Tom Peckitt has developed a few new problems in Yorkshire over the winter. We spoke to Tom and got the full details of these new gritstone gems.
Here Tom gives full details:
"In early December 2010 I made a couple of trips to Brimham. I sought out an old project I remember seeing many years ago in a bay behind and to the left of the National Trust building. I cleaned the line as best I could but it was obstructed by a very intrusive tree. I spotted a National Trust staff member walking on the path and quickly chased after him. I asked if the tree could be removed to reveal the boulder and enable climbers to try the line. To my surprise, he happily agreed. The next time I went there, it was during the snow dump. I packed my broom and some brushes then made my way to the boulder. To my delight the tree had gone and the line looked even more stunning than I remembered. However, it was cocooned in a thick layer of powder snow. I set to work removing as much as I could. The rock underneath was dry and icy cold. The rock itself, typical of parts of Brimham, was scrittly. Having figured the sequence on a previous visit, I gave it a go and found myself matching the glorious sloper and popping for the sopping wet top. It felt around Font 7b at the time and I decided to call it "Take a Bough". Since then friends and I have been back. It has settled very well and there is no more frantic pawing at the sandy holds so the grade has settled at Font 7a+. It is as clean and pure a line as any at Brimham - a real beauty."
VIDEO: Take a Bough:
"The next Brimham beauty is found on the Rachel's Box boulder in the Pinnacles area. On the back of the boulder is a proud and pure rising arête on immaculate rock. Again, this was something I had my eye on for years but had never found time to try it. On another damp day, whilst visiting from Cheltenham, I cleaned the line and waited for the weather to work in my favour. A blustery hour later it was dry and I started to work out the sequence. Tackling the arête on its right hand side, you need to use solid toe hooks and glorious hand holds.
"Longbow" weighs in at around Font 7a and is another Brimham neo-classic."
VIDEO: Longbow:
"Last weekend, I was rewarded with another quality line; this time at Norwood. Norwood is a small crag at the foot of Hunter's Stones in Stainburn Forest. It has seen recent development by some local activists who had put up some quality lines. The rising ramp of Larchbow (6a) is an utter joy. On this same boulder, around a year ago, I climbed the central wall via an undercut flake to a perfect circular crimp. I called it pi r2 due that crimp feature and gave it Font 7c.
The situation of the boulder is a bit strange. It lies on a slope and has a two tier type landing but with a gap between the landing zone and the wall. The original line started from the higher tier with a wedged pad in the nasty gap between the wall and a cluster of boulders. I always thought the proper line should go from the start of Larchbow and traverse up and left to the undercut flake to join the original problem. It's something I had in the back of my mind for a long time but, again, didn't get around to trying it until recently. I worked out the moves quickly and managed to link it in a session, much to my delight. Archimedes (Font 7c+) is around 20 feet from bottom to top but can feel less high due to this two tier landing (as long as you wedge a pad in the gap, otherwise it'll feel terrifying).
The combination of Hunter's Stones and Norwood make for a quality Yorkshire venue, with some hard problems (more than twelve from Font 7b+ to Font 8b) and classic lines. If you have never been it's well worth seeking out and makes a fun alternative to the habitual Yorkshire venues."
VIDEO: Archimedes:
"Finally and most recently, this weekend at the seldom climbed crag of West Chevin (where Martin Smith recently repeated Brownian Motion) I climbed, if I do say so myself, a stunning project. Located on the escarpment about 200 metres down the slope from Brownian Motion, a small outcrop can be found with several old solo/micro routes and a handful of fun problems.
"Fluid Dynamics" is around the 8a mark but you may possibly even want to add a + to the end. It involves (starting squatting) pulling on two crimpy undercuts and throwing a right heel wide. Make a tricky move to the poor crimpy rail and try to release the heel. This is the lower crux as the right hand hold is very poor and you really barn door off it....do a balletic foot swap to get the toe hook with the left foot and then join the 8a stand up (of which the top move is the crux).
This is the proper line and (dare I say!!) as good as Zoo York and certainly harder. It really is a stunning arete and one of the best things I have climbed in Yorkshire. Reckon 8a+ from the two undercuts is fair. I was very chuffed to get it as last time I felt a long way from the low moves. I failed a lot last night but somehow pulled it out the bag on my last go (only just), splitting two tips on that very go."
Tom Peckitt is sponsored by Evolv and Metolius and prAna
Comments