UKC

Hi there

I am planning a trip to Torridon later in the year to do some walking in the Ben Aligin area and I thought whilst I'm there I might get some climbing in first. I have never been to the area and was hoping I could get some advice or suggestions from other climbers who are familiar with the area.

I am looking for:

1 - A couple of good mountain routes or decent multi pitches preferably in the VDiff - Severe range.
2 - Suggestions for a good days cragging on single pitch routes. I'd like to find a good easy accessible crag with a good range of climbs in the Severe to HVS ranges

Any suggestion?

Thanks

Scott

In reply to Mearnser:

There's a bit of an echo in here

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=615264

In reply to Mearnser:

Diabaig is fantastic, but tough HVS is pretty much the bottom of the range on the main crag. I believe there might be easier sectors nearby, but I'm not personally familiar with them.

Any of the long classics on Benn Eighe would make a great mountaineering day out.

In reply to Mearnser:


Try Inveralligin. It's pleasant rather than great, but *very* accessible.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3930

In reply to Mearnser:

For the single pitch, Stone Valley is perhaps the best in the area at that grade range. It's about a 40 min walk-in. If you need something closer to the road, try Aztec Tower or Ardheslaig.

In reply to Mark Bull:

...and Seana Mheallan is another option.

In reply to Mearnser:
I love this area, I've stayed at a croft between Diabaig and Alligin all my life and never tire of it. The area just the north is really excellent for single pitch cragging, ie Poolewe and Gairloch. Raven's Crag, Gairloch is very nice for lower grade routes. Creag Alligin is good for easier routes but I'm biased! and makes a good low grade day out if combined with Discovery Rock. Diabaig main crag is outstanding but has nothing much below HVS and the sub HVS climber probably gets more out of a road trip round the less popular craglets. As mentioned above Ardheslaigis pretty good, and as I mentioned on the other threadSword of Gideon (VS 4c)wont disappoint. Inveralligin Sea-Cliff is best experienced in the evening with a lowish tide and without ropes, not intrinsically great, but a lovely spot.

In my photo gallery are some pictures of some of the crags in the area.

In reply to Mearnser:
For a single pitch crag in the V Diff/Severe range, Ardheslaig is absolutely perfect. Beautiful slabby gneiss with superb friction and less than 5 minutes walk from the car.

In reply to Mearnser:

The best mountain route there by a country mile is Cioch Nose - a must do at v-diff/severe.

In reply to Michael Gordon:

Cioch Nose is great, but Central Buttress on Beinn Eighe is better!

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Do you mean the VS? I've not done it but that's good to know.

In reply to Michael Gordon:

We sort-of did Pigott's Route (S), went wrong, and finished up Hamilton's (HS). It seems to be traditional to get lost up there (the guidebook description doesn't help)!

The VS route is on the to-do list.

In reply to Michael Gordon:

I found Cioch Nose a bit of a let down. Impressive situations but the advertised 'crux' was too easy and some of the rest a bit unexpectedly hard, dirty or a combination thereof.

In reply to Offwidth:

Don't remember finding any of it dirty. Did find it a bit easy, but then it is a v-diff!

In reply to Michael Gordon:

It's Severe!

In reply to Andy Nisbet:

It's graded Severe, but is really only VDiff :-p

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

It's a pity that you're not allowed to vote for Severe on UKC (which seems bizarre), but there are several comments suggesting that in logbooks.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

I agree