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After initially hating jamming, I've been fully converted and now absolutely love it. I'm wondering, therefore, where the best jamming cracks in the country are?
Obviously the answer to this is "The Peak District". Millstone in particular.
What I'm keen to know, however, is where to find surprise outliers of jamming quality. For example, King Bee Crack on Holyhead Mountain, or World War III Blues at Stennis Head. Little gems in locations not renowned for jamming, and so forth...
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Flake crack at Helsby fits the bill. A few lovely metres of Utah sandstone dropped conveniently close to the M56!
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
The best crack climbing in the country isn’t in the Peak - it’s at Fairhead.
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Cornish granite, Sennen and Chair Ladder especially.
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In reply to seankenny:
I was going to say Kilt Rock, but I suspect you win by a large margin (Never been to Fairhead)
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In reply to AlanLittle:
> I was going to say Kilt Rock, but I suspect you win by a large margin (Never been to Fairhead)
Kilt Rock looks pretty good tho doesn’t it?
Fairhead is amazing and would be worth the trip over from Germany. It’s also quite close to Belfast so easy to do a short trip as there’s not a lot of driving. General ambience and so on is great, only downside is it’s a bit of a chilly place.
Post edited at 12:10
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Jamie Jampot also on Skye
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Staffin Slips - Skye
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In reply to Tobes:
Just so happens I may be in Skye next month, and Kilt Rocks is definitely getting a visit if so!
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In reply to Otis:
> Flake crack at Helsby fits the bill. A few lovely metres of Utah sandstone dropped conveniently close to the M56!
I'm really sorry to say, you went to the wrong crags in Utah
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Climbers' Club Direct on the Dewerstone taught me to love jamming.
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In reply to Otis:
> Flake crack at Helsby fits the bill. A few lovely metres of Utah sandstone dropped conveniently close to the M56!
You're meant to layback it, otherwise you can't claim it as a HVS tick
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
If it is hand jamming you are referring to:
The Brasser (E2 5c) - loads more at Fair Head as others have said, but this felt like the most parallel splitter type thing I did.
November (E3 5c) - maybe not loads of jamming though I swear there was some!
The Mortician (HVS 5b) - possibly, it was a while ago now
Obvious Peak District ones:
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In reply to Martin Bagshaw:
Cheers Martin! Loads up in North Wales...hopefully we get another stonkingly hot summer where everything dries out in the pass and I can get a good go at a few of them.
Post edited at 16:10
In reply to Paul Sagar:
The File at Higgar Tor
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In reply to Michael Hood:
> You're meant to layback it, otherwise you can't claim it as a HVS tick
"Never layback where you can jam" (Anon). And if you got there, by whatever means, you got the tick
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Grond
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
> Obviously the answer to this is "The Peak District". Millstone in particular.
The best crack climbing in The Peak is not at Millstone, but at Hen Cloud.
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In reply to planetmarshall:
You've spelt Ramshaw incorrectly
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In reply to Martin Bennett:
> "Never layback where you can jam" (Anon). And if you got there, by whatever means, you got the tick
Oh I heartily agree with both sentiments, just that FC at Helsby is pretty mid grade VS 4c.
Maybe I'm just having another oldish man grumble about grade creep because of climbing wall bred climbers being unable to jam.
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In reply to Martin Bennett:
> "Never layback where you can jam" (Anon)....
Ooooh heresy!!! I'm not kidding but I can and do layback anything and everything - cracks; walls; overhangs (e.g. my mate huffed and puffed and struggled for ages leading a 5b overhang, I laybacked it in about one second) - much quicker and protects my precious hands (ha-ha). As I said not kidding
Maybe I'll layback smooth slabs one day
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Brimham would be well worth a visit.
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In reply to sheelba:
That's more of a corner than a jamming crack though eh? I've climbed it two or three times, and despite the name I'm pretty sure I've never jammed any of it (I'm rubbish at it, and never do it if at all possible, so sure I would remember)
In reply to Paul Sagar:
At the Roaches, these should see you right:
And next time you are at Stanage End
Post edited at 14:13
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Possibly the best and easily the purest jamming crack I have done in the UK:
A sustained section of wide hands with no face holds so it's feet in the crack as well - proper Indian Creek style - brilliant!
Jezebel (E1) next to it is also great jammimg, though less pure and somewhat easier.
Post edited at 14:33
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Pretty much any of the Dolerite sea cliffs on Skye offer excellent jamming climbs.
Staffin Classic at Staffin Slip is a good old challenge. Master of Morgana at Rubha Huinish has a great top pitch that involves fist width jamming and some arm wedging before opening up to be a full body off-width at the top.
Neist is the other obvious area that offers good crack climbing with an outstanding view but if you could only climb one route whilst there I'd probably recommend Grey Panther at Kilt.
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
I'll second the suggestion of Grond (E2 5b) relentlessly steep and with little or no respite. As for Holyhead Bran Flake (E2 5b) has a very Gritstone jamming feel to it.
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In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:
Why bridge when you can jam?
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Agreed - plenty in the Peak.
A few others:
Crack of the Mearns, Clach na Beinn
Brant Direct and Spectre at the Grochan (combination of jamming and bridging)
and my personal favourite:
Blutered at the Pass of Ballater.
Post edited at 20:31
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Minus Ten and Medusa at Stoney Middleton. There are a lot of other very good cracks there, too many to mention!
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In reply to johncook:Flying dragon and jezebel look amazing
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In reply to dunnyg:
Phil’s route in dovedale
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Bob Hope, Dovestones Quarry
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
A slightly harder one but still in the Peak
Reticent Mass Murderer (E4 6b)
Post edited at 08:59
In reply to Paul Sagar:
Some superb jamming cracks here and well worth a visit.
The roof crack of Burning Desire (E5 6b) is not to be missed
https://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/dbpage.php?id=276855
Post edited at 09:24
In reply to petegunn:
> Some superb jamming cracks here and well worth a visit.
Probably more jamming on average per route than any other crag I've been to in the UK (including Fairhead!). More "gritstone like" than gritstone.
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Loads of good cracks can be found in the Lancashire quarries as well. Not just at Wilt on but at many of the smaller venues too.
In reply to Paul Sagar:
A superb esoteric route which we did a while ago was Satire (E2 5b) well worth seeking out.
Scar (E2 5b) is probably the stand out route at Baildon though with some good finger jamming up to the break.
In reply to Paul Sagar:
If you like a challenge, there's always this little gem... Pod Crack (E1 6a)
If you have thin fingers there's this: Foord's Folly (E2 6a)
Already mentioned but an absolute classic is: Golva (E2 5c)
Then there's the impossible: Titan (E2 6b). Access is impossible, the jamming is harder than that.
Post edited at 09:32
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In reply to Dave Garnett:
> If you like a challenge, there's always this little gem... Pod Crack (E1 6a)
Wow, look at the lists of DNF and Dogged in the log books on that one!
In reply to petegunn:
Yes, I was nearly sick when I got to the top, and I was only seconding!
In reply to Paul Sagar:
Surely when one is asking for the best jamming cracks in the Peak one means the best (pure) jamming cracks, i.e. those that use little or no outside holds, eg. things like the Embankment routes and Bob Hope? Some of the ones suggested are not pure jamming at all, though they may have one or two moves of pure jamming, e.g.: Saul's Crack and Surgeon's Saunter. I wouldn't even describe The File as pure jamming, because of the way you use the horizontal breaks a lot of the way. (Amazingly, some climbs that are neither jamming cracks, nor in the Peak district, like Spectre and Brant Direct. )
Post edited at 10:48
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Lundy
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In reply to petegunn:
How hard is it to get up to the roof on this? What size cams do I need to take to up there....
In reply to dunnyg:The crux 6b moves (though easier for the tall ) are the first few off the ledge. I seem to remember Friends 1.5 or 2 ish (hence the thin, insecure jams!). After that it's a lot easier with great hand jams where needed and cam sizes to suit up to and across the roof.
> How hard is it to get up to the roof on this? What size cams do I need to take to up there....
In reply to Paul Sagar:
Anybody mentioned Northumberland?
should give you a taste,
Chris
Post edited at 14:49
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
if I wanted a day jamming id go to Ramshaw
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Marionette (E2 5c) Sennen Pretty pure jamming on this I recall, no wimpy bridging or layback options!
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In reply to dunnyg:
The crux is the middle section of the route before the superb top crack. Cams up to size 4 nothing bigger. The crux is well protected and is only a few hard moves before gaining better jams below the roof.
If you have a look through the log books Andi did it twice he found it so good!
Post edited at 21:32
In reply to Robert Durran:
> Possibly the best and easily the purest jamming crack I have done in the UK:
> Jezebel (E1)
I tried these once but was defeated by the approach!
In reply to Paul Sagar:
Hiccup on the Bookle Etive Mor has a long *** jamming pitch.
It,gets VS in the guide but is, in fact a 100feet of gentle V Diff jamming up a two inch crack.
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In reply to alan moore:We came close to giving up too! Well worth persevering with the hideous bush-whack though
> I tried these once but was defeated by the approach!
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In reply to dunnyg:
The crux is the crack at the bottom of the photo, just above the little roof/pillar. Well protected throughout.
In reply to Robert Durran:
> Possibly the best and easily the purest jamming crack I have done in the UK:
Wow. Not many people climb there these days.
In reply to Paul Sagar:
The short and sweet Baker Street (VS 4c) at Agden Roacher. Easy 4c with some nice moves.
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Anything with Brown or Whillians after it will fit the bill
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In reply to Rob Gillespie:
I climbed ("climbed") Barbarian at Tremadog last September. Had rather an epic on it.
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In reply to Paul Sagar:
Something esoteric from a lesser known quarry in Lancashire. The jamming on this looks sustained and good, though some might be put off by the location...
Warning - loud swearing
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In reply to robin mueller:
Is the washing pole still in situ?
In reply to Paul Sagar:
2 North Yorkshire gems that have stuck in the memory:
Gehenna (HVS 5a) at Beacon Scar
Central Crack (HVS 5a) at Whitestone Cliffe
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In reply to Michael Hood:
> Maybe I'm just having another oldish man grumble about grade creep because of climbing wall bred climbers being unable to jam.
Oddly enough I learnt to jam in a climbing gym. I suppose not everybody starts at Rope Race, however...
In reply to robin mueller:
> Think so. And another stake as well.
What about the left hand side of the crack?
In reply to Paul Sagar:
> I climbed ("climbed") Barbarian at Tremadog last September. Had rather an epic on it.
What a brilliant mega-pitch it is too. But I wouldn't characterise it as a jamming route. If it had quite a few jams on it, I don't remember that aspect of it particularly. It certainly wasn't jamming at the crux.
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