UKC

Will be in walking Torridon next month and will be taking my climbing gear as well.

Apart from the UKC logs are there any other guides or guidebooks on climbing in that area?

In reply to blackpoolrock: Think the SMC Northern Highlands South guide will be the one your after, its the definitive guide to the area. Its got all the stuff at Torridon including the classic ridge traverses as well as the good climbing at applecross which isn't too far away.

Matt

In reply to yetimatt:

My guidebook is the "SMC Northern Highlands Volume 1", which details (as you say) the rock climbs and ice climbs.

Y.

In reply to blackpoolrock: As the guys have said the SMC Guides are definitive. If you would like a colourful, more modern feeling selected guide then see: http://www.pesdapress.com/p26/Scottish-Rock-v2/product_info.html
Al

In reply to AlH:


Or even better than that, howabout the SMC select guide; will have everything you will need and will last you a lifetime:

http://www.smc.org.uk/Publications/Publications.php?ID=13

In reply to The Pylon King: Top guide, have a copy too, use it lots and if you were after 1 book for Scotland its great. But I also find Gary's two books more inspiring (IMHO), colourful and prefer the 'feel'.
Al

In reply to AlH:


From what ive seen online they look good - i'd like to have a look at a copy in a shop somewhere.
I absolutely love climbing in Scotland.

In reply to blackpoolrock:

Reccommend Seanna Meallan West for outcrop climbing at this grade-spread. Fantastic, gritstone-like climbing with better views...

In reply to blackpoolrock:

There are few places to climb more stunning or more midgy than Coire Mhic Fherchair on Beinn Eighe. Take a tent, a bottle of medicinal whisky, a tube of HC45, DEET and a flame thrower.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

where is the Sienna Miller crag Jamie sounds nice !

Will email you the beta on the Arasaig crag its ok but wouldnt really recomend it to be honest rather short and also in a drainage line was really wet when we where there !! Good bolts though !!

Aye Dan

In reply to AlH:

Depends how accurate you want the info to be. I am of course biased, but then again some of it is accurate, being remarkably similar to the SMC guides

In reply to Andy Nisbet:

And some of it is actually more accurate, correcting mistakes from the SMC guides. Although some is also less accurate, introducing new ones...

As for me, I just like guidebooks, and usually buy and compare most of them!

In reply to Dan Goodwin:

Seanna Meallan is the North-facing outcrop across the valley from Liathach; SM West is a west-facing continuation with some easier grades and more sun!

I thought the Arisaig crag was ok for what it is; could do with a bit more traffic to stabilise some of the holds though and maybe to fund improved lower-offs.

In reply to Andy Nisbet: I own and appreciate both and know that editors/authors are striving for perfection. But a guidebook s just that.. a guide, after that I'll get there and go climb what looks and feels good. So a little inaccuracy (in either guide) isn't always a bad thing.
Al

In reply to AlH:

Do you really mean that it's better for a guide to have mistakes than be fully correct? I can't see how.

In reply to Dan Goodwin: > where is the Sienna Miller crag Jamie sounds nice !

Not the first time it has been called that - Gaelic pronunciation is too tricky. Info is in the UKC database

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3931 would be ideal for the OP too, and is only in the SMC Definitive Guide.

In reply to blackpoolrock:

For VDiff/Severe climbing in torridon I'd recommend a day linking up Creag alligin, Beginners slabs and Inveralligin seacliffs as Diabaig dosn't offer much below VS. Ardeshlaig is worth a couple of hours and don't miss Cioch nose and triple buttress on Beinn Eighe.

Is that not because both use the descriptions as supplied by the FA? I don't think that the SMC can really claim any ownership on these descriptions. I may be missing your point though. I have no experience of putting such books together but find both useful and inspiring.

In reply to Andy Nisbet: The smiley was meant to show that I was being tongue in cheek. Whilst accuracy is definitely a laudable aim I often choose a route with a vaguer/more basic description or where the line doesn't appear so obvious when the guidebook diagram is held up against the crag. I know I'll enjoy unravelling things for myself.
Case in point is Diamond Buttress in the old Glencoe guide. We couldn't make things fit so we just picked what to us was the straightest line (straighter than anything on the diagram) and climbed. We recognised bits of pitches from the guidebokk but otherwise we just climbed. Rab was next to us and confessed to the same problem and climbed a parallel line also not in the guide as a single route (I think he recorded his route later). The vague description gives me the knowledge of what sort of climbing is up there, then its up to me to find it.
Al

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

That sounds like a nice spot ! Can recomend Shiegra thats a nice spot headed there with the Morrisater last weekend !!

Its not a bad crag know what you mean about traffic quite snappy I thought, was also covered in ticks but that seems to happen wherever I go!!

Aye Dan

In reply to Dan Goodwin:

Co-incidentaly I was at Sheigra myself last weekend; really rated it although the campsite was a bit on the basic side! I thought the climbing had a certain Cornish quality to it, and would rate Tall Pall as the best single-pitch severe I've done anywhere. Will certainly go back, although it's a bit of a hike from Kinloch.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

Thats true have climbed at Sennan Cove in Cornwall in infact my first lead was Demo route their my Dad shouting it will be fine as i inched my way up gripped at 11 ! The only difference between Shiegra and their was that you could get an ice cream 2 mins from the crag, a free ice cream and a flake bar was enough to tempt me through the crux in those days !

Aye Dan

In reply to Dan Goodwin:

Demo Route is a spunky number for a first lead; especially at age 11!

Aye, fond memories of ice creams and cream teas at Sennen, not to mention ogling surfer chicks and wearing t-shirts in October. If they had big snowy mountains down there too it'd be perfect.

In reply to Dan Goodwin:I was cimbing with Jamie at the black crag and I too came away with 24 ticks!
Al

In reply to AlH:

They must like you; I removed a grand total of one!

A day's walking in Strathfarrar the next day left me with five however...

In reply to AlH:

Sorry, I'm not up with the latest "jargon".

In reply to AlH:

That is alot !!!! I have three from Glen Nevis today !!!

In reply to blackpoolrock:

There is good climbing a bit further north if the cloud is down in Torridon.

http://www.wildwesttopos.com

Rich

In reply to Jamie Bankhead: I think it was the belay sitting in the heather at the top of the route where the lower offs all seemed to be way off to one side (Scottish sport climbing, loose rock, vegetation and twigs and a good seat for a belay
Al

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

Did you seek out Flamingo? Definitely worth going back for, lovely route.

In reply to Chris F:

It looked like the base was awash by the time we got to it. A return visit is definately on the cards.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead: I think we had to wade to the platform at base, as the tide was rising. Would be an awkward to ab in. Need to get back, it's 2 years since last visit!

In reply to DerwentDiluted:

Did Cioch Nose last Weds, awesome route. Easily climbed in big boots and rucksacks. Nice finish as well if you take in the final buttress and the pinnacles.