Name: Club Climbing Night
Start: 2026-09-03T18:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-09-03T21:00:00+01:00
Location: Dalkey Quarry

Snowdonia

(by Gerry Moss, from IMC Newsletter Autumn 2004)
It’s the region of heart’s desire! Small wonder then, that the October Bank Holiday meet to Snowdonia, in North Wales, is a long-standing, and popular, IMC tradition.

Ably organised for decades by Des Doyle, the patter of little feet has lured him to fresh fields and pastures new in recent years, and the meet has faltered a little as a result. It is high time to get it back on track Snowdonia was, and is, an inspired choice of venue for the October week-end. There is something here for all tastes, and all talents. Indeed, if you haven’t experienced Snowdonia’s mountains or crags, there is a huge gap in your climbing C.V.

Walking/Scrambling

The Snowdon Horseshoe, which includes the airy Crib Goch arête, lies at the head of Llanberis Pass and provides the finest mountain outing south of the Scottish Border. The ascent of Tryfan via the NE Ridge, followed by the Bristly Ridge to the Glyders and a descent by the Devil’s Kitchen, gives another great mountain day. The Carneddau provide a higher, longer version of the Galtees, with a stiff pull up, followed by a long, gently undulating ridge walk, with superb views. Further south, the shapely Cnicht, known as the Matterhorn of Wales, can be combined with the Moelwyns for a great day’s walking. All of these outings provide ideal training for the Alps.

Rock Climbing

‘Rock climbing in Snowdonia’ by Paul Williams, details almost 500 climbs on 77 crags in the area (and this is just a selection!). Tiger, crag-rat, traditionalist, mountaineer; all are equally well served. You can choose to follow in the footsteps of some of Britain’s most noted climbers: Kirkus, Edwards, Pigott, Allan, Brown, Whillans, Fawcett, Dawes and Redhead, all contributed to the store of fine routes in this region.

For those climbing at V.Diff/Severe/H.Severe level there are many classic mountain routes, ranging from half to full day outings, some of them depositing the climber on top of summits as high as 3000 feet. For example, the Idwal Slabs, (a much larger version of the Bearnagh Slabs) with multi-pitch Diffs, V.Diffs and Severes at a user-friendly angle, lead on to a higher tier, which, in turn, leads to the final band of climbs below the summit of Glydyr Fawr. And there are plenty of roadside crags too, offering oodles of shorter climbs in the same grades.

For those wanting to climb at higher grades the list is just as long. Llanberis Pass for example, boasts 12 crags, (including the slate quarries) with traditional routes from Diff right up to E8. Many of these are two or more pitches in length.

If you tire of climbing in the mountains, an hour’s drive will bring you to Tremadog, often in sunshine while cloud sits on the hills, where several road-side crags give multi-pitch routes from severe upwards on good rock, in a lovely, sylvan setting, just above sea-level. And when you tire, or feel like a break, just drop down to Eric’s Roadside Cafe, for a bacon butty, beans on toast or a mug of hot tea.

And I haven’t even mentioned the sea-cliffs of Gogarth, only a five-minute drive from where the boat docks. If you haven’t experienced the Gogarth Grip, you haven’t experienced sea-cliff climbing at it’s best.

Weather

Nor is rain (and it has been known to rain) as great a spoilsport there as it is at the Burren or Fairhead, for example. There are numerous clean, classic routes that go in all weathers, e.g., the nine-pitch Slanting Buttress on Lliwedd; the deep, dark slit of Lockwood’s Chimney (a penitential exercise for the obese, a hen’s race for skinny little geeks like yours truly); the Hyll-Drem Girdle, a four-pitch HVS that sneaks along under a huge roof, keeping you snug and dry, while the rain cascades off the lip; and, at Tremadog, you will find climbers on many of the routes in all weathers.

Climbing Wall

If you really must avoid the rain, The Beacon Climbing Wall, just outside Llanberis, is about four times the size of the UCD wall, with a large, separate bouldering area and a café.

Gear

You can shop till you drop in Llanberis (2), Capel Curig (1) or Betws y Coed (4) gear shops, (Joe Brown’s, in Llanberis, gives 10% discount on production of an up-to-date IMC card). If you are in the market for rock-boots, the large selection of makes on offer is bound to please.

Food

If you haven’t gorged yourself in Pete’s Eats, you haven’t lived. I have seen strong men brought to their knees by the sight and scent of the Big Jim Special.

Accommodation

Traditionally we have based ourselves near Llanberis, only an hour’s drive from the boat and close to the hills and crags, most frequently in Jesse James’ Bunkhouse (that’s the owner’s name, honest), a down-to-earth, basic bunkhouse, but with a good kitchen, a spacious common-room/dining room, and a passable drying room. At the minute there is plenty of room available, at a cost of £10 Stg per night, but there is always a run on accommodation in Snowdonia on that particular weekend, so we need to move fast on this, as it is a case of first come, first served. And, as Jesse runs it on a commercial basis, a hefty deposit must be paid in advance, in order to secure places.

A Word

The days at the end of October are shorter, much shorter, than September days. IMC folklore is full of tales of members thrashing about in the dark, struggling to find the correct, safe way down off these steep, cliff-studded mountains, due to a lack of appreciation of the difficulties involved, and the time required to complete the route before darkness. If you intend tackling any of the mountain routes a headtorch is a decided advantage, but an early start is a definite must. I speak from years of experience on this one.

Ferries

Ex Dún Laoghaire
Stena Line HSS (100mins.)
Departs D.L.: 11.10 16.05 21.45
Departs H.H.: 8.55 13.45 18.30

Ex Dublin Port
Irish Ferries Cruise Ship 3hr15min.
Depart Dub. 09.05 21.05
Depart H.Hd. 02.50 15.00

Note: I haven’t given the times for the Dublin Swift, which is quite a small boat, and not a good bet in October, as Autumnal gales may cause cancellation.

Ex Dublin Port
Stena Line Cruise Ship 3hr15min.
Depart Dub. 08.30 (Sun-Fri) 08.15 (Sat.) 21.15 daily
Depart H.Hd. 02.30 14.30

Fares Depends on which service, or combination of services you choose. Both lines have a website, (www.stenaline.ie, www.irishferries.com). It makes sense to have a group of four per car, where feasible. Talk to your fellow members.

Finally

So, there you have it. There has already been expressions of interest from some of the old hands, and this will present newcomers to Snowdonia with an ideal chance to tag along, or tap in to their knowledge and experience. We will give all the assistance and advice we can, and try to point you in the direction best compatible with prevailing conditions. The rest is up to you.

Croeso Yspryd Eryri. Welcome to the Spirit of Snowdonia!
Tower Ridge, Ben Nevis

(by Kevin Byrne, from IMC Newsletter Summer 2003)
An account of a winter ascent of Tower Ridge (600m Grade III, 3) on Ben Nevis on 14th March 2003. Climbers: Eileen Murphy, Kieran Kelly and Kevin Byrne.

It was just before 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Kieran standing to one side untying his rope, Eileen on the final steepening leading to the summit plateau, the sun shining, the wind a mere whisper, thin mist forming and dispersing around the impressive ice-encrusted cliffs of North-East Buttress, Observatory Ridge and the Orion Face. It was the stuff of dreams. Then, as if to celebrate the moment, a perfectly-formed Brocken Spectre appeared without warning on the thin clouds that were briefly hugging the upper rocks of the ridge. I stared, distracted in wonder at the sheer beauty of what was before me. Too late I fumbled for the camera. The ghostly image and its halo-like shadow faded as quickly as they had formed, not to reappear. Recalling something read years ago about coming to the great cathedrals of the mountains not to conquer but to worship, this was indeed a moment to treasure.

Tower Ridge in Winter. A route of great tradition and history, it still possesses an aura of mystery and had been on my mental tick-list since my first experience of Scottish winter climbing in the early 1970’s. No longer considered technically difficult, it is by no means easy pickings. My visits over the years had never even been rewarded with conditions decent enough to tempt us up to ‘have a look’.

Many have struggled hard on this route and felt only a sense of relief on crossing the fabled Tower Gap knowing that all the difficulties were at last behind them and success was finally assured. Others, like the IMC party of precisely 12 months, to the day, previously, have had the misfortune of finding the ridge in one of its less benign moods – the wind, cold and blizzard of what Hamish McInnes famously called “Full Conditions”. On that occasion, the consequences of a particularly violent storm were benightment at the Tower Gap followed by an arduous and lengthy rescue.

For us, as departure day the 13th of March approached (hmmm, 13th lucky for some), the weather was already shaping up well. Sunny, settled and likely to last – thanks to your local friendly continental High-Pressure system. Continental systems are more reliable and generous than their dodgy cousins, the Atlantic Highs, which we all know can play tricks on unsuspecting mountaineers leaving them floundering in cloud when sun was promised. By a stroke of good luck (thanks, Eileen) we had put the trip back a week to Paddy’s weekend. Going earlier, we now knew, would have resulted in another of those monotonously depressing, wet, dismal trips for which Scotland in winter has become infamous. Frequent sad tales of washed-out climbing plans have prompted many of today’s young things to seek their pleasure on the frozen waterfalls of remote alpine valleys rather than in the manly challenges of Scottish winters!

Intent on giving ourselves every chance of success, we treated our attempt as an alpine route. Indeed it has many of the same qualities – remoteness, a serious feel, the certainty of a long day (guidebook time is 6–10 hours for the climb) and no guarantee of success right till the end. We first found the new car-park at Torlundy on the eastern (Aviemore) end of the golf club and we reconnoitred the initial hour or so of the walk towards the Allt a’ Mhuilinn. Though determined to make a dawn start, none of us actually knew what time dawn was at!

Next day, Friday, we were at the carpark at 6.15am having driven the 35 miles or so from Laggan Bridge – roughly half-way between Ben Nevis and the Cairngorms. We had chosen that location to give ourselves climbing options east to the Cairngorms and west to the Ben! The carpark was already alive with early starters like us and those who had stayed overnight and who were just waking to a cold frosty morning. Temperatures were down to minus 8 or so.

It was daylight as we set out at 6.40. The walk-in with full packs quickly got the blood flowing and gradually hats, gloves and top layers were put away. Less than two hours later we were at the CIC Hut. Not bad going. We stopped for a break and were quickly forced to add back the layers as mist obscured the highest ridges and a truly bitter wind raced down and whistled menacingly in the wind vanes of the Hut. Maybe the day would not turn out as well as we hoped! A tentative suggestion from Eileen that a tea break was in order was quickly scoffed at as we resumed the trudge to the foot of the Douglas Boulder. Boulder? Well, if you count things that are 600 ft high with routes that can take a full day to complete.

Rounding the Douglas Boulder into Coire Leis and the foot of Observatory Gully, we continued to follow intermittent footprints before cutting off right across avalanche debris to begin the climb proper. We had in fact passed the normal start but had no intention of deliberately losing height in the interest of purity! At 9.30am we were ready to rope up but before doing so we did finally allow ourselves the luxury of a cuppa. Being unlikely to stop for lunch on the ridge itself, it was wise to get food on board now. The sandwiches were a challenge. Too much for me at this early hour, my eyes were instead drawn to the magnificent line of Point Five Gully, easily the most famous of the classic Scottish ice climbs. With modern tools, it may no longer be the challenge it once was, but it’s undoubtedly still a physical and mental test. One for next year maybe!

The lower parts of the ridge are straightforward. Well defined, the line is never too steep or exposed. Here the guidebook urges moving together in the interests of speed. We were delighted to find there was no one ahead of us. Footprints were all several days old. For the moment too, it seemed there was no one behind. As a party of three, one of our concerns was to move quickly and not be overtaken by ropes of two, thereby leaving us at the back of a queue for the Eastern Traverse or the Tower Gap.

The higher we climbed the more the wind died away and soon the sun was working its magic on the snow-covered ridges and gullies to sharpen the perspective all round. Tempting as it was to stop and admire the scenery, we continued to push on, passing one or two spots where pitching it was the safer option. For those few short stretches, the two behind moved together to ensure that little time was lost. On Tower Ridge, as in the Alps, safety lies in speed as much as anything.

We were enjoying ourselves in the perfect conditions we’d found. Even the snow had a crispness born of the heavy frost the night before. Then all too soon, it seemed, the prow of the Great Tower appeared and we knew we were already approaching the crux pitches of the climb. These come one after the other and offer a startling variety of climbing in a short distance. First is the Eastern Traverse. In good conditions it presents no major obstacle but the yawning drop towards Tower Gully demands care and attention. Next up is negotiating the jammed boulder followed in the same pitch by a steep and demanding wall leading (in one long or two short pitches) to the summit of the Great Tower. From here a narrow crest leads out to the Tower Gap which again is not technically difficult but the exposure on both sides and especially the prospect of a drop into Glover’s Chimney provides memorable atmospheric qualities.

A 20/30 minute wait at the Gap was forced on us by a party of two finishing up Glover’s Chimney. For his belay, the leader had chosen to occupy the blocks used to traverse the Gap – though in reality he didn’t have much choice. Even this relatively short hold-up resulted in a queue forming. Despite the delay, we were fully relaxed knowing that we were next, that it was early and that we could fully enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery all about as we waited.

Finally we were across the Gap and moving again on the easy slopes leading to the summit, which by now was bathed in sunshine under a clear blue sky. What more could anyone ask from a day in the hills? An hour later, as the sun began to set, we dragged ourselves reluctantly away from the ruins of the summit observatory and began the descent of No 4 Gully and the three-hour walk out. A final piece of good fortune ensued when we met a friend of Kieran’s at the upper carpark and got a lift down the last section. Ah, bliss.

The images of the day were still burning brightly in our minds as we finally settled down to a well-deserved night’s sleep.

See also Kieran Kelly’s report
Travel Log – Scotland

(by Kieran Kelly, from IMC Newsletter Summer 2003)
Ascents of Tower Ridge and other Scottish winter climbs.

13/03/2003

I tend not to sleep too soundly when there is an early start (5am). Two hours check-in before meant we had to be at the airport for 6.15. A strand of advice; do not carry your rope in your hand luggage, put it with the rest of the offending objects like the ice axe, scissors, tooth pick, sewing needle etc. Fifteen kg max in the main pack, 7 in hand luggage (Ryanair), anything over this will cost €6 per kg.

From Prestwick head for Glasgow (29 miles) from there the A82 to Fort William. This was not the most direct route to the accommodation, but we were planning an early start the next morning and needed to check out the start of the planned route. Apart from this we needed to stock up on supplies and a visit to Scotland is never complete without a visit to Nevisport to check out the gear and the weather forecast. The weather for the weekend was to be very good and so it proved.

Back on the A82 as far as Torlundy, turn right then over the humpback bridge then right again for 750M and we arrived at the car park. A chat with a few other people gave an idea of the conditions on the Ben. In order to stretch the legs we walked along the route for a couple of km. The final part of the journey brought us to the Laggen Bridge Bunkhouse, one hour from Fort William.

The Bunkhouse, a timber-framed structure, offers good accommodation at reasonable cost (£10 per night). The bedrooms were clean and for a once-off payment of £2 you get a sheet bag and a quilt. They did squeak a little, especially the one above me. Jack and Jill shared it; they must have been on a very tight budget. The kitchen/dining room was well equipped with plenty of utensils. A big pot-bellied stove stood proud in the dining area; the sting in the tail was it required a woodcutter to keep its appetite satisfied.

14/03/2003 – Tower Ridge

Another early morning start, rise at 4.30 am. Eileen’s porridge provided central heating to get the day off to a good start. We arrived at the Torlundy car park at 6.15. We were surprised to find some people camping and other sleeping in the back of a van; others were arriving back having spent the night on the hills. At 8.30 we arrived at the CIC hut and from there made our way to the start of the route.

After some nourishment we geared up ready for the off. The guide book recommended moving alpine-style at a steady pace on the lower section. This proved to be sound advice; before long we were at the base of the lower tower. A few belays got us over the lower tower; from there we advanced on to the Great Tower. The biggest distraction was the scenery. It was fantastic in every direction; clear blue skies meant you could see for miles. Having negotiated the Eastern Traverse we ascended to the top of the Great Tower; from there we caught sight of Tower Gap.

Tower Gap could be renamed Gridlock Gap. This is where time can be lost on this route; it cost us 20/30 minutes. Two climbers had come up the gully and had pole position, with more coming up behind. As soon as the group moved, Kevin descended into the gap and from there ascended up the slope on the far side and set up a belay. One more belay and we were there; it had taken 5 hours from start to finish. Elated at our achievement we had a photo-call followed by lunch at the summit.

Our ascent was down No. 4 Gully, which was very steep initially; it is at times like this that a second ice axe would be useful. A short time later we reached the CIC Hut and then retraced our steps down the valley to the forest road where we came across a Tollymore bus. The driver (Brendan Whelan) greeted us. I had known Brendan for some years; he was working in the area as a freelance ML instructor. He offered to drive us to the car park. Kevin refused as he said it would be cheating. We agreed for about two seconds then made a dash for the van.

15/03/2003 – Creag Meagaidh

Two hours walk through the valley brings into view a spectacular sight that gets better with every step. Ice helped to shape Creag Meagaidh (“Crag of the Boggy Place”) and it’s still a big part of its attraction. When snow fills the big gullies and the mountain buttresses glaze with cascades of steep ice, the winter climbs are amongst the best in the country.

Having reached Lochan a’ Choire we split up. I decided to head on up the valley to Uinneog Coire Ardair (The Window); from there a short ascent up a snow slope gained the ridge. A short walk brought me to the summit of Creag Meagaidh (1128m); from there the ridge walk offered panoramic views of the valley.

Nearby Kevin and Eileen had decided on Raeburn’s Gulley, a 360m grade 1*** route. This ice gully is long, continuously steep and the pinnacle buttress face provides exciting scenery.

16/03/2003 – Cairngorms

The walk into “Coire An tSneachda” was an easy walk both in terms of time (40 min.) and the terrain. The plan today was “The Runnel”, a grade 2** ice gully (135m) on the fluted buttress. It is described as the central and best-defined of the three gullies, which rises from the top of the snow bay. It is straightforward climbing leading to a fine ice chimney near the top, which is the crux of the route.

Eileen and Kieran on the first pitch of The Runnel

17/03/2002

Day two at the Cairngorms; time would be tight. We had to check into Preswick at 8pm and with four hours drive we had to be on the road by 4pm. Eileen and Kevin had a date back at Coire An tSneachda with “Aladdin’s Mirror Direct”. A popular ice problem, Aladdin’s Mirror Direct (Grade 4) varies in length and steepness according to build-up.

Overall the trip was a great success; four days of continuous sunshine, good accommodation, not to mention the outdoor hot tub. The trip was well organised at a reasonable cost. Last but not least was the good company and teamwork that went towards achieving our objective Tower Ridge.

Cost Per Person:

Airline €76

Car Hire £88

Accommodation £42

Food £37

See also Kevin Byrne’s report
Pembroke meet

(by Rachel Cinnsealach, from IMC Newsletter Autumn 2004)
A weekend in Wales, with climbing, craic, and a serious accident.

On Friday 30th July, a group of enthusiastic IMC climbers departed Dublin and drove to Rosslare to catch the 9.30 pm ferry to Pembroke. Dairín, Dave Dye, Martina, Denis, Marcus and Rachel met up with some of the Dal Riada crowd at the port and boarded the boat. As it was a Friday evening, a few drinks were consumed on board and it made the crossing an enjoyable affair.

Arrived in to Pembroke about 12.30 and docked, It was about 2.00 am by the time we got to the campsite, where we all fumbled about in the dark, pitching our tents. Saturday morning, all us were up bright and early … not, but we did manage to get up, breakfasted and on the road by about 11.00 am. It was a glorious day. The group split in two. One half went off to Govens East and the rest of us headed off with Toni Burd to Crystal Slabs.

The day was amazing, the climbing was not difficult or taxing at Crystal Slabs, but just really, really enjoyable, We set up an ab rope, and abseiled right down; the cliff was so large, that the 60 metre rope did not reach the bottom of the climb and hence a second rope had to be attached. This was an experience for all of us, using our prussiks to anchor ourselves as we swapped ropes; I must add Toni was an absolute superstar, almost like our personal guide for the day, talking us through different situations. All of us led one or two long climbs and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of climbing a sea-cliff route, with the sea bashing around beneath you.

Embedded within the cliff was a mini cave, which you could crawl right through, and out the other side, here you got a view of the other crags, an amazing experience, being half way up a cliff and crawling though a cave. The tide was quick to come in, hence the second and third times we abseiled down, we could not belay from the bottom. Hence we had to set up hanging belays and belay from the cliff itself; again this was a new experience for most of us, and invaluable experience. It was really great that the climbs were of VD to HS standard, so we could learn all then new techniques in complete comfort. We returned to Pembroke about 10.00 that evening after a long day of climbing.

However, all was not good. When we arrived back to the campsite, about 11.00pm that evening, we heard there had been an accident. This hit us all really hard. One of our fellow members, Marcus, had been climbing with the Dal Riada group and had taken a lead fall. The folks climbing with him at the time, Steve McMullen and Paul Harrington, were absolutely fantastic in the situation; they administered first aid, they did not move Marcus, but removed his harness and shoes, they talked to him and kept him as comfortable as possible. Jules, a doctor from UCDMC climbing club was also present and she came down to help out, while waiting for helicopter rescue to arrive. Marcus was brought to Swansea Hospital. The above incident was a big shock for all of us, and I guess there are a number of lessons to be learnt from it. All climbers should take responsibility for themselves. It is beneficial to attend courses such as the SPA training, to learn techniques, and to practice gear placements and techniques at a low level with experienced climbers about, before leading at your limit. It is also worthwhile for all members of the club to have first aid training, so that they can help out in situations should they arise.

The following day, we got up about 9.30-ish; again it was a gorgeous beautiful sunny day. Dave kindly said he would drive to Swansea, to visit Marcus, and “the girls” were to accompany him. Ralph had arrived the previous evening on his bike, and was buzzing to get some climbing done. We split up; Denis decided to climb with Ralph at Saddle Head, and the rest were to join them on their return from Swansea.

Saddle Head is an excellent climbing spot, for those that are looking to lead VD – VS type level. Again it is necessary to ab into the climbs; however, the climbs are shorter than at Crystal Slabs and no hanging belays are necessary. Again, even with the late arrival, all of us got some good climbing in, and by the end of the evening we were all buzzing to do more, each of us with our own targets and goals, and each of us wanting to come back to lead new routes.

We returned to the pub for a night of drunken debauchery. The Dal Riada crowd had headed off to Huntsmans and we met up with them, at this stage we were no longer Martina, Dairín, Denis, Ralph, Dave and Rachel, but had decided to get into the Welsh spirit and were answering to the names of Gwyneth, Gladys, Garent, Edwin and Hue. Leaving the pub at 11.30-ish, we headed back to the campsite, where the party continued in the “party tent” for some time after.

On the Monday morning, the weather was not as good; a faff-around day was had by all. We struck camp after a nice fry-up and headed down to White Haven beach for some swimming and bouldering, We boarded the ferry at 1.30, with our spirits still high; we had our de-naming ceremony to renounce our welsh names, and this was followed by a dancing ritual on deck, I must admit we did get some strange looks. An exhausted but contended crowd drove back from Rosslare to Dublin on Monday evening.
A Ridge Too Far

(by Eileen Murphy, from IMC Newsletter Autumn 2004)
An attempt of the Traverse of the Cuillin Ridge of Skye.

Gargantuan, gritty, gabbro weaves its magnetic spell. Peaks and pinnacles, clefts and chasms, exposed edges and jagged teeth. The Black Cuillin of Skye are renowned for the magnetic quality of their volcanic gabbro rock. Powerful enough to distract the compass, this rock has been luring climbers for many generations. Yes, I have to admit I have caught the fever, the most virulent form of Cuillin fever there is and have been incubating it for some time now. I have been scrambling all over these mountains every Mid-Summer for the past 6 years, relishing the exposure on their knife-edged ridges, developing an ease in their company and a familiarity with their moods. I have climbed most of their main summits and completed many of their circuits and rock ridges. But somehow linking all 18 summits in one continuous push has eluded me. When the weather was right, the companions were wrong. When the companions were up to the task, the black cloud hung dense and still. Bailing out had been a wise decision on those occasions. In retrospect, I am happy about those early failures and frustrations. The silver lining – a long and interesting voyage of discovery, a journey that would involve learning to rock climb so that I could return again and again and get to grips with this awesome place.

The Ridge or Great Traverse involves 18 summits, 14 of which are above 3,000ft., 14 km from first to last and 10,000 feet of ascent. That is before you add in the boggy 9km walk from Glenbrittle to Gars Bheinn and the 6km trudge from the final summit of Sgurr nan Gillean to the finish at Sligachan. “What’s the big deal”, you might well ask! What the statistics hide is the fact that it is one long and unrelenting scramble up and down over serrated crests and deep gashes. Rock climbing experience and a high level of fitness and stamina are definite pre-requisites for this “Great British Mountaineering Venture”. Success requires not only luck with the weather but speedy efficiency. It is important to be able to confidently climb and back climb rope-free sections graded moderate and difficult. The purist will want to follow the crest exclusively, staying on the spine at all times, never contouring or dropping low when obstacles are encountered. In fact, one cannot claim to have technically completed the Ridge unless one does exactly that. And the total lunatic will not be content to merely complete the Great Traverse but will want The Greater Traverse, The Double Traverse. Just another 4,000feet of climbing and 4/5 extra hours to complete the entire circuit of Loch Corruisk. “The Lesser Inner Girly Traverse” versus “The Greater Outer Manly Traverse”! Not my description, I’ll hasten to add but one coined by a “Hardie” Scotsman within the IMC who shall remain nameless for his own protection!

It’s Mid Summer 2004 and I am on Skye with a group of 6 sea kayaking/walking/climbing friends. The grey pregnant cloud is still clinging to the corries and wrapping itself around the mountain tops. A stationary “High” centred over Ireland and another over Iceland are responsible for that stubbornly-wedged “Low” which refuses to budge from above the Cuillin Ridge. Combining sea kayaking and climbing seems like a sensible idea in this corner of North West Scotland. No more frustrating wet days playing the waiting game under their shrouded forms. Our plan is to explore the offshore islands and maybe, if conditions allow, Seán Pierce, Róisín McDonnell, Paul Murphy and I will attempt the Ridge Traverse. Having done a few exploratory circuits together on the ridge, Róisín and I know that we are in form for the Traverse. I am feeling fit having spent the past week chasing my youngest son around the pinnacles and sandstone terraces of Torridon. Despite this, I am hard pressed to stay close to Róisín, a hill-running dynamo and well known for taking no prisoners! The gloomy forecast from the campsite shop in Glenbrittle forces our decision and Soay, Rum, Canna and Sanday meet with unanimous approval. The passage from Soay to Rum is a lively one and of course as we move out to sea, the cloud bank hanging for so long over the Ridge starts to stir, rise up and part. Now at 2,000ft, now at 3,000ft., it flows away and disperses to reveal a magnificent vista. It is impossible not to look back at this incredible work of natural sculpture. Those familiar black hulks sprouting abruptly out of a boggy Hebridean seascape never cease to inspire me. Just imagine an Alpine skyline hugging the Connemara coast. Imagine Achill magnified and stretched …

Three clear days at sea exploring the hidden treasures of the Isles, strong Force 5/6/7 north westerlies, committed long open sea crossings, nightly campfires, sea shanty singing, malt tasting, majestic red stags keeping watch on the horizon, remote bothies, barbecued pollack, nesting eider duck and common gulls, great red skuas and the nightly call of the Manx Shearwater. And oh, that lingering Northern Mid Summer light and all under the watchful eye of the Cuillin Ridge. My eyes are constantly drawn to its familiar outline. The fusion of land, sea and sky is impossible to ignore and my imagination runs riot as a result of copious quantities of my favourite Islay single malt. I feel it in my bones – a sense of surging optimism that I must admit is based on a very shaky foundation that the wind seems to be veering to the North East. Anything with an Easterly aspect please! That notoriously fickle weather, which difficult and unpredictable offspring of the marriage between mountain and sea just might come right!

The preparation hadn’t exactly been up to scratch. Another long and exhausting day at sea, a meal washed down by numerous pints and followed by a calorie-laden sticky toffee pudding at the friendly Carbost Inn. As Róisín and Paul bid us farewell, I thought my chances to even attempt the Ridge were gone yet again. Despite the forecast, the locals were predicting stable weather for another day. “You can sense it in the behaviour of the sheep, cattle and birds. You can sniff it in the air” – a local farmer’s intuition is good enough for me. The long-awaited window in the weather seemed to be coming unexpectedly on our last day. “Carpe diem” – a rare weather window like this cannot be allowed to slip away. And so I managed to persuade sea kayaker extraordinaire and self-confessed non-climber, Seán Pierce to take Róisín’s place and partner me despite the fact that he didn’t do “exposure, knife-edge ridges, deep sh..t gaps or early mornings”. Despite his protestations, he wasn’t a total beginner – he had done some climbing 10 years ago and had been involved in a few training days on Great Gully, Glenmalure and Forest Rhapsody in Glendalough in the previous month. However, we did make an agreement and that was that he would go maybe half or two-thirds of the way and I would continue on alone if I still felt up to it. A quick dash back to the campsite at midnight to prepare for a planned 6am start. Proper, prior planning how are you!! No time to debate the perennial questions associated with Ridge Traverses – Do we try to complete it in one continuous push?, Do we carry bivvy gear?, Do we cache water?, How much liquid?, How much food?, How much rock hardware? “ I don’t care about the weight, I’m carrying my big flask. I‘m going nowhere without my cuppa tea”. To add to the chaos, we tried to psyche ourselves up by reading an article written by Dave Walsh about his experiences on the ridge traverse in 1981. Those tortuous, long-winded and rambling sentences were just too much for our tired heads and we abandoned them in favour of some much-needed sleep.

The following morning, the peaks were still clearly etched against the skyline as we threw the necessities into our rucksacks. A huge bowl of easy-to-digest porridge and honey kick-started our day – a boggy trudge from the campsite around to the lower slopes of Gars Bheinn. At 6.40am, we were finally on our way. Very few words were spoken during the opening hours of this long-delayed adventure but somehow I felt that the weather Gods just might be in our favour as we felt the heat of the rising Mid-Summer sun just peeping over the southern spur of Gars Bheinn. Despite the promise of a good day, the grinding slog up the scree slopes of Gars Bheinn felt interminable. We took a few moments on the summit to soak in the formidable view of the entire ridge as it arced north/northeastwards as far as the distinctive point of Squrr nan Gillean. A few unrepeatable expletives from Seán to let me know that he is not entirely happy with the route ahead of us. “Nobody ever said this would be a walk in the park” I responded. “Don’t forget our agreement” he retorts. At this point, I recalled Gordon Stainforth’s wonderful metaphor about the Ridge Traverse. “It’s like playing a long and difficult piece of music. It’s about flow and pace and rhythm, accomplishing all the technical difficulties and obstacles as smoothly as possible. But there will also be the quieter passages, the crucial rests, the stops for water, relishing the silence. Unhurried speed is the key; to be relaxed whilst moving fast, everything done with an easy precision, not a foot out of place, not a single loose hold dislodged”.

Thearlaich Dubh Gap

At 9.30am, we left the summit of Gars Bheinn. What a great sense of relief to be finally walking on the Ridge! How lucky we were to have perfect Summer Solstice weather – blue skies interspersed with a few fluffy cumulus clouds and a warm moderate easterly. The ascent of Sgurr a Choire Bhig and Squrr nan Eag proved to be a gentle and easy introduction to the pleasures of Skye scrambling. On the Bealach a Gharbh Choire, we stopped for our first quick break, a shared cup of tea and some chocolate before harnessing up in anticipation of our first major “technical difficulty”, the Thearlaich Dubh Gap. An unexpected abseil on the north side of An Caisteal was good preparation for the much-anticipated TD abseil. Valuable time was wasted here roping up to climb out of what I thought mistakenly was the TD Gap. There was no doubt when we did finally abseil the 10m into The Gap. We were now committed to a roped 25m climb up and out into daylight. Suddenly, the gritty textured gabbro molten rock was replaced by a well-polished dolerite chimney which must be climbed to get out of this deep chasm. “I can’t believe this is graded a VD”, I yelled this and worse down as I became wedged in the chimney. It certainly felt more than its VD/S grading as given in the Scottish Mountaineering Council Skye Scrambles Guidebook. In future, I suppose I’ll have to do more training on easy routes wearing a heavy rucksack and mountain boots!! In rock shoes and without rucksack, probably an “S” grading, a “VS” with heavy pack and boots. A few very choice “superlatives” echoed down into Coire Ghrunnda as Seán got wedged at the same point in the chimney! As usual, I was carrying too much gear. A 40m rope would have sufficed instead of my 60m 8.1mm rope and apart from a harness with sling, krab and belay plate, 4 slings, 6 krabs, 4 extenders, a set of medium nuts, a couple of large friends would be plenty to carry between two. And as for that large flask? A huge offender in terms of weight. Surely I could survive for a day without that cuppa tea?

We didn’t deviate to take in Sgurr Alasdair but stayed on the crest – an airy scramble over Squrr Thearlaich and down to the Bealach Mhic Choinnich where we passed 3 Scotsmen who had been playing “the waiting game” in the campsite for the past week. At half past midnight, this same jovial group were mighty relieved to be picked up hitch-hiking their way down the Glenbrittle valley having abandoned the Ridge before Bruach na Frithe. Apart from 2 small groups doing circuits, we met only two other men with ridge aspirations on Sgurr nan Eag. They had come up from the Corruisk Memorial Hut, looked fit, young and sounded confident but we never saw them again. The weather had been so unpredictable that very few parties were prepared to wait around for an unexpected mid-week slot. We were moving well, relaxing into a good pace and rhythm as we traversed round Collie’s Ledge and then doubled back scrambling to the summit of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. Onwards across the col above the An Stac screes and towards that well defined dorsal fin look-alike, the Inaccessible Pinnacle. As Seán contoured around, I continued up the “In Pin” – a very enjoyable but exposed moderate climb with lots of good juggy holds and then an abseil down the north side for another cuppa and sandwich on the summit of Sgurr Dearg. “A crucial rest”. It was a wonderful relief to change socks at this stage. It was 3.30pm and we were already on the go for almost 9 hours, with at least another 9 to go. Seán was happy to continue on but we agreed to keep reviewing the situation. The sustained and unrelenting nature of the scrambling demanded continuous focus and concentration as we headed for Sgurr Banachdich. Immediately beyond, the Ridge takes a big swing North Eastwards, the first curve of the horseshoe that enclosed Loch Corruisk. Next, the intimidating jagged point of Sgurr Thormaid and the boomerang shaped challenging Sgurr a Ghreadaidh. Talk started turning towards “suitable exits “. As we descended past “The Wart” down to the exit point of An Doras, Seán urged me to continue on alone. More than happy with his “introductory day” on the ridge, he descended the screes down to Glenbrittle just in time for a welcome dinner at the campsite. Before he lost mobile contact in the valley, a quick text to let me know he had descended the screes and was now on the track.

Onwards to Sgurr a Mhadaidh, downwards to Deep Gash Gully and upwards to the triple combed pinnacles where route-finding proved tricky enough. For the first time, I took out my copy of Gordon Stainforth’s route description. It is not exactly clear whether to drop on the East Corruisk side or the West Glenbrittle side so I decided to stay as high on the crest as I possibly could, climbing and back-climbing, carefully testing the rock with each move whilst at the same time trying to keep up the rhythm and forward momentum. “Unhurried speed”. No time to relax as this section certainly treads a fine line between what could be termed the upper limit of scrambling and out-and-out rock climbing. At the Bealach a Glaice Mhoire, I watched in disbelief as my copy of the route description floated away on an increasing wind into the depths of An Coire Uaigneis. It was the worst possible place this could have happened as I was not familiar with the next section. Róisín and I had backed off the second pinnacle of Bidean the previous week in a deluge and zero visibility. Now that I was alone, I felt I couldn’t take unnecessary risks climbing up and abseiling down airy pinnacles at this hour of the evening. Without a climbing partner, I had no choice but to contour under the pinnacles of Bidean Drum nan Ramh. A few airy steps across deep yawning chasms of nothingness saw me reach An Caisteal and the Bealach Tairnealar where it was comforting to find a litre of my favourite “jungle juice” dropped by my friend Breda as I had almost finished a litre and a half from my platypus. At this deep gash, I was delighted to retrieve a piece of valuable tat I had abandoned in the deluge the previous week to safely aid an abseil. After “a stop for water”, I bounced up Bruach na Frithe, the easiest and most straightforward ground on the ridge. Surprising that I had no hunger pangs as all I had eaten was a bar of chocolate, a sandwich and a few cereal a.m. bars. The unplanned “carbo loading” on sticky toffee pudding the previous night was standing to me now. From then on, my gaze was firmly on the Tooth, Am Baisteir and Sgurr nan Gillean. The wind was increasing and for the first time in the day, cloud was swirling around in the Lota Corrie below. A slight disappointment that I would not climb Naismith’s route and experience the crux on The Tooth or climb the fierce pinnacle, The Baisteir with its axe poised in mid chop as its Gaelic name, The Executioner suggests. Despite that, I was really enjoying the experience, still relishing the atmosphere and the views. Alone and content in the midst of this amazing gabbro architecture. A contour onto the west ridge and one final committing scramble up Nicolson’s chimney before gaining the much-prized summit of Sgurr nan Gillean at 9.40pm.

Sgurr nan Gillean

The wind had died away. “Relishing the silence”, I spent at least 15 minutes enthralled by that jagged arc, that tangled mass of rock that swept all the way back to Gars Bheinn where I had stood almost 12 hours earlier. All alone in this wildly impressive heart of the mountains. A wider sweep of the eye embraced a visual feast of sunlit seas and distant islands. A slowly setting sun over the Minch and Outer Hebrides. Infinity and beyond! Faltering daylight and quickly adjusting eyes saw me down the South East Tourist Route and steep screes. I was treading on air and not rocks. The ego was experiencing a feeling of completion and contentment. However, the alter ego wasn’t so sure about this “completion” business. “Och, keep your feet firmly on the ground lassie. Remember, you contoured under Bidean, the Tooth and the Baisteir.” OK, I’m not a purist, I didn’t follow the crest exclusively, I hadn’t technically completed the Ridge, but I was still happy with the day. I had come further than I had ever imagined when we set out that morning. I didn’t particularly care about my non-purist status; a judgement call based on safety considerations had over-ridden that. I couldn’t help looking across at those three lonely peaks of Garbh Bheinn, Clach Glas and Bla Bheinn. Only an extra 4,000 feet of climbing to complete “The Greater Outer Manly Traverse”. No thanks, another time, another challenge, I’ve a lift to catch at midnight from Slig back to Glenbrittle. Brian Forrest, a non-climbing sea kayaker was the “angel in waiting” to whisk me back to camp. Floating on a Skye high, soaking in a Skye gloaming and dreaming about a Skye pint, I made my way across the final 6km of soggy moorland towards the lights of Sligachan. On the stroke of midnight, 17 hours 20 minutes after leaving Glenbrittle, I reached the Slig Hotel. I was very content with what I had achieved but knew I’d be back to complete the task. A Ridge so close. A Ridge too far!

Roseroot on Sgurr a Ghreadaigh

(This article is a sequel to the article published in IMC Newsletter, Autumn 2002)

Airline	€76
Car Hire	£88
Accommodation	£42
Food	£37

Snowdonia

Walking/Scrambling

Rock Climbing

Weather

Climbing Wall

Gear

Food

Accommodation

A Word

Ferries

Finally

Tower Ridge, Ben Nevis

Travel Log – Scotland

13/03/2003

14/03/2003 – Tower Ridge

15/03/2003 – Creag Meagaidh

16/03/2003 – Cairngorms

17/03/2002

Pembroke meet

A Ridge Too Far