★★★ Guiness and Goat E1 4c

A route heading straight up to the right side of the pillar. The climb starts on the top of a ramp near a small tree (possible to climb a first pitch below). All belays are bolted (enabling abseil if you bring your own karabiners/maillons). The route is mixed trad/bolts and is very runout as it was bolted ground up.

1. 45m. Head up tending leftwards to cross a small overhang, then clip a bolt. Continue straight up to a nice belay ledge.

2. 50m. From the ledge, head left to cross small overhangs then head straight up, clipping a bolt on the way. Stay on the rock to the right of a cascade of grass. The belay is at the top of the grass on a nice grassy ledge.

3. Traverse right for a couple of meters, then head straight up, clipping one bolt on the way. Belay in a black scoop.

4. Head up tending slightly leftwards. The rock isn't so good on this pitch but bolts protects the worst parts (still runout).

5. Traverse a bit right, then up and a bit more right to clip a bolt. Then head straight up, one more bolt. Aim between two grassy ledges, clipping one bolt. The left ledge has a palm tree sticking out, that's where the belay is.

6. Head straight up to the small steepening at the top of the slab. Clip one bolt below the steepening, then traverse right to a large cave above a big palm tree.

7. Belay on roots (no bolts) to traverse right and up out of the cave. Final belay on a tree.

Variation: A thrilling finish heading directly up the tree roots to the roof overhang above the large cave was climbed by Peter Naituli and Ian Lekiluai on the 3rd ascent (17th March 2022).

Access: you can abseil from the top, or walk to the bottom of the route. Walking, get to the bottom of the cliff, then stay low while you aim for the big rock with orange overhangs separated from the main wall. Walk around that wall and find a way up (some scramble might be needed). There's a small flat spot on top of some white rocks to camp. Abseil: walk to the end of the tourist path, then walk along the cliff to a boulder tucked inside a forest. Follow a rough trail down. You can ask MCK for a GPS track. Find your way into the cave, then get to the first belay and abseil down the route (two 60m ropes needed), it's more or less straight but easy to miss a belay.

Kenyan climbing ethics apply; anything that can be protected with natural protection should be, and climbers should leave no trace and be respectful of the incredible nature and local culture. Some practices seen in the valley to be avoided by future developers include: painting route names on rocks, overbolting and bolting of naturally protectable routes, and retro-bolting of