A new mixed route has been done in the McPherson Cirque, Darran Mountains, named The Celtic Connection after the two jokers who climbed it with me – Scotsman Ron Dempster and Welshman-from-Wellington Max Gough.

It takes a devious line up the right-hand side of the overhanging wall right of Gomer in the McPherson Cirque. The first pitch was steep technical water ice, with a couple of mixed moves through a wee rock section. This was protected with cams and three tied off stubbie ice screws, equalised.

The second pitch went up an overhanging chimney, using hook placements in the frozen gravel in the back of the chimney. I rested on a couple of bits of gear as I needed to dig out some rock pro and place a piton.

Ron seconded the pitch cleanly. The really exciting part was pulling over the lip and getting good purchase with the crampons in blobs of frozen turf.

The third pitch went up another wee overhanging bit then traversed across very exposed technical ground and finished up really scary thin ice onto the lower-angle slopes of Rabbit Run. I give it a Darran's commitment grade III and technical grade 7. The gear was adequate; however, with the thin ice there were a lot of tied off screws but the chimney had a good Friend placement, a piton, and a wicked slung chockstone at the top.

As far as quality, atmosphere and downright good fun goes, I'd put it up there with Stirling Moss, White As A Sheet, Posing for the Paparazzi ... and all the other classic, technical, Darrans winter climbs.

Images clockwise from upper left: Allan Uren on pitch 1 of 'The Celtic Connection'; Allan pulls through the crux on the first pitch, which he had also climbed the previous day; Scotsman Ron Dempster at the belay; The crux chimney on the second pitch can be seen just above Allan's head.