Rockfax Description
275m. A fine climb taking an intricate and improbable line through the overlapping slabs to the right of Centurion. The original start is usually wet and rarely climbed. Instead starting up Centurion and The Bat (described) is now the standard line. The central section through overlapping slabs of rough red rock contains some of the finest climbing on the mountain. The route is long and sustained and should not be underestimated. Route finding, especially in the crucial central section, can be a considerable challenge.
1. 30m 5b Climb Centurion pitch one and continue up the corner for 6m, then traverse right across a pink slab to belay on a perched block.
2. 35m 5c Move up and left onto a slab, climb an overlap and continue up to a crack. Traverse left on underclings and move up on to a higher slab. Climb this for 5m (high runner), then hand-traverse down and right along a thin crack to a foothold below a smooth left-facing corner. Move up and right from here to a corner bulge. Swing round this and climb up through steep ground to a ledge below a shallow crack cutting the left side of a prominent red wall.
3. 30m 5b Climb the crack and move right along the ledge at the top. Move up to belay at the top of a corner (The Bat).
4. 40m 5b The route now follows the crack and corner system 10m left of The Bat. Move up from the stance, then traverse 5m left to the crack system. Follow this over several bulges to a grassy bay. Go easily up the grassy bay to the foot of a steep crack cut by a roof.
5. 40m 5a Climb the crack through the roof and continue up the corner on the left, to belay below a corner-crack. Junction with Route II.
6. 40m 4c Climb the corner, swing across to a spike, move left, then climb up to a spike belay.
7. 30m Climb slightly right, then up to a grassy groove. Move left, then finish directly above.
FA N.Muir, I.Nicolson (FFA), Jun 1970 © Rockfax
Ticklists
Extreme Rock , Victim Of Mathematics' Ticklist of Extreme Justice , Ultimate Scottish Rock , Great Scottish E2s , Scottish 3 and 4 star multi-pitch routes , Summer Trip 2014 , Ultimate E2 ticklist , Fred Harper Legacy List , Scottish Four Star Multi Pitch Routes to E2 (and Old Man Of Hoy) , Ultimate Scottish Trad Ticklist E1 to E5 , Wired Scottish Rock Climbs ****
Feedback
| User | Date | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| apollo18 | 28 Aug, 2019 |
Show βeta
βeta: Linked the first two pitches which is easy enough to do and speeds things up nicely. Managed to find some off route boulder problems on pitch 3. Pitch 4 (crack and face to the top of the Bat) was nice and easier than expected. Neither ‘bold’ as marked in the Latter guide and we didn’t think had any 5b on it. Looks harder than it is. Route after this was very difficult to find. Not really sure if we were on off off route for the next 100m. Lots of dirtyish blocks and cracks. All in all a fun day out but a bit underwhelmed by the route compared to The Bat or Torro. | βeta? | |
|
Show beta
βeta: Linked the first two pitches which is easy enough to do and speeds things up nicely. Managed to find some off route boulder problems on pitch 3. Pitch 4 (crack and face to the top of the Bat) was nice and easier than expected. Neither ‘bold’ as marked in the Latter guide and we didn’t think had any 5b on it. Looks harder than it is. Route after this was very difficult to find. Not really sure if we were on off off route for the next 100m. Lots of dirtyish blocks and cracks. All in all a fun day out but a bit underwhelmed by the route compared to The Bat or Torro. |
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Logged Ascents
Guidebooks for Ben Nevis
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Heart Breaker
Grade: E2 6a ***
(Tanera Beag)