Best Scrambles Of 2007!

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 :-)

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

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

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

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.