Climbing on Skye

Integrity

I had watched Robin lead off up a strenuous corner start, then hesitate, placing one piece of gear, then another piece, then another, as the crack line vanished into a delicate series of balancing moves through a vertical section to regain the main wall above. Above this point he had disappeared and progress could only be measured by the feel of the rope. Steady climbing up crack lines, a long pause which could mean he was working out how to protect the overhang on the route, more upward progress, and finally a halt to the rope movement suggesting he was setting up a belay. Sure enough a shout indicated he was safe and I took him off belay. It was my turn now. I was about to embark on the first pitch of Integrity, the epitome of the classic rock routes on Skye. It takes a startlingly direct line up through the unremittingly steep gabbro above the Cioch, and I had long held an ambition to climb this route. Now I had found myself with a partner keen to lead the route, perfect weather, and no believable excuses.

The first pitch of Integrity (Robin Barraclough leading).

The start for me was an inelegant struggle against the force of gravity, then I found out why Robin had slowed down. The only way was to gain height using a series of increasingly marginal footholds, then carefully mantleshelf onto the main face whilst trying to remain in balance. Once established on the main face though, the cracks made for excellent climbing. The route sidesteps right past a large overhang, then arrives at a second overhang which has to be taken direct. This is the point which looks so impossible from below, but like so much on Skye what is impossible becomes merely improbable when encountered close up. Here there are good holds to steady the nerve and one can bridge out against the side wall to get above the overhang. All the same, I was thankful the rope was above me. Just a few feet further up and I arrived at the belay.

Integrity: topping out.

There can be few places as stunningly placed as the belay ledge on Integrity. It is perched some 150 feet above the Cioch, and from here the Cioch Gully face looked so deceptively level that I wondered why the party of climbers coming off the Cioch didn’t just walk down it. Beyond, and thousands of feet below, the next thing that can be seen are the slopes down into lower Coire Lagan.

We transferred the gear I had picked up on the first pitch and Robin set off again up the second pitch. Half way up, mere mortals can veer off to the right onto easier ground, but the guidebook indicated a direct finish was possible which Robin duly took. Although even steeper than the first pitch (if that was possible), the second pitch was more blocky and seemed easier. The route tops out on an inclined ramp which leads to the summit plateau of Sron na Ciche. Rather than taking the easy option though, I led off up the final 50 foot wall. This turned out to be a collector’s piece comprised of precarious flakes, uncertain blocks, and a slope of poised rubble to finish. I arranged something of a pulley system with karabiners to keep both ropes clear of this final obstacle, then brought Robin up. We shook hands – it somehow seemed an appropriate way to mark the end of an excellent climb.