Katty's Leap

Bouldering venue just west of Rosehearty, Fraserburgh. Small edge 3-4m high with a few large and small blocs in a wild and beautiful setting. The surrounding area is very rocky and has more possibilities.

All problems are from sit start unless stated otherwise.

Access

Park in the picnic area in Rosehearty and follow costal path west for about 10 minutes passing through 2 gates. The boulders are then clearly visible down on the shore. Head down to the shore when the boulders are spotted and cross a narrow inlet with the 'Pigeon's Cave' at the back or continue on the path for another minute and descend the other end of crag as marked on the map above. A quicker direct approach due north from Braco Park farm could be made but would need permission.

Bouldering

Main Edge

The centre of main edge has an easy slabby wall, either side are some great short aretes.

1. Font 5
Attractive high leaning arete

2. Font 7a Heuco Cracks
Climb cracks in wall statically, much harder than it looks.

3. Font 6a
Climb central crack line, a few variations up wall are possible, left hand line starts off small crimp with right hand and undercut with left then climbs the blank slab, Font 6c. Right hand cracks are climbed from start at base of arête, Font 6a.

4. Font 6b
The short arete has a nice sitter and is worthwhile.

5. Font 5
Climb wall just left of corner

5b. Font 6b+
Start as above but head out left along a line of small holds to finish up small hanging corner.

6. Font 3
The small stuck on prow is a fun feature but very easy.

7. Font 5+ The clean slanting arete is good from a sit-start on it's right.

8. Font 4 Standing start off the small nobble. A sit start should be possible.

9. Font 6a+ Mak the Knife
The obvious fine arete from a sit-start. RH up to tiny edge, slap large shallow pocket with LH then top out on mini jugs. Excellent

To the right of Mac the Knife are a few reasonable problems, the best being in the middle of the wall climbed using small crimps to head up and right to a small pocket then the top, font 5+

Right again the wall gets shorter but has a large block on top. The wall becomes broken beyond this but provides a useful descent.

1. Font 3

2. Font 6a+
Pleasant cranky sit start just to right of corner to finish up slabby wall

3. Font 6c
Awkward sit start to wall at base crack on left with long stretch to obvious bow shaped hold

4b. Font 6b+ Titanium Block arete
Sit start as for Titanium Crack to the good break, then use a high pinch on the left arete to gain the flat hold and finish.

4. Font 7a Titanium Crack Direct
Climbs thin cracks up left hand side of block using two very small crimps on actual block either side of cracks

5. Font 6a+
Climb block on right side using small pocket then small sloping edge to top. Good

Just underneath the Block area is an easy corner that leads down to a tidal platform, at the back of which are some short roofs.

Left of the aretes is an overhanging but unfortunately blank wall. It does have a very powerful crack line but the starting holds are often damp.

1. Font 6b Slab
Climb the centre of the slab from a standing start with some contorted moves

2. Font 6c Black Planet
Desperate sit start to right edge of slab off small holds

3. Font 6a Mordor
Crack at right hand side of overhanging wall, starting holds can be damp, made unfortunately much easier by good foot ledge at start

4. Font 5
Sit start at right hand end of wall and travel leftwards along lip of wall to top out at apex.

Immeadiately left of the slab is a great little traverse through a large 'double' shallow pocket. Left again are taller walls wich are quite highball to topout.

1. Font 7a Lewis Ice Reaction
An excellent natural problem despite some sharp holds. Sit-start at quartz edge in a small pit on left then up to a good sidepull niche and pull up and right via crozzly pocket, edge, and further holds to finish. Fingery and highly technical.

1a. Font 6b
The left edge is easier but still worthwhile

2. Project
Tall wall is very thin to start but unfortunately has large block at base

Boulders

The largest boulder lies furthest east and is partly tidal. The best climbing is on the seaward prow(on excellent shallow pockets) and the smooth west face.

1. Font 4
Left hand line up seaward prow up rounded pockets

2. Font 5
Right hand line

3. Font 4+
Short arete

4. Font 5+
Sit start and climb up blunt rounded rib then finish direct.

5. Font 4
Easy wall

Opposite this is a smaller black tidal block.

1. Font 6a
Climb M shaped crack from sitting

2. Font 6b
Climb thinner left hand crack to join M crack at the top

3. Font 5
Climb arete to slabby top out

3a. Font 5+
Climb arete but then climb lip of boulder right to topout at its apex

4. Font 6a
Climb arete then traverse lip left to climb up at far left hand side

5. Font 4+
Sit start small overhang and finish direct up slab

Three smaller blocks lie in a line up towards the main edge, the last being the best. It has a few short up problems on immaculate rock and a nice lip traverse.

1. Font 6b Mad Mac 2
Rounded south west area with awkward slightly undercut start

2. Font 5
Sit start up wall past pocket and small shield.

3. Font 4
Climb left hand side of wall via curved crack

4. Font 4+
Innocuous looking little arete.

5. Font 4
Climb right hand side of more friable seaward wall from large hole to sloping topout. There are 2 more obvious lines to left, progressively becoming harder.

6. Font 5
Traverse lip of boulder, starting before large rockpool.