UKC

On Saturday three of us did the Direct Nose Route on Sgurr An Fhidhler.

It was a good, traditional mountaineering day 'with all that implies' as they say. This includes much grass, route finding issues, excellent situations and even some good climbing on clean rock. However, unfortunately, we missed out the pitch which leads to the "Hackney Cab" stance. Does anyone know why / how it was so named? I know the route was the focus of much interest by the early pioneers - does the name stem from these days?

Also, has anyone done the Magic Line round the corner - is there much more actual rock to climb? How does it compare?

Cheers,

Lex

In reply to lex:

I did it last August. I think we found the right ledge (but we did get a bit lost a couple of times) - there was no obvious reason why it was named that way.

Don't remember us climbing much grass - I seem to remember it being pretty clean all the way.

In reply to lex: Is it not called the "Hansom Cab" stance? It's apparently a type of horse-drawn carriage.

We did it a few weeks ago and it was overgrown in places, but it was still a fantastic day out.

In reply to Mike Lewis:

Yes, thats it - didn't have the guide to hand when writing that. Aye, I know they're horse drawn carriages, but that still doesn't explain why it got its name - there weren't any horse-drawn carriages on Saturday.

It was a fine day out indeed.

Wonder how many people do the route in a year - didn't seem much sign of passage.

Lex

In reply to lex:

It looks a bit like a Hansom Cab.

In reply to DaveHK:



Hmmmmmm. Maybe after a stiff whisky. Or maybe we were on a different stance after all - its easily possible.

In reply to lex:


We were climbing at Reiff on Sunday and bumped into a couple from Edinburgh who had done the nose on Friday.

In reply to lex:

Hi Lex, we're in the area during the weekend too. Met two guys at Ardmair Crags on Saturday who just did the Fiddlers Nose (so you might have seen them). Also met a couple at Reiff on Sunday who've done it over the weekend (might be the same couple mentioned earlier). The route was in fact also on our list but we climbed at Stac Pollaidh instead. Magical place and the climbing was awesome!

In reply to jamestheyip:

Hi James.

Hope you well.

Its was two Ardmair guys I did the Nose with on Saturday. I stayed in the Coigach area for some sunset watching on Sat eve while the other two stopped off at Ardmair on their way back home.

Aye, great part of the world.

Has no-one done the Magic Line etc then? Seems to be more continuous rock....

Lex

In reply to lex: So come on then, has nobody done The Magic Line? I was one of the three on The Nose Direct (with Lex).
Is it worth another visit, or should we let things rest having done The Nose?
We were well impressed with Ardmair, only had time for one route which was brill (La Petamine).

In reply to Mark Phillips:

Hi Mark,

If no-one has done The Magic Line, it sounds even more reason to return!

At the risk of hijacking my own thread, any good bivvy spots / cheap campsites / pubs near Almscliff, Brimham etc? May go there instead of the Lakes this weekend.

Lex

In reply to lex: Thinking of doing the Nose this weekend (weather permitting) so will keep an eye out for the hansom cab stance.

The Magic Bow + Magic Line both sound like good routes and just as tempting.

In reply to Steve Perry: och you bugger

In reply to dan bailey: I'm unemployed Dan, I've so much time on my hands and making the most of it

In reply to Steve Perry: Coming up your way next week if you're around. Couple of days on Foinaven weather permitting. Plus whatever else, I'm open to suggestions. Probably Tues - Thurs...

In reply to dan bailey: Gargantua or Fingal on Creag Urbhard could be a plan. Sheigra?

In reply to Steve Perry: all of the above?

In reply to dan bailey: Sounds good, I'll get some flowers for the guest bedroom