Crag of the month - February 2003
Rubha Ploytach, Reiff	Crag of the Month Index

A quiet picturesque crag with a good spread of short routes up to 15m which are mainly in the lower to mid-grades. If you are looking to climb away from the crowds that take over the crags nearer to parking area, then this is the place to head to.

Guidebooks

Northern Highlands Guide (Vol 2) published by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust.

Access

This is the furthest crag from the parking area and about an hours walk. The crag is 400m east of the fence shown in the guidebook. Descent is from the east and getting your bearings can be a little difficult at first. The crag is split into two levels, the lower east facing wall is tidal and best approached by abseil. The remainder of the walls are mainly unaffected by the tide.

The Routes

I have not climbed on the first area you reach due to the tide, but have included a few which appear worthy of mention. Routes are up to 10 m:

First and Ten V Diff
Good climbing up the right facing corner.

Mosaic Severe
Climbs the cracks a few metres to the right in the centre of the wall.

Labrador Chimney Diff
The route to the right, climb as the name suggests.

Groovey Mover M Severe
Another good route up the defined rib.

The Slide Diff
The wide corner.

For the following sections I have included only the routes I've climbed or appear worthy of mention.

The next bay can be gained by an easy descent and is tidal. It holds two good short routes (around 6m).

Marie Celeste HVS 5b
Takes the thin vertical crack up the centre of the steep wall.

Celtic Horizons VS 4c
Takes the steep wall on the right on excellent horizontal breaks.

Shipshape Block provides some straight forward bouldering. The next route lies just around the corner from this.

The Toaster E2 5c
Strenuous, reachy climbing and thankfully not that long.

The routes in the next section, the west facing orange walls, are entertaining and range from Diff to Severe. This area makes for a better soloing venue than leading with the technical difficulties short lived and the routes proving harder than the grade suggests for those who do not have a good reach.

Beyond this lies:

Skingraft VS 4c
This route only gets a passing mention in the guide, but takes an excellent hanging crack of continuous interest and is one of the longest routes in this section of the crag. Hard to get established and bold at the bottom.

Billy the Fish Severe
A really nice steep route, with well protected crux near the top of the route. Again only receives a passing reference in the guide.

Pinch an Inch MVS 4b
Another good route to the right up the horizontally broken juggy wall.

The Clansman E2 5c
Takes the left section of the bulging prow of the promontory. A long reach helps.

The Claymore E2 5c
The line to the right and equally good sport.

Sundew MVS 4b
Straight forward climbing up the steep juggy wall. Not sustained.

Nightshade VS 4c
An excellent short steep route. A little strenuous and more than the MVS 4b given in the guide.

Millstone Corner MVS 4b
Another good route up an open black corner.