The Needle - Shelterstone Crag

It's been awhile since i've updated this blog, it's a bit harder to regularly update than I thought. I actually started a post a few weeks ago that rounded up all the trad cragging and sport routes I had done when not busy revising for exams but I decided just to delete it, as it wasn't really that interesting!

Anyhow, the weather since being released from exam slavery has been a bit disappointing. Tantalisingly sunny for a few hours followed by sporadic heavy showers (and even hailstones and lighting at one point!?!) - not ideal mountain route weather. Hence,  I've spent most of my time recently clipping bolts in the Angus sport quarries or ticking off local trad routes, the highlights being my first 7a (Going Through on Aggregate at Rob's Reed), ZigZag Double Direct and the Witch's Tooth at Glen Clova.

Springtime cragging - Stephen on Red Wall

The weather for Friday seemed good in the mountains and I was becoming a bit worried all the bolt clipping had made me lose my bottle, so after some persuading, I managed to convince Tim that the Shelterstone would be worth a shot on Friday.

We arrived at a very deserted and windy ski centre car park, both of our psych for some Shelterstone sending a bit low. We persevered though and nipped up Fiacaill ridge and down Coire Domhaim to see if the Shelterstone was dry. It looked dry enough and we set off up the crag classic 'The Needle (E1 5b)' in some pretty tortuous winds.

The mighty Shelterstone - after some interesting river crossings

 I briskly romped up the initial slab which left Tim to tackle the first 5b pitch. Tim dispatched this pitch in good style in some pretty horrible weather, which only added to already 'exciting' moves pretty high above 'just about adequate' gear.

Down jacket obligatory...

Where's the gear?

Trying not to think about said gear during the crux...

The weather cleared up nicely after the first 5b pitch, so I got to do my 5b pitch sans 40mph winds. The second 5b pitch was quite the opposite of the first, a big bulging steep flake crack with bomber gear the whole way up, a quality bit of climbing.

Savouring the exposure

Loch A'an

Pulling over the crux bulge

I took the next 5a pitch, the notorious 'crack for thin fingers' which was shorter and not as hard as I was expecting - maybe I just have small girly hands?!

Team trousers part 1

'crack for average sized fingers' just doesn't have the same ring to it...

After cruising upwards, we arrived at the bottom of the 'needle crack' 5a pitch which Tim got to lead. This was definitely the pitch that made the route, steep and intimidating but once you get stuck in to it you're rewarded with perfect gear and quality bridging all the way up on perfect granite.

Team trousers part 2

Stemming the dihedral ;)

Almost in the sun

The reward for Tim leading this pitch was that he had to 'climb' the final speleological pitch wearing a rucksack as he was seconding - probably not helped by having to retrieve a dropped walkie talkie at the bottom of the chimney (Sorry! :D)

Hmmm, glad I had a small breakfast

'Reborn by the mountain' or something..

We topped out into glorious sunshine at 5pm after starting at 11am I think? So about 6 hours for the route which I think is reasonable given the 'challenging' conditions lower down and the obligatory belay ledge sandwich stop. We nipped back round Sneachda to the car park, well chuffed with ourselves, having ticked such a classic route so early in the year!

Good route, good weather, good company - mountain cragging at it's best

On Saturday me, Robbie, Owen and Sophia all decided to hit Souter Head on the Aberdeen coast to make the most of the non-rainy weather. Robbie and Owen both had a 'retrospective good' time on the spicy 'South East Diedre' and Robbie cruised up the sparsely protected 'Seawall'. I decided to have a crack at the classic 'Mythical Wall' and grimaced my way up it, unsure if I should utilise the 'still tired from yesterday' excuse or 'Robbie's steel racking biner's are too heavy' excuse.


Sophia and Owen made an exciting high tide ascent of Jade Buttress whilst me and Robbie ticked off some of the other starred routes. A nice wee relaxing day out, although my energy and psych levels started to taper off pretty sharply towards the end!