Glencoe, Buchaille Etive Mor, North Buttress, 20th June, 2008

Today was down to Myself, Mark and Adam. So with reasonable weather forecast we set off to Glencoe to do the North Buttress on the Buchaille. See map.

This is a great 300m grade 3/moderate climb in places, with loads of holds and excellent protection. So after Adam lead the first pitch, I lead Mark.

And then Mark took over. Even with the showers of rain and hail, this was an excellent way to finish a good week.

Ben Nevis - Ledge Route, 19th June, 2008

Today we set off for the Ben to the Grade 1 Ledge Route. See map.

Gordon heading up the steep scree leading up to No 5 Gully. Apart from the "pea soup", making the corries and gullies quite eerie, I don't think it rained!

We were surprised to find No 5 Gully full of hard snow! So without axes or crampons, we had to kick steps for 100m, with Adam leading up to the exit to the right for the start of the Ledge Route.

High up on the route, with some of the guys in front. Although the route is a grade 1, in bad weather you need to take care, especially crossing "the ledge" at the start. It's also a great place to practice placing runners and belays. At the top we opted not to go to the summit due to the fog and did another team sprint back to the Red Burn, Halfway Lochan and the North Face car park.

Glen Nevis, 18th June, 2008

After watching the rain for two days, we decided to head south to Fort William and hopefully better weather and the chance to do something useful. See map. We spent the afteroon reletaively dry, but not midge free, placing runners and building belays. There was even the chance to do some climbing and looking at leading.

Skye - Indoor training. 17th June, 2008

Today the heavens opened and plenty of people came down off the hills to seek refuge in the bunkhouse (and dry their extremely wet underpants!).

So we lit the fire and practiced different knots and belay setups by anchoring ourselves to various door handles, windows and chair legs, and belaying each other across the room, much to the amusement of the other residents who sat and read their books amongst us!

Skye - Cuillin - Innacesible Pinnacle, 16th June, 2008

As expected the weather started to get worse, so we opted for the Inn Pinn, which we managed, quote Adam, "with only moderately damp underpants!"

I had to steal a photo of the Pinn off the t'internet as we could hardly see it ! The climb is a Moderate, or exposed scramble, fairly straightforward in nice warm sunny weather. Although I think some of the guys were happy not to see the huge drop on the other side!

Me, abseiling off the pinn while Adam freezes!

Willy came down next, before a very cold Adam lead Alan and Mark up the Pinn to do it all again!

Chief Fire Warden, Willy, making sure we had somewhere to dry our moderately damp underpants!

Skye - Cuillin, 15th June, 2008

Myself, Alan, Gordon, Mark, Willy and Adam Hughes of Hughes Mountaineering (Adam also works at the Edinburgh Internationl Climbing Arena at Ratho), went up to Skye to try and do as much scrambling as possible.

Our luxury accommodation; the Sligachan Bunkhouse - midges inclusive!

We headed up Bruach na Frithe to start as the day was reasonabley clear.

We then dropped down to the base of the Lota Collie route.

Mark and Willy climbing one of the many chimneys that lead to the top.

This 300m moderate makes an interesting way to the summit of Am Basteir.

Passing under the Bastier Tooth.

Adam sorting the ropes as we started Sgurr nan Gillean but time, and weather, was geting on so we dropped down into the Basteir corrie and out.

Looking across to the Innaccesible Pinacle, tommorrows objective.