UKC

I'm planning a trip to rannoch wall, probably do agags groove or January Jigsaw. I'm just wandering what the best approach is. One guide book says go up the start of curved ridge then cross easy gully, and another says to go right of easy gully and scramble up the rocks below the far right of the crag. I've not been to the area before so thought I'd ask the collective.

In reply to Geoff F:
Curved ridge, every time.

Which says go right of easy gully?

In reply to jonnie3430:

Thanks. It was either SMC Scottish rock or Glen Coe. It seemed odd that two SMC guides had different approaches.

In reply to Geoff F:

Good question. I got horribly lost up there and ended up having to change objectives as seemed unable to find my way. I think I was using the suggested right side approach.

In reply to Geoff F:

The quickest way by far is to scramble up the left edge of Great Gully to some big blocks then diagonal left to the foot of curved ridge then up this till level with the foot of Rannoch Wall. It's direct but tricky to hit the very best line though as you are continually going round a blind brow.

In reply to Geoff F:
I've gone up further to the right and left there isn't too much in it. Just try and be sure you are heading up towards the right feature ( that's the most important bit. I've seen people on shackle route that thought it was agags!!!). You can either head up more directly towards crowberry ridge and traverse in to the left or go up the start of curved ridge way. Don't worry too much as the scrambling is in the main pretty straight forward which ever way you go to the base of rannoch wall. I remember thinking when we did the more direct way that it was a bit faster.

You should be able to get a couple of routes done in a day. Either couple with January Jigsaw or you could consider doing North Face Route traversing across to Rannoch Wall to get the full value of climbing the buchaille from the bottom to the top on rock. Its fairly normal to finish by topping out on crowberry ridge at a scramble but there has been a post recently about some loose rock up there so you may want to be careful.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=666209&v=1#x8589115

In reply to CurlyStevo:

Thanks for that we will avoid the tower.

In reply to Geoff F:

I'd say if it was your first time up its best to stick to curved ridge. Following the path to just past the Waterslide then head staight up. Other route might be a little faster, but this approach is much clearer (and only about 10 mins longe). Heading up sooning can result in a lot of stopping to check your navigation and it's not as defined a path up.