Crag of the month - August
Crag of the month - August |
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Rubh’Aird an t-Sionnaich, Scourie |
Crag of the Month Index | |
An excellent small sea crag which at first sight seems too small to provide so many good routes, however, most routes finish up a short steep head wall in unlikely positions for the grade and are surprisingly enjoyable. The crag faces southeast and is Lewisian gneiss. Routes are mainly between VS and E1.
The routes in green from left to right are:
Pugwash, Left-Hand Crack, When the East Wind Blows, Trust Endures, The Weather Man Lies, Don't Blink
Ahoy.
The crag was first developed in 1997 and so does not appear in the existing guide. Some of the routes can be found in the SMCJ 2000. The remaining lines were added in 2001 and 2002 and should appear in the next Northern Highlands Guide (Vol2) published by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust which is likely to come out in 2003.
Just south of Scourie village take a small road on the right to Eddachilles Free Church. Park here and head west to the point (1 km). OS Map 9. MR 143435.
I’ve climbed most of the routes and included all of them here to help location and included stars rather than recommend the best on this occasionn. Climbs are described from the top of the geo, right to left. Routes through to Totally Unintentional can be reached by an easy scramble into the geo. Wee Corner through to Pugwash Ahoy is reached by a short abseil.
Chokestone Corner 20m MVS 4b*
Climbs the open left-facing corner, stepping right at the top. Start from the first jammed stone in the gully.
Don’t Blink 20m E1 5b *
Start from the first jammed block. Climb the crack directly above to easier ground up the crack and corner. Climb up to the smooth overhanging wall just right of the thin crack. Tentatively move across to a sloping left handhold above the crack, find the jug above this and pull through. Height is a distinct advantage for this route! (Caution! On the first ascent the second pulled off a small crimp right of the crack so the route may now be harder!)
Chokestone Crack 20m VS 4c*
From the second large jammed stone climb right of the two noses.
Old Peg Route 20m VS 4b**
From the same block climb left of the nose.
The Weather Man Lies 20m E1 5b*
Start from the bottom of the geo. Difficult moves below the thin cracks allow you to gain good holds and pull through the bulge to the cracks and the wall above. Climb this and the left facing corner. Step left where this ends and climb the head wall above.
Black Bob’s Crack 20m VS 4c**
Climbs the deep right-hand crack of two parallel cracks left of the central bulging wall, and the continuation crack up the steep headwall in a great position.
Trust Endures 20m VS 4c**
Climb the left-hand corner and crack left of Black Bob’s Crack and the wall above on good holds in a great situation.
Waiting for the Maiden 20m HVS 5a *
2m left of Trust Endures. Climb through two bulges and a pair of vertical cracks and up the steep wall above on big holds to a left facing corner. Step right and pull through this above a small roof.
Twin Cracks 20m MVS 4b*
Left of Waiting for the Maiden is a shallow corner. From this climb twin cracks steeply on big holds to a ledge to finish up a shallow groove.
When the East Wind Blows 20m VS 4c *
3m left of Twin Cracks. Climb a crack to another set of twin cracks. Climb this to a sloping ledge below a groove. Climb this on the left (crux) to the top.
Totally Unintentional 20m MVS 4b
The left-hand corner left of When the Wind Blows and right of the arête.
Claire Stein and Alison Callum on the first ascent of Totally
Unintentional.
The Wee Corner 8m Severe
The short corner at the top right of the platform.
Right Thin Crack 8m HVS 5b
The narrow crack just left of the corner.
Left Thin Crack 10m HVS 5a
The narrow crack left of Right Thin Crack.
Right-Hand Corner 12m VS 5a *
The corner left of Left Thin Crack.
Left-Hand Corner 12m VS 4c *
The right slanting corner/ramp.
Pugwash Ahoy 15m V Diff ***
Climbs the arête at the far left of the crag, with a deep cleft on its left hand side.