Glen Lednock Blocsport

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glen lednock bloc A STONE COUNTRY BOULDERING GUIDE

by KEV HOWETT

Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

2 Glen Lednock Bouldering

by Kev Howett & John Watson

Kids’ Stuff

Ambience: picnic with the family Rock:

schist – but rough as gabbro

Season:

spring and autumn, exposed

Gear:

mats, wire brushes for lichen, skin cream

Grades:

good easy blocs for kids, testpieces V4-V9

GR:

NN 727 286

Introduction Approach: From the A9 Perth-Stirling road, take the exit signed to Braco along the A822. Just after Braco, take a left onto the B827 signed to Comrie. Drive across the moor for 10km and once in Comrie turn left at a T-Junction after the river. Drive round a sharp bend and at the next bend turn right uphill into the forest. Continue to open country and into Glen Lednock proper. After several km along a single track road, pass the Invergeldie farm steadings and head sharply uphill past the impressive Sput Rolla waterfall.

Close all gates behind you and park just before the dam at a U-bend. Either side of the dam are two rocky hills (Creag Iochdair uphill & Creag nan Eun across under the dam), both of which give bouldering areas and small crags. The best blocs are obvious in clusters on grassy alps on both hills, 5 minutes walk at most.

History Neil Morrison visited the boulders in the late 1970’s when at Stirling University and did some initial exploration but it was never documented. Kev Howett, family and friends visited the area from 2001 to 2005 and climbed most of the obvious lines on the extremely rough schist blocs, which have the consistency of gabbro. Being exposed, they are coated in a thick grey lichen which at times needs a good wire brush to remove, but most of the classic problems are clean and on good rock. The highlight is the Reiver’s Bloc - a faceted boulder with a slab, wall and overhang complementing itself with a variety of angled problems up to 7a. The testpieces to date are around 7b, with both Tim Palmer’s Manic Stupor on the Dam overhang vying with Tim Carruthers’ innocuouslooking Tsunami as the hardest-to-date!

Kids’ Stuff by Rory Howett (aged 9) In Perthshire, near the town of Comrie, is a gorgeous glen called Glen Lednock. The biggest thing there is a huge dam which stands approximately one hundred feet high and is for hydro electric. There are quite a few boulders below the dam and a lot of them are really good for kids. I started bouldering here in 2001. The boulder problem I am going to tell you about is the hardest I have ever done. I called it Billy no Clan. It starts under a roof under the boulder. You have to grab two handholds in a diagonal crack in the lip and get support for your feet underneath the boulder, then heel-hook the sloping ledge on the arête. It’s a tough pull up to get both hands on the higher hand-holds in the crack before you have to step-up. You follow the crack up to the arête and finish off with delicate climbing up the arête. Dad’s friend Lawrence, who has just come back from Australia and is really good, fell off it on his first try!

Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

Richie Betts on Red 22

3 Creag Iochdair

The craggy hill on the east side of the dam. The best bouldering is located on boulders and walls that lie above the prominent slab (Hydro Wall) on the hill above the dam.

The Bungalow Bloc Large roof on the hillside above the higher parking.  1. Upp’ Gutter Har’ V1 (5b) K Howett 2002 Start under the left side of the roof on two holds just under the lip. Finishing on a protruding fin.

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Bungalow

 2. The Thatcher’s Slide V2 (5c) K Howett 2002 Climb the hanging flake in the centre of the front face.  3. Subsidence Damage V2 (5b) K Howett 2002 SS obvious wide crack at the right side of the roof.

Slash Wall Small slabby wall sits just up and left of The Bungalow.  4. Cosmetic Smile V0- (4c) K Howett 2002 The left side of the slab, ignoring the obvious big hold at the left end of the crack on the arête.  5. The Glasgow Handshake V0- (4c) K Howett 2002 The right side through the crack and into the very, very, shallow groove.

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7 Lip Bloc

 6. Slash and Grab V0- (4a) K Howett 2002 The crack underclinging all the way.

The Lip 50m right of and about level with The Bungalow.  7. Droopy Mustachio V0- (4b) K Howett 2002 The left side of the front face pull onto the slab.  8. Pencil Hairs V0- (4c) K Howett 2002 The thin flake crack that heads diagonally left to the top.

Big Pointed Bloc The most obvious one from the top of Hydro Wall.  9. Easy Over V2 (6a) K Howett (29.05.05) The right arête from a SS getting progressively easier.  10. Its Big and its Funny V0- (4b) K Howett 2000 The front (west) face direct by flakes.  11.The Pointer V2 (6a) K Howett 31.08.04 The front arête of the boulder. SS on the slabby rounded arête to reach better holds to the top.  12. The Nipple V0 (5b) K Howett 31.08.04 The centre of the slab from a SS on a small flake direct to the ‘V’ cracks without using the holds on either arête.  13. Visible Boulder Line VB (3c) R K Howett 2002 The left arête above the boulder.

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Big Pointed Bloc Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

4 Flat Cat Bloc To the left of Big Pointed Bloc.

Flat Cat Bloc

 14. Road Kill V1 (5c) K Howett (31.08.04) SS on a big hold in the lip of the undercut. Pull over to a solitary hold. Keep feet off the big boulder underneath.  15. Flat Cat Crack V0- (4a) R K Howett (2002) Undercut start onto a wall and a diagonal rightwards break.

From the break finish direct. SS hanging from holds in the base of the crack is V3 (6a) K Howett (31.08.04)

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 16. Fur Ball V2 (6a) K Howett (25.03.05) The obvious left diagonal crack from a SS. No arête.

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 17. Catalina V6 6c K Howett (09.05) The arête from a SS into the hanging corner of Feline.  18. Feline of Foot V4 (6b)  K Howett (25.03.05) SS at the left arête and traverse the lip to the hanging corner.

Var. The Extra Leap V5 (6b) K Howett (25.03.05) Continue the lip trip round the right arête to finish at Fur Ball.  19. Lip King V1 (5c) N A Howett (27.06.05) From the big hold on the lip near the left arête, mantelshelf onto the slab using the slight rib above.  20 The Fur Side V0- (4a) R K Howett 2002 On the other side from the crack, climb the arête on its slabby right side.

Feline of Foot

Creag nan Eun Blocs 1. The Pyramid 2. Bog Trotter Bloc 3. Kids’ Stuff Blocs 4. Taper Slab 5.Split Rock 6.The Squat 7. The Eiffel Tower 8. Canary Wharf 9. The Big Lamp

17. Curbstone 18. Wee Man’s Blocs 19. Breaking Wave 20. Flying Bomb

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10 3 1 10. Banjo Rock 11. The UprightBloc 12. The Real Estate Bloc 13. The Reiver’s Stone 14. The Kist 15. The Horns of Eun 16. The Saltire Stone

Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

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5 Creag nan Eun

Pyramid

This is the smaller hill on the west side of the dam.

The Hideaway Crag lurks at its south east corner (see the SMC “Highland Outcrops” Guide). Below the dam, scattered across the hill on the west side of the river that issues from the dam, lie numerous boulders. The rock is superb, extremely rough schist, that shreds finger ends.

The Pyramid An excellent little boulder with short problems for adults or bigger problems for children. Characterised by a smooth slab sitting above a large flat stone.

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2 Rory Howett on The Slave Route

 1. Smoothie V0- (4a) R K Howett 04.07.03 The centre of the main slab direct to the highest point. Good padding, small ripples. Easier if you run up it!  2. Neffertiti’s Caress V0 (4b) K Howett 30.06.03 SS up the left arête of the slab climbed on the right side.

Bogtrotter/Tsunami Bloc

 3. The Slave Route V1 (5b) K Howett 30.06.03 The arête climbed on the left side from a SS using a good side hold In the slab for the right hand and the flake just left of the arête for the left.

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Tim Carruthers on Tsunami

 4. Playing Mums and Daddies V2 (5c) K Howett 30.06.03 The centre of the south face. SS on sloper for the left hand and a small edge/pinch for the right.  5. Tomb Raiders V1 (5b) K Howett 30.06.03 The slabby rib on the left. SS using a small edge for the left hand and the slopers of the previous route for the right. Up into the diagonal cracks in the rib and mantle into them.  6. Out of the Tomb V0 (5a) K Howett 30.06.03 On the undercut west face, SS using the obvious horizontal crack and feet under the roof. Pull over without using the right arête to reach jugs.

Bog Trotter/Tsunami Boulder This is a sizeable boulder sitting on the south side of ‘The Dry Ridge’ on the very edge of ‘The Central Bog’. The wall facing the bog is an undercut slab. Described right to left.  7. Boggin’ V3 (6a) K Howett 15.04.03 Start hanging from the big slopey hold on the lip. Move hard right and up to the flakes in the arête.  8. Marsh Man V1 (5c) K Howett 15.04.03 Hanging from the slopey hold, stand on it using the thin undercling above. Take the slab to finish.  9. Tsunami V9 (6c)  T Carruthers 06.12.03 The obvious flake on the left side of the slab. A SS into the flake from the obvious, but unhelpful, layback.  10. Moss Side V2 (5b) K Howett 02.07.03 The west side-wall of the boulder. SS off a rounded layback low on the right, up left without the left arête.

Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

6 Kids Stuff Blocs The two boulders lie close together with a small gap between. Mostly climbed on their south faces. Routes are described west to east.

Kids Stuff Blocs

 11. Return of the Lizard Boy VB (3b) N A Howett 04.07.03. The line up the centre of the south face of the west boulder, from good holds in a horizontal crack.

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 12. Play Doh! V0- (4c) K Howett 02.07.03 The rounded arête of the west boulder (in the gap between the two). SS from the one good hold in the horizontal crack and layback the arête on its left side.

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 13. Bart’s New Game VB (3c) R K Howett 04.07.03 In the Gap. The middle of the short wall to the right of Play Doh! On good incut holds.  14. Splits VB (3a) R K Howett 04.07.03 Bridge up between the two boulders and exit onto the east one.  15. Mouldy Doh! VB (2a) N A Howett 2001 The easy left edge of the east boulder.  16. Crack of Doh! VB (3b) R K Howett 04.07.03 The obvious crack, staying off the holds of Mouldy Doh! on the left to reach a big hold at the top on the right.  17. Doh! Arête VB (3c) R K Howett 04.07.03 The elegant hanging arête on the right side of the boulder, right of the crack, laybacked to the top.

Rory Howett onPlay Doh!

Taper Slab Lies just right of and slightly lower than Split Rock. A lovely featured slabby rib at a very easy angle.  18. Tappy Lappy VB (3a) R K Howett 2001 The left side of the slab to gain the shallow ramp containing a flake.  19. Clarts V0- (4b) R K Howett 2001 The right side of the slab to gain the steepening rib leading to the top.

Split Rock The obvious big boulder split by a central off-width crack and with a steeply overhanging right side, sitting just above the Taper Slab. The landings are rocky and mats are helpful.

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 20. Back Straddle Roll V4 (6b) K Howett 30.08.03 The right arête of the boulder off big slopers, a jump to the lip and a mantle.  21. Split Infinity V2 (5c) K Howett 30.08.03 The excellent diagonal crack. SS from the right arête, follow the crack leftwards round the prow to finish up a flake.  22. Floor Routine V4 (6a) K Howett 30.08.03 A line direct through the diagonal crack following the prow.

SS under the prow on a flake and good footholds. Hard up right on pockmarks to gain the diagonal crack. Pull up and right again to the lip of the prow. Pull over on a flake in the slab above.

Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

Kev Howett on FA of Floor Routine

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7 The Eiffel Tower This is actually two large boulders lying against each other as one. Described from the face overlooking the track rightwards. Descent from the top is into the gap between the two boulders. All are highball.

Eiffel Area

 23. Feathering the Penthouse V3 (6a)  K Howett 03.07.03. The excellent hanging thin vertical crack facing south. SS on jams in the deep crack. Up into the thin crack and pull up and right to the top.

Big Lamp

Canary Wharf

 24. The Eiffel Arête V1 (5b) K Howett 09.07.03 The hairline crack on the front of the buttress leading to the slabby rib above.

Eiffel Tower

 25. The Eiffel Slab VB (4a) R K Howett 17.04.04 The slab on the right. Start at the edge between the steep wall and the slabby wall. Pull onto the slab and, heading leftwards, pass two horizontal cracks to gain the good holds at the base of the slabby rib. Finish up this.

The Eiffel Tower

 26. The Bouldrag V0- (4a)  R K Howett 16.11.03 The scooped face direct. Start up a small glacis on the right side of the face. Up the steepening scoop in the wall above to pull out direct at the top.

Canary Wharf Smaller but perfectly formed. The central boulder of the three making up this section. Bad landings necessitate a mat or two.  27. Bonds Gate V2 (5b) K Howett 24.6.03 The wall just left of the main arête SS at the base of a crack at the shorter left arête, up to the horizontal crack.Move right onto wall and sharp tug to the top.

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Canary Wharf

 28. Bondage V4 (6b) K Howett 25.8.03 The obvious traverse line from left to right. SS at the base of the crack at the left arête, up to the horizontal crack, and follow it rightwards. The crux is rounding the main arête Finish via a pull up to a big flake on the top.

The Big Lamp and The Lantern A fine boulder with a slightly overhanging east wall with a flat grass landing. All the problems here share a sit start from the same flat hold at low level. The left side of this wall turns an undercut arête onto the south wall which becomes a small slab with good easy problems for small kids. Easy walk off the back. The lines are described right to left from the east face. The Lantern is the smaller slabby boulder that almost abuts The Big Lamp on its right.

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 29. Lighter Bushel V0 (4c) K Howett 04.03 The centre of the boulder. Height dependent to start.  30. Wick Ed V0 (4c) R K Howett 05.03 The left arête laybacked all the way.

Var: SS V1 (5b/c) K Howett  31. Best in Toon V4 (6b) K Howett 19.06.03 SS on the flat hold, up and right passing a good hold and then into the vertical crack.

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The Big Lamp & The Lantern

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Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

8  32. Geordie War Cry V4 (6a) K Howett 17.06.03 SS on the flat hold. Follow the left diagonal line to the arête, span up right to gain a hold just below two distinctive ‘Mickey Mouse ears’ on the lip of the wall and mantle onto the slab above (without using the crack of the last problem on the right).  33. Offshore 44 V3 (6a) K Howett (12.06.05) SS on the flat hold. Pull into the left diagonal crack line and follow it round the lip. Pull onto the slab without using the crack on the left.  34. Bonny Lasses with Boob Tubes V3 (6a) K Howett 17.6.03. SS on the flat hold. Take the low traverse out left round the undercut arête into a small hanging groove. Up this to holds leading out left to finish.

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 35. Dean Street Swagger V5 (6a/b) K Howett 17.04.04.

Long traverse. SS at the furthest left end of the slabby but undercut wall. Take the rightwards horizontal cracks out above the undercut wall to finish over the prow at the end.

Bad landing all the way.  36. Bottled Dog V1 (5b) R K Howett 03.05 SS under the roof as for Dean Street. Up to horizontal and up the slab.  37. Fog on the Tyne V1 (5a) R K Howett 03.05 SS in lip of roof at flake. Pull onto the slab.

Banjo Rock Sits directly behind The Upright, facing the ‘hole’. It is a razorbacked boulder ending in a distinctive prow.  38. Muir’s Song V1 (5b) S Muir 09.06.03 Start under the prow. On the left is a hold under the lip. From here reach over and follow the edge of the boulder to finish on the prow. Smaller boulders either side not allowed.

The Upright Bloc The south west face is a high steep slab. The wall facing its neighbouring boulders is an easy angled wall above a ‘hole’.

The routes are described rightwards from here.

Niall Howett on Muir’s Song, Banjo Rock

 39. Gazing Out V1 (5c) K Howett 09.06.03 Start in the hole clinging to a big flat hold on the left arête Pull up the wall to the edge of the boulder above.  40. Reluctance V2 (5b) K Howett 06.06.03 Start in the hole, right of Gazing Out. From two flat holds at eye level gain a big sloping hold, then another sloping hold near the top.

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 41. Bowl Management V0 (5a) K Howett 06.06.03 Start off a flat rock from a good big hold. Up to tiny holds in the slight overlap above, then to the upper horizontal crack and the top.  42. Seamsless thanitis V3 (5c) K Howett 06.06.03 Eliminate. SS on an obvious layback edge just left of the right Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

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43 Upright Bloc NW

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Upright Bloc N

9 arête Follow the holds in the line of the seam emanating from the hold to pull directly up the bulging prow above.  43. The Elegant’s Stool V2 (5b) K Howett 06.06.03 The line of the slight scoop in the arête SS just on the right side of the arête on obvious thin horizontal ledge. Pull into the base of the scoop using good but small incuts and follow holds in the scoop to top out on the arête to finish.  44. Lineup V1 (5a) K Howett 06.06.03 The striking vertical hairline crack in the south wall, right of Elegant’s Stool. From a SS on crozzly holds at chest height, direct up the wall via a series of good holds to the hairline crack and then the top.  45. Delicatessence V3 (6a)  K Howett 06.06.03 The main slab via two horizontal cracks. SS on a thin flake.

Lunge to the first break, then delicate to the second and jugs at the top.  46. Tim’s Got a Problem V4 (6b) T Carruthers 09.06.03 The undercut short prow bounding the right end of the wall (the south wall of the boulder). SS on the horizontal crack.

Slap to a sloper on the left arête, then again to another sloper on the arête above, then the ledge.  47. The Ring of Love V3 (5c) K Howett 06.06.03 A traverse of the boulder from Gazing Out rightwards and finishing on Delicatessence. From the big hold follow the obvious traverse line to the arête Turn it and take the line of good holds slightly down and then into the second horizontal crack which leads to the ledge above Tim’s Problem.

John Watson on Delicatessence

The Real Estate Bloc Down the hill slightly from the Upright Boulder. Appears too low, but the south wall is a concave and clean wall. Mats and a spotter helpful. Problems described left to right.

Real Estate Bloc West

 48. Astride The Balustrade V2 (6a)K Howett 07.06.03 The left side of the wall forms a narrow buttress. Smoothly enticing. Layback the left arête if you can. Var. (6b) Sit Start.

K Howett 17.04.04

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 49. Keep it Unreal V7 (6b)  T Carruthers 06.12.03 The right arête of the Balustrade, SS then laybacking on its right side. Even less to hold onto.

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 50. Elizabethan Chorus V3 (6a)  K Howett 09.07.03 Up the highest part of the wall, just right of the left arête SS from incut edge and layback below the arête, climb up slightly right to the small overlap and then pull through direct to the obvious jugs on the top. Flop over to safety!  51. Column Inches V5 (6b) K Howett 09.07.03 Directly up the centre of the wall. SS on a flat boulder with feet on a block. Up the wall on edges to the horizontal crack near the top.  52. The Crispiest, Flakiest Garden Ideas V3 (6a) K Howett 07.06.03. The flake at the right end. SS on good holds sitting on the raised ledge but with feet under the wall not on the ledge. Hard moves into the flake crack.

57 Real Estate Bloc East Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

10  53 The Selling Point V4 (6b) K Howett 07.06.03 The right arête of the wall. SS hanging from the raised ledge in the small alcove at the base. Pull up to a small incut in the wall for the left hand and undercut the arête Using the raised ledge, but not the projecting boulders on the right for feet, climb the arête (thin flake on the right) to a jug at the top.

Kev Howett on FA of Reiver’s Logic

 54. The Makeover V0 (4c) K Howett 06.06.03 The smaller wall just to the right. SS as for the last problem, but pull out right onto the projecting boulders. Using thin slots in the wall above, gain the jugs under the tiny tree at the top. Exit left to finish as for The Selling Point on the arête.  55. Mean Street V4 (6b) K Howett 05.03 The traverse of the overhanging east wall. Start on an obvious jug just right of the gap between the two boulders. Go right along sloping holds and the odd jug to gain the arête.  56. Cobble Street Treat V3 (6a) K Howett 05.03 The traverse of the north face. Start on the arête and lunge out right to climb the vertical wall on brick edges to finish at the crack in the highest point.  57. Rock Around The block V6 (6c) L Hughes 05.04 The whole traverse of the east and north walls with desperate moves turning the arête between the two walls.

The Reiver’s Stone The biggest single boulder here and offering a fine selection of easy to very hard problems. It has 5 distinctive walls. The steepest faces south and sits on a flat rocky platform. Just to its right is the highest face, offering a fine slab above boulders.

Routes are described rightwards from here. Descend down Cattle’s Slab on the West Face.

East Face  58. There and Back Again V0- (3a) R K Howett 04.03 The line of disjointed cracks up the easy angled east wall, starting off a boulder and trending left near the top above the edge of the overhanging face. A mini route & bad landing!  59. Only Fools with Horses V2 (5c) K Howett 17.06.03 The undercut slab to the right. Start on the right arête Pull up and left over the lip to small shallow pockets and pull over.

More easily up the centre of the slab to the top.

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Reiver’s Stone East Face

 60. Sneak By Night V3 (6a) K Howett 27.07.03 The slabby right arête itself. Start on a good flat hold at head height in the steeper side wall to the right. Direct up the right side of the arête on small holds until you can pull up on small slopers to find yourself on the smoother section of slab on the left side and take the edge of the slab to the top.

North East Face  61. Reiver’s Logic V7 (6c)  K Howett 23.10.03 The steeper side wall. SS from the obvious hold in the base of the arête up to the good flat hold of Sneak by Night. Reach diagonally right into better holds in the centre of the wall. Up to a diagonal fault leading back left to the arête.  62. Cattle Breath V0 (4b) K Howett 24.06.03 The right arête of the steep side wall. Step onto the arête and pass a block-hold at mid height.

Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

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Reiver’s Stone NE Face

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Reiver’s Stone North Face

 63. Nostril Nightmare V0 (4b) R K Howett 16.11.03 The hanging groove just right of the arête, pulling out direct at the top. Some holds are shared with Cattle Breath to start.  64. Lip Trick V4 (6a) T Carruthers 17.10.03 From a SS under the arête, slap the sloping lip of the boulder rightwards round the corner, feet on a convenient kicking board under the roof, but missing out the boulder under the roof, to reach the large boulder. Then to complete the problem, foot traverse back along the lip to the starting arête without using hands.  65. No Hiding Place V1 (5a) K Howett 24.06.03 The superb vertical crack line in the slab. Var. V2 (5c) K Howett 16.11.03 SS from a good hold in the lip at the start of a diagonal crack. Pull over direct and gain the line of the vertical crack direct.

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Rory Howett on Billy No Clan

 66. Billy No Clan V1 (5b)  R K Howett 16.11.03 SS as for No Hiding Place. Follow the diagonal crack to its end at the arête Turn the arête and step up onto a glacis and finish to the right.  67. The Dung Trail V1 (5a) K Howett 27.07.03 The centre of the slab right of the crack. Step onto the lip directly above the boulder under the roof, and cross the diagonal crack and take the slab directly up the centre.  68. Hairy Mounts V0- (3c) R K Howett 17.10.03 The arête, mainly on its right side. Jump onto a projecting platform just right of the base of the arête to start. Var: V0 (5b) Hanging from the platform, gain a standing position on it.

Reiver’s Stone South Face

West Face  69. The Drover’s Trail V0- (3a) R K Howett 24.08.03 The centre of the west face. Step off the left side of the boulder lying against the face and climb the centre on rounded holds to start.  70. Cattle’s Slab V0- (3b) N A Howett 04.03 Step off the right side of the boulder, up a crack, to gain a disjointed flake line.

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South Face 71. Night Walker V3 (6a) K Howett 23.09.03 On the left side of the overhanging face is an obvious lefttrending undercut flake leading to a big flake in the lip. SS hanging from ledge.  72. Red 22 V3 (6a)  J Watson 2006 The overhang direct. SS ledge and gain slopers and LH crimp right of crack, then blind LH sloper over the lip and stretch to the apex to a final rockover.  73. Blood Breakfast V1 (5b) K Howett 25.08.03 The lip of the overhanging wall contains a flake near its right side. SS as for the last route, traverse right to the ledge. Stand on this and gain the flake in the lip (without using right arête). Pull over direct.

Richie Betts topping out Reiver’s Logic Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

12 The Kist A companion to The Reiver’s Stone. Problems described L-R.  74. Secret Haul V2 (5c) K Howett 16.06.03 The central line. SS on good holds under the roof (sitting on the flat boulder underneath it). Gain good holds in the lip and pull over.  75. The Key V6 (6c) K Howett 17.06.03 The slab on the right side of the wall. SS using slopey hold near right arête, to a solitary hold over the lip and a wicked pull over to thin horizontals.

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74 The Kist

Saltire Stone Protrudes flag-like from the hillside, split by two saltireforming cracks. The ground below is steep and a spotter useful.  76. Slaying St George V3 (6a) K Howett 17.04.04 The diagonal crack from the left arête.

The Horns of Eun The south horn sits just above The Saltire Stone. The main face is slightly overhanging above a flat grass landing and is capped by a slight roof.  77. Bull Headed V1 (5b) K Howett 23.11.03 The right hand side of the wall using large holds to the widest part of the capping roof. Resist using the side boulder.

76 The Saltire Stone & The Horns of Eun

The Curbstone The east face is steep and lacking in holds. The west face is short and overhanging but gives a good traverse.  78. Rust Bucket VB (3b) K Howett 23.11.03 The easy slabby left end of the boulder via flakes.  79. Traffic Fascist V1 (5a) K Howett 23.11.03 The right side of the main face. Start at the arête and gain and follow the diagonal crack across the top of the face.  80. Double Yellow V2 (5c) K Howett 23.11.03 From the left end of the back wall, traverse rightwards to Rust Bucket.

78

79

The Curbstone

The Breaking Wave A small wall left of and at the same level as The Flying Bomb.

Offers a couple of good problems on perfect dimpled rock.  81. The Tube V2/3 K Howett 06.03 SS at the right end of the crack. Traverse it leftwards to the big flake at the left arête and pull over easily.  82. Breaking Wave V5 (6b)  K Howett 06.03 A superb problem direct through the centre of the ‘wave’. SS in the centre of the diagonal crack and pull direct through the wave using small edges to pull rightwards onto the glacis.

82 The Breaking Wave & The Flying Bomb Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

13 The Flying Bomb Bloc A huge boulder forming a giant roof right of the bombshaped boulder.

John Watson on Manic Stupor

 83. Manic Stupor V8 (6c)  T Palmer 2003 Crouching start at two reasonable crimps in the big curving shelf which runs through the roof, crux move to gain LH undercut, then power up edges to lip. Finish left. Project: SS far left along the ramp.  84. Tweedly Traverse V4 (6b) M Tweedly 2003 The traverse of the lip of the boulder.

Wee Man Blocs Left of the Curbstone is a trio of cramped boulders, Wee Mans Boulder is the right hand one with a beak of rock on right.  85. Stumpy’s Revenge V2 (5b) Sit start left using flake for RH and big flake for left plus small edge for right foot. Up fun flakes to finish.  86. Stretch Shorty V2 (5b) On the right side is an obvious large beak, using a boulder and an outrageous high step rock onto the beak.  87. Dwarven Stealth V1 (5a) The beak of Stretch Shorty from the other side via a heelhook and worrying rounded layaway to decent holds.  88. Magic Carpet SS V3 (6a) High above the Reiver Stone is a shield of clean rock at the base of the large pinnacles, left of the distinctive low roof feature. Slightly eliminate.

83 The Flying Bomb Bloc

84

The Squat Bloc A small boulder ‘The Squat’ lying just down right of The Lamp and Eiffel blocs. It is a low roof with a sloping top.  89. Monochrome V7 (6c) K Howett From a squat start off two holds on the lip, feet on the back plate, gain and mantle the top (ignoring block on left).

Project: start from jugs in the back plate..

86

Wee Man’s Blocs

89

Sput Rolla and Creag nan Eun

The Squat Bloc Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

14 Flying Bomb Area Projects

Creag na h-Eighe

 Sharkskin Project The shark-shaped boulder, or torpedo-shaped boulder, depending on how you squint at it, has a desperate sloper traverse from right to left to finish at the nose. Cold conditions essential. The crinkly flat-faced side of it also has a short sit start project up the nose.

A crag in the sun all evening! Described in the SMC Highland Outcrops Guide, it lies on the right hand side of the glen just before reaching the houses at Invergeldie and the path up Ben Chonzie. Park at a cattle grid and walk direct to the lowest crag. To the left of the lower crag is a small flat wall lying above a rocky ramp. The wall is slightly over vertical and has several good independent lines, but sloping landings. Mats required unless you are good at bouncing. The following are located on the left hand section of the wall, described right to left:

Sharkskin Project

 Eagleye V3 (6a)  K Howett 03 A thin vertical crack leading to a good small ledge. A tiny flake above the left side of the ledge finishes on good holds.  Eagle’s Flight V3 (5c)  K Howett 03 The wall to the left of the thin crack to gain the good ledge.  Turbulence V3 (5c)  K Howett 03 The slight groove at the left side of the wall, just left of the above line. Up to the bulge and pull over to a horribly rounded finish.

Creag na h’ Arairidh Bloc The crags under this translate from the Gaelic as ‘Rock of the Sheiling’. The routes tumble down into a messy scree cluster of boulders. At the bottom is the giant Shieling Bloc. It has a steep front cave face a little hemmed in but two worthy problems and a project can be found here. The back cave also has a line or two to be done. NN 736 271.

Lower Lednock Crag  Lever Roof Project Accessible but very hard. This is the dark low horizontal roof underneath Lower Lednock Crag just as you leave the woods and enter Glen Lednock proper. Lower Lednock crag is on the left as the road opens out to country just past the Deil’s Cauldron car-park. Park in a layby under the crag and walk up in 2 minutes. The roof is obvious and has unhelpfully angled holds maybe leading to the left prow. NN 761 240

Lever Roof Project

Approach: 500m after the Invergeldie gate, take a left turn down to the river to park carefully over the bridge. Walk back along the riverside, contouring round to the crags and scree.  Glass Sheiling Project The left side of the leaning cave has big undercuts, pull on here and crank up to RH crimp then throw left for the lip to mantle onto slab. Awkard boulder gets in the way.  Sheiling Right 6a The right side of the leaning cave wall has a ramp feature.

Start as low as you can above the prop boulder to mantle the lip. A little cramped.

Sheiling Bloc Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

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Lednock Classics (Font Grading) Manic Stupor Tsunami Monochrome Reiver’s Logic Breaking Wave Feline of Foot Geordie War Cry Red 22 Sneak By Night Billy No Clan Tomb Raider

Font 7b Font 7b Font 7a+ Font 7a+ Font 6c+ Font 6c Font 6c Font 6b Font 6a Font 5+ Font 5

Rory Howett on FA of Tomb Raider Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

16

Creag Iochdair Blocs Big Pointed Bloc Flat Cat

Slash Wall

HYDRO WALLS

Bungalow Bloc The Lip

Creag nan Eun Blocs

Creag nan Eun Blocs

Saltire Kist

EUN SPUR

Horns of Eun Wee Mans

Reiver Stone

Curbstone DRY SLOPE CENTRAL PARK BLOCS Split Rock Big Squat Lamp Taper

Real Estate Upright

SLEEPY HOLLOW

Slab

Eiffel

DRY RIDGE

Glen Lednock Bloc Sport

BOG

BOG

Pyramid

Image © Kev Howett

Image © Kev Howett

Bog Trotter

Wave

Flying Bomb