I first saw this boulder field in the winter of 2002, driving past on my way for a snowy walk on Ben Lawers. Bad map reading from an old book had me on the Glasgow road to Killin instead of the Lock Lomond road, which in turn took me right past a place which I would otherwise have never had seen.
Looking up from the roadside the Glen Ogle boulders look like a far off jumble. However a month later on inspection I found there to be labyrinth of good problems on really good quality Mica-Shiest, a rock which I have never been fond of but have now a new respect for. To be fair the furthest away boulders are still only a 15 minute hike.
The first day I trudged round in the rain in the Hill Side Boulders, trying to find a few lines that really stood out to give me a feel for the area. That’s when I first saw Zorro, a line of crimps traversing out of a cave before moving onto perfect slopers, it was so beautiful that a few days later I returned to try my luck. As heavy clouds swept overhead my stereo played away trying to keep me warm. The desire to finish the problem left me shaking with excitement and fear, one of those: fear of the fear of failure moments.
After about 2 hours of piecing it together I linked the crimps and made the rail. Then cold numb hands carried me along the sloper to a sapping mantle, I think at that point I might have been screaming, more than likely as I was mega pumped. When I pulled over I was ecstatic, the kind of ecstatic where you find your self doing a dance and jumping up and down all mixed in together. Once I had pulled on my jacket and gotten an energy bar I just sat admiring the line. That’s when I decided not to grade it, because why say how hard it is. What difference to a line does it really make putting a grade on it?
I mean I could understand putting a grade on a route, which could be dangerous for novices but a boulder problem I didn’t really see a reason. No one is in danger and I really feel that grades limit personal ability as well as detracting from a line. Through personal experience and watching others I have seen grade hunting becoming more important than the line. I find people asking me ‘what grade is it?’ before ‘Is it a nice line?’
Over the past few years I have heard more than one person advocate the use of grades as a good way to judge how much they are improving but surely improvement is better judged by being able to do the lines you want to do?
In the spirit of my feeling on this subject I decided not to grade any of the problems at Glen Ogle, I hope you don’t either. I have however given everything a name, hopefully taken from some character of line or boulder, or experience I had while trying it. (The truth being I like naming problem because...well it gives me something to think about when I’m not climbing) I have also given marks out of three for how good the line is to try and separate the pure lines from the mess.
Since those first days on the hillside boulders I have climbed at the Archway boulders (so-so) and more recently the Riverside boulders (which are excellent).
Anyway enjoy your time climbing at Glen Ogle and please respect the area. Don’t leave any litter for god sake, its farming land so be respectful. Don’t chip holds, climb lines the way they are or leave them for someone else.
As for new problems be creative there are thousands of undone problems, so get them done and email me a picture please. There is no elitism here, easy problems are just as valuable as harder ones, remember it is all relative.
Glen Ogles a great place for a solo day out just bring a wire brush and a boulder mat. Have fun and enjoy your climbing.
Iain
Glen Ogle 2006
A short trip back to Scotland gave me a chance to stop by and grab some route photos.
All the areas are best reached by parking in a handy space right across the road from the boulders. For easiest access to the Hillside boulders follow the steep farming path onto the Trossics trail then turn right till the cattle grid is crossed The Marker boulder is over the fence to the left.
A: Marker Boulder
2) Astro Boy, start on lay backs and move left along arete to reach a jug. Slap for the top and try not to spin into space!!! (***) (Iain Beveridge)
B: Black Heart Boulder
As you hike up the hill you will see the Black Heart boulder in the middle of the slope. If you go Left you will come to the Forgotten Hero's Boulder and if you go right you will come to the Sentinel Boulder. There a loads of good problems on the Black Heart Boulder but a spotter needed for the top out (which i didn't have so i never did any of them).
I think out of all the boulder problems i have done both in the UK and US Zorro is my favorite. Zorro is located in the cave on the backside of the boulder. A mat is useful to protect your back.
1) Zorro, from far left jug move right across crimps to gain arete. Then move left to top out, no back footing to help mantle! (***) (IB)
2) Sandman Mantle, from underneath lip move up to jug. (**) (IB)
3) Penfold Mantle, over the top! (IB)
2) Sliver, I don’t remember much about this problem except it moves out and left up the face.
The boulder between the Tombstone and Silver Scoop. Nice problems and goodish landings.
2) El Gringo, stay right- move up face. (*) (IB)
3) Quickdraw, using side pulls move onto face and dyno for top hold before taking on a strangely tricky mantle. (**) (IB)
2) Jail Break, stay right of small boulder and move up face on crimps (**) (IB)
2) The Power of One, from layback move up face (***) (Martin Casey)
3) Bed Socks, step up on right foot, smear till jug. (**) (JG)
1) The Fin, S.D.S from slopers on left hand-side. Make sticky move right then across very sharp ground. (*) (IB)
2) Hangman, from a hold under lip hang then pop for lip, finish by mantling. (**) (IB)
2) The Shaman Traverse, start on Native Arete and traverse onto starting holds of the Shaman then finish upwards. (**) (IB)
3) Native Arete, move up arete. (*) (IB)
4) The Axe, move up grove on crimps. (*) (IB)
5) The Arrow, start under the arrow then pull up on side pulls. (**) (IB)
6) Tribal, nice crimps. (**) (IB)
1) Vegimitarian, start in groove and mantle. (**) (IB)
2) All good meal start with Steak, start under shelf to left and traverse right past previous problem. Mantle on next corner (**) (IB)
2) Deception, S.D.S from under arete follow the arete to left crimp and make lung far left to lip. (***) (IB)
3) Sun-kissed, Move up center of face on crimps and smears. (**) (IB)
4) Temptress, (around the back) left hand on crystal side pull and right on small ledge, make sticky move to good hold and move out to left side pull then top. (**) (IB)
D: Tornado Boulder
2) Thinning Air, S.D.S to previous problem. Start under lower boulder and move up to ledge then lung for hidden jug on roof. Move left onto thin air holds and finish. (**) (IB)
E: The Ogre Boulder
1) The Ogre, start on obvious flake to left and move upwards. The top needs cleaning. (**) (IB)
1) Holiday in Cambodia, Start on left facing side pull and move up to sloper then up to crimps and finish on jugs (***) (IB)
1) Forsaken, S.D.S on rail and make long reach right to side pull move up over break to top. (***) (IB)
2) The Maw, S.D.S from broken ledge make long reach straight into groove then right and over the top. (**) (IB)
3) Angel, S.D.S using low pinch and crimp move straight up and over the bulge. (**) (IB)
4) Fallen Angels, S.D.S using same holds as Angel move left and into the groove then top out to left. (***) (IB)
2) Scorched Earth, lying-down-start, from low pinch for right and low ledge for left. Begin by almost doing the splits then move up to Sacred Earth holds, different foot work leads to a bad side pull then same finish as above. (***) (IB)
1) Pandora’s Pocket, S.D.S left hand in pocket pull up and move right to top (*) (IB)
1) Crystal, Stand up. (IB)
2) Fan-o-rama, Small and Easy. (IB)
3) Short timers Arete, from side pull slap for arete then move up. (**) (IB)
4) Short timers S.D.S, from pockets move to left side pull then onto arete. (***) (IB)
5) Penitence, jump for Crimp and Kneel!!! (**) (IB)
6) The Blade, sit down start on jugs then move left to crimps and finish far left of heather (**) (IB)
