[i.munro]

Ok I haven't asked this question for a while & perhaps things have moved on so ...

My (plastic) homesickness is kicking in again & I'm toying with the idea of a Scottish road trip sort of hung around the idea of bouldering (accepting that between the rain, ticks & midges there probably won't actually be any boulders climbed  but ...perhaps the horse will learn to sing) .

Anyway, any thoughts on venues for summer. I was thinking (from the pics I've seen) Loch Buie on Mull then Applecross & Torridon but I cpuld just have picked the midgiest spots on the W coat for all  know.

Thanks all

i

Oh & any suggestions for places to stay, restaurants, tourist sites etc are welcome. Mull for example is motivated largely by the fact I've never seen Iona.

[dave]

loch buie is alright but i wouldn't particularly visit Mull just for that, bearing in mind it'll cost you probably about 80 bananas to get there on the ferry, its an expensive afternoons bouldering. i would imagine it'll be badly midgy this time fo year through to september. I was there in may, it was windy an OK but you could tell if the wind dropped it would have been a bloodbath. Iona is good, as is all of mull for non-bouldering activity.

[i.munro]

Thanks, so do you think anywhere in Scotland is liable to provide more than an afternoon's bloddering?
(apart from Dumby).

Bearing in mind that my one & only 7A in the forest took four days (ok spread over nearly two years)

[dave]

dunno really, i've only bouldered in glen nevis (another midge deathtrap) and briefly on skye when we walked into the cioch and it was wet. again skye is awesome but i wouldn't go especially for the boudlering. if you're having a general roadtrip with the notion of maybe doing some bouldering if it comes your way i'd check out arran, mull, skye, torridon etc. a scotland roadtrip with no hint of bouldering is a perfectly acceptabel way of spending time anyway!

[i.munro]

. if you're having a general roadtrip with the notion of maybe doing some bouldering if it comes your way

That's pretty much the plan but I want to use the bouldering areas to give it some sort of structure rather than just aimless wandering. I've found in other countries that  trying to find these places gets you into places & situations that you'd miss by just touristing

[SA Chris]

Thanks, so do you think anywhere in Scotland is liable to provide more than an afternoon's bloddering?

Applecross is a bit more exposed than Torridon so iss less likely to be midgy, but as you probably know it all depends on the weather. I have bouldered at Torridon in July without a midge in sight.

Glen Clova could easily provide you with an afternoon's worth, and east coast is a lot less midge prone. Likewise Glen Lednock. and probably Portlethen if you were over this side, and didn't mind very short problems.

There is enough in Glen Nevis for an afternoon / day, but as dave said the place is more midgy than Midge Ure.

Corie Laggan on Skye has enough to keep you busy for a day, as that day would be spent walking from boulder to boulder. (not true but they are pretty spread out).

Reiff in the woods has enough for a day, but is also very midge prone. The seacliffs at Reiff itself are more exposed than RITW (and therefore less midgy) and there is plenty to go at, more than is documented in bouldering guides, especially if you are happy doing short micro routes above good platform landings on excellent rock.

[220bpm]

Loch Buie should be reaosnable for the midge, it is very coastal after all. Outstanding quality but limited scope of problems. Not a problem when Fhionnphort and Kintra are both not far down the road, both extremely worthwhile venues although they are quite exploratary places. I've been there for the last two years but stayed in Tobermory so not much good for accommodation recommendations.

Iona/Staffa/Treshnish Isles all worth a boat trip out to visit.

Chris has given some good info. on the other popular areas up and down the country.

Others worth consideration are noted in the attached link.

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10338.0.html

[i.munro]

Thanks.