UKC

Hello all, I'm attempting to drag myself back into the world of climbing after having done bugger all since my teenage years !

I got out on the gritstone for the first time last weekend and managed to lead a few severe and hard severe routes, I'm feeling brave today and am going to try and get on a VS at stanage this afternoon ...

any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated.

In reply to motorgeez:

not too sure which are soft touches as such, but Heather Wall is great at VS and actually pretty easy if you get on with it. The hard bit is getting pumped if you stop searching for too much gear. If you've got smallish cams (not micros, just the low normal sizes) then you can whack plenty in quick.

In reply to Scarab9: Just had a quick peek in the guide looks like a great route, cheers for the advice I'll report back later if I get up it !

In reply to motorgeez:

Avoid 2 and 3 star classics. On the Popular end Pisa Crack and Dover Wall Route 3 are good, on the low side of the grade and safe. Nearby Kangeroo and Skippy are soft for VS but bolder and a bit technical. Further right Triplet and Four were soft for VS but good. Lots more stuff here:

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/guides.html

In reply to motorgeez: Don't know how the midges will be - It got bad later on earlier this week, but if the sun is full out, it should be ok

In reply to toad:

Should be enough wind at present. Often suddenly gets bad in the evening but there are plenty of venues you can pop over too with fewer midges if that happens. Limestone and the grit away from the moors.

In reply to Offwidth: thanks for the advice I'll have a look at some of them tomorrow if the weathers good

In reply to Scarab9: Got up heather wall without incident, really enjoyable

In reply to toad: midge situation was good they didn't come out till we where leaving at about 6ish ...