Monthly Archives: February 2013

Mort – Second Ascent

On February 22, Greg Boswell, Guy Robertson and Nick Bullock pulled off one of Scotland’s the most prized winter repeats with the second winter ascent of Mort (IX,9) on the Tough-Brown Face of Lochnagar. The 1995 SMC guidebook to the … Continue reading

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Left Pork on Sgurr na Muice

On February 24, Dave Broadhead and John Mackenzie made the first ascent of the left fork of the three star classic Pearls Before Swine (IV,4) on Sgurr na Muice. They called their new addition Left Pork and graded it V,6. … Continue reading

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Begging for More

“When the big thaw was ending, and after my Ben Wyvis day when the ice was shrinking fast, a high safe choice seemed best,” explains Andy Nisbet. “The Central West Face of Aonach Beag has some of the most reliable … Continue reading

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Explorations in Arrochar

Some late news, but when Roger Webb and I were battling it out on Cairn Gorm on December 30, Dougie Beck, Andy Bain and Jake Thackrey added a good new route to The Cobbler. “We took the chance and ventured … Continue reading

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Hopefall on Ben Hope

“After doing a new route on the most southerly Munro, Ben Lomond, at the beginning of the week, it seemed a good idea to do one on the most northerly, Ben Hope, at the end of the week (February 15),” … Continue reading

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Early Repeat of The Good Groove and Much More…

Every season I receive an exciting email or two from Tim Neill recounting his latest adventures in the Scottish Highlands. It’s always a long list of impressive new routes and repeats, which is very fitting, because Tim’s enthusiasm for winter … Continue reading

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Fancy Free on Lochnagar

Pete Benson, Greg Boswell and Guy Robertson succeeded on an excellent technical new route on Lochnagar yesterday before the thaw set in. “We climbed the obvious groove line parallel to and left of Footloose on Central Buttress to give Fancy … Continue reading

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Raven’s Gully – Recent Ascents

I was intrigued last week, by a brief mention on UK Climbing that a team had made a rare ascent of Raven’s Gully with the Direct Finish in Glen Coe on February 8. It turned out it was Plas y … Continue reading

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Foreign Lands

Andy Nisbet made a rare visit to the Southern Highlands instead of his beloved North-West on Tuesday February 12. Here is his story: “Things weren’t going well on my way to meet Davie Crawford in Paisley. I’d forgotten to bring … Continue reading

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Frozen Forest

Glen Clova is currently undergoing something of a renaissance at the moment, with a steady stream of quality winter routes being added over the past few seasons. Take Winter Corrie, for example. Long regarded as a venue for easy to … Continue reading

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