Ted Collins (author of the moray coast bouldering guide) has extended his reach inland, with the development of bouldering and some DWS in and around the Findhorn Gorge and River Divie. The crags are of compact schist and gneiss and set amongst old, mossy woodland. Of particular note is The Tomb, where Ted has added a slew of fine looking problems, particularly in the mid 7's. Curiously the area doesnt appear to host a problematic midge population so could be an idyllic summer venue.
Teds friend Johnstone has also put together a short film. It uses high end videography in a muted style which I felt complemented both the place and Teds understated approach to climbing.
Ted takes up the story, complete with historical scene setting:
The Tomb is just off the River Divie and it’s a part of the somewhat newly developed Findhorn Gorges bouldering. It’s pretty cool, it’s got a couple of 6’s, loads of 7th grade probs with linkups and a cool 8A/+ project which folk are totally welcome to check out! I’ve got it linked in 3 sections but it’s way above my paygrade, someone strong should get on it. Pretty much all the info is there on UKC with some topos at https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/findhorn_gorge-23177.
“The Comyns at Dunphail had a similar fate, which is well told by Mr. George Bain in his book on the Findhorn. When Bruce’s nephew, Thomas Randolph, was made Earl of Moray, the Comyns found their old privileges as Rangers of the king’s forest of Darnaway restricted. By way of reprisal the Comyns set out, a thousand strong, under the leadership of young Alastair of Dunphail, to burn Randolph’s new great hall at Darnaway. The force, however, was ambushed by the Earl at Whitemire, and cut to pieces. Young Alastair Comyn fought his way to the Findhorn. He found the further bank lined by the Earl’s men, but, throwing his standard among them with the shout "Let the bravest keep it," he leapt the chasm at the spot wrongly called Randolph’s Leap, and with four of his followers made his escape. Moray then besieged Alastair’s father in his Castle of Dunphail, and brought the garrison to starvation point. On a dark night, however, the young man managed to heave some bags of meal from a high bank into the stronghold. Next day, by means of a bloodhound, he was tracked to a cave on the Divie. He begged to be allowed out to die by the sword, but was smoked to death by the Earl’s men. Then the heads of himself and his companions were thrown into his father’s courtyard, with the shout " Here is beef for your bannocks." The old chief took up the head of his son. "It is indeed a bitter morsel," he said, "but I will gnaw the last bone of it before I surrender." In the end the little garrison, driven by hunger, sallied out and were cut to pieces. Early in the nineteenth century the minister of Edinkilly found the skeletons of young Alastair and his companions, seven in number, at a spot still known from the fact as the "grave of the headless Comyns."
My friend Johnstone Macpherson-Stewart put a film together about me climbing there. His talent really shines through and the film nicely captures the mood of the place. I swear it took him like 15 mins to get those shots before he joined for a climb and I didn’t even notice he was filming half the time! It’s absolutely worth checking out his website (www.jmsfilms.com) and his instagram (@jms.films).
The film can be watched here: https://vimeo.com/498723568
