Category Archives: New Routes

Hairy Maclarey

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Simon Richardson

Alan Halewood and Dave Anderson had a good exploratory day on February 13 when they added the first ever route to Creag Mholach (NN 35168 74631) on the west side of Stob Coire Sgriodain above Loch Treig in the Central … Continue reading →

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All Go on Black Buttress

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Simon Richardson

Way back in October 1998 I was invited to attend the opening of the North Face Car Park At Torlundy, just north of Fort William. It seems ancient history now, but before the North Face Car Park, most climbers accessed … Continue reading →

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Icy on Wyvis

Posted on February 15, 2020 by Simon Richardson

Steven Andrews and Alex Reid made a possible first ascent yesterday (February 14) on Creag Coire na Feola on Ben Wyvis. Sideshow (V,6) takes the steep icefall and easier angled buttress immediately to the right of the main crag. There … Continue reading →

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January Scottish Winter Diary

Posted on February 1, 2020 by Simon Richardson

It’s been a tough January in the Scottish mountains with almost non-stop winds and long periods of thaw. Conditions on the mountains have changed day by day and have often been completely different from east to west. Here is a … Continue reading →

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Table Rib

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Simon Richardson

Iain Young and John Higham pulled off a superbly-timed piece of exploratory winter mountaineering yesterday (January 28) when they made the first winter ascent of Table Rib (III,4) on Cul Mor. Iain takes up the story: “In the last few … Continue reading →

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The Arc of Profanity

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Simon Richardson

While making the second ascent of The Edge of Profanity in November, Dave Brookes and Jules Harris noted that there was further new route potential on the Left-Hand Buttress of Creagan Cha-no on Cairn Gorm. On January 18 they returned … Continue reading →

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More on Cruachan

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Simon Richardson

It’s been a very lean January so far, but following their first ascent of One of Nine (IV,5) on Ben Cruachan in November, Southern Highlands pioneers Stuart MacFarlane and Robin Clothier added another new route to Noe Buttress on January … Continue reading →

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Timing Is Everything

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Simon Richardson

There is an attractive single pitch crag sitting under Cnap Coire na Spreidhe on Cairn Gorm. It was first explored in summer 2012 by Rik Higham, Raphael Bleakley and Gwilym Lynn who climbed the prominent line of Nethy Crack (VS … Continue reading →

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Spare Rib on An Teallach

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Simon Richardson

With the Scottish mountains still lean from the post-Christmas thaw, it is difficult to remember that the Highlands were covered in deep snow during the third week in December. Ian Stennett climbed An Teallach from Toll an Lochain on December … Continue reading →

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All Go on Shapeshifter Wall

Posted on December 21, 2019 by Simon Richardson

It’s been busy on Shapeshifter Wall on Lurcher’s Crag in the Cairngorms. The steep three-pitch Shapeshifter (VIII,8) was the brainchild of Steve Perry who made the first ascent with Andy Nisbet and Helen Rennard last January. The route was repeated … Continue reading →

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