Wilderness Gully

After a week of watching updates on UKC and following the forecast I managed to get up to Dovestones to try Wilderness Gully. The problem with WG is that when its in condition the roads are usually too bad to actually get near it. A bit of snow followed by a week or so of below zero tempertures meant that it was iced up but still possible to get there.

The forecast for Sunday was for the temperature to rise to 6c but it was below freezing up to Saturday night so that meant an early start. We met in the car park at 9am, not really an early start by Scottish winter standards but it was too early for the butty van that is usually in the car park! We set off with a brisk walk up the track and as we turned the corner we could see both of the Gullies (East and West) were in condition. West gully was only iced up from half way but East gully was covered in ice right from the bottom.

We set off up the thick ice of Wilderness East, each short pitch needing concentration but easy enough to solo. As we neared the top the ice was noticably softer and begining to melt. underneath each pitch was a pile of debris and the route had obviously seen a lot of traffic. The last step required some desperate axe bashing to get a good placement with great big sheets of ice levering off the rock from many of the attempted whacks. Eventually we reached the top, water was pouring down under the ice and we ruled out a return to the bottom for the West gully.

we quickly walked back to the car park as the clag decended further down the hill side. I was back home by 1.30pm - you dont get that kind of civillised time with Scottish winter either!