Climbs 72
Rocktype Mica schist
Altitude 211m a.s.l
Faces S
Garth resitting the test in January © Rab Anderson
Crag features
This series of sport crags has been getting developed since 2021 and has become a great destination for those operating in the mid-6's to mid-7's range. The crags offer a wide variety of routes and climbing styles, mostly south-facing with superb views over Loch Long / Loch Goil and the Clyde beyond. On clear winter days, even with a strong northerly wind, it's an almost unsurpassed destination. Due to the overall high quality of the climbing here, the decision has been made not to give any star ratings to specific routes, they're pretty much all great. The number of quickdraws required and type of lower-offs installed are noted on the start of each route description here. So '7xQD + 2xSLO' means the route needs 7 quickdraws and there are a further 2 'Snap-gate' lower-offs. Double rings ('TLO' or Threaded Lower Offs) on a hanger are currently being upgraded to heavy-duty snapgates on maillons on some remaining routes.
Approach notes
From Arrochar, head south-west on the A83 along the side of the loch for a couple of miles and as you begin to rise uphill towards the start of the Rest And Be Thankful, turn left into the Ardgartan Visitor Centre. Cross the bridge and turn left up the rough but surfaced switchback road for 2 miles / 8 minutes, till the trees open out and you arrive at the Coilessan car park. From here take an excellent, bikeable forestry track - "The Duke's Path" - which cuts through a small working quarry after 7k. It's gated on either side and as of May '25 mostly used for aggregate storage, but is navigable by bike and foot. 1k further, you pass Corran Lochan on your right. Stay on the main track and not far past the lochan, the descent to the tip of the peninsula begins. Go round a right-hand hairpin flanked on both sides by piles of aggregate and continue to the very end of the track, the final 400-500m of which is unsurfaced and becomes no more than a rough 4x4 path. The total length of the approach is just under 10k. Proceed through the obvious gap in the trees from where the main 'Upstairs' crag is immediately visible.
Restricted Access
1st May 2025:
There have been no sightings of peregrines or nesting this year so the voluntary ban is not currently in effect.
Voluntary climbing restriction: Birds with special legal protection sometimes nest at this location and climbing is likely to disturb them. This is a criminal offence. In order to protect the rare nesting birds and to avoid breaking the law, a voluntary access restriction has been agreed for both main tiers of the outcrop, ie. all of Upstairs and Downstairs sectors. If the peregrines are nesting, this will last from 1st April until 31st July, by which time fledglings should be able to fend for themselves. If for any reason breeding fails, the voluntary restriction will be lifted.
| What? No photos and topos to whet the appetite? :) JLS - 27/Dec/23 |
Climbs at this crag
| Name | Grade | Stars | Type | Logs | Partner Ascents |
|---|
These climbs you have climbed by seconding or top-roping.
These climbs you have Dogged.
These climbs you Did not Finish.
Climbs are waiting to be checked by a crag moderator, and may not be accurate. Climbs can't be verified by a crag moderator, and they need more information to confirm it. Climbs are no longer climbable.
Moderators Updates to this page are checked by UKC volunteers Fraser and Burnsie