Glover's Chimney - the video

That's my climbing holiday come to an end. Neil and myself managed one final route in a very blowy 'gorms on Saturday. We shelved our orginal plans for Fiacaill Buttress as it looked it be covered with snow. Hidden Chimney II/III on the Mess of Pottage has always been in the back of my mind so we joined the hordes and headed over there instead. Despite a long wait for the second pitch it was a great route and well worth the two stars it gets.

Earlier in the week Neil took some footage of me seconding on Glover's and has now posted it on You Tube so the world can see how not to climb it here. In my defence my hands were absolutely numb, but still I must make sure my axes stick next time ; ).

Castle Ridge

Another fantastic day on the Ben when the forecast was completely wrong. Neil and myself had Castle Ridge (III) to ourselves and fresh snow had covered all tracks of previous ascents. We spent a couple of very enjoyable hours climbing in the sun in thermals. With nothing too hard climbing-wise, great rock gear and belays it was perhaps the most pleasant days climbing I have had for a while. Getting off the top down to the halfway lochan was a bit of a chore due to soft snow overlaying ice and rocks catching crampons.

Glover's Chimney

Winter really has come back to the Highlands and it has snowed, snowed again and snowed some more. After a brief thaw on Thursday, when I climbed a thoroughly dripping Goat Track Gully (II), the artic conditions returned. It was another wild day in the 'gorms on Saturday when I did my annual ascent of Fiacaill Ridge (I/II). The conditions put me off the corries so on Sunday we went into Beinn Bhan on the Applecross penisular. The route we went into to do, Suspense Buttress (II/III), looked improbable for the grade and the impressive surroundings of Coire Na Feola were intimidating.

Ice was forming on the harder lines but the buttress were bare and whipped by spindrift. We headed up the scenically impressive Easy Gully (I) which is split into two runnels by an impressive rib. The snow in the gully was deep so we kept to the side walls and the last pitch was a great turfy groove at II. The route is definetly worth a couple of stars. The place has an easy walk-in, a safe descent and a real mountain feel.

After being snowed out on Monday in the 'gorms where we went XC ski-ing instead after an abortive attempt at climbing, we headed into the Ben on Tuesday to do a classic - Glover's Chimney.

Glover's (a those in the know call it) was a route I had heard alot about. It is an obvious gully and chimney line up to Tower Gap. It goes at III,4 with the crux at the very top. Given a guidebook length of 150m we expected a fairly easy day. The first ice pitch was steady III and after a bit of a rope stretch a block belay was reached. More icy grooves followed slightly left of the main gully to avoid deep snow. After two pitches in the gully, there was an icy steepening before the final chimney. Some hard back and footing lead up through the chimney to the gap after significantly more than the stipulated 150m climbing length. The gap was startling for the drops off to either side. I was man-handled over the far side of the gap and we went up Tower Ridge for a couple of hundred meters until we finally reached the plateau as the light began to fade. On reflection the route felt much more sustained, even the lower pitches, and technically difficult than the other classic IVs I have done recently on the Ben. Maybe this is just a reflection on the conditions we experienced and my inability to thrutch efficiently! Anyway it was a 13h day and today was a well deserved rest day.

A truely mixed week

My holiday has really started well. On Monday myself and Juan headed into the Ben to do Green Gully (IV,4). Unfortnately another party had the same idea and got to the route ahead of us. The gully is pretty narrow, so due the amount of snow that was lying on the ice we got a fair battering from above. Nothing too bad though. It was a great route and the steep sections were fairly short-lived and protection was okay. Some of the peg belays have seen better days but the ice, when dug out, was great. Less snow would have been better and some freeze-thaw can only improve matters.

Time: 9H

Tuesday saw us on Curved Ridge II/III,3 which was our first route on the Buachaille. Somehow I started up the right hand side of Crowberry Basin and climbed a nice rock chimeny pitch before easier ground and a traverse back across the Basin lead back to the route. The first two pitches were nearly snow free, but the route got more snowy and better the higher up we went. Although nowhere hard, it did seem quite a long route. Again the weather was superb aside from a number of squally snow showers.

Time: 7H

Wednesday's weather was excellent again, so after a quick run up and down the Pap of Glencoe (1h 20 from the Youth Hostel)we decided to go rock climbing in Polldubh, Geln Nevis. Juan's foot wasn't doing too well so I ended up doing some climbing on my own. The routes were polished, but the rock was warm and I can see why this place is popular. Perfect rock slabs set amongst Caledonian pine forst, ringed my snowy peaks. Just a great place to be.

Thursday was a proper Corries day. A thaw was forecast along with 70M and hour gusts, and we got it. The corrie was deserted when we got there for about 9am and even after we got down there were only a few other parties around. Visibility was initially great, but then the wind picked up and the higher up we climbed the worse the snow got. Goat Track Gully (II) was just about in and there was a decent amount of ice on the crux. A lovely short steep corner with superb rock gear just where you need it. Some kind soul had even left some in-situ. Belaying above in the wind-driven spray from the rapidly melting snow was less fun. Al, up from Bristol, lead through and we traversed off on to the Goat Track back to a full breakfast in the Mountain Cafe. A truely Scottish experience.

Torridon Bouldering

An easy day today and I got distracted from Marilyn bagging by the superb bouldering

near the youth hostel in Torridon village. I was a bit sceptical about the quality so didn't bother with buying the local guide, but next tiem I am there I will. Still, there is lots to go at at all grades and the only drawback is the slightly boggy ground. Wear wellies!

Sron na Lairig

With heaps of snow and a good forecast for Saturday it seemed an ideal opportunity to head to Glencoe and so avoid the hordes who would be trooping into the Corries. I headed in with Steve for a great easy mountaineering day on Sron na Lairig, a three star II. The walk-in, described in the guide as long, was only an hour to the bottom of the route.

We soloed up mixed ground and short gullies to the second steepening and then moved together for the rest of the rocky crest. The narrow top section of the ridge was superb with large drops on both sides and, with the bright blue sky and soft snow, the route felt almost Alpine.

Time: 5.75h

Corriechollie to Kinlochleven

This was definetly not my idea. However, as my sense of humour was falling in direct corelation to my blood temperature of my feet, I was too concerned with getting out alive before hypothermia set in rather than finding someone, Lisa, to blame. Recriminations are best done in a pub or failing that the cafe in the Ice Factor. Unfortunately the cafe was still about 2hs away. A sobering thought as the horizontal hail lashed into my eyes every time I tried to see where the vague path went. At least we had the common sense to cross the swollen river via a bridge by Creaguaineach Lodge rather than attempr to swim from Meannanchan bothy. A stunt for which the factor up by Spean Bridge had recommended a diving suit for.

Hours earlier it had all seemed a good idea. I admit I less keen than the others with the idea of running 18 miles in heavy showers and near gale force winds. Perhaps being cooped up south of the border does strange things to the mind. On the plus side I would get to reccy a 10km section of the Ramsay. So it was with only slight misgivings that I dropped the car off at Kinlochleven. I fervently prayed that I would see it again before the end of the day. The first hour from Corriechollie (over the river from Roy Bridge) was along easy tracks along Lairaig Leachach, taking in views of Munros to the right and Corbetts to the left. It was only past the bothy that the path dissappeared into the bog. Overhead, the showers were brief and the sun shone even more briefly. And, for moments, I was enjoying the running and the scenery. However once over Abhainn Rath the hail started and the temperture dropped sharply, as did my morale. This section of the Ramsay past Staoineag bothy was awful. Wet and no path. Beyond the bothy it gets worse and cowering beneath my jacket hood, I didn't even get any views to compensate fot the almost constant immersion in ice-cold water. Only in Scotland can water be that cold without freezing!

Once on the hydro-track to Loch Eilde Mor the rain stopped, the sun came out, my feet thawed and the wind swung round to a headwind. I checked out the support point for the Ramsay (a ruined bothy just by the track), pulled all the spare clothing I had and jogged down with the others to Kinlochleven for tea and medals. Begrudingly I must confess that it was good training, although I was so tired, motivation-wise, on Sunday that I missed my hill sessions. It was good to meet up with my friends although I might suggest the pub would be a better place for a blether next time.

Time 5hs Distance 18M

North East Buttress - Ben Nevis

NE buttress (IV,4) is the most obvious of the ridges that are thrown down from Ben Nevis on the eastern side. It was first climbed in 1895 and a tale of a subsequent ascent also in 1895 by Tough and Brown in horrendous weather makes a fine read. Our (Kenny had been persuaded to take a day off work too) journey from Inverness was much less epic, and less memorable, but I suppose we only had one day off work. Notwithstanding the fact that they don't make mountaineers like they used to.

Snow was lying from near the bottom car-park, but it was only until we reached the base of the route that we had to break trail. A long traverse above the First Pinnacle from the left-hand side got us on to the ridge proper, where the real climbing began. Deep drifts lay on the easier angled sections. In contrast, ice was plastered into all of the cracks and gullies. Great for climbing on and in the lower half thick enough for screws. Expecting a rocky ridge we had nearly neglected to bring along any ice-specific protection. The three rather blunt screws we had were put into use on almost every pitch.

After a series of excellent steep ice gullies the snow field was reached. An energy-sapping slog up waste deep powder ensued before belaying under an overhanging wall. From now on it all got a touch harder as the ice thinned and the protection more spaced. Even after cleaning, the cracks were verglassed and flared. At one point I got myself totally commited about 15m above any gear before I could make an uncomfortable traverse into a niche where I found myself a block to wrap a sling around. A couple of pitches further on I somehow missed out the 'inescapable' Man-trap and ended up on the Tough-Brown Variant. Forty foot corner was unprotectable, although ice hooks may have helped, but gave fine climbing.

Finally, we topped out to a glorious sunset, relieved and elated to have finished the route about 5hs after starting. The climb was excellent, although totally different to what we expected. The length of the route and the spaced nature of the belay and runner placements (under the conditions we experienced I hasten to add) made it a commiting outing of a sustained nature with no real crux standing out in my memory.

Time: 11hs

Cairngorms - Sunday

It was just one of those days. Despite snow all the way over Slochd, the closer we got to Aviemore the less snow there was. Plans for XC ski-ing were shelved and we headed into Mountain Cafe for a full breakfast. Two coffees later I had enough motivation to run from Inverdrurie to Glen Mor where Emily had hoped to show her sister the reindeer. I suppose I shouldn't complain as the run through Rothiemurchus Estate was as good as trail
running gets. I spent a while trying to photograph this blighter, but he/she proved far more intelligent than myself.

The area is crossed with nicely graded tracks with snow covered mountains as a backdrop. For me, this area is one of the best bits of the Cairngorms and much more interesting than the rather tedious plateau areas.

The weather was nowhere near as bad as forecast and I was a bit disappointed not to have found someone to climb with as the conditions in the Corries looked good. However, training-wise, it was much better to get the miles in and the 10miles felt pretty tough. It is prudent to mention that I got another Marylin (Ord Ban) bagged ; 0)

Time: 2h 10 Distance: 10M

River Evelix Round

My two big challenges for this year, Ramsay's Round and The Fellsman, both will involve some running in the dark and exercising during the more unsociable hours of the day. Accordingly, I have developed a new scheme for super-early starts for long runs mid-week. This also means my weekends are more free for climbing and other things.

On Thursday at 5.45am I set off from Clashmore near Dornoch for a 20-odd mile run around River Evelix including the tops of Beinn Dimhnaill and Creag Ghobhair, both of which are Grahams (sorry Marylins). The first hour was dark and made more interesting by disappearing paths and rabid dogs franatically barking from every farm I passed. Even more scary when you can't tell where the hellhounds are and even if they are chained. Seeing the dawn breaking over the Dornoch Firth was more than adequate compensation for the early start and for the most part the running was very pleasant. As I got higher the hills of the West looked stunning with caps of very white snow enhancing their rugged character.

Droping back into the woods above Clashmore at around 9 o'clock was one of those great running experiences. Shafts of sunlight breaking through stands of Caledonian Pine, birds calling and startled roe deer breaking out alongside the track as I jogged along. A couple of miles before the finish I came upon an abandoned covered water tank. Behind the decrept wooden door I could hear the slighlty omonous dripping of water. Against all my better instincts I was drawn into opening the door. It was dark and dingy inside as you would expect. My imagination went into over-drive and I could practically see the balloons and the 'IT' clown. I slammed the door shut and took off, my heart rate soaring. Still trying to be rational I kept catching myself looking over my shoulder half-expecting to see a clown with an evil grin chasing me down!

Distance: 20M Time: 3h 45 Max HR 166 Av HR 144