As it turned out, Sean wasn't feeling too good so had to pull out but I met up with Andy all the same. We bumped into Callum outside Tesco who was heading to solo Tower Ridge, we had bikes and he did not so we headed off and aimed for Carn Dearg Buttress via the North Face Car Park. We were having a breather on the path when Callum had managed to catch up with us after taking a bus to Torlundy and it turned out that he had a harness and some rock boots with him so it would have been rude not to invite him along.
I had bagsied the first two pitches as my own and both Andy and Callum were happy to oblige. I got geared up and headed off on Latter's 5a first pitch. Tricky moves off the ground led me up 15m of superb, juggy and well protected climbing. Soon after the boys were sitting next to me on the ledge and I was about to head off onto the second pitch.
This pitch is super intimidating to stand under and it looked wet in the middle section. Great moves up the big open corner went by in a flash before I was faced with a tricky collection of moves on wet holds where things steepen up. I climbed up and moved for a hold but the jugs had just about run out, so I climbed down a bit and thought of my options. There was a fixed purple Camalot just level with the tricky moves so I aimed for that and managed to clip it and then found an incredible finger jam in the crack above it which I could move up on and reach the jugs above. I shouted and roared a bit after I made that move, I was so psyched to have made it through the hardest bit and then romped away to the belay. I ran out of quickdraws because it was so well protected, quite simply the best pitch of rock I've ever climbed in the mountains.
Sitting belaying Andy and Callum looking down the second pitch, I couldn't help but sit and smile at the fact I was finally there and climbing a route like Centurion.
Callum headed off on the third pitch and was gone and done in no time. I got the fourth 4c pitch and it was great climbing along the flakes with little for the feet. I got a bit confused here and ended up climbing way past the block belay which resulted in me having to down climb to regain the block belay a fair bit but it was never difficult. One more long rope length took us to the base of the last 5a pitch which I had nabbed as well. Heading over toward this pitch was intimidating but it turned out the gear was incredible and the holds were once again mega, soft for 5a I thought!
Callum dispatched the last pitch in fine style and soon after we were all sitting on the descent ledge proper buzzing! All that was left was a descent of the lower section of Ledge Route and a sketchy line down the side of No.5 gully which is still holding a lot of snow for this time of year.
Finally being at a standard of climbing a route which first inspired me to climb over three years ago was an incredible experience and I'm looking forward to going back and climbing more routes on Carn Dearg Buttress and elsewhere on the Ben.
Thanks to Andy and Callum for coming along and making it such a social day and for providing superb craic the whole way!
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| Heading off on the superb second pitch |
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Looking down the second pitch from above the crux move
Psyched on the last belay ledge
 On the last 5a pitch  Catching the evening sun on the walk off. |
