Bob Elder climbing the iced up line of Pinball Wizard on the back wall of Cambus O’May Quarry in Upper Deeside in deepest Aberdeenshire. (Photo Jim Woodley)
Bob Elder and Jim Woodley made a visit to the Cambus O’May Quarries in Upper Deeside (see Northeast Outcrops guidebook) last Sunday (December 19) and climbed a number of ice lines.
“The back wall is well iced,” Bob reported. “There’s an odd line on the east wall (Urban Decay summer line) that’s OK and a few that are nearly there (corner just left of Heinous de Milo – bolts just out of reach!). There’s a few ‘Sword of Damocles’ icicles around, so take a helmet!”
This is the first time I’ve heard of folk climbing in these granite quarries, and it is a venue worth considering when access to the higher hills is difficult. This is particularly useful as there are few easy access climbing options on the south side of the Cairngorms.
