East Face Route (E1 5B, 130m), The Old Man Of Hoy. Hoy, Orkneys

 

The island of Hoy is a mission to get to if you live in the south on England. Not only being at the absolute northern tip of the UK not one but two ferries are required. However the most iconic summit in the British Isles is situated there and Pilar and I had no option but to climb it (obviously).


Having a week to play with we were confident that we would get the weather window. That said, the forecast on the Sunday was pretty decent so leaving Berkshire at 5.30pm Friday evening we made it our mission to get the job done then.
Me and the Red Arrow awaiting the ferry at Thurso

 It was a surprisingly stress free journey….

Maidenhead to Carlisle where we van-bivvied. Then Carlisle to Scrabster where we caught the 7pm ferry to Stromness. Bivvying in the Red Arrow on Orkney we then catch the 9am ferry to Hoy on Sunday. Wasting no time we drive to Rackwick bay and walked in.

From the ferry over

 

Gloomy weather on the walk in
 

After 30 minutes or so the Old Man looms up in front. Its windy and cold and the whole thing now looks much less inviting than it did when looking at pictures. 

The first challenge is the cliff descent. Accidentally forgetting the walking poles and with the long journey now catching up with us this felt like a real ordeal. Steep, exposed and grassy, we slowly pick our way down which feels like an age. 



 

Sketchy

 

A long way to go!

 

Our objective


Pitch one is an easy ramp up to the nest.

 

Pilar starts us off

 

Us on the Nest

 I take pitch two – a sandy traverse takes the you into a wide steep chimney (aka The Coffin). I shuffle up this placing large cams until it’s time to pull out onto the face. This now felt really hard! With Pilar 20 meters below and out of sight and earshot I desperately place a huge no5 Camelot and grovel round to easier ground. I plough on up the crack reaching the belay – Crux done!

 

Sandy traverse

 

Moving up to the Coffin

 

Me in the Coffin

 Pilar sets out on Pitch 3. This is steady climbing, however its dirty and sandy and what’s more, there are nesting Fulmars everywhere. Suddenly she yells as a Fulmar vomits fish oil straight in her face! Undeterred by the fishy goo she is now soaked in she cautiously continues to the belay. A stellar effort.

Pitch 3 - Courtesy of walkers

 I take Pitch four. This is climbing of a similar standard and I try to climb as cautiously as possible. Its sandy, there isn’t much protection and Fulmars are vomiting at me now too. 

The final corner pitch is good quality. And we bridge and layback this clean corner to the top.

Puffins are everywhere, we are out of the shade now and in the sun, and we sit and have lunch whilst walkers take our photograph from the mainland. A brilliant moment.

Tired!

Residents

The line of decent is down the climbing route and we descend in four abseils. This finishes with an exhilarating 55m free hanging abseil back to the boulders - really wild!

Pilar setting off

The final abseil

Slogging back up the cliff actually felt easy as high on adrenaline and chatting about the route we forgot about the steep exposure completely.

We chilled in Rackwick bay the next day. A beautiful setting with bothy (closed due to COVID) and pebble beach. No other climbers in the area apart from some climbing hard-nuts working a 500meter E9 on St Johns head nearby. 

3.30 am light

 
Georgeuos Rackwick

We worked our way south from Hoy, sticking to the east of Scotland to avoid the poor weather in the west. Climbing at the amazing sea cliffs of Sarclet was one of the highlights. These cliffs are wild and remote and are made up of some amazing conglomerate rock which is some of the best I have ever climbed on. Routes like Sarclet Pimpernel (E1, 30m) and Groove Armada (HVS, 30m) were pristine. Abseiling into a tidal ledge with large rock architecture and seals – a real sea cliff atmosphere 

 

Pilar abbing in to Pimpernel

 

Pilar cruising Groove Armada

 


 
Me looking down midway on Silver Serfer

We parked/bivvied in a remote location with just an old war grave and abandoned farm buildings around. A friendly farmer came by to chat. 

Beautiful Sarclet

  

Further south we cragged at the convenient Creag Dubh (brilliant), and Polney (also very good) before slogging back down south. 

Me getting chili on a ledge

 
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