Loch and I climbed this magnificent route recently. 6 pitches of sustained, exposed interest. And some incredible views! Leading pitch 3: Loch on the interesting traverse (use long runners!) Belay on top of the Pinnacle: Me, topping out after the final steep pitch: Great day out. Well worth a trip… Continue reading
My Grandmother began life at Whitrigg near the Solway Firth in 1890, and from the most northerly Lake District mountain on Friday night, I could see (in theory at least) the lights of the farm where she was born. We’d got to the top of High Pike just as the last… Continue reading
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The bleak and empty hills stretch far away. Geldie Lodge is an utter ruin. It once stood in one of the most remote places in Britain, and no doubt in season, in former days, the… Continue reading
Gillercombe Buttress 7 or 8 Pitches – graded Severe. A perfect outing for a clear Summer’s day when Borrowdale was sweltering in the heat. Loch Dave and I drove across from York early on a Friday morning and had this lovely setting to ourselves (for most of the day)… Continue reading
TWO GUYS GET THE NEEDLE Here are some snaps of Needle Ridge, Great Gable, on sunny Tuesday 9 July Loch wanted to get stuck in to a classic, perhaps to insert in his log book. Our balloon was pricked a little when a very pleasant young couple reached the start… Continue reading
Tophet Wall (HS) This Saturday, with a forecast for glorious sunshine, Mike and I headed up to the Napes, to do the ‘Classic Rock’ route Tophet Wall. I highly recommend the route – it’s a great outing in spectacular rock scenery, and very amenable at the grade (all the holds are there when… Continue reading
GORMATLAST ! Cairngorms, 1st / 2nd June 2013. THREE HILLS AND THREE BUILDINGS After weeks of crummy weather, how welcome it was to finally grab some time in the Highlands with Matt and Frank Even so, the incoming fronts dictated going east to the Gorms, so we’ll begin… Continue reading
Recess Route (85m, Severe) – The Cobbler With some decent weather forecast for the late May bank holiday weekend (well, the first half of it anyway), Maria and I left York at 4:30am on Saturday to seek out a classic rock route on the Cobbler, just West of Loch Lomond. This… Continue reading
… in DOGstycam GULLEY Just as the gulley top got tantalisingly close (about 20 metres away) I ran out of rope. The so-called ‘rock” had led me on for some time looking for runners, through snares and delusions in the form of blind cracks and loose blocks, over too-soft… Continue reading
The Torridonian Alps Well, it may have been the NW of Scotland in February, but with blue skies, sunshine and snowy mountains, it felt more like the Alps… Slioch The week started with a great hillwalk, going clockwise round the horseshoe ridge of Slioch. … Continue reading
