UKC

Kieran Cunningham writes about his favourite route: a local line that taught him a valuable lesson...

Fifty yards from the M90, less than half a mile from the Forth Road Bridge, a litter-strewn path bisects a wooded slope and emerges in an enclave formed by 10-metre walls of reddish rock. 

I've never seen anything like it. The ground is carpeted in litter, broken glass, and dog poo of varying vintages. A disemboweled sofa sits like an altar in the nave of the enclave, beside it a capsized shopping cart surrounded by empty beer cans and bottles. A few rebellious snowdrops and sprigs of grass only emphasise how little of the terrain has not been claimed by human or animal refuse. The rock itself is some kind of dolerite composed of pillars and rectangular blocks which seem to have the structural integrity of puff pastry, and is covered in graffiti — not the artsy kind, but football slogans, genitalia, random blasphemy, and pejorative aspersions of various mothers and sisters.

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Nice writing! 

Magic article.

Kieran are you Big Rab's son?

Great article. 500 laps? I doubt many have done the route as many as 5 times! 

Best yet. Thank you for sharing all of that story, very special. I do indeed want add the route to my ticklist, and I normally hate limestone. 

Great writing! 

Superb! You really sell it. But I'd be interested to know whether it is anybody else's favourite route......

That is a lovely story and beautifully written! I found myself absolutely there with you! 
 

great climbs are in the eye of the beholder and all that
 

brilliant! 

It's definitely in the running for my favourite climb

Shows how much of a personal thing it is. Would be very surprised if it was even most folks' favourite E2 at Limekilns, let alone anywhere else...

It's far from being my favourite climb on that wall of that block even!

Limekilns is my local crag and I have a real fondness for the place despite the polish, the friable holds and the fragile fossils (you have to make do with what you've got in the Central Belt..... ) and there are climbs there which I have done countless times, but I've only done Grasp The Nettle once having been talked into it against my better judgement. It is a climb which I think is sort of E2 if you trust the pegs but E3 if you don't. I didn't trust the pegs and decided I could never justify doing it again. Shortly afterwards someone snapped the first peg and, I believe, fractured vertebrae. Some years ago a friend fell before the first peg and also fractured vertebrae. 

Anyway, for me, the brilliance of the writing is that Kieran manages to see and say so much about the joy and depth of the climbing experience despite the choice of climb.

A wonderful bit of writing, thanks. 🙂

Beautifully written, very evocative of the unique geological experience of Limekilns routes. I can relate to the enduring appeal of Grasp the Nettle. While there are undoubtably better lines on the crag, it is one that I do almost every time I visit, and always enjoy it. Not sure I can match your 500 ascents but I might be second

Next time up Im going to have to try to identify all your named holds! Love how inimately one can get to know a rock face.

It was probably my favourite when I climbed it, but didn't have loads to compare it to at that point. I was in the honeymoon of finding my feet on rock where almost every route was a favourite.

Though, like Toph (and Kieran!), I loved returning to it, which isn't something I've done much. There was definitely a pleasure in feeling steady on something that had loomed large on first acquaintance. On reflection maybe short bold-but-not-too-bold routes are the ones I do back for. The first time is usually a big deal, but the repeats are easier knowing what's coming, and, they don't tend to knacker you out, so are a good addition to a day!

Nice writing, Limekilns is fantastic, even when I'm not climbing I sometimes go up there just to hang around for the ambience. But Rosyth quarry isn't quite as bad as you paint it, there's some decent short climbs for people who can't get away to the Alps, or wherever. And Rosyth, Craiglug and Limekilns aren't the only crags in Fife. The Hawkcraig? One of the best in the Central belt.

The reason I don't solo or readily return to bold routes at Limekilns is the disconcerting number of previously sound-seeming holds which later disappear or start creaking!

I would strongly recommend Kieran's wonderful book Climbing The Walls to anyone who has not read it and who enjoyed his article.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/climbing-the-walls/kieran-cunningham/97813...

Really refreshing writing. Describes so well the different roles climbing and particular routes can play in our lives. And how a change in circumstances can force a new and more open-minded relationship with climbing that can bring back that beginner's joy again. I spent many a day at Limekilns whilst at Edinburgh uni. Decked out on my first day there, like many before and since 🙄. Great spot.

Great writing, thx for sharing. It draws out so much more than just “a climb”. Sounds like you’ve had a tough time on a few fronts and I hope things are steadily improving for you

Thanks for that. Poignant. And I've come away with some new dinner ideas, as well

I am! He first took me to Limekilns when I was about seven - I couldn’t remember the crag but I distinctly remember him telling me to watch a climber called Iain Small who was doing training laps on all the toughest routes!

Beautifully encapsulates the emotional attachment many of us have to climbing and just how important it can be for us

Lovely writing, and especially nice as I had the pleasure to meet Kieran on one of his outings in spring 2021. He was kind enough to give us a wee belay on the route on his static rope and it is really nice. Despite flashing it, not sure I'll ever have the guts to go back and lead it though. Pleasure to hear more of the background behind why you were at the crag that day Kieran.

I didn't know your dad well but ran into him regularly here and there during the early 90s and always enjoyed his company (I'm friends with Chris, am ex KDY/BoF). I'm sorry to hear that he's not doing so well.

Keep writing, I've read that article several times now and as others have said it's one of the best bits of writing ever to appear on here and that's a pretty high bar. I wasn't aware of your book until Robert posted a link but I've now got it ordered. 

You should write more Kieran. That was a lovely article.

Nice well written article and it is a fun little route but not a patch on world class E2s like Luna Nascente in the Val di Mello, you can't compare a single pitch slightly polished and scruffy limestone crag with world class granite!  I agree that E2s at the same crag like Elgin's Crack and Cruel Summer are far better and the excellent Methods of dance which is only slightly harder....

This shows the difference between 'favourite' and 'best'. I don't think many would seriously suggest a 10m route is one of the best in Scotland, but there's nothing to stop that route being a favourite.

Hi Chad123,

Yeah,  I have climbed Luna Nascente more times than I can remember, and have to agree it is pretty peerless. Every time I’ve climbed it, though, I’ve done so in better times and good spirits. This wasn’t the case with GtN - it was a saving grace during a trying period of my life and following a lengthy illness, hence the homage. I’ve also done Elgin’s and Cruel Summer and every E3 and E4 at the crag and loved all of them, but GtN just stood out owing to context and circumstance. Only Ivy League and Velvet Glove have come close to matching it for me. Italics aren’t available using this interface but if they were they’d be on ‘for me’…

Thanks Nick!

Thanks Brendan!

Haha! Buon appetito!

Thanks Olly!

Thanks Jon! I hope you manage to get on it and it doesn't disappoint!