UKC

Hi guys

I'm struggling to think of a quiet crag to take my girlfriend she is just venturing into the world of outdoor climbing so i don't want to freak her out at the start. Any thoughts on where to go near Inverness.

Cheers

In reply to trinity:

Cummingston....bit sandy but quite a few nice, short easy routes in a lovely setting. About an hour east of Inverness.

In reply to trinity:

If she's a hillwalker with some experience of scrambling maybe an easy route in the mountains might be good - maybe one of the easy routes on Stag Rocks?

If you go to the seaside, consider Logie Head

In reply to trinity:

Kingussie Crag? Kingussie Crag

It's single pitch in a nice setting. It can be popular with groups (Glenmore Lodge, Scouts etc) but there's plenty to do so shouldn't be an issue even if there is a group there. Easy access to the top for belays etc.

Logie Head is lovely but might feel a bit serious / exposed on the top of the cliff for a newbie as many of the routes finish on a fin of rock - if the wind is blowing the wrong way it can be quite exciting despite only being 10m up! At Kingussie the top of the crag is much more friendly.

If you want to try sport climbing then Moy Rock Moy Rock (Dingwall) has loads of routes. The easiest is French 4c though so maybe not ideal for a complete beginner.

In reply to trinity:
Duntelchaig Pinnacle Crag is a reasonable venue for beginners.

In reply to Doug:

I thought about Logie Head, i d love it but i think the finish might freak her out a bit, cheers for the reply!

In reply to Doug:

I was considering pygmy ridge but the exposure might be too much, its pretty hard to pick a venue, when i started you just went out and got sandbagged...ahh the good old days

In reply to trinity:

I guess I started with hillwalking, then scrambling & eventually roped climbing, both summer & winter, so the first rock climbs if anything seemed easier/safer than scrambling. Guess times change...

In reply to Doug:

yeah they certainly have...thanks for the input, yeah i always found scrambling a bit dangerous until i started soloing.Thanks again

In reply to Mark Bull:

Agreed; nice little crag, non scary and can scramble up round the back of it easily enough for top ropes if required. Happy days

b

In reply to trinity:

I've seen beginners struggle a bit at Logie Head: apart from one Vdiff line, the landward end is otherwise quite steep 4b and upwards territory.

In reply to trinity:

It's a wee bit of a drive but Creag Bheag (The Mound) is better than Moy for a total beginner on sport. Same weird rock, plus a weird tidal bog and a bit of excitement when you're pulling rope to clip and a train goes past.

In reply to trinity:

Stretching the whole 'near Inverness ' thing, but

Inveralligin Sea-Cliff
And
Beginners Slabs

Are very friendly, and you'd have to be a bit curmudgeonly not to love the location. But I'm biased, and for me they are near Inverness.

In reply to trinity:

Another vote for Pinnacle Crag. Lovely venue, good lines, nice rock.