UKC

I always thought that Almscliff was the centre of the Yorkshire grit trad world. Not on Sunday, conditions were good, certainly the boulderers thought so, there must have been more than 30. I never saw another trad party all day, mustn’t complain too much as we had sole access to all the classics. So is trad climbing dying out or did we just get lucky?

In reply to Shaw Brown: You don't know about Crag X then?

In reply to Shaw Brown:

It's not hard enough for us trad climbers. (Actually, personally, I've retired).

In reply to Shaw Brown: Just hit the lucky time hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.
Dave B

In reply to Shaw Brown: they're all falling off the boulders complaining about conditions and thin skin...

In reply to Steve Parker:

Ah yes Crag X, must of been busy! How do you do get an invite?!

In reply to princess:

I thought one of the boulderers was painting his nails but I guess he was trad climber in disguise and having to do secret skin repairs.

In reply to Shaw Brown:
I take it Almscliff was warmer than Stanage then!

Chris

In reply to Father Faff:

Its hard enough for me, or at least Demon Wall is (5a...Ha). Great Western went well but the blind grope for the jug at the top is a nightmare.

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I guess that Stanage wasn't so warm. It was warmer on Sunday at Almscliff than it was in August (the last time I was there).

In reply to Shaw Brown:

I think it's just the end of the trad climbing season at Almscliff.
I'm not sure that you really need great friction for most of the routes there so it's better to do them when it's nice and sunny, but the same can't be said for the bouldering?

Personally I've been there loads this summer and there isn't much left that I might have a chance of doing that I haven't done (I still have one particular route on my tick list but I think it might have to wait until next year now!)

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Hah. Demon Wall is a great sandbag and a lovely route.

Good effort on Great Western, although I think it's more intimidating that actually technically that hard.

In reply to MeMeMe:

It's technically a path but a touch strenuous. Good route though, especially if you do the RH finish (best jams on the crag my arse...).

Frankland's is still the best on the crag imho.

In reply to MeMeMe:


Every winter I say to myself that I should go to Yorkshire grit in the summer. However when we do go away from the lakes in the summer we always seem to go further afield. Next year perhaps? It certainly would be nice to get my grit grades somewhere near my lakes grades.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

I'm hoping to train myself up for Western Front (with the RH finish) and Wall of Horrors. Both look like fantastic climbs, but I don't think I'm up to them yet! Maybe next year!

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Strange, I always think I should go up to the lakes and do some decent multi-pitch stuff but somehow I can never trust that the weather will be good!

'Tis good to climb different stuff in different places I think, I feel a bit of a fraud when I concentrate on one type of rock or type of climb too much.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

I also really enjoyed Franklands but I think I preferred Great Western, could have been influenced by its reputation though.

In reply to MeMeMe:

My mate was going to do WF last week and expected me to second him up it, which would have provided huge amounts of entertainment to anyone who could have been bothered to watch.

Fortunately it rained, although I think the plan is still there in the back of his head. Does look a good route mind. Never been able to do the start of WoH but it's been a year or so since I tried - might have another go soon.

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Fair enough - they're both good routes in their own right.

But - and this is the big but - did you do Long Chimney??

In reply to Andy Hobson:


I think it's mostly a strength thing. I can boulder out the moves but suspect I might flail if I was actually carrying a rack. I must go up there and have another look so I can figure out what exercises I need to do to strengthen the right muscles.

In reply to MeMeMe:

As a local, could you tell me the correct way to finish Z climb? There is a slab at the top, after the left hand traverse, that you can go round the side or you can go straight up the slab, but this semed a tad hard/serious for a VS.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

No I didn't, the description does not look inspiring despite the three stars. I did try pothole direct and was rejected after about 3 metres despite the guidebook saying it should of been getting easier by then!

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Straight up. Yes it is hard/serious for a VS.
I think you can get a small hex in one of the pockets at the base of the slab though by inserting it then turning it 90 degrees (or something like that, there is definitely a funny gear placement there).

I always though the crux was the jamming up right from the rest about 1/3 of the way up though, the slab is actually pretty easy compared to that (but with a potentially nasty fall).

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Pothole direct is desperate - I spent about 45mins trying this (before I learnt to jam - still not been back) before finally giving in. Getting into the pothole seems to be the hardest bit.

Long Chimney is a route of character. Go back and do it; preferably in the rain.

In reply to MeMeMe:


Shame on you. I can think of 5 HVS's straight off (and a few more given time) which make Great Western look as exciting as watching paint dry.

In reply to Shaw Brown:

I think people either love of hate Long Chimney, personnally I think it's a great climb...

Did you manage the inital pull/rock up move to the right?
Although from the ground it looks like once you've done that move you are sorted, it is actually a bit precarious at that point until you do another move.
The temptation is to try and jam/pull on the crack above the pot hole but actually there is a pretty good but hard to see flat hold just to the right of the crack that is really useful. Once you get that you can get some gear in and after that it's pretty straight forward.

In reply to MeMeMe:

The hex placement is as you say but is low down and i was bricking it on the moves above. It was a lovely move off the resting ledge and then up the jamming crack, the biggest problem I found was placing the pro so it did not interfere with the jamms.

Thanks for the feedback.

In reply to Andy Hobson:


Hah, okay, what are they then?!
I can put the on my list for next year.

In reply to MeMeMe:

I think I must of missed the hold you mention as I got to the jamm above the pothole, run out of strength, gave up and went home!

In reply to MeMeMe:

The Red Edge
Kipling Groove
Laugh Not
Pluto
Golden Slipper (more like VS)
Leopards Crawl

...come to mind straight away. There's probably loads more that I haven't done - Centaur for example.

Get to it - you can still get some of them done now!

In reply to Andy Hobson:

Ta. Added to my list.
Have done virtually nothing in the lakes and feel a little ashamed to be honest, I mean it's not that far from Leeds.

In reply to Andy Hobson MeMeMe

Good list and yes Centaur is good, but you be lucky to get it done this year! Laugh Not dries quickly and requires gritstone techniques and would probably be OK for an Autumn ascent, otherwise there is plenty good HVS's at Sheperds that are usualy OK in the Autumn if you are hard enough (I'm not).

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Catching up on some Severe and VS routes from now on would be better as it will be a bit cold hanging around on belays high up and not pleasant.

In reply to MeMeMe:

Lots of people over here don't realise just *how* easy it is. Borrowdale or NE lakes can be done in a day trip, as can Langdale (but you may need to be up earlier). Unfortunately, most end up on Shepherds, pronounce it crap and don't go back (and who can blame them?).

Crags like Castle Rock, Gimmer and Raven all dry pretty quick too - if you've had a dry day and a bit of wind they'll be fine, even in winter!

In reply to MeMeMe:

If you drive over the afternoon before, go via Carnforth and tick Third World at Warton and Assagai at Trowbarrow - both HVS 5a, nicely contrasting and well worth the effort if you're in the area. (Deceptive Bends at Warton is also good but a bit pokey in places).

Right, that's enough for now, I'm off to get some kip!

In reply to sutty:

Or another trip to Mallorca! Mind you on the UKC trip you and I were on I spent the first two days in a wetsuit decending canyons and remaining days climbing with a hangover.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

It's a fantastic route, and even confirmed chimney-haters have been known to enjoy it. Do the outside finish, it's just so unlikely for the grade.
Parson's is even better

In reply to Shaw Brown:
took a flying visit from ireland at the weekend, and yes there was a lot of boulders.
no idea if it's normal or not but could become a grit convert very easily.

cheers,
rob

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Was the same at Stanage on Sunday, shed loads of boulderers!

In reply to cubanallstar:

...with bags of gravel....