point i'd not climbed much tech 6 so didn't know any better, but looking back now conditions were probably VI,6/7, to the point where the crux overhand (which wasn't buried) was actually one of the easiest bits..
The day was made all the more exciting by almost getting avalanched on the walk out. We'd taken every precaution possible and even changed our route down based on how snow was accumulating. However the mountains have the final say, but thankfully we were lucky that day.
7 - Gobi Roof (E2 5c), Forth Quarry
Gobi Roof is not in here for any other reason than me being happy to get this one ticked. A long time ambition really. If you're in the area and like overhangs and crimps then this route is for you.
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| Ed pulling through the crux roof on Gobi Roof, Forth Quarry |
With hindsight climbing an esoteric sea stack on the Berwick coast in January may have not been particularly well thought out.. However slimy and guano covered rock never really hurt anyone did it so we definitely felt it was worth a look!
The Souter is a slender 25 meter sea stack east of Edinburgh and is climbed via a variety of lines, with the most popular being the atypical sea stack name "Ordinary Route"... very imaginative... Not! Its climbed in a single pitch from the seaward side via a blind and slimy groove. The rock is a little dubious but its generally not that bad considering the entire thing is essentially a product of rock failure and erosion. The hardest bit is actually getting to the base of the pitch, which involves climbing a little vertical wall at the base which is greasy and has a landing that is essentially in the sea.
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| The slender sea stack known as The Souter situated just along the coast from Edinburgh |
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| Moving up towards the crux groove on the seaward "Ordinary Route" on the Souter |
5 - Iolaire (HVS 5a), Creag Urbhard, Fionaven
Woah, Iolaire must be the only route ever to make one of my "top 5" routes having less than 2 stars for quality! Yes its loose, yes its green and yes its probably not to many peoples tastes BUT it has unrivaled exposure and a crux pitch that will keep you smiling for days. After all who doesn't love a hanging 5b chimney!?
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| Basecamp at Fionaven. We camped here for a week and were blessed with sunshine and absolutely no midges whatsoever! |
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| Rafe moving up and below the large roof on the second pitch traverse of Iolaire up on Fionaven |
More bold spice than a vindaloo but none the less, utterly absorbing climbing up the blunt arete of one of Glen Nevis's most scenic bits of rock. SSD climbs the left side of a huge corner of overlapping slabs in as many as 3 pitches and is well worth seeking out, being characterised by precarious and thin climbing with pretty spaced gear!
I climbed this with Ed late in the summer. The whole day seemed pretty unlikely given the multitude of rainstorms we'd driven through in the morning getting to the crag. Thankfully the sun soon came out and dried things out just enough for us to give it a go. The first pitch sees you step off a ledge above an overhang onto a cramped slab with small holds and even smaller gear - however this was no problem for Ed who danced up it! The second pitch is as bold as its run-out but has just enough positive edges to keep you going until you eventually reach the sanctuary of the half-way ledge. After that its glorious jug hauling in a superb position.
Have I sold it to you yet?
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| Ed on the exciting first pitch of Secretaries' Superdirect, Glen Nevis |
3 - Crest Route (V,7), Glen Coe
Unbelievable. Probably the most outrageously positioned winter climb (and summer climb?) I've ever done. Its also quite hard which all in all makes for one hell of a day out!
I was speechless at the top, so i'll remain speechless now. If you want to know what its all about I suggest you go and find out!
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| Murlio pulling into the crux groove on Crest Route in Glen Coe |
A huge, huge day on one of the biggest mountaineering challenges in the UK. The crux is low, which helps, but even then you've got a lot of intermittently technical ground to cover before things totally ease back. We did this route in a one day push from Stirling, leaving at 3 and getting back after midnight. One of the longest days I've ever had in the hills.
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| The north face of Ben Nevis with its winter coat. Observatory Ridge climbs the central ridge just right of the Orion face |
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| One of the tricky mixed sections of the lower ridge |
1 - Atlantic Wall (E1 5b), Am Buachaille
The epitome of adventure. The base of the sea stack Am Buachille must be one of the most remote places in the whole the UK. It might only be 5 miles from the road end, but the road end itself is 3 hours north of Inverness! The stack commands an impressive position at the base of a huge headland, which has to be circumnavigated to the east and involves descending a rubble pile cliff before weaving between waves and sheer walls to the sea channel. All you need to do then is negotiate the north Atlantic swell and cross the 20 meter wide gap between the headland and the stack. Easy when you have a one man inflatable boat!
The classic route up the stack goes at HVS and climbs a line on the landward face. Having climbed this line before I was really keen to sample what other delights the stack had in storr (see what I did there? ha!). As it suggests, Atlantic Wall climbs the more mysterious seaward face, with only the first pitch traverse being visible from the ground. It really was like climbing into the unknown and what a hell of a place to do it!
The first pitch climbs a short tricky crack before making a long traverse out above the frothing ocean cauldron before a few thin rounded moves through a hanging overlap lands you on a small belay perched right on the arete above the waves. The next 2 pitches climb a short and burly hanging crack before a eventually reaching a wall and wider crack, and eventually the summit. The rock on this route is significantly better than the HVS, with reasonable gear to boot.
Sitting on top of that stack and watching the sun melt into the sea was a moment i'll never forget. Let alone this year, the day we had on Atlantic Wall was probably one of the best this decade.
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| Rafe on the first pitch of the superbly positioned Atlantic Wall |
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| The sun setting on our adventure on Am Buachaille |
