NEW ROUTES With a new publication date for the Journal, the deadline for new routes each year is 1st August. Winter routes should still be sent at the end of winter. OUTER ISLES LEWIS, Butt of Lewis, (Rubha Robhanais): Immediately behind the lighthouse is a west facing pillar. Abseil to a narrow ledge from a carefully parked car on the cliff edge (check your handbrake!). Mondeo Man 20m HVS 5a. Charlie Henderson, Robert Durran. 9th July 2008. Climb a short steep crack above the left side of the ledge and then finish more easily rightwards. Trojan Wall (see SMCJ 2005): Access: abseil down the line of Trojan Horse from stakes 20m back (not in situ). It is possible from rocks but not advised as these are poor. The wall can be easily viewed from the cliff-top on the west side of the geo. The wall is split into four distinct sections, from left to right these are; Seaward Buttress, Three Corner Buttress, The Wall and Right End Wall. Right of this the rock is loose and broken. Routes are described from left to right starting at the large chimney in the corner that separates Seaward Buttress from Three Corner Buttress. Seaward Buttress The buttress at the left end of the wall contains Journey over the Sea (2004). Three Corner Buttress: The buttress that extends rightwards from the large chimney in the corner. Gniess Achilles (2004) climbs the left corner of the chimney. Apple of Discord 13m VS 4c. Ross Jones, Andrew Wardle. 6th September 2008. Climb the right corner of the chimney. Just to the right is a 5m wide wall undercut on its left-hand side. Hector 15m HVS 5a **. Andrew Wardle, Ross Jones. 6th September 2008. The arete right of Helen’s Chimney (2004). Aphrodite’s Promise 15m E2 5b ***. Ross Jones, Andrew Wardle. 6th September 2008. The excellent overhanging arete right of Odysseus (the middle corner – 2004). Pull out right through the overhang and then left onto the wall right of Odysseus to finish. The Wall: The following routes take the wall to the right of the corner to the right of Three Corner Buttress. How Many Husbands - - - 15m Hard Severe 4a. Andrew Wardle, Ross Jones. 10th September 2008. Climb the right-facing corner, stepping right at the overhang to finish as for Trojan Horse. Right End Wall: Patroclus 15m E1 5b **. Andrew Wardle, Ross Jones. 6th September 2008. Start by a niche and left of a short pillar. Climb the wall and step left at the overhang and climb the chimney to an airy finish. Upper Tier: The following routes are non-tidal. The first route on the north wall just left of the arete. Trojan Work Ethic 25m E4 6a **. Robert Durran, Charlie Henderson. 9th July 2008. Climb the crack and get into the groove (all hard work). Continue steadily to the top. The remaining climbs are on the west facing wall. Hermione’s Exit 18m VS 4c. Andrew Wardle, Ross Jones. 6th September 2008. Climb the left-facing corner groove on the left side of the west facing wall. Step left and up the next short corner and traverse right under a hanging niche on the final headwall to finish. Finishing up the niche is 5b, but protection and rock are poor. The middle of the main wall is Trojan Horse. Hidden Agenda (2004) climbs the wall 2m right of Trojan Horse. Sinon 12m HVS 5a. Ross Jones, Andrew Wardle. 10th September 2008. Pull up the right arete onto the wall left of the arete and up to an overhang (junction with Hidden Agenda). Pull onto the pillar above from the right and climb this in a fine position. BEARASAIGH, Upper Hadrians Wall Area: Time of No Reply 15m Severe 4b. Keith Archer, Paul Headland. 14th June 2008. From the same start as Finger Ripping Good, climb 2m then climb the crack in the wall to the left. Follow it to the top. The Dancing Tiger 16m HVS 5a. Paul Headland, Keith Archer. 11th June 2008. Climb the left-hand side of the hanging prow in the centre of the wall to a ledge and a short overhang. Working the Seam 18m VS 5a. Keith Archer, Paul Headland. 11th June 2008. Start from the short wall which abuts the left side of the coal face, laybacks and smears lead to the finishing niche just right of the corner. Lower Hadrians Wall Area, St Bees Sector: Illicit Thursdays 19m Severe. Keith Archer, Paul Headland. 12th June 2008. From just right of the descent crack at the centre of the buttress, climb a blocky corner, pull onto the slab above and follow it to the top. Main Sector: Dan’s Last Day 20m Severe 4b. Paul Headland, Keith Archer. 13th June 2008. Begin up a short scoop 3m left of the black rock band, (just right of Birthday Route), climb direct through two short black spiky walls. Lick the Tins 24m HVS 5a **. Keith Archer, Paul Headland. 13th June 2008. Start up a short corner, right of the base of the cleft where the sea cuts through the access platform. Climb to a sloping ledge, then directly up through a short overlap. Cross a rib to gain a corner and follow this to finish. Grass with Everything 26m VS 4c. Keith Archer, Paul Headland. 14th June 2008. Start 3m left of the base of the cleft. Climb a short corner to a sloping ledge, traverse diagonally right and climb the left arete of the cleft for 3m, then step left to go up a short slabby wall to gain the base of the long expanse of overhanging wall. Finish up the twin cracks on its left. The Villain 28m VS 5a. Paul Headland, Keith Archer. 14th June 2008. Start 1m left of the previous route. Climb blocky ledges trending slightly left to a short steep slab. Climb this and follow the right-slanting ledge for 8m until below a large crack splitting the overhang above. Climb this direct. 2nd Birthday Route 30m HVS 5a **. Paul Headland, Keith Archer, 15th June 2008. Start 5m left of Birthday Route where the platform narrows and steepens. Follow the left-trending dark band of rock to reach the lower right corner of the prominent central wall. Climb the crack that splits its right side on excellent jugs and continue up the right- hand of two cracks that split the right side of the overhanging wall above. Acairsaid Slabs: The south facing, easy angled slabs at the northern end of Geodhachan Ruadha. Access to the routes is initially as for Hadrians / Pictland, but once down the short corner turn east and walk to, and then along the north-eastern ridge to its highest point. Abseil from here down a broad gully to a large non-tidal ledge …And the Nut was Good 22m Very Difficult. Paul Headland, Keith Archer. 12th June 2008. Traverse left and step onto the main slab; continue up its centre to reach the abseil point. Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny 23m Very Difficult. Keith Archer, Paul Headland. 12th June 2008. From the same start, step left onto the slab and follow the flaky undercut edge leftwards. Go up to finish left of the abseil point. I shot a Rhino in Reno 24m Very Difficult. Paul Headland, Keith Archer, 12th June 2008. Start as for the previous routes. Leave the flaky undercut edge and traverse left again to follow the edge of the slab to the top. The following route starts at the far left end of the slabs where they abut the big broken back wall, possibly one of the earliest routes in the Hebrides, used as a way up in 2008 but would be committing at the time of its first ascent, given a name retrospectively for the first ascencionists. For the full effect try it barefoot. Hard Times 30m. Moderate. Neil McLeod & party. 1613. From the boulder beach take the easiest way up the cracked slab, keeping close to the corner near the top. Weatherman’s Geodha: The Whole of the Moon 26m E1 5a **. Keith Archer, Paul Headland. 15th June 2008. The compelling big corner at the left end of the huge back wall. Abseil down just to one side of the route. Start from a big pedestal just above the base of the corner. Step left into the corner and follow it directly until the crack finishes. Move left onto the slab to finish. Dental Area: The big north facing buttresses on the southern side of Weatherman’s Geodha. Access by walking down (eastwards) the grassy ridge which forms the top of the area to reach a black gully. Descend this until possible to drop (northwards) down a second gully to arrive at ledges, non tidal at first but becoming tidal, which give access to both areas. The area is divided into two distinct sectors by a huge central gully. On the left (eastern side) is the NHS Sector, on first inspection rather scruffy and down at heel but will look after you! On the right of the big central gully is The Private Sector, immediately appealing and more attractive, but it may rip you off! The routes are described left to right, starting at the NHS Sector just to the right of the descent. NHS Sector: Los Dientes 23m Hard Severe 4b. Paul Headland, Keith Archer. 9th June 2008. Start at the left of the sector to the left of the pyramidal monolith. Go up a short narrow gully to gain a crack in the back wall. Climb this to a niche, exit up and leftwards onto a slab to finish by the descent gully.