Goat Crag Part 2

Good evening! The sun was once again shining brightly across Wester Ross today and I consider myself lucky to have spent such a fine day climbing some of the finest line around with fine company. All in all, it was very fine. Murdoch drove Nic and myself out to Goat crag, picking up Colin Meek along the way. The two Pauls (Tat and Thorburn) turned up soon after and we were later joined by 2 Glaswegian climbers, one of which I recognised from my Ibrox days. Colins kids then arrived with Helen to complete yet another busy crag feel to the days climbing. I forgot my camera so no pics, sorry :(

I was seriously concerned that 4 days sheep farming (pictures to follow shortly) with my girlfriend, Cath, would skupper my climbing skills for this weekend, but I didn't need to be. I managed to clip the chain of Mactalla (previously described as the One Nic Did Earlier) and the Left hand Line (andy's route) which alas still remains nameless. Mactalla, meaning 'Echoes', is a particularly excellent climb, certainly one of the finest in Wester Ross. With a crux only a few moves before the chain, the climbing is steep and continuos with little restbite throughout the route. With my great lack of stamina, I experienced agony pump after lowering off!

Nic managed to climb a new line, bolted by Paul and Stork after 2 attempts, breaking through the roof between the corner (now named Teepee) and Andy's route, suggesting a grade of around 7b. I think it was given the name 'Too Old to be Famous', though could be wrong... Colin also managed Mactalla. As the bolter of the route, I thought it was a really good effort.

Stork seems to be super close to the arete (which also been named! - Goat Prow). Since my last visit to the crag he has managed the left hand variation which comes in at around 7c and has set about sending the direct line. The true finish is even harder and possibly the areas first 8a - long overdue in my eyes! He says the climbing is superb with positive crimps on both sides of the prow at the crux - I'm looking forward to trying it tomorrow if we head out!

Paul managed Goat Prow left variation after good beta on a knee bar rest from Stork - 'this knee bar is brilliant! Shit, I might actually do it!' Murdoch slogged his way up Mactalla and Andy's route resting on bolts and crusing his lack of fitness from spending the past few weeks on the Ben, saying - 'I am considering on giving my winter stuff to someone and lock it up so i dont go out again and focus on rock, am just a bit pissed off after todays poor show'
Maybe Murdoch is finally seeing sense!

Anyway, tomorrow looks like an early start and heading to Goat Crag again. If the weather's like today, chances are I won't be too upset about leaving my bed!

Happy climbing Blog fans!

I'm leaving

Goodbye team! I'm going on a wee trip to see my girlfriend and don't when I'll be back... In the mean time, try the small bits of blue tape on the bouldering wall set by myself and Andy!

So long, blog fans!

Goat Crag Crowds

Good evening blog readers! Today has been a good day weatherwise with glorious sunshine similar to yesterday! The crag to be scaled was a new sport crag near Gairloch called Goat Crag. It was my first trip here and was excited to see it as I'd heard it was immense! The crag did not disappoint. It's around an arm shagging 25m high on immaculate brown Gniess, streaked with white calcite.
The crag saw a lot of action today with no less than 10 climbers soaking up the sun beneath the imposing rock. Andy had taken Nic and myself out early, but we were soon joined by 2 strong Edinburgh based climbers, Dave Redpath and Ian ? who moved between Goat Crag and Am Fasgdh throughout the day. Paul Tat, Terry and Stork arrived, and a little later we were joined by Lawrence and his wife Liz.

3 climbers on the 4 routes at goat crag.

The action kicked off with a warm up on the 6a+ corner, then Nic attempted a repeat ascent of a pumpy 7a+/7b which he manged with putting the clips in, good effort!

Nic climbing at Goat Crag today.

I then tried the awesome right hand arete, encouraged by Paul Tat saying it wasn't that bad. It turned out to be desperate and required much dogging even to get to the 5th bolt. Suitably pumped, I pointed to the ground and was dirted.

Stork on the amazing arete.

After this poor attempt, I decided to rest. My skin, now a deep shade of purple, was putting up a fuss opening my tunnock's teacakes and I began to think I'd over done the climbing recently. I resorted to camera man and snapped this scenic view up the valley:

A peaceful backdrop to the hard cranking on the rock.

And what's a photo shoot without a boulder sesh? Here's Andy modeling a new pair of lace-ups!

Andy tackling a testpeice high ball...

After the rest I tried, and failed on, 2 more lines, the left hand line, which is pretty steady to a desperate move over a buldge and then the one Nic did earlier. Anyone else feel these routes should have names?? Anyway here's some more pic's for your viewing...

Stork cruising The One Nic Did Earlier (7a+ ish)

Paul Tat going for the FA of The Left Hand Line (7b+??)

He got it eventually.

Ian enjoying the exposure on The One Nic Did Earlier

Rest day tomorrow woo!!

The Strathnairn Double

Today, hard projects were out again at Brin, with the afternoon session at the Ruthven Boulder with Nic and donald. The good news is my very generous mum gave us a lift out and Nic's very generous mum gave us a lift between and back. Nic's mum decided she would go for a cycle in the scenic strathnairn surroundings, which I could maybe see as enjoyable if you had a bike that actually goes and no bouldermat.

So after arriving at Brin we headed up to the Brin done before prow. I was hoping to send the demons of yesterdays failure to hell, along with the problem (send it the HELL!!!). With the extra convidence of another mat and a spotter I manged to get it first time, which I was very happy about. :)

Here's a short video of me on the problem, thanks to Nic Duboust:

We then headed down the slope to something a bit easier and alot less scarey. We pottered around from boulder to boulder for a bit before attempting Lip Trip, a V4 traverse, sent first by Nic and then a couple of tries later by myself.

Nic flailing and failing on the last move of Lip Trip

Myself, working hard on the same problem.

We then walked along the boggy path to the Den boulder for some ramp spanking. I managed this problem first try, though have a feeling I've done it before, and Nic managed it soon after.

Nic Spanking the ramp.

After this we tried Graeme's Pinch, a V6 just to the left of Spank the Ramp. This provided quite a test. From the sit starting crimps you make a series of throws to more crimps (not good for the skin!) then set up for this throw to a slopper with about an eighth of a pad thumb catch!! Then you have to swing your feet up right and really lock off on the pinch, get the next crimp with your left hand and jump for the top jug. Really good problem and I was really chuffed to stick the top dyno. Nic was less fortunate and never sent the problem. :(.

Me working the first moves of 'Graeme's Pinch'

Here's another video from Nic this time with multi angles! loving it -

We were then joined by Donald and Nic's mum, Sheena, and she drove us across to the Ruthven boulder. I found I had very sore skin by this point so tried to aviod any sharp crimps. I tried a project that I knew Ben had been trying, just right of Sloping Off. Progress was made - I managed one move that, as far as I'm awear, no one has managed. Not only that, I managed to look at the next hold! ... It was more of a glance, but still... progress!

It was then round to the boulder off the back of the main block where I tried to repeat my own 'Night Moves' which is a V5 on the far side (from the path), sit starting on good holds, throwing round the buldge to a slopey side pull, pull round the buldge and finish up slopers. The friction today was too bad and I ended up with a wet bum. :(

So, with very little skin we headed home and discovered amoung other things, Nic was ashamed of having closet hexes.

Hello good climbing friends

This blog was set up so I can keep my fans satisfied with news and pic's of my latest climbing adventures!

Todays adventure was a trip to brin. I don't drive or have a car so I had to cycle out there with a bouldermat which was not fun as the road seems to have the unique quality of being up hill both ways.

Once there, I found Ben's newly opened line 'put my new shoes on' which he gave a mighty font 7c. All I had for in the way of beta was a memory of an enthusiastic Ben standing on one leg with heels and hands slapping imaginery holds... This wasn't much use and had to work the problem from scratch. I was a little scared to use the heel hook method as I only had one small mat and no spotter to stop me crashing into the rocks. Also I can't afford a new pair of shoes so the problem was attempted with feet low down. After about 2 hours of trying I agreed that this problem was definately very hard (for me), and certainly harder than first appears. I also spyied a tricky sit start beneath the 'new shoes' rail from an undercling and pinscar crack. This is desperate and too hard for me at the moment...

After this I trekked through the moss to the classic 'Brin done before' prow. The top slopers of this arn't so good when no ones there to spot you. The ground feels a long away down. The tree behind you is then gained by a thank god branch.

So, no ticks so far. This place is more hard core than I remembered... So I try my own, brilliantly (haha) named 'cantthinkofaname'. I'm please to say it looks like its had a better brush than I remember giving it on the first ascent. And I still dont understand font grades....

So with skin being particularly sore I made by way back to my bike and the up hill slog back to Inverness, the tyers melting into the tarmac, any gust of wind halting my progress with the drag on the mat on my back...

I need to learn to drive.