UKC

I'm looking at doing Direct route but I'm abit concerned that the 5b move on the last pitch might flummex me. Is it possible to climb around it/ aid climb it if turns out it's beyond my limited ability?

In reply to Crewey-Si:

Can't remember if it's aidable - but you can belay directly below the corner and use your second's shoulder to get past the difficulties.

In reply to EarlyBird:

Having said that it's not too bad at 5b, and the hard bit is over very quickly - one move.

thanks, this site is bloody amazing for finding out anything!

In reply to Crewey-Si: think you can also finish up The Cracks if it doesnt take your fancy

In reply to alpkid:

Are you sure? My memory might be faulty but wouldn't that involve a horrendously difficult traverse?

In reply to Crewey-Si: You can frig it if needs be but give it a good go first - it ain't so bad and, as has been said, it is soon over.

In reply to Crewey-Si:

There used to be a stone in the corner you could stand on to get started when we first did it in 1959. You just need that reach and a good pull up and it is almost over. If you cannot do it free use your mates knee to start it, there is a big ledge to stand on.

With sticky rubber and a nut above your head, any VS leader should manage it. Thats why its VS!

In reply to Crewey-Si:

Quite easy for 5b but straight up off the ledge. Not sure you could frig it - I don't recall any gear until you'd done the tricky moves and got the good hold. The rest of the pitch is firmly in the 'not easy for the grade' category though and take care with the top corner which can be damp.

Basically it's a HVS pitch stuck at the top of a reasonably tough VS. Approach it as such.

In reply to IanJackson:


Yeah, sure. Get your average VS leader to lead that top pitch cleanly. It's a sandbag and should go up to HVS imnsho.

In reply to Crewey-Si:

The route's solid VS with a _very_ well protected 5b move off a huge ledge that's all over in an instant, which is why it gets VS. If it was in any way sustained or any bolder then it might warrant HVS but it ain't. Use combined tactics if you can't do it and enjoy that mode of ascent instead! It'll still get VS.

In reply to Crewey-Si:

It's just one hard move off a big, flat grassy ledge. Don't even think of cheating or trying to avoid it!

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

How long is it since you did it Gordon? I try to say little about the difficulty now as some routes have got so polished, and others lose so much ground from under them. It should be more or less the same, a moac dropped in half way up the move seemed to be what I got and then just romped up it. Mind you, I only had a smallest thickness sling as a runner on a flake on the first pitch, so a runner only six feet below me felt like luxury.

In reply to sutty:

It's ok - not polished and a very short difficult section. I don't think it will have changed all that much since you did it. I've climbed it twice, most recently in 2004, and it didn't seem markedly different from my previous ascent over 20 years before.

In reply to Crewey-Si:
pretty much agree with the above, its one tricky move at the start then its ok. I managed it ok and i've never led harder than VS

In reply to Crewey-Si:
I climbed it this summer as my second VS, think may be 2 moves to get off the ledge then its all bomber gear n positve holds to the top. you can not avoid it but it would be posible to frig it. But then y spoil the route, get your head into gear n go for it.

In reply to Crewey-Si:

I remember (mid 90's)getting a good wire in for the hard move - then isnt it reasonable climbing up an extended vertical flake system in a corner.
Im sure I remember getting both hands around a flake and working my way up.

I actually found the bold 4b main pitch more worrying.

Brilliant route though

In reply to sutty:

1968. I can remember very little about it, except that it seemed at first quite hard to start, but then suddenly - oh, so that's it! it was all over. John and I had only been leading for about 2 1/2 weeks, but I really don't remember it very much at all. We just romped up it, really. What I remember most strongly, by far, was this character at that belay ledge just in front of us. We'd met him on and off several times over the previous fortnight - he too had just started climbing, and we had only got to know him by sight. On that Direct Route of the Mot stance he was bubbling over about Cemetery Gates, which he'd done the day before. Al Rouse.

In reply to Crewey-Si: I did it about 6 years ago and it was pretty minging weather. raining pretty hard by the time I got to the move. Distinctly remember placing a nut and clipping a sling into it and standing in it to get to easy climbing (well easier in pissing rain).

In reply to Crewey-Si:

Boulder problem is right.

The hard move isn't exactly high up. The 5b bit is one move, but the rest of the pitch is still good.

Superb climb. After that, try the Superdirect.

In reply to Andy Hobson: So why is it VS Still? i found it rather sustained but the gear, excellent. For the experienced VS leader?

In reply to Crewey-Si:

it's only 5b on the feet. if you can climb 5b inside you will be fine.

In reply to Crewey-Si:

From memory it's one not very hard move and it's basically off the 'ground'. I remember something to do with wide bridging (maybe from the ledge to get onto the wall, who knows?) then a steep wide crack that was much harder work then the start of the pitch

jk