SCRAMBLING FOR BEGINNERS
What is scrambling, and how can you get started safely? Mountaineering Scotland Safety Advisor, mountaineering instructor and The Great Outdoors gear reviewer Kirsty Pallas explains all…
SCRAMBLING describes using your hands and feet to ascend a rocky step, or several steps. This could be as part of a hillwalk, up a buttress, or quite often a ridge between summits or up to a summit. It defines the grey area between hillwalking and rock climbing, where additional skills are required, but not necessarily all the safety precautions that rock climbing provides.
How difficult is it?
Scrambling has grades that are used to describe how hard a certain route might be. These grades take into account the difficulty and technicality of specific sections, the length of scrambling terrain, the exposure, and the potential consequence of a slip. Using the grades can help you pick something suitable to your skill and comfort level, as well as allow you to gauge when you might be ready to try something harder.
Grade 1
A short or escapable section that requires the use of hands to ascend a small step. This often feels like an exposed hillwalk and is regularly soloed (no use of ropes or additional equipment). Classic examples include Carn Mor Dearg Arête on Ben Nevis, Crib Goch on Snowdon and Sharp Edge on Blencathra.
Grade 2
A longer scramble that requires more time using your hands to climb up. Less escapability and increased exposure mean it’s not somewhere you would want to slip. Some people may prefer to be roped up for protection against a slip or to increase confidence on this ground. Routes like Bristly Ridge on Glyder Fach, the Aonach Eagach ridge, and the Forcan Ridge on The Saddle are all Grade 2.
Grade 3
Routes of this grade are sometimes also given a ‘Moderate’ climbing grade, which is the easiest climbing grade. This demonstrates that some climbing skills may be required on this terrain, and that having the skills to use ropes is advised.
The scrambling is more technical, with potentially short climbing pitches, and could be very exposed, with a slip being fatal. Well-known routes of this grade include Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag and Curved Ridge on Buachaille Etive
