Adventures With Friends: 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!