Thursday 23 February 2012

Central Grooves

I eventually made it up to Scotland at the weekend for the first time since the wash out at New Year, unfortunately the rubbish forecast for Saturday turned it into a shorter weekend than planned and a one day hit on Sunday to Glen Coe.  Malcolm and I were both really keen to do the mega classic Central Grooves, VII 7, in Stob coire nan Lochan so route choice wasn't going to be a problem and an early start had us arriving in the coire under beautiful early morning sunlight with no wind.


Central Grooves lived up to its reputation of great climbing and sustained right from the word go.  After a technical first pitch and a steep second pitch Malcolm dispatched the crux third pitch with bold moves on cruddy ice off the belay and then a long fun final pitch up easy ground finished it off.  A quality route well worth the five hour drive each way and good to blow the cobwebs off the tools at last!


Beautiful early morning light as we enter the coire


Malcolm starting up the first pitch

Pitch 2

Pitch 2

Pitch 2

Malcolm on pitch 3 after the tricky moves off the belay

Pitch 3

Pitch 3

 Pitch 3

Looking across at a climber on Tilt

2 comments:

  1. Hi Andy, no real reason for posting this other than to say I think this may have caught a wide shot of you and your friend climbing on Stob Coire nan Lochan last Sunday.

    http://colinhenderson.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Recent-work/G00003OPYfQFCUck/I0000V_GGjS0AUaY

    In the big version, you can clearly see a climber with orange trousers and a red jacket (belay jacket maybe?). Up above is another climber in red and black.

    I'll send you it if you're interested. No worries if not.

    Cheers,

    Colin

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  2. Hi Colin,
    Thats probably us, not too many people wearing bright orange trousers in the coire that day! Be great to get a copy of it please, thanks.
    Did you have a good day out? what a stunning day weather wise in the end.
    Cheers
    Andy
    a.houseman 'at' gmail.com

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