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!

Mountain biking

Here are a couple of pictures from earlier this week, guiding Mike around some of the tracks and trails of the Cairngorms and Strathspey. We started in Aviemore itself and took in lots of ground including Rothiemurchus, An Sluggan, Loch Garten, Carrbridge etc.  A nice change from the hill walking, although not exactly an easier day-----the computer read 63 km and >3000ft up and down but the end. Phew!

Fantastic light and colours---on the Speyside Way

View to the Cairngorm mountains

High mountains & plateau

Another day spent amongst the high Cairngorms, guiding Mike to the tops of Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in Scotland and Cairn Gorm itself. There was high cloud on and off the tops all day, but plenty of good visibility and even some warm sunshine. The plateau is such a special place on days like this, with a wonderful, mysterious atmosphere.  It was lovely to see the reindeer herds today in Coire Raibert. This is the closest I have ever seen them to the ski area but they seemed very happy. We were glad to get the boots off after another long-enough day tramping the hills.  Mountain-biking tomorrow to give the walking muscles a rest!

What a place

Cloud lifting off Braeriach

The heart of the Cairngorms

Looking northwards over Rothiemurchus towards Speyside

Great visibility despite some cloud

The reindeer add to the Arctic atmosphere

Glen Feshie Munros

Cracking day out today guiding Mike over the Glen Feshie Munros---Sgor Gaoith & Mullach Clach a Bhlair. Mike is very fit and we made excellent time over this good-sized round before dropping back to the glen. Plenty of sunshine on offer with vast swathes of purple heather to please the eye. These hills are always a delight and they were no exception today.

Stunning Glen Feshie

A cloud-capped Braeriach

Mike on the summit of Sgor Gaoith

The wind dropped and it was lovely and warm

Impressive Coire Garbhlach

Braeriach, Sgor an Lochain Uaine and Cairn Toul over the Monadh Mor

Lovely light and space from these hills

Purple haze.....

Delightful Deeside

Over the last few days I have been down on Deeside in the Southern Cairngorms, based out of Braemar. Followed my own advice and went South and East in order to avoid the worst of rain, in which we were mostly successful. We climbed little Creag Bhalg 668m above the Linn of Dee, and what a delight it was. I must have looked at this hill countless times whist approaching the bigger peaks in the heart of the Cairngorms, and it was nice to finally climb it. There is a fabulous start on the East bank of the wonderful Lui Water, following a small (and at times indistinct) path, with some wonderful pine and gorge scenery. Then follows a typical Grampian hill, rounded, heather-clad, giving straightforward walking with fantastic 360 degree views, from Lochnagar right round to Braeriach and Macdui. A great hill for a shorter day. We also managed some great mountain biking along the Deeside Way and the singletrack trails around the Burn O' Vat and Cambus O' May forests.

One of the lovely waterfalls--Lui Water

If trees could talk.......

Gloomier toward the high Cairngorms

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

Hot rock Provence

Slightly belated post, some photos of a wonderful recent trip rock climbing and enjoying the incomparable Provence in the South of France. A change to be back climbing Limestone, very different to much of our rock in the Highlands, but really lovely once the "feel" had come back!
And of course the sun just shone, shone, shone, and the pool and beers were refreshing. Summer in full swing back in the Highlands now, a slightly driech interlude yesterday but looking fantastic again for the next few days.

Reachy moves on a F6a slab

Henry sets of...Voie de Trous 5+

Thirsty work belaying!

Up to the belay

Abseil descent