A scintillating line up the centre of the Main Bastion. Superb sustained climbing, much easier than it looks, with a memorable climax up the wall left of Haystack's top crack. Start a the base of the steeple corners.
1. Climb the short corner (as for Haystack pitch 2) and pull left onto the slabs, then continue direct up thin cracks on the right with increasingly difficulty to a tricky section gaining a groove. Climb this past a bulge and pull left to belay (50m, 5c)
2. Pull directly up to gain the right-curving crack and follow this boldly right to protection. Make thin moves back left to a crack in the bulge which gain a groove and easier ground and a belay on the right (20m, 5c)
3. As for Steeple/Haystack up to the middle terrace (50m, 4c)
4. The crux a truely stunning pitch. A few metres right of Steeple/Haystack, an obvious line of sloping holds leads temptingly up rightwards into the heart of the smooth wall. Follow these holds with no protection to below a scary mantle shelf onto two jugs at 10m Place a crucial Skyhook out left (better than it sounds) & a poor RP1 directly below. Mantle up off the the two good holds, then follow a finger flake out right to a thin crack which leads up to an overlap. Balance/shuffle left under this to gain an overhanging crack and follow this to a junction with Steeple. Continue up leftwards across the Steeple ramp to the next ramp (Haystack) which is followed to a pull up left onto a commodious ledge and belay (40m, 6a)
5. Climb a short tapering groove with difficulty to a jug, then swing left onto the slab. Move up then climb cracks in the left side of the pillar above to a junction with Citadel which is followed to below the headwall (40m, 5c)
6. Gain the top of the huge flake on the left, then climb the flake/crack in the wall above to a strenuous pull into the niche. The wall above is climbed directly before a step right to a jug at the top - a sensational and well-protected pitch (25m, 6a)
7. Go easily up right to the final wall cracks of Steeple which is then followed to the top (45m, 5b).
1. Climb the short corner (as for Haystack pitch 2) and pull left onto the slabs, then continue direct up thin cracks on the right with increasingly difficulty to a tricky section gaining a groove. Climb this past a bulge and pull left to belay (50m, 5c)
2. Pull directly up to gain the right-curving crack and follow this boldly right to protection. Make thin moves back left to a crack in the bulge which gain a groove and easier ground and a belay on the right (20m, 5c)
3. As for Steeple/Haystack up to the middle terrace (50m, 4c)
4. The crux a truely stunning pitch. A few metres right of Steeple/Haystack, an obvious line of sloping holds leads temptingly up rightwards into the heart of the smooth wall. Follow these holds with no protection to below a scary mantle shelf onto two jugs at 10m Place a crucial Skyhook out left (better than it sounds) & a poor RP1 directly below. Mantle up off the the two good holds, then follow a finger flake out right to a thin crack which leads up to an overlap. Balance/shuffle left under this to gain an overhanging crack and follow this to a junction with Steeple. Continue up leftwards across the Steeple ramp to the next ramp (Haystack) which is followed to a pull up left onto a commodious ledge and belay (40m, 6a)
5. Climb a short tapering groove with difficulty to a jug, then swing left onto the slab. Move up then climb cracks in the left side of the pillar above to a junction with Citadel which is followed to below the headwall (40m, 5c)
6. Gain the top of the huge flake on the left, then climb the flake/crack in the wall above to a strenuous pull into the niche. The wall above is climbed directly before a step right to a jug at the top - a sensational and well-protected pitch (25m, 6a)
7. Go easily up right to the final wall cracks of Steeple which is then followed to the top (45m, 5b).
Ticklists
Ultimate Scottish Trad Ticklist E1 to E5
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Route of Interest
Thor
Grade: E5 6b ***
(Shelterstone Crag)