Pictured above is Snibe Hill as seen from near the summit of Craiglee on a summer evening. Photo courtesy of David McNicol.
Introduction Craignaw is a great wee rocky hill in the middle of the Galloway Hills. This page has details of the climbs on the south facing slabs and buttresses at Snibe Hill, which is located right at the southern end of Craignaw. The crag is nicely situated and is generally sunnier, less damp and midgy than many others in the Galloway Hills. Gear placements are also easier than on much of the other Galloway granite as the cracks are less flared. The crag will generally be dry just one or two days after rain. Snibe Hill is particularly recommended on a sunny, breezy day.
This page was compiled by John Biggar, a professional Mountaineering Instructor and member of the AMI, who lives in SW Scotland. Contact me if you want to know more about climbing in Galloway or want to learn how to climb or abseil. This page was compiled with care, but it is not guaranteed error free.
Access The access is pretty long and will take about 2 hours on foot. To get to Snibe Hill (G.R. 464815) park at Craignecallie at the end of an unmarked road around the west side of Clatteringshaws Loch. Then walk or bike about 4km towards the Backhill of Bush bothy along good forestry roads. When the forest road turns north towards the bothy cross a short section of recently felled forest to reach the Cooran Lane and the large floating bog of the Silver Flowe beyond. The Cooran Lane is very deep in places but there are good stepping stones at approx. G.R. 476814 Snibe Hill is on the southern end of Craignaw and can be reached quite easily (and obviously) once you have got over the Cooran Lane.
There is also lots of good winter climbing on Craignaw for which we have a separate page.
There is also more good rock climbing on short outcrop near the summit, see our separate Memorial Crag page.
Below are some brief details and topos for a view of the best routes, further information can be found on this page at the Needlesports website.
James Kinnaird on immaculate granite at the crux of The Arete, HS 4b, picture courtesy of Stephen Reid at Needlesports.
Snibe Hill
This small broken area of rock sits immediately below the south peak of Craignaw, which is known as Snibe Hill. As elsewhere the excellent rock and idyllic peaceful location can make the crag here worth the long walk.
Pictured above are the Snibe Hill crags after the big fire of the early 1990's (that's why all the grass has turned black!).
The first area when approached from the east is the steep clean looking Wisdom Wall, about 10m high with two short hard routes. It is just round the corner from the Seven Pillars area.
Just round the corner is the wall known as the "Seven Pillars of Wisdom", with the best of the easier climbing, very steep and juggy with generally good gear.
To the left again is the main area, with the very obvious Arete on the left and the clean wall of the Uncarved Block on the right. Particularly good here is Walk on Hot Coals, the top pitch is a fine bold slab, gain it from the right, traverse left to a shallow crack and poor gear then move boldy up rightwards.
On the left side of this area, just out of picture is an area of more broken rock. The climbs are however still good, though the lines are less clear. Eau de Goat, VS 4c, * climbs the first dry rib, belaying at a small pinnacle, Cat Goat Your Tongue, VS 4c climbs past the obvious overhanging block, then Cornarroch Chimney, VD, * climbs a bit further left still, with excellent rock at the top.
James Kinnaird two meters off the ground but already past the technical crux on the excellent Silver Sand, Main Area, Snibe Hill.
Further left and pictured above is the impressive blank 15m wall of the Philosophers Stone with only one hard, E3 route recorded so far.
Still further left (west) is another area known as the Pearly Goats, with several good climbs at VS to E1.
Links
Dungeon of Buchan - There are some great rock climbs on the neighbouring Dungeon Hill buttresses, the longest routes in southern Scotland.
There is also more good rock climbing on Craignaw at a short outcrop near the summit, see our separate Memorial Crag page and on The Slabs at the northeast end of the mountain.
For full details of all the routes recorded at Snibe Hill so far, mainly climbed by Andrew Fraser, Ian Magill and Alastair Gillies, you should go to this page on the Needlesports website.
Pictured Below :- Giant tussock grass in Galloway, Winter 2006. Known locally as "Dougals" (.think of that wee dog in the Magic Roundabout...) We found these ones on the way across the Silver Flowe towards Craignaw, they were the deepest yet!
