Bouldering in Ard Scalpsie Point - Isle of Bute (mini-topo II)

The coasts of Port na h-Aille and Ard Scalpsie Point have some small outcrops and screes. Most of the rock is made of a flacky mica-schist (too many holds). The stones are often too small and covered of lichens. A huge vein of igneous rock (basalt) crosses the peninsula and forms a decent south west facing crag.

Here are a few decent problems and their locations.

• Groovy, SS, 4+
• Pinch the nipple, 6a
• Sidestep, 5
• Descent route, 3

• Rock over, 4+
• Wall direct, 4

• Canadian barndance, 4
• Boston two steps, 6c

• The floor is lava, SS, 6c
• Time is of the essence, SS, 7a+
• I spy with my little eye, SS, 6a
• The rail, SS, 5
• The wall, SS, 4

Bouldering in Corstorphine

 

 

 

 

Bouldering in Scalpsie Bay - Isle of Bute (mini-topo)

 

 

1. Crackers, 4

2. Shark nails, 4

 

3. The rail left (sit-start), 5

4. The rail right (sit-start), 5

5. The P3 wall, 3

 

6. Hidden, 7a+

Bouldering on the Isle of Bute

Bouldering in Dunagoil - mini-topo of the north cliff.

 

 

 

1. The slab of death, f3+
2. The arête of death, f4 
3. Morning glory (eliminate) f4+
4. Morning sunshine, f4 
5. Rock over, f5 
6. Reachy, f4 
7. Awkward, f6A

 

Hummell Rocks - Gullane Bouldering update VI

 

Àrd-ealain (crimp variation) , 7a 

Joey the lips, 6a

 The sand level has slightly dropped again since the picture above was taken. So here are the revised grades revised as of April 2022

• Green: An t-sliseag, 6b
• Red: Shit-Start, 6b
• Blue: Àrd-ealain, 7a
• Purple: Overhang Lip Traverse, 6b at the moment.

Bouldering in Dunagoil mini-topo II

 

Boom! 6a.

Don't slap, it's sharp, 6b.

 

 To be or not to be precise, 7a.

 

Am bàl dòrnach, 5. 

 

It's not how you fall, it's how you land, 6b.

 

The seamstress low-start, 7a/7a+?

 

Coup de maître, 6a (probably my favourite problem at Dunagoil)

 

Bouldering in Dunagoil (Isle of Bute)

Here's a mini-topo of problems I climbed at Dunagoil on Bute. 

I'll try to post up pictures when I get a chance.

Creag a tuath (North cliff)

The arête of death  f4
Morning sunshine  f4

An sgàrdan (the scree)

It's not how you fall, it's how you land.  f6B
Coup de maître  f6A
The Seamstress sit-start  f7A+
The Seamstress  f6B+
Don't slap, it's charp!  f6B
Aoife's mental  f4+
Boom!  f6A

An uamh mhòr (the big cave)

To be or not to be precise.  f7A

Port Dòrnach (the old name of the pebble beach)

Am bàl dòrnach (the boxing ball)  f5

Coup de grâce

Here's my latest problem at Gullane / Hummell Rocks. I reckon it's a solid 7b.

Unfortunatly, it requires top conditions - low tide, dry spell, dry air flow... 

A late summer morning session is probably best as the crag still catches the sun so the holds are dry, even with a slight sea breeze.

 

 

 

Aonarachd (overhang lip traverse extension)

With the sand at a higher level, it's been easier to work out hard moves at Hummell Rocks this summer. Yesterday I managed to stick to my traverse project.

Aonarachd, which is the Gaelic for 'isolation', is an extension of my existing Overhang Lip Traverse. 

Instead of deadpointing to the good hidden flatty, I continue leftwards to the slopers of An t-Sliseag ('the slice') and finish left into the big jug of An t-Sliseag Cop Out.

I thought it would be 7a+ but I have done it only once so far after weeks of trying. Being tall allows me to use the low plinth as a foothold but it is very sandy and it is very difficult not to sleep. I have also tried to do it footless but then, sticking to the slopers is even harder.

So I reckon the grade is probably more like 7b for small people - unless you get very dry and cold conditions, which does not happen often at Gullane.

Here's a photo of the problem:

 And here's a video of my original Overhand Lip Traverse: