2
V
e1
m lu
Vo
A selected guide to over 2,550 routes in the NorthWest, the Far North, the Hebrides and Orkney. Volume 1 extends this area South of the Great Glen. These guides will take you to some extraordinary places to experience some of the best rock climbing and scrambling around. Explore the renowned rough Cuillin gabbro on Skye, sample the delights of sea cliff climbing on the islands of Lewis, Pabbay, Mingulay and Orkney. From convenient roadside crags to remote mountain routes and Hebridean sea cliffs, they’re all here.
the best Mountain, crag, sea cliff & Sport Climbing in scotland
3rd Edition Several recently-discovered venues have been added, including ‘Super Crag Sport’ and ‘Super Crag Trad’, along with a host of easier additions at Diabaig. On the islands, many recent additions on the popular Skye sea cliffs of Suidhe Biorach, Neist and Staffin Slip South have been included. The superb rock on Lewis, Pabbay and Mingulay has been well documented, with many new topos illustrating the wealth of wonderful climbing throughout a range of grades. Minor and less popular crags have been replaced, freeing up space to include over 300 new routes, 60 new topos and more than 50 additional action photos. Featuring: • Over 2,550 of the regions best routes from Moderate difficulty to top-end Extremes.
www.pesdapress.com www.scottishrock.co.uk 90000 >
• Accessible multi-pitch mountain routes and scrambles. • Sport climbs from F5 to F8c. • 260 full colour photo topos. • Scale area maps, highlighting the approaches.
9 781906 095710
• Inspirational photographs, including many first ascents.
Gary Latter
ISBN 9781906095710
3rd edition
A native Scot, Gary Latter has climbed extensively throughout Scotland for over four decades, pioneering hundreds of new routes of every standard throughout the Highlands and Islands, including major new routes and early repeats in all the major climbing areas throughout the country. During the dozen or so years researching and compiling these guides, he has personally visited and climbed on almost all the crags and cliffs documented, amassing an extensive collection of photographs along the way. His favourite places in Scotland are the islands and the north west – anywhere with the possibility of finding new unclimbed rock, secluded beaches, and hopefully some decent weather and nae midges! Amongst these, Mingulay, Pabbay and the small tidal island of Erraid, off Mull, are some of the most memorable venues.
Cover photo – Gary Latter on Crack of Ages, Seana Mheallan, Torridon. Photo Karen Latter.
The Author
me
u ol
Volume 2 North 3rd edition
Volume 2 North
Gary Latter. Photo Karen Latter.
ABOUT SCOTTISH ROCK
Volume 2 North 3rd edition 12 ISLE OF SKYE 13 APPLECROSS 14 TORRIDON 15 GAIRLOCH 16 COIGACH & ASSYNT 17 SUTHERLAND 18 Caithness 19 LEWIS & HARRIS 20 PABBAY & MINGULAY 21 ORKNEY
Gary Latter
If you have an ambition to do all the climbs in these two Scottish Rock guides I think you’d better schedule time off in your next life. This labour of Gary’s has been of gargantuan proportions. Somewhere along the way he encountered a time warp and an initial target of 1,000 climbs over a period of two years stretched to 4,500 in over a decade. Those of you who use the guides will benefit by this dedication and the sheer choice offered; if you divide the retail price of these by the number of good routes you’ll realise you’ve got a bargain. Volume 1 covers a proliferation of Scottish crags up to the natural demarcation of the Great Glen. They are easier of access than most in Volume 2 and present infinite variety. Inevitably, with the march of time, progress and technique the freeing of many aid routes has come to pass and also the somewhat tedious task of cleaning on abseil has resulted in some way-out excursions being revealed. Creag an Dubh-loch is a typical example. I have been a long-time advocate of selected climbs and the use of photographs to illustrate both climbs and action. I’m glad that this principle has been used throughout these two volumes. It gives you a push to get up and do things. Obviously Gary has had considerable time to think about layout, area intros, etc; this has been achieved with commendable clarity and lack of waffle. The Outer Hebrides receives due attention, such as the idyllic rock playground of the Barra isles; summer sun, surf and delectable Lewisian gneiss. Just a wee way north, in North Harris, some of the intimidating routes at Sron Ulladale have, like Prometheus of legend, been freed of rock attachments. Further north, beyond the magic of Skye, in the Northern Isles even more crags are revealed such as Berry Head and St John’s Head. Here at this latitude in the simmer dim you can really rock around the clock! The list seems endless and if you succeed in doing half of them you’ll be a much better climber and know a lot more about Scotland – have a good decade!
Hamish MacInnes UIAA PARTICIPATION STATEMENT “Climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.”