UKC

Thinking of going down to the peak district on Wednesday to have a go at climbing on grit. I've been looking at Froggatt, Stanage and The Roaches at the moment and struggling to decide between them so am wondering where would be best. Any advice on where is likely to be dry would be appreciated!

Cheers,

Tom

In reply to tommccluskey:

Stanage dries very fast but is very exposed to the wind.

Lots of Froggatt dries quick and it's a bit more sheltered, quite a good bet.

Rivelin can be a good bet - if the Peak is shrowded in damp clag, Rivelin can often be dry and pleasant. Lawrencefield is also very sheltered and has a couple of cracking routes at E1/2 (although I suspect the big E2, Billy Whizz, will be wet).

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Cool thanks for that, really helpful

In reply to tommccluskey:

Can't believe a climbing query like this has had precisely one non-OP reply; a sad indictment of UKC in these Bear Grylls obsessed times.

If you're coming down from the Lakes the Roaches will be that much easier to get to, not to mention being a class crag in its own right - although if you combine it with a jaunt over to Ramshaw for some of the old Brown-era routes, you'll be getting the complete grit experience.

Don't expect to be hitting the E2s on first acquaintance - it takes some getting used to - but for sheer quality at any grade, Valkyrie (VS), Saul's Crack (HVS), The Mincer (HVS / E3 depending on your viewpoint) and, erm, some roof crack or other at about HVS, should whet your appetite.

For a nice triumvirate of harder slabs, you could go for Elegy, Something Better Change and Chalkstorm; be warned, though - there are only two bits of useful protection between them.

For slightly steeper, more technical stuff there's the Skyline, or that side trip to Ramshaw.

But the whole bank of eastern edges is going to be great as well; Froggatt is likely to provide a bit more shelter, but Stanage is still king when it comes to the uber-classics of any style.

Me, I'm 'stuck' in the Ariege, so tomorrow is a toss-up between granite and limestone. Or getting up in the snow. Or drinking cheap French wine.

Have a great time. Hope you get a bit more of an enthusiastic response.

Martin

In reply to maisie:

I'd add to this that a fair amount of the lower tier at the roaches is quite green at the moment, but as said, there's still loads to go at on the upper tier.

In reply to maisie:


Evidently, given your optimistic reply about exposed, green crags. It has pissed it down every day for at least a month, with average wind speeds about 60mph.

In reply to tommccluskey:

I would always go with Stanage as 1st port of call if it isn't too windy. If it is blowy, Lawrencefield or Rivelin.
The Roaches are great but the Lower Tier can be very green in the winter,

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Chris Craggs - also stuck in the Ariège!

In reply to jon:

Not so much stuck as biding our time


Chris

In reply to maisie:

Sod the cracks in January unless you want to lose the will to live. Face routes or bouldering.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Really? That bad? The Roaches were my local crag growing up, and although Dolorosa got a bit green, and Saul's Crack was like a skating rink year round, it was always climbable. But we get British news out here, and the weather reports have been downright alarming.

Best withdraw that recommendation, then

FWIW, it snowed here last night, so took a snow day with the kids and went sledging. It's not all south facing, quality bolted limestone day in, day out...

In reply to tommccluskey:

Thanks a lot for all the help - I think we are going to go for Froggatt in the end

Cheers,

Tom

In reply to tommccluskey:

Excellent - how long has it been since the last 3 pebble slab thread?

Check out Tody's Wall for why gritstone is the gods' own rock / spawn of the devil (delete as appropriate)

In reply to maisie:

Tom, how did you get on in the end?

In reply to maisie:

We went to froggatt in the end and it was very, very good. We started off with a load of the easier stuff including heather wall which was fun then we did three pebble slab which was an interesting learning experience..... but all good fun once you decide your feet will actually stay on and go for it then we went and did the boulder problems on joes slab and managed the arete which I was quite chuffed with. All in all a good day out.

In reply to tommccluskey:

Have to say, that does sound like a great first day on the grit, and you got some real classics in. Years ago, when I used to come on here, three pebble slab threads were the equivalent of today's Bear Grylls nonsense - with all the spleen and bile to match.

Shouldn't be long before the return match, eh?

Martin

ps check out the Roaches come the summer, you won't regret it

In reply to maisie:

Haha. Yeah the roaches does look amazing, might have to find a free weekend and go and give it a proper go

In reply to tommccluskey:

If its colder next time have a look at Cratcliffe as well as Rivelin. Stanage is for good days unless you are Chris Craggs (who is the size of a bear) or a boulderer. The amazing venues dont run away and at E1/2 Cratcliffe and Rivelin are up there for a day trip.