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Some pretty pics for you (definitely not mine)
The Fiddler / Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir photo gives me goosebumps. It's stunning
Try fan for me, but for different reasons. Absolute belter of a hill for scrambling and easy climbs.
The thing with the NW Highlands photos is that they are far, far away for most people in the UK (unless you're lucky enough to live within a few hours drive of them). Add to that the frequently crap weather up there and it makes those photos even better for me
That is very true.
Best keep my fingers crossed for the two days we can hopefully get Ben Hope done while we are in Tongue this summer.
Not a long day* by the direct route for Ben Hope, kinda curious if there’s many alternatives with reasonable paths.
Not even a day, nor even a morning unless you really really take your time, which is fair enough to do.
Edit, why yes, the north ridge looks interesting.
A few from yesterday on Beinn Eighe and Beinn Alligin.
Not a long day* by the direct route for Ben Hope, kinda curious if there’s many alternatives with reasonable paths.
I've twice done it on the same day as Ben Klibreck. The second time was after witnessing a dawn annular eclipse from the summit.
Not posted in a while but lurking in this thread periodically.
Not sure if these count as they're not hillwalking as such...
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Posting fail - here goes again.
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Gentle day in the valleys around Cadair Idris
Anyone gear have any thoughts on the pros and cons of boots vs shoes with approach footwear for scrambling duties?
Im leaning towards shoes as im likely to run in, scramble, run out again so would likely carry them in a rucksack.
Edited : itd be Scarpa Crux if it was shoes as the fit for me is superb.
Depends what you mean by scrambling, if you mean the likes of striding edge or other easy ridge scramble/walks, then I'd be happy in my Scarpa crux, but then I think you'd be fine in grippy xc running shoes. BUT if you're talking something like the vertical corner on pinnacle ridge, then I wouldn't be particularly keen to do that in a pr of crux, they're far too soft and flexi for me. If I'm actually going to be doing easy climbing I'd possibly look at something a bit more rigid for edging (Scarpa zodiac shoe?).
Id be venturing into grade 2s unroped and 3s roped
I dont think i tried on Zodiacs, might ha e to track some down
Have you looked at La Sportiva TX shoes or Scarpa Mescalito?
various versions of Boreal Flyers used to be good for this - fairly stiff with good edges
Or just look for a via ferrata shoe - they're designed to be okay to walk in and stiff enough to scramble in
The TXs and Mescalitos both proved to be a poor fit.
Not even considered Boreals, will go take a google.
Edit, hang on, are TXs zodiacs?
https://www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com/review/review-scarpa-zodiac/
They do them in grey, I've never tried them btw, but they look the business as a more rigid shoe.
/\/\ That’s a massive range, only a couple of which are available locally(ish) for me to try on for fit. And they didn’t. (TX4/Guide/Boulder)
The Scarpa Zodiacs I haven’t tried and are available so I’ll call the shop and see if they have them, or if they can get them in that branch as they have them in stock in my size online.
Back to the original question.
Pros and Cons of boots vs trainers? Anyone have any thoughts on that, bearing in mind my default footwear in the Scottish hills for well over a decade have been Mudclaws or X Talons. Presumably it’s just a comfort thing and additional support/protection, none of which I’m fussed about ‘off’ the scrambling sections.
40 years of fell runners in the hills here - from when the choice was Walsh PBs or Walsh PBs. Boots only for winter when crampons needed as don't find any benefit from them at any other time. To get any appreciable ankle support means loss of agility and I find the latter more useful. Done lots of scrambles in Lakes & Skye in fell running shoes and never felt like boots would have been a better option. Currently in La Sportiva Mutants and haven't used anything else this winter yet.
Im still in the hunt for approach shoes but ive parked it for now until I get a better idea of how things will pan out this summer.
Im half thinking about a big multi day walking pack, can anyone recommend a good Scotland based shop for multi day packs? Im already thinking the obvious targets like Craig Don Edinburgh/Perth, Tiso Perth, whatever I find in Aviemore/Fort William, and Ive a detour planned to Ultralight Outdoor Gear on my next south bound trip.
Best kit shopping in Scotland for range of brands is Aviemore IMO, followed by Fort William.
That was pretty much my assumption, ill mooch over to Craigdon Edinburgh this weekend, and swing by Tiso Perth on my next trip up Aviemore way then whenever next I head south plan the detour to Ultralight Outdoor Gear
Not been in here in a while. Lots of cracking hill photos! Here's a few of my snaps from a braw afternoon on Ben Lui earlier in the week. Biked in from Tyndrum to a wee bit beyond Cononish where the going got slow in the snow. Walked up via Coire Gaothach and Stob Garadh. Didn't see a soul on the hill. Just an eagle, ptarmigan and a couple of raven patrolling the summit.
👍
Pie,
Scrapa Crux are absolutely brilliant for scrambling! I’ve climbed VS in mine.. You can crank down the laces a bit for the more technical sections. The only thing they’re not great on is wet grass but what climbing shoe is…
Boots are good if it’s pishing down or in the winter. Otherwise I’m in my Crux.
I don’t think I’d like to run too far in them though.
Spent last week in the Highlands, and got rather lucky with the weather.
Sgurr Dubh in Torridon, before more snow arrived, but on an atmospheric day when the clouds kept coming in and out.
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OK, why won't it let me make a second post of the next part of the trip? As usual with STW, no error message, no explanation, just doesn't appear?
Though when I post again, its says its duplication. Anybody see some photos with Maol Cheann-dearg covered in snow that I can't see?
I can see the Torridon photos
I can see the Sgurr Dubh ones, and my two "WTF is happening" posts, but not the one ones of the bothy and snow covered hills in between. Oh well, will pop back later!
No maol cheann dearg appearing so far, but the sgur dubh ones look great.
We then had a dumping, not deep but very soft, and headed into Maol Cheann-dearg via a night in Coire Fionnaraich bothy, just because we wanted to. It was a tad chilly (-10C in the glen below) but we carried in enough coal, and a guitar and banjo, and the next day was fabulous!
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Split it in two, presume there's a max no of images thing.
Thats better
Great photos
Scrapa Crux are absolutely brilliant for scrambling! I’ve climbed VS in mine.. You can crank down the laces a bit for the more technical sections. The only thing they’re not great on is wet grass but what climbing shoe is…Boots are good if it’s pishing down or in the winter. Otherwise I’m in my Crux.
I don’t think I’d like to run too far in them though.
Nice, cheers @aldo56 much appreciated.
Tbh, I dont have all that much of a choice unless I take a punt on shoes ive never tried on. The fit if the Crux are so far ahead of any other locally available option nothing I can try us getting a look in.
Actually, many climbers here?
Found myself back at indoor climbing (Ratho) and should be moving outside soon enough.
Would be good to see some inspirational photos, and also and suggestions for crags with plenty of VD to HS options within an hour of Edinburgh/Dunfermline way.
One here! I’m on the other coast so far from an expert but have enjoyed Hawkcrag and Limekilns in that neck of the woods.
You’ve also got Rosyth Quarry but I’ve never been there. Have a look on UKC for pictures.
I can lean out of a window and see Silver Sands so Hawkscraigs is eyed up. Its about a 20 minute walk.
Great fun bouldering there!
The two best climbing venues reasonably close to Edinburgh are Dunkeld and Northumberland. Both however are slightly more than an hour away and both are a fairly hardcore; if you manage to climb a certain grade at those places you can probably comfortably manage the same grade anywhere else in the country.
Not really the right grade but suitably inspirational I think. Lady Charlotte at Dunkeld
Look at those trousers, LOOK AT THEM!
Yes, 1988, everyone wanted to look like Andy Pollitt. "The Fat Boy" as a A Class pretty boy just about pulls that off 🙂
Although theres a fair bit of serious grades at Dunkeld theres also a reasonable amount of more realistic options for me.
Is the rock generally fairly solid, need much drying out on the less serious routes?
I also didnt know there was sport climbing there.
Routes to do would be Beech Wall, Cuticle Crack, Hogg's Hindquarters and The Hood. The rock is pretty solid, dries quickly but footholds are often slopey or inobvious so a bit of a learning curve if you've only ever climbed indoors. I was never much of a sports climber but I rated the Upper Cave Crag routes as the best in Scotland, they really suited a weakling like me as there are lots of footholds.
We used to wear some bizarre garb back in the 70s too. Jeans rolled up the knee (John Allen's fault I think). Loons (the widest flappiest flares you can image) - had to develop a certain style to flick them off the the toe of your EBs to see where you were placing your foot.
I still have a pair of candy stripe Troll Jesters in the wardrobe and some luminous yellow Ron Hills.
within an hour of Edinburgh/Dunfermline way.
If you can stretch that timescale a little the there is excellent single pitch cragging in Northumberland. Kyloe Crag has some excellent routes at the grades you mentioned.
crags with plenty of VD to HS options
If you can get away for a weekend then Crag Lough and Peel Crag in Northumberland are 2 of the best single pitch crags for those grades in the whole country.
Auchinstarry is quite good for "step out the car" at that grade.
Dunkeld is awesome, great rock and mostly superb protection. Polney crag is the best for the grades you mention. Try Kestrel Crack, Holly Tree Grove and Beech Wall as already mentioned. The groove has always been one of my favourites You'll be doing well to get more than 3 routes in a day due to the faff of abbing down or a long walk. Feels like a good adventure though, particularly Hoggs Hindquaters which is quite unique!
Google tells me that Loudon Hill is about 1hr 20min from Dunfermline, its also excellent at the grades you mentioned.
See those Scarpa boots up there in the photo of Lady Charlotte? Guess who's still wearing an identical pair each week at the Wolverhampton wall... yup that'll be me 🙋
Those Northumbrian crags look superb, do they tend to be quiet?
Just finsihed a session at Ratho which involved repeatedly jumping off which was entertaining in a way. Belayer was quite a lot lighter too so had a fair amount of drop.
There’s a lovely little bolted crag at Bennybeg just west of Crieff, grades from 3+ to 6a Here
There’s a lovely little bolted crag at Bennybeg just west of Crieff, grades from 3+ to 6a Here
Cracking cafe next to it too....
Those Northumbrian crags look superb, do they tend to be quiet?
Peel Crag and Crag Lough are pretty quiet with climbers, we had a day at each a few summers back and only saw one other climber. They are absolutely rammed with tourists though as Hadrian's wall runs across the top. They really are absolutely first rate in the easier grades. Good campsite at Winsheilds too.
The other Northumberland crags are a bit mixed. Kyloe can be popular but I've never seen it unpleasantly so. Bowden gets busy but mainly with boulderers.
Is that Northumberland "popular" or Stanage "popular"?
Northumberland is generally less busy than the Peak. Away from a handful of honeypot* crags it's pretty quiet full stop.
*both Kyloes and both Bowdens mostly. Even these rarely get unpleasantly busy.
OK, what's the photo posting trick now? I thought I had it sorted but it isn't working.
Hmm, seems to be working now. Those are a few from the Fisherfield area weekend before last.
Carnmore bothy? That's a long walk in wearing those heels...
That's some set of pics Spin!
(And yes, the back story to the shoes must just be a joker...surely?)
Carnmore bothy?
Yes, still a shithole you'll see but it served a purpose for that trip.
Is it sad to recognise the bothy from its interior?
My clue was this
Same piccy, I think
Is it sad to recognise the bothy from its interior?
My clue was this
Same piccy, I think
Is that the link you meant to post? It takes me to a moor in Wales.
Love Fisherfield. Amazing place. Great photos.
I shouldn't be excited about buying a rope, but I am.
Whats the score with climbing guides these days, books, apps or website? Or all 3?
Might as well ask here... Got to leave car in glencoe for a few days. Best at kingshouse or at the ski centre?
A paper copy of a climbing guide should live in your cludgie. Studying said guide is the perfect relaxent for the bowels I find.
Got to leave car in glencoe for a few days. Best at kingshouse or at the ski centre?
Ski centre and stick a few quid in the camper honesty box. I would have though KH would be more for hotel customers and very little skiing so plenty space at Glencoe Mountain.
I dont know what a cludgie is, but it sounds like soneone books shouldnt be put into
Ski centre and stick a few quid in the camper honesty box. I would have though KH would be more for hotel customers and very little skiing so plenty space at Glencoe Mountain.
👍
I dont know what a cludgie is, but it sounds like soneone books shouldnt be put into
It's where climbers retire for a relaxed sit down.
It’s where climbers retire for a relaxed sit down.
Climbers guide in the cludgie, in the Cluanie Inn after a day on Càrn nan Gobhar?