TV viewers will be able to follow an attempt by four young climbers to conquer a super crag in the Highlands containing some the most challenging routes for sports climbing in Scotland.
The university students, including two from the Highlands, will feature in the BBC Scotland Adventure programme special to be broadcast on November 13.
Filming of the crag outside Gairloch, which is 50m tall with a 15m overhang, took place in September with an NHS Covid-19 expert on board to guide the climbers through protocols during the pandemic.
The group includes Calum Cunningham, 23, from Ullapool, and Rhys Langlands, 19, from Inverness, as well as Emma Davidson, from Livingston, and Hannah Smith, from Muirhead, Lanarkshire.
Mr Langlands said: “I enjoy the physical and mental challenge of a climb. It gives me direction and something to work towards, both in training for it, and in a sense of purpose – something that’s been even more important during lockdown.
“We are lucky as climbers that we have been able to continue our sport, whereas other sports have been restricted, with no races and competitions being held back by the pandemic.”
The programme is fronted by Dougie Vipond with commentary also from climbing expert Duncan McCallum, who is behind a new climbing centre, The Ledge, planned for Inverness.
Mr McCallum said: “Super Crag is a very important cliff in Scotland, because it’s one of the hardest routes there is. It is unusual because of the long walk in to get to it, so it’s remote, and the midges make life difficult at certain times of the year.
“It’s north facing, and doesn’t get the sun. It’s very long at 50 metres, most cliffs in the UK are maybe 30 metres tall, and it has a very steep overhang. Because of where it sits, it’s very esoteric and you can only attempt it in the right conditions at certain times. September was a good time. And this programme demonstrates how hard it is to conquer.”
