UKC

So I'm going for a long weekend in Glencoe at the end of August. I lead happily at severe and up to vs or so when pushing a little. What are the must do routes / areas around Glencoe? I may also take novices out so is there any easy single pitch in the area as well? Thanks in advance!

In reply to Landy_Dom:

Keep in mind that the weather might be terrible, so get some wet day options, such as Aonach Eagach or a wee walk into The Lost Valley. Curved Ridge might be okay in wet too, but some parts are quite exposed and steep - I needed rope to abseil off one bit. My partner managed to downclimb it and I am sure I could have done that too, but didn't feel like.

Can't recommend any routes for Glencoe.

In reply to Landy_Dom:

Rannoch Wall:
Agag's Groove (Summer) (VD)
January Jigsaw (Summer) (S)
Grooved Arête (VS 4b)

E face of Aonach Dubh:
The Long Crack (S)
Weeping Wall Route (S)
Spider Right-Hand (VS 4c)
Archer Ridge (S 4a)
Quiver Rib (D)
Nirvana Wall (HS 4b)

Bidean nam Bian
Crypt Route (VD) (if you like very trad, caving style stuff!).

Best bet for single pitch for novices would be Polldubh Crags, Glen Nevis.

In reply to Mark Bull:

Thanks

Get up early for sun, all go if damp though North face route can be tricky.

Buachaille Etive Mor - North face route North Face Route (S) followed by January jigsaw January Jigsaw (Summer) (S)

Gearr Aonach, East Face - Rainmaker Rainmaker (HS)

Aonach Dubh, East Face - Curving Crack Curving Crack (S) followed by Archer Ridge Archer Ridge (S 4a)
then Nivarna wall Nirvana Wall (HS 4b)

In reply to Landy_Dom:

Spartan on Etive slabs

In reply to Mark Bull:

Also:

Shackle Route - S
Crowberry Ridge Direct - S
Satan's Slit - VS
North Face Route - S

I think Spider RH is hard for the grade - I led "old Spider" in the 1992 SMC guidebook, which I think is a hybrid of Spider and Spider RH, starting up former and finishing up latter. I'm fairly sure "old Spider" is much more similar to Spider RH than Spider LH and I found it HVS (as then graded, although admittedly low in that grade).

M

In reply to Landy_Dom:

Oh - and Wounded Knee (S, but felt like HS although excellent!).

In reply to Landy_Dom:

If you like such things then this is a must:
Clachaig Gully (Summer) (S)

(if you don't, then avoid like the plague!)

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Some good suggestions above.

Raven's Edge on the Buachaille. The climbing is middling to good but the situations are terrific.
Quiver Rib on E Face of Aonach Dubh. Only a diff but a brilliant route.
Lament on the Lower Walls.

In reply to Landy_Dom:

Just a couple of things to be prepared for:

1 As somebody else has said, it does rain an awful lot in Glencoe.

2 The grades in Scotland tend to be a bit harder than they are in England and Wales.

As already mentioned by others the two obvious classics in the area are January Jigsaw on Rannoch Wall and Spartan Slab on the Etive Slabs.

In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:


I've not exactly climbed exhaustively in Scotland, but I suppose I have done a reasonable amount at a good cross section of crags and I really don't think that's the case. I think it's yet another case of what people are (un)used to, especially since the same accusation is levelled at many places; Lakes, Cornwall, etc.
If anything, I'd say Scottish grading is generally on the softer side, but I've not done enough to comment authoratatively and it's probably because I'm generally firing on all cylinders if climbing North of the border anyway. Who knows, but personally I don't think the grading's tough.

In reply to Removed User:

Absolutely agreed! Not exactly easy for the grade though. Another 2 that are high in the grade are May Crack and June Crack - both also superbly exposed.

In reply to Landy_Dom:

Ravens edge is a sandbag, avoid...

In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:


At VS and below I'd say the opposite is true - Scottish grades are very soft compared to those south of the border.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Thanks all :-D

In reply to Simon Caldwell:


Not in my experience. I've found that multi pitch V Diffs and Severes feel a lot harder up there and more intimidating too.

In reply to Landy_Dom:

The Chasm

In reply to Landy_Dom:

no one's mentioned the midges.... I hope your not daft enougth to camp?

the Rannoch wall dries quick and should catch a breeze. shackle route and bottleneck chimney are nearby and good. the buaichaille can feel quite steep and bold but has a terrific outlook

In reply to Landy_Dom:

Certainly a big link up on the buchaille should be near / at the top of your list, North face route followed by January jigsaw is awesome. Agags groove is very good.l too. You can also do good link ups over on the aonch mor East face. Archer ridge is especially good. I wouldn't miss the aonch eagach ridge out either (grade 2 scramble). I'd also consider doing one of the ridges on the Ben observatory and tower ridge are very good.

In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:




I disagree with that. I think North Wales grades are in general harder, and overall Scottish grades tend to be average or slightly under now a days. That's said agags and January jigsaw aren't soft in the grade.

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Ha ha funny you should say that, I just climbed a Welsh Moderate today that felt more like a V Diff!

In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:

Yeah I think some of the n Wales scrambling grades are nails too....

In reply to CurlyStevo:


I thought North Welsh grades were quite tough, especially in the easier grades. Dunno how it compares now, many routes in Glencoe have been regraded (mostly upwards) and perhaps this has happened in N Wales too?

In reply to Removed User:
Well my point is general really comparing Scotland to most the climbing areas in the UK up to hvs/e1. North Wales seems tougher in the lower grades to me but averaging out more towards hvs. There is harder areas grade wise in the UK than either mind!

On the whole Scotland is fairly consistent considering the remoteness of some of the climbing and the geographic distance between the climbing areas.

In reply to CurlyStevo:


I would certainly agree with that idea regarding Welsh Grade 3 scrambles. Some of them have got some moves/short pitches of Moderate or even Diff standard. There are also some Welsh Grade 2's that would probably be Grade 3 in The Lakes.

In reply to Landy_Dom:
Judging by today the only crag that looked from a distance that it would have been consistently dry would have been on the buchaille, ranoch wall is the fastest drying crag in Glen Coe, anonach mor east face looked to be in sub par nick but if I'm sure some routes drier than others and judging by the climbers on it still doable.