UKC

How do you view the grades at your local crags - easy, average, or hard in comparison to other areas you've visited?

In reply to AndrewW:

my local crag is the Roaches so it is full of all of the above. Easy (except for Hen Cloud) to places like Black Rocks but hard compared to other places

In reply to AndrewW:

Mixed bag. Not enough repeats in the higher grades (E1+).

In reply to AndrewW:

I've only climbed there once, but Wilton 3 felt very difficult for the grades (around vdiff or thereabouts). There were a few other teams there for their firsts visits too and they all (independently of each other) felt similar about the lower graded climbs.

In reply to AndrewW:

Kirrie Hill, Arbroath: not my local, sports venue, based on one visit, doing lower grades; weird, all seemed really easy for grade but each with one move that belonged on another climb.

In reply to AndrewW:

I find most of the VS and above routes at Shornecliff a little over graded apart from Tigers Don't Cry which is the exact opposite.

In reply to AndrewW:

The grades in Ariège are just right - well I would say that as we helped write the guide

Folk sometimes comment on stiff grades hereabouts but usually I think it's either unfamiliarity with the rock or style of climbing or it's by comparison with other areas with notably soft grading. I've certainly been to plenty of places with far stiffer grades than here.

In reply to AndrewW:

Theres a V3 boulder problem in my area thats harder then V6s that i've done.

In reply to Steve nevers:

You can probably say that about any guide?

In reply to AndrewW:

I've left the lower wye now but since leaving I've found most things elsewhere harder.

In reply to AndrewW:

Mines Almscliff so sandbaggy as hell. Only Curbar can compete for hardest VSs on Grit

In reply to Kid Spatula:

Nonsense, plenty of Yorkshire grit is graded harder than Almscliff, go tick Widdop for starters. Plus Curbar is a good bit easier and more consitently fair in the latest BMC guide. I've climbed them all at Curbar and am still struggling on many in Yorkshire so I should know.

In reply to AndrewW:

Yorkshire, average to slightly hard.
North York Moors, almost entirely very hard compared to anywhere else other than Northumberland.

In reply to Offwidth:

The guru has spoken

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Not all northumberland ...I was pleasantly surprised with sensible grading at Bowden Doors and elsewhere we even found the odd VS that would be Severe in YMC. Kyloe in the woods was tough.

In reply to AndrewW:

This might help:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=510620

I'd like to revise it a bit and push Cornish Granite much closer to the top.

My local is Peak grit (East) so average - sandbag. I think the grades at Stanage Popular where I climb most are soft, but Curbar is obviously sandbaggy as hell whatever Offwidth says: The Toy and Smoke on t'Watter are E1, Insanity E2 (maybe it's fine, I haven't tried - too sure I'll fail), Scroach E2, etc etc.

In reply to Jon Stewart:
Sorry, I was talking specifically about Curbar VS cf Almscliff , in reponse to Kid Spatula; neither are soft graded but neither venues are the hardest on grit. The HVS Curbar list (I've led nearly all and seconded the rest) are harder grade for grade than the VS climbs but there are no longer any outrageous sandbags. We did downgrade at least one Curbar HVS route (Port Wine all those extremes you name are top end of the graded list and would be higher graded in most places but they are nothing like as bad as some of the sandbags we removed.