Iain enjoying the exposure on the top pitch of Temple of Doom

I have wanted to climb here for a long time.  Probably Glencoe's finest crag but one that takes a long time to dry.  Fortunately the weather has been warm and dry and the crag was perfect.  I made the long walk up to the 950m high crag on Bidean nam Bian with Blair and Iain, both who made the walk up earlier in the week to climb a new route on the crag which Iain graded E7.  Fortunately for me, E7 wasn't on the cards today and we chose to climb 3 of the uber classic routes.  We worked from right too left starting on Temple of Doom (E3 6a), a superb route with 2 outstanding pitches feeling like old school E3...which means quite hard.  We had an abseil set up so we made rapid descents back to the ground before setting up on the Lost Ark (E4 6a).  Again another sensational route and worthy of it 3/4 stars.  The exposure and positions on the routes were just incredible.  Finally we finished on Kingpin (E3 6a), a 4 star route, and Extreme Rock tick and just pure brilliance.  The rock on the crag is so rough, very similar to gabbro found on Skye.  It was a great day, we finished our last route at 10pm, back to the car at 11pm and having dinner at midnight.  What a great day! Shame the rain is on its way now.

Iain setting off on The Lost Ark

Iain on the

Iain heading into nothing on the crux

Dr Fyffe's attentive belaying

Blair on the top pitch of The Lost Ark

Mountain cragging doesnt get much better than this

After a good few days of enjoying the sunshine on my mountain bike and soloing in Glen Nevis and on Ben Nevis, I teamed up with Murdoch again and headed up to Torridon as he had his eye on an E7.  Not any E7, but one that hasn't had a second ascent and the technical grade is British 6c (F7c).  Eeek...so well out of my league but I'm always up for an adventure and there were loads of route's I want to do on that cliff.  So we got a route in each so it was a good day. Murdoch made a great attempt on The Fascist Groove Thang (E7 6c) but unfortunately powered out at the crux.  After a rest and working out the moves he made it up to the belay.  This did not boded well for my attempt.  However I climbed as quickly as I could before getting very sore arms.  I didn't climb the crux clean but fortunately there was a good bit of gear for me to pull on to get to the jug.  The highlight for me was climbing the uber classic Angel Face (E2 5c) which felt quite sporting after trying to climb E7 but got dispatched well. I have climbed a few times on Beinn Eighe, both summer and winter, both hard and easy and it is a magical place, a venue that should be on everyone's list.

Murdoch arranging a high runner before traversing out right

Murdoch climbing the super exposed traverse

Iain and Blair on Sunscreen

Perfect weather

Murdoch working out the crux

Pete and Will getting to grips with the sea cliffs

After WIll and Pete's successful traverse yesterday they were feeling pretty tired but I managed to persuede them to snatch a day at Elgol.  So after a modest meeting time we found ourselfs abseiling down to the waters edge at Elgol. WE climbed all the easy classics from severe to HVS and the WIll sat at the top for some photo's whilst Pete and I climbed Alter Ego (E1 5b), which was Pete's first time on E1 territory.  He cruised it!  IT was a great day and a great finale to the weekend.  The success was down to their fitness and their motivation and willingness to keep going.  The weather also played a little part on it too!

Will passing the crux

Pete loving the sunny climbing

Too cool for school

Pete on his first ever E1

Will loving the brilliantly sustained Jamie Jampot (VS)

Rib into Loch Caruisk

Just back from another successful traverse on the Cuillin Ridge.  I was out with Dr Will and Dr Pete who were both very handy mountaineers.  This allowed for a rapid traverse, including all the hard climbing sections (TD Gap, Kings Chimney, An Stac, In Pinn, BDnR and Naismith's Route.  The weather was perfect, the mountains were surprisingly quiet and Pete even got some leading in along the way.  One highlight was the swim at the end of the day.

TD Gap

Pete leading up the In Pinn

Evening views

The bivi

Pete getting cosy

Early morning light

Nearly there

Summit on Sgurr nan Gillian, another success.

Removing blood, sweat and sun cream.

Guy (not me) on Army Dreamers

After many year's I finally made it down to Pembroke.  Despite living in North Wales for a wee while, I never made the two hour journey down.  So instead I made the 10 hour journey down from Fort William.  Fortunately I was able to break it up with 4 days in the lake district en route.

Guy (not me) on an E2 to the right on the Butcher

The climbing was excellent at Pembroke.  We visited different crag every day - St Govans, Mothers Carey and St Davids.  Our final day we were rained off.  Over our 3 days climbing we climbed around 20 routes, all of which were 2 star, 3 star or Pembroke's top 50 routes.

Donald making shapes in St Govans

When at Mother's Carey's, we were caught out by a bit of rain so we did this awesome HVS which was essentially caving and climbing through a huge cavern and doing some very pecarious front and back footing through a large slot.

Due too an unexpected alteration with some work today was my last day at work for 10 days and it was nice to finish on another super classic route with two great clients.  Mike has been over the ridge twice before in nice conditions so today we used the rope as it was pretty damp and slippy.  Maria had never set foot on the mountains in Scotland but was very fit and able and we made a successful traverse of the Aonach Eagach ridge.  Despite a wee bit of moisture in the air on the walk up hill it dried off pretty well on the traverse and was super fun.  Maria was happy that she got too experience real Scottish weather.  So 10 days off, forecast looks amazing.  I think I shall go to the Lakes and then Pembroke.  Today I was working for Infinity Mountain Guides.

Looking threatening

Dan enjoying the dry rock

Great place to climb

Day two for Jonathan and Dan and we thought another mountain 4 star route is on the cards.  Agag's Groove fitted the bill perfectly and the forecast was looking to hold out.  Unfortunately Jonathan was unable to complete the walk in so after much discussion he insisted that Dan and I proceed.  So Dan and I soloed up Curved Ridge to the base of Rannoch Wall and climbed the classic Agag's Groove in several pitches.  It was great to see two other teams on the crag, one on Fracture Route and one following us up Agag's Groove.  Turned out it was Finn, a client I went up Tower Ridge with last year.  A shower caught us on the last pitch and on the walk out but other than that it was a great day.  This weekend I have been working for Abacus Mountain Guides.

One abseil gets us back to the ground

Dan and his prize

Glad to be back here

Jonathan and Dan striking a pose

It was another stunning day in Lochaber and I enjoyed the day with Jonathan and Daniel on Ben Nevis.  Jonathan had done his research and was really keen to climb the uber classic Tower Ridge and was not disappointed.  A helicopter was buzzing in and out of the north face all morning as it was resupplying the CIC hut with gas bottles, not something we see in our mountains everyday in Scotland so it was nice to see them do their work.  We made good progress on the ridge, passing a team who were trying to make a 'new' Eastern Traverse below the Little Tower, not advisable.  The summit again produced hundreds of people, and the summit experience was not one that Jonathan and Daniel will cherish,  we saw the summit and agreed that was close enough!  The day had taken it's toll on Jonathan's boots, the sole was barely attached as we got back to the car.  A quick stop at an outdoor shop for some boots then a celebratory beer.  Great day.

Don't drop them!

Cloud coming and going

A well earned breather

Busy on the descent

Final hurdle