7a Max

Scotland’s first sport climbing guide is now in its second edition!

146 Full colour topos to get you psyched.

Access & approach maps for every cliff. No roadmap needed.

Smart phone QR-barcode instant mapping. Simply scan and go!

Clear informative icons. Essentials at a glance.

Public transport info. Leave the car at home!

The second edition of 7a Max covers mainland Scottish sport crags with routes up to 7a+ and keeps you up-to-date with the ever increasing number of Scottish sport climbs. With a plethora or rock types Scottish sport offers great variety and routes of all difficulty, from the northern Highlands to the Lowlands. Routes of greater difficulty are also featured, particularly classics, so you will never run out of projects.

7aMax Bolt-Fund

The Scotish Bolt Fund was set up in 2013 to assist the replacment of deteriorating in-situ gear with long lasting stainless steel products. 10% of the proceeds of our book have gone into the fund, which has already helped re-equip Balgone Heughs and crags on the North West coast.

We are just about to distribute funds for this year, but given the amount of re-equipping activity we have heard of, what we have is going to be a drop in the ocean. The BMC bolt fund does not cover Scotland, making your support all the more important. Therefore we are asking for contributions of any size to to the fund to make our sport climbs better. If you enjoy Scotlands sport climbing, please consider the work that goes into them, and perhaps think of a donation as an investment in your own safety!

Donations can be made on this website (“contacts” page) with paypal
You can also find application forms here if you feel that the fund would help your own efforts.

Thank you for the support, Seb and Topher.

Buy the book

You can buy a copy of 7a Max Scottish Sport for £16.99 from many outdoor sports retailers, bookstores, or direct from Cordee.

ISBN : 9780954190651
Size : 250pp
Format : Pocket size (12.7 x 17.8cm) paperback
Distributed by Cordee

About the book

Scotland is home to around 1500 sport routes found from the Lowlands to the remote northern Highlands, and on hillsides to sea-cliffs. Scottish geology and topography is complex, which has resulted in great variety of rock types and climbs.

Describing all of Scotland’s mainland crags with routes up to 7a+, 7a Max is aimed at ‘weekend’ and visiting climbers. This focus has allowed for a pocket sized guide that details routes of most interest, is easy to use, and guides you effortlessly to your chosen routes.

Why not try our 7a Max Top 30 routes, a sure way to have your own Scottish sport climbing adventure! Routes are chosen to take you on a journey through the best the country has to offer.

We have travelled the length and breadth of the country, courting frostbite and tendon damage to verify grades, and risking life and limb to get those ‘impossible’ topo photos! During our adventures we have discovered Scotland’s fantastic sport climbing, the country’s warm hospitality, and its spectacular natural beauty.

7a Max is truly pictographic – ‘a picture tells a thousand words’. In addition to showcasing Scotland’s landscapes throughout its pages, crag information is described with informative icons, climbs are detailed with full colour photo topos and access and approaches are shown with maps for every crag. Unique to 7a Max, you can also simply scan QR-codes on your smart phone and let your sat-nav do the rest! The illustrative style is easy to use, including by those with little or no English.

Here are a few sample pages:

Contact Us!

Any questions? Got a comment about the book or a request for an update? Drop us a line using the form below.

The Scottish Bolt Fund

In 2013 we set up an informal bolt fund to support the much need re-equipping of aging sport routes in Scotland. The BMC fund only allows applications from England and Wales, and Mountaineering Scotland does not currently administer a fund. Recent re-bolting has been carried out by members of the SMC and individual climbers, which is often self-funded.

The informal 7a Max fund has contributed to the maintenance or re-bolting of Black Rock, Balgone, Glutton Crag, and various other crags in the Northern Highlands. Re-equipping Applications can be made using the form below for projects involving the replacement of old and/or inadequate fixed gear. We are not funding new developments. If you would like to contribute to the fund, press DONATE below.

10% of profits from the sales of this book will be collected in the fund, and allocated as funds allow. We welcome applications from individuals as well as organisations.

Download application form

Find out more about bolt funds at ukboltfund.org