Birthday Groove/Virgo, 8th May
Birthday Groove is on the South Buttress of Blaven; The sun didn’t shine on us but Antoni and I enjoyed another classic Cuillin rock route.
2 big pitches (70m & 50m) up Birthday Groove gave us some great traditional climbing, largely on dry rock. We’d carried our sacks to avoid a painful descent but I really didn’t fancy the squeezed final pitch so dodged right into the final, and best, pitch of Virgo which takes a parallel fault line.
Antoni made a fine job of leading this sustained long pitch which is distinctly undergraded in the guidebook at Difficult.
We continued to the top for a magnificent view of the Ridge; Antoni’s first view despite having been there 3 times before!
What a difference in just 5 days; here’s Kenny, Gerry & Lou at the Pinn last Friday 3rd May-
