Top Climbs of 2015

2015 has been a great year for me in my climbing, I've managed to do nearly twice as many climbs as 2014, I increased my onsight grade by 2, E-numbers and I've managed to visit a lot more great places with amazing climbing, from the easy going gritstone all the way to the crazy Lewis sea cliffs. This list comprises my favourite climbs of the year, not in any particular order (though the first 2 are the best) because once I get past my favourite 2 climbs from this year I have no idea what the positions of the remaining climbs should be, they were all just too good!

Jack The Ripper, Stac Pollaidh (E1 5b)

Looking up Jack the Ripper from the ground

This climb is joint first as my favourite climb of the year. I had wanted to do this route ever since visiting Stac Pollaidh for the first time a few months previously when we did two really good VS's. I wasn't expecting to get it done as early in the year as we did, who would have thought I'd be doing summer mountain routes in March?

The view from Stac Pollaidh, just as the march sun was going down: Beautiful!

The climbing on all 3 pitches is superb, almost like multipitch gritstone. Each successive pitch was better than the last until the top corner pitch which is maybe the best individual pitch of climbing I have done to date. The awesome exposure on the edge of No. 1 Buttress combined with the really interesting technical climbing and the glorious weather in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland made this route into the one of the best I've ever done.

Me leading the sublime top pitch, just as the sun was starting to go down

It was my first E1 multipitch where I'd lead the crux pitch and so as well as being happy with the route itself I was also chuffed that I'd proven to myself I could handle the exposure when out on the lead on hard technical climbing high above the ground.


Minus One Direct, Ben Nevis (E1 5b)

The Minus Face of Ben Nevis

I simply can't decide which of Jack the Ripper or Minus one Direct was the better route. Minus one direct was longer and we got a full day out of it, but I found the top pitch on Jack the ripper better than any of the pitches on Minus one direct, I'll probably never decide, either way it's superb!

Joe seconding the first crux of the route

Don't be put off by the first 3 pitches, because every single  pitch after that point is unbelievably good, my personal highlights were both crux pitches, which have some of the best rock I've ever climbed on, forming these perfect edges to move around on. The exposure on both of these is some of the most impressive I've ever experienced, stepping out onto a hanging arête 200 metres off the ground definitely got my heart beating faster than normal! Also the finishing easier pitches were a really pleasant way to finish a very successful day, especially the thin arête which snakes up to North East Buttress.

Joe enjoying himself on the easier finishing pitches

I'd heard a lot of scary things about the route, people having total epics with route finding and loose blocks though thankfully me and Joe didn't have too many difficulties with either of these and the route went much better than expected leading to a greater sense of satisfaction upon topping out.


After this point the climbs aren't in any particular order, though Jack the Ripper and Minus one Direct were definitely the two best!


Bond Street, Millstone Edge (HVS 5a)


Without a doubt the best single pitch climb I've ever done, I remember standing at the bottom of the large crack knowing how bad a crack climber I was and expecting to have the worst struggle in my life, I climbed up a little avoiding the crack for as long as I could until I was forced to sink my hand into the crack for the first time, an oh my word the jam could not have been more perfect. I then proceeded up the crack with every single move providing more enjoyment than the last.

The crack of Bond Street

The route was never too hard and I always felt very secure in the crack, but also the crack leaned slightly to the right meaning it also wasn't too easy and so the route was more enjoyable as a result.


I remember reaching the top and exclaiming that if I could climb it every day for the rest of my life I would be a very happy man.


Atlantic Crossing, Ard More Mangersta (VS 5a)


The award this climb wins is "Best individual move" with the move from the belay after the 1st pitch. I've never done such a weird and creative move as it. It really exemplifies what indoor walls will never be able to recreate; nature just makes climbs better than humans do!

Retro picture of the line of Atlantic Crossing

Apart from "the move" there were some other cool bits to this climb, to get onto the route Joe had to leap across a chasm to get to the route, and the romp up the final slabs was a really pleasant way to end a route that seemed for a while like it might end up being an adventurous epic after a mix up with ropes on the 1st pitch.



This choice of route is probably the most obscure of this years favourites, If you ever go to Lewis I really recommend that you try it!


Right Unconquerable, Stanage Popular (HVS 5a)


This was the first of my favourites to be climbed this year, done all the way back in February, It was also my first time climbing on the grit since I'd got to grips with trad leading. I got absolutely worked by the climb, probably more so than any other route before or since. I genuinely cannot remember a time when I've got more pumped than whilst leading this route, As someone who regards themselves to be a weak climber and generally preferring to use technique I found this to be a real battle. Which gave me a great sense of achievement when I finished.

Interesting weather for my ascent of right unconquerable

The final bellyflop at the end was great fun too, maybe the least edifying finish to a climb I've ever done!


Eagle Ridge, Loachnagar (Severe)

Royal Deeside

This was my first time in Lochanagar and whilst not a particularly taxing day, the simple pleasure of moving quickly over rock made this into a really enjoyable day out for me. It was just after my exams, the weather was superb and the climbing was even better, we even bagged the Munro to cap the day off nicely.

The final slabs of Eagle Ridge

Steeple, Shelterstone Crag (E2 5c)


This route was definetly the most challenging I've done all year, despite having done a couple of E3's a month or so earlier, due to the length and sustained nature of this route it proved to be way more of a challenge than any other. As with the Needle which was my best route last year, this climb stays fairly dialled down until the last couple of pitches where the climbing just goes bonkers. The upper corner pitch just kept on going and was really high quality throughout. The lower corner as well proved to provide interest and a really odd style of climbing!

Joe making his way up pitch 1

Sadly the route was marred a little for me by the fact that a bit of the rock was quite wet in places due to the poor summer in the cairngorms, this lead to me having difficulties on the crux pitch of the route as at the hardest section all of the handholds where either soaking wet or just plain terrible, otherwise an awesome piece of rock climbing!


Grey Panther, Kilt Rock (E1 5b)

Kilt Rock; Intimidating!

I have never been more terrified whilst abseiling into a route in my life as I was when abseiling into kilt rock. The wind was blowing and I wasn't sure If I had enough of the right sized gear to go on the route. It looked steep and hard, and I couldn't see properly where I was supposed to be abseiling to.

Enjoying myself in the dolerite columns

As I set off it took me a while to settle into the swing of things, but when I did I couldn't help but enjoy the climb! The half hexagon you climb up is really pleasant and was actually easier than I was expecting. There wasn't really any crux on the route it was just sustained at a high level of difficulty for a really long time. I only just had enough gear also even after running out the climb loads to save on equipment. making it really quite spicy too!


Black Hawk Bastion, Stanage Popular (E3 5c)


This was my first ever E3 onsight, and when I first gazed at the route I just found myself really compelled to get on it and get it led, It wasn't at all my style of climb and I had to really battle hard whilst yarding on the slopers in the crux section, I cheered a lot when I topped out and everyone else bemusedly stared at me as if I was some loony, but it was a big milestone for me and a great route to boot.

Some other bloke on my first E3

Newtons Law, Aurora Geo (E1 5b)


Another great climb from my trip to lewis, perhaps my favourite from my time over there. We abseiled down to the raging seas below and the whole way leading out of it I could hear the waves crashing at the cliff below me. The climbing I thought was quite strenuous for E1 and proved to be a real challenge, but the rock was great, as was the climbing and the exposure was some of the best I had whilst climbing on Lewis.

Joe laybacking the upper reaches of the climb

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All in all it was a great year for me and my climbing, my route choices reflect where I've spent a lot of my time climbing this year, hence why we have 3 single pitch grit routes as a good chunk of my climbing this year was done on the eastern edges.


I thought I'd throw in a few honourable mentions, some of which may surprise you that they didn't make it to the final list, but I have my reasons for all of them:


 - Centurion, Ben Nevis (HVS 5a)
 - Angel of Sharkness, Siudhe Bhiorach (HVS 5a)
 - Wall end slab direct, Stanage Plantation (E3 5c)
 - Wally 1, Ratho Quarry (E2 5c)
 - Jenga Buttress, Creagan Coire Cha-no (iii,4)
 - Central Gully, Coire an T'snaechda (I), my first winter route!
 - Flannan Slab, Magic Geo (VS 5a)
 - fairy Steps, Stanage Plantation, (VS 4a)
 - The Chasm (Scottish VS)
 - Storm, Polldubh, (HVS 5a)


I hope you enjoyed your years, and I wish you all the best in 2016!