my first multi-pitch climb

Last weekend I was whisked away after work to join Steve, Rik, Viv, Mal and Anna on a trip into the Cairngorms. The weather forecast was good until Sunday so the plan was to camp near Glenmore Lodge and climb in the Shelter Stone area.

Sat morning was georgous and Steve and Viv took me up my very first 'mountain' climb. It was a 5 pitch VS/4c*** called 'Clean Sweep' on the Hell's Lum crag. Here I am belaying at the base.

We topped out in the sun, had lunch and watched Rik and Mal as they climbed a route called 'Needle' on the Shelter Stone crag accross the valley from us. We had a few hours til they were finished so we bummed about on the beach of Loch A'an then did a scramble up and over and back to the car. We rescued Anna from boredom and ate a few sausages before the guys came running down the track to the car park to beat the rain. Good timing - as they didn't have waterproofs!
The tents went up again and the rain came down.
The next day we all slept-in and faffed 'til lunch time. We eventually got to a wee village called Dunkeld. The guys did some more climbing while I found a pozie in the sun and snoozed the afternoon away. Oh I'd earned it!