Culduie Bouldering Applecross Scotland
V2
Valley of the kings
CULDUIE AREA MAP Applecross Peninsula
1 Kilometre
Shieldaig
Applecross Peninsula
Mod Cave & Brea Boulders
North
Applecross Culduie
Kishorn
Toscaig
Applecross
Shore Boulders
Culduie
Low Roof
Sarcophagus
K he
V1
Opposite Wall
Top Wall
ft yo lle Va
Sphinx Boulder
V2
Ard-dhubh
Meall Gorm
gs in
Crypt
Toscaig
Culduie - Opposite Wall Approach; After the bridge and the Ard-Dhubh turning, continue towards Toscaig. After 200m, the road swings slightly left, up a small hill. Where the road straightens again there is a large passing place on the left which should easily accommodate a car and still leave space for passers-by. Up to the right there is a roadside terrace. The "Opposite-Wall" is the next one behind this, mostly in the trees. Various problems have been done here, including a low traverse at the left-hand end, and some fairly easy up-problems. There are several good-looking small roofs which are plagued by puddles and permanent seepage. However, towards the right-hand end where the trees clear, there is one good problem worthy of note. 7a SS under a low roof. Use the crack which runs diagonally through the roof. Big moves on small holds eventually lead to an enormous jug.
V1
Opposite Wall
Culduie – Slochd na Beinne The Culdie area is scattered with small terraces and free standing blocks. The rock is a superb super-fine grained Torridonian Sandstone which is easy on the skin. Just south of Culduie there is a fissure, called Slochd na Beinn, named by one of the locals the Valley-of-the-Kings. the scope for development here spreads all the way along the hill. The rock is old and weathered, so caution is required in places. Before Pulling on any problems it may be worth testing to see how hollow the rock sounds. This is especially so on the wall problems where the erosive patterns seem to create hollow flakes, but all the problems that are recorded here were done are on sound rock, especially the free standing boulders of the Sphinx and Sarcophagus. Approach Culduie is 3 miles south of Applecross village. Drive through Culdie and carry on for another half mile and park just before a bridge. Walk SE towards the entrance of the valley, and the Sphinx boulder will come into site, it is an obvious free standing rock 100m before the valley. The majority of the bouldering is on the left hand side of the valley. From the Sphinx, cross the wall, then head up the left flank to arrive on the terrace above the large crag. Once on the terrace, turn right and head up the hill parallel to the valley below for 500m. Where the hill plateaus out, swing leftwards so that the valley is behind you, and a south facing wall appears. Problems are described left to right:
Nic Ward on Snoddy Caught a Prawn
Alister McGregor on Egypt Himself
Hanging the sloping rail
Alister McGregor - workng Nic’s Follow Through