Where Eagles Dare

With Foot and Mouth throughout the country and access restrictions in place, I had given up hope of getting any more winter climbing done this season and was suffering withdrawal symptoms at not being able to get out into the hills. So it was with huge relief that I discovered that certain areas of Scotland where being opened up to climbers.

With our 'fix' of climbing only a couple of hours away Malcolm Bass, John Mc Farlane and I set off on the walk into Lochnagar, hoping to avoid the masses that would be climbing in the Northern Corries, one of the few areas open to climbers.

After an easy three hour walk we geared up at the bottom of Eagle Ridge. We were shortly to pay for our choice of a three star route featured in 'Cold Climbs'. Despite there being dozens of routes on the cliffs the second team into the corrie decided to head straight up to our chosen route and started to gear up. They gave the impression of being competent climbers and as they were only a two we reluctantly let them head off up behind John who was leading the first pitch. This gave a nice introduction to the climb up a shallow groove with the 'Sentry Box' somewhere up ahead.

Despite climbing as a three and the associated rope work we made steady progress up the ridge with the advantage of having someone to chat to on belays. This was especially welcome as the snow showers came in and out during the day and helped to take your mind off the cold and cloud. At the 'Sentry Box' pitch we caught up the front pair with the leader having a bit of a struggle. As this was going to be my lead it was a bit unnerving to see him climbing in bare hands doing beached whale impressions. After a long wait, dodging falling ice and wishing we had not been so polite I set off. The moves leaving the belay were a good warm up to what lay ahead with axe torqueing and hooking to stand on a ledge below a small niche, with a near by peg clipped it was time to move on. 'Place the axes high in good ice, lean back and carefully work those feet up to waist level and trust the crampons would stick to a sloping shelf before there was too much strain on the axe placements and they rip out or the feet slide from beneath me, carefully I stand up and breathe a sigh of relief. No whale impressions for me this time, but the crux 'sentry box' was still several moves away. Heel hook out right on a rounded rib, pull over right using gloved hands on a sharp edge, slap out right again, stand up again, phew! Another peg beckons me on higher up.

Breathe, relax, stay calm before I move back left to below the 'Sentry Box' and things were going well, god this is brilliant climbing. I place a good wire and go for it. Left axe in ice, right hooked over small rounded rock lump, work feet up on small edges, smear crampons on slab, try to maintain just enough pressure on the right axe so it doesn't slide off, mantleshelf up and I'm in the sanctuary of a small chimney, it's done, relax. Shit! Don't relax, or you'll be off I tell myself, loose snow on a knife edge, relax, relax it's easy, but scary. The belay, about time, I relax. What a pitch!

The excellent climbing didn't end there but was followed by the summer crux, stepping off a knife edge onto a short vertical wall, torqueing the right axe in a slanting crack, pulling as hard as you can before hooking the left adze in a wide crack high above. This was the easy bit, pulling over was desperate, luckily Malcolm had cruised up this pitch, as I was soon in mid air. Third time luckily I squirmed over to meet Malcolm and John. The last pitch followed a sloping corner with a tricky start leading to the top avoiding the need to surmount the monster cornices topping the adjacent gullies.

It was wonderful to get out into the hills again and to climb such a good route after we had given up hope of getting another winter route done was a brilliant feeling.

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	Swaledale Outdoor Club

Where Eagles Dare

Paul Figg