The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore
CRAIGMORE BLOC
A STONE COUNTRY GUIDE
by john watson
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The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore
Craigmore Ambience: craggy old rock heads in mossy forest Rock:
dimpled basalt slopers and crimps
Season:
long dry spell, high pressure in autumn
Gear:
large mat, all brushes, mushroom basket
Grades:
mainly short solos on crag, testpieces 6a to 7b
GR:
NS 528 798
Approach: From Glasgow take the train to Milngavie and walk or bike the West Highland Way to the crag after 5k and two lochs to the B821 road. If driving, take the A809 out of Glasgow through Bearsden into open country to the Carbeth Inn. 200m after this take a right turn onto the B821 link road to Strathblane. Drive past the hut community for 1km and past two bends to open fields (loch on right). Park carefully by the field wall. The crag is north of the road in a small wood under a wooded ridge. Walk back up the road (watch out for traffic) and hop a hidden stile onto the tree-lined ridge. Walk up to 20m before the first pine tree and descend to the right down a polished scramble. Andy Gallagher on the Wizard SS
Bloc Notes: North-east facing, it is best in a dry spell in spring or autumn. Avoid the midge season and don’t go if it’s damp as the mossy old forest retains the moisture. The best of the bouldering can be completed as a Fontainebleau-like circuit, providing a good work-out on varying styles of problem. The Southern section is predominantly bouldering on the main crag buttresses, while the Northern section gives dispersed boulders and walls all the way to the end. The rock is a dimpled basalt which chalks up to attractive slopers and small crimps. Finger-locks seem to be the key to many problems, as well as good technique with the feet. There are stacks of easy solos and highball problems, but many need dedicated brushing before ascents. The harder problems are generally the cleanest. Most of the higher routes are traditionally top-roped as many routes require heavy cleaning before ground-up ascents and gear is often unreliable. Bouldering grades are Font grades – route grades are British traditional.
Key
A classic problem, enlightening.
A nails problem, good but maybe a little morpho.
Vegetated, needs cleaned or leave for spiders..
A fun problem.
Highball, or bad landing, watch your step.
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Cammy Bell on a lycra ascent of Wide Eyed Crack
The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Wide-Eyed Area The walls under the pine tree offer the highest routes here, there are some excellent highball problems and short eliminates as well.
Polover
Polo 5 The short crack on the wall right of The Chimney. Most jump off at break. Polover 6a Takes the right hand crack of the first wee buttress. From two shallow crimps in the break, step up left to crack and reach high to crozzly holds, then gain the vegetated break with a final highball stretch to top. Most jump off or downclimb at first break! Tanktop 5+ Eliminate. From small finger-holds in the horizontal break, gain the blunt arête and climb it on its left to join the next route.
Wide-Eyed Wall
Silver Arête 4 Climb the arête on the right, step into and downclimb corner of Glug. Glug 3 The grooved corner right of Silver Arête, finish messily or downclimb. Grooved Arête 4 The hanging groove right of Glug, gain the arête to finish past the tree. Totem 6a Stuck in the corner like a discarded statue is a totemic boulder with an undercut midway crack: pull on to this block in the centre and gain the sloping jugs at the top with a dyno or static (heel-hook makes it a little easier).
Wide-Eyed Wide Eyed Direct Totem
Harmless
Kit Kat 3 The smooth slabbed groove right of the Totem block to a ledge finish up groove above. Legless 6b The left hand side of the wall via sidepulls and edges to eventually step off left onto corner ledges or travel right to the high diagonal crack. Wide-Eyed 6c+ Crinkle-cut crack in the wall. Lunge to the break in the centre and lock-off up to a foot-popping stretch for reluctant juggy holds, compose and solo or downclimb more easily right. Wide Eyed Direct 7a Essentially a direct sit start version of Wide-Eyed via the overlap wall. SS under the vertical crack, gain the horizontal break. Turn the good hold to an undercut and step up to gain the high wall LH crimp with a crux snatch for the sidepull (just left of crack). Rejoin the main crack with a long pull.
Wide Eyed Low Traverse
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The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Harmless 6a The high crack on the right is gained with a fingerlock, then high steps lead to a jug, downclimb right. What hand for the fingerlock, though? Wide-Eyed Traverse 6b From the far right of the wall travel low with tricky moves to cross the first vertical crack, then follow the horizontal break past second crack to step off at the corner or finish up legless for a 6c. A lower eliminate version is about 7a+. Colin’s Eliminate 6a+ SS under the wee pinnacle at low ledges, match the pinch block, then use a LH sloper just right of the crack to snap for jugs in the big niche. Arrowhead 6a On the right of the wall is a pinnacle – climbeither edge at about theFont 4. Eliminate up centre is better at 6a. Chimney Area Girdle 4+ The low traverse from Chimney Arête to the break traverse of Totem block. Adding on the reverse of the Wide-Eyed Traverse makes it Font 6c or so. Craigmore Corner Area This main area is a series of 12m corners and walls from a high holly tree to the Craigmore Wall area. A lot of the topouts need a good clean but the classics get some traffic and are mostly clean.
Pete Murray on Wide Eyed Crack
Cariad HVS 5b The left hand crack on the green mossy wall left of Holly Tree Corner . Once the groove is gained step right to the right hand crack to finish.
Holly Tree Corner
Magic Crack HVS 5b The right hand crack on the wall left of Holly Tree Corner. Best finish is through the overhang on the right at the top. Holly Tree Corner VS 4b Takes the corner under the holly tree from blocky ledges. Surmount the overhangs by steps onto left wall.
Beast
Merlin 6b+ Round the corner is a blunt arête right of a holly corner (The Beast route). Climb the vertical face on the left of this from small foot ledges. Use a heel toe lock on blunt right ledge to gain RH corner crimp, gain poor LH pocket, then more footwork allows a slap up right to regain jump-off jugs in the narrow corner of The Beast. The Beast E2 5c The bulgy groove in the arête right of Holly Tree Corner is hard to get into and just as hard to get out. Finish up the slabby wall trending left of the right arête. Merlin
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Craigmore Corner
Hamilton’s Arete
The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Jolly Green Dragon Eliminate 6c This excellent eliminate problem sit-starts at a V-hold down and right, matches the break’s finger-slopers, then telescopes all the way up to a sloping ledge off a L foot smear. Hard for shorties to reach the ledge! Jolly Green Dragon E1 5a Just right of The Beast. Climb a shallow groove and pull round to a thin crack, crux move up onto a ledge and finish by a groove. Slingsby's Crystal E2 6a Eliminate wall between the The Beast and Jolly Green Dragon, taking the slab above without the arête of The Beast groove. Finish direct. Craigmore Corner HVS 5b A polished and entertaining classic! Smear and contort up the green corner to the big overhang which is turned on the right. Tom and Jerry Wall VS 5a Superb slabby wall right of the corner has a bouldery start below the arête. Gain a LH pocket on the wall and up direct on good holds to the arête and finishing groove. Rampage HS 4b The cracked wall right of the arête. Up left to cracks, gain the ramp above to ledge over Craigmore Corner. Traverse left to the exposed arête on the left and finish via this.
Wide Eyed Wall > Harmless
Curving Groove HVS 5b The obvious corner ramp and groove to join up with Rampage. Hamilton’s Arête E5 6b The tricky and dangerous high arête between Curving Groove and Daylight Robbery. A thin crack at the top might give gear. Turn the top on the left. Daylight Robbery The mossy groove right of Hamilton’s Arête.
VS 4c
Basil Brush HVS 5b A dirty niche trending left then back right into a narrow groove or diagonal crack. The Niche HS 4c Right again is an obvious niche, escape out of this right on cracks to a block then an easier finish. Crib VS 5a The overlap right of The Niche above a flat rock. Take the arête without the crack on the right to finish via The Niche. Rampant V Diff 4a The big ramp. Dirty and polished by big boots of old.
Jolly Green Dragon Eliminate
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The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Grotty Groove V Diff 4a Up Rampant then step right onto a ledge and groove. Second ascent anyone? Terror
Sunday Wall VS 5b Climb the wall right of Rampant to a horizontal crack, continue up wall or traverse right to the arête of Hot Dawg.
White Hope
Hot Dawg HVS 5c Start right of Sunday Wall on a block and gain arête, then up direct.
Andy’s Arête
Terror SS
Andy’s Wall
Layback Crack Area Further along is the ‘Terror’ boulder by the main crag wall. From a certain angle, this stern-eyed boulder glowers like a Moai head. Terror 6a Puzzles even the most experienced of locals. Gain good incut slots on the arête, pull hard and step up on arête smears. Gain a high crack hold and top, then mantle over on the right. Terror Sit Start 7a More direct on right wall. SS the arête with LH low undercut and pinch and gain the good slot on the right wall break, then gain the high slanting crack with difficulty, press and mantle up to top.
Terror
Bwana HVS 5b Above Terror. A short overhanging crack with chokestones. Inverlussa Crack The bulging cracked wall right of Bwana.
E2 5c
Spinal Wall E2 5c Horizontal cracks in the dirty wall right and above Terror bloc and left of White Hope. Andy’s Arête 6c+ The arête left of White Hope. SS with a clever sequence from niche pinch and undercut to smooth crimps above, stretch up left to a crimp then travel up and right to the letterbox.
Andy’s Arête
Andy’s Wall 7a The wall just right of the left arête. SS at LH and RH sidepulls, pull up to slopey RH hold, gain LH triangle crimp common to Andy’s Arête, then lock up to a RH triangular sloper. From here snatch to the slopey ledge, match carefully and gain the higher letterbox. White Hope E1 5b The groove on the left of the main wall is taken until it rejoins Layback Crack. Layback Crack E1 5b/ E4 6a The best route at Craigmore. Climb the strenuous layback crack in the central wall to a hard pull up left to jugs, before stepping left to the easier finish crack. The True Finish takes the thin right crack at E4 6a. Usually top roped.
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Layback Crack Area Routes
White Hope
Craig’s Wall Layback Crack
Sabre Crack
The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Layback Crack Traverse 6b The crag can be traversed at about knee level from a sitstart at the left arête to finish at the corner left of Samson. Technical and fingery after the crack. Craig's Wall E7 6c The hardest route at Craigmore. Fingery climbing on the scooped right wall leads to a break and gear (RP’s). Somehow climb the seemingly blank crux wall above to an overlap and better holds to top. Usually top-roped. Crag Mate VS 5a The niche 5m right of Layback Crack has a crack which leads to a leftwards groove at the top. Salamander HVS 5b The scoop right of Crag Mate eliminating holds on other routes, step up left and take the wall on the right to a rib. Not Another Eliminate E2 6a Start up Salamander but climb direct through the overlap. Samson Route HVS 5b The crack and groove left of the wee standing stone. Samson Bloc 6c+ Past the main crag is a blank wall above an embedded stone. Pull on with a poor LH undercut to rock onto left foot edge and wobble powerfully left to reach and match a V groove. Jump off from jugs.
Samson
Sabre Crack VS 4c The excellent curving crack arête above the wee boulder, finish up the higher arête. Tough pull to start. Sabre Crack
Stiletto Crack VS 4c The fine jamming crack to the right of Sabre Crack. Can be climbed without jams! Rapier Arête E1 5b The arête just right of Stiletto Crack taken direct without using the cracks, finish up the higher arête.
Samson
Blade Area Right of a distinctive mossy blade of rock is a high series of walls and corners shortening to boulder problems as it rises to the ridge. The Blade has easy slab problems but is too mossy to bother with at present. White Streak 5 Gain the top of the Blade then climb the wall trending left. Preliminary Exercise E2 5c The steepening twin cracks right of White Streak. No pinnacle. Black Beauty
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The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Tae a Moose Bloc 5+ Below the Blade are two wee walls under a tree. Left of the easy crack is a short wall taken from a sit start using the arête. Latch Key Kid 6c Dyno. The wee wall right of the crack. Direct from RH undercut pinch and high left crimp, boom up to jugs...no left wall! Tic Tac The right wall using only the rib on the right.
5
Bugs Bunny The awful gully behind the Tae a Moose walls.
3
Latch Key Kid
Weasel HVS 5b Take the niche at the left edge of the main crag here. Gain a left-sloping ramp, move right onto the wall up to a ledge. Finish direct up wall.
Autobahn All Hope
Stoat HVS 5b Up Weasel to a ledge above the niche, go right then up to a ledge. Finish up the rib. Good eliminate start taking the scooped wall on the right. Hendo’s
Autobahn VS 5a The big snaking groove in the centre of the crag is mossy at the top. Good route if cleaned.
Stoat
Autobahn Bloc 6b The wall right of the corner can be climbed as a good eliminate on chickenhead crimps. Gain a a good high finger ledge near the groove, before traversing up and right to ledges and downclimb All Hope. All Hope VS 5a Right of Autobahn is a crack which leads to a ledge, step left here and take the groove and crack to the top. Hendo's Obsession The arête right of the crack to join All Hope.
5+
Elk The mossy groove right of Hendo’s Obsession.
3
Ell The crack and wall right of Elk.
4
Tarantula 5 Right of Ell is a bulge above a scoop. Climb to hidden jugs on the nose, pull over and finish up the groove. Leech Arête 6c+ Technical moves up the arête from the ramp of Leech Direct. Gaining this from the scooped low arête on left is 7a+.
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Autobahn Bloc
Autobahn Bloc
The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Leech Direct 6b As the crag rises this recess has a horizontally cracked wall over a ramp. Climb to the break, employing faith and good lock-offs, or you are trampolined off into the ferns. Leech 5 The cracked wall just left of Eel to traverse left at high break to rejoin the direct. Eel The wee corner has a tricky finish.
4
Coal Face The cracked wall right of Eel.
3+
Charcoal Chimney The obvious chimney.
3+
Black Beauty 4+ The crack right of the chimney, enjoyable climbing. Black Power The arête right of Black Beauty.
3+
Mat Black The wall just right of the arête.
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Cammy Bell cruising up Leech Direct
Little Buttress From the midway descent corner the crag drops down right again to a buttress under a beech tree. East Wall 4+ Gain the buttress pinnacle from the left and climb. Pinnacle Wall 3+ Climb the face of the pinnacle buttress, left of the cracks. Donald Duck The left-hand crack.
3+
Mickey Mouse The right-hand crack.
3+
Piglet The wall just right of Mickey Mouse.
4
Pigs Ear Up Piglet then right to the arête.
4
Silk Purse 4+ The arête to finish up a slab, needs a good clean.
Tarantula
Leech Arete
Leech Direct
Black Beauty
Piglet Pinnacle Wall
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The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore West Wall 5 The wall right of Silk Purse, tricky moves onto slab. Extrarête 5 20m rightwards is a small pinnacle. The shallow groove in the arête, finishing up the right.
Wizard Area The distinctive ‘Wizard’s Hat’ boulder with walls to left and right. Big mats useful as it is highball. Extrarete
Red Wall 6a Just left of Andy’s Problem is a wee red wall. When clean it gives a good short traverse right from ramp. Andy’s Problem 6c+ The wee bulging wall 10m left of Wizard area provides a difficult sloper problem. From a sit-start, slap right to a dimpled lip sloper, gain another, then snatch up and left to a better hold and rock-up to finish. Needs cleaned.
Wizard
Tree Wall 4 The short wall left of the slab, avoiding the right arête and the tree. Left Arête 3+ Start left of the crack in the slab. Pull up to gain the left edge of the slab, then follow the edge and the short wall above. Cracked Slab 3 Climb the crack splitting the slab, take the right crack to finish up the wall above to the left. The Wizard 6c This conical highball boulder looks like Gandalf’s hat. Its main arête can be escaped at half height but purists will want to finish it direct. Spotters and mats are handy as it’s a technical and reachy finish. Wizard Sit Start 7a + Sit start in the wee cave and pull up to use the short arête of the cave to lunge up and right for a poor finger sloper, then join the main problem. Eliminating the wee arête makes it a barndoory 7b. Suzy Q 4+ 5m right of the pinnacle. Take the arête right of a wide crack. Step on to the ledge and follow crack to a tricky top out. Victory V 4 The roofed buttress to the right of The Wizard gives a short overhang problem pulling right of the crack. Victory V Elim. 6a Eliminate sit-start leftwards to trend up the hanging arête – no bridging.
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Cracked Slab Wizard Sit Start
Andy Gallagher topping out The Wizard
The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Wopitee 5+ Start under the roofed niche to the right of Victory V. Bridge up to the wall above the roof, then pull over boldly to top. Expo 5+ Traverse the niche right to flat holds, turn the corner and climb Two Tree Wall, without using the left arête and the crack on the right. Two Tree Wall 4 The excellent wall past two tree stumps and breaks direct to top. All holds allowed! Pine Cone The boulder under the pine tree at the end of the crag has some superb short problems. Pine Cone Slab 5+ Climb the slabby side of the Pine Cone bloc past breaks and step up right at top to mantle over via a lip crimp. Jamie’s Overhang (Art of War ) 6c From the cave’s crimpy break snatch almost footless for the good LH hold, heel-hook left and slap up right to the sloper right of apex, sharp RH crimp on slab to rockover. The Sun Tzu Dyno 6c Jamie’s Overhang right hand version is superb. From the break crimps dyno up and right to the fat sloper and rockover via sharp crimp.
Jamie’s Overhang > Sun Tzu Dyno
Surprise Attack 7b SS the central crimps and dyno direct to the sloping lip just right of the apex (no fat sloper on right) and rockover. Cold conditions and patience required to reach the sloper and then hang it. Chop Phooey 7a SS the cave’s cramped right arête and slap desperately up to the fat sloper, rockover via crimp. Hard to keep feet from swinging into boulders.
Sun Tzu Dyno
Sanjuro 7a+ Traverse. SS the cave’s cramped right arête and slap left to finish round the corner via jugs and a lip crimp over the big drop. Desperate and mysterious start, better as a 6c problem from central crimps.
Art of War
Surprise Attack
Jamie’s Overhang
Vanguard 5 Takes the narrow wall squeezed in between Jamie’s Overhang and Pine Cone Wall. No bridging. Pine Cone Wall 6a Just under the pine, this vertical wall is climbed as an eliminate through the sharp crimps to a long stretch to the break. No arête. Sunshine Arête 3+ Climb the blunt wee arête under the Scots pine direct. Sunburn 2+ The blocky ledges right of Sunshine Arête taken on the lefthand side. Sunshine Arete
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CRAIGMORE
The Stone Country Guide to Craigmore Testpieces Graded List 7B Surprise Attack p.11 Wizard Sit Eliminate p.10
Jamie’s Overhang
7A+ Wizard Sit Start p.10 Sanjuro p.11 The Wizard
7A Andy’s Wall p.6 Wide Eyed Direct p.3 Leech Left Start p.8 Terror RH Sit Start p.6 Chop Phooey p.11 6C+ Samson Bloc p.7 Andy’s Arête p.6 Leech Arête p.8 Andy’s Problem p.10 Wide-Eyed p.3
Leech Direct Autobahn
Blade Area
6C Jamie’s Overhang p.11 The Sun Tzu Dyno p.11 The Wizard p.10 Samson p.7 Jolly Green Dragon p.4 Latch Key Kid p.7
Samson Layback Crack Terror
6B+ Merlin p.4 Craigmore Corner
6B Leech Direct p.9 Legless p.3
Wide-Eyed Wall
West Highland Way Boggy Field
To Carbeth
B821 To Strathblane
North 100 metres 2