Crag of the month - April 2003
Crag of the month - April 2003 |
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Sheigra |
Crag of the Month Index | |
This is another fine sea crag up in the North West. Excellent gneiss, plenty of steep walls of immaculate rock that provide plenty of large incut holds and good protection.
Northern Highlands - Volume 2 published by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust provides some of the routes, however most of the information can be found in subsequent SMC Journals. An updated version of the guide is due out later this year.
Sheigra (NC186605) lies north of Kinlochbervie. From Kinlochbervie follow the road for 8km to its end at Sheigra. Here turn left to the campsite and sandy beach. The climbing is on the headland just to the north with in 5 to 10 mins from the campsite. Most of the climbing is around the two main geos.
Access to the first geo is via a scramble down a short, but steep descent gully or by abseil. Routes between the first and second geo can be gained via a scramble. Routes between The Dark Flush and Fingers require a 25m abseil; the remainder are accessible via an easy scramble.
There are now more that 70 routes. Most of which are between 15 and 30m in length and cover the range of grades, however the best climbing is around E1-E2 and these routes are excellent. I’ve included a selection of the best routes, most of which we’ve climbed; there are many more good routes that I have missed out.
Inner Walls:
Monkey Man 25m E3 5c
Steep, strenuous and superb climbing up a vertical crackline right of Blind Faith.
Shiver Me Timbers 25m E1 5b
Takes a line to the left of the overhang. Good, but can be a little damp and dirty.
North Wall:
In The Pink 15m V Diff
Pleasant climbing up a crackline and groove right of Original Route
Blackballed 15m Severe
The crackline and short groove on the right-wall of the v-groove of Original Route.
Original Route 20m E1 5b
Takes the v-groove to the overhang before heading out right out of the safety of the groove by some difficult moves. Good, but the move right feels a bit committing.
R ‘n’ R 20m HS
Takes the twin cracks to the left.
The next route lies 100m north of the first geo:
Crackin’ Corner 12m VS 4c
As the name describes, an excellent, well protected corner.
50m further on, just south of the second geo, is a long platform about 10m above the sea:
Under the Pink 15m E1 5b
A shallow right-facing groove at the left end of the ledge leads to the right end of a long sloping ledge and thin cracks in the arete above. Easy for the grade, probably nearer HVS 5a.
In Between Days 15m VS 4c
Follows the blocky crack with a boulder start.
Above the Blue 15m E2 5b
Much more strenuous than the initial E1 grade suggests. A great line that takes the crack near the right arete to a good break, before easier climbing up the shallow groove.
Sideline 25m VS 4c
From the base of the ramp pull out right on to the to climb the left edge of a short left facing corner and the wall above.
Bloodlust 25m E1 5b
Starts at the bottom of the slab where this meets the top of the cave. Takes a shallow corner to a large hole before finishing diagonally rightwards across the steep wall.
Bloodlust Direct 25m E2 5b
An outstanding variation that takes the overhanging wall direct on huge jugs. Take huge cams to help protection, but if in doubt keep going as the jugs just keep coming, rather than hang about and get pumped.
Right of these routes there are several E2s that traverse out across the hanging roof - all of them look spectacular. Right of the cave are the following routes accessible by abseil:
Dark Angel 30m E2 5c
Climbs the fine groove to the left of the black pedestal to a large shelf, before taking the hanging corner above. More easily climbed in two pitches, with the crux at the top.
Black Knight 30m HVS 5a
Takes the black groove above the black pedestal.
Shark Crack 30m HS
This takes the corner right of the black pedestal. Start from the bottom of the right of the slab. Easy ground takes you to steep crack.
Fingers 30m E1 5b
Takes the black wall right of Shark Crack, which is split by a thin crack. This provides a short slightly strenuous final section.
The climbs further north of the second geo have never appeared that inviting, so we don’t know what we’ve missed.
There are two possibilities:
The campground at Sheigra overlooks a beautiful sandy beach and is great, but lacks any facilities. There is a charge and this seems steep (and opportunist) when compared to the charge for camping at Oldshoremore, just up the road which has facilities and showers, but lacks the beach - take your pick!!