[Toby]

I'm just back from a drive up to Ullapool after reading the Stone Country guide. Suitably inspired I decided to get a bit of bouldering done in the Ullapool area. Unfortunately it was a bit too wet to get anything done. There's some great stuff up there! Has anyone explored the boulders on the stretch of road between the Ben Wyvis carpark and Glascarnoch? I noticed there was a good few likely looking boulders by the river. They look pretty clean too. If the weather holds off for tomorrow I'm going to head up again and take a look. Anyone fancy coming along?

[richieb]

How did you get on? Ive heard tales of long boggy walks to 'looks massive from a distance, turned out to be knee height' boulders in that area. Ive checked a few north west venues in the last couple of months since moving up, some good, some err.....not so good.     

[sharkey]

I was on Skye last week, walking i might add, managed to get a look at one of the Si 'O V14 's - It's over, the one Dave Mac pulled the undercut off first try,  it looked impossible, a 45 degree green roof with brushed ripples, he claims to have climbed it since the undercut came off! it is as smooth as a baby's backside? it was a real eye opener, to see one of this guys incredible claims. 

[Toby]

It was all a bit dreich unfortunately. Theres 3 or 4 decent size boulders fairly close to the road and the rock on them appears to be pretty clean. Planning to have another closer look this coming weekend. But so far it looks good.

[richieb]

Did you go back mate? I'd be interested to know how you got on.
We went to this place today, amazing boulder near torridon village, the area is in the stone country guide and theres tons of good rock...take your wellies though! (and a big tarp!)

[Monolith]

That boulder looks incredible. I was impressed by the Gabbrofest guide which I picked up a copy of the other day. Great format and photography, its great value at 4 quid too. Admittedly, the once and only time I've ever been to the Isle of Skye in summer, it pissed it down for 6 straight days only to ease up the day we were leaving. Determined to go back though, it's an amazing place.

[richieb]

Yeah its a stunning bit of rock. A great example of a boulder that looks massive from a distance, and when you've walked all the way over to it through the swamp......still looks massive! The arete I'm on in the photo is about V6 I think, the chalked line facing the camera is highball V4ish. Great rock too. Sadly the ground at the base of the boulder is totally waterlogged but its nothing a pair of wellies and a big blue plastic sheet cant sort out!
The whole area reminded me of the plantation in a funny kind of way, theres a short tier of crag above with loads of good looking slabs and aretes.

The skye stuff does look very good, hope to get over there soon.

[SA Chris]

The North West has tons of undeveloped stuff. Reiff has masses of potential, a lot if it under roofed areas that would syay dry in the rain. And the rock is superb.

[richieb]

Glad you said that Chris. Pantontino told me you were a good source of info on all things northern and bouldery before I moved up from Wales.
Went to Reiff in the Woods and Rhue on Sunday and did some very good stuff. Id be really keen to know where else you recommend, dry in the rain venues sound like especially valuable knowledge!

[SA Chris]

Richie, where are you based then? Have you seen this? http://www.scottishclimbs.com/guidepage.php?guideid=18 might be worth a look, not actually been myself?

Although Reiff is always touted as a routes venue, there is some potential for some excellent bouldering, it just seems to get overlooked as most folk who travel there are keen to get routes done. There is some good looking stuff under the roofy bits around Jim Nastic / Clam Jam sort of area that will be fine in the rain. Tons of other rock too.

PM me if you need any more info, hopefully be up there for some surfing at some point.

[richieb]

Im in Inverness, moved up at the end of the summer. Interesting range of reactions from people in the Welsh scene when told em I was moving up, from 'Well thats the end of your climbing sonny' to 'Awesome - all those new crags'. 
You're spot on there about Reiff, Ive too have been one of those folk doing routes and missing the bouldering potential. I forgot I'd been to Ardmair beach too, its a good spot but probably wouldnt keep you going for many visits. I've got some of Ian Taylors topos and stuff for the Ullapool area from ScottishClimbs.  Keen to check out the east coast too, Ive heard sit rains slightly less over there
Cheers for the advice...

[SA Chris]

You got a pm.

[sharkey]

Chris, have you been to the bouldering cliff ar Rieff, the route Romancing the Stone E3 6b, is basicly a fantastic highball V5/6 ish, White Horses E2 6a an amazing arete -  highball V3 and there is loads of other stuff, some of the best quality problems i have had the fortune to discover in the Highlands.

[dom]

   that boulder is awesome!

[SA Chris]

Chris, have you been to the bouldering cliff ar Rieff

Yes. Did some of the routes/highballs near the gully and some traversing on the wall round the corner facing the sea. It was bitterly cold though, and I was a bit hungover after my first ceilidh. I don't think the bouldering cliff has the best bouldering at reiff though, but of a misnomer.

[richieb]

Just in case anyone's interested, and without wanting to big myself up too much, I did a smart new prob at Reiff in the Woods on Sunday. Its the 'Main Issue' project mentioned in the Stone Country guide. Details on stonecountry - http://stonecountry.blogspot.com/
Having spoken to a couple of the locals it seems new stuff is being developed in the area all the time. Which I guess makes sense, if you look at the amount of rock up there.....
How did you get on in Glen Clova Chris?

[SA Chris]

How did you get on in Glen Clova Chris?

Didn't go in the end. Back was sore and it was really damp and frosty, so doubt it would have dried. Walked down to Muchalls and had a play on the bits that were dry instead. Did you get my email about the newly discovered/developed boulder near Culloden?

[richieb]

Yeah I did, cheers for that. I went down and checked this place out. Its cool, but I suspect its gonna be damp(well lets be honest.....wet) for most of the year (all year). Its a good find though fair play, you quest down through blair witch territory until this huge block suddenly appears in the middle of the forest. Its the same sort of rock as the camel sport crag, crazy conglomerate.

I had a session at cummingston the other day with some of the north wales crew and changed my mind about the place...its actually quite good    
I'd like to make it out to the east coast soon....

[SA Chris]

Cool, Let me know.

Good work on the Main Issue though, although I might flag a question mark next to your modest grade.

[richieb]

Cheers. Theres a rather comical clip of an earlier failed attempt on youtube.

[SA Chris]

Ouch! Did that hurt? Looks like a nice prob. Wingspan and love of flight look obligatory.

[richieb]

Cant remember really. Probably did hurt and I probably tried to act like it didnt.
Im still keen for Clova one of these weekends, let me know if youre heading up there?
Fed up of seeing sun over the east and rain in the west. Or at least thats what metcheck says....

[SA Chris]

Richie, you got email.

[richieb]

Hey folks
Doing my best to make sure this thread stays alive. Theres been a fair bit of activity in Torridon recently and I understand a new topo will appear on ScottishClimbs soon. Good news cos the area deserves a proper write up and some more attention. Yours truly just managed to climb the 'rippled' south face of the Ship boulder earlier this week (The big boulder featured earlier in this thread) 
Details on John Watsons stonecounty blog http://stonecountry.blogspot.com/. 

[Bonjoy]

The problem looks ace, shame the pic is so tiny