Trad – Misty Mountain Hop

Worth the Wait on Transept Groove, Lochnagar

18 Dec

Joe valiantly perseveres on what we subsequently realised to be the incorrect start to Judas Priest. The true line climbs the groove to the right before stepping left to avoid the roof.

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...
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Full Value on The Sandpyper Direct

15 Jul

Ric following on the first traverse of pitch 4, trying to remain positive after witnessing a nasty fall below us.

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...
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It’s not over ’til it’s over – The Needle and The Pause

3 Jun

Andy about to begin the bold climbing on the delicate and technical second pitch

Following a long period of dry weather the hottest day of the year was forecast, warranting a day off from work to capitalise on the excellent mountain rock conditions. With recent ascents on the high north facing Shelterstone Crag confirming dry...
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Dolomiti Super Summer

2 Sep

Nearly there! An easy but exciting traverse leads to the exit gully and on to the Ringband - a pitch to savour

As good as the Mt Blanc massif is, four trips in a row seemed a bit much and so at last we got around to making a two week pilgrimage in August to the Dolomites. Managing to nail two of...
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Sun and Stars at Costa del Diabaig

12 Jun

Sustained, well-protected and technical - common themes that would persist on all three of the routes we climbed at this superb crag. Debs on the first pitch of Route Two

With the recent high pressure system bringing hot, dry weather to Scotland, we at last managed to string a few trips together and gradually build up some form. The mountains were calling but having enjoyed a good run of cragging with trips to...
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Ticks in the Glen – Polldubh Crags

29 May

A classic of the crags and one of the best single pitch VS routes we've done - Resurrection

Spring is a great time to go climbing in Glen Nevis – warm dry rock and a distinct lack of midges! It turned out to be even hotter than expected, so we enjoyed two superb days of single and multipitch...
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Gotta Love Spring – Sunny Curved Ridge, Icy White Line

24 Mar

Sitting at my desk while high pressure brought a week of great weather and climbing conditions to the west coast was torture! Luckily the high was forecast to stay put for the weekend, so it was two relieved climbers who...
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Hit and Miss but Always Stunning in Torridon

18 Feb

Another view of the same section and about the time we realized this wasn't a grade IV pitch...

The West Buttress (IV, 4) rematch was on! Conditions were good, the forecast excellent and schemes were hatched – we would arrive on Thursday night, blitz Beinn Eighe Friday and enjoy two leisurely days of Liathach ice over the weekend....
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Left or Right? Unsure and off Centrist, Lochnagar

1 Feb

A prolonged thaw followed by a few days of stormy weather meant options for winter climbing last weekend were going to be relatively limited. Figuring that the north east facing coire of Lochnagar would have at least accumulated some snow...
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Savage Slit and Silver Linings

14 Dec

Keen as we were to get our season kicked off, it was great to see fresh snow, cold temperatures and a perfect forecast coinciding nicely to give a weekend of mixed climbing action! Being high and exposed, Coire an Lochain in the Northern...
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