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Showing posts from August, 2015

Submerged Bouldering

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Fancy bouldering underwater, floating up holds? Try 'The Ark' blocs at Loch Arklet, beside the Stronachlachlar boulders. Usually submerged, they emerge clean and smooth and rippled in late summer, when the thirsts of Glaswegians drain this feeder loch enough to reveal a pair of conjoined blocs. There are a few nice sit starts on perfect schist, with a tough wee roof on 'The Arklet'. Being 3 minutes from the road, they are a perfect summer's picnic venue, with often a breeze rippling the loch to keep the midges to the higher blocs in the bracken up at An Garadh. Loch Arklet from John Stewart Watson on Vimeo . The Arklet from John Stewart Watson on Vimeo .

Summer Bouldering on the Scottish coast

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Girvan Bloc from John Stewart Watson on Vimeo . The Wind Oyster from John Stewart Watson on Vimeo . Escaping to the coast has been the only bouldering option in the summer heat, especially in a summer where the bracken seems to have gone Jurassic. The first video shows the excellent 'Wind Oyster' boulder problem on Gigha, and the second video is of the fine little Pinbain pinnacle at Girvan. Good news for those new to bouldering in Scotland - the third edition of the guide is well under way and we hope to have it available by early 2016. These two new venues feature in it, amongst about 150 other venues. It's almost impossible keeping up with all the localised developments and this will be the last gazetteer of Scottish bouldering before it goes entirely fractal and into area guides, so email me your venue information if you want it featured >>>