UKC

Morning all

Can you suggest/recommend me some routes that are worth seeking out between Grade 1 scrambling and Vdiff climbing within reasonable driving distance (up to an hour) of Braemar. Are the routes likely to be in summer condition (i.e no snow) by early June?

I've done a quick search of the database but nothing jumps out at me.

Thanks

In reply to funkyvin1:

Pass of Ballater would be my obvious choice, but limited choice of lower grade stuff:

Pass of Ballater

In reply to funkyvin1:

Well, you've got pretty much the whole Cairngorms within an hour's drive for starters.

As above, Pass of Ballater for low-grade cragging.

Beinn a'Bhuird - Mitre Ridge, Squareface (V Diff) etc. (5 mins from Braemar)

Lochnagar - Eagle Ridge (V Diff), Black Spout Buttress (Diff), Central Buttress (Mod), Black Spout Gully (E) (40 mins from Braemar)

Lovely walk up to Creag an Dubh Loch, I've not scrambled up there but I'm sure there are some easy routes/gullys

Creag an Choire Etchecan - Talisman (Sev) is great if you're feeling confident. (10 mins from Braemar)

All of Braeriach/Ben Macdui are accessed from Derry Lodge (10 mins), as can Creag Etchecan and the Loch Avon basin (Shelterstone/Hell's Lum).

I'd recommend getting a guidebook and having a look at what you fancy.

Times obviously relate to driving. Walking in will take a bit longer. Bikes are worth considering for many of the approaches. It depends on the winter as to how much snow is present. There may still be snow patches at the bases of some of the routes but I'd be surprised if it caused you major problems. There's no way to tell now what conditions will be like next year.

In reply to funkyvin1:

For climbing Crystal Ridge at Diff (won't link for some reason!) on Coire Sputan Dearg is supposedly 4 stars so one to consider.

Limited a bit with scrambling but from your side the North East Ridge on Angels Peak (1) is pretty good and very scenic.

Snow patches can be fickle really and if it's a cold enough spring they may well persist right into the summer. Sputan Dearg and also Beinn a'Bhuird can definitely suffer from this. Lochnagar tends not to be as bad.

In reply to Aly:

Some good suggestions in there - echo the sentiment about using bikes.

I think Talisman is Hard Severe, but might have been downgraded recently? I dunno. Its a great route though.

Eagle Ridge is definitely Severe, and supposed to be quite necky, although I haven't done it.

In reply to funkyvin1:

Lots of good suggestions (although I'd question Eagle Ridge being VDiff!). In addition to what's been suggested so far:

South East Buttress (Dubh Loch), The Stuic (Lochnagar), Slab and Arete (Bheinn a Bhuird), Quartzvein Edge (Creagan Coire etchachan), Flake Buttress (Stob Coire Sputan Dearg), Hanging Dyke (Stob Coire Sputan Dearg)

In reply to funkyvin1:

Lots of great suggestions so far, thanks.

Any other ideas.....?

In reply to funkyvin1:

In addition to those already suggested (Crystal Ridge and Squareface are absolutely must-do at D/VD, by the way, and Original Route and Slab and Arete are ace too). The latter can be made into a scramble by dodging the steep crack round to the right. Angel's Ridge is probably the best easy scramble in the Gorms.

Central Buttress on Lochnagar makes an excellent scramble/Mod
Black Spout Buttress is good at Diff (the bottom part is grassy but avoidable)
If you're in Garbh Choire forSquareface then M&B Buttress is fun (given Mod but scrambling really)
Much of the Devil's Point is made of biscuit but Corrour Slabs makes a great (though pretty serious) scramble, largely on superb clean granite.
The SMC scrambles guide to the area is due out in April with lots other possibilities up to Diff.
Have fun,

Iain