Beinn Udlaidh - As It Melts

Working for Jagged Globe, the minibus with 5 climbing teams drove to Beinn Udlaidh - hoping to find plenty of ice climbing. The cliff is low lying and so doesn't come into condition every year. Apparently it has been just about in condition this week, so it was time to go and give it a go.

This first photo is the view from the car park. I've got some friends that would like to go canoeing here - breaking through the ice.. At the end of the day, the snow had melted off all the trees - no more ice on the water, changing fast.

I was with Alan and Andy again, and we were looking for a progression from yesterday when we did steep grade 1 snow, cornices, abseiling, ropework and belaying.


It was time to bring on the ice - but in moderation, so we went for Central Gully. We had warm air coming from the SW today, and everything was quickly melting. We did use ice thread belays, and screw belays, but everything was falling off around us. It was everything the guys wanted. Steep enough, and good preparation for the mixed grade III tomorrow.