UKC

does anyone know the guide books for crags around edinburgh?

In reply to douglas macpherson:

Check out the SMC guide, Lowland Outcrops, it's got all you need to know. If you don't mind popping across the bridge then take a look at Aberdour. It's a class crag.

In reply to Chris Davids: Aberdour is good but very loose in places....traprain is also good but very polished.

has anyone here ever climbed at Roslin Glen?

In reply to septic:

In years of asking, I have never found anyone who has climbed at Roslin.

In reply to Anonymous:

Is Aberdour the crags you can see from the train shortly after you come over the bridge?

In reply to douglas macpherson: what about Salisbury crags? Climbing's been ok'd there, hasn't it?

In reply to Craig_M:
If it is just before the Inverkeithing station, that'll be the Rosyth Quarry area, also a local climbing venue.

Aberdour is about 6 miles from the bridge, out to the east.

In reply to septic:

Cheers. Am I correct in thinking that Aberdour is the town just to the West of Burntisland? And how far is the crag from the train station?

In reply to Anonymous:

Just for bouldering in one area. Climbing on the rest of it can get you into a pleasant conversation with the wardens.

In reply to Anonymous: In the South Quarry, as documented in Lowland Outcrops.

In reply to Craig_M:

Yes, that's be the one. I've not walked it, but Aberdour is pretty small, can't imagine it would be more than half-hour, tops.

There's Limekilns as well, west of the bridge in Fife.

I haven't been since about mid-summer - does anyone have an update on the fence situation?

In reply to douglas macpherson:

You may also want to consider Northumberland - pretty easy to get to from ed. if you search the UKC crag data base for 100 miles around ed it throws up crags northumberland

In reply to septic:

Have you climbed on Berwick Law in the Quarry, I'm sure I did some bolted routes there a few years ago.

In reply to craig h:

I've not, no. I can't say I'm terribly enthused by the idea, but a friend of mine into sport climbing (to the virtual exclusion of all other forms) claims it as his favourite crag in Scotland. He doesn't get out much.

He also pronounced Berwick to be much better than the day at Glen Ogle, "Scotland's Premier Sport Climbing Venue", which I quite enjoyed as a sunny day out - on the Sunny side.

In reply to craig h:

Yep there are a few (5 or 6?) bolted lines at N Berwick Law, they've been recently rebolted too by the looks of it.

In reply to douglas macpherson:
got to try cambusbarron quarry

In reply to Craig_M:


I had a look out the train on the way home last night - are you referring to those vegetated-looking crags with houses at the top? I seem to recall some thread about abseiling off of someone's fence in North Queensferry quarry, so could be that.

In reply to septic

Will in in Edinburgh over the New Year if anybody fancies some climbing or even going to Ratho if the weather is pants. Have transport etc.

In reply to Rowie B:

would do but I'll be sampling French ice over the hols.

If you come back through, give a shout. I see you aren't too far away, by your profile.

In reply to septic:

Not really. The ones I was thinking of look like an old quarry. I doubt if I'll check them out on this visit anyway, between the walls in Edinburgh and the secret bouldering spot I found near Kirkcaldy, there should be enough to keep me amused for a week.

In reply to Craig_M:
between the walls in Edinburgh and the secret bouldering spot I found near Kirkcaldy, there should be enough to keep me amused for a week.

I seem to remember that Lowland Outcrops there is a description of bouldering on the golf course in Aberdour. Dodging golf balls and greenskeepers could add another element of excitement to it all.

In reply to septic:

Why do they wardens object to folk climbing on the salisbury crags? Can't see the harm it could do myself, amd would be fairly unique inner city climbing for a UK city.

Or what about the approach to Edinburgh Castle- got to be a decent V Diff or HS from the look of it. You could top out during the tattoo for best effect, confuse a couple of japanese tourists.

In reply to Max A:
They run the risk of seeing young people enjoying themselves. Not to be encouraged in Royal parks apparently.


A former flatmate of mine used to climb on the Castle reglarly in the late 70s and early 80s, and managed to avoid capture everytime.

In reply to tony:

Why not go for it? A fine position with excellent 'exposure'. Just not the place to have an epic in full view of the hoards doing their Xmas shopping on princess st.

In reply to Max A:


The reason given in the guidebook is that there is perceived to be a risk of loose rock/gear/climbers falling on people walking along the path at the foot of the crags. This path is called the Radical Road; it is well maintained and is quite heavily used - to the extent that it can at times be quite difficult to negotiate your way past groups of gossiping grannies or sprawling student outdoor drinking parties, what with the cliff on one side and a precipitous grass slope on the other.

Given the proximity of this busy path, I don't think it is entirely unreasonable to ask people to refrain from climbing on the cliffs above it - although I'll admit that it is a shame not to be able to have a go at some of the old routes recorded in the guidebook.

The area where climbing is permitted is an old quarry site with the rock walls set well back from the path. Mind you, I have heard of people doing winter ascents of the Cat Nick in recent years!


The tattoo takes place on the Esplanade which doesn't have any decent rocky approaches (although I believe one squaddie did manage to take a fatal tumble down the steeper southern escarpment this summer). If contemplating an ascent of the rock itself you may want to bear in mind that, unlike in Holyrood Park, some of the "wardens" of Edinburgh Castle carry firearms. Speaking of which, it would probably be best to start your climb after 1pm - I wouldn't fancy wobbling on the crux directly below the one o'clock gun when it goes off!

In reply to douglas macpherson:
I really like Roslin Glen, although the routes are sometimes memorable for blind abseil approaches through a thick canopy- only to claw your way through jaggies when you get to the top.
Dumbarton is very easy to get to from Edinburgh by the train and is absolutely ace.
Traprain law is shit- end of story.

In reply to Rhys:

You've abviously got more determination than me if you've actually abbed into the downstream crags at Roslin. I thought there were access problems to them anyway (apart from the obvious)?

In reply to the original poster:

With the exception of the easier routes at wallace's cave anything else I've climbed at Roslin has had next to no gear on it. Most folk top rope there in my experience though some brave souls do lead. Also some of the rock is really not good - in particular the right hand part of Jumbo's Bum.

Fife is shite for climbing as it is for everything else.

Cambusbarron is actually two worthwhile crags. The 'new' crag being good at HVS/E1 the 'old' crag having some very good E3>E5 routes in it, Big Country Dreams is possibly the classic of the crag.

Dunkeld is well within striking distance on a Summer's evening and has good routes from V diff to ~F7C depending upon which crag you go to.

The Angus quarries are also within striking distance of Embra if you're into clipping bolts. Legaston is the easiest - don't bother with Balmashanner unless you can manage at least 10 pull ups.

Salisbury crags is a bouldering venue. You'll also find bouldering on Gullane beach.

Next Summer we should at last get access back to ratho quarry in which you will find the most extensive selection of middle E grade routes in central Scotland - and if the weather's shite you can fork out £7 and climb under cover.