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Darius*** E2 5c

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Debauchery >>
[i am darius king of kings 1978, 3 kb]50m. A gem of a route, but like all gems rather polished - a sign of its allure as one of the best E2s in the country. The route is best done in one pitch, but can be split either at the large break at 20m or right of the flake almost in line with the Debauchery stance (in Perseus). Start below the prominent groove. Climb the groove to a ledge below the bulge (optional stance to reduce rope drag higher up). Pull through the bulge on the left and follow the crack above until a step right gains another crack. Continue past Debauchery into another groove on the left. Continue up the flake above to a position below the big old bolt. Pass this leftwards via a wonderful manoeuvre and finish up a steep groove to the top. Alternatively climb past the bolt at a polished E3 6a. © ROCKFAX
FFA. Pete Livesey in 1974. FA. Oliver Woolcock, Clive Rowland, Paul Nunn 1963. The current bolt was placed by Chris Craggs, nearly 20 years ago!

Ticklists: Extreme Rock, Great Wall Climbs of the UK, The High Tor Top Ten, Classic Rock Climbs In Northern England by Bill Birket, Rockfax Peak Limestone Top 50, Classic Peak Limestone Trad - VDiff to E2, 100 best limestone climbs in Britain.

Photo: i am darius king of kings 1978 © brian cropper
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PUBLIC LOGBOOKS
This climb is in 253 logbooks, and on 59 wishlists.

shark - Lead rpt - 02/May/13 with Stefan Gallagher

buzby78 - Lead - Apr/13 with McGeek

captain - 2013

Nick Sillem - 2013

Loads of rests not too hard
mwatson - 2nd rpt - 11/Nov/12

Absolutely ace. Amazing pocketed rock. Nice that it felt easy too. Crux is right at the top, after the thread / bolt.
JRae - Lead - 11/Nov/12 with M Watson

Hidden - Lead rpt - 29/Sep/12

Haydn Jones - 2nd O/S - 22/Sep/12 with pep

Amazing!
sazmaz - 2nd - 06/Sep/12 with Dan Lanchester-Wright

Glenn Sutcliffe - 2nd - 05/Sep/12 with Pete Cresswell

Finally done it :) Had fallen off from on the big undercuts just after the final crux two years ago. It takes so much effort and all-round fitness to keep going that long with that much rope out, especially if you take your time and the sun comes out. Completely exhausted at the top. Such a stunning route though.
Si dH - Lead β - 01/Jul/12 with Neil Furniss

Martin Haworth - Lead dog - 10/Jun/12 with Andy

Desperate and sustained all the way up. I led up to stance under 1st overhang (thought it was harder than 4c). A full grade harder than all the others E2s I've done over the past 2 weeks.Felt like E3 6a.
Andrew Sloan - 2nd dog - 10/Jun/12 with Martin Haworth

Neil led as two pitches. This felt like top level E2. If led as one pitch it would be extremely hard indeed.
stuaart - 2nd - 06/May/12 with Neil Redgrave

Howard Lawledge - 2nd - May/12 with Malc

Did 1st pitch of Debauchery then realised Darius was a much cooler line, so finished up this. Awesome route and reasonably safe. Quite a long effort to lead a 50m routes after so much 8m grit.
Daniel Heath - Lead O/S - 14/Apr/12 with Ben Kelsey, Remus

Hidden - 2nd rpt - 14/Apr/12

Amazing route, perfect rock and gear. Thin traverse at the top was a little scary though, especially as that bolt looked ancient and I'd run out draws so I would've taken quite a swing. Did it in one pitch which I thought made a hard E2.
Joughton - Lead O/S - 24/Mar/12

Finally, cheers Sam. In one on 2 singles
Hannes B - Lead O/S - 22/Mar/12 with Sam H

Marti999 - Lead O/S - 22/Mar/12 with Graham Charman

Graham C - 2nd - 22/Mar/12 with Marti

I was knackered on this. Climbed badly, went a bit off route and found it tough! By the top I was out of draws, and juice. Top route mind.
liam - Lead O/S - 10/Mar/12 with Andy, Mark R

Bob - 2012

Hidden - 2012

neilh - 2012

Tony Kartawick - 2012

Tony Kartawick - 2012

Tony Kartawick - 2012

Hidden - Lead O/S - 19/Nov/11

Hidden - 2nd rpt - 22/Oct/11

Man, what a route. Got stopped in my tracks a bit above the stance. Need to be firing on all cylinders to lead this clean! Mega route - I'll be back...
robin_hackney - Lead dnf - 22/Oct/11 with Si

Very hard for me, good work to henry for making it to the top with no falls. I climbed up to the shelf to belay, and even then our ropes didn't make it to the tree. Borrowed a rope from the two other guys we shared the face with. Excellent day all round.
jayrenegade - 2nd dog - 16/Oct/11 with Henry

jamie lead to first ledge and i went to the top and got disco leg at the very top and thought i was off but managed to pull through. pumpy!
henry peter jenkins - AltLd - 16/Oct/11 with jamie standbridge

Hidden - 2nd rpt - 02/Oct/11

if done in 1 pitch i would have said E3. the top was hard especially with the fill weight of the ropes and lack of quickdraws. More medium nuts may have also helped!
markalmack - Lead O/S - 02/Oct/11 with chris todd

In one pitch, truly brilliant climb, the best I've ever done?! Went left too low beneath the bolt, felt really hard climbing above a proper run out. Would get E3 in pembroke!
tatz45 - Lead O/S - 01/Oct/11 with Lisa Morgan

Hidden - 2nd - 03/Sep/11

As a single pitch. Ended up doing something strange off a mono and little crimp at the top, to the left of the bolt. Felt about 6a.
richardr - Lead O/S - 03/Sep/11

Speeddemonsi - Lead O/S - 28/Aug/11

Hidden - Lead O/S - 20/Aug/11

Hidden - 2nd - 19/Aug/11

gforce - Lead O/S - 16/Aug/11 with Emma

Tried this in the 80s, got nowhere. This time I fell off the crux, so some improvement, I guess...
robinsi197 - 2nd dog - 01/Aug/11 with Nick

Brannock - 2nd β - 29/Jul/11

Split the pitch at the threads, (On the easy ground which Debauchery passes over about 3M below where the guide suggested) Found the first pitch really pumpy and oddly the second pitch felt ok, As always with high tor, amazing moves in a amazing position.
bigdrew - Lead O/S - 12/Jul/11 with Matt Fry

Hidden - Lead O/S - 24/Jun/11

split into two pitches
gregoritos - Lead O/S - 11/Jun/11

Dave Turnbull, BMC - 2nd - 04/Jun/11 with Adam Long

Done in one pitch. Never desperate but quite tricky in places.
Diggler - Lead O/S - 30/Apr/11 with Calder

Calder - 2nd - 30/Apr/11 with Mark

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 24/Apr/11

Jordan - Lead O/S - 28/Mar/11 with Joel Pixley

Hidden - Lead O/S - 27/Mar/11

Hidden - Lead O/S - 06/Mar/11

Another minor epic with Si. Needed to deliver extra gear twice (take more QD's than you expect). You need to make the most of the available rests or the top moves will shut you down!
robin_hackney - 2nd O/S - 06/Mar/11 with Si

Hidden - 2011

adie84 - 2011

Jack Geldard - UKC Chief Editor - 2011

GeoffG - 2011

Pumpy in the middle section.
kingholmesy - 2011 with Andy S & Dominic O

Hidden - Lead - 2011

Dave Parton - 2011

Ben C - 2011

phil64 - 2011

thebigfriendlymoose - 2011

thebigfriendlymoose - 2011

HamishD - Lead O/S - 15/Oct/10 with John Brannock

With Hammish D, had 50m ropes so a bit of simul climbing, then it started ranning.
Brannock - 2nd dog - 15/Oct/10

barni - 2nd O/S - 14/Oct/10 with luke, Liam fleming

Luke Brooks - 2nd - 14/Oct/10 with Liam, Barni

Very good route though a bit overhyped. Felt bold with only(!) 14 runners.
thomasadixon - Lead O/S - 22/Sep/10 with Mike

Great route but felt much more like E3 5c to me, especially when done as one long pitch on 50m ropes! (Doh) Em had to start climbing while I finished up the steep groove with terrible rope drag. Took about 90 minutes to lead it, had to be very creative with gear but enjoyed the experience.....lots of cruxes, toughest ones at the top....
Chad123 - AltLd O/S - 05/Sep/10 with Emily

rikbattye - Lead O/S - 04/Sep/10 with Charlie Mackie

Had to second in the total dark, feeling my way up. Pretty happy i only came off at the crux and another place near the top
CharlieMack - 2nd dog - 04/Sep/10 with Rik Battye

nai - Lead O/S - 17/Aug/10 with James Turnbull

Didnt have ths strength left to make the last couple of pulls to jugs and had to fall off from the big undercuts after the cross-hands move - the rope weighed a tonne. Old bolt did its job. Bit gutted, but pleased with attempt and what a route - amazing. Possibly the best pitch of climbing Ive ever been on.
Si dH - Lead dnf - 07/Aug/10 with Neil Furniss

Hidden - Lead O/S - 07/Aug/10

Hidden - AltLd O/S - 10/Jul/10

drcorbasisgod - Lead O/S - 03/Jul/10 with David Gilling

alaan - Lead rpt - 03/Jul/10

pabbage - 2nd - 28/Jun/10

Fantastic, the best single pitch route I've done to date. Have been wanting to do this for over a year. Did it in one withering pitch, lots of rests though which I took full advantage of, so it took me an hour and 50 minutes to climb it! Tom took an hour to second, which made me feel a bit less of a slow coach. :-) Used about 20 runners, which is a new record for a single pitch. Should go back and do the direct finish.
Misha - Lead O/S - 19/Jun/10 with Tom

bigie bob - Lead O/S - 21/Apr/10

Seymore Butt - 2010

Nice to come back and lead this one, great route
lukehunt - Lead rpt - 2010 with Sam Dewhurst

nickcanute - Lead - 2010

mwatson - Lead O/S - 2010

Split into 3 pitches. I lead the 1st and 3rd, downclimbing from the second stance to include the harder climbing otherwise missed. Great route!
Matt Fry - AltLd O/S - 17/Oct/09 with Tim Ashcroft

Split into 3 pitches, mainly cos I was so done in. Had to rest on gear twice. Matt lead through and climbed second pitch (top) very smoothly.
thrutch - AltLd - 17/Oct/09 with Matt

Hidden - Lead O/S - 13/Sep/09

dan gibson - 2nd O/S - 13/Sep/09 with andrew porter, michael porter

Hidden - Lead O/S - 09/Sep/09

Hidden - Lead O/S - 31/Aug/09

Hidden - 2nd dog - 31/Aug/09

melonmike - 2nd - 29/Aug/09

Nails hard!
david morse - Lead β - 28/Aug/09 with mikey R

finally broken - this monster was just too much - can't wait to get back on it...
Ed Babs - Lead dog - 28/Aug/09 with Mike Hawkins

UKC Logbooks - 2nd - 16/Aug/09 with Harry Hotshot

middlevern - Lead rpt - 11/Jul/09 with Mike Blood

Tom Briggs - Jagged Globe - 2nd - 23/May/09 with Tuffty Nick

tuftynick - Lead rpt - 23/May/09 with tom briggs

metal arms - Lead dog - 12/Apr/09

Hidden - Lead O/S - 12/Oct/08

Tim Steward - Lead O/S - 15/Sep/08 with James Parrot

andi turner - Lead O/S - 30/Aug/08 with Mark Sharratt

Hidden - Lead - 28/Aug/08

Hidden - Lead dog - 23/Jul/08

Ian Parnell - Lead O/S - 14/Jul/08 with Jon Winter

datoon - Lead O/S - 29/Jun/08 with MJ

philhilo - Lead O/S - Jun/08 with Ed Shaw

bfreeman - Lead O/S - 31/May/08 with Rob G

alaan - 2nd O/S - 31/May/08 with Broom

Few rests, struggled on this after 2nd ing supersonic, have to return when fresh!
Ian Broome - Lead dog - 31/May/08 with Al

Somerset swede basher - Lead O/S - 19/May/08 with Andy Nicholson

Will_he_fall - Lead O/S - 18/May/08 with Aly

OffshoreAndy - 2nd - 15/May/08 with UKC Nicos

Nicos - Lead O/S - 15/May/08 with andrew sutton

mattyork2 - Lead O/S - 05/May/08 with Steve Aherne

Pete Graham - Lead O/S - 02/May/08 with Tom Everett

really hard
tom.e - 2nd dog - 02/May/08 with Pete

Went right at the bolt. Not much harder at all it seems.
IanJackson - Lead O/S - 03/Apr/08 with Luke Hunt

Best route on the best bit of rock in the country. Will be back to lead this one very soon!
lukehunt - 2nd O/S - 2008 with Ian Jackson

Hidden - 2008

Hidden - 2008

tuftynick - 2008

Hidden - Lead O/S - 06/Oct/07

Russell Birkett - Lead O/S - Oct/07 with Tim Whitaker

shark - Lead - 28/Jul/07 with John Codling

Brown - 2nd β - 10/Jul/07 with Tom Walker

that thing goes on! ran out of draws, had to take shoes off mid-route, sun just got too much not to mention the routes sustained nature. backed off about 2/3 height. brilliant climbing which demands a return match.
ksjs - Lead dnf - 07/Jul/07 with sarah

Really good poss E3 though.
Alex Mason - Lead O/S - 05/Jun/07 with tom rockcity

v.jester - Lead dog - Jun/07 with alex

tom.e - Lead dnf - 25/Apr/07 with Danny

nathanmanc - Lead O/S - 22/Apr/07 with Alex Cannon

feilx - Lead O/S - 07/Apr/07 with Dan Barbour

dannyboy83 - 2nd - Apr/07 with Felix Coxwell

Hidden - Lead O/S - Feb/07

Hidden - 2007

amazing!
willackers - Lead O/S - 2007 with Tom Mills

Toby Dunn - 2007

JulesV - Lead O/S - 2007

Unseconded, very hairy two-stage abseil to retrieve gear!
thebigfriendlymoose - Lead O/S - 14/Oct/06

Clean this time round
cem - Lead rpt - 10/Sep/06 with Graham Dolman

Made it as far as the Debauchery stance level last year before running out of daylight and gear. Fine this time but a Long Mission.
Belier - Lead - 24/Aug/06 with Alex

Boy - 2006

Bern - 2006

Tom Briggs - Jagged Globe - 2005

Adam Lincoln - Lead - 2005

Ben1983 - Lead O/S - Jul/04

Epic, had to prussic crux
climbtim - 2nd - 06/Jun/04

chrishedgehog - Lead O/S - 2004 with Clare Wilkie

haydng - Lead O/S - 2004 with Rob, Rachel

Dave Bond - Lead - 17/Sep/03 with Rich Hatton

Strayed onto & fell off the 6a variation finish
cem - Lead dog - 07/Jun/03 with Graham Dolman

skygodley - Lead O/S - 12/May/01 with SarahM

Hidden - Lead - 12/May/01

Did the direct finish at the top.
Brian Rodgers - Lead O/S - 2001 with Phil Simister

tuftynick - Lead - 2001

ellis - Lead O/S - 2001 with Simon Witcher

Julian Wedd - Lead - 2001 with D. Body

Hidden - 2nd - 15/Jun/00

nige - 2nd - Jun/00 with dave parton

Hidden - 2000

ian caton - Lead O/S - 2000 with Matt

philb - 2nd - 2000

Tim M - 2000

Hidden - Lead O/S - 2000

EagerAndy - 2000

WB - Lead O/S - Jul/99 with Julian

Rob Kennard - 1999

Hidden - 2nd - 18/Jul/98

sadams - 2nd - 22/Mar/98 with Pete Bukowski

Hidden - Lead - 1998

Hidden - Lead O/S - 19/Oct/97

first limestone climb.
hotrod - 2nd - 11/Jul/97 with mark

Dave Rumney - 06/Jul/97 with Sean Roberts

Simon lead this, took a big fall, and took him 3 hours,
CrashMat Rob - 2nd - 20/Apr/97 with Simon, Karen

phardman - 1997

finished direct (E3 6a)
andyblain - Lead O/S - Jul/96

Hidden - Lead - 27/Jun/96

mikedelderfield - Lead O/S - 15/Jun/96 with Steven Delderfield

ste_d - AltLd O/S - 15/Jun/96 with mik

NeilGriffiths - Lead O/S - 1996 with Phil

Dave Musgrove Jnr - Lead - 07/Aug/95 with Nick Ashton

Hidden - Lead - 04/Jul/95

Glenn Sutcliffe - 1995 with keefe

michael burrows - Lead O/S - 26/Jun/94 with lola gunn

Hidden - Lead O/S - Apr/94

OMSKB - AltLd - 1994 with Richard Winfield

marcoleptic - 2nd - 1994 with Lee

stevieb - 2nd dog - 15/May/93 with Nick Knorr

rob.grafton - Lead - 09/May/93 with Bruce

Hidden - Lead - 14/Apr/93

Hidden - 2nd - 1993

Roget - Lead O/S - 13/Sep/92 with jon

Awesome route, long, involved, scary, just get on it
andrew300169 - Lead O/S - 27/Aug/92 with Tim

tlr - AltLd - 28/Jul/92 with Cal

Hidden - 2nd - 17/May/92

whispering nic - Lead - 21/Jul/91 with Graham Iles

Hidden - Lead dog - 24/Apr/90

NickJH - Lead dnf - Apr/90 with J Airey, I Smith, D Townsend

Hidden - 1990

Pete Ogden - Lead - 1990

scree - May/89

Hidden - 2nd - 28/Apr/89

Rich Kirby - Lead - 1989 with Will (S. Williamson)

Hidden - Lead - 05/Jun/88

Hidden - Lead - 22/May/88

DDDD - Lead O/S - 1988

pebblespanker - AltLd O/S - 10/Jun/87 with Mark Powell

Hidden - 2nd - 26/May/87

Hidden - Lead - 23/May/87

I led the 4c pitch.
eroica64 - 2nd - 12/Apr/87 with Ray Hancock

Paula Hamilton-Gibson - 2nd - 1987 with John Adams, Stella Adams

Steve cruised it, I did not !!
rogerskews - 2nd - 1987 with Steve Walker

William Robertson - Lead O/S - 1987 with Emily, Steve, Shaun etc

Kafoozalem - Lead O/S - 15/Aug/86 with Ant Watt

keefe - 26/Jun/86 with Johnny Adams

Hidden - AltLd - 18/May/86

Billg - Lead O/S - 1986

Hidden - Lead - 1986

Derek Furze - 1986

According to Dave: ...You took a 40 foot lob trying the direct finish. You then led normal finish. I then took a ground fall / jump off Bastille when the peg snapped. Someone then committed suicide off top of crag.....
shark - Lead - 24/Jun/85 with Dave Marsh

sadams - 2nd - 08/Jun/85 with Kevin Edwards

Hidden - Lead - 09/Apr/85

andy gittins - 1985

shark - Lead O/S - 10/Sep/84 with Phill Dickens

GordonHart - 2nd O/S - Sep/84

Hidden - Lead dnf - 29/Aug/84

jonathan shepherd - Lead O/S - Aug/83

Ian Jones - Lead O/S - 1983 with John Meyers, John Kirk, Mick Ward, Mick Bailey, Rich Lewis

Done this climb several times (at least 3 or 4) find it quite easy, it must suit my climbing style and build.
Gezzer - Lead O/S - 1983 with Derek Shaw

Mike Owen - 07/Oct/82 with Al Stewart

Had seconded the pitch in July 1980
Andy Stephenson - Lead rpt - 08/Jul/82

Nigel Bond - AltLd - 06/Jun/82 with Charlie Leverton

charlesmfrench - Lead O/S - 08/May/82 with Ian Milne

Nic Robinson - Lead O/S - 18/Apr/82 with Irish George

mark-abz - Lead O/S - 27/Mar/82 with Andy W

KRB - Lead O/S - 24/Sep/81 with Neil Gregory

Hidden - AltLd - 05/Sep/81

Mark Kemball - Lead - 10/May/81 with Paul Clark

Ghastly Rubberfeet - Lead - 1981 with Derek Hersey

Hidden - 1980

Hidden - 1980

Chris Craggs - Lead - 1980 with Jim Rubery

Hidden - 1980

Hidden - 1980

Dave Musgrove - AltLd - 17/Oct/76 with Jim Worthington

Hidden - Lead dog - Oct/76

Falko - Lead O/S - 09/Jun/75 with Bill Briggs

Well, at the time I lead this (an early ascent) there was still one bolt for resting/aid high up and I used it - but seconded it free several years later. A magnificent pitch either way.
petemeads - Lead O/S - 1975

Hidden - 1973

Led on a number of occasions
David Smith - Lead - 1970

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Voting
Total votes cast 229
hard E30 of 82
E30 of 82
easy E322 of 82
hard E247 of 82
E210 of 82
easy E23 of 82
hard E10 of 82
E10 of 82
easy E10 of 82
hard 6a0 of 78
6a0 of 78
easy 6a2 of 78
hard 5c37 of 78
5c39 of 78
easy 5c0 of 78
hard 5b0 of 78
5b0 of 78
easy 5b0 of 78
3 Stars69 of 69
2 Stars0 of 69
1 Star0 of 69
0 Stars0 of 69
Bag of .....0 of 69
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Style of ascent

Lead140 of 253 (55.3%)
Followed55 of 253 (21.7%)
Alt Leads13 of 253 (5.1%)
Unknown45 of 253 (17.8%)

'Climbed'117 of 253 (46.2%)
clean O/S97 of 253 (38.3%)
clean β4 of 253 (1.6%)
clean rpt12 of 253 (4.7%)
dogged17 of 253 (6.7%)
dnf6 of 253 (2.4%)