Aird Mhighe

Aird Mhighe crag is a long, low outcrop of compact gneiss tucked away in the rocky landscape of South Harris - it's not hard to find rock here, just to spot the bits that are worth climbing! Undercut starts and the potential for some scary highballs. Quick to dry, though the ground at the base is quite boggy. Clean and very rough on the fingers.

Directions & Approach

NGR: NF 124 928 (OS Landranger 14, Explorer 455)

Turn off A859 a few miles south of Tarbert at a minor road on the left, signposted to Lacklee, Liceasto, Geocrab etc (NF 134 944). Follow this for a couple of miles to a scatter of houses signed Aird Mhighe, just after passing a junction and recycling facility. Park on a disused and overgrown loop of road (old bridge) about 30m before a postbox. The crag is partially visible about 200m up the hill beyond a fence.

Climbing

Described from left (furthest from the road) to right. Easy descent via the slabby area between 8 and 9.

Lip Direct font 7a+
D. Douglas 14/07/10
SS from holds at the back of the roof, move out directly to the positive crimp of 3.

Big Licks font 6c ***
Adi Gill. Sep 2009
SS at break under the big roof. Cross the roof diagonally right on great holds.

1. The Chiropractor font 6c ***
A. Russell 19/7/10
SS at common start. Pump left along low line of holds above unfriendly blocks until they lead over and out. Useful to have a spotter, or multiple pads.

3. Stornoway Slapper font 6c **
A. Russell 19/7/10
SS on flat block. Move up and left until it is possible to make a long span through the roof for a positive crimp. Straight up from here.

4. Runridge font 4
A. Latham ~2005
SS on flat block. Move directly up then hand traverse left on jugs above roof.

5. Craic font 4 *
A. Latham ~2005
SS on flat block. Climb the crack direct.

6. Afro Celt Sloper System font 6a+ *
A. Russell 19/7/10
Pull up into small flake and climb the wall, trending slightly left to top.

7. Project (Wall Direct)

8. Recreational Rioting font 6a
A. Moles 19/7/10
Climb thin cracks and the arête, without using the blocks on the right.

9. Project (Blunt Nose)
SS as for next problem, move left and slap up the blunt nose.

10. The Crystal Voyage font 6c ***
A. Russell 18/7/10 and D. Douglas 14/7/2010
SS at good handrail. Pull up to small sidepull and crimp, then up to a small sharp crimp and poor pinch, then to a good hold and the top.

11. Latham’s Ark font 4+ *
A. Latham ~2005
Hand traverse the sloping shelf, starting at the crack on the left and finishing easily on the right.

11a. D. Douglas 14/07/2010
font 6b Sit start just L of crack, up crack at straight up.

12. The Disleksyx Dictionary font 6b+ ***
A. Russell 18/7/10
SS at a flat hold just right of the small corner. Move up on small holds to gain a good sidepull directly above, then span around the blunt arête to a good handrail. Move directly up from here with difficulty.

13. Project (Disleksyx Direct)
Gain the handrail from a SS directly beneath.

14. The Gospel According to Gary font 6a **
A. Moles 18/7/10
Climb the obvious cracks. Deceptively hard to start.

15. Project (Wall Direct)

16. Treacherous Torquestra font 4+ *
A. Latham ~2005
Climb the vegetated offwidth. Much more pleasant than it looks.

17. Bloody Fingers Sunday font 6b+ **
A. Russell 18/7/10
Follow the thin crack in the wall right of the offwidth. Difficulties ease once the first break is gained.

18. The Scabby Sheep’s Revenge font 4+
A. Latham ~2005
The right-facing grooves.

The smooth wall further right with a black streak at its centre is appealing but has a steeply sloping base, and is much higher. There might be small gear available in some of the cracks. There is another undercut wall further right again.

EAST CRAG

A small slab rising out of the next depression about 50m behind the main crag, with the same aspect. Offers some decent warm-up problems.

19. Sending on the Sabbath font 4
Gain the rightward-slanting crack.

20. Blasphemy on the Boulders font 4
Climb the wall left of the dark streak directly between breaks.

21. Priestmaker font 3+
The dark crackline.

22. Aird Mhighe Diff font 3-
Foot-traverse the obvious rightward-trending ramp.

23. ...and the Hooded One Strode Swampwards font 5
F. Earle 18/7/10
Climb the wall direct via cracks to gain the top of the ramp.

24. Partially Tidal font 4
The crack.

25. Boggle font 4
J. Sparkes 18/7/10
The wall between the cracks.

27. Mhighe Mhighe font 3+
The big, slightly dirty crack.

28. Queef font 3
The crack near the right-hand side of the wall. The thinner crack just to the left would make a harder eliminate.

29. Walking on Bogwater font 4+
Traverse an obvious line of holds across the slab.