Moy: Loch Tollaidh: Grass Crag

Busy couple of days. Spurred on by Rich’s comments that I would do alright up at a Moy (Thanks Rich). Stewart and I headed up there on Thursday and much to my surprise it wasn’t too bad. My first attempt on Little Teaser at 6C possibly 6b+ saw me within two feet of the lower off. With the sequence sorted it fell next go!. The 6a possibly 6a+made for a fun sustained route too. I hope to meet Andy up there one evening this week and have a look at bolting a few otherlines. I spied a nice arete and a couple of slabs which looked nice. As the camera was left at home I have borrowed this image of Andy on Little Teaser from Rich.

Yesterday saw Jamie and I head up to Loch Tollaidh in the morning, with wall to wall sunshine forecast all day we were in no hurry, and a good job really as we pulled over to change a puncture just outside Kinlochewe. To add a little spice to the rest of the journey the puncture was a result of some serious tracking/suspension issues with Jamie’s transport. As a result the other “good” tyre was down to the canvas, and offering a nice body shake if we went over 61mph. Still we arrived safe and sound.
Loch Tollaidh had been recommended to Jamie as possibly containing a good first E6 for him, it did all look a bit bold and hard to me but I wasn’t going on the sharp end so it didn’t matter. Anyway I warmed up on the lovely Rough Slab of Gairloch Wall, VS4c and 5 bits of gear on the 30mt route, so not one to do if you don’t like run out slabs. Which I don’t! After the turmoil of the morning we changed our minds completely and went for a some sport at the nearby Grass Crag.
With some words of encouragement from Jamie (not to be underestimated, as I would'nt have got on this without them)(Thanks Jamie). I managed my first 6c flash. All the Arts only 12mts but top fun. A powerful boulder start to a side pull and eventually a jug and awkward rest, from there a steady wall to a final awkward mantle and the lower off. So that’s this years target of flashing a 6c done!
The 7a’s felt a good deal more than a grade harder and indeed one was so thin that both Jamie(who can climb 7a) and I thought it perhaps has never been climbed because it was so stupidly thin. A great day out, in the lovely sunshine of the West Coast, if only more days could be like this.
Right time to start pushing the grade a bit and actually look for some 7a routes rather than avoid them!


Almost forgot but I climbed Duntelchaigs newest route on Monday with Davy, A slab he has cleaned to the right of Excavator. He has called it The Bonzai Slab, E3 5c. Sustained at 5b with a big run out past a sky hook to a good wire and final 5c move. Well done Davy.