UKC

If the weather's favourable I'm hoping to get in a days climbing in the lake district this weekend.
Haven't done any climbing up there previously so wondering what mountain routes people would recommend.
Looking for something vdiff, severe or maybe A well pretected HS if we're feeling ambitious.

In reply to PeteMc:
Troutdale Pinnacle on Black crag, Borrowdale. A climb that has everything including simple access from the road.

In reply to PeteMc:

Do The Original Route on Raven crag (Langdale), then walk round up to Gimmer and do Ash Tree Slabs followed by D route.

In reply to PeteMc:

Tophet Wall is superb, but I suspect unlikely to be in condition at this time of year

In reply to PeteMc:

+1 for Troutdale pinnicle.

C Ordinary (diff) on Dow crag, with continuation scramble up to summit?

In reply to PeteMc: Needle Ridge or Bowfell Buttress spring to mind: fairly obvious choices but both fairly straightforward and coated with history.

b

In reply to PeteMc:
The lower level valley crags will be the places to head for this week as there's a dusting of snow on the tops. Troutdale pinnacle could be worth a look if it's had chance to dry. There's plenty to go at on Raven in Langdale too and they mostly dry very quickly. Centipede is one of its longer offerings and goes at Severe.
White ghyll: either of the slab routes at the left hand end.
If it's wet try Crescent climb on Pavey, followed by Gwyneths chimney. Makes for a very 'traditional' day out!

In reply to PeteMc: Another vote for D route on Gimmer.

In reply to PeteMc:

Murrays route on dow is good but may be unattractive at this time of year!

In reply to PeteMc:
I'd go with Troutdale Pinnacle as well but add a vote for Gillercombe Buttress - an excellent Severe. Crescent Climb and Gwynnes Chmney on Pavey are both do-able in the rain if you are feeling particulary masochistic.

In reply to ben b:


Plus 1

In reply to stratandrew:

In the wet

Cresent climb is easy but quite serious
FRCC description is 'poor rock' and 'strafing' from the Rake above
I don't recall the gear being very good or very frequent

Gwynnes is fine in wet

(Gillercombe is a great suggestion)

John

In reply to ben b: BB - today coated with snow - tricky

In reply to John Kelly:

Great! I mean the snow....

I got caught in a snow storm on it many years go when the temperature dropped and drizzle turned to snow. The last half was very "interesting" as the show became ever deeper. By the time we had walked off from the top down to the ODG there was 2 feet of snow covering our tent.

In reply to Trangia:

once got dragged (rock climbing) up it in slush - by far the hardest ascent of BB i have ever had

In reply to PeteMc: Honister Wall HS on Buckstone How was Bill Peascods favourite route and he knew a thing or two. I have not done it but it is on my list, however I have climbed on Buckstone and can tell you it`s one of the fastest drying crags in the Lakes in a High Mountain position with a 15 minute approach. Other than that maybe Ash Tree Slabs on Gimmer maybe dry but it`s a long walk to find out.

In reply to PeteMc:
Many of the suggestions here are not 'mountain' routes in the sense that I understand them. If by 'mountain route' you mean a 'route in the Lake district', then OK, but I'd not call anything on Raven (Langdale) a mountain crag.

In reply to Greenbanks: That's a fair point. Given the current weather conditions here mountain routes aren't going to make for enjoyable rock climbs this week. Dusting of snow on the tops, very cold out of the sun, and rain forecast as of tomorrow. Raven (Langdale) faces SW, dries very quickly, and offers sheltered climbing that might not numb the fingers too much, so a good back up plan.

In reply to Greenbanks:
Ideally like to be up in the mountains and then finish with a summit but I hear what people are sayiing about the weather.

Just after an enjoyable days climbing really so any decent length multi pitch recommendations are welcome.

Some of the routes already suggested look excellent. Particularly like the look of Troutdale pinnacle.

In reply to John Kelly:

In the dry its quite serious. Does anyone know what they grade it in the new guide? I was involved with a rescue on it after a belay failed and a climber nearly died.

In reply to PeteMc:

A great November scramble is up Pinnacle Ridge (St Sunday) - that'd give you a mountain top and easily escapable difficulties if the weather closes in. I doubt whether there will be a soul about.

In reply to Greenbanks:
I second that Pinnacle Ridge a good scramble and lots of options once done....could even go round by Helvellyn to finish

In reply to PeteMc: Arrow Head Ridge which I did in army boots, Jan1 1953. Agree Troutdale Pinnacle and Gillercombe Buttress both of which I did weekend late September this year, the latter for the first time. Corvus?

In reply to PeteMc:

Troutdale Pinnacle is not a mountain route by any stretch of the imagination, which makes it quite a good choice at this time of year!

If you want the full-on cold-handed, wet and drippy experience I'd say that Needle Ridge and Bowfell Buttress are the best low-grade mountain routes I've done in the Lakes. Corvus might be worth thinking about though - not as high.

In reply to Jamie B:

Did anyone else find the first pitch of Needle Ridge quite desperate? I remember doing some reasonably thin moves with not much gear...

In reply to Franco Cookson: Yeh I seem to remember it feeling pretty tough low down, pretty polished too.

In reply to Franco Cookson:


Yes, that rings a bell. A short wall out of the gap behind the Needle, not strightforward with bendy boots and wet rock!

In reply to Franco Cookson:

YES!

In reply to PeteMc: Sorry to be wet blanket but as a rather inexperienced climber you really need to downgrade your ambitions for climbing in the Lakes on mountain crags in November. Unless you are very lucky and get a mild calm sunny day after a couple of windy dry days (see what I mean about luck?) you will find your ambitions thwarted by cold fingers and wet/greasy rock at the very least. Climbing in the Lakes at this time of the year can be an enjoyable experience if you get the right route on the right crag in the right weather conditions. Just listen to those on this thread who recommend lowering your sights a bit and climb some single pitch or short multi pitch on clean valley crags. If you're coming up from the south Langdale is the most accessible and has several suitable crags. Raven Crag Walthwaite can often be climbable when nothing else much is as it doesn't "attract" the rain so much. Raven Crag (the other one) will also give you some good sport and a few of the routes could be tackled in the wet. Alternatively, Upper Scout Crag has some nice little 2 pitch V Diffs which again I've done when they're wet.
I hope something works out for you. I can vividly remember my first climbs in the Lakes over 40 years back.

In reply to Jamie B:
Corvus might be worth thinking about though - not as high.

+1 for Corvus. A good day out in big boots and at reasonable elevation.

In reply to Jamie B: Needle ridge was dry when I did it and thought it was pretty poky to get started. Visited again in the wet and turned it down flat!

In reply to Rog Wilko:

I think a walk up Birkness Combe would get you high enough to provide a mountain environment and yet the routes up there on Grey Crag are quite amenable and a bit outcroppy in nature.

In reply to Andysomething:

I was on Gable yesterday for the Remembrance Service and dropped down Little Hell Gate and then along the Napes Traverse. All the ridges looked wonderfully dry and I wished I had brought my rock shoes (for a solo) rather than my clompy big boots. George (?) and partner were on Kern Knotts Chimney and I tied on for an ascent of this and its glorious rock. I think we both thought it had been graded HVD but see it is HS. Great finish to a fantastic day - and with the moon just over Great End with the glow of the sun starting to set down Wasdale.
That is a mountain day to remember - shame the weather has gone off today.

I remember the start of Needle Ridge was a bit pocky as well.

In reply to Ron Kenyon:

Yes, a pity that Needle Ridge has a very tricky-for-grade/nasty/polished move near start (if you're in big boots), with potential for hurting yourself, because above that it's a lovely route.

In reply to PeteMc:

So Pete did you get anything done? Yesterday looked great!

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: It's VD now and I dont think there is a VD move on it and I think its pretty easy as big boot mountain mulitpitch solos for VD (I cant think of an easier one).

In reply to Offwidth:

I think we've had this discussion before, but last time I did it about 20 years ago I had trouble starting the route at V Diff in big boots. Had previously (about 10 years before that) found it fine, So maybe I missed something. On the second occasion, there was quite a boulder problem move on shiny hold, with poor/no? protection and a bad landing. It was quite a long way left of the Needle/Ridge line. After that the route is little more than a moderate scramble.

In reply to Offwidth:

PS. Still think New West Climb on Pillar is the best easy route in the Lakes (that I've done). Tophet Wall - if that's regarded as 'low-grade'.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
Gordon how does the New west compare to Bowfell Buttress or Arrowhead Ridge direct then??

In reply to Gav Parker:

Haven't done Arrowhead Ridge Direct, but New West is many, many times better than the rather dull (but beautifully situated) Bowfell Buttress.

In reply to Andysomething:

Yes decided on middlefell buttress with curtain wall then on to gimmer and went up main wall. All went well for a great days climbing in perfect conditions. The views from the top of gimmer are stunning.

Thanks all for your suggestions. Hopefully I'll be back up there next year with a chance to complete some more of them.

In reply to PeteMc:
Which of the starts did you climb on Middlefell Buttress?
What's the rockfall situation like at the pinnacle start?

In reply to pillar:
The left wall start. The rock was sound we certainly didn't notice anything untoward.

It's a nice little start to the climb and certainly tested my confidence climbing in big boots again!

In reply to PeteMc: Excellent! when I did the same in October 2000 it was a great day out!
Sunday was a pinging day - wished I'd have been out on the crags - as it was had a walk near Hutton Roof (Kirkby Lonsdale) which revealed a stunning vista in all directions - could even see Gimmer from there!