A close encounter in the Cullins

We started up the awesome CD ROM.  A lovely slab leads to a steep chimney with a couple of loose rocks wedged in.  As I pulled up, a sizable lose rock came towards me, before I could ram it back in, it tumbled past me, crashing below into 3 pieces and flying past Emma and Calum belaying below.  I haven’t a clue how it missed them, but it did and that is all that mattered.

Emma shimmying up CD ROM, HVS 5a, after the flying rock episode

We ploughed on up an incredibly exposed rib, up to the top with stunning views down the corrie and into Glen Brittle.  Apart from the frightening rock experience, it was a great route to have climbed.

Safe at the next belay ready for the exposed rib on CD ROM

The great thing about Sron na Ciche is each epic climbs ends at the base of the next.  We decided to tackle Shagri-La, a soaring corner crack line.  The first couple of pitches went with no bother then the third presented a battle.  I hastily set off up an awesome looking crack which passes through a looming overhang. The guide said ‘climb the overhang direct in a superb position’.  That I did, however with a huge amount of difficulty.  I slapped, crimped and swore my way through the crux then the tension released with a woop.  I had made the belay.  On inspection of the guide, the actual line, non-surprisingly followed the huge corner to the right.  Doh!

Calum and Emma on varying line of Shangri-La, VS 4c***

One more pitch and we reached the top to walk back into Glen Brittle in incredible sunshine.  ‘Just like the Alps’ we thought.

Emma and Calum enjoy views into Glen Brittle from the top of Sron na Ciche

The Alps?

My Magical Midsummer Microadventure

Alastair Humphries is currently running a "Summer Solstice Microadventure" challenge to encourage folk into the outdoors around the summer solstice.

I jumped at the chance and went off on a spontaneous adventure into the hills near Whitewave.

The idea was to squeeze an adventure between the end of work and the start of work the next day.

Here is the result...

Hello Skye

I've been on Skye now for nearly 3 weeks and it has been awesome.  Working at Whitewave Outdoor Center is great fun and best of all there has been a bit of time to squeeze in some advenmtures.

Emma (a fellow instructor) and I headed over to Sron na Ciche, in the Cullins, for an awesome day.  The cliff is 1km wide and 300m high so we opted for a mega 4 route linking day.  We started on the amazing Cioch Grooves, then climbed Arrow Route under the Cioch (a huge lump of rock resting on a steep slab).

Emma squeezing over the crux of Cioch Groves, HVS **

The day then got 10 times better when we climbed the four started classic, Integrity.  After passing a bulge, you pull onto a steep slab with an epic crack line all the way up.  The gear is fab and situation even better.  Awesome climb!

The incredible Integrity, VS**** with The Cioch on far left.

We then scooted up one more route to the top of the crag.  Epic day.

Got to love the Cullins

Our local crag is a 15min drive away and has some great little routes on it.  We have now climbed all of the easy classics in our evenings and next time have our eyes on an awesome climb.  It involves shimmying up a toppled pillar that bridges a huge cave/ tunnel thing that passes 20m through the cliff.  Can't wait. 

Awesome climbing at Floodigarry

Laura came for a few days to tour round skye so it was great to catch up and do some cool stuff.

We visited the Quiraing, which is an impressive landslide feature made from a 70million year old lava flow from the Cullin Ridge volcano.  We found a great lion to clamber on and explored the immense cliffs and rock towers.

Lions keeping watch over the Quiraing

With bad weather forecast, we decided that a spot of sea paddling was in order.  The cliff line that we explored, north of Staffin, had tons of caves, arches, stacks and tunnels on it.  It was great fun poking the double sea kayak into the holes and hearing the crash of waves at the back.

Laura exploring the incredibly diverse coastline on the northern tip of Skye

Thanks Emma and Laura for a great intro to Whitewave.

Cullin Main Traverse

"The Cuillin Ridge Traverse is a magnificent climb following a continuous 12km ridge crest from one end to the other. It is an alpine-style route unlike anything else in the UK." Mike Lates - Skye Guides

Moving quickly without bags to reach the official start of the 'Main Traverse'.

This adventure has been on the list for a couple of years now.  The hype and difficulty that surrounds the traverse made it a very appealing challenge.  Before we set off, we were both very nervous but excited with the perfect conditions.  For me, I knew that Huw had completed many 24h challenges before and even more mountain marathons so I was apprehensive as to weather I would be holding him back. 
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Re-hydrating wherever possible

After a 3am start in Glen Britle, we reached the ridge above Loch Coir’ a’ Ghrunnda.  We dumped our bags and made a quick out and back dash to bag the first summit of the ridge, Gars-bheinn. It was amazing to finally be on the ridge and moving, with no one else to be seen, all of the nerves subsided and the challenge began.

Wriggling out of the TD gap

 I was very grateful to have Huw with me, as he had learned every detail of the route, including little dodges to make life easier if required.  The first major hurdle was the TD gap.  A polished, flared, off width which before abseiling into the gap, looked very overhung for a V. Diff.  After some squirming and squealing we were soon on our way again.

Classic In Pin shot

The next kilometer of scrambling over Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and Sgurr Alasdair was a joy, before reaching the base of the iconic Inaccessible Pinnacle.  We chose to move together up the Mod. to the summit and spent time getting that  classic summit shot on the teetering top rock.

Abseiling off the most iconic Munro?

It was great to able to move quickly for the next few hours, over stunningly jagged peaks, in perfect sunshine.  Slowly,  more of the ridge began to appear in our mirrors and the water bottles got worryingly lighter.  After 6 hours, we reached the mid point of the traverse, An Dorus, where a much needed re-fuel of Huw's tasty granola occurred. 

We were both very happy with progress, but feeling the strain, both physically and mentally, from the continuous nature of the terrain.

The hard scrambling and route finding ramped up again, negotiating Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh and the 3 subsequent tops.  By now water was running low so occasional detours to collect snow from the gullies was required.  This mix of stale snow, grit and gunk wasn’t the purest of water but a welcome relief to our tiring bodies.

Leaping across deep cravases on the ridg

We met more and more people as the day grew on, passing another team traveling N-S and lots of other folk enjoying the hills.  We battled on before the towering Bhastier Tooth stopped us in our tracks.  We had been on the go for 15h, our bodies slowing and brains shutting down.  The classic V. Diff, 'Naismith’s Route' fought us off and our alternative Mod. also seemed like too much so we had to skirt the Tooth and summit Am Baster from the East.

Sgurr nan Gillean was now within reach, the end of our traverse, only a mod scramble away.  We had to keep reminding ourselves to keep safe and watch our footing because in our tired states, things could go wrong quickly.  We reached our summit though an awesome little “rock window” and stood proudly on the top of the last summit of the traverse. 

It took us 13h 45mins to negotiate the ridge labyrinth and the view back over the jagged summits was breathtaking.

The ridge with the In Pin far left.

We arrived back at the Sligachan Car park 19h after leaving Glen Brittle, beating our target time of 20h, with weary smiles very sore feet.

Huge thanks to Huw Oliver for pushing me on when I needed it and for his incredible route finding skills.  I can't wait to go on another mission together!

Adventures with Amy

Before heading off to the misty isle, it was great to squeeze in a couple of days climbing with Amy.  We climbed at Dunkeld with Laura and Huw en-route to Glen Coe.

Beautiful evening in Glen Coe

Joined by Robert Kincaid, we headed up to do the classic 225m, Severe on Bauchaille Etive Mor, Crowberry Ridge Direct Route.  It was an awesome ridge line enjoying 4 seasons of weather as we occasionally caught glimpses of Rannoch Mor behind us.

Amy at the top of Curving Crack, Aonach Dubh

Aonach Dubh, was our next port of call.  A stunning SE facing crag in Glen Coe, which with the sun beaming in made any climb we did there memorable.  We notched up 8* worth of climbing including, Spider Right Hand VS***, which was a joy to lead.

Amy powering through the crux of Storm HVS ****

After a night at Amy’s house in Oban, Polldubh Crags was next on the hit list, we warmed up on Vampire HS* then manned up to climb Storm HVS****.  The second pitch is an awesome diagonal 4c crackline leading up to the belay which leads into a steep pull through a roof in a stunning situation. Amazing.  We finished with Pantom Slab VS**, which has an incredible crimpy, laybacky slab final pitch.  Awesome finish to an awesome day.

Phantom Slab 

What better way to end 4 days of top climbing than a trip to 'The Ben'.  Unfortunately the climb that we were aiming for remained hidden in the mist that hovered in the corrie.  Instead we opted for Douglas Boulder Direct Route VD**.  It was great climb but I am keen to get back and stuck into the Trident Buttress again.

A gloomy North Face

Thanks Amy for an awesome few days.