Standard Rock.

Standard Rock. Standard rock. west view

Standard Rock is situated off the most northerly tip of the Orkney mainland. (GR 302304) It's twin summits can be clearly seen from the A966 at the Knowles of lingro. The best place to leave your car is at the wee car park beside Swanney Loch, (GR 296305) then walk the kilometer to the cliff tops facing the stack.

ACCESS: If you have already been to the cliff tops facing the stack you will know it's dramatic setting. For the adventurous, access involves a 70 meter abseil down the cliff facing the landward arete of the stack. If you abseil from a wee niche in the cliff top, (directly opposite the left hand side of the stack) there is a convenient ledge about 30 meters above the sea. Gear can be placed here for the hair raising return tyrolean. once in the sea it is a 40 meter swim across a normally suicidal channel to a platform below the landward arete on the stack.

ASCENT: The land ward face is a mass of rotten broken rock which has the potential for numerous loose dirty routes. the seaward face is slightly leaning and is broken by a couple of promising looking cracks at half height. The only known route climbs the landward arete. (The left hand skyline in the picture below) The route was climbed in three pitches and was very loose. Good Luck. Serious (50 m)

DESCENT: Abseil down the route followed by a terrifying tyrolean and a wee prussik up the top 30 meters of the adjacent cliff.

Standard Rock. (Landward face)

Go to the Castle of Burrian.

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