Dumbarton Rock
From SCWiki
Dumbarton Rock is the amazing crag at Dumbarton, near Glasgow. It may not be Scotland's most picturesque climbing venue, but it's certainly still got a climbing pedigree. Dumbarton Rock has been home to Scotland's hardest trad route on not one, but two occasions; Requiem in 1983 and then Rhapsody. No small thanks to Dave MacLeod Dumbarton also boasts some of the Hardest Scottish Boulder Problems.
For Trad British Grades are used, for Sport climbingFrench grades are used, and for Boulderingproblems Font. grades are used.
The rock type is Basalt
Once you have nailed the boulder problems why not try some of these: Dumbarton Circuits and Super Links
Contents |
Directions & Approach
through the lane, past the fitba stadium and the broken bottles of Buckfast.
The North Face
Alpha 20m HVS 5a
Beta 20m E1 5b
Gamma 20m E1 5c
Uisga Beatha 25m HVS 5a
Rising Power 35m E2 5b
1984
Bohert 30m HVS 5a
Antigrav 30m E3***
1970s
- 1. 20m 6a
- 2. 10m 4c
Slainte 30m E2 5c
1970s
Crackerjack 30m E1 5b**
Drizzle 30m HVS 5a*
1970s
The Neilweg 30m E1 5b*
1964
Big Ears 35m E1 5b
1981
Boulevard 30m VS 5a*
1963
Hailstone Climb 30m Severe 4a
1960s
Left Edge Route 30m VS
1960s
Monsoon Gully 35m Severe 4b*
1963
Supple as a brick 35m E4*
1963
- 1. 15m 5c
- 2. 15m 5a
Nameless Crack 25m Very Difficult
1964
Alleyway 25m VS 5a
1960s
Sunset Groove 30m VS 5a
1970s
Angel's Pavement 90m 5a**
1964
A low level girdle traverse of the buttress
The Gully Wall
West facing face, with ivy on its left
Ganglion Grooves 20m VS 4c
1964
Ciamar a tha Sibh 25m E2 5b*
1970s
Snowwhite 20m E2 5b***
1970's
Rag 15m Severe 4a
1970s
Tag 15m HVS 5a
1970s
Bobtail 12m HVS 5a
1970s
The Northwest Face
Route Three 20m HVS 5b*
1965
Stonefall Crack 20m HVS 5a**
1963
Stonefall Crack Direct 20m HVS 5a*
1963
Woops 10m E4 6a*
1980
The Big Zipper 30m E3***
1964/1983
Omerta 30m F7c***
1993
Chemin de Fer 30m E5 6a***
1964/1980
Achemine 32m E9 6c ***
Dave MacLeod - October 2001
The desperate, bold but immaculate headwall above Chemin De Fer on the main face. Follow Chemin De Fer to the start of the traverse. Move through a small overlap above to reach a handrail going right. Follow this to its end and make hard moves upward on tiny sidepulls. Move back left using a pinch to a desperate traverse leftward, passing a half moon shaped hold, and move up to jugs and the top. About easy F8b to top rope. Beware of the swing in when you fall.
Requiem 45m E7 6c***
1965/1983
Rhapsody 35m E11 **
Dave MacLeod - April 2006
An exceptionally arduous experience in every way. This climb takes the true line of the Requiem crack, following it to the top of the wall. Start up Persistence of Vision to gain the ledge. Climb the main Requiem crack to where it fades and Requiem goes right. Step left (good shake out). Launch directly up the wall, climbing a thin flange to gain better edges in a thin horizontal (avoiding escape left). Traverse desperately right along the horizontal to regain the crack, get established in this (crux) and continue up the crack without respite to the top. F8c/8c+ climbing with the prospect of falling the length of the pitch from the final moves. FA headpointed placing gear on lead. Notes on the grade: E11 7a. Obviously this is a remarkable grade. It arises mainly from the physical and technical difficulty of the climb. It’s the hardest link I’ve ever done, so harder than the 8cs and 8Bs. 8c+? maybe, I haven’t done one so I don’t know. So we’ll say 8c. But it’s also very technical climbing, a very devious sequence. The other aspect is the danger; a 60/70 foot fall from the top moves, sometimes glancing off the belay ledge. The swing in is extremely violent, sprained ankles, badly cut and bruised feet, legs and back and a crushed calf muscle were experienced. If you flipped and hit head first? I think the new grade might be justified as this route will only go if you are a high standard sport climber as well as bold. That sets it apart from previous routes. It’s definitely 2 E grades harder than my E9s and 3 E’s harder than Breathless. Grading hard routes is really just speculating about something where you have very little to go on. If not E11 then E10, repeaters will find out…
Rock of Ages 15m E3 6a**
1983
Requiem Direct Start 15m E3 5b
1983
Abstract Art 12m 6c **
Dave MacLeod - June 2004
A great wee climb taking the compact slabby wall right of Requiem direct start. Technical but ultimately amenable climbing; a good warm up for harder things or a good challenge in itself! Move past the obvious undercuts and make a long move to good holds. Gain the tiny triangular niche and undercut this, with another long move to a line of good holds leading to the lower-off.
Cyclops 45m E5*
1974/1981
- 1. 20m 5a
- 2. 15m 6b
- 3. 10m 5a
Calm Before the Storm 40m E6 6c *
Dave MacLeod, Stephen Richardson - August 2003
A bold lead on the wall right of Cyclops. At the Cyclops bolt belay, place a friend-1 5 feet up Cyclops and step down. Climb diagonally rightwards on the right wall to a hard technical section leading to a huge diagonal 'thank god' jug. Easy (5b) but virtually unprotected climbing leads directly to the top. E6 6c, FA headpointed.
Sufference F7c+
Tarrier F7c+
Tolerance 8b 25m **
Dave MacLeod - October 2003
The big linkup on the Sufferance wall, with an independent crux. Start up Tarrier and at the top of the initial flake break out left onto the smooth wall on sidepulls with a hard lunge to a handrail. Follow this left through Sufference to arrive at Dum Dum boys just before its crux (no reversing down this to jugs!). Finish up Dum Dum Boys. Superb sustained fingery climbing.
Fever Pitch
Longbow
Appliance of Violence F7b**
1993
Negative Creep 9m 8b *
Dave MacLeod - Novemeber 2004
Start up Appliance of Violence but break out left after the crux to gain a good sidepull. A long reach gains another big sidepull leading to a desperate crimping sequence to the finishing holds on the ledge. F7c to the last three moves, and the grade is definitely for clipping the belay rather than grabbing!
Desperado 30m HVS 5a*
Eh Gringo 25m E4 *
Dave MacLeod, Richard McGhee - October 2003
The green arete left of Desperado, superseding the route Gaucho which climbs sections of the arete. Climb the shallow groove left of Windjammer then follow big holds leftwards to the slabby section on the arete. boldly climb the wall/arete above heading for a good undercut in the overlap near the top (serious). Move slightly right through the overlap, then easily back left to finish at the same point as Longbow. E4 5c.
Blackout 25m E6 *
Dave MacLeod, Stephen Richardson - October 2003
The black arete left of Windjammer Crack. Climb Windjammer to the base of the arete and continue up the corner for another 2 metres. Arrange runners and step across to the arete on undercuts. climb the right side of the arete with increasing difficulty past an overlap (dubious friend 6 placement under this) to a serious crux near the top. E6 6a, some moves practised before FA.
Windjammer crack
Rough Sea
BadAttitude
Half breed
Unforgiven F7b***
1993
Benny's Route 7m F7c
The West Face
The Eagle Boulder
Smokescreen 6m 8A+ *
Dave MacLeod - February 2005
The second big project to go in the Firestarter cave. Start just left of the flat lip jug with both hands in a good slot. Levitate up and slightly left on atrocious glassy slopers until it is possible to make a technical slap right to a tiny ripple on a smooth ramp. Go again for the High Flyer jug and finish up this. devious and technical with a backbreaking landing. Hardest bloc at Dumby in Feb 2005.
King Kong 12m 8A ***
Dave MacLeod - October 2002
A Massive linkup climbing the whole Gorilla arete! Sit Start and climb Neil's Start, into Silverback, into Gorilla Warfare. The finishing jug on Gorilla is out of bounds. Font 7b+ 7c + 7a+ = 21 hard moves.
Torino Sun 4m Font 5+ **
Stephen Richardson - 11/05/2006
British 5C. Takes the wall right of "A Ford Flash" on the Eagle Boulder. Climb the wall with a series of good side pulls and make a lunge to huge holds to finish. Rock over with jugs a plenty. Surprisingly good climbing for a new addition at Dumby.
Silverback 3m 7C ***
Dave MacLeod - April 2001
The true arete of Gorilla is a classic! Start at the starting holds of Gorilla and move left using poor crimps to the obvious incut on the arete. The next destination is the inset jug at the top of the arete. British 7a.
Pressure 14m 8B **
Dave MacLeod - December 2005
The long standing roof project in the Firestarter cave under Gorilla. Start crouching at a small pillar at the back of the cave, LH non-existent pinch, RH obvious smooth good hold. Use heel hooks (no feet on block underneath pillar!) to gain the big flat layaway. Use cunning to climb the horizontal roof to the flat jug on the lip (shake out). Finish up Smokescreen, the line of slopey pinches leading into the finishing jugs of High Flyer. The last move to grab the slopey finishing jug is the frustrating redpoint crux. Hardest problem in Scotland 12/05.
Firestarter 4m 8A ***
Dave MacLeod - February 2003
Between High Flyer and Gorilla on the Eagle Boulder is a huge black cave. On the lip of the cave roof are two large jugs. Start on these and climb diagonally rightwards on small, sharp crimps to gain a good edge near the top (crux). A scary off-balance dyno leads to the finishing jugs.
Oceans 4m 7B+ ***
Dave MacLeod - October 2001
The exellent overhanging wall just right of the tree near 2HB on the Eagle boulder. Start up the shallow groove then move left using an undercut to a bold and tricky finish. British 6c.
Hoops 4m 7C ***
Dave MacLeod - October 2001
The wall halfway between Gorilla and Supinator has a small ear-like flake high up. Climb the wall using this, with a long reach to gain the crimp on top of the flake.
Firestarter 4m 8A ***
Dave MacLeod - February 2003
Between High Flyer and Gorilla on the Eagle Boulder is a huge black cave. On the lip of the cave roof are two large jugs. Start on these and climb diagonally rightwards on small, sharp crimps to gain a good edge near the top (crux). A scary off-balance dyno leads to the finishing jugs.
B boulder
Fridays Fill
Friar's Mantle
Ungarva
Home Rule Boulder
Dweller 3m 6C *
Michael Tweedley - October 2002
Start in cave below Mugsy and traverse out on boulder then make move to crimp ,heel hook the boulder and go to another crimp, grab flat flake and finsh on Juggy lip. Start of Mugsy
Spam 8m 7C *
Dave MacLeod - October 2002
A good problem with a cramped start. Start lying down on a small boulder/ledge below Mugsy. A desperate deep egyptian allows the twin crimps above to be reached. Slap for the starting jug of Mugsy and finish up this.
Sucker's Boulder
E Boulder
Super Size Me 8m 8B ***
Malcolm smith - June 2005
Low level traverse into Pongo sit down (starting matched in pocket on slab).Up pongo sit down, reverse in bloom and finish up slap happy.
Babybel 6m 6C+ *
John Watson - November 2004
From a low sit-start by the descent hole, left hand in slot and RH on crimp on lip, reverse Consolidated from cave to finish up Hard Cheddar arete. Totally different to the L-R traverse, with crux slaps along wee scoops and edges to a crosshanded use of the V-hold... pumpier than it looks.
Big Cheese 3m 7C+ *
Dave MacLeod - December 2002
This is a powerful and slightly eliminate counter diagonal to Hard Cheddar. Below the right trending rib of Hard Cheddar is an alcove. Sit start at the right edge of this at a LH poor pinch and RH smooth, poor undercut just underneath the lip. Using only these, pull out of the sit start and make a frustrating slap left to the good inset sidepull on the wall above. pull over leftwards and top out.
The BNI Boulder
Sugar Rush 4m 7B
Dave MacLeod - March 2006
The steep arete right of Nadjilation, BNI boulder. Sit start, LH triangle crimp, RH incut crimp. Climb the scary arete with technical and tensiony moves. Not too scary with some jammed pads and a spotter.
Perfect Crime 8B 25m ***
Dave MacLeod - March 2005
This traverses the dark walkway cave underneath the BNI boulder, emerging to finish up Sabotage. Start crouching at the left end of the roof, LH on protruding sidepull, RH on low slot on left arete. Gain the next slots and launch into a very technical and contorted crux. Pull out onto the hanging slab at the start of Sabotage (shake out). Finish up Sabotage and BNI. Font 8a + Font 8a+ = 30 hard moves and hardest at Dumbarton.
Sabotage 10m 8A+ ***
Dave MacLeod - 01/02/2003
The problem takes the obvious line of a hanging roof/prow under the BNI slab. Sit start at the base of the Good Nicks crack. Climb the roof direct on awkward undercuts and slap desperately to the lip using edges and the very bad sloper. Once established at the lip, a technical final rockover allows the easy finishing slab (BNI) to be gained.
The Sea Boulder
H Boulder
Long Reach
Short Notice
Short Sight
New Routes
"Bust My Chops" now has a broken hold and is easier: Font 7a. The moves are now the same dynamics as Slap Happy.
Revelation 6m 6A+ **
Dave MacLeod - April 2004
A well scary highball, but easy really! Start just right of Pendulum. Climb onto a small ledge and get a spike hold on the right arete. Get psyched and make an all or nothing jump for a good jug in the base of the hanging V-groove above. Finish easily up this on good holds. The jump isn't hard but the landing sure is - E4 5c? Classic stuff - where the Pendulum variation should have gone.
HP 2m 6A+
Dave MacLeod - December 2002
Sit start right of the diagonal crack of Good Nicks at small edges. Pull up right to gain an incut near the arete and make a long lock off to the ledge above to finish.
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