Colmcille Climbers

The next five routes all start from the bottom, front face of the buttress and weave a complicated pattern up the crag often crossing and merging. The main features are the obvious groove line slanting up from left to right and taken by Slanting Grooves; The Field, a huge grass ledge at the top of the initial 75m of slab and below the overhanging band; and the grassy gully at the right-hand side, marking the starting point of Route Major. Slanting Grooves takes the obvious groove running up the buttress from left to right and then breaking out on the right wall. Start by scrambling up steep grass trending left to corner left of the groove proper. Most parties will want to rope up for this and other starts.

1. 25m From the corner move right and up slabby groove to a grassy ledge. Continue up groove to another grassy ledge. Linear B joins at this point.
2. 28m The groove steepens and is climbed by wide crack to pedestal. From top of this climb steep crack with hard mantleshelf. Above this is a slabby groove which is delicately climbed to steep grass and ledge.
3. 18m Walk to left and ascend steep crack followed by easier climbing to a ledge.
4. 30m The tower above is split by a deep V groove which is reached from the left by a steep wall. Climb the groove and belay on grass ledge above.
5. 39m Ascend a deep chimney crack, then easier scrambling to a grass ledge at 27m. Walk left on vegetation and up to top. It is possible to avoid pitches 4 and 5 by traversing off left along grass ledges and a short slab (severe).