UKC

I'm sure I have sussed out most stuff but I'm after peoples recommendations of good early season trad venues (with some quality HVS-E2 to try) that are day trip-able from Sheffield. Obviously a sunny aspect, dry! not green and preferable sheltered venues for this time of year. Areas I am mainly looking at is obscure or far parts of the peak venues (Chew/Staffs/Churnet), Yorkshire grit/lime, Lancashire, Cheshire?

Cheers

Graeme

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

As long as it is reasonably dry, what's wrong with any of the Eastern Edges? No midges and not sweaty currently!

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

You done much down towards the Amber Valley Graeme?
Cocking Tor, Turningstone Edge etc are great at this time of year and although I've only bouldered down there the trad routes look great, with lots of starred routes.
Agden Rocher is also good (although you've probably blitzed that).

In reply to TobyA:

Apart from the clouds of the little black swines around Apple Arete at Gardoms on Sunday!

Buggers got me too!

In reply to TobyA:


There were plenty about at Stanage on Sunday!

In reply to D Berry:


And


Are you sure these weren't gnats or other sorts of flying insect? I've noticed that any type of small flying insect often gets referred to as a "midge", but I'm pretty confident there wouldn't be swarms of midges on the grit at this time of year.

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Beeston, beautiful on a sunny day

In reply to TobyA:

Graeme has climbed masses on the East - perhaps he's a bit jaded?

Standing Stones can be perfect early season. Ramshaw too. And yes, Churnet as long as it's been dry for a few days.

In reply to deacondeacon:

Amber Valley is normally a good shout though I usually save these venues for after work as it is quite accessible from where I work in Chesterfield. You should definitely get a on some of the routes there. Eastwood is brilliant particularly stuff like corpse crack, sons and lovers, the ghoul and neb traverse. Likewise turningstone both have a couple of harder E3/4 projects for me. Really liked cyclops eye at cocking tor, apprently jelly ache is fairly ok too. Once went to ravensest tor but it was very wet in April so saving that for the summer after probably a cleaning session as it faces north east. I've done the classics at agden but keen to try some of the 1* routes that appear on the BM&B grade list.

Standing Stones can take a bit of drainage from moor above, so despite it's sunny aspect can be quite damp after the winter - there looked to be very few climbable routes last weekend.

Graeme have you done much around Leicestershire? Craig Buddon is pleasant and fast drying, great E1 there, Beacon Hill has some nice little highballs (Starship Trooper, Moonshot). Markfield is OK for some easier stuff. The Brand is excellent
Cademan Woods / Broad Hill also looks fun for a big exploratory day bouldering (oops just noticed you said trad), I'm keen for this if you fancy it

Hmm in the Peak.. The Celestial Twins probably best on sunny spring/autumn days before it gets too hot later in the year. and Aldery Edge if you've not ticked it?

In reply to Stig:

Yeah good shouts I need to go back and try a few more evil cracks at ramshaw and have got a few bits still to try at standing stones

In reply to Coel Hellier:

Yeah they're definitely not midges

In reply to D Berry:

Went to Baildon Bank in Yorkshire on Sunday which was a good early season venue but we there wasn't any flys. Would recommend it to anyone else we had the place to ourselves.

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Also, North Yorkshire Moors is day trip-able. Scugdale and Wainstones (if not windy) both have sunny aspects

In reply to mark20:

Have done a fair bit in Leicestershire but would be keen for a re explore/getting on harder project though from what I remember the gear was often rubbish.

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Trowbarrow - its a bit of a drive but I've day tripped it before from Sheffield and its ace there.

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Have you been to Witches Quarry in Lancashire?

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Wales is having such fine weather at the mo!

In reply to Lenin:

Witches is North facing!

HVS to E2? Sunny? Near to Sheffield? Stoney M!

In reply to Bulls Crack:

HVS to E2 I think so. OP did mention Lancashire. North Facing DOH

In reply to Lenin:

Beeston Tor will fill a day or two

In reply to Coel Hellier:



Absolutely. I often wonder if people who refer as such have ever experienced true midge hell.

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Hi Graeme,

Obvious one is cratcliffe, also steep if you are fit from winter gym and still having injury issues

I've also day tripped to trowbarrow from Sheffield and thought it was really good

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Roaches, Hen Cloud, Five clouds, Ramshaw Rocks.....

Beautiful, clean dry, sunny rock last weekend - with teams all over HVS - E2.......