UKC

Upload an image for this crag

Climbs 17
Rocktype Schist
Altitude 229m a.s.l
Faces S

Crag features

quick drying, stunning views out to rue penisula, decent is via steep gullies on left hand side of both areas looking in, with care. 

Approach notes

k in a small turn off just after glen mamma viaduct just before sharp left hand bend. follow track up and over railway tunnel up, once out of the intial forest, crag can be seen below the main summit, 2 routes on red wall with large chimney and chockstone at its base, 1 route on the red slab just beyond and  1 route on a an arete 50m below the red slabs with two right anglend corners at 8m. Approach takes 35mins, longer in summer when bracken is in full swing, quite ticky!

SMC Note in 2017 - Noel Williams found an easy and very direct way up to the crag with Arisaig Arete which used a small tunnel under the railway (unmarked on OS maps). The crag is at NM 7301 8480.

Access Advice

The tunnel is the larger one to the right of where the stream comes through.  It would be possible to go up the one with the stream but rather unpleasant!

If wanting to avoid head high bracken for the Gleann Mama Slabs in summer then follow the approach notes in Highland Outcrops South for Glaic Ruadh to the ridge and follow this until an easy descent to the slabs can be made on the right. These crags deserve much more traffic with a good spread of routes and all around the same approach time for the middle and upper tiers of Polldubh (i.e. rarely more than 30 minutes.)
Nathan Adam - 15/Jul/19
Noel Williams found this book, The Guide to Arisaig and the Road to the Isles by Joan M. Scudds ,1977. And an extract from p14, by Norman Tennant. The routes have yet to be identified. DRUIM FIACLACH, NM 735 850, is an attractive looking little peak seen from the road alongside Loch-nan-Uamh. It is a fine viewpoint for the Rois Bheinn group south, Ben Nevis east, and the small Isles to the west. Eilean an Each, the islet north of Muck shows up particularly well. It may be approached either from the corner 800 yards east of the Prince's Cairn (Cuildarroch) NM 726 843, where a track leads under the railway to the bealach (north of Glac Ruadh; or directly north from Glen Mama farm. The rock is very sound on the open slabs and faces— on a dry, sunny day reminiscent of gabbro at its best. It is probably a basic rock that has been through several igneous stages, much folded with many quartz dykes. The face is in three tiers. The lowest provides: Coxcomb 60' VD. The first ten feet seem inordinately steep, but don't be lured to the right. Above, the overhanging steps are good incut holds, and on the final crest one may emulate Blondin! Seen from Glac Ruadh this ridge presents a cox-comb like form. The middle tier is divided by a diagonal heather ledge, running from bottom left to top right. To the right hand edge is Raven's Slab, 150' S. The first pitch is a slab leading to the right hand edge with adequate (just) incut holds. Then follows a steep section up small quartzite knobs and side pressure holds to a 10' heather traverse right, to a cave. Exit left up a steep short chimney with heather cornice. Contorta 200' HS On the uppermost tier is the steep topmost slab seen so well from the road by the Prince's Cairn. It has a pronounced pinkish blush discernible from a distance. Close to, the strata are seen to twist like the grain in Birdseye Maple. On the slab the holds are fine, and they become finer and finer, till one is finally greeted at the top by hawthorn and briar roses. A steep chimney leads to within 50' of the highest point. One should not be lured into the depths of the chimney where more savage thorns lie in wait for the timerous!
arose - 06/Jan/19
Login as Existing User to add your comments

Climbs at this crag

Name Grade Stars Type Logs Partner Ascents
Please Login or Register to log routes or add them to your wishlist
These climbs you have climbed clean.
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 a UKC volunteer arose

Loading Notifications...