Trip Report
Am Buachaille sea stack vid!
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Monday April 23, 2018 5:17am
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Warm greetings SuperTopoists from a nice, sunny day in the UK!
Here's a wee video about a trip last summer to climb and film the classic Am Buachaille sea stack located in Sutherland, the Far North West of Scotland.
Am Buachaille aka The Shepherd is one of the coveted "Big 3" sea stacks in Scotland along with the Old Men of Stoer and Hoy. With it's 4 mile walk in from Blairmore followed by a tricky descent and approach culminating with a "character building" swim across a 15 metre channel of water only exposed at low tide, this Old Man is considered to be the most remote and serious of them all. There is no walking to the base or setting up a tyrolean traverse on this Torridonian sandstone 50 metre high behemoth...
Anyway it was a lovely day clambering up the excellent 3* VS (about 5.8 in US money?) Landward Face route in perfect weather on possibly one of the best adventure routes in the UK, before collapsing on the beautiful Sandwood Bay beach. Featuring the beautiful walk-in, approach and swim, sandstone sea stack shenanigans, fearsome fulmers, eye-popping exposure plus some aerial drone footage then this is the story of our day:
[ Click to View YouTube Video]
All constructive feedback welcome, please feel free to share to anyone who may be interested and hopefully it will brighten up your lunch or tea break with a vicarious trip up one of Scotland's finest! 😊
Happy Climbing!
Dave
Bald Eagle
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About the Author
Bald Eagle is a trad climber from the UK who likes to boldly go where quite a few people have been before... :-) |
Comments
Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Apr 23, 2018 - 07:05am PT
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WEE OH!Excellent! SO much to see look at the Sea
Another shinning video - thanks as always.
ok, taking you at your word, I hope it wasn't just British, politeness, I posted it to 'Awesome Trad Videos",On Mnt reject(=MP)
After watching it, I went to the bigger 'real art worthy' monitor. I tried to entice 'The ole' girl' to watch with me, knowing your usual treatment.
She resents that not bearing children, my physique, is more intact then hers.
She doesn't climb anymore.
It gives one an objective perspective to have a person who, mostly humors her significant other. ( I want to get a Drone)
We watched the opening, she was lured in, as I knew she would be, & liked all the set up,she said, I asked.
then to my consternation, she said she found it slow.
This is most certainly due to my having forced her to watch the recently released, record setting speed ascent of the nose' video*, that uses highly sped up video to accomplish an amazingly impactful film.
Edit to make clear: Bravo & Three cheers! ! !
Its all about the journey,
As Regnad kcin (Nick Danger backwards, Ole' Firesign aficionado, here) says, it stirs wild enthusiasm, and makes wanting to see sunny British shores a goal to try to realize,
Say Dave, if you feel this pulls away from your art in anyway say boo, and I will remove it.
just in case you haven't seen it:
(*the record speed ascent of the nose)
https://vimeo.com/264661267
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Nick Danger
Ice climber
Arvada, CO
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Apr 23, 2018 - 06:54am PT
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This is just out-freaking-standing! Love your work, just love it.
Bald, after watching your videos I ALWAYS want to come to Britain and climb with you - I even think I could get up the stuff you do.
Here is my constructive comments - Keep doing this. You are really good at it, your videos always inspire and entertain, and watching them brings much joy to the world - seriously, this is just beautiful stuff.
Also, I like your sound tracks.
Cheers, Mate
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i-b-goB
Big Wall climber
Nutty
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Apr 23, 2018 - 07:59am PT
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I "AM" enjoying this, Yeah!
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Apr 23, 2018 - 09:38am PT
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Fantastic work! Always enjoy your projects. Thanks for sharing here.
Scott
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
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Apr 23, 2018 - 09:56am PT
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That looks pretty darn fun. I think a winter ascent is required for full street cred ;)
But seriously, the next person up there should bring a big backpack for hauling out all that tat on top!
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Apr 23, 2018 - 10:14am PT
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Super!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 23, 2018 - 10:27am PT
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Fabulous, as always, David! Why do I recall it being pronounced differently by my Scots friends? You know, sort of a laryngeal eruption with the emphasis on the first syllable? I could be imagining it, too. 🤪
Glad to see you were almost welcomed by the fulmars.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Apr 23, 2018 - 10:35am PT
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Funky, playful and still real. Great stuff!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Apr 23, 2018 - 10:36am PT
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The world is a big place!
Thanks for your efforts, Bald Eagle, at making it feel just a little bit smaller.
And happy holibobs!
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
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Apr 23, 2018 - 03:58pm PT
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Love these videos!! I'm planning on a "Big 3" trip for the summer of 2019. I've wanted to climb those things forever. What do you reckon is the minimum number of days for that trip? I know there would be some travel and rain days. I'd also appreciate any beta on other must do stacks. Cheers!
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perswig
climber
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Apr 23, 2018 - 04:53pm PT
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Outstanding!
Dale
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 24, 2018 - 12:56am PT
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WEE OH!Excellent! SO much to see look at the Sea
Another shinning video - thanks as always.
Hey Gnome thanks as ever for taking the time to post your kind words! No worries that your partner found the vid a bit slow and "yes" I have seen and cannot possibly compete with that amazing time lapse vid of the speed ascent of the Nose! Happy Tuesday to you! :-)
Cheers
Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 24, 2018 - 01:03am PT
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This is just out-freaking-standing! Love your work, just love it.
Bald, after watching your videos I ALWAYS want to come to Britain and climb with you - I even think I could get up the stuff you do.
Here is my constructive comments - Keep doing this. You are really good at it, your videos always inspire and entertain, and watching them brings much joy to the world - seriously, this is just beautiful stuff.
Also, I like your sound tracks.
Cheers, Mate
Aaaw thanks a million Nick you are a true gent and your kind words are muchly appreciated! I'm a bit injured at the mo with a nagging rotator cuff injury, but slowly getting better, but there are a few cool climbing vid plans in the pipeline for this year (another collaboration with Mr Dawes for starters) so watch this space... :-)
Cheers
Baldy
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 24, 2018 - 01:06am PT
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Fantastic work! Always enjoy your projects. Thanks for sharing here.
Heya Scott, Jim, i-d-goB, Nut Again and guido thanks once again for taking the time to post and I'm delighted you enjoyed my wee video!
Happy Climbing to you all! :-)
Cheers
Dave
Ps I must get to work so will pop by later to respond to some other comments!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 24, 2018 - 08:35am PT
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I second the sound track kudo. I meant to comment on it in my first post, but forgot. 😐 Most vids I turn down, or off, the sound because they are usually so annoying, at best. I find myself actually paying attention to Baldy’s. 😊
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newport
Sport climber
UK
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Apr 24, 2018 - 09:15am PT
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Another excellent video, thanks Dave! How do you always manage to make the sun shine in your videos?
Also, in reply to "On the edge...", and not wanting to pre-empt Dave's reply, but it will be a full day for climbing each of the stacks; Stoer and Am Buachaille are both on the mainland, but tidal windows and walk-ins mean you would be hard pushed to do both in a day.
I've guided the Old Man of Hoy for the last few years, and it's a 3 day effort to do it comfortably. ferry over from mainland Orkney to Hoy the previous evening,climb the next day, then ferry back the day after. You could get the morning ferry and climb it that day, but not in time to get the last ferry back. Plus, as one of the most beautiful places in Britain, it's a shame to rush!
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 24, 2018 - 02:23pm PT
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Fabulous, as always, David! Why do I recall it being pronounced differently by my Scots friends? You know, sort of a laryngeal eruption with the emphasis on the first syllable? I could be imagining it, too. 🤪
Glad to see you were almost welcomed by the fulmars.
Yo Reilly thanks a million as ever and regarding pronounciation I suspect there is every chance you are right. Living a loooong way south of Hadrian's Wall, Gaelic has never been my strongest point!
As for those fearsome fulmars, I think I was about to be puked upon by that little fluffer I briefly filmed. As I was filming my feathered friend it started to regurgitate whilst making a few strangled retching noises so I decided to make a hasty retreat upwards... :-) Cheers Baldy
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 24, 2018 - 02:28pm PT
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The world is a big place!
Thanks for your efforts, Bald Eagle, at making it feel just a little bit smaller.
And happy holibobs!
Howdy Marlow and Tarbuster and I really appreciate your appreciation! And a very happy holibobs to you both! :-) Cheers Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 24, 2018 - 02:46pm PT
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Apr 23, 2018 - 03:58pm PT
Love these videos!! I'm planning on a "Big 3" trip for the summer of 2019. I've wanted to climb those things forever. What do you reckon is the minimum number of days for that trip? I know there would be some travel and rain days. I'd also appreciate any beta on other must do stacks. Cheers!
Aaw thanks ontheedge and muchly appreciated. Good luck with the Big 3 and a mate of mine was very, very lucky and turned them around in 4 days with 1 day each for Stoer + Am Buachaille and a couple of days for Hoy with the ferry. However Newport has some very good advice and I would personally plan for at least a week to mop up all 3 and pray to the weather god's to smile kindly upon you. In case you have not seen it here is a wee vid I made of the Old Man of Stoer:
https://youtu.be/btBQeb-swTI
And the Castle of Yesnaby sea stack on Orkney looks amazing and definitely is on my list of exciting climbs to film maybe this year... :-)
Cheers Dave
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moacman
Trad climber
Montuckyian Via Canada Eh!
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Apr 24, 2018 - 02:56pm PT
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Hey Dave. As per usual a great vid. I do believe your dialing in your artistic craft. Thanks again for sharing it with us. Cheers.
Stevo
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skywalker1
Trad climber
co
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Apr 24, 2018 - 05:50pm PT
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That was great! Thanks! It brings to light or makes me think of that gentleman...who was it...anyway he called his slung hexes "gull whackers" hahaha. Anyway thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
S...
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
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Apr 24, 2018 - 10:19pm PT
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Thanks Newport and Bald Eagle, I definitely won’t rush, I was just trying to get a general sense of how long it takes to have a reasonable chance of climbing all three. We will have at least a full week. The settings look amazing...
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 25, 2018 - 01:16am PT
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I second the sound track kudo. I meant to comment on it in my first post, but forgot. 😐 Most vids I turn down, or off, the sound because they are usually so annoying, at best. I find myself actually paying attention to Baldy’s. 😊
Many thanks Dale + Reilly again for your positive vibes. Music is obviously a very personal thing so I try to choose a soundtrack which compliments the images. Normally this tends to be a relaxing, ambient song as I think we all try to be calm and relaxed when climbing, when things go well that is! In my opinion there is nothing worse on a climbing vid than a banging "to the max" soundtrack which is how I imagine a migraine would sound like... ;-) Cheers Baldy
PS Reilly for President!
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 25, 2018 - 01:23am PT
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Unfortunately, youtube is blocked where I am.
Did you experience the obligatory barfing birds, the fulmars?
Sorry to hear that Randisi and hope you get to view the vid sometime. In the meantime have an aerial image of the stack!
And yep there were plenty of fearsome fulmars but fortunately none of us got barfed upon! However I came pretty close when quickly filming a chick (see pitch 3 of the vid) whilst passing by it's nest to a fulmar "exorcist" attack... :-) Cheers Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 25, 2018 - 01:32am PT
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Another excellent video, thanks Dave! How do you always manage to make the sun shine in your videos?
Ha ha many thanks newport I sold my soul to the devil years ago! Seriously I normally have a 2 week summer trip to Scotty every year so it's just a case of waiting (sometimes a long time!) for a prime weather window and then mobilising the troops. Of the Big 3 I just have Hoy left to climb and film (maybe this summer if my rotator cuff improves enough) and I really, really also want to film the Castle of Yesnaby whilst in that neck of the woods as it looks a freakin'ace adventure!
https://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=296255
I see from your profile pic that you have obviously done it (very jealous) so any advice regarding tyroleans etc would be muchly appreciated... :-) Cheers Dave
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newport
Sport climber
UK
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Apr 25, 2018 - 08:26am PT
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Well Dave, I heard that the tyrolean thread snapped on someone! I dont think there was a serious accident but a dunking followed (age-related recall powers caution).
Anyway, we swam out to the Castle of yesnaby, not too bad- I think to get the full tick (as for Am Buachaille) you need to do this without a wetsuit! Enjoy your visit, and if you are feeling up to the swim, North gaulton Castle is an even more impressive stack a bit further down the coast.
Edit- just realised I have put a photo up of North gaulton Castle on Supertopo at some time in the past:
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moacman
Trad climber
Montuckyian Via Canada Eh!
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Apr 25, 2018 - 08:27pm PT
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Bump for Stacks...............
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 26, 2018 - 01:06am PT
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Hey Dave. As per usual a great vid. I do believe your dialing in your artistic craft. Thanks again for sharing it with us. Cheers.
Heya stevo and many thanks for your kind feedback and I really appreciate your appreciation! Happy climbing to you! :-) Cheers Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 26, 2018 - 01:10am PT
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That was great! Thanks! It brings to light or makes me think of that gentleman...who was it...anyway he called his slung hexes "gull whackers" hahaha. Anyway thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
Aaaw a big, fat cheers to you Mr Skywalker! Is your first name Luke perchance? ;-) Anyway I'm not sure who you are referring to but it would not surprise me if it was one of the Brit legends such as Tom Patey, Joe Brown or Don Whillans? I suspect someone more knowledgeable will be along soon with the answer... :-)
Happy Skywalking! Dave
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Apr 26, 2018 - 05:03am PT
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brought a tear to my eye ... my parents totally blew it. i was spozed to be british, or whatever
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 27, 2018 - 01:33am PT
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Thanks Newport and Bald Eagle, I definitely won’t rush, I was just trying to get a general sense of how long it takes to have a reasonable chance of climbing all three. We will have at least a full week. The settings look amazing...
No worries ontheedge and I hope you have a successful trip. Post on here and let us know how you get on! :-) Cheers Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 27, 2018 - 01:38am PT
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Well Dave, I heard that the tyrolean thread snapped on someone! I dont think there was a serious accident but a dunking followed (age-related recall powers caution).
Anyway, we swam out to the Castle of yesnaby, not too bad- I think to get the full tick (as for Am Buachaille) you need to do this without a wetsuit! Enjoy your visit, and if you are feeling up to the swim, North gaulton Castle is an even more impressive stack a bit further down the coast.
Edit- just realised I have put a photo up of North gaulton Castle on Supertopo at some time in the past:
Sheesh glad to hear there was only a dunking as that could have been super serious! I'm pretty keen to use a Tyrolean, especially for filming purpose!) and the Edwards father + son team rigged up a very nifty tyrolean decades ago on this You Tube vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPUVOUgQRwY
All I need is a willing victim to take on the "Swim of Doom"... ;-) Cheers Dave
PS North Gaulton does look very good also!
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Apr 27, 2018 - 03:43am PT
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Wonderful stuff Dave,
Well edited, the camera angles are great.
You have a fantastic community there!
Thank you.
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newport
Sport climber
UK
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Apr 27, 2018 - 07:36am PT
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A bit more looking, and it appears that the person who had the tyrolean snap on them suffered concussion. Nowadays this is taken seriously; back when I (and most supertopoans)started climbing, this would have been just an average day out!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 27, 2018 - 11:13am PT
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Sweet! I can see why they’re referred to as “stacks.” Pull out the keystone and down it comes like a house of cards. I’d love to do it if I could bring my pack raft and be ensured of shirtless Scottish weather...not!
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 28, 2018 - 12:23am PT
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Got to see it at work during lunchtime today (international companies are allowed to have offshore servers).
An enjoyable Scottist break.
Does the plinth get covered by the tide? I imagine you have to time all this according to the tidetable
Hey Randisi glad you finally got to watch the vid and yes the stack is very tidal dependant. You have probably a maximum of 3 hours either side of low tide to commit to the "swim of doom" or else it would be too dangerous I suspect. The guys and I swam over about 2 hours before low and it was pretty rough with a fair bit of swell! However the climb was reasonably quick and our return swim, not much more than an hour after low, was lovely and calm so happy days! :-) Cheers Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 28, 2018 - 12:25am PT
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brought a tear to my eye ... my parents totally blew it. i was spozed to be british, or whatever
Erm thanks hooblie I think! :-) Cheers Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 28, 2018 - 12:32am PT
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Wonderful stuff Dave,
Well edited, the camera angles are great.
You have a fantastic community there!
Thank you.
Aaw thanks for your kind words Ezra as it makes those long hours of editing all worthwhile! Yeah I'm very lucky to climb with my friends Henry and Paul as they have oodles of experience, are crazier than a pair of coconuts and are a whole lotta fun to spend a day dangling around with... :-) Cheers Dave
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 29, 2018 - 12:13am PT
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Apr 27, 2018 - 11:13am PT
Sweet! I can see why they’re referred to as “stacks.” Pull out the keystone and down it comes like a house of cards. I’d love to do it if I could bring my pack raft and be ensured of shirtless Scottish weather...not!
Thanks donini and that's why you've got to climb these Jenga stacks asap before they all fall down! Ironically we took along my £12.99 Amazon dinghy, the HMS Bellend, but decided against it due to H&S reasons and chose the swim of doom instead... :-) Cheers Dave
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newport
Sport climber
UK
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Apr 29, 2018 - 01:06am PT
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My final comment- I don't want to hijack Dave's thread- but to echo the sense of urgency about climbing these things whilst they are still standing, here are a couple of "compare and contrast" pictures of the Old Man of Hoy- spot the difference![photoid=529103]
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Tom Patterson
Trad climber
Seattle
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Apr 29, 2018 - 06:57am PT
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Bald Eagle - thanks so much for bringing us along! What a fantastic video...one that captures the "fun" of climbing with friends, versus the ticking off of the next highest grade (not that those don't have their place, too). I felt like it captured beautifully the basic lure of why so many of us began climbing in the first place.
Keep doing what you do!
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Bald Eagle
Trad climber
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Author's Reply
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Apr 30, 2018 - 01:19am PT
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My final comment- I don't want to hijack Dave's thread- but to echo the sense of urgency about climbing these things whilst they are still standing, here are a couple of "compare and contrast" pictures of the Old Man of Hoy- spot the difference |
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