The Brough.

The Brough.

The Brough is a huge flat topped stack found at the south east tip on the island of Stronsay. It is easiest to travel by boat (Orkney Ferries) to the island and your own transport is essential. Using ordnance survey map 5 follow the main road out of Whitehall Village continue on it travelling south for almost the entire length of the island until you come to the lonely Cleat Farm. Seek out the land owner, a very friendly Mr. Cooper and ask his permission, as it is his fields you cross to the stack. Walk in time from Cleat farm to the stack is about 40 minutes across rough arable fields and open farm land. Alternatively there is a longer but much more scenic walk from the Vat of Kirbuster, with parking at the Kirbuster farm road end to the north west at GR 682238.

Access

The cliffs that guard the stack are extremely loose and large bits are continually falling off them. The tidal channel between the stack and the land has piles of fresh rubble along it length. So the easiest approach is down the steep grassy bay to the west of the southern end of the stack. This non tidal stony bay is seldom visited and is a wee treasure trove of unusual flotsam. From this bay it is a short scramble across very tidal boulders to a large flat non tidal ledge at the base of the south west corner of the stack.

Ascent

Pitch 1: 40m 4c. From this ledge traverse along the south face at sea level, passing several steep moves and two good belay stances, to the bottom of a large green left facing ramp.

Pitch 2: 10m. Climb up the ramp to the large ledge and belay.

Pitch 3: 20m. Climb directly up on easier broken ground to the summit. The only belay anchor we could find on top was the "grave stone" in the center of the summit.

Pitches 2 & 3 can be combined if you are climbing on a 60 meter rope. As the belay is well back from the edge.

Descent

Descent is by a 30m abseil down the landward face, from the cairn with an angle iron stake behind it. The stake and tat were left here in July 2003, bring your own disposable abseil tat.

summit grave? Summit. south view.

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