UKH

Hey UKC people,

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for remote winter crags and routes (in the interests of avoiding buying guidebooks for all of Scotland!)? I have some time off next week so thought that exploring the back of beyond would be fun, as I know there must be some cracking stuff out there that doesn't get mentioned much. It'd be great to see some new places rather than just blasting into the Ben or the Northern corries for a weekend. Looking around the Grade III-IV range, although not averse to easier routes if they're good!

Cheers!

In reply to SarahA:

Garbh Choire Breariach (sp)

The Fannichs

shouldn't see you queuing up for routes..

In reply to SarahA:

If you're prepared for a 2-3 hour walk in only to find routes out of condition ( the main reason such crags are less travelled ), pretty much anything in the NW should fit the bill.

That said, there seem to have been some fairly frequent freeze-thaw cycles over the last couple of weeks so there's probably loads of stuff in that grade range which has never been climbed - though you may find people are understandably tight lipped about such opportunities...

In reply to SarahA:
Eagle Rocks tends to be fairly quiet. If you use the bothy then it's not such a huge walk in and it puts you in striking distance of Lochnagar as well.

Eagles Rock

In reply to SarahA:

How far are you prepared to walk? (and drive)

In the more accessible north west places some quick ideas.

Hayfork Gully, An Teallach, worth it whatever grade you climb especially if you combine it with the traverse.

Tower of Babel, Ben Dearg (Ullapool) reliable in most conditions and Penguin Gully if good ice.

East and West Buttresses, Coire Mhic Fhearchair, Ben Eighe ( a bit more mainstream and less likely to get to yourself)

Jerbil, Coire na Caime Liathach

Post Box Gully and Raeburns Superdirect (haven't personal experience of that), Sgurr Ruadh

Diamond Fire, Beinn Alligin

White Rabbits, Cul Mor

And several hundred others

Don't forget that there are a lot of relatively unvisited places in the central Highlands, for which, if you have the SMC Ben Nevis guide you already have descriptions. For instance Meall Garbh has a 4* IV,4 and is a beautiful place which is a lot easier to get to than you might think if you have a bike (Ben Alder too).

The Cairngorms are overflowing with obscure crags some with remarkably good routes.

In reply to rogerwebb:

Quite happy to drive and walk long distances!
Thanks for the list: would love to explore the NW stuff: definitely will look these up!

In reply to SarahA:

Check out the SMC selected climbs book - its has served me very well as an occasional visitor, it doesn't have the really esoteric stuff in but I don't think I've ever seen more then 1 or 2 other team out when I've climbed in the NW even on 3* routes (the walk ins are all a total ball ache though).

In reply to SarahA:
Loch Etcheachan crag, the stuic, garbh coire Beinn a'bhurid, Loch Ericht / northern Braeriach corries, Ben Alder (just noticed its already been mentioned)...... take a bit of effort to get to and I would be surprised if you met anyone climbing there.

In reply to ebdon:

You do have to accept the long walk-ins as part of the adventure don't you. Last April we walked 3 hours in (we're slow) to do Post Box Gully as we figured it'd be the only thing in condition, only to find the post box and access to the upper gully blocked by an avalanche. Cue long walk home.

In reply to SarahA:

In my experience, pretty much any crag that's not in the list of usual destinations (Northern Corries, Ben Nevis, Beinn an Dothaidh, Lochnagar, and the like) is likely to be quiet if not deserted.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

+1 to this I'm often surprised at how little you have to go from the usual honeypots for a quiet day even for easy classics

In reply to SarahA:

In glencoe

sron a lairg is good and not an epic walk:

church door buttress is good too a wild corner of a popular hill,

Also shelf route on the buaichaille

routes in the lost valley....

There is a bunch of legendary ice routes up there which I think have only looked in during he foot and mouth winter.

In reply to planetmarshall:


With all the info available these days it's pretty easy to avoid a wasted day even in the NW. In fact how could any day in the NW be seen as a waste?

In reply to SarahA:

Part of the fun has been finding random 3 star routes in quiet crags in the guidebook! So I'm sorry if I spoil someone's day out, but monolith grooves, hidden ridge, lomond corner are gems, and I have been in for Ben's fault once, but turned back due to conditions... Bit of work required which may keep some of the crowds away.

In reply to alasdair19:

Yeah that's right, I'm pretty sure that the last time Mome Rath route etc were in was 2001 - I wonder why they didn't form in 2010?

In reply to DaveHK:


I never said it would be a waste...

In reply to jonnie3430:

I was going to mention Monolith Grooves. It gets a fair number of ascents, but you're very unlikely to be queuing and it a real beauty. Varied, interesting, well protected and fairly tricky right at the top.
Not done the others so I'll have to give them a look.
D.

In reply to SarahA:
Looks like the lower stuff keeps getting pretty stripped back so aim for the higher venues (or routes that don't need a build up). The Breariach may work if the cornices have been kept in check with the thaws.

In reply to jonnie3430:

Monolith Grooves is in Cold Climbs, hardly random! Ive also been defeated by conditions trying to get to Ben's Fault.

In reply to TobyA:


Bens fault is also on a munro, 50 mins drive from Glasgow City Centre! Concept of remote is all relative in the UK anyway, it's all about the experience where ever you are. Having said that the NW does feel remote at times!

Enjoy them hills.

In reply to SarahA:

Amazing that there's another Sarah A who climbs in that area at a similar grade (or harder).

In reply to ebdon:


In reply to alasdair19:


Red Gully, III, Sgor na h-Ulaidh... three-hour walk-in and you'll likely get it to yourself, but it would be mobbed if on one of the obvious Coe/Ben crags!

In reply to TobyA:

I would say Monolith Grooves is the most reliable Climb in Arrochar, whereas Ben's Fault needs more build up and good travelling conditions for maximum enjoyment!

Arrochar is very much more visited these days, the cats out the bag for the quality mixed it has to offer. In the Southern Highlands, solitude may still be found in the coires of Drochaid Ghlas, Stob Ghabour and a ferry ride to Coire Dangeon or Cir Mhor? Glasgow's most popular Munro, is probably frozen longer into the season than the above too, though a long walk with a climbing pack!

Stuart