Scottish Hot Rock

With the massive thaw and unseasonally warm weather most of the Scottish snow has gone, or is going so we decided to go rock climbing, which is very peculiar for this time of the year, especially for me.

We intended to go to Gruinard, but because we were chatting so much in the van it wasn't noticed that I was going the wrong way as I turned towards Torridon. We only noticed at Achnasheen! We had been talking about the very sad and untimely death of Andy Nisbet and Steve Perry, who were killed new routing on Ben Hope not so many weeks ago.

The waterfall comes into view up on the right

I don't profess to have known Andy very well at all, but of our 3-4 encounters he had made a big impression upon me, a great man with a quiet, soft voice but definite confidence and presence, always positive with a story to tell. Everyone seems to have a great tale of an encounter with Andy, and I've never heard anything but positive praise for this stalwart of Scottish climbing. I hadn't met Steve. They will be greatly missed I'm without doubt.

As we had driven the wrong way (drat) Loz frantically checked the guidebook and we thought about Stone Valley, but then waterfall buttress on Beinn a' Mhuinidh above the end of loch Maree, opposite Beinn Eighe was mentioned... I'd always wanted to climb next to this waterfall, and with the warm weather, and Loz reading that the first ascent of one of the routes was soloed by Andy Nisbet, it seemed very fitting and the right thing to do.

The route takes the dry rock to the right of the waterfall

There aren't that many routes recorded and the best seem to be a couple of 2 star Severe's 100m in length. We picked Blanco S 4a the Nisbet route and pared down the gear and set off on the scenic path towards Slioch and Loch Maree.

It was so mild, and beautiful walking along the valley through the old forest remnants, mainly alder, oak, ash and birch. Loz is an arboriculturalist (I think that may be the correct term?!... a tree person basically!) and it was interesting what he was saying about the tree's, their lift cycle and conservation value. Seeing an old hollow oak that he guessed was 300 years old it was fascinating how he described how the tree has self sacrificed its limbs over the centuries to maintain a more compact and stable structure and base. These veteran tree's are now recognised as the most important to protect from a conservation perspective, which is a relatively new approach. Even 10-20 years ago it would of been a 'its unstable and dying, better to chop it down approach'.. fascinating stuff.

Loz on pitch 1

After a cookie break by Loch Maree we struck up hill when below the waterfall and it didn't take long to gain the height and get to the base of the spout! A cool place indeed! I'll be honest now, it wasn't hot, in fact a little chilly as we started climbing.

chubby hamster on the belay

The route was quite adventurous mixing good solid climbing with loose unstable rock! Given the latter, which there was lots of, I wouldn't have wanted to solo the route for sure as Andy did on his first ascent.

Loz jumping across the top of the waterfall

The views to the waterfall, and across to Beinn Eighe were great and we took our time at the top savouring it. As we walked out it became warmer, and Loz commented that it very much felt like a warm summers evening in the Lake District.