The Steeple - Shelterstone Crag

Once again i've probably left it a little too long to update this blog, but sat in Dundee on a dreich Friday I find myself with no excuses! Rest assured, I have actually been doing productive things on one of my final summer holidays off uni but have just thought that most of it wasn't really blog worthy, or I wasn't particularly inspired to put a blog up that only has a few mediocre pictures and a route description (unfortunately my photography is too poor to sustain a blog on its own!).

'how to ruin a picture with ropes from the belay' - pitch 1

I actually initially titled this post 'end of summer round-up' but swiftly changed it in order to convince myself that I still have some time to enjoy some warm summer rock! Since i've done a fair amount thats not featured in the blog thus far, I just made a quick slideshow (the wonders of iPhoto!) with some snaps of some summer trips with great routes and great people. Although I decided I should probably give my latest outing, a return trip to the Shelterstone, a bit more of an explanation than just a few pics in a mediocre slideshow.

With a cracking forecast for Tuesday, I desperately spent Monday afternoon trying to find someone to climb with. Luckily, Ewan whom i'd met a few weeks ago on UKC was free and keen for a trip up to the Shelterstone with an eye to do 'The Pin' on the Central Slabs. After perhaps a slightly too laid back start at 8:15 in Aviemore, we wandered down Coire Domhain to be greeted by the clanging of several groups already on Hell's Lum and 2 teams over on the Shelterstone. Upon closer inspection, the Pin and most of the central slabs (conditions update for any E7 hero's out there!) were pretty moist, so Steeple was in fact our only option with people already on adjacent routes. Unfortunately another repeat for Ewan (sorry!)

'Obligatory bridging shot' - because if I showed you the 10 other pictures of me not bridging you might figure out that I have no technique and just thug my way up routes.

Conditions on route were 'damp but climbable' with a particularly good lead from Ewan exiting the very wet corner at the end of P2! Unfortunately the crux P4 of the Steeple was 'damp and unclimbable' so our only option was to battle up the crux P4 of the Haystack instead, tough work in the conditions. From this point on the route was nice and dry and I got to enjoy the striking top corner, definitely a contender for best E2 pitch in Scotland. Ewan made short work of the surprisingly tricky final crack which landed us at a sunny belay on the top.

Finding out that the corner is quite long

Another quality day out on the Shelterstone, which I think has got to be my favourite crag in Scotland. Nothing beats the feeling of starting up the initial slabs with the Bastion towering 200 meters above you. The Steeple and The Needle are a real testament to just how good climbers like Smith et al were back in the 50's and 60's, who managed to put up these routes with the minimal of gear and a lot of bravery! (I'm sure they would be disgusted by my rack of cams, sticky rubber shoes and ropes that I can actually fall on!)

The Steeple corner in context (although this picture is actually from May)

The slideshow; (Watch it on Vimeo to get 720p)

https://vimeo.com/105339803

(Also worth noting a couple of the photo's aren't mine, the very good ones of Amethyst Pillar are Finlay's)