Theres an accumulation of cumulation this summer...

 

Weird atmospherics over Suilven and other hills in the far northern Highlands.

Now, where do I join the Cloud Appreciation Society...?

 

 

The Old Man of Stoer, Monday 10 May 2009
 

Gearing up. What stuff do you need to climb a sea-stack?

There was helpful, contradictory information from several sources to help us formulate a half-assed plan. There was ropework. There was guesswork. There was getting wet. There was getting lost. There were wide rounded cracks that you couldn't get any gear into. There was damp rock. There was a deckout situation. There were dry mouths (well one, at least). There was a howling wind and a big swell. There was blistering sunshine on one side, and freezing shade on the other. There were 15 rusted-shut locking karabiners on the summit abseil anchor. There was daft abseiling into space, and briefly, a terrifying Tony Kurtz moment. There was a second abseil off the worst pegs I've ever seen that weren't acually broken. A grand day out was had by all.  

 

 

 

 

 

Stac Pollaidh in the evening sun
 

Tha amazing views looking north from the summit of Stac Pollaidh. Suilven is the big fin-shaped mountain, made of sandstone. All else is lochains set in a wilderness landscape of Lewisian gneiss, a rock as old as you like. Kelloggs don't make scenery like this for anybody else.


 

 

Crux pitch, Party on the Patio. Martin climbing 

An easy bit on Party on the Patio (VS 5a), Stac Pollaidh.  

Petestack and friend on Overhanging Crack, (S 4a), Seal Song area, Reiff sea cliffs  

About to go climbing at Reiff 

 
Seascape at Reiff, near Ullapool. Windy day with much swell.

Maen-y-Bardd, aka The Poet stone, Tal-y-Fan. Legend has it that anyone who spends the night beneath the capstone will either go mad or become a poet. Not sure what happens if you're a mad poet already...

 

Menhirs ancient and modern at Tal-y-Fan, near Conway