UKC

I've just been having a quick look on the crag finder, and comparing it with the NC500 route. I'm now convinced that an epic couple of weeks could be had, driving the route and climbing some truly excellent and classic routes on the way, so to those in the know:

What crags/routes would you put on a 'must do' list if you were going to do the above? A mix of single and multipitch, up to E3 (though ideally with the majority VS-E1 to reduce potential for epics!)

If there are any excellent bouldering spots, happy to hear about them! Not sure how much sport climbing there is that would be worth the time, but open to it all!

Hopefully this is something I could do early next year if restrictions allow and the risk to those remote communities is reduced. I also hope others will take inspiration, or know of someone who has done something similar!

Thanks,

J

Haven't any advice to offer but this is a great idea that I hadn't thought of, despite planning to drive the NC500 sometime soon. Thanks for bringing it up.

Great choice. 

I can't offer advice on the Caithness coast, but I've been go to the far NW every year. Some personal highlights for me.
Sheigra Sea Cliffs Sheigra Bouldering
Reiff - Rubha Coigeach or anything at Reiff
Stac Pollaidh Jack the Ripper (E1 5b)

I think the above are on a par with the best you will find anywhere in the UK. And combined with the unique landsacpe it's probably the best rock climbing destination in the UK.

I made this wee video of our trip a couple of years ago enjoy. vimeo.com/271944954

The NC500 is a concept dreamt up for motor tourists. It didn't exist 5 years ago.

If you're a climber, just visit the beautiful crags of northern Scotland for their own sake, and plan your route around that

In fairness, the route does work pretty well as a circuit for taking in a cool selection of crags, but for a first visit I'd be tempted to say skip the Caithness side, unless weather dictates otherwise. The climbing there is good, but the scenery doesn't come close to the North West.

I imagine with a Scottish road trip you'll climb wherever it isn't raining! 

For the purposes of answering, I've assumed you are happy to take small detours off the route and don't need to be 100% NC500 roadside crags.

In no particular order:

Shiegra, Second geo, bloodlust direct and geriatrics are classics but honestly almost anything on that wall is very fine. You absolutely must do at least one thing starting from the isolated ledge perched above the sea cave (where geriatrics starts). (all single pitch)

Stac Pollaidh, Jack The Ripper is great, Expecting to Fly and Mid Flight Crisis are also excellent but they are E4. Some of the easier routes must be very nice as well although I've not done them. (multipitch but not very long)

Reiff, there are absolutely loads of fine routes here but it's maybe too far off the NC500 for you. Lots of the E-numbers are friendly and well protected there and at the E1-3 bracket the best are mostly on the North of the peninsula which really is worth the 1 hour walk. (single pitch)

Diabaig, The Pillar is excellent and there are several routes on Main Wall that are very fine in the HVS to E2 range. (1-2 pitches)

Latheronwheel, Lots of nice routes, not a great place to go when birds are nesting though, a lot of vomiting chicks. I don't remember standout routes, just soloing a lot of very pleasant lines in the S to VS range. (single pitch)

Sarclet, The Sarclet Pimpernel, lots of other routes here too but I forget which ones I did. Bit time consuming to make a different ab to the start of each route and set up belays above the sea, definitely a little more involved than most other crags. There have been loads of new routes put up near here by Simon Nadin et al but most of them are in the mid to high e-grades, so probably not of interest to you. (single pitch)

Two of the 3 classic sea stacks are on your route: Am Buchaille in Sandwood bay and The Old Man of Stoer at Stoer Point. I've only done the latter but everyone says the former is very fine as well. You should be able to do the VS and E1 lines on the old man in the same day. (multipitch)

Ardmair, supposed to be very good, loads of routes and stars but sadly I've always been chased away by midges, pick a windy day. (single pitch)

Loch Tollaidh/Stone Valley/Loch Maree, just loads and loads of buttresses of beautiful Gneiss around Gairloch. Lower Tollaidh crag at Loch Maree has excellent routes but I've always gotten midged off there because it starts in the trees so you want a really windy day. Stone Valley crags bridge is missing, might be easy to get across the river in summer, I was there when it had rained a lot and it was tricky. It's a bit exposed to wind and has some nice little routes. Loch Tollaidh crags are the most exposed and very easy to access, lots of lovely little routes - Assault Slab and Raven's Edge are very nice. (single pitch)

Carnmore, Dragon, Gob, Fionn Buttress, several other routes, criminally I've not yet been here but for mountain routes it is absolutely outstanding. How fit are you though? It's not a short walk in! (long multipitch)

Sgurr a' Chaorachain, Cioch Nose, it's vdif but various variations are possible to make it a bit harder if you want. I've not done it but it's a classic. (long multipitch)

Creag Ghlas, Salamander is the must-do here, it stays clean because it's popular. Other routes like Hall of Mirrors and some other E2/3 I did but don't remember the name of (Cut Glass maybe?) would be very fine routes but they are sadly kind of reclaimed by lichen and vegetation just now (unless cleaned recently). (multipitch)

Inbhirpollaidh Rock Gym, Lots of nice pitches here, I don't remember what I did. If you want to go here you take the back road South of Lochinver, so you leave the NC500 for a while but then rejoin sort of near Reiff, so it's a good variation if you want to climb at Reiff, don't mind an extremely steep and windy road and don't care so much about sticking to the exact line of the NC500. (single pitch)

Foinaven, I've not been here yet but if you are that far north, it seems a shame to miss it out. (Multipitch)

All crags are pretty easy to walk round from one route to another (in my memory!) unless noted.

Buy Scottish Rock Volume 2 by Garry Latter and you have a single guidebook with all the best routes in it. It's a little heavy for long walk-ins though so taking photos of the relevant pages is a good move if want to lighten your pack.

Crags I wouldn't recommend:

Loch Meig crags - there are several in the close vicinity of this loch, a while back I visited 3 or 4 of them and was very disappointed. I came away thinking everything had about 2 more stars than it deserved.

That's all I can think of for now, I'm sure there are loads of classics I've missed out. It really is true in Scotland that all the best climbing is where the people aren't (although I suppose that's true of most countries because cities are not built on precipitous cliffs, mainly).

Anything at Diabaig but specifically The Pillar E2 5b, Route Two HVS 5a and Northumberland Wall E2 5C.

Something on Triple Buttress of Beinn Eighe

The Bug E2 5b at Tollie Crag

Walk in to Carnmore if you have time for Dragon E1 5b, Gob HVS 4c and Fionn Buttress VS 4c etc...

Anything at Sheigra also looks insanely good.

I admire your optimism - you aren't going to be climbing when it's midgy either :P

Well that was sort of my point, that if I was going on a roadtrip to the northern Highlands I wouldn't let a fixed driving itinerary dictate my plans.

I suppose! I've never actually done a scottish road trip. Whenever I'm planning one I usually end up in a mission-creep and end up thinking 'as I'm taking time off I might as well go to Norway'. I've probably missed out on a lot of great climbing but I don't expect to see the inside of a plane for a year or two now so I'll make up for that. Because of this I've never experienced true Scottish midges!

Although I've had some very midgy climbs in southern norway and heard (probably exaggerated) tales of people being rescued after being covered in midges while abbing off. 

I completely agree with this. I was working on the assumption that you wanted to do the NC500 for it's own sake as well as getting some climbing in but from a purely climbing perspective, there is no reason to follow the route.

True. If you want to maximise climbing time then regularly checking the forecast and being willing to drive 1-2 hours to a better weather forecast will pay dividends (though it isn't very environmentally friendly).

excellent choice: the NC500 is a very good way for lots of people to drive straight past many nice places. I glad you can take your time and actually stop and visit a spot. 

Henwardian's post cover's most climbing advice needed. I'll also 2nd getting Scottish Rock Vol2.

personally I'd go there in May, or thereabouts, because of the midge, and it's light enough and not too hot. And concentrate my efforts on the west coast (possible exception of Latheronwheel). There's also a fair few excellent beaches if you fancy a nice place to camp, stop for a rest day or whathaveyou.

beware: never mind the midge, most places are totally riddled with ticks - come prepared. camp responsibly, most lay-byes and the like are swarmin' with campervans in high summer.

you'll be able to find cragging at the coast if it's raining inland on the hills. it's always sunny in the north west; but it's a big secret so don't tel anyone.

The last time I was way up north in high summer it was horse flies that were the main pain. Walking across the moor to get to Ben Loyal was awful. Thankfully, once we were on the upper slopes they tailed off. But they were waiting for us later! Whoever came up with the NC 500 idea has a lot to answer for - total pain being stuck behind a camper van for 50 miles.

Reiff in the Woods is great for bouldering If not already mentioned but also horrific for clegs.

Similarly Celtic Jumble at Torridon - substitute the clegs for midgy hell. 

If you end up skipping the east coast, you could substitute in Skye for The Cuillin or Neist/Elgol/Rubha Hunish if it’s wet. 

To be honest though two weeks on the west coast even with the best weather and zero midge issues, you’ll still not even scratch the surface of what you discover you may want to do! 

I thought the SMC had a no publishing of route information beyond the Great Glen policy. 

And, whilst I'm at it, the NC500 is Satan's road to dull eyed, tourist, brain death hell, thought up by a numptie whose idea of fun is driving forever round the M25 listening to Radio 2.

Bastards! 

Can I amend that to just the first 2 weeks in May? The midges have been out for a couple of weeks and are as bad at the end of May as any time in the summer. Late April can also be particularly good but needs a last minute eye-on-the-weather approach. The roads are quiet, the crags are empty and accommodation is reasonably priced and easy to find.

I don't think that's been true for over 30 years. Northern Highlands I and II came out in the mid-90s and I thought there was a single edition earlier than that...?

I give up... 

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the dialect you are using. Can you write this in British English or US English?

Give up what?

Gary Latter set out to write a selected guidebook of the best 1000 climbs on Scottish Rock, after suffering mission-creep he has ended up describing over 4000 in two volumes. Maybe consider multiple trips to different areas depending on the prevailing conditions.  

(Oh and I have just reviewed the third edition of Scottish Rock North here if you are interested https://climbonline.co.uk/2020/05/27/scottish-rock-by-gary-latter/)

Thanks! 

Wow. Thank you! And thank you all for your input. Sticking religiously to the NC500 route was never the plan - having only every visited Scotland to suffer 'properly' (read: winter mountaineering) I'm very keen to explore some of the same areas in 'better' weather - though yes, ticks are certainly on my mind, end of April/early May was when I was hoping for. 

I'll take the advice to skip the east and hunt down that 'secret NW sun' 

Again, thank you all for sharing your knowledge so thoroughly. Now to bookmark the page!

Thanks,

J

Hi - I recommend getting the Latter book for the north - it's a good all-rounder for your sort of trip.

A lot of the best areas have already been mentioned. Going a bit lower on t he west you have the Gairloch area. Loads of great climbing there as well and generally very quiet.

If you drive round the north-east/north/north-west you'll do the NC500 by default as there aren't many options! It's a brilliant area. Most people don't stop and look around so once you're off the road you'll find it pretty quiet. You don't say if you're camping/vanning/B&Bing. Just be aware that in spring next year it could easily be difficult to find accommodation. It already is at that time of year but after the shenanigans going on at the moment it could be absolutely manic. We van and we usually get in sites if we want but it gives us an option.

I think you'll be missing out on a lovely area if you skip the north-east so I'm going to give it boost on this thread. There's some excellent climbing and it's pretty quiet from a climbing perspective (mind, the same is true for the north and north-west). With two weeks you could easily do some in the north-east as well as the other areas. It regularly has much better weather than the west so you could easily find yourself over there anywhere. Latheronwheel is a particular favourite of mine. Loads of VS/HVS and a superb quiet venue.

No one has mentioned this place: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/port_vasgo-11021. I've never been there but take a look at some of the photos! If it was good enough for Andy Nisbet/Steve Perry and Julian Lines it's good enough for us!

Hope you get a good trip in.

The NC500 is a tourist driving trip that brings hordes of tourists to road side attractions, layby picnics, full passing places, the nicest scenery in which to get traffic congestion. Plan your own route and spend your time climbing and walking. 

We've explored much of the fabulous climbing around the North of Scotland over the last couple of years, whilst trying to avoid the actual NC500 route, which is absolutely rammed with huge white motorhomes from all over Europe (maybe not this year!)

Here are some blog posts for some of the highlights.

Sheigra - jug-tastic routes on perfect gneiss a few minutes from a stunning beach campsite. https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2018/06/29/sheigra/

Gairloch - more (very!) Gneiss climbing in an idyllic loch-side setting https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2018/07/05/tollie-crag-got-the-bug/

Reiff - more seaside fun on sculpted sandstone. Scotland's answer to Pembroke? https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2019/05/17/reiff/

Stac Pollaidh - magestic cragging on top of one of the Highlands' most iconic mountains https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2019/05/15/stac-pollaidh-weather-to-fly/

Moy - Conglomerate sport - Scotland's answer to Riglos? https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2017/08/02/moy-rock-scotlands-answer-to-ri...

Enjoy! 

Whilst you're up there you could sample my (somewhat contrived) contender for the longest sports climb in Scotland. 

North Coast 500 (6a+)

It follows the obvious traverse line on Creag Bheag, clipping existing bolts. On the first ascent (assuming no one has been daft enough to do this before!) I climbed the route then reversed it to strip gear giving a 100m outing. The name comes from the NC500 driving circuit around the Highlands: “Scotland’s answer to Route 66” which seemed to be attracting a lot of traffic. Some might feel that the climb is similar to its driving namesake: A somewhat pointless excursion through already well known territory, with a high likelihood of getting in people’s way! Alternatively, it’s great fun (if the crag is empty!), a fine workout and a potentially candidate for the longest sports climb in Scotland! There are a few pictures on my blog: https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2017/08/06/creag-bheag/

Reading your blogs will keep me busy for ages!

Thanks for that.

Thanks - that's good to hear hopefully some inspiration for post-lockdown adventures! 

Cheers, Dom

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/

Given that the NC500 starts and finishes in Inverness a couple of local classics are:

Dracula E3 5c

Stone of Destiny 6c+

The Ruthven Boulder