21 April - Ardverikie Wall

Sarah and I headed to the ultra-classic Ardverikie Wall last Thursday for some fantastic multipitch action. We arranged to meet in the car park, and in a dramatic role reversal, Sarah was 15 mins early and I was 15 mins late!

Ardverikie Wall takes the long clean slab in the centre.

We walked round to the base of the climb in about 90 minutes and found it quite busy - there were 3 parties on the route, two 3s and a 2. The 3 just above us were older climbers and provided good company on the route, one of them had done the route 40 years previously! We sunbathed for 20 minutes before starting out behind them and climbed at the same pace for most of the route.

The first pitch is short and fairly easy and takes you up to the base of the slab under some roofs, where I found a good belay on a tree root.

The second pitch is where the real climbing starts. You traverse left under the roofs, then go straight up on steep cracks on really unusual and fun rock. The holds here are large tufas and flakes. The steepness is short lived and soon you arrive at the base of an immaculate slab. Here I found a tufa feature with a hole right through the middle, which provided a good thread runner. The slab above is quite easy (Diff/V Diff) but totally unprotected for about 15m. The rock is fantastic though with loads of holds and the friction is excellent. You reach a small ledge and flake belay.

At the base of the bold slab on pitch 2.

Nearing the end of pitch 2.

The third pitch has to be one of the best pitches I've climbed. It follows a soaring flake line, providing good gear, before a slight steepening with bucket jugs leading to good gear and a delicate traverse leftwards onto the belay ledge. Truly fantastic rock and moves with increasing exposure.

Leading up near the top of the flake on pitch 3.

We chilled out a bit here as the belay ledge after the fourth pitch is small and was occupied. I think I went slightly the wrong way on this pitch. There are twin diagonal cracks leading up and right, with an obvious foot ledge underneath. Copying the climbers in front I climbed with my hands in the diagonal cracks and feet smearing on nothing underneath which felt hard and scary and at least 4c. I think the route traverses the foot ledge before easier moves lead to the same place. Sarah did it completely differently again, with her feet in the diagonal cracks and hands on not much but made it look very easy. After the crux this pitch is straightforward with great gear and climbing.

Beyond the crux on pitch 4.

The belay between the fourth and fifth pitch is a fun hanging belay from a spike, and the fifth pitch is a relatively short 20m up to a grassy terrace. I found the start of the pitch quite run out (perhaps 6-7m from the belay to the first gear) and a bit tricky. After you gain a slight corner it is easier and leads onto a broad grassy terrace.

The sixth pitch is on a slab which is disconnected from the main slab, and gives easier climbing for 20m before the angle relents and you can walk up without your hands. Sarah decided to lead this, placing 2 bits of gear in the 40m pitch thus beating my run-out on pitch 2. We topped out about 4 hours after starting.

Sarah nearing the top of the 6th and final pitch.

The weather throughout was almost perfect, sunny and warm, though occasional gusts of wind were a bit disconcerting. I'd never worn my present rock shoes for such a length of time and found they had been pinching the outside of my feet quite badly. In fact my feet were quite swollen and I struggled to walk for quite a bit, much to Sarah's amusement. Totally worth it though!

Topping out!

An amazing route, with fantastic sustained pitches. There is nothing much technically hard, but a couple of bold sections probably make it scrape in HS for me. I can't recommend it enough!

Tom Riach boulder

Tom Riach boulder is a large conglomerate boulder which sits in some woods about 10 minutes from my house - very convenient for study breaks! I've been trying this traverse since I was about 17 so it's nice to get it done finally!

There's another video of me trying from years ago on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTC5A8xH23E) and it's clear to see that I was never going to do it then as I had no technique whatsoever!

14 April - Castle Ridge

Having studied for a few days since coming back from Gairloch it was time for another day out. My dad and I decided on Castle Ridge, it was recently reported to be in summer condition and the forecast for Thursday was not bad (at least in the afternoon).

The cloud base of 200m when we set off from the North Face carpark was not encouraging but the mist seemed to lift with us as we walked towards the CIC hut and we reached the bottom of the route 1.5 hours later.

The wet north face of Ben Nevis, not much snow left.

We crossed the Allt a' Mhuillin and headed straight up a scree rake emerging from a gully, then a diagonal grassy rake to reach the point where the gullies dropping from the left and right of the castle meet. Here we had to cross a snow patch, then a bergshrund of sorts, before traversing out onto the crest of the ridge. The rocks were so wet and slippey, and the cloud so thick that at this point we considered turning round. However on reaching the crest of the ridge the scrambling looked friendly and easy so we carried on - a positive attitude goes a long way in Scotland!

Castle Ridge from just below the CIC hut. The snow patch with the bergshrund is visible middle left.

We didn't find the route description we had very useful. Shortly after we joined the ridge we came across a steep step overlooking an open corner which dropped into the gully on the left. The obvious way up was a steep slightly wet corner which gave great climbing at Mod/Diff standard. The guide didn't mention this at all, perhaps there was an easier way, but we couldn't find it. The ridge then leans back a bit, giving easy Grade 1/2 scrambling before you get to the crux, again not well described by our guide. We followed the crampon scratches up behind a large block, then diagonally rightwards across a cracked slab and followed a ledge rightwards. We then made an exposed step onto a block and then went up a chimney past a rusty peg - this was the best bit - steep and very exposed scrambling on huge holds. After this there is a short and awkward chimney before the ridge flattens and narrows to the plateau. 

Above the crux step, final chimney to come.

The (awkward) final chimney.

All in all a great route, the vast majority is grade 1/2 scrambling with little exposure due to the broadness of the ridge. The moderate grade comes from the two steep sections which are only about 15m long, but quite exposed. The rock on the crest was quite dry despite the lack of friction lower down. We pitched two bits - the steep corner low down and the crux, and I was glad of the rope. Perhaps if the rock was drier it would feel ok without.

7.5 hours round trip and another route ticked off!

10 April - Anthrax Flake

Was staying at Gairloch for the weekend with some friends. Having done An Teallach in perfect weather on Saturday we fancied something involving a bit less walking so went to Jetty Crag. The weather was perfect, even too hot at times!

Nice belay view.

Jetty Crag goes straight up the face of the crag facing the road. It's steep and a bit polished at the bottom. The holds are massive, though difficult to spot from below, and the gear is really good.

Just past the steep bit on Anthrax Flake.

Once above the steep section there are a few tricky moves past slabby overlaps and then you scramble up to a nice belay. A great route!