[Zods Beard]

Hello one and all. It seems I will be up in Glasgow from the end of February till the middle of April. I should have a few days a week to get out and about plus a week and a half leave at the end to do as I please. So in what seem a little bit optimistic given the weather in Scotland I needs plans for my all my days off.

I've never really ventured this far North so need some of my Scottish homeboys to hit with some knowledge. I require a couple of things.

1 - The obvious climbing info of course. I might chuck a harness in but I'll mainly be bouldering. I have a few ideas, Dumby is the obvious one, I'd like to get a trip up to the Torridon jumble? to fail on Malc's arete too. But any other ideas would be helpful, more on the local side. Guidebooks as well, I'll be buying the Bouldering in Scotland guide but is it worth getting the Boulder Britain guide too? Can you have too many guidebooks?

2 - I also want to see as much of the scenery as possible so any walks or guidebooks people can recommend. I've seen some by a chap called Dan Bailey that seem to get good reviews. Bear in mind I'll probably be on my own, so nothing too extreme, easy scrambling in stunning scenery would fit the bill.

3 - What will the Isle of Skye be like in the middle of April weather wise? Thinking of a solo, tent mission, good idea? Is there much to do for the solo adventurer? Or will I have to come back with some Si O'c tall tales? 

Thanks in advance all you fonts of knowledge. And don't make me go to UK Hillgoating for advice on question 2.

Love Zods Beard. xx

[Muenchener]

A walking outing I can thoroughly recommend, having done it a long long time ago (the summer before I started uni iirc) is the Glen Nevis round. Up the Ben, out along the Grey Corries ridge, back along the Mamores. Doable in a strenuous weekend.

The rest I leave to people who, unlike me, have actually climbed in Scotland this century.

[JJP]

You re in for a treat!?

Weather can actually be good in Glasgow in March/April so you might get lucky.  For information on dumby, www.dumby.info is excellent - it has topos and some great pictures/videos to get you psyched.

I am prob not the best person to suggest other stuff as dont get out of glasgow that much!  Stone country "bouldering in scotland" is a good guide but I havent seen the boulder britain one.  Places I really fancy visiting are :

1. glen croe (schist), roughly an hour from glasgow and reputedly good problems with wide grade range (6a - 7c ish).

2. Lost valley is an amazing walk in glen coe (1.5 hours from glasgow) - really nice scenery etc.  I last did this as a kid but there is now some bouldering within the hidden valley at the end of the walk - I think grade range is 6b - 7a+ and the pictures in the stone country guide look really nice.

If the weather does crap out at least there is TCA which is great!  Hope this helps a bit.

[Fiend]

Hi!

1 -

Chuck a harness in, there is some decent sport (you can always find ppl to do it with) and of course great trad if you can be bothered.

Dumby is good, Torridon is great, don't just go for one problem there are loads of good ones with amazing rock and scenery.

Other venues, depends on what grades and style you like, there are absolutely loads:

Local:
Loch Katrine (excellent rock)
Glen Croe / Loch Sloy (typical schist and some fine problems)
Other Trossachs venues in general

Semi-local:
Glen Nevis (loads to go at inc new stuff on the South)
Laggan Boulders (limited but some classics)
Garheugh (lovely beach bouldering)

Further afield:
Inverness area (Brin, Farr, Ruthven etc - plenty of excellent stuff)
Reiff / Reiff In The Woods (combined with Torridon of course)
Skye (nuff said)
Mull (Loch Buie is cool and lots of under-developed granite)

Guidebook-wise, BIS should be all you need although the accuracy is highly variable, best to look on Scottishclimbs.com as well. Also ask me

2 -

Scenery....there is good scenery around Glasgow, Loch Lomond, the Arrochar Alps, and the Trossachs are all close, Arran is not far either, and lots of well establish walks. But for the best scenery, always head North West. Glen Coe and Glen Nevis are spectacular, as is Skye, but my favourite areas are around Wester Ross: Applecross, Torridon, Assynt are all stunning combinations of mountains and coastline, and great climbing too.

I don't can't do walking, but I can second the Lost Valley reccomendation, it's pretty damn cool up there with a few fine blocs. Steall Falls in Glen Nevis is very popular but very pretty. But get ye to basecamp Ullapool and head out from there.

3 -

Skye could be absolutely fine at that time of year, or it could be a bitter and bleak nightmare. I would make your specific plans the night before based on the forecast, it's the only thing that works up here. But if it's good weather then then yes it would be a great option. Easy camping, good walking, good coastline, good bouldering. And go to the seafood cafe on the main square in Portree it is excellent.

[SA Chris]

I am a bit restricted due to young kids, but if you fancy a trip up to Aberdeen/shire I can hopefully get out for a day or give you some good beta either locally or elsewhere.

[220bpm]

Hi there,

1. Glen Lednock is an undersung wee gem. Easy access, mostly good landings pleasant southerly aspect and quality over quantity when it comes to the problems. I have detailed pdf topo if you want.

Ben Ledi has an amazing overhanging dagger type called The Tombstone (7b ish) and quite a few nice easier things too with prefect landings. At 530m altitude tho you'll want the weather properly onside. Got a pdf for here as well.

Loch Buie/Fionnphort are my favourites. So worth the effort in every sense.

Fiend has covered the rest. Also try the Stone Country site/blog and https://sites.google.com/site/boulderscotland/
for further information gathering.

2. Up to middle of April scrambley type things can easily still require spikey footwear and a tool or two....or it could be bone dry! I scrambled Castle Ridge on Ben Nevis late April one year in normal hill-boots and a tee-shirt, 12 months later it was full winter regalia with avalanche prone approaches and about -15 at the hut

Fiend has it covered with the NW thing, Inverpolly is amazing (Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Quinag, Cul Mor/Beag, Sandwood Bay) chuck in the islands of course for their many pleasures, and the mighty ridges of Kintail for their long tiring days but never forgotten panoramas.

Worth taking a trip East to the Cairngorms too if you haven't been, fairly highlights the East/West difference in topography. Easy access to upper slopes via funicular then take yer pick...maybe be ultra-keen and haul a mat over to the Barns of Bynack or Beinn Mheadhoin? 

A really cool day out is to catch the train to the Corrour Halt out in Rannoch Moor (the one that was in Trainspotting) the take a wander round Leum Uilleim to the West. Gives a whole new prespective to the familiar sights of Rannoch, Etive, Coe, Nevis, Aonachs, Grey Corries, Mamores etc that not so many people see.

3. Skye in April? As the man says conditions could be just about anything imaginable. If its fair your laughing. All the bouldering, red and black Cullin (Bla Bheinn via Clach Glas is a classic scramble), Elgol views into Coruisk, Sgurr na Stri for the finest of Cullin views, Trotternish/Storr/Quirang excellence, Talisker distillery, wee trip to Raasay (virgin rock abounds!) options are endless. If its pi$$ing it down camp at the Sligachan and imbibe some local produce.

Have a good time when yer up there, any questions fire away, and don't let those Weegies take the p!ss too much

[SA Chris]

A really cool day out is to catch the train to the Corrour Halt out in Rannoch Moor (the one that was in Trainspotting) the take a wander round Leum Uilleim to the West. Gives a whole new prespective to the familiar sights of Rannoch, Etive, Coe, Nevis, Aonachs, Grey Corries, Mamores etc that not so many people see.

Don't miss the train on the way back though!

[Fiend]

Glen Lednock is less easy access now they've closed the gate up to the dam, if you fancy the walk the easy circuit is good and there's been new stuff developed by the dam itself (on UKC I think).

Ben Ledi is a good call, especially as it's a slog to get up there so you get the walking tick with it. Definitely impressive blocs and good for a big day out (including high problems).

[Zods Beard]

As per usual, I have responded in a timely manner.

Thanks for all the tips guys, some good beta. I've finally got some idea of the hours I'll be working, days off etc (Are all big companies this disorganised?!) and I may be a bit limited for getting out further afield as it seems I will be working like a bitch, unalterable deadlines etc.

Also Skye may be out of the picture due to needing to get back in April really unless I can persuade the missus to come up.

SA Chris - Would love to meet the legend that is but see above reasons for why I might be a bit pushed. I'll PM if I'm able to.

Fiend - The harness will be packed but no rack due to needing so much other crap. I also assume from reading your blog and your suggestions that 'local' is up to an hour and a half away?!

220bpm - The topo for Glen Lednock would be sweet, I've PM'd you. I assume its not in the last Bouldering in Scotland guide?

Thanks to everyone else, please don't be offended if I haven't mentioned you by name.

And if you see a guy with a fresh off of the works printer (doublesided!) Dumby guide failing on the easy problems its probably me. 

[Fiend]

The "Local" stuff on my list is about 1 hour. Semi-local is 1.5-2 hours. I've got used to daytripping 2 hour venues to make the best out of it, once you've got bored of Dumby.

[Grubes]

Can anyone tell me if there is a free topo to Trossachs Boulders on the internet some where? She has one free day in scotland near here so she is wanting to get out but not really wanting to fork out for a guide she will use for one day.

she climbs up to 6A ish any problem recomendations?

[SA Chris]

There's the Ben Ledi boulders?

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxib3VsZGVyc2NvdGxhbmR8Z3g6NTBjNGE2MGVmOThlZDIyMA

If that link doesn't work, look here.

https://sites.google.com/site/boulderscotland/file-cabinet

It's a great spot but remote though, and probs are a bit highball.