“A quiet summer” sums up the majority of my e-mails. There’s so little to report this month that I nearly carried the info over to October but by then we’ll have had the first snows – now there’s a thought!


Cries of protest of damp and dirty rock echoed throughout the Glen - ah, the young, they're such wimps! Guy Roberston & Tim Rankin enjoy evening sunshine on the 80's classic, Eldorado (E5 6a), North Face of Aonach Dubh, Glen Coe.
Photo: copyright Cubby Images

A leader tests his route finding skills on Bullroar (HVS), Carn Dearg, Ben Nevis. At least it's warm and dry.
Photo: copyright Cubby Images

THE OUTER HEBRIDES
Pabbay
Over looked in previous reports, Steve Crowe and Karin Magog spent a great week back in June repeating routes and adding some of their own. The highlight of their trip however was Northumberland Rhapsody (E5 6b,6a,5b) which climbs the right side of the huge wall left of Child of the Sea.

More Steam McPhail (E6 6a) climbs the 30 degree overhanging wall right of the top pitch of Spit in Paradise, courtesy of Rick Campbell and Paul Thorburn and described by Campbell as “very pumpy and well protected – if you can hang around long enough to place the gear”.

Bonxie has received several repeats and, as has previously been suggested, the route is now climbed in one big 45m pitch with a definite crux at the start of the original pitch two.

Commenting on Niall McNair’s new route The Herbaloner, in The Bay Area (given E6 6b), Campbell is of the opinion that he witnessed an on-sight first ascent of an E7. This is based on the apparent serious consequences of a fall and is described by Campbell as an “awesome” effort. If Rick’s view is correct then Herbaloner joins Unknown Soldier on Creag Ghlas (first climbed by Julian Lines in 2002) as the only two on-sight first ascent E7’s ever climbed in Scotland. Worthy of note here is the big pitch on Icon of Lust, Julian’s super route on the Central Slabs of The Shelterstone which was led without any practise, and is graded E8 6b in its own right.
STOP PRESS - Niall McNair has recently assured me that the above climb Herbaloner is definately not E7 in his opinion. My apologies to Niall for using secondhand information.


It's amazing what lengths the Scots will go to for a days climbing - Kenny Grant midged off Binnein Shuas, now on the classic Wide Eyed (E2 5b), Kilt Rock, Skye.
photo: copyright Cubby Images

NORTH WEST HIGHLANDS
Rhue Sea Cliffs
Ian Taylor and Tess Fryer continue their recent love affair at Rhue – (should I re phrase that?). Rhue Barb (E5 6a/b) takes a well protected though strenuous line between Perestroika and Rhue Rhapsody, starting up the big easy corner then going right along break to finish up a thin crack.

APPLECROSS
The South Face of Sgurr a’Chaorachain.
Ross Jones and Andy Nisbet have added a good new route here. Orcrist (E2 5a,5c,4a) takes a crack in the right side wall of the buttress and is said to offer a particularly good second pitch. They also added a new final pitch to Anduril which is now graded (VS 4a,5a,4c,4c,4b).

Loch Tollaidh Crags, Fraggle Wall
Animal Instinct (E1 5a). This bold route starts as for Animal and climbs direct to a cave, finishing up a groove and wall (crucial no.6 Wild Country nut), Ross Jones and party.

Gruinard Crags, Dome Crag
Trevor Wood on-sighted Major Domo, confirming its grade at E6 6b and quality.

CAITHNESS
Raymond Wallace and friends continue to explore this colourful coastline. North of Whilligoe “a stunning looking” tri-coloured cliff christened Napolitan Buttress has yielded a classic two pitch corner to give Layer Cake (HVS). The lads have discovered several other good looking cliffs in the area and are hopeful for an Indian summer so we should have more routes to report from that area next month.

CAIRNGORMS
At last a route in the mountains!

Beinn a’ Bhuird
Ian Small and Simon Richardson have climbed the true right crest of Mitre Ridge (the arête between The Sacrament and Cumming Crofton), and is described by Richardson as brilliant, “one of the best routes I’ve climbed in the mountains for some time”. The crux pitch up the overhanging edge on the right side of the first tower is said to be superb and sensationally exposed. At a reasonable grade of E2 5a,5b,5c,5c – could this be destined to become a future classic?

Cave Crag, Dunkeld
Trevor Wood on-sighted In Loving Memory (E6 6b), finding the thought of being impaled by the tree lurking below the climb’s crux, somewhat off-putting, but a very good climb nevertheless.

Dumbarton Rock
Dave MacLeod’s link-up from 2002 - Tolerence (8b) was repeated by Malcolm Smith and Alan Cassidy who made the second and third ascents respectively.

Largs
At Quadrocks, Largs, Kevin Shields has established a bold E3/4 – no details as yet.

SCOTS ABROAD- well England!
The South Coast – chalk

cScott Scott Muir on the FA of Freedom Fighter, the South Coast.
Photo: copyright Cubby Images

Scott Muir and Kevin Shields visited this area with a view to establishing a new route on the soaring 500 foot, Beachy Head. But sadly the pair had barely removed their rucsacks from their shoulders when they were confronted by representatives of the coastguard, Eastbourne County Council, the Head Ranger and even the local constabulary. So that was the end of that. However, an alternative venue was sought which provided both Scott and Kevin with a new route a piece. Although little in the way of compensation, their experience at Beachy Head at least provided inspiration for route names. Freedom Fighter is thought to be the areas hardest to date taking the widest part of a Volx-like cave. Armed with a new prosthetic, Kevin (who was born without a left hand) established a very respectable companion route immediately to the right of Freedom Fighter.


Kevin Shields - it hurts but it's worth it!
photo: copyright Cubby Images

Chalk grades differ slightly from the internationally accepted M system so basically deduct approx. two grades to find the equivalent. In fear of upsetting the locals, not to mention the local council, I’d rather not expose the whereabouts of this venue. It is however well established and I’m sure that it’s nothing that a little bit of light detective work won’t solve – good luck!


Kevin Shields on the first ascent of his new chalk route on the Dorset coast.
photo: copyright Cubby Images

LAKE DISTRICT
Great Gable
Dave MacLeod has made the third ascent of Breathless (E10 7a), another of John Dunne’s super routes from 2000. Dave said it was brilliant but when I quizzed him about the grade, he somewhat reluctantly replied that it was easier than his own E9’s in Scotland, although the style of climbing suited him. Dave spent two days working the climb on a shunt, then head-pointed the route first try on the third day, placing all protection on the lead.

It’s a while since Dave has made a foray south of the border but he did say to me in a recent conversation that one of the reasons why he stopped going to the Lakes is because of the presence of pegs on the hard mountain routes. This remark is related to a number of issues. From an enjoyment perspective he finds rusting pegs protruding from different parts of the cliff to be something of an eyesore, and from a practical stance, he continued - you have to question their safety. Pegs corrode very quickly, particularly in a mountain environment. Dave ended the conversation by saying that personally speaking, when a route is done head-point style especially, it’s about leaving the climb in its natural state.

CANADA
Simon Richardson and Mark Robson visited the Pantheon Range in the coastal mountains in August. This is a spectacular range of mountains that has only seen a handful of visits by mountaineers. The area has a reputation for poor weather but they were lucky to be there during a settled period between two major storm systems. The pair climbed several routes but the highlight was the first ascent of the two kilometre long North West Ridge of Mount Zeus – one of the highest peaks in the range. This gave a brilliant alpine climb (TD with climbing up to HVS). In the process they made the first ascent of the West Summit of Zeus and the first north-south traverse of the mountain.


And finally ……
Me and my dry bag – a Spearhead of Adventure on the Pembrokeshire Coast.

Mother Careys Kitchen, Blind Bay.

Julian Lines has been busy here repeating a number of existing trad routes (as deep water solos - DWS) and adding some very fine new lines of his own.

Blind Bay is a classic limestone cave, more reminiscent of a Euro sport climbing venue, but actually its home to several traditional routes and an impressive three pitch E6 called Anti Matterhorn which was first established by Crispin Waddy and Andy Long. In fact it was after repeating one of Crispin’s earlier deep water solos here – One Eyed Man (E5 6a or French 6c+), a popular lead route, that inspired Julian to return for a closer look at the potential.

First up Julian dispensed with most of the existing lead routes (and thereby receiving their first DWS solos) – routes such as Blind Date (E2), Alien World (E3) and Aristocrat (E5). Toffee Nose, and the first of his own offerings, follows a technical arête to the right of Aristocrat. Abduction (7a), the crux of which involves a forty foot roof, follows terrain normally associated with 8a+, and thought by many to be somewhere nearer that grade. However as is often the case on limestone roofs, some wacky climbing on hidden jugs and an inverted double leg-bar rest reduced the grade to an awesome 7a. Julian commented that it was such an amazing adventure of discovery that he couldn’t stop smiling to himself.


Whoops - Julian Lines takes the plunge!
photo: coptright Cubby Images

Next up was Alien Combo, which incorporates Alien World Direct (an existing E4 6a) which provided another superb route (French 6c). But it’s The Abyss (7b) that Julian rates as one of the most amazing deep water solos that he has climbed to date. This takes a line through the most impressive part of the cave in the vicinity of Anti Matterhorn and joining that climb for its final move. Somewhere in the region of eight falls were required to solve its disorientating sequences. The climb begins with 7a+ traversing on razor sharp edges with a hard move into a cave rest. An off-width follows on hideous body bars and slippery jams to reach the bizarre sanctuary of a lie-down rest in a horizontal ‘tube’. The next section involves dropping out of the tube to begin the final sixty degree ceiling, with a further drop down to undercuts providing the key to a wild finish.

Space Face
And finally, the flake and pocketed overhanging wall to the right of Tiger Tiger succumbed at 6c+, completing a superb weeks’ climbing.

SOUTH DEVON
Torquay, Berry Head

For those of you unfamiliar to this part of the world, Berry Head is home to the Hard and Extreme Rock classics – Moonraker (HVS) and Caveman (E6). Steep limestone routes such as Caveman (E6 5c,6a/b,6a,6a,5b,5b or French 6c) are, as Julian Lines points out, and being something of a granite aficionado, not normally the style of climbing that he is naturally attracted to, but as a deep water solo it’s just so much fun. Having spotted (acting lifeguard) for Tim Emmet who soloed Caveman some days previously, “I just had to go back” Jules added. High tide was late in the day, Mike Robertson went first but by the time Jules started it was already dark and typically for him he enjoyed the added spice of an almost nocturnal epic!

Cubby

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