The Catch Repeated

Richie Betts has made the second ascent of the Catch (7B) at Scatwell. It's great to see someone succeed as lots of people (by inverness standards) came close to it. "It was bitchin" says Richie.

Top Fives - Aretes

To get this blog going a little bit, this is the first top five list. I tried to do a top ten but ran out of ideas - in fact, it's hard enough coming up with 5. So without further ado, here's Inverness's best aretes.

Forest Mechanics, Brin: Font 6A+

This is obviously going to make list due to it being such a knife egde. It's high with a terrible landing but climbing it takes all what arete's should require; technique, balance, composure and a degree of style.

Richie's Arete, Duntelchaig: Font 6C

The Arete right of the dagger. Difficult to top out - but nicely chilled moves, lay backing on good holds up to that point.

Gorrila, Cummingston: Font 7a

Quality steep sandstone prow at cummingston.

Shreddies sit start, Ruthven: Font 7A+

This is maybe more of a bulging nose than an arete but I'm struggling to think - It's the most arete-ish problem at Ruthven. Two hard moves between sharp crimps at the bottom is the crux.

The Scientist, Brin: Font 7B

Another great line at Brin, this is a steep prow with huge reaches between good crimps. The top out has now been brushed up, but it still is highball. A really stylish problem, unrepeated.