Monthly Archives: March 2016

Chasing The Ephemeral

As soon as the second edition of Ben Nevis – Britain’s Highest Mountain (which I co-authored with Ken Crocket) was published in 2009, Tom Prentice asked me whether I would like to write a book about Scottish winter climbing. The … Continue reading

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Capricorn on Ben Nevis

Carn Dearg Buttress on Ben Nevis became particularly icy at the end of February and the classic Gemini (VI,6) saw many ascents together with the very good, but less frequented Waterfall Gully Direct Finish (VI,6). On March 10, just before … Continue reading

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Immortal Memory – Second Ascent

It’s been something of a landmark year on Beinn Eighe with repeats of many hard routes, and on March 3,  Murdoch Jamieson, Ian Parnell and Uisdean Hawthorn continued the trend with the second ascent of Immortal Memory (IX,9). “ We … Continue reading

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New Routes on Binnein Shuas

“On March 6 Andy Clark, Rob Wright and I needed a short day with options to cut off early, so we headed for Masa and Yuki Sakano’s routes on the North-West Ridge of Binnein Shuas,” Martin Holland writes. “We climbed … Continue reading

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Wall of the Early Morning Light – Direct Start

Andy Nisbet, Dave McGimpsey and Steve Perry made an excellent three-pitch addition to Coire na Poite on Beinn Bhan in Applecross on March 5. Andy takes up the story: “When Dave McGimpsey, Jonathan Preston and I were climbing a new … Continue reading

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Skye Winter Festival 2016

The Skye Winter Festival is the brainchild of local guide Mike Lates and has become a regular fixture on the winter climbing calendar. The meet is based at the Carbost Inn and has done a huge amount to bring the … Continue reading

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Too Old to Rock and Roll

I’ve been watching an icicle grow in in Glen Clova’s Corrie Farchal for a number of weeks now. It’s situated on the buttress high up on the right side of the corner and makes the central line up the front … Continue reading

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S Gully on Marsco

On February 28, John Jackson, Linda Gentlemen, Lorn Smith, Martin Holland, Gareth Robinson and Joanne McCandless decided to take a look at Wooly Gully (II,4) on Marsco. “This was the only route in the guidebook in Coire nan Laogh and … Continue reading

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Big Weekend on the Ben

Helen Rennard had an outstanding weekend climbing on Ben Nevis last weekend. On Saturday March 5 Helen climbed The Shroud (VI,6) on Carn Dearg Buttress with Rob Patchett and Dougie Russell, and on March 6 she partnered Dave MacLeod on … Continue reading

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Deep, Deep, Deep

Andy Nisbet and Dave McGimpsey visited Beinn Dearg in the Northern Highlands on March 3 and found rather more white stuff than they anticipated. Andy takes up the story: “’Is it just me, or does our route look like a … Continue reading

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