To be honest I was thoroughly pissed off and jealous to boot. I had just come of the phone to one Colin McGregor, and sitting back down to my computer the phrases “best ice conditions on the Ben in a decade”, and “three consecutive weekends of perfect weather” were ringing in my ears. It was the
My 1st Braes o’ Fife meet – a weekend on Skye
A 6 hour drive to Skye saw me arriving at just past midnight. Had a blether with John and we agreed to be up at 7am to climb on Sron Na Ciche. Left at 9.20 and got to the bottom of the crag at 11ish. We were roped up and ready to go at 11.20. The first pitch of Cioch West on the Cioch Buttress
Living on the Edge by Neil Reid
An account of a winter ascent by Colin McGregor and Neil Reid of Quartzvein Edge in the Cairngorms, in March 2002. I was sure Colin was going to fall. I was so sure that I’d picked out the line he would fall; how the rope would whip my legs from under me and – assuming the belay held – pin them
Etive Capers – A Historical Document by Neil Reid
Some climbing trips become elevated by posterity to the status of epics. This, however, was just a debacle. Four of us – Dave Bryson, Colin McGregor, Chris Horobin and myself – were bound for the Etive Slabs. Rain threatened, but the blood was up and, even though we could see streaks of water on
In The Footsteps Of The Pioneers. Climbing In The Canadian Rockies. Keith Partridge.
Our time in the Rockies was inspired not only by the mountains but also by a sense of history. Without that band of people who looked on this same landscape as a source of something more than just a physical challenge, it might have remained off-limits and closed to our minds. Stepping into the
A Night out with Big Eck
Frozen snow and earth. This is hellish. Only half way up and he’s below shouting abuse at us. I met Big Eck in Greece. Big Eck? Big mistake! Ever since I’ve been dragged from country to country. And everywhere trouble. Once we crossed the Hellespont. One fight after another. We really crucified
Our Island – The Braes o’ Fife and Rum
Neil Reid gives a personal view of the not inconsiderable contribution the ‘Braes’ have made to rock climbing on Rum. The current guidebook to Skye and the Hebrides lists 180 routes in the island of Rum, and almost a third of them - 54 - were first climbed by members of the Braes o’ Fife MC on
Cassin Route – Piz Badile, Switzerland
On their Alps trip summer 2007, John & Rab climbed the Cassin Route on the north face of the Piz Badile. A great climb.
New Route on Skye
At the Coruisk Meet, 2007, Rab & Colin made the first ascent of Swamp Donkey 265m Severe 4a *, on the slabs above Loch Coruisk. Here are a couple of pictures from the climb.