Kiltaraglen

Known locally as 'Kilta crag' this is a loch-side series of hard-sandstone buttresses stretching out from NW of Portree to the peak of Sithean Bhealaich Chumhaing, which dominates the sky line above the bouldering.

NOTE: [7-03-04] 80% of Kilta's sandstone is bomber, although, care is still needed as loose blocks & snappy holds are still abundant due to lack of traffic, especially in the highball sections where the overhangs overhang the loch sometimes at 50mtrs elevation!!! Some further sections of Kilta are also best approached through the gullies & sheep trails from above, as traversing the path between crag sections can be treacherous & precipitous, if not plain stupid. Top-Tip: A few cams & slings would tie a bouldering mat into the crag & stop it surfing down the hill & out to sea

Directions & Approach

From Portree [Safeways] take the steep right hand turn of Scorrybreck Rd off the Staffin Rd & drive to end of the track where there is parking facing the loch & the village. From here follow the path, to an obvious small boulder field & a stone wall [15-20minutes] which is a nice walk in itself traversing the loch to Kilta along its length.

From the stone wall Kilta is visible ahead but looks remarkably unimpressive unless the sun is casting shadows on the overhangs! [this is how I first spotted it]. Hop through the hole in the wall & follow the RH deviation across the coo field. Everything should be obvious from here. Kilta X-spot is the area of deceptively innocent looking boulders set back from the main loch in the hillside close to Sithean Bhealaich Chumhaing. Don't be put off by the higher grade of reported problems at Kilta. I've been attacking the scary, heinous & technical without respite, but there's loads of room for development at all grades. 'Kiltaraglen' is the first given name of Portree.

Climbing

In no particular order and with no guarenttee of accuracy

• 'Be A Good Egg [V3] Font 6b'
  Si O'Conor 2005
  

The -rh- variation of Gift Egg. -ss- slightly more right on poor crimps & fling yerself up two pinches to the flat edge. Up & over this arete side.

• Floggin' Molly [V6] Font 7a
  Si O'Conor 2005
  

The 'shelter roof' up in the jumble looks much harder than it's own reality. -ss- the roof crimps deep inside to power through the gap into a huge flat edge. Follow it through with a testy manoever onto the top. Celebrate.

• Gift Egg V2/3 Font 5+
  J. Watson 2005
  

The wee boulder over the wall at the gate on the way to Kilta. Perfect little climb trending up left to a mantel. SS. Cheers, Si. Right hand variation a bit harder.

• Pathfinder V3 Font 6a+ 4 1 00-02-2005 J. Watson

The other nice boulder on the path to Kilta. SS at the bottom of arete and climb up and left to a poor sloper for LH. Use this to gain a better hold above with RH. Trickier than it looks.

• Yahweh [V2] Font 6c 4 2 00-02-2005 Si O'Conor

The left hand wall of the sport cave area on slopey huecos is brilliant. Go straight up this then onto the left leaning arete with a punchy finish. Done one handed with a crushed back, so you can publicly harrang me if it's really Font 5. Either way a beautiful wee problem.

• Happy Testicles [V8] Font 7b 3 2 00-01-2005 Si O'Conor

On the free standing boulder over the wall. -ss- on the two hideously poor but powerful pinches & go full attack mode up the face above. The dog is invariably ahead of me on every mountain path, hence the name.

• Seoladh naGamhna [V8] Font 7b+ 8 3 00-03-2004 Si O'Conor

Float up the positive sharp crimps on the soaring arete then take a jolly out highball left across the main wall steeply but on handfulls to a course of gnarly slopers. Win the argument with these then balance ballet up the left arete to a mantel finish & celebrate. The wall between the aretes can be attacked direct at a grade harder but isnt nearly as good as the full outing. Great.

• Lets Get Retarded [V9] Font 7c 5 2 00-03-2004 Si O'Conor

The black free-standing clean cut arete has no holds & feels highball because of the drop away. Teeter bold & direct up this. Idiot award 7 for going over the edge if you slip.

• The Devil Makes Work...[V11+] Font 8a 8 3 00-03-2004 Si O'Conor

Once in a while, a piece of rock is perfection, an inspiration & an obsessive good line. There is no more a perfect problem at Kilta than this...The central blank 'shield' has a thin, poorly angled, sloping finger edge midway, & nothing else. Start from heinous undercuts in the overhang below & cross the void to finish above. Completely brilliant, infuriating & technical masterclass employing furious acrobatics. The only shame is that it's no at a more accessable grade.

• Machine Gun Etiquette [V9] Font 7c 13 1 00-02-2004 Si O'Conor

The highball & seriously committing steep roof of the main Kilta cave direct on slopers & crimps with a midway kneebar rest amongst friable & LOOSE blocks. Pretty silly to do.

• Circadian Rhythm [V11] Font 8a 14 3 00-03-2004 Si O'Conor

Steep traversing on slopes & crimps, low down & often footless along the central white sandstone section of Kilta.

• The Piano Has Been Drinking [not me] [V9] Font 7c 18 2 00-02-2004 Si O'Conor

Another tour-de-force traverse. The length of the 2nd buttress along the the low slung obvious lip from L-R-L. Reversing the sequence makes the crux interesting.

• Coos Font 6c 4 2 00-01-2004 Si O'Conor

Coo Buttress. Beside the coo field & the first section of Kilta you come across. Coos,gives many variations on an excellent pocketed wall with many ways to boulder, taking the obvious lip traverse L-R on large pumpy weather holes with heelhooks from the dripping pipe.

• Points of Authority E7, 7a [f8a] E7 20 2 00-01-2004 Si O'Conor

At the RH stone wall of the Kilta walk-in, look high & left above the broken boulders to a superb & overlooked crag on the immediate skyline with only one route on it! Left of the obvious big roof & meandering buttress there is a thin technical wall. Commit up this on frightengly poor spaced edges to a small break & dubious rps, then tackle the steep 'shovelhead' direct. Desperate technical & superb.

• Imitation Life [V11] Font 8a 5 3 00-03-2004 Si O'Conor

[Kilta x-spot] Technical powering up the mental hanging arete right of 'Leave' from a ss. Obvious & brilliant.

• Leave [V12] Font 8a+ 5 3 00-03-2004 Si O'Conor

[Kilta x-spot] Superb fierce fighting up the centre of the steep wall on a trail of pish poor but furious edges from a ss. A bit hard.