UKC

Looking to get out on Friday and wondering if anyone had suggestions for any beginner friendly Grade I routes in condition? It seems most gullys are not in yet and so its mostly ridge walks, I've had a look at a few but would like some input.

So any suggestions for Grade I in the West highlands/Glencoe/near Glasgow?

Cheers!

In reply to Lykul:

Schoolhouse Ridge on Beinn a'Bheithir might be a good bet.

In reply to Wil Treasure:

I live opposite - looks good! lots of people out on it over the last couple of days.

In reply to Lykul:

Schoolhouse Ridge is a good suggestion. 

Some other winter mountaineering / Grade I-ish things would be: 

NE buttress of Stuc a' Chroin 

NE side of Cruach Ardrain 

NE side of An Stuc

Beinn Fhada ridge onto Stob Coire Sgreamhach 

E ridge of Stob Garbh (Cruachan) 

For something a bit more challenging, Sron na Lairig (Winter) (II) is a fairly straightforward Grade II. 

(Note that you won't find any Grade I mixed routes in the SMC guidebooks - for some reason they took a policy decision that mixed routes start at Grade II !). 

In reply to Mark Bull:

The Carn Mor Dearg arete is Grade I and there are several rocky Grade Is on Skye. There will be others too, that's just off the top of my head. It's not a policy as far as I'm aware as a current SMC guidebook author. I think it's more that once you start doing stuff on rock it tends to be a bit more technical and committing than the straightforward steep walking that is Grade I.

In reply to DaveHK:

Sgor and Lochain Uaine’s NE ridge is another that could be added to your list.

In reply to DaveHK

Apologies: you are correct! There did seem to be a trend for a while to upgrade everything apart from snow gullies to II, and omit mountaineering-type routes such as the CMD arete from the winter guidebooks, but I see that the latest Winter Climbs West book has reversed that in many cases.  

In reply to Mark Bull:

It looks like there have been a few cases of that but it could just have been accidental or things that were considered too easy.

Just thought of another rocky I; The Horns of Alligin is I in the current guide.

In reply to Lykul:

How about looking south to the Lakes-  Striding Edge is classic grade I. Sharp edge too, if you extend to I/II. Both currently in excellent condition going by log book entries, and both give bonus grade I descents (Swirral Edge, Halls Fell Ridge respectively). Better than anything in Scotland at the grade south of the CMD Arête, in my book.  Just over 2 hours from Glasgow. 

In reply to Lykul:

Zig Zags (Winter) (I) on Gearr Aonach is nice, you can follow the ridge to SCNL which has an easy scramble towards the top.

In reply to Mark Bull:

Interesting, wonder if this has naturally inflated the (reported/voted) grades of neighbouring routes in some coiries.  

In reply to Lykul:

Bit out of the way, but The Stuic on Lochnagar is an excellent Grade I ridge.

In reply to Lykul:

Northwest ridge on Beinn Challuim 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/beinn_challuim-12609/northwest_rid...

In reply to Mark Bull:

Great suggestion and an enjoyable start to a traverse of the mountain.

In reply to Lykul:

Where would one fine a description of the East Ridge of Stob Garbh it's almost ungoogleable!

In reply to Kid Spatula:

I suspect you don't really need a detailed description, though there is one for it (as a summer scramble) in the SMC Highland Scrambles South book. 

In reply to Lykul:

Aye not looking for a detailed description just a vague idea more than anything. I have that so I'll check it out, thanks!

In reply to Lykul:

I'll also add E Ridge of Beinn Ime to the suggestions. It's a cracker. Crux can be a dick mind. 

In reply to Kid Spatula: Some pics of Stob Garbh's east ridge from Feb 2017. The start of the ridge is above ma mate in the first pic, with the ridge in profile from the south in the last pic. 

In reply to Joak:

That looks cracking. On the list!