A New Year just wouldn't be a New Year without some 'Best Of'
articles, so to get things moving, OUTDOORSmagic routes editor Dave
Mycroft has picked his favourite scrambling routes of
2007.
With a choice of routes across the full range of grades from 1
through to 3S, and classic locations from around the UK, it's been a
hard task selecting favourites, but here they are.
And don't forget you can find all our weekly walking and
scrambling routes in the Routes
Archive.
Finally you can expect some exciting development on the routes
front very soon. Yes, we said that last year as well, but this time
it's for real. More about the new developments very soon but for now
Happy New Year from OM and here's to a route-tastic 2008 pop pickers
:-)
Scotland: Surgeon's Ridge, Ben Nevis
Grade 1
You don't have to plod all the way up the tourist path to summit
Britain's highest mountain, but that doesn't mean you have to scale
the north face.
Surgeon's Rib takes you off the beaten track taking a rib between
Carn Dearg and the final section of the tourist route onto the Ben
Nevis summit plateau.
'Surgeon's Rib provides an alternative away from the masses,
taking a rib between Carn Dearg and the final section of the tourist
route onto the Ben Nevis summit plateau... 'Full
Route
John Cameron's shot of the Ben in June showing
the size and complexity of the summit - OM
album
Lake District, Harrison Stickle Ridges
Grades 1 and 3
Two routes for the price of one, and all within walking distance
of a legedary pub. Two distictly different scrambles up[ one of
the Lake District's most photographed peaks.
'Harrison Stickle is one of the Lake District's most
distinctive mountains, dominating Langdale as the highest summit of
the iconic langdale Pikes. The East side, towering above the two
Dungeon Ghyll hotels sports a choice of routes on classic ridges with
something for all grades...' Full
Route
Stunning scenery - pic by Steve Walton, more of his
photography
in his OM
album
Wales: Craig Yr Ysfa
Grade 2
When you enter the amphitheatre of rock at Craig Yr Ysfa you feel
an atmosphere that you're stepping into serious territory. Despite
the forbidding appearance a classic grade 2 scramble zig zags its way
reasonably up the cliffs to emerge on the Carneddau Plateau. The walk
in alone is worth is worth the effort.
'A remote scramble on the south east of Carnedd Llewellyn
provides an alternative approach from the Ogwen Valley to the
Carneddau plateau. Surrounded by steep, high cliffs you're more
likely to meet climbers than walkers on the approach to Craig Yr Ysfa
Amphitheatre, but the walk in is worth the effort for a great route
to the highest plateau in Wales. The route starts with the hardest
section and gets progressively easier...' Full
Route
'Carnedd Llewellyn' by Marcus Crompton -
Marcus
album
Lakes: Grey Band, Pike of Stickle
Grade 3/4
Back to Langdale for our final favourite and a top end scramble up
the imposing Pike of Stickle.A step up in grade to the borderline
between scrambling and climbing, and perhaps a step over the
borderline.
'Though it strays into the lowest grades of rock climbing this
route benefits from both sound, grippy, rock and a superb location on
one of the Lake District's most recognisable peaks... Full
Route
More Routes
You can find more scrambling and walking routes in the OUTDOORSmagic
Routes Archive - with new ones added every week.
Jon Doran
