Left Morvich campsite Glen Shiel at 0930, bezzed to Fort William for more boozes, peat and a better climbing guide. Set off for the crag at half two after a lazy lunch on the shore of Loch Linnhe, choosing the 'short and brutal' one hour ascent to the south wall at 750m. The poor topo and route description in the SMC guide had me reading one-handed mid-route and reversing the not 4c bits but we eventually arrived at the terrace in good form.
Pitches 3 & 4 of ungraded climbing (severe) were supposed to continue direct but after failing to reconcile the rock features, the topo, the route description and the grade; I made a committed assault on the lesser of several evils and emerged triumphant at a flake after a 5a crack and a 4c traverse. It was later than 8 now so prudence deprived us of the views from the summit and Jenny shivered on the terrace paying out slack as I down-climbed the aforementioned. It was after 9 by the time I took this photo looking back at the crag (right of the snow patch) and we were still at 800m in failing light.
After following a compass bearing along the spur towards distant lights on the other side of Loch Linnhe we were eventually rewarded with a vague path that improved with descent and reached the road at 11 o'clock. In the glen it was a warm black and starry as we resigned to a further 3km march back to the van. After 20 minutes the first car to pass stopped for my thumb and the armed police officer sat in the back with me, letting Jenny have the heated leather seat in the front. They said they weren't allowed to give lifts but I said, 'I won't tell anyone'. We got the tent up on the beach and by 1 in the morning Jenny had rustled up a salmon dinner which was washed down with cider then whisky. Ideal day.
Pitches 3 & 4 of ungraded climbing (severe) were supposed to continue direct but after failing to reconcile the rock features, the topo, the route description and the grade; I made a committed assault on the lesser of several evils and emerged triumphant at a flake after a 5a crack and a 4c traverse. It was later than 8 now so prudence deprived us of the views from the summit and Jenny shivered on the terrace paying out slack as I down-climbed the aforementioned. It was after 9 by the time I took this photo looking back at the crag (right of the snow patch) and we were still at 800m in failing light.
After following a compass bearing along the spur towards distant lights on the other side of Loch Linnhe we were eventually rewarded with a vague path that improved with descent and reached the road at 11 o'clock. In the glen it was a warm black and starry as we resigned to a further 3km march back to the van. After 20 minutes the first car to pass stopped for my thumb and the armed police officer sat in the back with me, letting Jenny have the heated leather seat in the front. They said they weren't allowed to give lifts but I said, 'I won't tell anyone'. We got the tent up on the beach and by 1 in the morning Jenny had rustled up a salmon dinner which was washed down with cider then whisky. Ideal day.
