Trad – Misty Mountain Hop

Hell Bent for Winter on Judas Priest, Lochnagar

6 Dec

Storm Arwen and the following week of cold west and northerly winds has brought many mixed climbing venues into good early season condition. We wanted to climb on a crag facing the prevailing winds in the hope the rock would...
Read more »

A Menagerie on Dinosaur Pink Elephant, Creag an Dubh Loch

3 Sep

It’s a rare Scottish summer that facilitates multiple visits to the seepy sweeps of Creag an Dubh Loch’s granite shields, but after our success on Dubh Loch Monster we were keen for more. Much scheming ensued and we eventually plotted...
Read more »

Less Hesitation on The Pause, Etive Slabs

6 Jul

Four years ago, Ric and I had a minor epic on The Pause (E1 5b), when we optimistically attempted it in damp conditions and then got lost on the psychologically taxing pitch 4. Terrifying stuff in fact. A rematch was...
Read more »

Maximum Granite Weirdness on the Dubh Loch Monster

29 Apr

The Scottish mountains under the spell of a spring high pressure system are a special place – within two weeks we had gone from icy gullies on Lochnagar to contemplating big rock routes on Creag an Dubh Loch. Could it...
Read more »

Salbitchin’ on the Sudgrat

26 Sep

Following some great routes but mixed weather in the Grimsel Pass, the perfect window presented itself for a much bigger mountain objective. The famous Sudgrat of the Salbitschijen was the ideal target, with its 16 pitches offering 600m of golden granite...
Read more »

It all came together on The Hoarmaster and The Message

22 Jan

When it all comes together there really is nowhere else I would rather be winter climbing than Scotland. Even if that does mean another trip to the ever-reliable Norries… Cold north-westerlies earlier in the week had rimed the buttresses facing...
Read more »

More Than We Bargained For on Parallel Gully A, Lochnagar

21 Dec

It’s becoming a common theme that my first winter routes are getting later and later and more and more challenging conditions-wise. The start to this season has been characterized by short cold snaps and strong thaws and it was right after one...
Read more »

Feeding the King Rat on Creag an Dubh Loch

13 Jul

Life admin was making a day in the hills difficult and as the incredible run of hot, dry weather continued I began to get cabin fever. Thankfully, the amazing rock climbing conditions showed no sign of disappearing and with psyched...
Read more »

Worth the Wait on Transept Groove, Lochnagar

18 Dec

The first routes of the season had been climbed at the start of November and despite the conditions getting better and better, prior commitments, injury and illness had prevented me from getting out to capitalise on them. With relentless social...
Read more »

Full Value on The Sandpyper Direct

15 Jul

Cool, breezy weather with some sun in prospect meant that the south-facing and quick-drying crags of Stag Rocks were a good choice last weekend. Despite the route’s reputation, The Sandpyper Direct (HVS), with its bold slab climbing and devious line...
Read more »