Thursday 29 April 2010

Ardnamurchan- I love Gabbro!





Despite a damp and showery start Gill, Brian and I got up and headed west to Ardnamurchan and the ring crags. The weather is often better here as the wet air coming off of the sea is only hitting the low lying peninsula rather than the higher mass off mountains and therefore often doesn't release its moisture. We were rewarded with a cool, breezy day with only 1 or 2 minor showers- and that's not enough to prevent you climbing on the perfect gabbro of the great eucrite with its superb friction.
We headed in to Meall an Fhir-eoin past the abandoned village of Glendrian and many new lambs. Gill warmed up on Greta Gabbro (VS4c) and I jumped onto a slightly damp Claude (VS or HVS- argue amongst yourselves 5a). After that we climbed Volcane (VS4b,4c), Ring of Fire (HVS5a- a real sting in the tail), Krakatoa (HVS5b- and I'll climb that again) and the 'classic of the crag' Yir (VS4c,4b) packing up just as the rain got serious again. Another grand day on the rock!