The boy conquering Scotland's towering sea stacks

Aden Thurlow in his element during last weekend's climbs on Sutherland's coast

An 11-year-old boy is believed to be the youngest person to lead climbs up two sea stacks on the Highlands' north west coast.

Aberdeen-born Aden Thurlow, who lives in Angus, picked out the routes before leading the way up 55m (180ft) Am Buachaillie and then 60m (197ft) Old Man of Stoer in Sutherland.

To lead climb he had to place all the required safety gear, called nuts and cams, into cracks in the rock to help protect himself and his fellow climbers in case of a fall.

Aden, who was joined by his dad Alan and climbing instructor Jim Miller, said: "It hasn't sunk in yet, but it feels like a big deal."

The sea stacks are towering pillars of sandstone

To lead climb, Aden had to pick out a route up and place gear into the rock

Sea stacks are pillars of rock.

The first recorded climbs of Am Buachaille and Old Man of Stoer were made in the 1960s.

Am Buachaille is the most challenging of the two because climbers must swim there and back. It is a chilly 30m (98ft) crossing at low tide.

The climbing party swim back to shore after their ascent of Am Buachaille

Aden and his dad using a rope to cross between Old Man of Stoer and the shore

Mr Miller checked climbing logbooks and contacted others in Scotland's climbing community to try find anyone younger than Aden who had led climbs of the stacks.

Aden said while his achievement had still to sink in, the physical side of the challenge definitely had.

He said with a grin: "Pain and suffering - basically you cannot feel your hands and there are massive chunks of flesh out of my fingers.

"Do climbing if you dare.

"That's a joke - climb if you can."

The climbers silhouetted against the sea on top of Am Buachaille

Aden, a member of Climb Scotland, has a National Indoor Climbing Awards (Nicas) level 3 certificate in climbing and is now developing lead climbing indoors and outdoors while working towards his Nicas level 4.

He was inspired to tackle the sea stacks after researching blind British para climber Jesse Dufton, whose feats include leading an ascent of Orkney's Old Man of Hoy.

Aden has set his sights on making a lead climb of the same 137m (449ft) stack.

He said: "I call Am Buachaille the adventurous one, Stoer the beautiful one and Hoy the big one."

Watched by his mum Lynn, Aden completed his two sea stack climbs last weekend.

His dad said: "To do that at his age is phenomenal.

"I'm very humbled and very proud."

Aden is raising money for the charity Guide Dogs from his climbing adventure.

Aden is working towards a climbing qualification