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Window Buttress

  • Grade context: UK
  • Ascents: 1

Seasonality

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Description

This is a prominent orange-coloured little cliff situated below and to the left of Edinburgh Castle. It is conveniently reached if cars are left at the nearby farm, and a route on this crag leads easily up to the base of Edinburgh Castle above. The Buttress is named after an obvious hole through the cliff on the upper part of Rear Window.

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Access issues inherited from Lukenya

Lukenya is owned by the Mountain Club of Kenya and entrance is free for members. Non-members have to pay for daily membership (KES400 for Kenyan citizens, KES800 for others, payable by Mpesa Paybill No. 880926, account: guest fee). No commercial groups are allowed without prior agreement from MCK. Some climbs are occasionally off-limits when eagles are nesting (in particular Eagle's Nest Face). If this is the case it is normally communicated on a notice in the sign-on book at the gate, through a climber Whatsapp group and on the relevant page on theCrag. There are many other wild animals that call Lukenya home, including a resident leopard, snakes, hyenas. In general, these will all stay well out of your way, but be aware at night and avoid confrontations with bigger grazers like giraffes or eland. This is a wild place, so treat it with respect, pack out any rubbish, and bury human waste at least 30 cm underground (bring a spade or trowel!).

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Approach

The easiest approach is from the bottom of the hill, walking along Egyptian crag and up to Chimney Buttress. Another option is down from Edinburgh castle.

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Ethic inherited from Lukenya

Lukenya is mostly trad, with some specific sport crags. No bolting is allowed without special permission from the Mountain Club of Kenya - get in touch with them if you think you have spotted a sport route, think there should be an extra bolt on a climb, see some degraded equipment, etc. Avoid cutting down any vegetation beyond a few bush branches - if you think a particular tree poses a real danger to climbers please bring this to the attention of MCK. Don't harass any of the local, sometimes rare wildlife.

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Some content has been provided under license from: © Mountain Club of Kenya (Copyright Mountain Club of Kenya)

Routes

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Grade Route

Worth the effort. The pro exists but the final 9m is guaranteed to make the boys shiver in their megas. Take a #0 RP along and save it for after the overhang. Start on left side of cliff beneath obvious flake/crack. Up flake, step left, up slightly then rnantle shelf to good ledge. Move right to orange wall and bolt. Up awkwardly leftwards to ledge below groove. Ignore this and step right to another ledge. The trick is to now reach the steep slab which lies above over the overhang. This is best done by delicately stepping up, then gingerly making a long step leftwards to a srnall sloping ledge on lip of overhang below a thin vertical crack. Climb this (crux) and continue carefully to top.

FA: Iain Allan & Jess Grunblatt, 1990

In the general area to the left of El Duende, clip First bolt of El Duende, move left and over small bulge and up to overhang. Straight through overhang to top. The opener has granted permission for a bolt near the bottom to allow climbers to start left and independent of El Duende.

FA: J. Sampson, 2001

This route is hard to beat Sustained, stylish moves in a superb position guarantee it a place at the top of the best there is at Lukenia. It climbs the orange wait of the obvious prow on the right of Window Buttress. Start 6m right of Dream Twister at a corner crack which is easily climbed for 3m to a small ledge on the right. Make the most of this - it is the last rest on the climb. Two small wires (#2 and #3 RP's), can be rigged here to protect the tricky move up to the first bolt. The route veers rightwards below the first bolt then up to the obvious bulging grey wall which is the crux of the route (bolt on right). Above the grey wall, the climb continues with difficulties to the third bolt. Steep, delicate climbing leads directly above to the top.

FA: Iain Allan, 1991

This exciting route takes the steep face between El Duende and Rear Window, beginning on the corner buttress. Start up right of obvious flake to 15 feet, traverse right onto face below overhang. Up right to obvious ledge/foothold, step left and move up to below overhang: then through overhang up to meet jugs on top (natural pro).

FA: J. Sampson, 2001

Originally led without the bolt this little climb then packed a wallop. Go up the gully on the right of the Buttress to base of prominent arete immediately right of steep portion of cliff. Start directly below arete which is climbed to horizontal break. Bolt above. Step right, up, then left above bolt to easier ground. Continue left to good position on skyline. Straight up to top.

FA: Iain Allan, Andrew Pinney & Philip Winter, 1990

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Thu 27 Jul
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