Variety is the spice....

With the usual changeable conditions we get at this time of year my work has been really varied recently. Last week I had a great day out in Glen Coe guiding Greg up the Zig Zags scramble on Gearr Aonach, followed by a wintery walk up to to Stob Coire nan Lochan. This was working for Lochaber Guides.  At the weekend I was based out of Glenmore Lodge as a volunteer instructor for the Mountaineering Scotland SMART (student safety) weekend, with both days spent working on the Rock Improvers courses. Today I was out with Matt and Laurence in the Cairngorms. The plan had been to go for a good scramble, but with high winds and rain forecast we decided to stay low and look at developing and polishing their mountaineering skills, including using the rope alone, to increase safety if needed.

Enjoying the Zig Zags.....

Glen Coe looking stunning

Proper winter

Just below the summit

Going up

Going down--South African abseil technique

Alpine Wanderings

The last couple of weeks I have been over in the Alps. I was due to work leading a Tour du Mont Blanc trek, unfortunately this was cancelled so I took the opportunity of being "on site" to have a spot of different fun. With my good friend Alex we had a grand tour, starting with the Ecrins Alps of southern France, before moving to Chamonix (briefly) and on to the Swiss Alps. We finished in one of our favourite Alpine areas, the Bregaglia (Bergell) Alps, right on the border of southern Switzerland and northern Italy. With it being late in the season, and thus snow/ice and glacial conditions likely to be poor, we decided to just concentrate on long rock routes. This turned out to be a good decision, and we climbed some fantastic routes, helped by the generally great weather. So, a fun time, but lovely to be back in the Scottish Highlands, where it is definitely starting to feel like Autumn. Looking forward to some hiking work starting tomorrow.

View of the Albina cirque, Bregaglia Alps

Punta d'Albigna

NW Ridge, Punta Albigna

Excellent climbing on the Via Meuli, Punta d'Albigna

Beautiful wee church in La Berarde, Ecrins

Alpine ridge scrambling

Standing on the tiny summit, Aiguille de Soreillier

Gorgeous granite climbing on the 12-pitch Palavar des Flots, Ailefroide, Ecrins

Descending from the Soreillier/Dibona cirque, Ecrins

The crux pitch of the South Ridge of Piz Balzet, Bregaglia. First ascent 1922, by local legend Walter Risch---solo!

Almost there.............

Crux pitch, Aiguille de Soreillier, easy but great climbing up cracked granite slabs

Dawn starts mean careful scrambling up verglassed (icy) granite slabs......

Sunny Skye

I have spent the last few days on the Misty Isle--The Isle of Skye. Fortunately it didn't live up to its name on this occasion and we had some lovely weather, plenty of sunshine, and feeling warm. Lots of rock climbing done on the sea-cliffs at Flodigarry in the north of the Island, as well as at the fantastic, remote Loch Coruisk. Our final day was wall to wall hot sunshine as we climbed the six-pitch classic route on Marsco in the Red Cuillin, The Snark VS.

A stunning evening on Marsco, Red Cuillin, Skye

Blaven, Coruisk and the Black Cuillin; Skye

Halfway up The Snark, VS, Marsco

Scoping out a way through the overhang. Loch Coruisk Crag.

Finishing up Raining Men, VS 4c, Flodigarry, Skye

Abseiling in to a hanging belay above the sea

Buoy Racer, VS 4c, Flodigarry, Skye

Out on the rock

An incredible time of year up here in the Highlands. At the moment we have excellent conditions for winter climbing, ski-touring as well as rock-climbing. I have been enjoying getting back into the latter, with some days personal climbing but also teaching others.

Open Secret ***, Hard Severe 4b, Stone Valley NW Highlands

Inside Information *, HVS 5a, 5a, Stone Valley NW Highlands

In my element

Enjoying the rock at Duntelchaig, Inverness

Learning to belay up a second

Learning to abseil!

Jetty Crag, Gruinard, NW Highlands

Scrambling near Inverness

No chilly fingers!

With the rock-climbing season in sight I am recently back from a short trip to Spain, the primary purpose of which was to get some early season mileage on rock. With sunshine and temperatures of 15-20 degrees, it was very pleasant for March! We climbed several multi-pitch trad routes as well as lots and lots of the great bolted sport pitches for which the area is renowned. A busy, exciting April beckons-watch this space!

Via Esther, Hard Severe **, Echo Valley

Espolon Artura, Severe, Toix Este

View of Calpe and the stunning Penon d'Ifach

Last boost of summer

With the clocks changing, and winter approaching, it was nice to escape recently for some warm, sunny rock-climbing in the Costa Blanca, Spain. There is a huge variety of terrain here....lots of sport climbing obviously but also scrambles and long traditionally-protected routes. Returning home to overnight temperarures of -6 deg C and snow on the hills came as something as shock! It's turned a bit milder now, but more snow forecast over the next few days..........

Introduction to climbing

Earlier in the week I had the pleasure of introducing Paul to rock-climbing. Although he had done some indoor climbing before, this was to be his first experience on real rock--a totally different kettle of fish! Due to showers being forecast for the Inverness area we headed for the cliffs at Cummingston on the Moray coast, well known as often being the driest place in the whole area! We top-roped some climbs to ease Paul in, and recapped principles of safe belaying. Next I had him commit to his first abseil (with a safety rope), which he accomplished really well. Then we looked at lead-belaying and I led some climbs with Paul seconding. This gave more of the "real" climbing experience, and allowed Paul to have a go at using nuts, cams and other trad gear. We finished off with an ascent of the free-standing pinnacle/stack, with an airy abseil to descend. Lovely to think back to my own first experiences climbing twenty years ago, and remember how much I loved it. I still do!

Recent rock climbing---Scotland and Spain!

Spring is always welcome after the cold of winter, and it always heralds the start of the rock climbing season for me. Recently I have had some superb days, both at home in the Highlands, as well as on a trip to the Costa Blanca in Spain. In the Highlands I was climbing some classic routes in Glen Nevis, and in Spain bolt-clipping lots of routes from F4-6a. We also managed the Bernia ridge whilst in Spain---this is like a miniature, limestone version of our own Cuillin ridge back here in Scotland. A great "Alpine" day out with lots of scrambling, some pitched climbing and a couple of abseils. Masses of rosemary and wild thyme growing en-route gave many stretches that glorious Mediterranean aroma of sun warmed herbs. The bar serving ice-cold cerveza waiting at the end was the icing on the cake!

Sarah leading Pine Wall, Hard Severe, Glen Nevis 

Henry nearing the top of the F4c pitch on the Bernia ridge, Spain

First view of the Bernia ridge, 8am, East Col

Faith in friction

Some shots from a few days ago playing on the wonderful granite slabs of Stac an Fharaidh in the Cairngorms, on Pippet Slab (Severe). Faith in friction required!

Cuillin climbing

A wee while since my last post as I have been busy +++.  Recent highlights including climbing in the NW Highlands and on the incomparable Isle of Skye. We were extremely lucky with the weather on these trips and managed to dodge most of the rain. In particular we had some fantastic weather on Skye, and managed to climb some classic mid-grade routes on the wonderful, rough Gabbro rock for which the Cuillin of Skye are justly famous, including Grand Diedre Direct VS 5a, Sunset Slab/Yellow Groove VS 4c, as well Cioch West (Severe), Arrow Route (Diff) and Integrity (VS 4c) on the magnificent cliff of Sron na Ciche. So much more to do, now just need some more time off and for the sun to come back out. Low pressure to the NW of the UK just now, meaning our side of the country likely to fair a bit better and be a bit brighter than the West....a period to probably stay on the East of Scotland if you can. All photos today courtesy of Alex Cowan.

Stunning high camp in the Cuillin of Skye

Me leading the 5a pitch on Grand Diedre Direct

The superlative Integrity VS 4c on Sron na Ciche

The equally classic Arrow Route

Typically Scottish weather on Skye