With one of the two big obstacles out of the way, we focused on the next part, a wild looking fang of ice, 30 feet long and totally detached from the wall behind. After another short pitch, we cowered in a dripping cave belay behind the fang and had a breather. Peter was getting understandably nervous, as the fang (which was also our belay) was only a foot or so thick at the base and looked very exposed and airy.

I could see him looking around the cave for a peg placement to abseil from. "It's only 2 o'clock Pete, bags of time." After convincing Peter to allow me a shot at it as long as I can get a good belay in above, I move round to the outside of the icicle. At this point I had to face my next problem. After spending all the season so far purely mixed climbing, my axes and crampons were now a set of very blunt instruments, punching the ice rather than penetrating it. On such a thin, hollow piece of ice, I knew things would get interesting.

>> Jonny Baird in the jaws of Croc. Pic: Cubby Images

The first placement confirmed my fears! My axe made a loud and deep thud on impact, shaking the whole fang and causing some smaller icicles on each side to break off and crash down the pitches below. Peter shook his head in disgust but I wasn't prepared to be denied such a great first ascent, having come this far. So before Peter had a chance to make a stand, I fully committed myself and made a dash for it.

I battered my way upward, with feet pedalling, all the while the icicle vibrating under the punishment. I reached the top a gibbering mess, hyperventilating, sweating and thrashing around. Luckily, the belay was some way up an easier gully, out of earshot of Peter, for I was sure he would refuse to follow. I tugged on the rope and it began to come in quickly. With freshly sharpened tools and at home on his favourite medium, Peter made short work of seconding. All that was left was to savour victory on a pleasant finishing ramp, which led to the top and a memorable sunset. It had been another big day out on this great little mountain.

It's almost as if Beinn Udlaidh had been designed with fun in mind. The north facing corrie of this otherwise inconspicuous flat topped mountain near Bridge of Orchy contains one of the highest concentrations of short pure water ice routes in Scotland. Generously fed with that abundant Scottish commodity, water, by a series of springs from the summit plateau, the corrie walls are transformed in winter into an impressive selection of 90 metre long ice climbs of the highest quality.

The sheer abundance of excellent quality water ice, combined with high incidence of good conditions and relatively low avalanche danger, have ensured an enthusiastic following in recent seasons. Last season, the icefalls remained in nick for weeks on end, several times during the winter and provided a great many parties with rewarding and exhilarating days on the ice. Indeed, there were several weekends last season when the little road down Glen Orchy was packed with cars crammed into every lay by and ditch and the inevitable queues below the classics of Quartzvein Scoop IV,4 and Sunshine Gully III,3 were longer than ever. However, many of the corrie's other less well-known classics and unclimbed lines received only sporadic attention.

>> Dave MacLeod on first pitch of Cut Throat VI,6. Pic: Cubby Images See larger pic

Ben Udlaidh is perhaps the best place possible to begin or advance your ice climbing, whatever your grade. The mountain is reasonably sheltered and is low in altitude, missing the worst of any foul weather. Avalanches are fairly rare but do sometimes occur quite readily during or just after a heavy winter snow dump. The routes are short (often two ice pitches followed by a snow slope to the plateau) and the descent is easy and straightforward even in a storm. With all of these worries absent, one is free to enjoy the exhilaration of steep ice in a relaxed setting.

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