Granite & Ice: Steeple E2 5c****

Steeple is 'a condenter for the best rock climb in Scotland' according to the guidebook. Robbie and myself decided to have a go despite a prediction of showers from midday onwards. There were thick clouds over the pass of Drummochter and Robbie and I had low hopes as to whether we had a chance. At 7.30 h we walked in and we reached the bottom of the cliff at 9.30 h. Here is Robbie descending into the loch Avon basin...

... and here is the Shelterstone in all its glory.

We wasted no time with the bottom two dampish 5a corner pitches to get at least to above the crux before the showers started. Here is Robbie starting the first one...

... and here I start the second pitch...

... and here I exit it.

Robbie then led the easy bit to the bottom of the 5c crux ramp. The crux is sustained, balancy and progress was severely limited when I managed to clip my shoe lace into a carabiner connected to a cam. Thanks to kamasutra-like movements involving having my foot above head height and good sphincter control I managed to get the cam out and to get back onto the crux without weighing the rope. Here a shot after the antics...

After that more hard moves on damp rock until I got to the belay where The Needle and Steeple join. It now started to rain heavily for 30 min and Robbie did well climbing the next 5a pitch on wet rock to the magnificient corner of Steeple. Here Robbie starts the corner...

... and here he is higher up...

... and here high up in the sky...

Robbie climbed exceptionally well, got the gear in and climbed and climbed and climbed until the end of the 60 m rope was reached. I feared that he was on a hard bit but he had in fact reached the top. I followed with enjoying the good handholds but often poor footholds. One good move after the other until I emerged next to Robbie in the sunshine. After that a painful descent via Pinnacle gully.