walkhighlands

This forum is for general discussion about walking and scrambling... If writing a report or sharing your experiences from a route, please use the other boards.

Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Ben Lui Central Gully in summer


Postby Unconstituted » Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:07 am

Hi all, new around here. Made an account to ask a question about Ben Lui but I've been reading your posts here for a while 8) . There's a direct route straight to the top which I see the winter folk calling 'Central Gully'. I see they grade it as a level 1 and make videos of them scaling it with their fancy axes and crampons.

Any videos of people doing it in summer without rope?

I tried it a couple of weekends ago with the girlfriend, but it was soaking wet and the weather was looking like it was about to totally bucket down, so we bailed around 850m and headed back down before we turned into a statistic :shock:
Unconstituted
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Aug 8, 2014

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby Kevin29035 » Fri Aug 08, 2014 5:40 pm

I haven't done it in either summer or winter, but I can pretty well say it wouldn't be a great idea to do it in summer conditions, it's all steep grass and rubble. I've personally never heard of it being done in summer with or without ropes.

I'm sure it can be done (and no doubt it has) but I wouldn't recommend it.

There are a lot of crags in the Highlands that have winter routes (specifically given grades on the Roman numeral scale) but not summer routes. It's especially common on seepy, vegetated schist. Creag Meagaidh is a stellar example, a place that contains some of the most monumental winter and ice climbing but no summer climbing worth talking about.

Andrew Dempster's 'Classic Mountain Scrambles in Scotland' notes that there is one buttress of rock to the left of Central Gully that gives a (scrambling not winter) Grade 5 route, on a scale of 1 to 5, "even by easiest variations".
User avatar
Kevin29035
 
Posts: 1221
Munros:173   Corbetts:173
Fionas:73   Donalds:17
Sub 2000:92   Hewitts:8
Joined: Sep 13, 2008
Location: Glasgow

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby prog99 » Fri Aug 08, 2014 5:44 pm

Daft as it may seem but I've done it in summer. Not one of our more sensible ideas but it let us escape a large sponsored walk going up the voie normale.My advice would be to forget it.

Heres a picture I took in the hope it puts you off! http://tinyurl.com/m4h2lfp

Its a very nice grade 1 in winter as all the rubble and grass is covered up.
User avatar
prog99
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2022
Fionas:130   
Joined: Aug 14, 2013
Location: Highlands

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby gaffr » Sat Aug 09, 2014 7:50 am

Thanks for the image...in summer....of the upper part of the gully. I have never seen in conditions without snow. :)
Best left for winter conditions I would say. Image is of the area in the winter circa 1968. The image was influenced by an old very fine SMC picture of four folks on the gully exit. On this occasion I nipped over the the exit to get an image of my friend on the upper section.
1Ben%20Lui%20Couloir (425x640).jpg
Exit from the central gully.
User avatar
gaffr
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2258
Munros:281   Corbetts:203
Fionas:33   Donalds:14
Sub 2000:11   Hewitts:25
Wainwrights:11   Islands:17
Joined: Oct 25, 2009
Location: Highland.

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby MunroMadMen » Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:37 am

Cpl of clips on youtube of summer climbs, doing this Monday morning with a few of the guys if you want to tag in m8

G
User avatar
MunroMadMen
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 441
Munros:168   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:1   
Joined: Jun 8, 2014
Location: Cumbernauld

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby Unconstituted » Sat Aug 09, 2014 2:43 pm

I've been trying to reply to all your posts and adding in pictures I took on the way up but forum won't let me yet (says I'm not established). Will reply properly when I get my post count up :shock:


MunroMadMen wrote:Cpl of clips on youtube of summer climbs, doing this Monday morning with a few of the guys if you want to tag in m8

G


Cheers! I'd love to and could make it, but the missus really wants in as well and can't make it until Saturday (so we're goin then). Get some pics if you can 8)
Unconstituted
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Aug 8, 2014

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby doggy » Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:39 pm

doggy
 
Posts: 354
Munros:96   Corbetts:1
Sub 2000:2   
Joined: Feb 16, 2014

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby doggy » Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:43 pm

heres a wee boy doing it

doggy
 
Posts: 354
Munros:96   Corbetts:1
Sub 2000:2   
Joined: Feb 16, 2014

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby doggy » Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:48 pm

doggy
 
Posts: 354
Munros:96   Corbetts:1
Sub 2000:2   
Joined: Feb 16, 2014

Re: Ben Lui Central Gully in summer

Postby prog99 » Sun Aug 10, 2014 11:31 am

Some interesting rope work going on in that last one.
User avatar
prog99
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2022
Fionas:130   
Joined: Aug 14, 2013
Location: Highlands




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to General discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests