UKC Logbook - 'Bachelor's Left-hand'

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Staffordshire > Hen Cloud >

Bachelor's Left-hand

HVS 5b

Adjacent Climbs
<< Chiaroscuro

Parallel Lines >>

24m. A major classic up the tallest buttress here and one of the best routes in Western Grit. Climb a tricky crack, a bulge then steeper cracks to a long move on a pocket to reach a huge flake (long tape runner). Reach the slab and ledges then step left and finish up the fine jamming crack to an awkward bulging exit. © ROCKFAX
FA. Don Whillans late 1950s 1957

Ticklists: ROCKFAX Western Grit: Top 50, The Roaches - Routes Graded List, Steve Ashton's 100 Classic Gritstone Climbs, Classic Rock Climbs In Northern England by Bill Birket, ROCKFAX Western Grit Grade List.

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PUBLIC LOGBOOKS

This climb is in 221 logbooks, and on 38 wishlists.

Chriswallis2 - Lead O/S - 06/May/13 with jenny

Wadsworth - Lead O/S - 05/May/13 with Mark

markfairbank - 2nd - 05/May/13 with Calum Wadsworth

Chris Sansum - 2nd rpt - 06/Apr/13 with Phil Gibson

Bit wet and surprisingly hard!
jacobjacob - Lead O/S - 16/Feb/13

Amazing route, one of the best of its grade anywhere! Sustained, interesting, never too desperate but no easy climbing either and it's not all over when you hit the top crack.
climbingpixie - 2nd O/S - 14/Oct/12 with Andy

Hidden - Lead O/S - 14/Oct/12

Number Eight of the attempt on the Staffordshire Nose
Brown - 2nd - 22/Sep/12 with Andy R

Not enough gear for the top crack.
francois - Lead dnf - 22/Sep/12 with Chris

Took 3 falls trying to get to the big flake. Admitted defeat... :-( Poor show. Shame as it looks great!
BelayBunney - Lead dnf - 22/Sep/12 with Francois

Pretty much the hardest thing I've led to date. Exhausting and never ending. Even the top moves are no pushover. Brilliant fun.
Jimbo C - Lead - 13/Sep/12 with Chris, Pete

Favourite route recently. Surprising moves at this grade, a thanks god pocket in just the right place, jamming, thin slab moves, great gear...it's got it all!
julesmckim - Lead - 09/Sep/12 with Mickie Streule

Best route of its' grade on grit? Superb climbing throughout but especially the first half: surprising moves at this grade...just love the move right at the top of the jamming crack...and finding the "thank God" finger pocket
julesmckim - Lead O/S - 09/Sep/12 with Mickie Streule

Hidden - Lead rpt - 07/Sep/12

Truan - 2nd dog - 07/Sep/12

pretty stiff for HVS! pushy first half with poor jams, easier after the flake (120cm sling) but would still be tough at VS for this section as well!
JamieSparkes - Lead O/S - 14/Aug/12 with Claire

Hannes B - 2nd - 30/Jul/12 with Francis

Thinker01 - 2nd O/S - 28/Jul/12 with Becster, Ralph Wilkinson

Hidden - Lead dnf - 28/Jul/12

Really struggled with bottom crack.
RFWilkie - Lead dog - 28/Jul/12 with Mark, Bec

becster - 2nd - 28/Jul/12 with Ralph Wilkinson

jasonpm - 2nd - 22/Jul/12 with Steve IMC

sambosanquet101 - Lead dog - 22/Jul/12 with Martin Jones

Hidden - 2nd - 22/Jul/12

Rich Kirby - 2nd - 12/Jul/12 with Ruth

Hidden - Lead O/S - 12/Jul/12

timmyhobby - Lead O/S - 05/Jul/12

RusseyB - 2nd - 05/Jul/12

Nails at HVS. Harder than Hen Cloud Eliminate.
stuaart - 2nd - 04/Jun/12 with Neil Redgrave

Good route, with some tricky bits low down.
clipskipper - 2nd O/S - 04/Jun/12 with Andy Gardner

Joey C - Lead dog - 09/May/12 with Matt Stevens

Mike W - 2nd - 23/Mar/12

joese7en - Lead O/S - 13/Jan/12

Andy Peak 1 - Lead - 2012 with lee mercer

Hidden - 2012

Tony Kartawick - 2012

Hidden - Lead - 12/Dec/11

dave_rose - Lead O/S - 05/Nov/11

cat22 - 2nd O/S - 05/Nov/11 with Mike

asmith37 - 2nd - 05/Nov/11 with Dave Rose

Finally got this clean on lead, jeez.. that was a battle.
Jim Slater - Lead rpt - 30/Oct/11 with Graeme Hammond

didn't climb this as well as when i led it.
Graeme Hammond - 2nd rpt - 30/Oct/11 with Jim

bigdrew - Lead O/S - 15/Oct/11 with Mark R

mark20 - 2nd O/S - 15/Oct/11

marcoleptic - 2nd O/S - 24/Sep/11 with max

Hidden - Lead - 10/Sep/11

Hidden - 2nd - 09/Sep/11

Hidden - Lead - 25/Aug/11

Hidden - Lead dnf - 21/Aug/11

tmawer - 2nd rpt - 15/Aug/11 with Jaime Robertson

One of those 'feels harder than E1' HVS's!
Jim Slater - Lead dog - 24/Jul/11 with James Oswald

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

a good warm up for a cold windy morning. fairly sustained til midway but with good gear then interesting jamming/laybacking up to and around the bulge.
benkelsey - 2nd O/S - 24/Jul/11 with Remus Knowles

2nd Jim who led.. Hard!
Mike Lee - 2nd - 13/Jul/11 with Jim

1 rest, just before flake. Should have grabbed flake above, but instead made it hard for myself by trying a stupidly long reach for a sloping sidepull! Brilliant route, and glad to finish it, after baling off it on a previous occasion.
Chris Sansum - Lead dog - 03/Jul/11 with Nathaelle Bouttes

Hidden - 2nd - 05/Jun/11

such hard work, but brilliant, hardest HVS i've done since Goliath's Groove!
Laurence Everitt - Lead O/S - 05/Jun/11 with neil mackie

alaan - 2nd O/S - 25/May/11 with Katy

deklan - Lead dnf - 02/May/11

Awesome route. Pleased to do this clean. Tricky start, tricky middle and tricky end.
Jonathan Hall - Lead - 28/Apr/11 with Will Ward

SteveM - Lead - 22/Apr/11 with Kat

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 22/Apr/11

CharlieMack - Lead rpt - 18/Apr/11 with Andy

Jon Read - 2nd - 16/Apr/11 with Brian Wyvill

Hidden - Lead O/S - 08/Apr/11

Tamati - 2nd O/S - Apr/11

sgl0jd - 2011

Shouldn't have tried it when already knackered, had to rest due to super pump just below the flake. Nice route.
thomasadixon - Lead dog - 30/Oct/10 with Mike

Rested once at the horizontal crack. Still amazed I got that far without falling off! Found the top (VS) section almost as tough - think I was just exhausted by that point! Amazing route but so sustained! ****
BeccaSnowden - Lead dog - 30/Oct/10 with Lisaaargh

Fantastic route, worth 4 stars.
Martin Haworth - Lead O/S - 26/Sep/10 with Andy

Andrew Sloan - 2nd dog - 26/Sep/10

CharlieMack - Lead O/S - 25/Sep/10 with Stephen Fey

Fell off first try because I am a douche and my footwork is douche-like.
Speeddemonsi - Lead - 18/Sep/10

hotfeet - Lead O/S - 04/Sep/10 with Alex

Garron - Lead O/S - 04/Sep/10

Dave Turnbull, BMC - Lead rpt - 10/Aug/10

feilx - Lead O/S - 24/Jul/10

Weighted rope once to remove ultra stuck nut. All moves done clean.
PanzerHanzler - 2nd O/S - 17/Jul/10 with Simon Chandler

Hard first section.
JWB - Lead O/S - 17/Jul/10 with Jon Gill

got over the crux section and the came to a stuck cam which i couldnt get out without weighting the rope!shame but next time il get it!
jon_gill1 - 2nd dog - 17/Jul/10 with john beardmore

Different Steve - 2nd O/S - 11/Jul/10 with Martin Hore

Hannes B - Lead O/S - 03/Jul/10 with Neil P

LittleClimbingMaria - 29/Jun/10

joe1979 - 26/Jun/10

Hidden - 2nd β - 05/Jun/10

chris sm - 2nd rpt - 05/Jun/10 with Cheesesarnie

very good value.
Ian Broome - Lead O/S - 05/Jun/10 with Rich Wainwright

Tim M - Lead rpt - 05/Jun/10 with Chris Sims

Steaming hot day..So not a good choice of routes..! Bloody hard work.!
Mike Hegarty - Lead O/S - 23/May/10 with Lee

Pown - 2nd O/S - 15/May/10

Pete Graham - Lead - 15/May/10 with Dave Pownall

Classic and tough. Half of Staffordshire heard my gibbering.
Bart Shaw - Lead O/S - 24/Apr/10 with Tim, Dunc

decs - 2nd - 24/Apr/10 with Tim, Bart

bullwinkle - 2nd - 24/Apr/10 with decs, Bart

Hidden - 2nd β - 24/Apr/10

Hidden - 2010

GF - 2010

Hidden - Lead - 2010

dannyboy83 - Lead O/S - 27/Sep/09 with Alice

mattyork2 - Lead O/S - 26/Sep/09 with Johnny Richard

Excellent!!!! you can't put into words how good this route is!
Graeme Hammond - Lead O/S - 26/Sep/09 with Darren McMaster

Slipped off the the lower crack whilst attempting to lay back it.
shed_hed - 2nd - 26/Sep/09 with Graeme Hammond

bridget143 - 2nd dog - 19/Sep/09 with Lindy

Sankey - 2nd dog - 29/Aug/09 with Luke

jonka - Lead - Aug/09 with sean

Mr Wild - Lead - 20/Jul/09

Alex Winter - Lead O/S - 20/Jul/09 with J. Iles-Smith

craig d - Lead O/S - 04/Jul/09 with Mick Fox

Very physical climb, happy to get a clean ascent on second!
Jim Slater - 2nd O/S - 21/Jun/09 with Trev Wilson

Neither of us were in the mood for climbing above the gear, so ended up down-climbing and giving up(probably tired after lack of sleep and the drive up earlier on). Will be back!
Chris Sansum - AltLd dnf - 23/May/09 with Gary Lewin

MONKEY78 - Lead O/S - 23/Apr/09 with adam ellwood

Hidden - Lead O/S - 11/Apr/09

dan gibson - Lead rpt - 11/Apr/09

Hidden - Lead - 05/Apr/09

DannyK - Lead O/S - 05/Apr/09 with Katie

keith leonard - 2009

will come back
Dr Caterpillar - Lead dnf - 02/Nov/08 with UBMC

Hidden - Lead O/S - 01/Nov/08

Hidden - 2nd - 16/Aug/08

Very tough! Will come back to it...
AndyM-LVB - Lead dnf - 03/Aug/08 with Brendan Ferguson

bullwinkle - Lead O/S - 14/Jun/08 with John

Hidden - Lead rpt - 31/May/08

Pete Graham - 2nd - 31/May/08 with Luke Porter

snakebite - Lead O/S - 10/May/08 with Nick Cox

Admittedly I'm not great at jamming, but how can this be HVS? Ok, it's well protected, but also very sustained and pumpy, unless you're a grit guru. Great route though. Mary and Dave Birkett happened to do it after us and made it look ever so easy...
Misha - Lead O/S - 03/May/08

Hidden - 2nd dog - 03/May/08

Jim Slater - Lead dnf - 26/Apr/08 with Al Smith

Hidden - Lead O/S - 16/Feb/08

daveagriff - Lead - 2008

Sean Kelly - 2008

Hidden - 2008

nai - Lead O/S - 20/Oct/07 with Alastair

Something to come back to.
galpinos - Lead dnf - 06/Oct/07 with Mike

Coel Hellier - Lead - Oct/07

Tom Briggs - Jagged Globe - Lead rpt - 15/Sep/07 with Rachel Hassall

BallsofBritishSteel - 2nd O/S - 10/Sep/07 with Charles

cem - Lead rpt - 09/Sep/07 with Rob Truckle

shoulders - Lead - 09/Sep/07

great! hvs my arse.
tonanf - Lead O/S - 02/Sep/07 with burt

dan gibson - Lead rpt - 11/Aug/07 with sam read

tatz45 - Lead O/S - 01/Aug/07 with Mark Boden

Duncan Skelton - 2nd - 29/Jul/07 with Kai Green

ebunick - 2nd dog - 08/Jul/07 with Jez

nige - Lead - 08/Jul/07 with dave kells

deejmonkey - TR - 07/Jul/07 with Andy D

Stig - 2nd rpt - 19/Jun/07 with Goi

goi.ashmore - Lead O/S - 19/Jun/07 with James Rees

Pumped silly by the jug and well-blooded at the top. Utterly desperate but perhaps THE essential western grit HVS. Brilliant.
Owen W-G - Lead O/S - 22/Apr/07 with Robin

Hidden - Lead - 04/Feb/07

Rob Kennard - 2007

DannyK - 2nd - 2007 with pep

Utter pumpfest, if anythig nfound it even harder than last year! Rested at end of traverse one move fro mthe jug :( Neil had to rest a couple of times as well.
Si dH - 2nd dog - 21/Oct/06 with Neil Furniss

gregoritos - Lead O/S - Aug/06

Hidden - Lead - 24/Jun/06

Nicos - Lead O/S - 11/Jun/06 with keith leonard

Stig - Lead dog - 05/May/06 with Jonathan Teale

Ropeboy - Lead - 09/Oct/05

Tom Briggs - Jagged Globe - Lead rpt - 24/Sep/05 with Eric Hildrew

Hidden - 2nd - 13/Sep/05

had to res tafter first bit of crack, after that did the rest to the top.
Si dH - 2nd dog - 04/Sep/05 with Dan Jaeggi

Lawrence Eccles - 2nd O/S - 03/Sep/05 with A. Crook

Hidden - Lead dnf - Jul/05

mark s - 2005

With Rob Tresize? 2005?
eduardo - Lead O/S - 2005

Rich Kirby - 2nd O/S - 31/Oct/04 with Tom Briggs

Andy Lagan - Lead O/S - Aug/04

Hidden - 2nd - 21/Jun/04

Hidden - 2nd β - 06/Jun/04

Hidden - Lead - 23/May/04

So close! One move from easier ground. Freezing cold too.
r0b - Lead dnf - 09/Apr/04 with Mark Humphries

Cold. Horrible.
Jon Read - Lead O/S - Nov/03 with Dave Edmunds

aulda - 2nd O/S - 10/Aug/03 with Dave R

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 20/Jul/03

Hidden - Lead - 12/Jul/03

One of the best routes I've ever done. It has everything you could ask for, all packed into a single route. Go do it!
Nick Smith - UKC - Lead - Jul/03 with Thea Williams

Hidden - Lead O/S - 21/Jun/03

cem - Lead dnf - 15/Jun/03 with Rod Strachan

cem - 2nd β - 15/Jun/03 with Rod Strachan

Neil Ireson - Lead - Jun/03 with Jane

tried this many many times, just seems too hard.
Milne - Lead dnf - 15/Oct/02 with paul strutt

Hidden - Lead - Aug/02

Stone Muppet - 2002

Brian Rodgers - Lead - 2001 with Helen Rea

Roget - Lead rpt - 23/Aug/00

chrishedgehog - Lead RP - 09/Apr/00 with Joe Thompson

bullybones - Lead - 2000

ste_d - 2nd rpt - 27/Sep/99 with andy perkins