Dave MacLeod has made a ground up 2nd ascent of Happy Tyroleans in Coire an Lochain, Cairngorm. The route was put up in redpoint style by top Austrian climbers Florian Shranz & co in 2000. The route was originally guessed to be “VII, 9 or 10” although this was widely doubted and the Austrians admitted they had limited knowledge of Scottish grading and that it was much harder than another VIII they repeated on their visit. Happy Tyroleans follows a thin crack/groove line in a grossly overhanging wall, followed by a crux move to lunge for a turf patch. After coming close to the onsight flash in 2000, Dave MacLeod returned and completed the first ground up ascent, leading both pitches. Dave and partner on the day Alan Mullin both considered the grade to be IX,10 and thus one of the UK´s hardest mixed climbs.
