Sun, Sea and Golden Walls

Dudes, theres a shit tonne of writing here so to make it a bit more interesting I need you guys to illustrate it with all your pictures! Just put them in between the text where it seems to fit and once they’re all up I’ll label it for SC

This was it. At last Reiff beckoned! The Golden Walls had been gleaming in the sunshine as the North West had been baking in three full weeks of pure sun and the weather God was not going to let us down this time! Fishing gear in hand we set off, with numbers swelled by the arrival of a new breed of punter, there was almost a festival atmosphere to the trip; slabs of tinnies, deck chairs, tables and picnic rugs accompanied the usual clang of iron mongery and glint of camera equipment.
The happy campers had arrived first and picked a fine spot on the headland which proved a wearisome journey for the late arrivals but come morning both the beauty and the convenience of the site became apparent. We were perched atop the An Stuir promontory with around 100 routes within spitting distance!

And so, the climbing began in earnest at the Seal Song area…. Andy led the fine Razor’s Edge (E1 5b) and Sean raced up Street Surfer (E1 5b) which seemed very low in the grade. Eager to collect E-points I then led this and set up an anchor at the top for a mass ascent. Whilst all this was going on Rich was happily in Solo-land, he found gear placement an un-necessary chore and thus decided to do with out it, rather him than me!

Sometime around noon on the first day it became evident that the only liquid we had was beer, and there was not much of that left either! Running water was nowhere to be found and dehydration was beginning to set in. Heroically Dave and Mark offered to do a shopping run (tempted by the prospect of a pub lunch) and a list of essentials was drawn up; beer, baccy and skins….. oh yeh, and 10 litres of water!

Following lunch we moved 100yrds to the other-side of the tents to the Minch Wall, with its great raised platform and stunning views out to nowhere! Here the starts are invariably under cut so strength and determination is required to even leave the ground! Tim had some fun on Jim Nastic (VS 4c), Rich soloed Athletes foot (HS) – which I then fell off the start on a misereable attempt to second Tim! – whilst Andy powered through the roof of Judicial Hanging (HVS 5b) – which I also fell off attempting a ridiculous body jam/belly flop combination!

Despite my incompetence (obviously due to serious dehydration, the like of which even Joe Simpson would struggle to comprehend!) I thought id have a go at the lovely looking Clam Jam (E1 5b) which surmounted a roof, then by way of mantle (belly flop) a ledge could be gained and a thin finger crack completed the headwall. Given my struggles with steep starts and mantly ledges this was not a sensible choice and the Rock God was quick to confirm this by repeatedly spitting me out, luring me back in, chewing me some more then spitting me out again! Some tireless belaying from Rich got me to the mantle ledge but not over so down I came, up he went, down he came and an undignified abseil clean it was. Reinhart was conveniently placed to act as a Dead-man to back up a slightly precarious sling.



Upon the arrival of water, by now about 5 in the afternoon, thoughts turned to the evenings entertainment – beer swilling, fishing and barbequeing! Wood was collected, rocks were caught (should of seen the size of the one Mark lost!) and the beer started flowing. From this point on the evening deteriorated into carnage; a spanking paddle made going for a leak a bit more exciting, a deodorant can was forced to do battle with the flames and Wills Jamieson bottle was dispatched by some ones ill placed boot! All in good nature, but our evening guest – James, who had come over from Inchnadamph – was somewhat surprised by the exuberance of the party!


Morning arrived with cloudy heads but clear skies and off to Golden Walls (Rubha Coigach) we trooped. Today there was to be less climbing, but that which was done was of the highest quality! Upon my recommendation Sean started on Milkshake (S), a photogenic golden fin jutting out over an idyllic pool, whilst Tim and I enjoyed the scenic scramble round to Black Magic (VS 4c), which Tim led in good style. This imposing black wall hides some brilliant holds with fine reachy moves between them, surely a must do route at Reiff! So it wasn’t hard to persuade Reini and Andy to abb down, and they took a slightly more direct line up the face, grinning all the way.

Rich once again was meandering around without a care in the world and Dave was gunning for his first outdoor lead! This was soon to come in the form of …Ramp (Vdiff which he wandered up with out even pretending to be scared! Bring it on! At the other end of the scale Andy was eyeing up some crazy E3s and settled on the striking line of Moronic Inferno (E3 5c) which he seemed to donder up without any trouble. Amazing stuff; well placed gear, a good rest and a calm head – Nice one Andy, keep sending dude!

And so the weekend came to a close for the majority, we left Sean, Andy and Tim on the rock, the rest of the party was destined for Edinburgh. I was breaking all ethical boundries by going to Achiltibuie to have dinner at the ever welcoming Luyken household (May the road trip God spare my ankles, forgive me for my stomach is weak!). And what a fine dinner it was, fresh rabbit caught by James’ lurcher Barnsley. Some fine old reminiscing was had and then back to camp for an early night in preparation of a final mornings climbing at the Stone Pig area.

The final morning once again brought streaming sunshine and with this we packed our stuff and headed for the roadside area under the obvious stone pig. With weary arms we set about a selection of fine, short VSs – Limey, Route 1 and Walk the Plank – then Tim lead Automation (HVS 5a) and Sean had a panic on Icarus (VS 4c), not helped by the presence of a nesting cormorant at half height - which, according to Sean, was 'not f#cking cool!'

An awesome long summer weekend was then aptly ended in the award winning Ullapool chippy and the journey home was spent planning our next excursion and mourning the loss of our shoreline vista and fragrant campfire!