Morning sky was heavily overcast but there was no precipitation. We drove about an hour south to the trailhead for The Old Man Of Stoer with plans to climb it via its Original Route (5-pitch, VS 5a). The approach over the open but very wet moorland took about 1.5 hours. Once again we got some nice previews of the stack from the cliff top, including the very much welcomed sight of the prefixed Tyrolean. The descent to the Tyrolean looked very steep and both the rock and the grass were saturated with water. Thanks to Todd Swain’s beta, we came prepared with and extra 70 meter rope to fix and rap in. As we were rapping down, another party showed up and also opted for our fixed rope. The rock on the descent was snot slick.
In addition to the few rainy days beforehand, the sea that morning was quite choppy. Consequently, the first pitch (a ~20 meter traverse) was wet and coated in slick slime and so it got aided. The rest of the route was mostly but not completely dry. The pitches were short but had some bouldery moves; not as easy as we had expected. A quick double rope rap brought us back to the base. We reversed the Tyrolean and carefully ascended back to the cliff top using the fixed rope as a backup. By the time we reached the car, it was raining again.
Photos
On the morning drive to the Old Man Of Stoer trailhead; about an hour away from our Airbnb (May 2024).Some curious highland cows (May 2024).Roadside views of the highlands (May 2024).Traffic jam delayed the start of our approach hike (May 2024).Almost there (May 2024).Stoer Lighthouse marks the trailhead (May 2024).Starting the approach hike (May 2024).Shirley and the Stoer Lighthouse in the mist (May 2024).Well, hello ladies. The farmer nearby?The first sighting of The Old Man Of Stoer (May 2024).A zoomed-in looksee (May 2024).Shirley and some tarts (May 2024).Beautiful Scotland (May 2024).The moorland was quite saturated after a few days of rain (May 2024).The Old Man Of Stoer and a couple of hikers (May 2024).The sea seemed fairly choppy that day, at least to us. Thankfully, we spied the fixed Tyrolean rope in place (May 2024).Shirley on the rappel down. Sketchy in good conditions but would’ve been prohibitively dangerous with the wetness (May 2024).Thankful for not having to do the foamy, choppy swim that day (May 2024).One more from the crossing (May 2024).Admiring the soaking wet, slimy rock (May 2024).Shirley starting the Tyrolean. Look at that foam (May 2024).Shirley above the foam (May 2024).Shirley and I at the start of the Original Route on The Old Man Of Stoer. Photo by our route companions, Hector and his partner. About to start aiding the soaked rock section (May 2024).Aiding the traverse pitch. It was soaked and the rock offered no friction (May 2024)Short but wet (May 2024).Shirley about to start the aid section on pitch 1 of the Original Route (May 2024).Our route companions doing the crossing (May 2024).Almost done with pitch 1 aid (May 2024).Some views from the first belay (May 2024).And one more of our route companions (May 2024).Starting pitch 1 of the Original Route (the first upward heading pitch). Things are still pretty wet at the start (May 2024).Shirley starting up pitch 2 (May 2024).Some wildlife sightings (May 2024).Shirley on pitch 2 (May 2024).And a bit higher (May 2024).Looking for the correct start of pitch 3. This is not it actually (more left; May 2024).The correct pitch 3 opener (May 2024).Trickier than expected (May 2024).And then sharp left from where I’m at (May 2024).Shirley starting pitch 3 on the Old Man Of Stoer (May 2024).Shirley near the top of pitch 3 (May 2023).Nearing the third belay via a delicate traverse (May 2024).Some views. This is probably near the low tide point (May 2024).Looking back at Shirley from the start of pitch 4. Actually, I cut the third pitch a bit short so this is really the end section of pitch 3 proper (May 2024).View of the headland and our fixed rope (May 2024).Shirley on pitch 4. Our book had the route drawn incorrectly here (May 2024).Nearing the end of pitch 4 (May 2024).Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 5 (May 2024).Views form the summit anchor (May 2024).Summit still-life: Flowers and our twins ropes (May 2024).Summit views (May 2024).Shirley just below the summit (May 2024).Some wanker at the summit belay (May 2024).Shirley on the summit of the Old Man Of Stoer (May 2024).Rapping off the summit (May 2024).I think this is just about the low tide minimum for this time of the year (May 2024).Shirley rapping off the Old Man Of Stoer (May 2024).About to cross back to the mainland (May 2024).Making our way back (May 2024).Almost there (May 2024).Shirley at the base of the Old Man Of Stoer (May 2024).Our route companions on pitch 3 of the Original Route (May 2024).A wider angle view of the climbers (May 2024).Shirley on the return Tyrolean (May 2024).More of the other climbers doing pitch 3 (May 2024).Shirley checking out the progress of the other team from the mainland side (May 2024).The leader nearing the belay (May 2024).Old Man Of Stoer with climbers (May 2024).One more (May 2024).The steep and still wet slope leading back up to the rim (May 2024).Shirley on our rope-assisted “hike” back up to the top of the headland (May 2024).A shot of our route friends from the rim (May 2024).Back at our rap-in point with the fixed rope still in place (May 2024).Our route companions on pitch 3 of the Original Route (May 2024).A closer look (May 2024).Starting the hike back (May 2024).One last look (May 2024).Sights along the hike back to the car (May 2024).Stoer Lighthouse coming into view (May 2024).A ravine (May 2024).Almost there (May 2024).Shirley back at the trailhead (May 2024).And then the rain started (May 2024).On the drive back to our place near Kinlochbervie (May 2024).Roadside sights (May 2024).Strategizing for next day’s climb (May 2024).
