Sandy on Islander E3 5c, Whisky cliff

Many weekend trips got Sandy and Brian into very good climbing shape and on Tuesday they climbed for the second time on the rather obscure Whisky cliff on the Aberdeen coast. Brian climbed an E3 6a but got pumped, lowered down and handed the controls to young Sandy.

Sandy then took on Islander E3 5c. The initial bit is balancy and above a ledge the climbing is steep, pumpy and quite technical. Sandy battled hard to get the gear in but managed to continue to climb smoothly to an easier bit just below the grassy top out.

Here is Brian seconding without a problem...

... and here a view of the Whisky cliff and the North Sea at Aberdeen.

Yesterday I also got again a trad session at Clashrodney with Adam and we went for mileage doing Birthday treat E1 5a, Gorgon VS 5a, Cairngorm Club's other crack HVS 5a, Streetwise E2 5b (never 5c) and Schoolboy Alcoholic VS 4c. Adam battled hard and it is good to get going again.

Sandy and Brian were also there and Sandy looked a bit wet due to a hold breaking on sun(water?) lovers traverse. It is a solo traverse thankfully with water below. My personal conclusion: deep water soloing = maybe, soloing = no (it is not only Bachar who ended up as a pile of meat and bones on the bottom of a cliff).

HW
HW