UKC

Got out to Great End Crag last night to do Banzai Pipeline. Well exceeded all expectations; possibly the best E1 in Borrowdale.

What do you guys think? What would be the other contenders?

In reply to johang:

As soon as I saw the thread I thought of Banzai Pipeline so I'm in agreement. Mind you, I've not done loads of E1s in Borrowdale so don't have much to compare it to.

In reply to johang:

I agree. Probably the best E1 in Borrowdale. Doesn't get as much traffic as it deserves, as it was left out of the red selected climbs guide, however still stays relatively clean despite this.

Some of the other best E1's are Praying Mantis (although only the first pitch is E1), Raindrop, Aaros.

Definitely worth getting on to Great End Corner (now E1) and No Hold Barred (E2) at Great End Crag if you enjoyed Banzai Pipeline. ** and *** respectively.

In reply to shantaram:
Praying Mantis, Raindrop and Aaros are definitely up there. I also have a soft spot for The Bludgeon as it put up such a fight. None keep giving like Banzai though.

First time to Great End last night so I'll go give those a try sometime soon. Surprised by how clean the line actually was and should definitely be in the Selected. Might mean a little less bush-whacking required to get to the crag as well, although that was a big part of the fun .

In reply to johang:

It's one of the best in the Lakes!

Raindrop is good. Surprised to see Aaros up there, didn't rate it personally - only about 3m of climbing on it and the crux at the top is escapable and feels contrived as a result. Not done Praying Mantis...

In reply to johang:

the crypt direct was pretty good.

Usurper on falcon was nice and not as loose as people say.

In reply to johang:

Aaros.Raindrop.Anything on Lower falcon ( dedication or usrper).

In reply to johang:


One of best E1 single pitches is Colin Read's Zoar, with the direct start.
Fantastic line.
DC

In reply to johang:

Cheers guys, I need to get up Usurper sometime this year, and haven't been to Castle Crag yet, so that's a couple more to sample .

Any other slightly off-the-beaten-track options gratefully received.

In reply to johang:

Absolutely! When I did it earlier this year it was in pretty poor shape with a lot of moss, dirt and seepage. My partner and I cleaned it as we went and removed a great deal of dirt from the bottom three pitches. We loved every minute of it.

The E2 in the corner just right of BP is due a clean. We wanted to climb it that day but we were put off by the moss and water. I was planning to do it last month but just haven't got there yet. I'll clean it this month if I have time.

Well recommended to anyone wanting to give it a go - BP needs more traffic.

In reply to johang:

Agreed. I think it's one of the best e1s in the lakes - prefer it to Totalitarian.

In reply to Pagan:

you must be on drugs have you actually climbed aaros its the best face climbing route in the valley .you sound like arm chair climber to me

In reply to neil0968:

Paypal bank transfer or cash

In reply to neilh:
Thought Lower Falcon was a shitty chosspile.

Think I've done Aaros too, didn't leave an impression.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Not the best but the Niche and a Dedication/ Kidnapped combo are ***

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Re Aaros.

I don't want to bull up on of my routes, that is for everybody else to decide.

But. I have noticed a lot of climbers miss out the best line and climbing on the final wall.

In reply to Rick Graham:

I think I did Dedication/ Kidnapped combo, couldn't work out where Kidnapped went and wussed out onto the obvious line with big holds. In fairness it was a good route, but the day went downhill from there, ending in vows never to return. We thought the number of stars in the guide for routes at LF was 'politically motivated'.

In reply to johang:



Ignore geography. Its Philistine on High Crag Buttermere. Worth an extra star to all the Borrowdale stuff mentioned.

In reply to neil0968:

Ooo, get her!

Maybe if I was as crap as you when I did Aaros it would have left more of an impression; I dunno. As for best face climbing in the valley, my vote would go to Grand Alliance or Bitter Oasis, have you done them?


I've got a few ideas about what you sound like but I'm not one to judge.

In reply to Rick Graham:


Where is it meant to go? I vaguely recall a tricky couple of moves past a big wire to jugs then a bit of a walk to the final tricky crack.

Philistine would get my vote for the best single pitch E1 but still don't rate it as highly as BP overall...

In reply to Jon Stewart:

I had a couple of years when I just loved climbing in Borrowdale. Its a beautiful valley and I and Mrs H had some fantastic weekends there. never got to climb Banzai Pipeline- just never got round to it.

Falcon Crags are underrated - my first route there was Dry gasp when a mate had one of the first 1/2 friends you could buy as this made the crux protectable.

In reply to Rick Graham:

Done that as well. As a single pitch it is fantastic, but I still didn't enjoy it quite as much as BP.

I was quite hungover though...

In reply to neilh:

I used to enjoy climbing at Lower Falcon, but struggled to find partners to join me. Now after a few experiences of removable holds, seeing parts of the crag falling off, and observing bits of the crag that are detached and potentially could come off, I've gone off the place. Shame, as it's got one of the best views and aspects in Borrowdale and it's the last crag to get the sun on an evening. Certainly wouldn't put any of the E1's there as best in Borrowdale though.

In reply to shantaram:
I just goggled "mettle" :a person's ability to cope well with difficulties; spirit and resilience.
lower falcon is a good test of it. If you are happy climbing there then you know you are going well, my usual response to the suggestion of climbing there these days is to go and hide in the corner and suck my thumb, however I reckon the niche and plagarism are both as good as any E2 anywhere but the E1 s are poor or just unjustifiable. To me Usurpur is a once only route, like playing Jenga while be chased round and round by an angry honey badger.
http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110512023638/cybernations/images/a/af/...

In reply to mike123:

Niche has a very interesting top pitch, you have to be confident on it.Plagarism is superb.The OP asked for E1's not E2's ...lol

In reply to mike123:

Dead right Mike, and my lack of climbing 'mettle' these days is why I find myself just biking or running beneath Falcon and not getting up there. It's pretty rare to see people climbing up there these days. I wonder when the last time upper Falcon was ever climbed on. I've only ever met 2 people who climbed up there.

In reply to shantaram:

I seconded the E1 (Route 2?) on Upper Falcon last September. After a cruddy first pitch it was good, albeit not the best in Borrowdale. The crux was getting to and from the crag through the defensive belt of gorse and brambles.

In reply to mike123:

Thanks Mike