UKC

More coverage of the Dubhs tonight on BBC1 Scotland at 7.30pm. Grand Tours of Scotland's Lochs is a new series with Paul Murton climbing the Dubh Ridge last August in a heatwave. Should be some awesome footage and plenty advice on how to tackle it yourself.The Dubh Ridge (M)

Cheers Mike

The link https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000sgxd/grand-tours-of-scotlands-loc...

Some really glorious filming, Mike, and I'd say well done to PM for being up for it. With the film and the story ending on the summit of Sgurr Dubh Mor, a lot of people might have thought that was the adventure over....... Did you go down Coir' a'Ghrunnda, or take the traverse to the top of the Sgumain Stone Shoot?

As an aside, the shots of the Slabs help to put Danny MacAskill's bike ride into even clearer perspective.

I agree; the angle showed a lot better on some of last night's shots and I just hope nobody else is ever tempted to copy him! It would be cool to hear about someone climbing Danny's line in its entirety but pretty sure the crux will still be the 5a cracks climbed by Stuart Johnson. Don't go claiming a FA though because its likely Danny soloed it with James and Doug Sutton on the recce

Filming was one of the most physical days I had last year.

It was a sweltering day and we didn't start climbing til 11.30 by the time the boat got us over, so the rocks were roasting. Carrying camera, base and sound gear between 4 of us was brutal. Malcy  (Airey) and I had to be pretty brusque about pushing on rather than yet more filming- you can imagine their artistic eyes being in a proverbial sweet shop!

I remember him doing that piece to camera and thinking how mis-leading it was. We'd still got to reach Dubh an Da Bheinn and the descent out of Ghrunnda; knees would not have thanked me for descending by Sgumain Stone Shoot! Got down from Dubh Mor in 3 hours, by head torch, at 9.30 but at least the crew had brought fish n chips and beer!

What time of year was it? You somehow got perfect sunshine, no snow or ice, no wind, and no midges. I didn't think such conditions actually existed in Scotland!

Pfft, it's like that practically every day. Don't let the secret out though

It was mid-August last year. Hyperthermia and sunburn was a serious consideration as ever on Skye

I’m glad to hear you say that. It’s still on my list of to do’s and Danny’s video made me question it being graded even Moderate. The angle looked ridiculously easy. However Paul’s ascent gave a very different perspective.

Think of it more as an alpine route, possibly PD, but mainly the scale. Logistics are the first problem and the approach by boat sounds heavenly but there's only just enough time to get back for an efficient team. 4+ hours of continuous climbing, route finding, complex abseil, more route finding and then a 3hr descent to sea level. Plan well! 

On a positive I've always found the technical standard similar in the wet with such abrasive gabbro. 

“On a positive I've always found the technical standard similar in the wet with such abrasive gabbro. “

It rains on Skye?