Ben Sgulaird

DSCF2087, originally uploaded by brockers oc1.

For a shorter day than the 11hr Ben Nevis day we decided to head round to Appin and go up Ben Sgulaird. The day was pretty good, intermittant sunny spells and squals. Ben Sgulaird is a pretty remote Munro quite close to the coast out on the road from Kinlochleven to Oban.



The route heads up steeply and relentlessly to a minor peak and main ridge. Once summitted the decent is a long and arduous bog trot back to the road.

Fab day on the Ben

(On the summit ridge of Carn Mor Dearg with the NE butress of Ben Nevis in the background)

A fantastic day out on Ben Nevis. We woke early (4am) and were walking in by 7.10am. This allowed us to do one of the classic north face ridges as well as do the Ben Nevis - Carn Mor Dearg horseshoe.
We climbed Castle Ridge (III), the conditions weren't perfect. The snow was a bit powdery on the open parts and crusty in the enclosed parts. The crux pitch went easily with some dry-tooling techniques.


(Leading a mixed pitch on the Ben)

Once we completed the ridge we did a bit of micronav practice in a typical Ben summit plateau whiteout. We then decended via the Carn Mor Dearg arete and completed the CMD - Ben horseshoe.


The photo is of me on the summit ridge of Carn Mor Dearg.

Aonach Egach

DSCF2112, originally uploaded by brockers oc1.

The way home involved a quick blast along the Aonach Egeach. Here I am ascending a gully on one of the pinnacles. The ridge was in perfect nick and an almost windless day (for the westcoast) gave us a superb outing before we left for Leeds.  


(on the ridge approaching the pinnacles)

I have wanted to do the Anoach Egach ridge in winter for many years and was delighted when the opportunity presented itself during the Leeds Mountaineering Club meet at the Alex Mac hut in Onich.


(Approaching the final summit, all the difficulties completed)

The Ring of Steal.

DSCF2048, originally uploaded by brockers oc1.

23 march saw me and Guido going around the ring of steal in pretty good winter conditions. the devil's ridge was in excellent well consolidated condition. a fantastic day out.

Dry Tooling!

(Simon working the route)

There is a secret place where Karl and I have discovered we can go dry tooling at a crag/disused quarry where noone has developed any climbing.



Karl and I explored there today and worked on a couple of lines there.  We had to do a bit of cleaning and loose hold removal.  However we managed to work out the sequences for 2 lines.  The first and easiest would be about M6 and the harder one felt more like M7+.


(Simon finishing moves)

Both of us were happy but pumped at the end of the day. The venue will be a great training place for the harder mixed routes in scotland this or next winter!! (hopefully)