Grass Crag Climbing

Tomorrow was looking like it was going to be another stunner so I wanted to keep that for a big hill. Today, however, the weather looked like it might be a little hit and miss. James and I decided to take the kids for some more climbing at Grass Crag in Gairloch - we just had to hope the weather would hold and try to get done what we could.

We were away sharp and soon all stumbling over the boggy ground towards Grass Crag, struggling to carry all the gear. I got the kids sorted out with helmets and harnesses etc. while James threaded the bottom ropes in double-quick time. We had four ropes going between James and I and the kids new what they were doing after our intro-session last week at Beginners Slabs.

Unfortunately, the kids found it quite hard and struggled to get to the top of most of the routes - it didn't stop them trying their hardest and putting everything into it though! Then the rain came... and it really hammered down and, looking up at the clouds, it was on for the rest of the day. We made a run for the minibus and headed for hot chocolates in Gairloch on our way back to the hostel.

On reflection, it wasn't an ideal venue for a large group - as most of the climbing was simply too hard. James and I both said that we would check out Aztec Tower for future sessions. A good day though, considering the poor weather. I forgot my camera today so no pics, sorry.

A rest day on the beach

Today there were a few a few things to take care of so it could only really be a rest day for the group - something that I knew they would be glad of after a full on first week.

The plan was that James would take Margot to the train station and then go on to Dingwall to stock up on fresh supplies for the remaining few days.

The weather wasn't too bad so Laurie and I decided to take the kids back to Gaineamh Mhor beach in Gairloch to make the most of the sunshine. I instigated a huge game of ultimate frisbee and then the girls chilled out while I played touch rugby with the lads.

Touch Rugby on Gaineamh Mhor beach, Gairloch

Hopefully this was a chance to recharge and get back into the hardcore action over the next few days - bring it on!

Beinn Eighe Nature Trail and Gaineamh Mhor beach

We woke to a chilly morning with the snow still coating the high tops like a light dusting of icing sugar. The conditions meant that any tops were out, especially on the first day. Due to getting back late from South Africa, there had been no time for the planned practice walk in the Pentlands like I had hoped, so I had no idea of the abilities or limitations of the group - they all looked fairly fit, but that was nothing to go on when it came down to the bigger hills. I knew that the hills I planned to take them up over the next two weeks would be a serious undertaking for everyone so I wanted to put my mind at ease initially and see what they could do and what they could cope with.

I told James that I wanted to break them in easy to see what they could do - especially because the weather wasn't looking to great (although tomorrow was looking like it was going to be a stunning day). James agreed that it was a sensible approach so I suggested that we try the Beinn Eighe Nature Trail. With the plan decided we set off back along the windy road to Kinlochewe. We turned left and headed along the Western shore of Loch Maree to the car park on the right hand side. The kids were all excited and they couldn't wait to get going but we held them back and explained to them about the strategy of walking together as a group, what pace to go along at, etc, etc. We also said to them that we wanted to see if they could cope well with this task and if they did, then we could attempt some of the bigger hills and do some real peak bagging.

I hadn't walked this particular trail myself but I had read about it online and in a couple of guidebooks. I knew that it was a fairly steep walk but didn't go higher than around 550 metres and it was meant to have an amazing view of Beinn Eighe from the viewpoint at the trail summit. I knew that this would be the perfect test for the kids and it would break them in gently and give them a taste for what was to come.

Ready for their first test in the Beinn Eighe Nature Trail car park, Loch Maree

Winter on the Beinn Eighe Nature Trail

We set off through the forest at a blistering pace; climbing steeply up the good path. However, the pace soon slowed and everyone stopped to take off layers - it was suddenly very mild. We stopped again at the waterfall and crossed the bridge over the Alltan Mhic Eoghainn. We then left the forest and the terrain turned into broken quartzite rocks and the path picked it's way through the complex landscape. As we reached 450 metres, it suddenly started snowing quite heavily without warning. Of course, everyone thought that this was hilarious, as we layered up again and then pushed on - not a complaint from anyone (I was most impressed). It wasn't long before we had reached the viewpoint and were looking out at a winter wonderland in all directions - stunning. There was some low cloud but the main tops of the mighty Beinn Eighe were mostly visible. Some of the kids asked if that was where we were going. "Not today...", I replied, "...but maybe later in the week." The look on some of their faces was priceless and James and I grinned at each other. This is exactly the start that I had wanted - it suited to keep them guessing and not to break them too early - it was meant to be fun (the most important thing). We huddled in the group shelters and munched down our grub. One of the girls then came over to us and showed us the perfect snowflakes on her gloves; I put out my hand to have a look for myself and, sure enough, they were perfect flakes. James explained that snowflakes like that meant that it was very cold high up in the air and you would usually expect those kind of conditions in winter.

A wintery looking Creag Dhubh, Sgurr Ban and Ruadh-stac Beag from the Beinn Eighe viewpoint

Perfect Snowflakes on the Beinn Eighe Nature Trail

We set off again and the clouds had now blown through and the views were even better than before. We followed the path around a couple of lochans and had an amazing view of a rather snow-covered Meall a' Ghiuthais. We continued the descent around the top of the Allt na h-Airighe and down the Cnoc na Gaoithe, where we had a spectacular view over Loch Maree to Slioch. The kids were all doing brilliantly and I knew that they were going to be an excellent group; all strong walkers with similar abilities.

Looking up to Meall a' Ghiuthais on the Beinn Eighe Nature Trail

Heading back down in the sun with a snowy Slioch in the clouds behind, Beinn Eighe Nature Trail

Further down, we entered the woods again at Coille na Glas-Leitire and we were soon back down at the car park in no time at all. The sun was now out in full force and it was really quite warm all of a sudden. I overheard a couple of the kids talking and they were laughing about how the walk had been like all four seasons at once - they were absolutely right!

The mighty Slioch above Loch Maree

As it was still early afternoon and the sun was now out, we headed to the Gaineamh Mhor beach at Gairloch - a short drive up the road. James and I also remembered that we had all of the bouldering matts in the van with us so we took them down to the beach with us. Apart from the wind, it was a bit like summer on the beach. We had a couple of games of touch rugby and ultimate frisbee to keep the kids amused - but they seemed happy enough to amuse themselves while we chilled a little and admired the view of Beinn Alligin across the bay.

Sunny at Gaineamh Mhor beach, Gairloch

A snowy Beinn Alligin from Gaineamh Mhor beach, Gairloch

James and I then ran a small bouldering session for a few of the lads that were keen to give it a try. There were a few bigger rocks along the shore that were a perfect introduction.

Bouldering on the rocks at Gaineamh Mhor beach, Gairloch

Bouldering on the rocks at Gaineamh Mhor beach, Gairloch

As the afternoon wore on, the wind picked up and got a little cooler so we headed back to Torridon to get some grub and make plans for tomorrow. I was really pleased with how well the first day had gone and I was thankful that we had such a great group of kids - I knew that we would certainly be able to make the most of our time here in Torridon. On arrival back at the hostel, all the kids noticed how most of the snow on the hills had started to melt and that things were not quite as cold and wintery as they once were. The updated weather forecast was even better than what I had read this morning so I wanted to make the most of it. One of the options I had in my head was to take the group on an expedition from Diabaig to Red Point beach and camp there for one night - so tomorrow could be the perfect weather for that.

Chilly at Gaineamh Mhor beach, Gairloch

Winter has gone from Liathach above Torridon Hostel

Snow melting on the top of Maol Chean-dearg from Torridon Hostel

Torridon & Gairloch Reflections

After a fantastic few days exploring Torridon & Gairloch, I had time to reflect on what a successful trip it was. I know felt much better about leading the 2010 Torridon Project and was confident that I knew the area well enough to formulate some plan Bs.

It really highlights just how worthwhile it is going to check out a specific place before taking a trip/group there.
Here's a wee video I made to sum up our time in Torridon & Gairloch:

Torridon - October 2009 from Chris McMorris on Vimeo.

Torridon & Gairloch Climbing

Loch Torridon from the road to Diabaig

We are heading home tomorrow so today is our last full day in Torridon before making the long drive back down to Edinburgh. I was pretty happy with the hills that I wanted to take the group up on Projects but I wanted to check out some of the potential crags to take the group climbing and abseiling. A colleague, James, was part of my staff team for Projects next year and he was SPA qualified, so he would be in charge of those activities. However, he had asked me to check out a couple of crags that he had spotted in the guidebooks.

The first one, that we headed to, was Beginners Slabs. This was very easy to find; we parked at the viewpoint on the road to Diabaig and had a very short walk to the southwest. The massive 35 metre slabs were rather obvious and easy to find. As we geared up at the bottom of Long Thin Slab D, we laughed once again about how glorious the weather was. As I set off up the warm and grippy Lewisian Gneiss, I was struggling to spot were my first piece of gear would be... and the second... and the third... hmm. It didn't really matter, as the climbing was easy and the rock was very dry so the friction was excellent, but it turned into a solo with a heavy harness and dragging a rope attached. The anchors were also a country mile away at the top but luckily there was a massive boulder close by that I used as a single, bombproof anchor to bring Emily up safely. The climbing was excellent and I could see how it would be great for beginners, hence the name of the crag. I then ticked off Pink Slab D and Right Slab D and Emily, once again, followed me to the top of each. From a group point of view; a top rope would work well on Long Thin Slab and Right Slab is well suited for rigging an abseil.

Beginners Slabs, Torridon

Beginners Slabs, Torridon

Beginners Slabs, Torridon

After a lovely morning climbing in the sun, we headed along the road to Kinlochewe. Along the road from Torridon, we spotted a couple of stags rutting near the Beinn Eighe car park. It was an amazing sight so we got out for a closer look and to snap a couple of pictures. We headed on to Gairloch and to Grass Crag. We had climbed at Grass Crag not too long ago and James thought it looked like a very easy place to rig for a group, being a sport crag. As I hadn't been climbing that hard recently and hadn't much experience climbing outdoors, I didn't fancy trying anything to hard so, as before, I lead Third and Final F5+ and then bottom roped Kick Ass Yoga F6a+. It was quite hot in the afternoon sun, so we called it a day there and headed back to Gairloch for an afternoon coffee. It was an ok group venue, but I had my concerns that it might be quite hard for the kids.

Hanging out with the locals in Torridon

Red Deer, Torridon

Grass Crag, Gairloch

A great day and it felt good to have some idea about possible climbing venues in the area - a very successful scouting trip to Torridon. Very lucky with the weather also.

Red Point

Sand left on top of rocks by the tide, Red Point

After a fantastic day up Beinn Alligin yesterday, we opted for something less energetic today. Another plan I had for Projects next year was to walk the group from Diabaig to Red Point via the coast. I already knew where to start at Diabaig, but I had never been to Red Point before and experienced the magnificent beach. We had a bit of a long lie and a late breakfast so it was midday when we turned off the road to Gairloch and headed towards Badachro on the single track road. As was the same as yesterday, the weather was mild, dry and sunny - almost like summer!

Beinn Alligin from Red Point

As we rounded the headland at Port Henderson, the stunning red sands came into view. We parked up at the car park, just before the entrance to Red Point Farm, and headed down towards the beach on the path following the stream. We headed straight for the massive sand dune in front of us and then ran down it onto the golden sand. It really didn't feel like we were up North in October; it really was mild. We carried on round and explored the coast to the Southwest over boggy, grassy farmland. This was a pleasant and interesting stroll and was a great way to walk off some of the stiffness in the legs after yesterday's epic. Progress was slow and it was a good while before we reached the second beach; which is even more impressive than the first. Here was where I wanted to camp with the kids; just behind the sand in the shelter of the deep sand dunes. I was hoping to get permission from the farmer to drive a van down to the second beach - but I would have that conversation another day.

Red Point

Red Point

Happy with the camping spot, we headed back along the coast again, as I had spotted a stoney beach on the way that had some potential for some bouldering. Emily sat in the sun as I messed around on the small outcrop at the shore - great fun.

Bouldering at Red Point

Bouldering at Red Point

Bouldering at Red Point

Bouldering at Red Point

Bouldering at Red Point

Bouldering at Red Point

Grass Crag, Gairloch

After a great start to the summer so far, my folks were due over for a couple of weeks holiday in July. They hadn't been very far north before so they fancied doing a bit of a road trip - with me as tour guide. Naturally, I was more than willing; as I never miss an excuse to go north for some outdoor action.
Our first day was spent driving to Kinlochewe from Glasgow; a lovely scenic drive but not forth mentioning here. We settled into our B+B and then made some plans for the next day. I was keen to show my folks Gairloch, as I knew it would be right up their street, and I was also keen to do some climbing (I had really got the bug after The Lakes, some bouldering and having just purchased some shiny gear). I had borrowed a copy of Scottish Rock - North and had just had a quick skim through the local area. Being new to trading, I didn't really want to try anything too daunting and I wasn't too clued up on anchors at the moment so I was a bit unsure about what we could do. But then I found Grass Crag, very close to Gairloch. A small sports crag with a short approach and some easier graded routes - perfect.

Grass Crag, Gairloch

After exploring Gairloch in the sun and taking in a hot chocolate from the excellent Mountain Coffee Company, Emily and I set off to find this crag. We parked at the tip entrance on the right hand side of the road, as you head out of Gairloch towards Poolewe. We grabbed our gear an set off due northwest over the boggy terrain. After around 15 minutes of bog-slogging, we spotted the shiny bolts glinting in the sunlight - we had arrived!

Grass Crag, Gairloch

We geared up and were soon ready to climb. We were focussed on the far right end of the crag - where the easy routes were. I set off leading Third and Final F5+ and it looked ok from the bottom. The rock was warm but rather harsh on the skin; fingertips especially. It was quite easy climbing and it didn't feel daunting in the slightest, considering it was my first sport lead in the outdoors. I was soon at the top and clipped into the lower-off... not to attempt the thread.

Grass Crag, Gairloch

I recently invested in a copy of Libby Peter's excellent book: Rock Climbing - Essential Skills and Techniques and I had read up on what to do at the top of a sport climb with a lower-off. It was fairly straightforward but I just had to concentrate to make sure that I did everything in the right order. But it was nae bother and I was soon securely attached to my figure-of-eight on a bite of the rope and being lowered safely to the ground with a huge grin on my face :-D
Next it was Emily's turn. She had never climbed outside before but was super-keen to give it a try and she flew up it in no time at all - I was most impressed. With the rope still up, I thought it would be rude not to give something harder a shot on a bottom rope so I had a bash at Kick Ass Yoga F6a+. This felt a lot harder than what we had just done and I struggled up to the top but ticked it nonetheless - happy with that.

Grass Crag, Gairloch

We packed up and headed back to the car and then met up with my folks at The Old Inn for some excellent grub. I was nice to share and reflect on our afternoon at the crag over good food and with good company. When we headed outside later on, we saw that the sun was heading towards the horizon and that it was going to be a spectacular sunset that evening. We headed back to Kinlochewe and I remembered from the Cycling Project last year, that there was a fantastic viewpoint just a wee bit up the road from Kinlochewe.
We made it there just in time to snap a few amazing pictures of the sunset - what an end to a great day.

Sunset over Loch Maree

Kinlochewe to Laide

Day 3 of GWC S3 Projects 2009

After a disturbed nights sleep (thanks to JD's snoring!), I was actually quite glad to be up and back in the saddle again. It was another hot one - and no breeze again. Suncream time kids!

I set the pace from the off and we were speeding out of Kinlochewe at a fine rate of knots. However, we were soon stationary again as we spotted the GWC Torridon Project group at the side of the road opposite the Beinn Eighe nature reserve. Obviously we had to stop for a wee reunion! The group were in great spirits and were gearing up to tackle the giant hill of Beinn Eighe. As we set off again, I have to say that is was quite jealous that I wasn't going with them! However, I had a sneaky suspicion that I would be back next year leading the Torridon Project, as I knew that Ian was leaving at the end of the year and there was growing pressure on me to get more involved with things.

On our way again

The mighty Slioch

Head now back in the game and setting a good pace again as we made the long and gradual climb towards the single track road to Gairloch. We had great views across Loch Maree and Slioch standing tall in the sun. As we passed Slattadale, we turned into a rather nasty headwind. The climb was harder than I had imagined and the strong wind really took it out of us and as we reached the narrow road, we paused for a breather at a parking bay next to Loch Bad an Sgalaig. We chatted to the group about the next tricky downhill section that we had to negotiate safely. After taking a moment to enjoy the views across to Beinn Alligin, we continued on in the sweltering heat.

Taking a breather

Thankfully there wasn't too much traffic on the road and we got a lovely run down into Gairloch. We took a left at the Spar and along the front by Strath Bay and came to rest at The Mountain Coffee Company cafe. Time for a spot of lunch and one of their famous 'mountainous' scones! It was a great spot sitting out in the sun and taking in the view across the bay and out to sea. What a spot...

The view from Gairloch

Arty shot

Now the fun was about to begin. I had looked at the route profile of the day's route earlier and I was quite aware that we were now faced with a bit of a climb out of Gairloch towards Poolewe. It came a bit without warning and just after lunch! I found it quite tough and it certainly stretched the group out in a long line. As we climbed higher, I spotted a couple of crags on the left hand side of the road that I recognised from the guide books. Aztec Tower and Grass Crag were the most obvious to me and I made a mental note for a future climbing trip up here.

1st climb of the day complete

Next, we had a steep run down into Poolewe, where we had a stop by the river to take in a bit of sun. The kids were doing really well, as this was their first 'proper' test - but they were glad of another break. We then had another steady climb up to the viewpoint overlooking Loch Ewe and the Isle of Ewe. We knew that the run down into Aultbea was steep and because it was such a nice day, we thought it would make a great photo opportunity so we decided to stop at the viewpoint too. I also took the opportunity to tell the kids about Gruinard Bay and Gruinard (Anthrax) Island. I think they were quite shocked and surprised at this story but because of their age they also loved it. We set them off in a staggered start and got some good pictures of them heading down the zig-zags.

Taking in the sun at Poolewe

Viewpoint

Lewis and JD

The descent

All that was left was a fairly straightforward run along to the campsite by the beach at Laide. Obviously the kids were more tired after a much harder day in the saddle ans were a bit reluctant to get the van unpacked and the tents up. We put the grub on asap to try and lift spirits; it worked a treat! A few of the machines were showing a few 'niggles', so Lewis and I set about on some repairs as the sun faded. Later, we sat in the back of the van and shared a wee dram with JD. Another great day.

The beach at Laide

Some repairs!

Distance for the day: 34 miles
Total Distance so far: 84 miles
Route for the day:

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