Book Review

A'Chreag Dhearg: Climbing Stories of the Angus Glens

Compiled by Grant Farquhar

ISBN: 978-1-907233-40-1 (2021, published by Scottish Mountaineering Press)

George Allan

Grant Farquhar, whose recent NEMT lecture described his climbing journey from Clova to the sea cliffs of Bermuda, of all places, has garnered a wide range of articles and photos, which, when taken together, provide an informal account of mountaineering in the Glens. Simon Richardson has described Clova as the 'Cinderella of Scottish Climbing' and Grant has done a service by adding to the history books.

There is very good rock climbing on the Red Craigs but it's no better than on many other outcrops and the winter routes in the area are enjoyable but often escapable. Why is it then that many fall in love with the Glens? As someone who was first bewitched nearly sixty years ago, I hoped this book would provide an answer.

The book starts with pieces about life in the area as the climbers first arrived, including the access battle surrounding Jock's Road which brings to mind the feudal attitudes still at play on the north side of Glen Lyon. Visits to Clova by early SMC stalwarts, including Munro and Raeburn, lead to the exploits of JHB Bell, the Carn Dearg Club and characters such as Davie Glen and Syd Scroggie. Patey makes a brief appearance and, of course, Jimmy Marshall bags Look C, which would be a classic anywhere. The likes of Doug Lang and Ged Reilly then arrive to push things forward.

The middle section is a series of essays describing the antics of Grant and his compatriots, such as Graeme Ettle and Simon Stewart: the eighties generation. This Dundee based splinter group accounted for numerous new routes on the Red Craigs and a jump in standards. There are some exciting and well written pieces by now middle aged men looking back with wit, and wistfulness, at their halcyon days. There are, however, a few too many tales of adrenaline and alcohol fuel teenagers risking life and limb on hard routes climbed by torch light! Judicious pruning would have allowed space for more about Glen Esk, where there is surely further winter exploration to come, and Isla, Cinderella's baby sister, where there is fun to be had on snow and ice. The final essays cover the remarkable renaissance of winter climbing in the Glens over the past decade spearheaded by Forrest Templeton, Henning Wackerhage and Simon Richardson.

It's a book for climbers, so is there anything in it for a broader audience? Anyone who knows the Glens will enjoy dipping into it to read the cultural and historical anecdotes and to try to figure out why tying onto a rope is so attractive to some, although hill walkers probably won't want to buy it.

As to my question as to why I, and obviously so many others, find the Glens so appealing- I'm not sure any book could fully answer this but then there's no accounting for love!

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