[Yossarian]

Thinking about taking the 8-year-old up to Torridon later in the month - it’s there or north wales depending on the weather.

Any advice about must do things for keen kids - boulders / walks / scrambles / low grade routes suitable for me to solo her to follow / cake vendors / revolutionary uprisings, etc. Also, any other venues that we could stop off on way there / back that might be kid friendly...?

Applecross perhaps?

Trying to figure out whether it’s worth going to Skye as well, but might end up complicating things.

[JamieG]

We did a really lovely walk into the back of Beinn Eighe. You start at the main carpark (on the a896) and walk around the west edge of the mountain into the corrie that faces north, with a little loch in it. Stunning scenery. A decent (ish) path and not too much up hill, but still a good distance walk.

We saw a golden eagle attacking a deer fawn. Incredibly dramatic. Obviously I can't guarantee that, but the walk was nice. 

[bolehillbilly]

Gairloch was a good base for us. Decent cafe(going back a bit now), great beach at Big Sand, not far from Loch Tollaidh which has a few easy access lower grade routes.

This was a decent though short walk with a fine scenery and plane wreck interest.

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/Fairylochs.shtml

Easy access into Torridon itself.

My kids were a bit younger than 8, we had a great time.

[Coops_13]

The Horns of Alligin are good fun and can be combined with the neighbouring peak for two munros:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/Beinnalligin.shtml

[teestub]

Main thing about NW highlands is that driving anywhere can take a long time on slow roads that may not necessarily go in totally the right direction to start with due to the mountains and lochs. As such I’d personally recommend choosing one area to base yourself rather than spending a lot of time driving.

If you get a good forecast the Torridon area is absolutely outstanding. Of the three main mountains Ben Aligin probably offers the most suitable round walk with some dramatic looking but very easy scrambling over the Horns.

The bouldering at Torridon is excellent although not super extensive, plenty to keep you going for several days. There are also some other outlying areas on the Bealach and Applecross which I’ve not checked out.

Applecross itself is beautiful and can be accessed over the Bealach which is the highest public road in the country so fairly interesting in its own right. Applecross inn does amazing seafood and the Torridon Inn is also pretty decent.

Skye could be another complete option, basing yourself near the  Cuillins there’d be a tonne of mountain climbing/scrambling/easy route options. There’s some bouldering there probably best described as 2* bouldering in a 5* location. Loads to do around the coast too.

[spidermonkey09]

This crag looks suitable and close to Torridon: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=10273#overview.

I thought Torridon bouldering was incredible, would go back in a heartbeat. If I was there again with some non climbing plans I would do some kayaking on the loch as it looked great.

The drive over the Bealach is fun, although you need something with a good clutch! I think theres a pretty steady walk to a summit from the parking at the crest from memory but it was too grim when we were there.

[Fiend]

Gairloch is a good base, a wee haven of civilisation. In contrast to teestub, although driving around takes a while, the drives are usually a pleasure as the scenery is so stunning (and Garve to Kinlochewe is an ace cruise / hoon). Gairloch cafe has still been good in recent years, as has the Old Gairloch Inn. Assault Slab / Raven's Edge at Loch Tollaidh are brilliant easy routes. The Falls Of Falloch on the Ullapool road are worth a visit too.

[Yossarian]

This is all brilliant stuff - thank you.

In terms of bouldering, I thought the Torridon guidebook would be the thing, unless there’s any great advantage to having the Boulder Scotland as well / instead?

Re routes - also spotted Ardheslaig https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3931#overview which might work too.

[teestub]

The bouldering is well covered in the most recent Boulder Scotland, although not to the same level of detail as the Torridon pamphlet. Obvious benefit of the full guide for the wider area and planning for future trips or locations en route.

If my initial post seemed to sell the bouldering short, hopefully the fact that I’ve been there four times from Yorkshire balances out the picture a bit! The area is stunning and the rock is immaculate, there’s just not a huge amount of volume problem wise, maybe 100 problems across the grades.

[SA Chris]

This is all brilliant stuff - thank you.

In terms of bouldering, I thought the Torridon guidebook would be the thing, unless there’s any great advantage to having the Boulder Scotland as well / instead?

Re routes - also spotted Ardheslaig https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3931#overview which might work too.

This is a great little crag, we retreated there after doing Sword of Gideon up on Bealach na Ba when it was so windy we were nearly blown off the crag. It's a really short walk from car, and easy to scramble to the top to set up ropes. I think we ticked off the VSes and maybe a couple of easier ones, good quality rock throughout, but might be a bit of grass etc growing on less climbed routes. May well be a bit midgy on still day, but should be fine if sunny and / or breezy. Seem to remember potential for a bit of bouldering on the right of the crag too.

Second Gairloch as a good base, nice beach etc.

[spidermonkey09]

Torridon guidebook available in the youth hostel which is useful.

[jshaw]

To revive this ...

I'm planning to head up to Torridon, possibly stopping off somewhere on the way to break up the journey (for Manchester).

For context, I've never been to Scotland and don't know much about the climbing there apart seeing a couple of videos. I'll have about a week to spend up there and plan to do some non-climbing stuff if/when the weather craps out.

Will the Boulder Scotland guidebook be sufficient, is it a good guide? (I've heard mixed reviews)
Are the smaller pamphlet guidebooks necessary for finding specific boulders and crags?
Can anyone recommend other crags to visit other than Torridon?

[spidermonkey09]

If you have even a passing interest in trad climbing, go to Diabaig for a day. Utterly amazing.

[SA Chris]

Boulder Scotland is about all you have! There is Bouldering in the SMC Guides, but poorly covered. Don't know about the new Wired one. Get the Torridon specific guide as well. Are you up for bouldering only or any trad / sport there or on the way?

If you can take a MTB for poor weather days do it.

[MischaHY]

If you have even a passing interest in trad climbing, go to Diabaig for a day. Utterly amazing.

Could you maybe suggest a few reasonably well protected hardish things in that general area for ground up attempts? E3-7ish. Happy to drop a rope down things if necessary but prefer to be able to have a proper GU go if possible...  I like cracks if that helps.

[spidermonkey09]

I've only done a few HVS' and E2s there, but they were all brilliant. Route 1/2/3, Black Streak, Diabaig Pillar and Northumberland Wall all amazing.

[MischaHY]

Nice one, sounds ace.

[SA Chris]

They are not crack routes as such, but the nature of the gneiss lends itself to excellent and fairly frequent gear placements, mostly bomber small to medium wires and small cams. Brilliant climbing, gorgeous location, the drive there is very scenic, but takes longer than you expect. Some nice viewpoints to stop at along the way though. Just follow the stars for quality and you will be fine.

Looking at images, sadly not much left of the Dayspring shipwreck at Diabaig these days.

[edshakey]

Boulder Scotland is about all you have! ... Don't know about the new Wired one. 

Nothing in Wired for bouldering. If you are into your trad jshaw, then Wired is especially good for covering scenarios like "stopping somewhere on the way", when you don't want to buy an area specific guide just for a single day's climbing - as Boulder Scotland is for bouldering.

Get the Torridon specific guide as well.

Slightly off topic... have many of the micro routes been done around the edge of the jumble, and are they documented in the specific guide? There looks like lots of potential for routes similar to Super Pittance, but they aren't mentioned in Boulder Scotland, or on UKC.

[SA Chris]

There are 2 supplements put out by Ullapool Outdoors, GazM posted a link somewhere recently I think.

edit - was in Significant FAs thread.

https://ullapooloutdoors.co.uk/northwestoutdoorsullapool/2014/11/torridon-bouldering-update.html

https://ullapooloutdoors.co.uk/northwestoutdoorsullapool/2020/2/22/torridon-bouldering-update-2020

[Ian T]

Slightly off topic... have many of the micro routes been done around the edge of the jumble, and are they documented in the specific guide? There looks like lots of potential for routes similar to Super Pittance, but they aren't mentioned in Boulder Scotland, or on UKC.

There are a few obvious easy lines up to VS and right of Super Pittance is a bay with a big tree. The bay has a narrow chimney with a chockstone (VS 4b) and on the wall right of the chimney is Trend Setter E5 6b/c, which climbs a thin crack. I haven't done it and I doubt it's been repeated. There's lots more to do if you are so inclined.

[edshakey]

Nice. Cheers for the info.

Maybe I'll look next time I'm up, although not sure when that'll be. Some decent lines!

[TCE]

The Celtic Jumble at Torridon is at its best as a family bouldering venue. There are more than a few cracking kids problems. If you want a 'get away from it all' venue, then there is a group of 7 boulders beyond the end of the reservoir in Coire nan Arr (see the Richie Betts photo at the bottom of page 266 of Boulder Scotland). It's a flat 30-45 minute walk-in. The rock isn't as tough as the Celtic Jumble, so go in there when it's been dry. Really nice features, and a fun, chilled-out pottering about venue. Spectacular location directly opposite the Nose of Sgurr a Caorachain.

[Bradders]

Will the Boulder Scotland guidebook be sufficient, is it a good guide? (I've heard mixed reviews)

Whilst it isn't the best guide ever, it will certainly get you to plenty of places.

I've not done much in Scotland but depending on the grade you're hoping to climb I think Glen Croe is a perfect "stop off" spot. Short walk ins to a fair few things right off the main road, and the harder lines (7C and up) are absolutely stunning.

[gardinrm]

Will the Boulder Scotland guidebook be sufficient, is it a good guide? (I've heard mixed reviews)
Are the smaller pamphlet guidebooks necessary for finding specific boulders and crags?
Can anyone recommend other crags to visit other than Torridon?

If you're based in Manchester, I can lend you my Torridon Guide. In my opinion, whatever guide you take you'll have an amazing trip. Such an impressive place to be - and the bouldering is excellent. Great setting, great boulders - amazing.

I also really enjoyed bouldering at Kishorn. Again, amazing setting. Looking over the Loch with mountains behind you was pretty spectacular. It's not nearly as good as Torridon itself, but a really special spot.