UKC

Charlie Woodburn on Skye Wall E7/8 6b

© Charlie Woodburn

We recently reported that Charlie Woodburn had repeated Dave Birkett’s route Skye Wall (E7 6b) E7/8 6b on  Coir' Uisg Buttress, making the long-awaited second ascent following Birkett's completion of the route in May 2007 (UKC News Report). We got in touch with Charlie to find out more about his experience on Skye Wall.

“When I first saw the pictures of Dave Birkett making the first ascent, I couldn't believe that it was in the UK.”

Charlie Woodburn making the 2nd ascent of Skye Wall.  © Gilly McArthur
Charlie Woodburn making the 2nd ascent of Skye Wall.
© Gilly McArthur

Charlie first went up to scope out the route with Tim Emmett in 2011 and got close to completing it,only to be defeated due to torrential rain, which forced a hasty descent from the crux second pitch. Despite one subsequent trip to Skye – during which time the weather didn’t even allow an attempt at the route – it is only recently that Charlie, having moved to Kendal from his former city of Bristol, managed to find a weather window which enabled a repeat ascent of the 300ft gabbro wall.

Initially disheartened by the unrelenting Scottish weather and feeling like “some sort of sacrificial offering to the midges,” Charlie claims that Malham catwalk seemed like “a much better option!” following the disappointment of three long trips North only to be met by rain showers.

However, the remote location of the route is what appealed to Charlie, he explains: “The location of Skye Wall is one of the things that makes it so special, but ironically this is probably what has put people off from trying it. It is a total epic to get to though from Bristol which is where I have been living until recently - A 12 hour drive, a 45 min boat journey, then an hour walk to the camping spot, then another hour and a bit up to the base of the crag.” 

Loch Coruisk, Isle of Skye  © Charlie Woodburn
Loch Coruisk, Isle of Skye
© Charlie Woodburn

“Most routes don't really look as good photographically as they do in reality but this wall just looked incredible, so I was psyched for it straight away.”

Last month Charlie travelled to Coruisk with wife Gilly, Liam Lonsdale, Leah Crane and Dom Bush, only to be met with a week of rain once again. After weather watching “like a man possessed”, the much-anticipated weather window finally arrived last weekend. Having stashed an abseil rope and taken an inflatable dingy with an outboard to ferry kit up the loch, this made for an approach that was “ten times less work and ten times more fun.”

Speaking of the ascent itself, Charlie claims that the conditions and atmosphere finally aligned as he led all three pitches along with Sandy Ogilvie: “I was able to just enjoy the climbing without any stressing about weather or travelling or logistics." As far as the grade is concerned, he says that the difficulty of Skye Wall is not so much in the grade, rather in arriving at the route in dry conditions, which he explains could be "first time or tenth time, but hey it’s Scotland so it’s all part of the game!” Charlie jokingly adds: “E7/8 seems fair, although it would be E7 if it was near the pub.” Describing the route as an absolute classic of UK trad and a real find from Dave Birkett, he admits that the adventurous access to Skye Wall coupled with tormenting weather actually added to the satisfaction of completing the climb.

“We're all looking for hard projects to climb and the harder they are, the better it feels when we do them. It’s just that this one was hard for very different reasons. I'm massively psyched I don't have to go back again though! At least for now…”

Dave Birkett on the first ascent of Skye Wall in 2007  © Al Lee - Posing Productions
Dave Birkett on the first ascent of Skye Wall in 2007
© Al Lee - Posing Productions



 

Charlie is sponsored by: Beta Climbing Designs, DMM, La Sportiva and Sterling Rope

 


This post has been read 9,873 times

Return to Latest News

Loading Notifications...
Facebook Twitter Copy Email