UKH

A TV-sized block was pulled off from close to the top of Embankment route 4 by a young team yesterday evening. Thankfully lead climber and belayer avoided injury.  The top out has always been a bit loose but there did appear to be a few residual unstable blocks upon inspection from the top.

It would be worth taking great care on this route until the area has been inspected on abseil and further loose blocks removed. 

I was out for a solo but would have otherwise tried to do this yesterday. I'll return with a rope & crowbar later in the week; unless anybody heading to the crag before this and has a few moments to take a look? 

I’ve removed a few of the loosest blocks from the top of the route. Clearly the top band of this part of the crag will never be 100% solid and care is still required; the best advice would be to avoid altogether and finish the route at the end of the embankment, rather than taking on the top section of the crag. This approach is labeled in the Rockfax guide, takes in the best climbing and avoids the loose top out. Below is a photo for interest. 
cheers,

Luke 

There's been quite a bit of rockfall up here in Lochaber including some very large rocks from Etive Slabs and bits falling off Slime Wall (and paths falling apart e.g. two casualties up the Lost Valley). The hot weather has dried a lot of the soil that would have held things together when wet, so there isn't that 'suction/adhesion' holding blocks together anymore. Although the Etive slabs sound like it's possibly been heat surface fracturing of the granite (common in Yosemite supposedly). 

e.g.  youtube.com/watch?v=DNdpqeJEPoY&