Comb Gully (IV), Ben Nevis

Skived work today to go climbing. We headed up last night to Fort William and camped in the North Face car park. Up at 5.30, walking by 6.30, at the CIC Hut by about eight.

We were heading to Comb Gully which is a fairly short climb, but really high up, so the approach climb took a long time, walking and then front-pointing up the gradually steepening bowl of Coire Na Ciste. Conditions were pretty much perfect so we soloed the first pitch but then had an awkward stance to sort ourselves out before the climbing proper. I took the short and easy first and final pitches, while Neil had the longer steeper middle pitch. I wasn't too upset about that as it was my first climbing day of the season and I was feeling it - a bit nervy, a bit weak, and pains in my arms from overuse of the wallpaper stripper on Sunday! I was really feeling the exposure until we started pitching, but once I had other things to think about, like finding gear and good solid placements, I started to enjoy it.

The climbing was fun, conditions great, protection there when we needed it, and we topped out into sunshine on the summit plateau at about 1pm. Neil was keen for another route by I was knackered, so we started the long descent down No 4 gully, down the Coire, back to the hut and eventually back to the car via the brand-spanking and much improved new path.

(Have loads more pictures, but too tired to edit tonight so I'll put up a link to some more tomorrow)

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