UKC

Planning a trip to Scotland for a week in May. Anybody got any suggestions for some good places to climb trad. Preferably multipitch mountain routes. I will be around Glen coe, Aviemore and fort william area for the week.

In reply to mason_7:

In reply to mason_7:

Mountain multipitch in the Highlands you say? You're in luck, all three places happen to be exceptional, as long as it doesn't rain or snow. May can be pretty early season for the higher crags, but at least you're less likely to be devoured by midges. From your profile I'm assuming you're looking for routes in the VS-HVS range, in which case the following venues are where it's most definitely at.

West:
Beinn Trilleachan (Etive Slabs)
Buachaille Etive Mor
No match for crag id:476
Ben Nevis
Garbh Bheinn

East:
Cairn Gorm - Stob Coire an t-Sneachda
Cairn Gorm - Cairn Lochan
Hell's Lum
Stag Rocks
Ben Macdui - Creagan a' Choire Etchachan

Sort of in the middle:
Binnein Shuas
No match for crag id:17070
Creag Ghlas

That should be enough to keep you busy.

In reply to mason_7:

Yeh getting to the high mountain crags in may will likely neccesitate axe and crampons to cross the snow slopes on the approach

In reply to Webster:

I've never found that in May - any snow I've ever come across has been either so soft or so covered in bucket steps axe and crampons would have been useless !

In reply to Andy Moles:

Thank you Andy

In reply to mason_7:

Yeah. I do not have any winter experience or gear at all so that would be a disaster. Is it best to play it safe and wait till June?

In reply to mason_7:

No, just pick your crags. High north-facing ones, like The Long Climb on the Ben or stuff in Coire an Lochain, could have serious approaches - in contrast to GrahamD, I definitely have found that in May - but most of those I linked will likely be fine. If there's only a small amount of snow to cross or it's softened up, you should be able to be negotiate it safely enough, with care and common sense.

In reply to mason_7:

We were up in Torridon in May last year and there was only patches of snow holding out in the most secluded gullies.

If you wait until June you're starting to get into midge season.

May should be okay for snow.

In reply to mason_7:

May tends to be good for dry weather, certainly on the West side.

In reply to mason_7:

You must do this - fairly short easy walk in and worth every minute:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=670

In reply to Rog Wilko:

And nip up Blaeberry grooves on the way down even if the 1st pitch is the only interesting bit.

In reply to mason_7:

I'll second (third?) Ardverikie Wall. Actually, what I mean is I'd lead it again tomorrow given half a chance. Done it twice although yonks ago. Three stars at least although it ain't hard pro is a bit thin and the pitches quite long as I recall.
I haven't climbed real rock in years but if I got the chance I'd be back at Binnein Shuas in a flash. Oh and that suggestion for Great Ridge in Ardgour is another belter.

In reply to mason_7:

Hi. Not sure what dates you're planning on, but I will be up in the area w/e of 9/10 May and looking for a buddy to get out, esp on multi-pitch mountain routes. Have climbed a couple of times in Glencoe and once on the Ben, so there's an endless list here that I've never even looked at.

Let me know if this would work for you

Cheers
Lee