UKC

"Even if you're only vaguely into Scottish rock climbing, I can't see how your life is going to be complete without this book" says Rob Greenwood.

Was surprised to see Rubha Hunish miss out while Staffin Slips and Kilt made it in. I can't think of any other 70m+ sea cliffs in Scotland you can walk to the bottom of relatively straightforwardly and give the sense of adventure that Rubha Hunish does. 

The book still looks great and looking forward to getting a copy sometime soon. 

Staffin definitely isn't a sea cliff! Rubha Hunish maybe is at a stretch (certainly has a coastal atmosphere) - and I agree that it is awesome.

Am I mistaken or is Neist not in there? 

Looking at the contents in the article it would seem not (I don't have a copy yet). Parts of Neist are definitely sea cliffs while others are "coastal" like Rubha Hunish. Actually, there are some genuine sea cliffs bits of Rubha Hunish but the main crags are not.

There were never fixed criteria for inclusion. It's a book of stories about people and places, written to celebrate and inspire. I think that to suggest there are shortcomings in this regard, is perhaps missing the point.

Somewhat against his ideals, Guy has already pigeonholed places that by their very essence do not conform to list making.  As with the Mountain Crags book, it was never attempting to be a comprehensive list - quite the opposite in fact. Part of its aim was to leave the reader to their own imagination - to go and find their own 'great cliff', you might say.

If you havent already picked up a copy I'd really enourage you to do so. 

PS I find a google photo search of 'kilt rock' to be fairly convincing of the escarpment being above the sea..

Pete

This chimes with something I said within the review:

"The long and short of it is that Guy Robertson's task of narrowing the list down 26 crags is ultimately an impossible one. Furthermore, surely a part of the fun of any book is the discussion that comes after. If it was perfect, what would we have to talk about?!?"

And here we are talking about it 

Frankly a book titled the great sea cliffs of Scotland without Dumby in it is a national disgrace. 
Or maybe that can go in the great central belt outcrops of Scotland. I’m pre-ordering my copy of that. 

Dumby isn't really a seacliff though. The real shocker is no Meikle Ross or Burrow Head!

I get that, understand it can't be all inclusive, but wonder at the title? Still, it would make an interesting read, I'm sure. 

Abbing to the start of the routes on Kilt rock gives far more adventure than walking to the bottom of Rubha Hunish.

Have you not climbed Plunge (D) and had your belayer tie to the the big ring bolt that must have been there for tying ships up to?

But the routes on Rubha Hunish feel more of an adventure than the routes at Kilt

I don't have a copy of the book so this is a question for those who have. Is Raymond Wallace mentioned in any regard to Caithness?

Well Neist Point has both and is undoubtedly one of the great sea cliffs of Scotland!

Probably good Skye is underrepresented as it's already over-subscribed with tourists.

Take ma money!

Kilt Rock - yes. Staffin Slip crags - not so much. The chapter is titled to cover both so I assume both are in there though I've not seen the book yet.

How on earth have you and Robert not managed to buy a copy of this book yet? I’d have thought given your mutual interest of Scottish sea cliffs you’d have had one on pre-order!

I have a full page photo in it, so I am ashamed to admit that I was holding out in hope of a complimentary copy. I am now holding out for Santa. If Santa fails me I shall certainly be buying a copy

Great to see the book come out, have been hearing about it being in the works for ages. I'd put it in on my Christmas list if it wasn't a bit late for that. I think I've climbed at about 16/26 of the crags but not exactly sure because I forget which ones on Mingulay/Pabbay I've been to.

A few thoughts:

- Meikle Ross was not very good at all in my memory of it, perhaps I missed the best parts or something. Either way, the title of the book is "Great..." which strongly suggests not just quality but also size and, perhaps, a sort of intimidating atmosphere. I think more than half of the crags in the book are serious undertakings, even by the easiest of routes and that's a big part of the attraction imo.

- Rubhna Huinish is a bit tricky because although it is in an excellent crag a) it's not really a sea-cliff and b) It has very few routes as yet (putting it at a disadvantage against the likes of kilt rock, Earnsheugh, etc.) but it also isn't of giant stature (putting it at a disadvantage against the likes of Nebbefield, St Johns Head, etc.) so it maybe falls through a gap in the middle. I do think Kilt Rock is actually more atmospheric and scary than Rubhna Huinish but I guess it's very much in the mind of the beholder.

- Is there really a full-page spread of Neist without it being featured in the book? I mean, that's a great photo, no arguments there, but still

- Hawkcraig - see comments before about "Great...". It's a lovely little crag but has no place in this book imo.

- I think it was a great idea to make this a coffee-table book with inspiration as the primary marketing point because I think it would be struggling to break even as a guidebook called something similar just because of the remoteness of most of the crags.

- Similarly to Rob, I didn't know anything really about the crags at Cape Wrath (except that they looked impressive when child-me looked at them decades ago), definitely going to have to add that to my list of places to check out. Same story for Bernaray.... going to have to get my hands on a canoe

Christ, I'm not that organised! I can honestly say that I've never pre-ordered anything in my entire life

And I didn't know it had even come out till I read the review.

Climber in the second pic is on the Priest, not Prophecy of Drowning.

Crikey I'm not knocking it, looks a lovely book!

If they are on the Priest, what belay are the climbers bottom left on? Can't work it out.

Whoops sorry Robert, that one slipped the net. I've raised the order today.

Brilliant! I shall advise Santa accordingly.

Santa’s visits are on hold just now.

Don't say that, it's the only thing keeping me going...

Well you can see the chalked holds of the Prophecy corner to her right so if not the Priest they're off route perhaps.

Ah, been looking at the wrong photo! See what you mean. Certainly not where we went on The Priest. Maybe just off route on Prophecy.

Is he self-isolating?

It's quite definitely Prophecy, and is slightly higher up the pitch from where the attached photo was taken.

Oh you mean the last picture. Not sure - looks steep for Priest, but it doesn't look like P2 of Prophecy either.

Thats P3, on about P2 photo. 

It's a new variation let's settle for that.