UKC

Anyone got any info / Topo on highland trad climbing? I'm staying really close to scatwell river slabs like REALLY close. Looks like there's some routes that will suit the peeps I have with me.

If you have some info, a what's app message to help a gal out would be awesome.

07809 566 244

Ta muchly.

Good afternoon Jenny 

I have climbed at the upper slabs. I thought the trio of HVS's were good fun, bouldery moves on good holds transitioning to substantially easier padding.

I have also done some of the micro routes on the upper right hand side. Great rock, but micro being the operative word - a shame they aren't boulderable.

The lower/Riverside slabs look like they would offer some good lines, especially the harder routes HVS or above say. I couldn't make much sense of the easier routes but I wasn't trying too hard. They did seem to have more vegetation on them though.

There's also Glenmarksie nearby that might be a better bet for a visitor to the area, that said don't be put off cleaning up the Riverside slabs I'm sure some folk would climb them if you did.

Thanks 

Tom

Most of the Strathconon stuff has been fairly minging, probably nice when clean but not cleaned in ages. Topo is in the SMC guide for the area, but worth having a look before committing.

The scatwell river slabs are all pretty dirty. I think the E2 (the joust?) Might be clean ish but the rest are all pretty dirty. The bouldering is good so long as theres a stiff breeze to keep the midges away. 

The best bet for trad is Glenmarksie, or even better Moy for some bolt clipping. 

Theres a lot of good bouldering up strathconon, I'm partial to a circuit at Gold Dance, although Gaz Marshall (easter ross choss on instagram) has cleaned up loads of stuff in the Glen. 

But the best nearby climbing is definitely at Moy.

I live nearby and haven't ever been for a look. As finc00 said, moy for bolt clipping.

If you are still up for slightly esoteric trad roughly in the area that is at least clean then Struie will keep you occupied   Struie https://simrich.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/MiniGuides/Struie%20Hill%20Crag...

Never heard of the place, but I must say they look a lot more impressive in the photo on the ukc logbook page than the discussion here is making them sound

You've probably seen the logbook; I did the VS there in the 90s when the guidebook was just out. It was an interesting and unusual spot and the route was 2 star. Made a nice change from getting rained o in Torridon. Lack of traffic, however, might have changed all that.

I went to Scatwell quite often in the late 90's/early 2000's, mainly the Upper Slabs but did do a couple of the riverside routes, really liked the place.

Was there again last year and it has got very overgrown. The lower slabs were very mossy, certainly wouldn't do anything there now without a thorough clean. The Upper Slabs weren't great either, with a precariously poised fallen tree just on the lip of the main overhang and the small tree that used to protect (ish) the routes up on the right now gone.

Meig was even worse.

If you are ok with a bit of a walk then Creag Ghlas is good, and a short drive up the Ullapool road will get you to Black Bridge Crags, nice short accessible slabby things up to VS.