UKC

It had escaped me until Saturday, when someone pointed this out, that Rockfax starts A climb up The Chiseller. I thought this was rather odd given this route is out of character for the thrutchy awkwardness that A Climb must surely attract with its chimney, jamming and offwidth cruxes. They also miss a fluttery heart for Chiseller which I thought was rather mean and must be a bit of a shock for some severe leaders (we thought it was bold enough for the technicality at the bulge to justify HS 3c and yes we know there is a runner at the ledge). We linked Chiseller with Cow Crack which nicely incorporates an exposed traverse right and the fun crack above the A Climb start using jugs in the dish just left. Very happy to recommend this.

In reply to Offwidth:

Also did Oak Tree Slab..it seems Simon Caldwell was the only person to spot the grade issue. We'd give this certain VS 4b.

In reply to Offwidth:

I was at Ilkley Rocky Valley yesterday for the nearby 3 Slab Climb and Flake Climb. The former struck me as pretty bare of gear for a vDiff, the latter a wonderful expedition, worth every one of its 3 stars. Also did Sound Box and Spreadeagle at MVS, both pretty strenuous and exciting. I came away with a great impression of what is an oft disparaged venue.

In reply to Offwidth:

The 1998 Yorkshire Gritstone guide describes A Climb starting up Chiseller, and that matches my parents' recollections of climbing at Ilkley in the 70s.

The 1998 guide does point that the original route started up the gully.

But as the man next to me on the sofa says - "why would you climb up the nasty gully when you can climb the nice slab?"

In reply to Becky E:

Its the way it was always done from when I started climbing there in 1965. I suspect the reason it was first climbed via the gully is that the slab probably wasn't chipped until the 1940s and would have been around E3 6a in its original state. (Please note I'm not condoning the chipping!)

In reply to BnB:

We met I think? We were fighting with Little A Climb when you were on Flake Climb and moved over to do Spiral Route.

In reply to Becky E:

A woman on the sofa might say why miss a nice safe trad gully very much in character with the route with a scary vandelised slab

In reply to Becky E:

I've always climbed the slab instead of the chimney since the late 60s. The gully never appealed!

In reply to Offwidth: Yes, we had a chat at the foot of Flake climb. Nice to meet you.

In reply to BnB:

Likewise