Saturdayday 31st August 2002

1964 climb -
Inbred

I was amazed to read earlier this year that such a significant route had not been allocated, so I hastily contacted the MCofS for this HASTON/GOODING line, one of the first on Creag Dubh.

Since then, Alan and I had arranged several possible dates to go to Creag Dubh, all aborted without leaving Edinburgh because of wet weather. Back from a summer overseas, we tried again. Friday was our first plan, only to be frustrated by torrential rain after a hot, sunny week. Anyway, Saturday looked promising and after a quick call to friends in Newtonmore to check the weather, we were off at noon. A couple of spits of rain on the way up didn't deter us, as the sky was well-broken cumulus clouds.

My first encounter with Creag Dubh and Inbred was back in June 1991 with Simon Clark, a teacher I'd met at the now deceased bouldering wall near Drumsheugh baths in Edinburgh. It was a lovely sunny Saturday and sitting at the tree before abseiling off, looking across the beautiful strath, gave an almost spiritual feeling to the setting, We had really enjoyed our day here, on this crag with a scary reputation, only wishing we had planned to stay north overnight. Luckily we hadn't, because a typically wet Scottish day followed. In the intervening years I have enjoyed my visits to Creag Dubh and today I was with the illustrious company of two former Jacobite MC Presidents (the well-known Edinburgh Dating Club for those who also enjoy climbing and mountaineering ……... just joking guys, see SMC new routes), Alan Taylor and Dr Ian McCulloch (just in case).

My last visit with Ian had been in October '94 before the Club Dinner Meet in Newtonmore. We had climbed Tree Hee (S) and then chosen Phellatio with Ian getting the scary top pitch when it was VS 4c. It is now HVS 5a and described as "SERIOUS". Ian was rather wary of Inbred but my salesmanship on its illustrious history soon had him warmed to the idea.

The plan was for Alan to climb into the "niche" and belay me there so I could go up pitch two of The Hill placing runner so I could get close enough to get good photographs of them leaving the "niche" , if I abseiled back down from the tree. When we arrived there were three other pairs climbing, but Inbred was vacant. It's not far from the road, but enough of an uphill to get warmed up as we made our way along to the end of the grassy ledge and a lovely flake delay, It' a bit of a drop here for both leader and second in the event of a slip before the first runner!!! A sixteen foot sling does a nice job.

Alan fairly stormed up the first pitch into the "niche". The holds were nice juggy flakes with good foot placements, perhaps pumpy, but the leading area at the Edinburgh social venue of ALIEN ROCK is more than enough training for this. No doubt the loss of two stones in Peru this summer had done wonders for his climbing. Soon I had joined him, enjoying the heat, sunshine and views across the valley. Then it was off on The Hill traverse to the left, thinking this would be a good crag for those starting their climbing on a small budget ….. apart from the rope, you don't need much gear, so infrequent are the runner opportunities. Or perhaps, in the hope that something might fit somewhere, take such a large rack that you can't get off the ground!

Ian soon joined Alan, I got some nice photographs and then they were off out of the "niche" and on the leftwards-sloping traverse up to the tree. Easy as the climbing was on this 4b pitch, Alan took a bit of care over potentially brittle flakes, As the tree belay was reached, a light shower had developed, so we called it a day rather than continuing on with the third pitch which is usually omitted anyway. We abseiled back to the grassy ledge after carefully checking the in-situ slings, rather then inflict rope burns on the tree.

The good vibes of Creag Dubh remained intact. Patience waiting for good weather had been rewarded, allowing us to climb in good style with lots of jovial banter rather than in 'grippy' silence. It was back to the transport cafe in Newtonmore for a climber's diet of a bowl of chips and a coffee (Oh, the doctor declined the chips and had two nice, healthy iced cakes instead).

Thank you Ian and Alan for a lovely climb.