UKC

In reply to Robert Durran:

I like Dinas Cromlech, especially the Corner of course.

In reply to Robert Durran:

The Holy Jesus Wall looks pretty shit hot.

In reply to Robert Durran:

The Holy Jesus Wall looks pretty shit hot.

Or is that Republic of Ireland?

In reply to Robert Durran:

As a rock feature, the Napes is pretty special!

In reply to Robert Durran:

Mousetrap Zone in Gogarth, amazing geological features !

In reply to Robert Durran:

Impressive, but I think you need two categories.

1. Most impressive rock feature from a vantage point likely to be reached by non climbers.
2. Most impressive rock feature.

I think your pic is in the running for 2, but perhaps not for 1.

In reply to davidbeynon:

1. Most impressive rock feature from a vantage point likely to be reached by non climbers.
2. Most impressive rock feature.

Malham Cove might be a contender for both.

In reply to davidbeynon:


Given that the only anchor at the top of the abseil is a small cairn (the real anchors are about 15 feet below down a very exposed chimney), that is definitely true!

Anyway, I was really thinking of the most impressive feature from a climber's eye point of view.

My candidiates: Great Arch, Pabbay. The Arch on Dun Mingulay. Sron Ulladale, Harris. Great Wall, Pentire. Central Gully Wall, Creag an Dubh Loch. And the Mucklehouse Wall.

In reply to FactorXXX:




Or Gordale.

In reply to Robert Durran:

My Vote

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Pinacle#/media/File:Le_Pinacle_Jersey.jpg

In reply to Robert Durran:

Can't believe nobody has mentioned the Devil's Slide yet.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Well clearly this is a no brainer, it's obviously the prow at Wilton
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2370776

In reply to Robert Durran:

a second for dinas cromlech, but only from a climbers viewpoint (physically and mentally)

In reply to Robert Durran:

IMHO, as a climber and a caver, I'll be very surprised if the finest rock formation in the UK is above ground!

In reply to Oceanrower:


Titan?

I'd also suggest Fingals cave.

In reply to AdrianC:


I don't think slabs and walls will ever present true competition for features of a more phallic nature

(why the devil we aren't allowed winkies ...)

In reply to Robert Durran:

The Cioch & Inn Pinn, both for sheer cheek.

In reply to Robert Durran:


Surprised Napes Needle had only been mentioned once.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Never been, but Blackchurch in Devon is inspiring enough to make me want to visit!

In reply to Robert Durran:

How they manage to get the writing to go all the length of the inside of it.

In reply to goose299:


Surprised it's been mentioned at all

In reply to Robert Durran:

Not for climbing but The Druid's idol at Brimham's pretty impressive/ridiculous.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Can't believe the Giant's Causway, Kilnsey or the White Cliffs. Of Dover haven't been mentioned. Has Durdle Door?

In reply to Chris Beck:



Is Jersey in the UK?

In reply to Tyler:


I'm surprised anyone even thought about mentioning it!

In reply to David Coley:


No

In reply to Robert Durran:

old man of hoy because it's truly unique. There are other stacks, but nothing of this scale.

Malham, Gordale, Kilnsey... they are all a little different, but there are 3 of them. Inn Pinn a little unique, but no more so than Napes, Troutdale, Longstone & Cioch. Devils is ok, but then Etive is worth three of them. Beside slabs are two a penny all over the place.

In reply to Clauso:


Eh?

In reply to Tyler:

Birthplace of british rock climbing and all that

In reply to Robert Durran:

Poor joke, I think.

"It's like those sticks of rock: bite it all the way down, you'll still read Brighton."

In reply to summo:


Yes, but a chossy pile of mostly muddy, sandy, slimy or fulmar-infested crap just doesn't do it for me.............I want something which impresses and inspires me as a climber.

In reply to Robert Durran:

A few I like from the places I've been:

Gaia block
Dumbarton headwall
Right wall
Ben Nevis north face
The rainbow

In reply to Jack Frost:

I can't argue that it's impressive, but I might argue that a whole crag doesn't really count as a "rock feature"...

The Great Arch is a good shout, also some of the culm fins and the rainbow.

In reply to Robert Durran:
I've seen some pretty inspiring photos of St Kilda and Boreray...mind you they look a bit birdy.

An t-Aigeach at Neist is worth a mention too...well it's better than Napes Needle anyway. And while we're on Skye, shout out to the Basteir Tooth, the Great Prow and Kilt Rock. And I guess some Torridonian stuff like Triple Buttress. Maybe not candidates for #1 but they're all pretty cool.

In reply to Ramblin dave:


The Central Slabs alone might count though - definitely the country's finest slab feature.

In reply to Andy Moles:



I think that while Sron Ulladale is the most impressive (from quite close up, below), the Basteir Tooth is the finest. That incredible slightly overhanging blade at 3000 ft asl can be seen from about 70 miles away. So keen was I on it (and the project of doing a route that wove it's way around the arete) that Mike Lates - when he finally did it - called it 'Gordon's Wet Dream' (Skye Guide, p.73). Of course the overhanging arete hasn't been done yet, and may never will. I few years ago I asked Dave Macleod about it, and he said, yes, he had his eye on it. ...

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

For a bit of intrigue, I suggest you turn to Page 73 of Mike's guide and look closely...

In reply to Andy Moles:

I must say I find that guidebook description quite confusing. The line I intended to try was in fact the one now taken by Rainbow Warrior (3 on the photodiagram with a faint blue line, but I would almost certainly have tried the lower traverse line 3a, first). My idea was to have a 'romantic' stance on little ledge on the arete before the traverse left on the north face below the triangular overhang, and then to climb straight up more broken rock. It's a pity there isn't a diagram showing the north face of the Tooth.

In reply to summo:


No, it's truly unique... when seen from the right angle as the natural continuation of An Stac and not just some kind of incongruous headstone, there's no mountain summit ridge in the UK to match it!

In reply to ashtond6:


That's pushing it for a single rock feature. How about the whole Cuillin Ridge?

In reply to Oceanrower:


Good point - either sheer passage size - Time Machine / Gaping Ghyll or formations - OFD columns, antlers in Daren Cilau etc

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


I noticed a slight groove up to the left (looking up!) of the big square roof. Couldn't see anything on the roof (of course) but that corner I saw looked like there's mileage there and I don't think its been recorded yet...

In reply to Robert Durran:
No mention yet for the Green Bridge of Wales? One of Pembroke's highlights and a contender for sure:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Green_Bridge_of_Wales_1...

In reply to Robert Durran:

+1 for the In Pinn.

In reply to Robert Durran:


It's still an impressive lump of rock! Actually, I found the quality of the rock to be surprising good and the climbing very enjoyable.

Another impressive feature of questionable rock quality would be the Old Man of Storr on Skye. Can be seen for miles, featured in Hollywood films etc.

In reply to Robert Durran:

The Great Arete on Llech Ddu, back wall of Wen Zawn, The Great Prow on Blaven, the Arete of Edge of Extinction on the Brack, Great Wall Cloggy, Carn Dearg?

In reply to Chris H:

Some underground stuff

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Gaping%20Gill/8.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7316/8731651467_b7259cfc9a_b.jpg

In reply to james.slater:


I did Savage God at Blackchurch a few weeks after it had been put up and that made me never want to visit again.

Al

In reply to GridNorth:

Arran has a special quality

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9496157@N08/3222374640/in/gallery-hughspicer-...

In reply to Tyler:

have to agree

http://www.barbersasa.co.uk/scotland/assynt/pics/omstoer.jpg
http://www.unapoolhouse.co.uk/n/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Old-Man-of-Stoer...

old man of stoer makes napes needle look like a pin prick!

In reply to Tyler:


Yes, quite absurd. A small, attractive detail stuck on the side of a mountain. The Great Prow of Blaven, in many ways finer and about 8 times bigger than NN, is likewise just one of many interesting features stuck on the side of a mountain. Nearby Clach Glas is arguably finer than the Great P.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Well I googled the best cliff in the uk and this was one of the options
http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=242132

In reply to The New NickB:


It seems to split opinion. The rock isn't actually loose, just mostly chossy. I thought it was a dreadful route. Worth the strain for the summit tick but would be neglected and barely worth a star at, say, Gogarth, let alone somewhere like Pabbay.

In reply to Robert Durran:

'Rock feature' is such a general term that it would be impossible to define - anything made of rock would do! You need to be more specific - crag, pinnacle, stack, slab and so on. One of the most impressive UK rocky 'bits' I've seen is the Shelterstone by Loch Avon - it reminded me of places visited in the Wind Rivers, Creag an Dubh Loch slabs or gully wall, Etive Slabs, Pillar Rock, various 'Old Men'. However, topping everything else for sheer, unadulterated awe and wonder it has to be http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3293833

In reply to nicmac:



Right - the best Cliff - and also a rock feature.

In reply to Lankyman:


I was thinking of a feature within a crag (though stacks or pinnacles would also do) not a whole crag, that would impress and inspire us as climbers (not necessarily to the general public as well).

In reply to Robert Durran:

Not an individual feature as such, but more of a coastline full of stunning feature, the Shetland coast up at Eshaness is just astonishingly beautiful and with so much potential. Faces, stacks and arches all relatively unclimbed.

In reply to Andy Moles:

I don't want to hijack the thread, but my project on the Basteir Tooth took the line shown in the two pics below, pitches 1 and 2 left from Naismith's Route (solid red line), with X a stance on the arete. I think my projected line is pretty much Rainbow Warrior, though I'm not sure about pitch 2. Anyhow, twenty years on, I'm rather astounded that I've never heard any more about it, apart from Mike's guide. Surely this obvious potential mega-classic must be something many people would want to climb? I'm a bit surprised it's E3. I always had the fantasy that it would go at about HVS/E1.

Anyhow, I'm longing to hear a first-hand account from anyone who's done it.

http://www.gordonstainforthbelper.co.uk/images/GordonsDream1.jpg
http://www.gordonstainforthbelper.co.uk/images/GordonsDreamTop.jpg

In reply to Andy Moles:

Two more pictures, then I'll shut up

http://www.gordonstainforthbelper.co.uk/images/am-basteir.jpg
The romantic 'belay ledge'/stance very obvious here.

http://www.gordonstainforthbelper.co.uk/images/basteir-tooth2.jpg
Another angle of the route I wanted to do.

In reply to Jack Frost:

That's an extraordinary picture - makes quite a familiar place look very different.

In reply to the OP: it's a cliche and all, but it has to be the Old Man of Hoy, doesn't it? It depends what you mean by 'finest', obviously.

jcm

In reply to Robert Durran:

Have given this a lot of thought and I'm pretty sure it's Ramshaw Rocks.

In reply to Robert Durran:


Very surprised that the Core Laggan face (in its entirety) of Sron Na Ciche hasn't received more support.

In reply to petestack:


unique purely because it's on a summit., but it is not that big, it only stands 17m proud of the ground around it etc. interesting, nice, but not special when compared to a 100m+ sea stack.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Combination of factors I imagine, such as:

1) being right at the top of an often wet mountain
2) being a mountain route on Skye that's not on Sron na Ciche (the classic E3s on Eastern Buttress don't even get done that much)
3) being on a crag with a notable gap between Severe and E3

I'd love to get up there, among a million other things I'd love to do. Captain Planet would probably be first choice but the positions on your line do look incredible.

In reply to Andy Moles:


Yes, I like Stac Lee from this particular angle:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff217/dodgyknee/stk28Medium.jpg

A bit birdy indeed... You'd need dedicated guanodons and slime-picks.

In reply to summo:


No, it's not *on* a summit, it *is* a summit! The summit of the An Stac ridge and the summit of the mountain...


Read what I said again and look at that whole ridge...


As above.

In reply to BnB:


A bit big to count as a "feature". Though I was tempted to nominate the Cuillin Ridge as a whole!

In reply to petestack:

Agreed re An Stac/In Pin ridge. Perhaps the finest of its type in UK (only other contenders are Clach Glas and Pinnacle Ridge of SNG). Nonsense comment about In Pin only standing 17m proud of the 'ground'. That 'ground' plunges awa very steeply on either side for thousands of feet, so that it's one of the most exposed pieces of rock in Britain. Ditto An Stac, which I think is the most exposed scramble I've ever soloed (apart perhaps top of Clach Glas).

Here's a nice shot of it in winter:

https://ukc2.com/i/85510.jpg

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


Some might consider you to be a tiny bit biased?

In reply to summo:

Maybe; but I challenge anyone to suggest any scrambles in the UK that are finer than the ones I've mentioned.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


the debate is 'rock feature', not scramble, or mountain summit. Although some are all three. If it wasn't also a munro, perhaps a mere Corbett and not on the cuillin ridge, would it still get so many votes, probably not. It's location is the voter bringer, not the rock feature itself.

In reply to summo:


Well, I know (we got slightly sidetracked there). That's why I nominated the Basteir Tooth as the finest, which isn't a scramble at all. An Stac/In Pin also happens to be an exceptionally fine rock feature - a rather extraordinary 'fin' of harder gabbro that's over a 1000 feet high.

In reply to Mr. Lee:


I think we somehow have to consider sea cliff and inland rock features separately. Our coast is full of stupendous cliff features and sea stacks, and the 'king' of these is undoubtedly the Old Man of Hoy. But I think we're also interested in the question 'what is the finest inland rock feature?'

In reply to Robert Durran:

I don't think there is any single feature, but I'd like to add to the list The Triple Buttress of Ben Eighe, probably Liathach itself and the formation on which the Applecross Cioch Nose exists. As well as the formations to be seen above the Bealach na Ba.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Tourist figures would suggest Stonehenge is the winner

In reply to Robert Durran:


Probably 'This Is Spinal Tap', though strictly speaking it was an American production and cast, so I'll probably go with the "Bad News Tour".

In reply to Robert Durran:

The 1st pitch is only compromised by the ease of the climbing, the 2nd and the final ptich are excellent. Granted the other pitches are sandy but if you have trouble with Fulmars you need to be a bit more imaginative with your choice of season to climb it in.

In reply to wercat:


Liathach is extraordinary, as is Suilven, but these are still extraordinary mountains rather than extraordinary rock features, which really does suggest something a lot smaller than the massive Liathach.

In reply to summo:


I agree you can't include the whole mountain as a rock feature. the inn pinn doesn't stand that proud from the rest of the mountain.

In reply to Robert Durran:

How about that big arete at Minas Tirith - not been myself but I think it's somewhere in mid-Wales or was it Scotland...or....Lancashire?

http://orig08.deviantart.net/6108/f/2013/143/f/9/minas_tirith_hd_by_lexgoom...

Brilliant feature, superb exposed climbing apparently, with added bonus of an easy walk off the top.

In reply to CurlyStevo:


I disagree, it's clearly visible from several miles away

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

The point being that Gordon was including the drops either side of it, which I don't think adds up. Although I guess the position of the rock feature could be considered as important as the feature it's self?

In reply to Robert Durran:

Got to be the Minack theatre in Cornwall. Hell of a lot of rock shifted to make that.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:


So is Dumbarton, but I wouldn't quite put them in the same league.

In reply to summo:

I guess if you took the inn pin and put it in the sea, hoy and stoer would be better!

In reply to CurlyStevo:


It would look like the island just by bosigram. Pretty to look at whilst belaying, but nothing inspirational.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

But it would have none of the exposure. Have you soloed An Stac/In Pin btw?

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Definitely.

In reply to Robert Durran:

clippity clippity clippity clop

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


yes, have you soloed the Old Man of Hoy?

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Yep, exactly the comparisons I'd have made...


Because the In Pinn and An Stac are indivisible, one and the same!

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Bingo! You can't meaningfully consider the In Pinn here as anything other than the summit of both An Stac and the mountain. It's not just some bizarre, isolated, 'short' blade, but the integral top of a truly startling mountain ridge from which it should never have been separated by that superfluous, fanciful, Victorian name. So, no, I'm not necessarily claiming it's the UK's finest rock feature, but how anyone deny from photos like these (just Googled and not mine) that it's contextually different from 'Napes, Troutdale, Longstone' etc.?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulsammonds/2555231025/
https://willcopestakemedia.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/img_5114.jpg?w=960
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5459/8783495883_8d797f9ea1_b.jpg

In reply to petestack:


I'd say the 500-odd people who climb the Pin for every one that climbs the east ridge of An Stac divide them quite effectively. I heart the Pin and all, just sayin'.

In reply to Robert Durran:

It's Gordale. Hands down.

In reply to Robert Durran:



The 'penis' hold on Incubator (HS 4b).

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Well yes, and if you took the Old Man of Hoy and laid it on its side, no one would bother to climb it.

In reply to planetmarshall:

Or Thomas!! Thomas (S 4a)

In reply to Robert Durran:

Depends how large a scale you're going with this rock feature, and if you're more concerned with form alone or whether the climbing needs to be good.

I'm tempted to nominate Tower Ridge as one of the very best rock features, if not the best. It's absolutely unique in the UK in terms of it's scale and form - THE line up the biggest mountain amphitheatre around.

The pillar on Spantastic.

In reply to Robert Durran:

I can't believe that this has not been mentioned by now. It's bigger than OMof H. Inn Pin, GAofPabbay and the Napes.... I'm talking Tower Ridge, but I know that for most of the year the rock is hidden under layers of snow!

In reply to Robert Durran:
The Hole of Creation (E3 6a)

In reply to Robert Durran:

Have you doneit? It isn't just like you are describing it, it is the single most adventurous route in the UK with a lot of quality climbing.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Dun Mingulay?

In reply to Al Evans:


If you are referring to the Old Man of Hoy, then yes, I have done it just a few weeks ago. A big disappointment having looked forward to it since I started climbing. Not even particularly adventurous by sea stack standards (no swim, lots of in situ gear). Anything on Dun Mingulay feels far more adventurous. And has quality climbing.....

In reply to Robert Durran:

The feature taken by Dariada on the Cobbler impressed me more for location wow factor than Malham. To be even handed if the Dalriada butress were not stuck on top of a mountain it would still be impressive in the same way Partheon Shot or the Wimberry Prow is but far less gob-smacking

In reply to Robert Durran:

kilt rock is pretty unique too, top ten perhaps, but not number 1.