UKC

Hi everyone,

My family and I are excited to be moving to the Kintyre Peninsula soon! We're looking forward to the new adventure, but we're also preparing for a big change in our climbing life. My 12-year-old daughter is a very keen climber and a member of our local gym’s youth climbing team here in the States. She projects on 5.12 and V5 in the gym and has led up to 5.10a outdoors. I'm trying to figure out what that translates to in UK grades—sounds like we might be looking for climbs in the VS to HVS range?

We know there won't be a climbing gym nearby, so we're looking to fully embrace the outdoor scene. I'm also well aware that bolted routes and anchors are not the norm, and I imagine that if we want to top-rope, it's going to take a little more effort and critical thought than we're used to. I'm a former trad weekend warrior myself, so I'm looking forward to teaching her how to safely protect climbs with gear and build anchors.

Any recommendations for good kit for setting up top-rope anchors at Scottish crags? I'm thinking that maybe a 30m 9mm static line would be useful for extending anchors.

I've been perusing the UKC crag database and see there are a few places to explore on the peninsula. Any recommendations for weekend cragging or bouldering destinations within striking distance of Campbeltown?

It appears that I should get my hands on the Highland Outcrops South guidebook. Any other recommended resources?

We'd also love any general advice you have for a family of climbers moving to the area. We're eager to meet some of the local climbers and get to know the area.

Thanks so much,

Matt

Some locals will give you great advice I'm sure, but there is more and more sport climbing being developed in Scotland, so don't give up all hope on that. Dave Macleod and others have developed at least one sport cliff near the Rest and Be Thankful pass - between Inverary and Arrochar, so roughly in the neighbourhood, and there's sport climbing up at Oban now and probably a bunch more spots in the SW Highlands I don't know about. 

5.10a is usually E1 5b on trad, 6a/6a+ sport I believe. 5.9 likely to be HVS or 5/5+, VS - 5.8 5-/5 but take that with a pinch of salt depending on style, rock type etc. 

Good luck on the move!

It was the Highland Outcrops guide that inspired myself and a friend to explore a few of the crags a couple of years ago. 
We had a fantastic day at Campsite Crag, nice friendly climbing on good rock in a pleasant setting. The following day we hit Ballinmoil which felt a bit more serious but with some fantastic lines. Wee half dome also looked good but we didn’t have time to climb there. 
The only real downside to the area was the footpaths being overgrown with bracken making the approaches hard. 

The trad climbing down at the Mull definitely looks worthwhile: there doesn't seem to have been a lot of development since the guidebook was published (in 2016), but there are a handful of new routes documented here: https://smc.org.uk/climbs/newroutes/crag/4915 

A static rope and a couple of edge protectors would likely come in handy for setting up top ropes. 

As mentioned by TobyA, there are a few sport crags with 2-2.5 hours drive from Campbeltown , which would be doable as a day trip: 

Gallanach Topos here: https://www.davemacleod.com/blog/obancrags 

The Bunker  Topos here: https://scottishdrytoolingclub.square.site/the-bunker-topo 

The Padlock Topos on the UKC page

You would be able to get over to Arran on the Clanoaig-Lochranza ferry for weekend trips - some very good climbing there, though predominantly multipitch trad with moderately long approaches. 

The "secret" ferry to Arran Granite, too many great mountain routes appear.

South Ridge Direct (VS 5a) (5.8+) & Sou'wester Slabs (VD) (5.5) are the classics.

A' Chir Ridge Traverse (M) (5.3) is also well worth doing, South to North, the other way is impossible?

Thank you all, really helpful info here. Sounds like the Mull of Kintyre will be a nice little home crag for us, and we've got good options for day and weekend trips. The Arran granite looks and sounds amazing, but I'm going to need to find a climbing partner I don't outweigh by 40 kg!

The Kintyre peninsula is long. Whereabouts will you be based?

In which case I'd recommend an Edelrid Ohm. Or probably now the updated version called the Edelrid Ohmega. My 12 year old daughter can belay me fine with it now.

Sorry, we'll be based in or around Campbeltown, my wife will be working at the hospital there.

Wow, I need to look into that!

The "secret" ferry to Arran sounds great, and I was going to suggest you look for local friends who sail because Northern Ireland is in spitting distance of the Mull of Kintyre, and just across there, along with the frankly terrifying looking but reputedly world class  Fair Head, when I was driving down that coast I saw people sport climbing! I didn't have gear with me but a friend who used to work in Belfast said it is good climbing. I think it must have been  Garron Point. And even more intriguingly, when I was looking on the UKC mapping to find the crag I noticed a dotted blue line, normally meaning a ferry route, from Ballycastle in NI, to Campbeltown! Do any locals on either side know if this is an actual ferry route?

I did a search and found this.

https://kintyreexpress.com/tickets/

Wow, I see what you mean, there is a ton of climbing over there.

Northern Ireland would be worth looking into for a trip, but the ferry is expensive (£150 return) and is passenger (+bikes) only, so you would need to figure out your transport options from Ballycastle.  

A bit too expensive to be economical viable as means of crag travel…

Edit: Cheaper to fly to Dumby with Logan Air.

I'm up at the top of the peninsula (Ardrishaig) and there isn't really much of a climbing scene really. Not so sure about Campbelltown, but I don't know any other climbers around here. There is some climbing which can be done, but it also often involves a lot of gardening!

I have embraced sea kayaking as my main outdoor activity over here. It's definitely the best way to explore the area!

This man is fairly active.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/user/profile.php?id=16850