The Supercrag

View from the walk in to Creag Rodha Mor

The past couple of weeks have been filled with a couple of exciting film jobs, one involving taking some air time. More on that later. I had a weekend booked in with Steve to head to a good sounding Gneiss crag near Lochinver in the north west called Creag Rodha Mor, or more commonly known as the supercrag.

It’s the sort of terrain you’d normally have to travel to the islands for; big steep pitches on positive holds and generally good gear. On our first day we sped up from Roy Bridge, abbed in by 2pm and got cracking on ‘My own personal Mingulay’ (E4 5c, 5c). The morning dampness was still hanging about the crag a little, but with such huge holds and sinker gear, it didn’t matter. Steve was going well despite little opportunity to get out climbing for some time. I wouldn’t say I was going well, but at least I was going up.

Steve on pitch 2 of My Own Personal Mingulay (E4 5c).

Once the blazing sun hit the wall, it went from damp to roasting and greasy, so I bumbled up Ruddy Glow Corner (E4 6b) feeling a little hot. We rounded the evening off with The Shiner (E5 6a) and Rhubarb Champagne (E2) and wandered off to meet Stuart and Erick who were joining us.

Me eyeing up the crux of Ruddy Glow Corner (E4 6b)

Next day, I kicked off with Read My Lips (E4 6a), again feeling a little unacclimatised to the blazing summer sun. Steve had a whale of a time on the big pitch of Ramp it Up (E3 5c) - a mega line on huge bucket jugs all the way. Afterwards, I got a chance to get on The Cuilinan (E6 6b), which again proved to be a mega trip up the wall. At first the holds were fantastic and the gear bomber. Then after a good tricky section I arrived at a wee footledge where I could cool down a bit. I slipped my boots off for a moment as my feet were cooking, arranged a spiders web of gear and proceeded waste a lot of energy trying to climb the wrong way up the headwall above. After repositioning a metre or so to the right, things went rather better and I even persuaded the in situ fulmar on the belay ledge to fly off  straight away using a well crafted grunt. I think I have the knack now.

Sadly, Sunday dawned wet so we opted for active rest cruising about on some 6s and 7s at the lovely Moy sport crag. Summer is definitely here.

 Steve in a sea of jugs on Ramp it up (E3 5c)

Locals around Creag Rodha Mor.