UKC

Beginning a winter of hard training and good diet (I'm a vegetarian, Christmas is easy.) and I need a project on the sandstone to keep me motivated through the off-season. Any recommendations for a 5c-soft/medium 6a at Bowles or Harrisons?

At Harries I've done:

Orangutang 5c - great climb
Quiver 5c - Took me about 10 tries over 2 years
Blue Peter 5c - 4 or 5 tries
The Scoop - 2 tries. Short but fun
Far Left
Wildcat Wall
Edward's Wall
West Wall
Cave Wall
Slim Finger Crack (this is such a good climb! 4 or 5 tries)
Grant's Groove 6a (felt more hard 5c ish, interesting)

In reply to jsmcfarland:

I thought it was bad ethics to climb on Southern Sandstone in winter (for conservation reasons)? In fact, didn't you yourself post just the other day saying just that?

In reply to jsmcfarland:

Hi ,

I think your aims are similar to mine. I need to loose a stone and keep training.
I think Burlap at Bowles would be a good target route. Bit of an eliminate but sustained.
Have never tied it but the flakes at Harrisons looks like a quality route with the crux at the top.
Where are you training?
I have just discovered The Reach , and doing shorter sessions at Evolution.

Cheers

Richard

In reply to jsmcfarland:

Digitalis, Hate, Serenade Arete, Fandango, Nightmare at Bowles are all good.

In reply to silhouette:

I think he's looking for a reason to train in the winter, not something to climb in the winter.

In reply to jsmcfarland:

Just replying really to recount my own experience setting a target route at that grade - but it was 40 years ago so the holds may have changed - and in those days you had to train for a route by trying the route, no opportunity to practice similar moves down the wall. (And I don't think back then we appreciated how much damage we could do to the rock climbing it when wet either).

Anyway it was The Flakes at Harrisons. Each time I tried it and failed I was always so knackered that I couldn't get back to my high point again that session. So I only got one attempt per session on my highest move. But next session I would get just a little higher, and on each attempt the lower moves got better wired. A loooooong time later I finally strung it all together, and, having by that time wired it all, I never failed on it again for the next 20 years, despite trying it most visits - it's such a great little route!

So I'll give you +1 for The Flakes

Martin

In reply to silhouette:

You get 10 points for not actually reading my post. Make it to 50 and you get a stuffed giraffe

In reply to jsmcfarland:

Thanks all for the suggestions, I've tried The Flakes and Hate before but had totally forgotten about them. they're both quite fingery routes from what I remember, a little extra strength goes a long way

I'm training at K2 crawley, white spider in Kingston, a bit at evolution. Just bought myself the rock prodigy fingerboard too. Psyched to do some training Incidentally if anyone is interested in partnering up for training, drop me a pm. Cheers guys

In reply to jsmcfarland:

Hate's not fingery bit balancy and a tricky move getting over the edge but other than that a brilliant climb. Good effort on Mick Fowlers part soloing it all those years ago(i believe thats right?)

In reply to jsmcfarland:

As conditions can be a bit variable over winter would some of the stamina based boulder problems be worth considering? Fandango wall at Bowles can be climbable over winter (thought it does seep). Tobacco Road (6B / V4) is good fun especially if its extended from the finishing jug left to the far end of the wall. If that goes easily then Nicotine Alley is pretty good.

In reply to HakanT:


Aha! Now it makes sense.

In reply to dickie01:

I think hate is pretty fingery getting estabilished at the first mantel and the moves up the middle slab.

In reply to jsmcfarland:
thin at stone farm (5c) has some lovely moves on it.
pinnacle buttress arete direct start (very soft 6a) is really good too