UKC

Being 4.5 miles in the round from Patterdale. Some climbers will say the hardest part of Pinnacle Ridge is actually finding it! With a scrambling Grade 3, many climbers believe the ridge does not merit such a high grade as there are many escape routes.  Looking up from the Grisedale trench you can see the obvious prominent exit area of East Chockstone gully, Pinnacle Ridge is 180 meters to the left of this.  The starting point is a gun like shaped rock known as the Cannon, although before you reach this you will see a small withered tree still standing to the right as you approach the ridge, scrambling on from the Cannon you will come across the giant slabs which are smooth and have little grip, in wet or icy weather these can be difficult to traverse.  I once read that wearing an old sock over your boot will afford better grip, I tried this technique and yes it does work.  From the slabs the ridge continues with no real route finding problems, suddenly you find yourself at the crux wall standing some 6 meters in height,this being the only real pitch on the route and best climbed from the corner.  The crux wall will pose no problems for the accomplished rock climber but I have always roped here . Atop of the crux wall is a prominent rock which can be used to secure a belay .  From there you can see the Pinnacles, many climbers shuffle across them , all afford good grip.  Having Scrambling down the final Pinnacle cross to the left then up the well worn path turning right to the summit of St Sunday.  There are escape routes to the left or dropping down to the easy gully which runs parallel to the right of the ridge.  Whether or not the Grade 3 rating is warranted is I believe a personal choice and best left to the individual climber , the difficulty of the ridge will always depend on the weather conditions with snow and ice the route takes on Alpine proportions ...........Big Hell

Ticklists

Britain's winter ridges , Top ridge scrambles of Britain , Mountaineering Routes in the Lake District , 3 Star Scrambles - Northern Lakes , The Ridges of England, Wales and Ireland , STAUMC Ticklist , 10 Year Walking And Scrambling Challenge , A Lakeland Apprenticeship , British 3 Star Scrambles , 2022

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User Date Notes
SiScrambler 19 Feb Show βeta
βeta: Done in the drizzle. The start of the ridge is now marked with a cairn which makes life easier as we couldn't spot the pinnacles in the clag, although we could see the sheep fold directly below us in the valley floor. Fairly easy, even in the wet, up to the crux which we roped up for. Good fun, albeit fairly short-lived.
βeta?
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βeta: Done in the drizzle. The start of the ridge is now marked with a cairn which makes life easier as we couldn't spot the pinnacles in the clag, although we could see the sheep fold directly below us in the valley floor. Fairly easy, even in the wet, up to the crux which we roped up for. Good fun, albeit fairly short-lived.
WayneXiao1999 26 May, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Sunny and Dry, a bit hard to find the starting point. But it is good to located in the “cannon”.
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βeta: Sunny and Dry, a bit hard to find the starting point. But it is good to located in the “cannon”.
excepto64 26 Mar, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Could not spot the cannon at all, but a good scramble. Had to pitch the crux in the wet.
βeta?
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βeta: Could not spot the cannon at all, but a good scramble. Had to pitch the crux in the wet.
C Witter 20 Nov, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: G2 except corner, G3 on positive holds. Clean and doable in the wet. 15m of rope and 3 slings would be an adequate rack, as there are many spikes; no need for cams or hexes or even nuts. 15mins is a relaxed time as a confident solo.
βeta?
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βeta: G2 except corner, G3 on positive holds. Clean and doable in the wet. 15m of rope and 3 slings would be an adequate rack, as there are many spikes; no need for cams or hexes or even nuts. 15mins is a relaxed time as a confident solo.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi 2 Apr, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Dry day. No ice or snow on the Crag.
βeta?
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βeta: Dry day. No ice or snow on the Crag.
Adventuring With Mike 10 Sep, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Solo'ed in rain/wet conditions. Short but somewhat interesting.
βeta?
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βeta: Solo'ed in rain/wet conditions. Short but somewhat interesting.
wolfiex 28 Jul, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Great climb, shame about the walk-in. Navigate to Elmhow, follow the gulley up until it flattens and then traverse the scree to the gun-shaped block. If you hit a deep cut gulley right of a slabbed nose you have gone too far (R.B Evans). Gear: 25m rope with lots of slings. You may want to use Lewis's green cam still securely wedged on the crux pitch, or bring an equivalent hex, or just use the sling placement to the side - your choice.
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βeta: Great climb, shame about the walk-in. Navigate to Elmhow, follow the gulley up until it flattens and then traverse the scree to the gun-shaped block. If you hit a deep cut gulley right of a slabbed nose you have gone too far (R.B Evans). Gear: 25m rope with lots of slings. You may want to use Lewis's green cam still securely wedged on the crux pitch, or bring an equivalent hex, or just use the sling placement to the side - your choice.
wchan 29 Apr, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Found it hard to find the starting point as hard to identify the ridge from the bottom. Look for the gun barrel shaped rock. Once on the ridge route finding is relatively easy.
βeta?
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βeta: Found it hard to find the starting point as hard to identify the ridge from the bottom. Look for the gun barrel shaped rock. Once on the ridge route finding is relatively easy.
magicmartin 23 Nov, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: We used the approach from the left and came up the stream from the path in the valley. Going straight up from this looks horrendous!
βeta?
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βeta: We used the approach from the left and came up the stream from the path in the valley. Going straight up from this looks horrendous!
Stev_b 29 Oct, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: very short in conparisom to wales and scotland
βeta?
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βeta: very short in conparisom to wales and scotland
TyBoothroyd 6 Jan, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: Greasy Rock
βeta?
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βeta: Greasy Rock

Logged Ascents

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Guidebooks for St. Sunday Crag

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Voting
High 3S
Mid 3S
Low 3S
High Grade-3
Mid Grade-3
Low Grade-3
High Grade-2
Mid Grade-2
Low Grade-2
Votes cast 140
Votes cast 128
Style of Ascent
Soloed
Lead
Alt Leads
Followed
Bouldered
Not Set
Onsighted
Repeated
Flashed (β)
Ground Up
Redpoint
Not Set
Route of Interest
West Chockstone Gully

Grade: Grade-3 ***
(St. Sunday Crag)

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