Riasg meet, Spring Bank Holiday – May 2016

Colin Densem on The Pause, E1, Pitch 2

Colin Densem on The Pause, E1, Pitch 2

Dry weather during the run-up and a good weekend forecast meant the meet was fully subscribed, with all the beds taken. A few Scottish ‘locals’ were joined by members and guests from as far away as London and Bristol, with a good contingent from Yorkshire, the Midlands and the Lakes. The excellent weather did continue, so the long drive was well worthwhile.

Crags visited ranged from Craig Dubh (Newtonmore), Binnean Shuas, the Ben and Poldubh, Glencoe, Ardgour and the Etive Slabs. The only disappointment weather-wise was when Kevin Raisin and his guest, Blake, ventured to the Cairngorm to try The Needle, only to find steady rain at the Corrie Cas car park. Inbred and King Bee at Craig Dubh provided compensation, to add to Centurian on the Saturday and Ardverikie Wall the day before.

The new SMC Highlands Outcrops guide provided inspiration for a trip over the Curran ferry to Ardgour for Indian Slab, a 180m four star VS. Its maybe not quite that good, but still a cracking climb justifying the two hour walk in. Elsewhere, John Evans not only did Hammer at the Slabs but also made inroads into his remaining Munros. With only a single summit still to go, another visit back up from London is sure to be scheduled soon.

The hut emptied slightly on Sunday night as some needed to get back to work, Monday not being a holiday in Scotland, but for the rest of us the sun continued to shine and the midges held off. All that remained to conclude a great weekend was to leave Riasg in the good condition we found it in, and to thank Steve Abbot for providing the venue.

David Myatt

Smiler added:

‘A fine ascent of Magic Crack was achieved regardless of snowy surroundings.

Steve Jenkins led Peri Stratchino and Smiler Cuthbertson up the superb and simply not easy Magic Crack on Sneachda, the main pitch (at HVS 5a a tad undergraded?), with Peri climbing the very first pitch (across the snow) in bare, cold feet.

On Sunday, in some dispute of the newsletter comments about the new SMC guidebook, where photo diagrams of routes on Rannoch Wall were confusing, Peri led Steve and Smiler up another HVS 5a, a difficult and 48m rope length with little scope for rests.

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