Cioch West, Sron na Ciche, Isle of Skye
Severe
When the weather's good the Isle of Skye provides some of the most
outstanding, adventurous rock climbing in the UK. Throughout the grade
range there are mountain and sea cliff routes of the highest calibre.
Despite the high quality of the climbing and the fact that there's a big
fat two-volume SMC rock climbing guidebook, it's not a place that people
climb regularly. The Scots are up there a fair bit but for southerners
it's a long way to go and the weather is notoriously fickle. The most
popular crag on the island is probably Sron na Ciche with it's armour-plating
of gabbro slabs and walls. Walking up into Coire Laggan from the campsite
on the coast at Glen Brittle gives a great view of a huge and complicated
face. Somewhere up there is the Cioch - made famous in the film
'Highlander' - but it's hard to make out exactly where it is on the way
in. The face is split into a number of buttresses and classic routes like
Shangri-La (VS) and Integrity (VS) and Cioch Grooves (HVS) await climbers
who are confident at the grade. However, the popularity of Sron na Ciche
is also due to it's many classic lower-grade lines. The bottom section of
Cioch Buttress is made up of steep slabs and perched half-way up the slabs
and sticking out above the corrie is the Cioch itself. Getting to the top
of the Cioch is the prizes and there's a number of ways of doing it. The
easiest way is that taken by Collie on the first ascent of the Cioch when
he found 'Collie's Route' which avoids the difficult slabs on the left and
follows a sinuous line to the top. Lots of trickery but it's technically
only moderate rock climbing. For those who are confident Severe rock
climbers, Cioch West, which begins at the bottom of the slabs directly
under the Cioch and goes directly up to meet it is better...
Cioch West gets Severe in the guidebook and two stars. It's certainly
polished in places but that doesn't really detract from the enjoyment of
the climb. The route begins a few metres left of an obvious gully (Cioch
Gully) and the first pitch makes you think. It's up an easy slab and then
into a steeper and polished chimney. The guidebook describes it as
strenuous which is certainly true if you're wearing a proper pack. The
climbing then opens out and it's a romp up to a stance on a ledge below a
crack. The rock on this second pitch is gorgeous. The finest gabbro around
and it's worth taking your time to enjoy it. As you climb, the views over
Coire Laggan get better but you'll probably be absorbed in the climbing.
From this ledge the route heads rightwards over a slab (more nice
climbing) to another larger ledge where you can see down into Cioch Gully.
The next (25m) pitch is another cracker following a weakness in the wall
behind. The gear's excellent and the holds are huge and obvious. Just
watch your ropes on this bit as you're doing a load of traversing. You end
up at a small stance below the crux of the climb. There's a small chimney
above which leads to a rightwards hand traverse. This is the beautifully
exposed crux and requires a cool head. The holds are spaced but positive.
Don't forget to put some gear in to protect your second on this bit!
There's an old peg at the end of the traverse and a decent stance from
which you can bring up your second. The next pitch is easy climbing on
lovely smooth slabs and leads up to a good stance at a large block. The
next pitch from here is interesting. Just when you think you're in slab
heaven you arrive at the base of a short (and steep) nose. All very
unexpected. Have a minute, plan your attack and go for it. It leans back a
fair bit at you but just keep on making moves and a quick knee-down at the
top might get you over. Get yourself a quality belay above this and bring
up your second. From here it's scrambling over to the large ledge beneath
the nose of the Cioch itself.
There are several ways to the top of the Cioch from here. Perhaps the
finest is Arrow Route (VDiff) which goes up the centre of Cioch Slab. The
climbing is lovely, on small holds but there's not excess protection.
Alternatively head into Cioch Slab Corner (Diff) which offers
well-protected, honest climbing with good holds.
There's some gymnastics needed to get onto the top of the Cioch itself
but once there you can congratulate yourself. The view across the Atlantic
is brilliant from here.
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