Preston Mountaineering Club

affiliated to the BMC

Two views of a winter climbing day on Ben Udlaidh

New Year 2004 by Ian Bradley

Having not had a Hogmanay in Scotland for many years, the opportunity presented itself this year, so off I went. Mike, Laura and I drove up on New Year's Eve, setting off early as storms were forecast later in the day.

We arrived at Crianlarich YHA at 2pm after driving the last few miles in a changing mixture of snow and rain. The hostel was unmanned but open so a pleasant rest was had whilst drinking tea! We checked in at 5pm but by then the weather had definitely took a turn for the worse. We emptied the car whilst being lashed by horizontal rain and sleet! 6pm and the time had come to retire to the pub for our evening meal and a few drams… OK we left at 1:30am… and sleep at 2:30am.

That night the weather was poor and sleep even worse. Mike and I shared a dorm with a lad who made my snoring [and many sadly have had the unfortunate experience of that – sorry!] seem nonexistent! Mike's description was ‘Imagine someone continually starting a chain saw …' At 5:30, Mike and I both independently retired to the lounge in the hope of getting some sleep!

Weather that morning was poor: windy, warmish and quite a bit of fresh snow. An alpine start out of the question, we decided to visit the new ice climbing wall at Kinlochleven. Having checked it was open before we left Preston , we drove through Glen Coe seeing little quality snow on the Buchaille… only to find it closed! The staff who were there were not helpful… Returning back south, the cloud lifted to suggest some climbing possibilities on Beinn Dothaidh. A trip down Glen Orchy quickly revealed the delights of Coire Daimh, Beinn Udlaidh, all easily visible from the road. Tomorrow's venue sorted, we retired back to the hostel, arranged a room swap and retired early.

Next morning was cold and clear. We quickly got into the corrie. Sunshine Gully (III) up the centre looked superb. We opted for the easier Central Gully (I/II) as an easy introduction for Laura to christen her two year old ice axes on. Mike led the pleasant but thin ice on the first pitch. Mike called down that pitch 2 looked academic. Laura and I tried to think positive knowing what he meant…

I looked at pitch, thwacked in an axe and thought ‘It'll go…' so I'd better lead it. A peg at the bottom, an ice screw at two-thirds height… Technical and interesting, you climbed slightly leftwards with all placements out to the right… I'd led nothing like it before. The ice ended at a steep wall, a grotty runner, and running water. Here, my magnificent climbing style came to the fore… perfected after years of practice… the belly flop… So much for I/II, it was clear grade III!

Ian on the thin 2nd pitch of Central Gully, Beinn Udlaidh

Task accomplished, I brought up Laura, who appeared smiling [I have photos to prove it!] and then Mike. Mike ran off up an interesting ice slab and belayed below a small ice runnel. Laura demanded to lead this and so she did with ease. Above, 300' of typical grade I snow pitches – tiring on fluffy snow which must have sloughed off the rock wall after the storm. A biting wind on the summit plateau suggested a quick descent and a visit to the pub to celebrate…

Pooh and pals go ice-climbing by Laura Semple

The New Year hangover was just about gone, it was just coming daylight and the snow crunched under Piglet's feet. As the gang broke out of the forest the corrie revealed itself quite spectacularly in the dim winter light. Pooh and Tigger were already pondering over the guidebook - ‘please can we do something easy?' pleaded the novice Piglet ‘Central Gully Grade II' they said together and Piglet looked up and followed their excitedly pointing fingers – it looked a bit steep and scary. ‘We'll wander up and have a look' – those classic climbers words which mean ‘we'll go up that!'

At the foot, the first pitch had water running out from it and the second pitch looked a bit ‘woozly' – like is the ice attached or not? ‘We'll have a look' – oh no that phrase again…Piglet said ‘I'd rather play pooh-sticks…'

Kitting up, Piglet is glad she got those step-in crampons as it's very cold on the trotters. Pooh leads off and sets about dismantling the fragile ice – ‘leave some for us' squeaked Tigger & Piglet. Muttering from above – something about belays – crap – next pitch – academic – hunny - can't hear properly due to the water running. Piglet is strategically placed in the middle – advice from above and below. Turns out quite easy, but then Piglet looked at the second pitch – a steep wall with number of steps in it – ‘a Different Thing Altogether' Piglet squeaked. Tigger arrived and wandered over to give it a prod to see if it would fall down. It didn't, so he prodded some more – ‘Seems ok!', ‘You'd better lead it then as you've prodded it' said Pooh. Tigger, being Tigger, and very bouncy, does so and makes a damn fine job of it. Well, until the little top wall – Tigger's ice-axes, being rather antiquated, are rather on the short side so a hefty wallop over the top and a Big Pull isn't on for him. Some interesting manoeuvres involving a sling and spike and a belly-flop got him over the lip and then out of sight. The rope moved faster now so it must be easier and then the call ‘on belay'.

‘Your turn' says Pooh – ‘I don't know about this' says Piglet ‘ if Owl was here he wouldn't advise it'. ‘Have a go' cajoled Pooh. As the alternative is standing in a pool of Freezing Cold Water, Piglet gave it a go – Very Tentatively at first and squeaking all the way up. It is steep, but the ice, despite its appearance, was very good. There are also a couple of lovely thuds as Piglet gets carried away and the axes went into nice frozen turf. Next the ‘tricky' Tigger bit. But Piglet's axes are nice Charley Mosers – so with a hefty welly over the top and two good placements, Piglet ran her little trotters elegantly up the wall in fine style and arrived at the belay grinning from ear to ear. ‘Well led, Tigger' said Piglet. ‘Well followed, Piglet' bounced Tigger animatedly. Never mind that I'm still down here mumbled Pooh from the recesses of the pool of Freezing Cold Water. Pooh didn't have much trouble and his progress could be monitored by the sounds of axes getting nearer and nearer. Pooh's arrival confirmed Tigger's theory that in this condition this was more of a III than a II. Piglet got Very Excited as she's never done a III before.

Mike on the lovely third pitch, Central Gully, Beinn Udlaidh

The next pitch is a superb slab thick with lovely ‘thwacky' (is that a word?) ice and Pooh had a splendid time pootling up it. On the tippy-toes of his crampons. Piglet and Tigger romped up and Piglet was so overcome with joy that she volunteered to lead the last pitch proper. Pooh and Tigger are very pleased and offer to take photos of Piglet('s bum) as she made her way up – putting one of those nice shiny screwy things into the ice on the way up and then got exhausted digging out a belay spot in the avalanche debris at the end of the rope – ‘Hmm, wonder where that came from – it has Woozle tracks in it ‘ thought Piglet. ‘I wonder if there is any more???'. Tigger and Pooh arrive and make Some Comment about the belting belay after complimenting Piglet on her first ice lead…

Laura leading the fourth pitch, Cental Guly, Beinn Udlaidh

There were still 200 feet or so of steep frozen snow which the gang soloed before popping out onto the windy top of Beinn Udlaidh. The rope had become like steel hawser and took some coiling. Time for a quick brew and some hunny for Pooh before setting off for home. ‘Wot an adventure' said Piglet. ‘Better than our Expotition to the North Pole' said Pooh. ‘Can we come back again soon?' said Tigger as he bounced back down the hill. It was just dark when they made it to the car and back off for a hearty repast and more whisky. And not a Woozle in sight...

Pooh – Mike Pringle, Tigger – Ian Bradley, Piglet – Laura Semple.

The Climb – Central Gully II/III (normally a I/II) on Beinn Udlaidh, Glenn Orchy 2nd January 2004.