The Investment

Iain Small on Pitch 1 of Cosmopoliton (E5 6a,6b). The top pitch has yet to be onsighted, and when I left Blair was making ready for the attempt, How did he do?

After all last weeks grumbling and groaning about not getting any better at climbing I had a pleasant reminder that all's not totally crap yesterday.

On the way East from a few days working in Ardnamurchan I popped into Glen Nevis to see if I could catch a quick route with Blair and Iain. They were embroiled in E5 missions and I didn't have much time to play with, so instead I slipped off to the Heather Hat for a quiet boulder.

Longer followers of Soft Rock might cast their minds back to the Autumn and Winter of 2007-2008, when I used to live in Fort William and I got a bit obsessed with a boulder problem on the Heather Hat called Midnight in a Perfect World. I spent hours up on that lump of Nevis schist, trying, failing, resting, trying again. And when I finally finished it off on that February afternoon I promptly got obsessed with it's nextdoor neighbour, a problem called Killer Instinct. This eventually succombed to my similarly stubborn efforts. At the time they were both really hard for me, and when I first took up the Midnight challenge it was definately to be a long term project.

I've been back to this boulder a few times in the intervening years, and despite a few tries have never been able to repeat either problem again: they seemed to belong to that winter season in Fort William when all my efforts were focused on that perfect stone. Of all the routes and boulder problems I've tried before and since in my seven years as a climber, the hundreds of thousands of holds and moves, these ones still have the deepest stamp on my memory.

So, back to last night and there I was again; swinging from the roof beneath the ancient peaks of the Mamores, silently watching my every move; expectant. And before long I was back there, back to that season, that success-hungry hunt.

Except, this time it was different. Were the holds bigger or the problems shorter? Had the heel-toe jam become more secure? Maybe my new shoes allowed more precision? But, no, of course not. All that's happened is my investment has started to pay off and I am, perhaps, getting a bit better.

The bouldering wall on Sanna beach, Ardnamurchan, perfect post-work fun.

The Scene...

Blair Fyffe deep water soloing in Glen Nevis

I had a brief flashback to the halcyon days of Fort William living this weekend. Tempted west with the promise of sun-kissed schist and beer, it was great to be back in the old fold.

Down the years I’ve heard many legends of the infamous Fort William doss-houses – hovels where skint climbers would cram themselves and their wet and smelly kit for the few hours of the week that they weren’t on the hill or out on the piss. Weird and wonderful stories about bronchial infections from damp buildings, starting fights with Mallaig fishermen, trying to bed local lasses and hiding behind the sofa when their mothers come round to beat them up, and, not infrequently, climbing hard.

Those days have sadly/gladly passed, and it’s now an era of relative health and respectability in the Fort, but the climbing hard continues. The mantle of ‘Crucible of Psyche’ remains at my old residence, 55 Banff Crescent, and despite Tony ‘the savior of Scottish winter climbing’ Stone having now moved out, Blair and newest recruit Kev Shields are keeping the cranking level high, not to mention Dave Macleod stationed in his new training facility just out of town and numerous other strong folk kicking about the hills.

Most of these climbers are very modest and won’t blow their trumpets, and I know climbing hard isn't the be all and end all, but I think it’s worth noting that there’s a fair amount of gnarl going down in the Highlands at the moment. Kev has soloed his first E5 and E6 and is now on the trail of his first E7 (pretty good for someone missing a hand!), Blair made the second ascent (?) of Trojan’s Pillar (E6) on Ben Nevis with Iain Small the day after doing The Clearances (E4) in Glen Coe with Guy Robertson, and among other things, Dave has climbed Profit of Purism (E6), Firestone (E7), and Chiaroscuro (E7), not to mention three new E8s and an E9. Johan headpointed Jahu (E6), and Tony onsight soloed The Steeple (E2) after climbing The Spire (E4) on The Shelterstone with Blair (an easy day because he was ‘weak’ after a month in Alaska). Amongst these routes I’m sure there are loads that I don’t know about, and I find it really heartening to know that even in the quieter areas of the UK climbing scene there’s still a lot going on. Big up Fort Bill!

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So, this weekend I managed to drag myself up the brilliant Fang on Cavalry Crack Buttress in Glen Nevis, before we all decided it was far too hot for any more serious climbing and retired to the leafy shade of the River Nevis. Here Blair showed us the local's secret crags, hanging above a beautiful deep sun-dappled pool. The climbing was superb but no-one fell in, so we had to go for a swim afterwards. Life's a bitch.

Here's a short video of Blair cleaning and climbing this fine arete:

Shirts vs. Skins

Stevie Hammond on Polldubh classic Ressurection (VS 4c***). All photos: Siobhan Miller

Sweaty palms, worn-out finger-tips, big grin.

It's been another week of blue skies across the Highlands and the Aviemore posse have been out getting scared, pumped and sun-burnt.

Pete's Wall (E2 5c**) at Huntly's Cave was the start to a good week, climbing with housemate Stevie Hammond and some chap called Julian Lines (whats he ever done on grit/granite/gabbro/limestone?). I then proceeded to almost kill Stevie when a huge hold came off the top of Dead Tree Wall (VS 4c*). Luckily I caught my fall on the profusion of colossal holds in a Mission Impossible stylee. Stevie dived out the way just in time, but hurt his ankle in doing so. Better than stoving in his skull. Be careful out there kids.

Siobhan Miller on Polldubh's other classic VS, Damnation (VS 4c***)

Jules then showed us a new bouldering spot above Loch Pityoulish which is absolutely incredible. Roof cracks, juggy prows, and scary jamming abound. The next day I teamed up with G2 Mike, Jules and Duncan for more exploratory bouldering, this time in Laggan. Lots of stunning lines to fall off, but just mind the bog. Mike will be bringing out a new Strathspey bouldering guide in the near future, so watch this space for more esoteric masterpieces.

Topping up my tan on Kaos (E2 5c**), Blacks Buttress

Then it was Saturday and a trip to the holy grail of West Highland cragging: Polldubh. Blue skies, no midges, tops-off-for-power. The highlight for me was heavy-breathing my way up Kaos (E2 5c**) up on Blacks Buttress, but in all honesty sharing a beautiful day in the mighty Glen, on great routes, with friends, is always a sheer delight.

Stevie getting bored while I gibber high on Kaos.

I think Steve wins.

Keeping Up Appearances

Jones on Pitch 1 of The Gutter, Polldubh

Back to holiday mode in the Fort. I’ve managed to wangle myself another short RSPB contract starting next week, so Jones and I are being lay-abouts in the Crucible in the interim.

I’ve been trying hard to get out and about on the rock, but it’s been proving tricky to juggle contracts ending, moving back to the Fort, the weather, the midge, and maximizing time with Jones before she ships off to Madagascar in a month, so it’s been a case of snatching opportunities as they’ve emerged. Even so, I’ve kept up some mileage.

I suffered from a spree of Munro bagging last week, after a run up Stob Ban in the Mamores Jones and I did the Ring of Steall a few days later. Five Munros in three days. Check it.

Then, on Wednesday I dabbled in an aspect of climbing that’s entirely new to me: head-pointing. Upper Scimitar Buttress in Glen Nevis is a steep 10m slab with an E6 6a, an E5 6a and an E4 6a, and not one of them musters a single runner. Sweet Little Mystery is the E4, taking a line on the left of the wall. Since it has no gear I thought that even if the climbing was OK it would be pretty committing, so some head-games would remain. A likely option for rehearsing the moves and seeing what happens.

Jones gives some scale to Upper Scimitar Buttress.

I climbed straight above Jones, to the left of the dirty streak in the middle of the slab.

With Jones swaddled in midge nets, Skin So Soft and Deet, I top-roped the line a few times, worked on some of the moves and cleaned some mossy holds (ecologist, moi?). After the initial surprise of finding the climbing do-able (maybe it’s not E4? Maybe I was on the wrong bit of rock?), I pulled the rope and waited for a lull in midge activity. Before long the midges settled down and I was faced with the mental struggle. Was I ready?

From what I’ve read about this kind of thing, and my own limited experience of working boulder problems and the odd sport route, the time when you eventually succeed on something you’ve worked on feels great, the mind clears and the climbing takes over – it was the same this time too. The difference was that the price of a mistake was a large amount of pain, so as I sat at the top and took it all in, the adrenaline started to course, my hands started to tremble and my grin began to widened. So, E4? Obviously, I have no idea what an E4 feels like. All I know is that it would have been a very scarey onsight solo, and wasn’t even sure if I would go for it after the first top-rope. All the moves were within my limit, but would have felt much harder and more precarious without prior knowledge. What ever it was, I’m chuffed.

Jones' view of me on the solo of Sweet Little Mystery

Last Thursday was another day in the Glen. Chris and Katy were up from the Burgh/London and we met them at The Alp. Jones lead the great Gutter (Diff***) on Pine Wall, and I climbed Tear (Hard Severe**) and SW2 (HVS 5b** or E1 5c if you ask me….) on SW Buttress. A rare low-midge blue sky day and a real pleasure.

The next time I put chalky fingertip to rock was on Sunday. Jones and I were down in Edinburgh to chill with city-folk, drink expensive beer and laugh at the Fringe, but Steev and I managed to escape the bustle and head to North Berwick Law for a brief session. I had hopes of red-pointing Fogtown (F7a**), which I had tried before. This time I made the tactical error of spending all my energy cleanly top-roping the route, and never got the strength back for the red-point attempts. Bummer. Steev got involved in a fair few routes, including onsighting Anarchic Law (F6a+/6b), top banana.

Steev sending Anarchic Law

Back up in the Fort, Jones and I got out yesterday (Monday) and climbed the Heatwave/Vampire combination (Hard Severe 4b,_, 4b, 4a**) on Cavalry Crack Buttress in the Glen. This climbs the first two pitches of Heatwave and the last two of Vampire, making a much more logical line than the two on their own. It was a really windy day, so when we broke through the arboreal verdance above pitch 1 the midges were blasted away and we were left to enjoy the great climbing and amazing rock on our own terms. At last, a route completed on Cavalry Crack Buttress! Afterwards we headed across to Road Buttress and, inspired by Gary Latter’s new Scottish Rock guidebook, I got on The Web (E2 5c**), only to be repelled by the crux a few metres from the top. Despite having a nest of gear, I just couldn’t make a huge span round a bulge and it was sickening to see my chalky prints just centimeters from a good hold when I abseiled down to get my gear. Some you win, some you lose, and some are just graded by lanky bastards.

Jones seconding pitch 2, linking Heatwave into Vampire

Maybe next time…….

The News In Brief

Man. So much good weather, so little time. Since last posting (only four days ago) I've been out and about in the hills again, topping up the tan and deepening my love affair with Scottish trad climbing. Talking of which, exciting times on the Scottish scene, made all the more exciting by the blog revolution. The Fort's own Dave Macleod has been up on the Ben, day in day out, shovelling snow from the top of his Echo Wall project, and regularly updates his blog to illustrate his bottomless psyche levels. Meanwhile, Sonnie Trotter has come across from his resident Canada to try Macleod's Rhapsody at Dumbarton, check oot (as he might say) his thoughts here. I'm a particular fan of his turn of phrase.

In our own way us Fort William layabouts have been getting our share of fear, pain and beauty. I've still been getting up between 3.00 and 4.00 am every day, but I've been squeezing in a few hours of sleep on my return from grouse watch. It's been such a good job, allowing me to explore nooks and crannies of Lochaber that I would never otherwise go to, watching the sun rise, and all finished in time to get out climbing during the day. Tomorrow is my last day on this contract, so I've got a week off before I move over to Abernethy for a few months to start my new RSPB contract. More Black Grouse!

Monday afternoon was a cheeky wee boulder session at the Skeleton Boulders up the Glen. Danny, Blair and me, seven pads and a handful of big lines. Now these are what I call boulders. The kind you see in America, tall, steep and sick 'ard. I didn't get up much but had a nice time none the less, and I'll challenge anyone to find a more scenic, good bouldering spot anywhere in Britain, maybe even the world. Danny made a wee film of our endeavors on his blog. Note the ratio of falling to topping out, and if you're wondering what I'm doing with that banana. the director asked me to eat it in a contemplative manner. Look out Cannes.

Unknown climber on Lady Jane (E2 5c***)

Tuesday was a day in Glen Coe. Blair and I briefly met Sam and Kiwi Steve before going our separate ways, them to The Big Top (E1 5a***) on the West Face of Aonach Dubh, us to the East Face. I wanted to look at Lady Jane (E2 5c***), and did just that, look! It's a steep, sustained 25m pitch of steady wall climbing, with good, if a touch spaced, gear. Note the word 'steep', i.e. not my forte. I started up, but after only a few metres I decided to down climb. My excuse? Well the main one was just good old fashioned fear. I was bricking it! The other was that in the full glare of the late morning sun the rock was extremely hot and greasy. I felt pretty insecure, despite being on good incuts. Another E2 failure! Blair got on the lead, and admitted himself that it felt pretty hard for E2 in it's current nick. I seconded up, and immediately felt justified in bailing. I didn't fall off or owt', but was pretty glad of the top-rope. Definately the best route that I've seconded so I'm stoked to get back on it one day. It's definately a level up for me at present. Harrumph. In an attempt to massage my ego I climbed Spider (HVS 5a**) on Weeping Walls, and that was really good fun; 45 metres of juggy slab, with the odd delicate and bold bit here and there for good measure.

Aonach Dubh's East Face

We then crossed to Yosemite Wall on the West Face of Gearr Aonach, where Blair was up for trying Boiling Point (E4 6a**) . It's an awesome looking line on an awesome bit of rock (see page 145 in the Glen Coe guide for a picture), but after a bit of trying, Blair decided that today wasn't the day. With marginal gear making a ground-fall pretty certain if he blew the entry to the steep groove, he climbed back down. To salvage the day, we headed up the Glen on arrival back in the Fort, and Blair climbed Tomag (E3 5c**) on Pandora's Buttress. Sandbag or what?! He huffed and puffed his way across the overhanging twin crack traverse, and I bricked it because I knew I would fall off while seconding and take a swing. Naturally that happened, so Blair abbed down to clean the pitch.

Blair eying up Boiling Point (E4 6a**)

Wednesday: my last day of climbing for a while as I'm off home to Somerset on saturday, so I called the shots. I wanted to climb Plague of Blazes (E2 5b***) on Gorge Crag, and did just that. I really enjoyed the slabby cracks, the delicate and bold traverse and the steep jug haul to the top. One of the best routes I've done in the Glen, deservedly popular and a fitting end to two weeks of pretty solid climbing. Blair then set to work on Stolen (F8b) on Steall Hut Crag, making progress despite the fact that it's clearly hard as nails.

Me atop Plague of Blazes (E2 5b***)

Lets just hope I can get something done down on the internationally famous and popular Somerset limestone. I'll miss you Glen Nevis.

We Continue....

Glen Etive: our playground

The blue skies have remained and the Lochaber adventures continue apace.

After logging my airmiles on Tuesday I decided to have a rest day on Wednesday and belayed Blair on his Tunnel Wall project: Axiom (F8a). After a faultless toprope ascent on Monday afternoon he felt ready for the redpoint straight away and, naturally, got it first go. His first proper 8a, and instant membership to an elite club. There can't be too many Scottish climbers operating in this grade, least of all on Scottish crags. Nice going Mr Fyffe. To celebrate we drove down Glen Etive and hurled ourselves down a waterfall a few times. The dream lives on.....

Blair lost in a sea of rock: Axiom

Thursday provided a few butterflies in my tummy as we headed to Whale Rock in the Glen. I wanted to climb Earthstrip (E2 5c***), but after my recent E2 attempts, what would happen? Blair wanted to climb the Extreme Rock cover shot Just a Little Tease (E5 6b***), but as his first trad route of the season, how would he fare?

Well, let me put you out of your suspense. Earthstrip succombed to my advances with a touch of heavy breathing on the crux, otherwise it went really well. First E2 in the Glen, and on a cloudless blue sky day, I couldn't have asked for more. Blair employed proper trad tactics for Just a Little Tease, climbing up to place good gear, down climbing, resting, going up and placing a bit more, coming down, resting and then 'avin it. He took a couple of falls on the peculiar crux sideways dyno/fall so lowered off and then climbed the route 'ground up' (ie. he lowered off after a fall, then climbed it cleanly from the bottom on the next go). I've never seen anyone climb an E5, and was very impressed by Blair hanging on in there on the steep upper cracks to place gear. I know that I would have been off a long time before then! To save a complete faff I decided not to second it (obviously, not wanting to blow my flash). Blair cleaned the gear on abseil and in doing so noticed a bat slumbering away in the upper crack, just next to a cam! Good job he hadn't squished it or dislodged it on the lead, or he might have had a fright!

Me nearing the end of Earthstrip

Blair above the crux of Just a Little Tease, Ben Nevis beyond

Friday ended up being an 'admin day' (mountain guide slang for a day off) so I was stoked for some mountain rock on the weekend. I met Steev, Chris, his sister Rachel and her boyfriend Euan at the Clachaig on friday night, had some ales (man, I'm a light-weight these days) and readied ourselves for a day on Garbh Bheinn on Saturday.

After a pretty leisurely start Steev and I were making the long and sweaty stomp up to the South Wall of Great Ridge by about 10.00 and after a semi-epic approach up a wet gully got to the base of the crag by about 12.30. Note: If climbing on the South Wall, don't walk in from Coire an Iubhair, go up the 'short but brutal' Coire a' Chothrum, as you need to get to the bealach at the head of Garbh Coire to access the routes.

The upper tier of Garbh Bheinn's South Wall

Fortunately a steep, dry 100m gneiss wall was more than enough to sooth the aches from the inconvenient approach. The plan was to start on Butterknife (VS***), a three pitch route that takes both tiers of the wall, taking a steep corner system in it's first half. To look at, you wouldn't think that it was a lowly 4b, and I won't pretend that I wasn't a touch intimidated when I started up pitch 2. However, the gear and the jugs just kept coming and it was a real pleasure to climb. Being fairly steep, this crag gets the air beneath your feet pretty rapidly and with views East up Loch Leven to Glen Coe and West down Loch Lihnne to Lismore and the Atlantic beyond it felt like we were on top of the world. A very aesthetically pleasing aspect of the routes here is that they top-out on the summit of Garbh Bheinn. As we sorted the ropes and drank in the view, the hills of Moidart, Morar and Knoydart poked through a cloud inversion, adding to the high mountain feeling.

We had hoped to do Excalibur (HVS 5a,4c***) next, but time was pressing on so we decided that an easier route would be quicker. Rachel and Euan had to get back to Edinburgh that night so we didn't want to leave them waiting. We plumped for Sgian Dubh (Severe**) on the upper tier and weren't disappointed. Again, the steep, juggy rock and good gear provides thrilling situations for the grade, and as the afternoon gave way to early evening the clouds began to clear and the sun beat down on our exposed skin. Bloody marvellous.

Steev enjoying pitch 2 of Sgian Dubh

Meanwhile, Chris was leading Rachel and Euan up Great Ridge (Diff*), and reported an awesome day out, so I'll have to get back with Jones. After the leisurely start, long approach, long route and regular three-person faffage they were quite late off the hill and we missed the last Corran Ferry - a long drive back to the Fort for us! Could have done Excalibur after all!

Sunday's forecast wasn't so promising so we decided that valley cragging would provide more flexibility than mountain routes and after brunch (ooh er, missus) drove down the Glen. Chris got straight on Maisie Gunn... on the Heather Hat and got it with minimal fuss, his first V4 boulder problem and a fitting birthday present. Things didn't remain so positive for the lad though. We got on Storm (HVS ****), Steev on pitch 1, Chris on pitch 2, me on pitch 3. However, half-way up the beautiful crack of pitch 2 Chris decided that this trad-climbing malarkey wasn't for him, so he came back to the belay. After pulling the ropes and lowering him off it started to rain, so I tied in to retrieve the gear, but it soon dried up and I continued up to the belay, an amazing hanging stance from a huge Scots Pine. Only after bringing Steev up, swapping the ropes and getting into the groove of pitch 3 did I notice that it was wet. Bummer. Not really wanting to commit to the wet crux we ended up backing off from the tree. Arse.

The view down pitch 2 of Storm

Back on terra firma Chris expressed a wish to do Kraut, an E1 5b on After Crag that bears an uncanny resemblance to the pitch he had just backed off, only, it's harder. Hmmm. Odd choice. Oh well. We packed up and headed to the route, but low and behold, he didn't fancy it! (Sorry Chris, but maybe getting lots of mileage leading easier routes is required before jumping straight in at the deep end! As Steev said, you're a bold man on the ground.) It's a line I had fancied, so I got busy in his stead. The guidebook description is bang on, strenuous, well protected and on good holds - the kind of climbing I'm not very good at! Shaking away placing a cam near the top, I remembered Blair's down-climbing and slithered into a rest position in a lower niche. After a good shake out and a spot of relaxation I was good to go and hauled my way to the top. Not the finest style, but a clean onsight none the less, and that's what I'm after. As the other two seconded the pitch the rain began again, and we all dicided it was time to call it a day.

The two E1s on After Crag illustrate two things very well. Firstly, the characteristic Polldubh slabby front face and steep left wall provide very different climbing styles. The former is much safer but more pumpy, the latter being more technical and insecure and generally bolder. For me, thin, technical slabs are much easier than steep, juggy walls. Rubberface (E1 5b**) goes up the front slab of After Crag and I waltzed up it a few months back, Kraut (E1 5b**) goes up the steep left wall and I found it pretty tough. It's all a matter of style, baby. Maybe I should spend more time on indoor walls.

So, with the good weather set to remain for a few more days, let's make sure this relentless climbing continues.

Full Immersion

The leaves are coming back, greening the hillsides and clothing the Polldubh crags in their shady blanket. The bracken is starting to stretch and unfurl, flooding the slopes. What's more, swifts, cuckoos and swallows are flitting and singing their way around the glens, the coo of pigeons floats on the air.

It's back. A new Lochaber season, and with it the new buzz of excitement and activity. Back in November and December there was an air of expectation about the oncoming winter season, the routes to climb and the new crags to explore. Now, spring is giving way to summer and the psyche is back among the Fort William flock.

Rob Jarvis, Blair Fyffe and myself took another wonder up to Tunnel Wall on Friday afternoon, Blair on Axiom (F8a), Rob and I on Uncertain Emotions (F7b). Rob was feeling inspired, so instead of working the route on top-rope he tied in and got on the lead, initially bolt-to-bolt (resting on the rope at each bolt), but linking progressively longer sections on the next go. He claimed he wasn't ready for the redpoint attempt, but decided that on his third and final attempt he would simply tie in and climb as far as he could before taking the lob (basically a redpoint attempt). He flowed up the initial groove, and despite a small error on the first crux, got up to the second crux just below the 'almost, if you're brave, hands-off-ish, rest' before succumbing to the relentless pump and took the lob. With nothing to lose he pressed on to the top, only for the pump to catch up with him again on the final moves. He was about to back off and rest on the bolt but yells of encouragement from below spurred him on and after a desperate throw and a blood-curdling yell he took the pisser. Good effort.

Rob Redpointing

Meanwhile, the Fyffe machine was bearing down with a combination of small holds and fancy footwork. He almost got Axiom in a one-er on toprope, boding very well for the inevitable redpoint attempts. I remained on a toprope on Uncertain..., but am definetely getting to grips with the final crux, and made my biggest link-up to date. As we strolled back to the car, feeling inspired and happy, the timeless view of the Buachaille soaked in evening sunshine reminded us of what a great place we're living in.

Me Toproping

Jones made her way to the Crucible on friday evening, and with a dry forecast for the weekend we went for a wee foray into the Glen on Saturday morning. We had planned to do the long mild VS called Autobahnausfart on High Crag, but Jones struggled with the damp first pitch so we headed over to Styx Buttress and she kindly belayed me on the classic Damnation (VS 4c***). As the guidebook says, it looks improbable for the grade, but it's all there with great gear, so get on it!

That night we decided to go for a spot of bothying, so armed with sleeping gear, instant noodles and wine, we made the short walk in to Glen Pean bothy. Despite being only a few miles from the road-head at Loch Arkaig this area feels pretty remote. Cooking up Morrisons Chow Mein instant noodles as the sun set was a real treat, eating them was less so, and the less said about the £4.99 Chardonnay-Viognier the better.

Glen Pean Bothy (Photo: Sarah Jones)

Bank-holiday monday provided Jones with another day in the Fort, and we headed down the Glen again, under hot blue skies. Blair and his lass Jenny Munro were getting involved with Pinnacle Ridge (Severe) while we headed up to Pandora's Buttress and climbed Flying Dutchman (Severe) with the excellent, if a tad short, VS 4c finish. Despite her grumblings about the vegetated and damp first pitch, Jones made light work of the exposed and unprotected traverse on pitch two and the tricky 4c finishing pitch. Proof that it's all in the head....mostly.

After a period of paddling and sunbathing on the banks of Nevis, Jones offered her belaying duties once more and I climbed Tip Toe Direct (E1 5b*) on the foot of Pinnacle Ridge. Although the E1 bit is only the top 7 or so metres, this was a fun route, combining a heady gearless slab (only Hard Severe? Blimey!) with some bomber cams for the crux overlap. It felt pretty easy too. Am I getting better or is it overgraded?

Me on Tip Toe Direct
(Photo: Sarah Jones)

So, after a 3.30am start to look for grouse this morning I teamed up with Blair at mid-day. The plan was for him to have a rest day while I climbed Plague of Blazes (E2 5b***) on Gorge Crag, but the top wall was wet so we headed for Travellin' Man (E2 5b, 5c***) instead. Gulp. Blair lead the short introductory pitch (no push-over itself) and I got ready for the crux pitch. It takes a slabby groove system on the arete of the crag, with spaced but good gear, as I soon discovered. With the sun beating down and the sweat beginning to drip, I gingerly started the crux section about 8 or 9 metres up, stepping left, transferring from one groove to another. As I smeared with my left foot and tried so hard to bring my weight over it, stabbing with my right, I was well aware that my last runner was a good few metres below, and that my fingers were greasing from the rock, unable to chalk up. "Fuck" I thought, "This isn't going to be pretty". Trying to breathe, my full body shaking as adrenaline surged, minutes, hours, days passed. "FUCK, I'M OFF" I yelled, as a let go. Darkness and blurred motion flashed and I found myself hanging upside-down, a few feet below and right of Blair on the belay, one rockshoe on, one off. Somehow unscathed, and laughing. My first ever trad fall, and a 25 footer too.

Blair on the belay of Travellin' ManMe on pitch 2. I fell from above where the crack containing the runners ends
Me off pitch 2, note the missing shoe!

Despite being annoyed with myself for falling off, I'm pretty chuffed to have finally taken the lob that has been inevitable for a while now. I think it's a natural part of becoming a better climber, so I refuse to feel negative about it.

After lowering-off and abbing to clean the gear, we decided to do something less serious, so made a bee-line for the Lower Falls to make 'the jump'. From the ledges upstream of the road bridge it's a 20-25ft jump into the pool. I had never done any river jumps like this, and despite trying to be the big man and trying to slay some demons from Travellin' Man I bottled the jump twice, before Blair showed the way and I rapidly followed suit, three times. We attracted a bit of an audience on the bridge, but it was great to hear the tourists enthusing about the natural beauty of the area and we were only too happy to extoll the virtues of living round here. Mind you on a day like today, just take a stroll down the Glen, look up towards Ben Nevis or across to Sgurr Mhaim, to Steall Falls or Polldubh crags, and that's all the extolling you could ever need.

Here is a rather rough video study on the effect of gravity on the body:

Big Rocks, Little Rocks....

The dawn hours of friday were spent cycling through misty woodland in Glen Garry in search of your friend and mine, Tetrao tetrix. The Forestry Commission padlock was frozen shut, so I had to ride to and from my survey site. A 10km cycle for work? Fair enough.

I was stationed back in the Fort by 10.30, and with my admin completed with the help of a large amount of coffee I decided to head to the Glen. I was out of favour with the Heather Hat - it's steepness was beginning to hurt, so I decided to solo something bigger and easier in the sun. After weaving up to Cavalry Crack Buttress I saw that my objective of Heatwave was damp, so slithered across to Pandora Buttress to see that Flying Dutchmen was dribbling too. "If in doubt...", I thought, and sweated up to Pine Tree Wall for another tick of The Gutter. I first soloed this during my first week up in Fort William and, then as now, it's so much fun. I sat at the top and drank in the spring scene. Deep snow on the tops, dry rock in the glen, buzzards circling on the thermals above and the Water of Nevis shimmering and scattering the sun's rays below. Smug? Moi?

Unknown climber on SW2(?) on SW Buttress

Back down at the car I unpacked the pad and perused the bouldering guide for likely looking lines. The highball Heart of the Sun (V2 5b) on the Heart Stone was a touch fluttery, and the technical Tom's Arete (V3 6a) beneath Scimitar Ridge took quite a while to work out and grated my tips. Mustn't grumble.

Seeing a good forecast, Chris boarded a westbound train on Saturday morning and by early afternoon we were ensconced on Secretaries Buttress Direct (Severe). What a route. Three interesting pitches bringing whoops, smiles and laughter. We had wanted to do the Super Direct, but passing showers shifted us across the slab to the easier option. Just as we coiled the ropes and thought about the next route it started to rain again, so we decided to run for it. Back at our bags the sun came out once more. Harrumph. Spying a good looking line on the left toe of Secretaries Buttress I started up Just Passing (E1 5a). Naturally, the grade implies either bold or sustained 5a climbing, and it provided a bit of both. The gear was good but there wasn't much of it, and with the crux section at the very top and a decent way from my last wires I felt fully immersed. I had got there so quickly that it didn't feel quite real. I wasn't up for a big fall. There was no obvious line to take, no crack to follow or flake to swing up, just the top to aim for. Blindly feeling for crimps in the ocean of schist waves, I found a quartz 'gaston' and with a nervy cross-through of my left foot I stuttered across to a better hold. Relax boy, relax. The top came soon after, and as I belayed Chris up, the adrenalin was just leaving my blood-stream and my shaking hands were beginning to steady. It's definitely the most committed and insecure I've ever felt on a route. Jolly splendid!

Next stop, the Heather Hat. Chris had unfinished business on Maizie Gunn's... (V4 6a) and set to with a will. Last time he tried this it was pissing with rain so he didn't have a chance to try the last moves, this time he got them sorted rapidly. After the excitement of success on Just Passing I decided to have a try on my project, Killer Instinct (V5 6b), and somehow did it first go.... except that I fell from the last easy moves mantling the headwall. NOOOO! What a twat. After almost two months of trying, I fell from the easy finish. Sloppy footwork. Disgraceful. After a minute of loud expletives I had another go. With even worse footwork and lots of foot-off gurning and Chris Sharma-esque shouting I managed it this time round. I had lead this dance so many times I just wanted to do it this time. At long last. Check the vid for an example of how not to do it:

Killer Instinct is a pretty cool problem, I think it's technically harder than the fabled Midnight in a Perfect World, but a bit shorter so didn't require so much of the power endurance that I lack. Nice one. Chris had all the moves down on Maizie Gunn's but couldn't link it. Next time man, next time.

Chris on one of our new problems in the gneiss end of Glen Tarbert
(Photo: Chris Edwards)

On Sunday Chris and I gambled and crossed the Corran Ferry to check out some boulders I'd spotted in Glen Tarbert. I had taken a look at some of them before and been very impressed by the size and quality (difficulty) of the lines. At the East end of the glen the boulders are gneiss and we did a handful of good problems, being forced to leave the meat of them well alone as they are BIG and HARD! At the West end they are granite erratics and again we had to leave the best looking things alone as they are BIG and HARD! Some potential projects for Mr. Macleod me thinks? I'll be back though....

Me on an as yet unclimbed slab problem in the granite end of Glen Tarbert
(Photo: Chris Edwards)

All in all, a damn good weekend if I do say myself.