Glen Lednock Blocs
A fine collection of rough boulders under the dam at the top of Glen Lednock, this bouldering venue was developed by Kev Howett and friends in 2003. We'll be updating theStone Country site soon with a collection of topos, Kev has kindly donated a guide to the bouldering here. Here are some of the best problems Lednock, and a wee vid of what you can expect.
Ambience: picnic with the family
Rock: compact schist – rough as gabbro
Season: spring and autumn, exposed
Gear: mats, wire brushes, skin cream
Grades: good easy blocs for kids, testpieces 6a to 7b
GR: NN 727 286
Approach: From the A9 Perth-Stirling road, take the exit signed to Braco along the A822. Just after Braco, take a left onto the B827 signed to Comrie. Once in Comrie turn left at a T-Junction after the river. Drive round a sharp bend and at the next bend turn right uphill into the forest. Continue to open country and into Glen Lednock proper. Drive to the Invergeldie farm steadings and head uphill past the Sput Rolla waterfall. Close all gates behind you and park just before the dam at a U-bend. The blocs are obvious in clusters on grassy alps across the wee wooden bridge under the dam on the flanks of Creag nan Eun. 5 minutes walk at most.
Tsunami 7b
The slabby low bloc on the first little plateau amongst the ‘Kids’ Blocks’. SS at the obvious layaway at wee cave and use slopers up left to get onto the slab. Looks easy, doesn’t it? Tim Carruthers 2003.
Feathering the Penthouse 6a+
Twin blocs above path: ‘The Eiffel Blocs’. This climbs the super hanging thin vertical crack above the track. SS on jams in the deep crack. Up into the thin crack and pull up and right to the top. Kev Howett 2003.
Best in Toon 6b+
The flat-faced boulder right of the Eiffel blocs: ‘The Lamp Bloc’. SS on the flat hold in centre left, up and right passing a good hold and then into the vertical crack which may need a good brush. Kev Howett 2003.
Red 22 6a
Reiver’s Bloc. SS glen face at obvious ledge. Snatch up to layaways right of the diagonal crack, gain a crimp up and left, then go again for a poor LH sloper, heel hook on the face and reach a sloper at the apex, pull over.
Sneak By Night 6a+
Reiver’s Bloc. The slabby right arête itself. Start on a good flat hold at head height in the steeper side wall to the right. Direct up the right side of the arête on small holds, take the edge of the slab to the top.
Reiver’s Logic 7a+
Reiver’s Bloc. SS from the obvious shelf at the base of the arête up to the good flat hold of Sneak by Night. Reach diagonally right via desperate crimping to a good hold in the centre of the wall, back left to the arête.
Breaking Wave 7a
Dam Blocs. A superb problem direct through the centre of the ‘wave’ feature wall. SS in the centre of the diagonal crack and pull direct through the wave, reach right onto the glacis above on dimples. Kev Howett 2003
Manic Stupor 7b
Dam Blocs overhang. Crouching start at two central crimps in the big curving shelf which runs through the roof. Power dynamically upwards to the lip with a sneaky heel-toe, traverse left to rockover. Tim Palmer 2003.
Rock Around The Block 7a
Real Estate Blocs lowest downhill from the Reiver’s Bloc towards the glen. A good hard girdle traverse of the east and north walls. The crux is turning the arête between the two walls. Lawrence Hughes 2004.
Keep it Unreal 7a+
The Real Estate Blocs’ west wall. This hard problem takes the blunt reddish arête SS then layback up the right hand side. Sloping holds. Tim Carruthers 2003.
The Elegant’s Stool 6a
The Upright Bloc left of Real Estate blocs. Climbs the scoop in the arête SS on the right side of the arête at a thin horizontal ledge. Pull into the base of the scoop & top out on the arête. Kev Howett 2003.
Delicatessence 6a+
Upright bloc slabby face. The main slab via two horizontal cracks. SS on a thin flake and gain the first break, then climb delicately to the second. Reach for jugs at top. Font 5 from standing left. Kev Howett 2003.
Ambience: picnic with the family
Rock: compact schist – rough as gabbro
Season: spring and autumn, exposed
Gear: mats, wire brushes, skin cream
Grades: good easy blocs for kids, testpieces 6a to 7b
GR: NN 727 286
Approach: From the A9 Perth-Stirling road, take the exit signed to Braco along the A822. Just after Braco, take a left onto the B827 signed to Comrie. Once in Comrie turn left at a T-Junction after the river. Drive round a sharp bend and at the next bend turn right uphill into the forest. Continue to open country and into Glen Lednock proper. Drive to the Invergeldie farm steadings and head uphill past the Sput Rolla waterfall. Close all gates behind you and park just before the dam at a U-bend. The blocs are obvious in clusters on grassy alps across the wee wooden bridge under the dam on the flanks of Creag nan Eun. 5 minutes walk at most.
Tsunami 7b
The slabby low bloc on the first little plateau amongst the ‘Kids’ Blocks’. SS at the obvious layaway at wee cave and use slopers up left to get onto the slab. Looks easy, doesn’t it? Tim Carruthers 2003.
Feathering the Penthouse 6a+
Twin blocs above path: ‘The Eiffel Blocs’. This climbs the super hanging thin vertical crack above the track. SS on jams in the deep crack. Up into the thin crack and pull up and right to the top. Kev Howett 2003.
Best in Toon 6b+
The flat-faced boulder right of the Eiffel blocs: ‘The Lamp Bloc’. SS on the flat hold in centre left, up and right passing a good hold and then into the vertical crack which may need a good brush. Kev Howett 2003.
Red 22 6a
Reiver’s Bloc. SS glen face at obvious ledge. Snatch up to layaways right of the diagonal crack, gain a crimp up and left, then go again for a poor LH sloper, heel hook on the face and reach a sloper at the apex, pull over.
Sneak By Night 6a+
Reiver’s Bloc. The slabby right arête itself. Start on a good flat hold at head height in the steeper side wall to the right. Direct up the right side of the arête on small holds, take the edge of the slab to the top.
Reiver’s Logic 7a+
Reiver’s Bloc. SS from the obvious shelf at the base of the arête up to the good flat hold of Sneak by Night. Reach diagonally right via desperate crimping to a good hold in the centre of the wall, back left to the arête.
Breaking Wave 7a
Dam Blocs. A superb problem direct through the centre of the ‘wave’ feature wall. SS in the centre of the diagonal crack and pull direct through the wave, reach right onto the glacis above on dimples. Kev Howett 2003
Manic Stupor 7b
Dam Blocs overhang. Crouching start at two central crimps in the big curving shelf which runs through the roof. Power dynamically upwards to the lip with a sneaky heel-toe, traverse left to rockover. Tim Palmer 2003.
Rock Around The Block 7a
Real Estate Blocs lowest downhill from the Reiver’s Bloc towards the glen. A good hard girdle traverse of the east and north walls. The crux is turning the arête between the two walls. Lawrence Hughes 2004.
Keep it Unreal 7a+
The Real Estate Blocs’ west wall. This hard problem takes the blunt reddish arête SS then layback up the right hand side. Sloping holds. Tim Carruthers 2003.
The Elegant’s Stool 6a
The Upright Bloc left of Real Estate blocs. Climbs the scoop in the arête SS on the right side of the arête at a thin horizontal ledge. Pull into the base of the scoop & top out on the arête. Kev Howett 2003.
Delicatessence 6a+
Upright bloc slabby face. The main slab via two horizontal cracks. SS on a thin flake and gain the first break, then climb delicately to the second. Reach for jugs at top. Font 5 from standing left. Kev Howett 2003.
Glen Lednock Bouldering from John Watson on Vimeo.
'Red 22' - a fab 6a with subtle technique required on rough slopers. On the glen side of the big Reiver's Bloc. Named after the Fontainebleau tendency to sandbag this particular red circuit number... all red 22's in the forest are desperate and secretive!
