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2007-08-16: Boulders, Clegs & Car Jacks.It's been a busy summer here in Ullapool despite the weather. An ability to adapt to any weather situation is the order of the day if you want to make the most of our glorious summer.
July and August are the shop's busiest two months of the year so time for doing all the fun things I love is limited. I have, however, managed to get out bouldering and sailing on a few occasions.
Another fruitless surf visit to Durness thanks to a lack of swell prompted a retreat for Alisa and I to the Bloodstone boulder. Just north of Rhiconich, this fantastic boulder is documented in John Watson's excellent Stone Country guide book and because of its remote location, sees little traffic. Thus on this visit I was armed with wire brush, rope and harness to give the boulder some much needed love and attention. What I did forget was a spade to properly irrigate the wet pool below. Instead, my trusty 8 year old Black Diamond trekking pole was used.
Once the hard work was done, which including fighting with a relentless Cleg army, we were able to enjoy the immaculate rough Lewisian Gneiss rock.
One of the problems on the south face of the boulder gives fingery moves up the leaning wall leading into good undercuts before throwing right into shallow corner with good holds. A great problem but let down by a back breaking tombstone boulder directly below it. To blow the move while getting into and out of the undercut hold would mean a stretch of prolonged visits to the back clinic. I tried to relocate this boulder with the use of my car jack, which had it moving, but I'll need to set up a pulley system to drag it out of its boggy grave. I'll be back to this boulder soon though with the correct tools to finish the job off.
Roll on the cleg and midge free autumn!
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