Arran Bouldering Guide

ARRAN Bouldering

A STONE COUNTRY GUIDE by claire youdale & john watson

ARRAN BOULDERING

Arran is a stunning geological jewel stuck in the middle of the seafaring clutter that is the Clyde. Its classic rocks are the excellent granite erratics and boulders on the north of the island, but it also has old red sandstone bouldering and some gabbro bouldering on the south coast, as well as the odd bit of limestone.

Caledonian MacBrayne operate regular ferries from Ardrossan, winter and summer, so it’s easy to take the boulder mat over for a day’s bouldering and catch the last ferry home. It takes no more than two hours fast stomp to the highest boulders in Glen Rosa, whereas the coastal bouldering is all extremely accessible from the bus routes that tour the island - some of the drivers even know the names of the stones!

Take a mat and some hefty brushes for cleaning holds. The scope for bouldering on this island is extensive and limited only by how far you are prepared to walk.

1. The Mushroom NS 026 387 - an old red sandstone outcrop in the woods of Brodick Castle grounds.

May be under an access ban due to fungal tree disease - check for signs on trees.

2. Corrie Boulders NS 024 420 (Clach Mhor GR) - four excellent granite erratics on the road verges between Corrie and Sannox. A classic circuit of granite problems.

3. Sannox Boulders NR 996 455 - hidden boulders in a small gully underneath Cnocan Donna, accessible from Glen Sannox. Hard to find, but lots of project stones!

4. Glen Catacol NR 918 488 - a pleasant stone on the northwest of the island in Glen Catacol, known as Clach a’ Chait. May be some more bouldering in the area if hunted down.

5. Glen Rosa - the whole glen, from the bridge at the Garbh Allt (NR 982 386) to the higher Fionn Choire (NR 972 424) is littered with excellent boulders which improve in quality with altitude.

6. Kildonan NR 022 208 - a geological hot-point at the south of the island, these gabbro outcrops are obvious on the shore. Some of the gabbro is crumbly but there are some good lines.

7. Fallen Rocks NS 004 482 & Laggan NS 004 482 - conglomerate bouldering giving way to some fine limestone at Laggan Cottage. Pleasant walk and interesting rock features. Under development.

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1 The Mushroom This giant red sandstone monolith lies in Merkland wood in the National Trust grounds to Brodick Castle. It used to be hidden by the rhododendrons until cleared recently for path-making. Now it is easily accessible, lying twenty metres from the road. It’s still easy to miss however, so from Brodick head north along the coast road past the brewery and the castle entrance. Continue past an entrance signed ‘Merkland Wood Walks’ until a gravel layby on the right 1km later (good sealwatching spot). Park or leave the bikes here, walk north up the road for 100m and hop the wall on the left. Bash through the vegetation to the Mushroom under the pines. The rock is a juggy, laterally banded old red sandstone, with steep jug-hauling through roofs. It is also highball so many problems are safer as traverses and jump-offs at lip jugs. The north east wall has the best rock, the wee ‘Fern Boulder’ opposite the Mushroom is excellent and there are some hard projects to go through the various roofs and caves. Needs dry conditions, but is quite cool even in high summer.

The Mushroom - North Wall  1. Cave Traverse Font 6b+ Start low on the left side of the left cave, crank up to a juggy rail and continue right mostly footless until a finish up problem 3 can be made.  2. Highballer Font 6b A juggy start between the caves leads to a hard pull through to jugs above the lip… jump off or gain crimps and get established (and scared) on the headwall.  3. Invasive Species Font 6b ✪ Pull on just left of the righahnd capping cave to find good edges under the roof, heel-toe left to allow a long reach over the lip to a good hidden hold, pull further to jugs and rock on to the (often green) headwall or jump off for 6a. FA Claire Youdale 2007.  4. Third Cave Font 6a Climb out of the dank cave to ramps on the right. Jump off at jugs. Often green and wet and really not worth bothering about unless it’s been dry for ages.

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Claire Youdale on The Mushroom - Invasive Species

The Fern Boulder Just opposite the Mushroom is a short wall with good rough rock. All problems from a sit start. Some of the rock may be a bit snappy so watch out for sudden breakages, especailly after rain. All in all pleasant entertainment for those who like their problems non scary and who just love sit down starts.

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 1. Left Arête Font 6b+ Climb the left arête from a sit start without using the big jug up and right.  2. Petit Tiroir Font 6a From good sidepulls just right of the left arête, slap up to a sloping ramp, match this and traverse to the far right to a rock-over at jugs.  3. The Hole Font 5 From sharp central jugs, sit start and pull up through an inset pocket, then traverse left to the finishing jugs on the left arête.  4. Eliminator Font 7a+ From jugs under the right roof, gain an eliminate crimp on the lip, then power left to the inset hole, traverse left to finish.  5. Fern Traverse Font 5+ ✪ From jugs under the right roof, monkey left along good slopers and jugs to finish at problem 1.

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John Watson on The Roof Boulder at Corrie

Corrie Boulders Delightful granite boulder erratics which are extremely accessible to say the least. They provide a satisfying circuit which gradually gets harder. From Brodick pier, catch the North Island bus to Sannox (ask to get off at the Cat Stone) and walk back via the boulders, which are all close to, or actually on, the main road. The rock is a superb ochre granite with solid holds and slopers with technique often winning the day on the classic problems.

1. The Cat Stone NS 020 444 - lies on the road between Corrie and Sannox. Watch for traffic and set up the problem when it goes quiet! A mat is useful to pad the drainage ditches and some boggy ground.

2. Clach an Fhion NS 023 429 - this boulder stands by a layby in the centre of Corrie, on a grassy verge, south of the bad bend harbour. It is a distinctive prow of granite with limited but superb problems.

3. Clach Mhor Druim a’ Charn NS 024 420 - this giant boulder is on a mezzanine just south of the last village house. Walk up through the field to climb a short slope, or cross right from the Roof Boulder.

4. Roof Boulder NS 025 418 - an obvious roofed boulder on a slope about 20m above the road. It lies above a forest track and path just south of the start of Corrie village, to the left of a burn.

Goatfell Path

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Corrie 

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Hotel     ~~~  ~  Harbour ~~~ ~~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~  ~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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The Cat Stone

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Cat Stone  1. Roadside Slab Font 3 Step onto the slab by the shot-hole and step right to finish up the wide crack.  2. South Arête Font 3+ Climb the blunt south arête via the scoop to finish leftwards at the descent flakes on the back.  3. Shothole Direct Font 4 From the roadside shot-hole, use a polished crimp to gain good holds above and follow the flakes to the top.  4. Shothole Traverse Font 5+ ✪ From a sit start at the shothole, pull left through polished sidepull slopers to match crimps, then crank up through big edges finishing rightwards.

Clach an Fhion  5. Hero Slab Font 6a Step on to the slab just left of the easy flake crack, using a poor RH pocket, aiming high and left for another pocket and bigger holds.  6. Roadside Arête Font 6a ✪ Climb the cracked arête to a wobbly finish.

Sit-start is good (6a+).  7. The Fhion Gaston Font 6b ✪ Sit start at the obvious pockets on the right, walk up the ramp and use the blunt arête to gain a high ‘Gaston’ press through the crack to the top - technical and good.

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Cllach an Fhion

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Clach Mhor Druim a’ Charn  8. The Slab Font 4 ✪ Highball and excellent. Just right of the cheatstone crack is the steepest part of the slab. Climb it direct from a flake ledge, aiming for the good high pockets.  9. The Snare Font 6c ✪ The steep back wall direct through the obvious sidepulls. Gain a high sharp pocket, try not to snare your fingers and crank left to sidepulls and a smeary escape left.  10. The Balance Font 6a+ From the ledges left of the saplings, balance upwards using a blunt arête hold and go direct to a hidden ledge above on the lip. Mantle out right to finish.

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Cllach Mhor Druim a’ Charn

Cllach Mhor Druim a’ Charn - west face

The Roof Boulder  11. Left Wall Font 6a+ Sit start at the horizontally cracked left wall, gain jugs on the lip, then mantle up left to a big pocket.  12. The Roof Font 6c ✪ Sit start at a shelf under the left-central roof, use shelf crimps to dyno up to a good edge, then work left through slopers to a tricky direct mantle over the top. Butch. A direct mantle has been done at 7a.  13. Right Arête Font 6c Sit start at a pocket and use the plinth for feet, gain the arête then a good LH pinch allows a rockover to the blank lip. Tiptoe left and finish by a precarious mantle direct over the lip. FA Chris Houston 2009  14. BST Font 7b ✪ Climb the right side of the roof and grunt through to the top on poor holds. FA Niall McNair 2009

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The Roof Boulder

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Claire Youdale on the Great White Dyno

Sannox Boulders NR 996 455. Hidden boulders in a small gully underneath Cnocan Donna, accessible from Glen Sannox.

Walk up the path past the old cemetery, past the leading lights on the left (camping area), across the burn and into the main glen. On the right you will see a boulder about 400m up on the slopes (a scooped project boulder). Aim for this and go hard left to the little hidden burn. Here lie some good boulders, with the highlight being the low monster of the ‘Great White’ boulder in the burn. The burn may need some patio building and is best attacked in a dry spell.  1. Dorsal Traverse Font 6a ✪ The excellent low lip traverse from low jugs on left to far right mantle just after the highest part of the lip. Superb slopey fun. FA John Watson 2007.  2. The Dyno Font 6a On the right of the low lip, sit start at low holds and boost for the lip to mantle out.  3. Great White Font 7a+ ✪ The awesome left to right traverse of the face over the burn. From a crouch start on left, monkey right along slopey ledges to a hard mantle finish up through slab pockets and blunt arête. May need cleaned before an ascent and needs a few strategic mats and patio-building. FA John Watson 2008.

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Great White

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Sannox - Project Boulder

Glen Catacol - Clach a Chait This obvious lone boulder on the left flank of the glen heading uphill has a few good slab problems and an excellent scooped arête.  1. Catacol Arête Font 5+ ✪ Climb the arête and scoop with cunning, mantelling over the top.  2. Catacol Slab Font 4 Climb the obvious west slab from the right hand side veering left.

Glen Rosa NR 979 391. The first set of boulders encountered on the hill flank of Cnoc Breac (left side facing up the glen) after the footbridge over the Garbh Allt. 1 hour from Brodick by foot. There are many boulders here which have had intermittent attention over the years but have been left undocumented. Exploration is encouraged but the ground is hard going and it is probably better to head higher where the boulders improve at the top of the glen. Two problems worth seeking out on the ‘Rosa Boulder’ boulder:  Crystal Revelation Font 6c ✪ A boulder approximately square in shape. The side facing downhill toward the path has a prominent horizontal crack on its left side at about a third height (possible very hard problem to take this direct) The rounded ‘arête’ formed by this wall and the wall that faces Cir Mor has an excellent problem with no real holds. FA David Jaberoo 2006.  Pingo

Font 5+ The side facing back toward the campsite has a nice leftslanting crack. A true start to this would go at a much higher grade. FA David Jaberoo 2006. (see pic on right)

Bivi Boulders Higher up Glen Rosa before the steepening path into the corrie, there is a good flat bivi site under a low lip boulder by the path. This provides the start of a good circuit on the boulders on the west side of the glen heading uphill towards Coire Daingean. NR 978 413.  1. Bivi Lip Traverse Font 6b Traverse the low lip from right to left to mantel over. Slopey.  2. Cuckoo Spit Font 6a ✪ 100m to the west is an attractive scooped and pocketed boulder. Climb the vague diagonal crack via pockets from a sit start.  3. Cuckoo Mantle Font 6a The scoop on the left through the roof.  4. Cuckoo Crank Font 7a ✪ The excellent blunt arête from a sidepull crank to the top. Momentum is the key. (Pic)

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Fionn Coire Boulders West

Fionn Coire Boulders The superb large boulders littering the grassy alp below Cir Mor and stretching across the path towards Coire Daingean. Climb at will here as most of the easier problems have been done in circuits by trad climbers. There are many blank slabs and project prows for the strong. The three main boulders on the approach to the Rosa Pinnacle provide superb landings and excellent lower grade circuit problems, whereas the boulders across the stream towards Coire Daingean have some excellent clean lines - this area is perhaps the best on Arran to boulder if you can stand a two hour stomp with a mat! The views and situations are terrific.

FIONN COIRE Cir Mhor

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Excellent traverses and flake problems.

Another good boulder with fine landings.

Howff Boulder with highball slab problems.

Stream boulder projects.

Giant blank cave with good slab on south side.

Lip boulder traverses.

Prow boulder with projects.

Good easy problems in a small cluster.

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The Saddle

Glen Rosa

Kildonan The excellent little gabbro outcrop on Kildonan beach. First Ascents have not been recorded as this has been climbed on for years. The rock can be a bit scrittly so please brush with care, also the ground level can vary with the tides especially after storms. There are more problems other than those described but many can be loose as the rock quality varies. Problems are described from right to left starting from the low warm up wall with a rock pool underneath. Best accessed down the gully on the seaward side of the car park.

Warm up Wall A nice little set of problems on a low wall. Mind the rock-pools at the base. Various warm ups can be done on this wall. A good place to start bouldering by the sea. A nice traverse in either direction is possible with the grade depending totally on which holds you use. Watch the rock pool.  1. Barnacle Crack Font 6a Climb the wall with gastons and crimps just using the crack. Trickier than it looks.

Gully Wall A slightly higher wall with more problems yet to be done. The gully at the base makes the landing less than ideal  2. Limpet Arete Font 6c ✪ Really good arête climbed using the crack on the right hand side. Slap up slopers on the left and use those heels!  3. Detritivores Font 6b Tricky wall using the vertical cracks and face holds. Aim for the sloper in the porthole. Watch the landing!  4. Home Scar Wall Font 6c Highball wall on pock shaped holds. Not a great landing so can be scary!

Seal Prow Area Home to the best problem at Kildonan on the seal-head shaped prow. The ground level can vary especially after storms. The place can also occasionally fill with seaweed, a soft yet smelly landing!  5. Seal Prow Font 6b ✪ Climb the seal head shaped prow from a sit start. Trend left and top out on the left side of the ‘nose’ or top out to the right using the jugs at Font 6a. Both excellent problems, barnacles on the prow can add a bit of excitement.

Memorial Boulder Two very good problems on the back of the Kildonan memorial boulder about 50m further along the beach from the Seal Prow area, right by the road. It can also be accessed by walking along the road from the car park towards the shop. Good gravel landings.  6. Falling Over Otters Font 6c ✪ Excellent problem up the right hand side. Lovely flat landing, brilliant. The name comes from almost tripping over two young otters whilst warming up one day!  7. Cucumbers Font 6c+ Nice problem up the left, harder if you are short. From the same start as Falling over Otters trend leftwards and top out using the slopers.

LOCHRANZA CATACOL

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LAGGAN

SANNOX

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CORRIE

GLEN ROSA

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MERKLAND

CALMAC FERRY FROM ARDROSSAN

BRODICK

ARRAN

LAMLASH

BLACKWATERFOOT

North

WHITING BAY

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KILDONAN