SCi Miniguides

Climbing guides to Shetland’s most popular crags

SCi

Promoting climbing in Shetland

Crag Map

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Versions & Updates Introduction Shetland Climbing Miniguides are a collection of small functional guides to some of the best and most popular crags around Shetland. We’ve updated the design and layout from the original miniguides (2007) and organised the guides into a book, which can easily be updated by swapping out old guides for new, or even writing updates on the pages yourself.

Funds from the guides will go to the running costs of ShetlandClimbing.info and any remaining will be used to develop The Virdans Quarry sport crag. We hope you enjoy using these guides and very soon we will be in a position to create a proper, long awaited dedicated guidebook for climbing in Shetland.

For much more information including first ascent detail, bouldering, sea stacks and dozens more trad crags, check out the database at www.shetlandclimbing.info where you’ll also find articles, videos and the latest developments.

Updates If you bought these guides from the website, you will be signed up to a mailing list and notified whenever a new crag is added or a new version is available and what changes have been made.

You can download new versions for FREE and print them yourself, or we will print and post them to you for a small fee. Miniguides to new crags will cost a small amount to download.

If you bought the guides elsewhere, register for updates by sending us your details via the SCi website.

Current Versions Current Version 1 1 1

Release Date April 2013 April 2013 April 2013

Eshaness Lighthouse

1

April 2013

Grind of the Navir

1

April 2013

Lunning Nibon

1 1

April 2013 April 2013

Raasmi

1

April 2013

Ronas Hill

1

April 2013

Ronas Voe

1

April 2013

South Gill

1

April 2013

Crag Bannaminn Black Crag Culswick

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Changelog First Version First Version First Version Updated and redesigned from previous Climb Shetland Miniguides. 20+ new routes added.

Updated and redesigned from previous Climb Shetland Miniguides. 8 new routes added.

First Version First Version Updated and redesigned from previous Climb Shetland Miniguides. No new routes.

Updated and redesigned from previous Climb Shetland Miniguides. No new routes.

Updated and redesigned from previous Climb Shetland Miniguides. No new routes.

First Version

Culswick Description

Crag Info

The north wall is a fine craggers crag of varying quality granite and the south wall is massive, nails and possibly sandy and loose at the top. Route heights range from 10 to 45m. The north wall can be lethal under foot when damp the south wall is always lethal!

Grid Ref Approach Rock Type Tidal?

Aspect No. Routes

Access

HU 256 444 20 mins Granite No South West

Drive to the Culswick Methodist Kirk, then walk the track to the 8 broch, the crag is 200m south of the broch. There are some boulders on the skyline that mark the top of the crag, clearly visible as you walk down the track.

Map

Development There is quite a lot of development potential in this area. The crag listed here is the most obvious and easily accessible. Walls to the south are larger (up to 45m) and may offer some excellent routes.

All details are hoped to be correct but not guaranteed! If you spot an error, or want to add new routes, please go to www.shetlandclimbing.info , log in and edit this crag directly. If you think you can improve this guide with photo topos etc, please do so and send them over! Thanks.

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Culswick The Routes

1 The Culswickian 20m E1 5c ** Climb the shallow corner to a small capping roof, move through this awkwardly then climb the obvious corner to a difficult finish.

2 Sotersta Crack 10m HVS 5b ** From the left edge of the upper platform, climb the obvious left trending crack into a small corner rear the top.

3 Shudden Crack 12m Severe ** Right of Sotersta Crack is another obvious left trending crack, very enjoyable with only the centre bulge causing any resistance.

4 The Burga 12m Severe From the start of Shudden Crack, climb the crack directly above.

5 Chisel Tips 12m Severe Start as for the previous 2 routes and climb rightwards following the undercut crack to an easier finish.

6 The Nev 12m E1 5b * The ArĂŞte has gear just below half height and after a couple of awkward moves romp to the top.

7 Swabwall 12m E3 6a ** Climb the low wall to gear below the upper steep crack, then power through to a difficult finish.

8 Escape or Descent 12m Mod As the name suggests.

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Lunning Description

Crag Info

A series of short sea cliffs of gneiss up to 20m and some interesting inland outcrops. On the sea cliffs, routes are generally well protected and abseil access is best for most.

These can be tricky to find and so it's worth taking a map or GPS.

Grid Ref Approach Rock Type Tidal?

Aspect No. Routes

The inland crags are great fun and up to 12m high, but generally poorly protected and better for soloing. Most are slabs with small holds. Although many of the crags and sea cliffs look very easy, the rock often doesn't give you much back and routes are more interesting than they look.

HU 502 676 10 mins Gneiss No North East 10 +

Access Driving north from Lerwick take the B9071 to Vidlin and beyond the village take a right turn signposted to Lunning. Follow the road to the end, but park just before a track turning left to a croft. Walk down the track, pass in front of the house and walk NNW towards the sea cliff crags.

This route avoids the boggiest ground and passes through many of the inland crags on route.

Map

All details are hoped to be correct but not guaranteed! If you spot an error, or want to add new routes, please go to www.shetlandclimbing.info , log in and edit this crag directly. If you think you can improve this guide with photo topos etc, please do so and send them over! Thanks.

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Lunning The Routes SCOTCH ROCK

HU 502 670. 120m due north of the croft house. A lovely looking wall with a real Scottish crag feel with heather growing on it etc. A bit small to take itself too seriously, and on closer inspection, a mid-height break on the left spoils what would otherwise be great routes. Still, worth it for an hour or so. Routes are thin on gear and belays at the top are tricky so just man up and solo them! No routes recorded.

EAST WALL Unknown gridref - please update with an accurate GPS reading next time you go!

Approaching from the east along the coast, this is the first wall that has been climbed accessible at mid to low tide. Sloping slab with a right facing V-groove on the left.

Into The Groove MS 15m Difficult moves up to the V-groove then easier climbing to the top.

New Computer E1 5b * Pull onto the hanging wall right of the V shaped groove. Pull through this and climb the wall above.

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Lunning LONGA GEO HU 502 676. A small geo with a black wall criss-crossed with cracks to the south and slabs on the north sides. Accessible at most tides with the north routes accessible by scramble, others by abseil. There is potential for other routes around this geo. Routes described south to north.

South Wall:

Project ~E3. North of the arête is a tricky looking number, attempted but not yet climbed.

1 Rolling Arête 10m VD Climb the arête - lots of variants possible.

2 Hidden Corner 10m VD * The left facing corner on the left of the left hand wall. The only vertical feature on the wall!

3 Rising Crack 15m Severe * Just right of Hidden Crack on the left wall. Climb the right rising crack.

4 Lunning Corner 20m VS 4b The black corner that splits the two walls.

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Lunning North wall:

5 Stinging Roof 12m VS 5a Climb the thin crack to a ledge, then continue up on the tricky slab.

6 Six Foot Wasp 12m Severe 4a Climb the crack in the middle of the wall to a ledge, then make an awkward move to gain the upper layback crack.

7 Bumblin' Bees 10m VD Climb the slab and thin cracks on the right. Trickier than it might appear, but still easy!

Just north of this geo is another wall (north facing). There appears to be some reasonable routes here too, not recorded yet. Further north still, there will no doubt be other routes worth climbing here and there.

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