Stone Country – Landscapes and Lifescapes

1. HIGH TRAVERSE - V3 - from far right, traverse on good holds all the way left along the higher lip of roof. 2. ELIMINATE TRAVERSE - V5/6 SS - from Right Bulger eliminate big holds and traverse to far right and up. 3. MIKE'S TRAVERSE V7/8 - an eliminate traverse of the lower lip of the roof, starting from the Smiley hold, no back wall on roof allowed for feet. Excellent and hard. 4. CUP RUN V6/7 - from low down on roof shelf, gain higher shelf slopers, then reach back twice on tan crimps RH, crux slap left to tan sloper, continue to jugs far left. Good moves and apparently there's an easier sequence with devious heel-toe jams if you're canny!

Just north of Ullapool, over the hill from Rhue, is the restful pebbled beach of Ardmair. There is not-so-restful bouldering at the south end on the excellent roof, which stays reasonably dry even in heavy showers. Across the road, the Ruins area contains Mike Tweedley's two excellent roof problems, Corkscrew and Crucifix (on the obvious propped roof 100 metres along the fence). The problems appear in the Guides section at www.scottishclimbs.com and Ian Taylor has done a good topo as well for the beach crag. Here's a photo-topo and descriptions of the straight-ups at the beach - all done from a sit-start they give roof-monkeys a dozen or more work-outs. Various traverses can be done along the lip, from a grade of V2 on the higher holds to V7/8 on the lower holds, depending on where you start and what holds you eliminate. Ian Taylor and Lawrence Hughes have done most of the link-ups here, but feel free to create your own variations - it's that kind of bouldering wall! Updat...

Sometimes you think it's all been done, there's nothing left to do. it takes dedicated eyes to spot new lines and problems, especially somewhere as worked as Dumby. Yet again, Dave MacLeod has pulled out another good problem, this time a clean, natural line, no eliminate. On the 'dirty' side of the BNI boulder, just right of the scrotum-shrinking 'Nadjilation', is the overhanging arete that is now the chalk-ticked technical excellence of 'Sugar Rush' Font 7b. Dave says: A technical wee number that kept us busy for an hour or so. The landing ain’t so bad with a couple of pads and spotter but it’s a good pure arête line – not many of them left at Dumby ...

The excellent cold and dry conditions in February and early march has allowed Dumby to see some hard repeats, Dave Redpath on Pongo Sit-start and Dave MacLeod on Supersize Me. The question remains, is there an 8c lurking at Dumby??? Here is Dave on his repeat: "It was put up by Malcolm Smith last June (I was getting close then too but he beat me to it!!). It takes a big diagonal line across a 40 degree face on the boulder, linking up several problems with no let up. Basically Font 7a traverse into Pongo SS. Up this (Font 8a) and reverse the traverse of In Bloom (Font 7c) into Slap Happy Font 7a to finish. About 30 moves in total." Dave has now done all three Font 8b's in Scotland, the other two being Pressure and The Perfect Crime, both at Dumbarton Rock.

STOP PRESS! Tim Rankin has climbed the hardest confirmed boulder problem in the North East, and Portlethen's gnarliest creation so far, at V11. Here's the news from Tim himself: '...heres the description and as for the grade I don't care but am tempted to give it a provocative 8a+ based on other things I've worked but it must be there abouts 8a/8a+. This problem takes the challenge of the widest part of the Pit roof from the back then climbs the faint hanging arete feature to finish up "The Pain" Start sitting at the back wall under the widest part of the roof on the right side of the Pit. Desperately pull on using an undercut and a small side-pull, grab the good hold on the lip and power up and left to gain the good undercut and an easier finish straight up.' February 2006 Tim Rankin has been busy with Chris Adams, best buddy Mark and new Devon boy 'cool-hand' Luke, who is eating up the local testpieces. This well-bicepped North East cre...

A number of new venues over the last few years has transformed the Trossachs from a traditional cragging backwater to a rediscovered gem of modern bouldering philosophy. The main areas are Loch Katrine, Stronachlachlar, Ben A'an and Ben Ledi. LOCK STOCK AND BARREL V9 - Dave Macleod's testpiece on the Sebastopol boulder. This gut-buster sit starts under the blunt arete and hooks and slaps up to a desperate slap for the sloper on the original V2 problem of Sebastopol. The true cave start remains a big number. BOOMER V1 - the excellent and remarkably easy dyno (if you commit!) on the Fence boulders at Stronachlachlar. From a handrail, wind up the spring and boom for the apex jug. Try not to let your feet helicopter you off, stamp your foot on the wall as soon as you can! TOURIST TRAP V5 - Loch Katrine - From a sit start on this arete, gain a two-finger sloper with a long reach, then figure out the best body position to grab the lip holds. Traverse left to escape this trap! WA...

PRESS RELEASE 11 January 2006 Films should be submitted for initial viewing and consideration on DVD or VHS format. Mini-DV is the preferred format for use at the festival. Film entries should be submitted to: Stevie Christie (EMFF) c/o Wilderness Scotland 3A St Vincent Street Edinburgh EH3 6SW For further information, visuals, or interviews contact Festival Director Stevie Christie Tel: 07919 818 901 Email: stevie@edinburghmountainff.com