Out on Sunday with Nettle. Continuing the theme of rarely in condition low level ice falls, we started on Eagle Falls, Ben Glas (probably better known as the Inverarnan Falls). We started just above the farm and followed the gorge as much as possible to reach the main falls. The gorge has lots of short falls and some amazing ice forming on the side walls, however real care is required with the plunge pools, which were thinly iced in places, Nettle taking a paddle at one point. There are sensible diversions via turfy side walls. The main falls are well frozen and wide (at one point there were 4 ropes on the main falls with plenty of space in between). There’s a column forming at the top, which would give a great short pitch of 5 ish, but seemed too brittle on Sunday.
We then went in search of Eas Ruaridh. The guidebook describes it as on the Dubh Eas burn. However, I think it it’s actually in Coire Ordren on the burn which drains down to the Dubh Eas. Anyway, we climbed a fall fitting the description of a 60m grade III in Coire Ordren plus a right hand line of the top pitch up an icey corner and ramp. We also had some fun in the Dubh Eas gorge on the way, the best of which was an excellent 15m grade III step where the Coire Ordren burn meets the Dubh Eas at GR 314204.
