Island Adventures: Part 1 (Skye Sea Cliffs)

The queues into the kilt rock car park were very long. It seemed that Kilt Rock was popular with more people than just the climbers. I got bored of waiting in the queue and leapt from the car to rub some feeling back into my numb rump. I went to the viewpoint to catch a glimpse of what the fuss was all about. My Jaw dropped as I beheld the columnar "pleats" of kilt rock, each one seemingly more immaculate than the last.

The excitement and restlessness bubbled up to the surface and I hopped from one leg to another with excitement. Running back to the car, which Joe had now parked I hurried him along to have a look at the cliffs. He came over and we both stood for a few moments in amazed silence, one could easily see how the cliff got its name. Soon our restlessness got the better of us and we were hastily rummaging around the car to find all our gear. 

The first route of the trip was to be the uber-classic "Grey Panther" (E1 5b), auspicious beginnings. Quickly we arrived on the flat top of the pleats and were slinging blocks to throw an abseil rope down. The weather was perfect, if a little on the windy side, I rolled my trousers up to my knees and carried on fiddling with the ropes. The route was going to be my lead, meaning that Joe was going to lower down first and set up a small anchor at the base, I'll admit I was glad of this. The abseil into kilt rock has to be one of the most intimidating out there. The lines are completely blind, very long and very committing. Soon I was dangling on the rope descending the climb. Beneath the pleats of dolerite was a hundred metres of near vertical grass above jagged boulders, definitely not where I wanted to end up! As I got lower and lower, I wished more and more I had brought more large cams and even the hexes!

Looking up at the line it looked incredibly daunting. I don't think I've ever been quite so intimidated before a climb in my life. The first few steps were by far the hardest, getting into the flow of moving on rock again felt so hard in such a crazy place. As I tried to steady myself the wind perpetually gusted and the waves crashed onto the rocky boulders far below. The climbing was never absolutely desperate, but there was no single easy move. Due to the length of the climb I had to really ration my gear. I got myself into the mindset of climbing up as far as the next good looking footholds, then stopping to place gear and repeating this process until I reached the top. At about 1/3 height I seemed to come to myself again, this was when I began to enjoy the route. The climbing didn't become any easier, in fact I didn't find it too difficult, just technically very sustained (and thankfully not very pumpy) I felt calmer and I started to run out my protection a bit more as I became more confident on the rock.

What a mad climb!

The climb didn't relent until I had grabbed the last hold, every single move from bottom to top was about 5a/b. Most of the climbing involved jamming of my hands and feet into the crack up the side of one of the columns, a style which I had become somewhat better at after my week of climbing on the grit 2 weeks previously. I slumped over the top and heaved a sigh of relief. I couldn't get over how off the chain the climb was, it had it all; exposure, scenery, fear, immaculate rock and interesting moves. The climb definitely lives up to its 4 stars.

Joe then planned to get on a HVS up the gully to the left of grey panther, the wind had other ideas however. Upon throwing the ab rope down it got blown so far up the gully that it got stuck in something. Joe had by this point abseiled down the rope. after bumming around at the top of the crag for what seemed an abnormal length of time I tried to shout down to Joe only for my shouts to be taken by the wind and never to reach Joe. I walked around to get a better vantage point to see what he was up to. I spotted him prussiking his way back up the abseil rope. He communicated to me he'd appreciate a safety rope, which I hastily assembled and lowered to him. Soon he was back atop the kilt, but alas the last light had been squandered and we lacked the time to attempt anything further. One day I'll return for Internationale, though I'll need more large cams first!

We spent that night camped in the Kilt Rock viewpoint car park. This, thankfully proved to be windy enough to deter the midge menace.

The next day we drove to Skye's most westerly point: Neist.

Neist.

Our day at Neist was altogether more relaxing than our intimidating evening spent at kilt rock. Joe began the day with a send of Bridging interest in the Financial sector. There were many more climbs here I was eyeing up, sadly it was too sheltered and the midges stopped play. 

Joe on Bridging Interest

We decided the weather and the climbing in the area suited itself well to chilling out a little and simply get some mileage and enjoyment moving over the rock. Highlights included the surprisingly awkward right chimney finish to "Dulux Corner" (a stiff HS). and having to bail on a route called "Quantum Tunneling" because my waist was too large to allow me to carry on the upward squeeze.

Joe struggling in Dulux Corner

Having a ball in the sunshine.

We drove down the coast towards Elgol in the evening and set up our tent on a beautifully situated peninsula, where we watched the sun slowly roll over the horizon.  

magnifique

The next morning was sent dodging midges in Elgol whilst trying to brew some porridge. Soon our bellies were full and our spirits were high, so we began the boggy trek out to Suidhe Biorach. (I have absolutely no idea how this is pronounced). Soon we were once again abseiling into the unknown, down to invisible tidal ledges at the base of Jamie Jampot. Our original plan was from this abseil to walk around to reach more routes. However upon my arrival at the ledges at the bottom I learnt Joe had nearly been swept out to sea by incoming waves on his journey around to the rest of the crag. We quickly revised our plans and soon Joe was leading his way up the world dividing corner of Jamie Jampot (VS 4c).

Classic Bum Shot

For my lead I chose the 3 star classic "Angel of Sharkness" (HVS 5a). The climbing was pretty steady on good holds, though it was a little on the steep side. I ran it out as much as I dared to avoid placing too much gear and getting pumped. The top was reached quickly enough and I had a pleasing flash pump for my troubles, what a fine climb!

Angel of Sharkness, Credit; http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=218743

The next route of the day was one of the most striking routes on the crag, if not one of the most striking VS's anywhere. Hairy Mary (VS 4c) follows a rightward diagonal line of cracked rock. The gear is good and so are the holds, but it soon gets to your forearms, and for a VS the exposure is wild! 

Wishing Joe was a bit more colourful!

For the entire day I was in two minds about having an attempt at Mothers Pride (E4 5c) in the end I opted out of doing the route on this particular occasion, primarily because cleaning the route would be a total nightmare as Joe wasn't too keen on trying to second it. For this climb alone I really want to return to the crag!

Absolutely mental climb, desperate to get on it!!!!
Credit: http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=221878

The day was brought to a close with Joe giving a smooth lead of Tree Route (E1 5b). For an E1 it had a very difficult and unlikely seeming crux centred around a rather large roof split by a perfect hand crack.

Joe pre crux

Despite wanting to climb more routes the midges were getting unmanageable and we decided to bail on the crag and go for a swim in the seas overlooking the black Cuilin.

The Black Cuilin

The Black Cuilin from Elgol.

The next day our ferry left from Uig, soon we were leaving behind the blissful sunshine and false sense of security of the Skye sea cliffs in favour of getting shafted on a daily basis by the king of adventurous sea cliff climbing: The Lewis Sea cliffs.