UKC

Best UK 'Arete' routes.

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 Goucho 07 Jul 2012
Following on from the other similar threads, what do UKC'ers think are the best 'arete' climbs in the UK?

My next thread is going to be 'best belay ledges on Churnet Sandstone' by the way

In the meantime, I'll offer these from personal experience :-

Archangel - Stanage
White Wand - Stanage
Cave Arete - Stanage
Strapadictomy - Froggatt
Narcissus - Froggatt
Edge Lane - Milstone
Great Arete - Milstone
Technical Master - Milstone
Boot Hill - Cratcliffe
Ulysees or Bust - Curbar
Moon Walk - Curbar
The Knock - Burbage
Commander Energy - Roaches
Mortlocks Arete - Cheedale
Lucy Simmons - Stoney
High Noon - Caley
The Great Arete - Llech Ddu
Memory Lane - Cromlech
The Axe - Cloggy
Curving Arete - Cloggy
Pinnacle Arete - Cloggy
Illinois Enema Bandit - Dinorwig
Edge of Extinction - The Brack
Edgehog - Glenn Nevis
Silly Arete - Tremadoc
Scatch Arete - Tremadoc
Atomic Finger Flake - Tremadoc
Astra - Pavey Ark





 stvredmond 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: the butcher - st govans
In reply to Goucho:

Astra isn't an arête! The Lakes doesn't really do arêtes, better for walls and grooves. However ...

Riboletto on Bowfell
The Philistine, High Crag
Edge of Eriador, East Buttress
Shikasta, East Buttress

ALC
In reply to a lakeland climber:

Atomic Finger Flake isn't an arête either!! It's groove or flake climbing all the way.

ALC
OP Goucho 07 Jul 2012
In reply to a lakeland climber: I could have sworn Astra climbed an arete - mind you it was over 30 years ago, and I can't even find my slippers these days!
 stvredmond 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: does dream boat annie (porth clais) count as an arete (just to put a route in from N pembs)
In reply to Goucho:
> (In reply to a lakeland climber) I could have sworn Astra climbed an arete - mind you it was over 30 years ago, and I can't even find my slippers these days!

It's based on an arête but doesn't really climb it, actually climbing the slabby wall to the left for most of the way.

ALC
OP Goucho 07 Jul 2012
In reply to a lakeland climber: I think I climbed a lot of the arete - no wonder it felt stiff for the grade - the after effects of to much booze in the ODG the night before no doubt.

So could I have claimed a F/A variant?
 CurlyStevo 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: pregnant pause Portland.
OP Goucho 07 Jul 2012
In reply to a lakeland climber: Not all the way, I can remember using the arete on a few moves - seconding, so looning about a bit maybe.
 Will Hunt 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:
Technical Master can't compete with much on that list. Archangel and Commander Energy for instance.
OP Goucho 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Will Hunt: Not in stature maybe, but the movement is lovely, and it's such a great little piece of pure climbing enjoyment - a perfect little grit arete problem.
 Bulls Crack 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Cenotaph corner without touching the sides.
 climber34neil 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: King wad scimitar ridge, nosforatu burbage south, white wand stanage, April arête millstone , masters edge, millstone ,
 John Mcshea 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

The axe has opportunity for great arete photography, the crux however is crossing a roof close to the ground and most of the route if I remember correctly climbs the wall on the right of the arete using the arete proper only on a few occasions. I wouldn't class it as an arete climb in the way that many gritstone climbs would be. And also dare I say it not quite as good as the iconic Jimmy Jewel photo suggests.

Jb.
 Harry Ellis 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Ones i've done-
NW arete, Gimmer .;
Eagles Nest Direct, Great Napes;
Knife edge Arete Scafell .

ones i'd like to
Aardvark, Pavey
The Philistine, High Crag


OP Goucho 07 Jul 2012
In reply to John Mcshea: If we follow this argument to it's conclusion, then apart from a few exceptions, we'd have predominantly grit routes on the list.

I think a bit of latitude is needed, so routes which are based around the feature of an arete are allowed.

As for the Axe, I thought it was a great route, with plenty of variety of climbing, and of course the position is superb.
 conorcussell 07 Jul 2012
In reply to John Mcshea: Fortunately at 50m in length, those 'few occasions' add up to more arête climbing than most of the gritstone suggestions on the list!
 The Ivanator 07 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: NW Arete (Gimmer), Silhouette Arete (Boulder Ruckle) and Pregnant Pause (Blacknor, Portland) are all good 'uns.
 Ian Parsons 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Good thread. Assuming nobody's beaten me to it:

- Can Strapadictomy be classed as an arete? It's certainly vaguely based on one in its upper reaches, but its crucial holds - the vertical crack, the layback pocket/eventual foothold and the horizontal edge - are not arete features, and the climbing style isn't "aretesque" in the traditional gritstone manner.

- Mortlock's has arete in its name but, as I recall, not much in the way of arete climbing.

- It's ages - like about thirty years - but my recollection of Lucy Simmons is of a face climb on the front of the tower, ie between the two aretes, quite possibly making use of one or the other or both, but not an actual "arete climb".

- Memory Lane certainly finishes up an arete, or rather a groove in one - Epitaph - but is substantially a face climb.

A couple of other routes with arete in the name probably don't actually climb one, but I'm possibly getting pedantic and completely missing the point - and the spirit - of your thread; hell - it's pouring with rain, and anything has to be better than watching television!

Respectfully, I would suggest Curved Air, Spare Rib, and possibly Integral Direct (memory's fading) at Pant Ifan, and Jelly Ache at Cocking Tor.
 Ian Parsons 08 Jul 2012
...and, of course, Strapadictomy climbs an arete in its lower reaches as well, albeit a fairly easy one!
In reply to Goucho:

Lower on the grade scale than many suggestions but:

The east ridge of the in pinn

And the carn mor dearg arete (ok its just a walk, but its got arete in its name, so I reckon it still counts...)
 MJ 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Nesscliffe has a fair few...
 mr mills 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Scratch Arete - Pant Ifan

Cardiac Arete - Stromboli Buttress

Silly Arete - Pant Ifan

The Axe - Cloggy

Untouchables - Slate

Archangel - Stanage

Edge Lane - Milstone

Illinois Enema Bandit, fell down years ago !

AFF - not an arete

ML - " " "



 Rick Sewards 08 Jul 2012
In reply to The Ivanator:

I was about to suggest that! Sharpest arete of any route in the country?

Rick
 John2 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Scratch Arete isn't really an arete - more of a slab climb.
 Smelly Fox 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Rick Sewards:
Jaded Arete at Cummingston is at least as sharp I think. But there can't be many!

Trist
 Smelly Fox 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:
The Brush Off at Rivelin was pretty good.
The Whaleback on Eagle Ridge was a nice and exposed.

Reading this thread makes me realise I've not climbed very many Aretes in the UK!
 Al Evans 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Smelly Fox: Wouldn't call Brush Off an arete, how about the diminutive but brilliant Crescent Arete at Stanage.
 Al Evans 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Al Evans: Oh, and has The Knife at Pex Hill been mentioned yet?
 Al Evans 08 Jul 2012
In reply to stvredmond:
> (In reply to Goucho) does dream boat annie (porth clais) count as an arete (just to put a route in from N pembs)

It most certainly does
 Dave Warburton 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Magic in the Air - Highcliffe Nab.
Removed User 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Having seen the photo in the new Over t'Moors guide, surely Bloodrush at Shining Clough must get a look in?
 Andysomething 08 Jul 2012
 Sean_J 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: At Ilkley - New Statesman, Loadad, Countdown to Disaster
 mark s 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Sean_J: best ive done are b4xs and night prowler both at hen cloud
 Styx 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Curving arete at Black Rocks. Despite Black Rocks being my nearest local grit crag and having climbed there often over the last 40 years i've never seen anyone do this, not even on video.
 Root1 08 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:
The Skye ridge perhaps.
South Ridge Direct on Arran.
 Brendan 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Nijinski at Auchinstarry is a stunning arete. Just a shame it's in Auchinstarry.
 Sean Kelly 10 Jul 2012
In reply to The Ivanator:
> (In reply to Goucho) NW Arete (Gimmer),
Only an arete right at the top!
West Rib at Shining Clough?
 Chris Sansum 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Sean Kelly:
> (In reply to The Ivanator)
> [...]
> Only an arete right at the top!
> West Rib at Shining Clough?

My memory is that NW Arete on Gimmer went up the arete for a long way, after a lowish traverse in.

West Rib at SC is fantastically good, one of the greatest grit pitches at its standard, but the arete part is shortlived. My hazy memory is that it crossed over and then went up the rh side.
 Mark Collins 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Here we go again, No Body Wept For Alec Trench, I Shot Jason King, and Renaissance. 3 star E5 aretes at Egerton, Lancashire.
Slugain Howff 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Eagle Ridge on Lochnagar would fall into this category.

S
 Michael Gordon 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Proud Corner (Clova)
Angel's Edgeway (Beinn a' Bhuird)
 nniff 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

High Noon at Caley.

The Butcher in Pembroke - got to go on the list as a soft touch E3 (and my first)

And Atomic Finger Flake still isn't an arete
 Darron 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Are we meaning East Rib here? Great route but not an arete climb surely
In reply to Darron:

Oh gosh, I assumed he meant East Rib. I don't think there's a West Rib at SC.
In reply to Darron:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> Are we meaning East Rib here? Great route but not an arete climb surely

My point exactly.

 Tom Last 10 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Flawless at Achmelvich.

Check it!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=183215
 The Ivanator 10 Jul 2012
 The Ivanator 12 Jul 2012
 smokeyj 12 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:
That's my lot in the rivelin quarries, not done it, nor have many others at E8, but it looks about as clean and intimidating as any arete I've seen.
 Dave Garnett 12 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

The best bit of Golden Yardstick at Wildcat is the arete on the second pitch.
 Stone Muppet 12 Jul 2012
Blizzard Ridge, Rivelin
The Plum, Tremadoc
...or even Christmas Curry for that matter
 pffft 12 Jul 2012
Fallen Slab Arete on Portland.

Nice climbing, exposure and view for the grade. All at a meagre 3+.
In reply to Dave Garnett:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> The best bit of Golden Yardstick at Wildcat is the arete on the second pitch.

Yes, quite good, but short lived and mostly on the side of the arete. Likewise Plum (mentioned above ) doesn't exactly follow an arete! One of the best aretes I can think of is the top half of the top pitch of Curfew on the Cromlech.

 Dave Garnett 12 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Yes, proper aretes that are actually climbed as the logical line are quite rare.

On my patch Mantis, Pinnacle Arete, Finger of Fate and Commander Energy qualify, I think. Hen Cloud has loads: Solid Geometry, Heart of Gold and loads of big scary ones that mark S mentions and I haven't done; B4XS, Night Prowler, Aretenophobia etc.
 Kafoozalem 12 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:
Here's a few contenders from the deep SW
Premarital Tension
Question mark
Glass Arete
Immaculate arete
Samson Arete
Might and Main
Combined Ops
 Mayaculpa 12 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho: Cneifion Arete
In reply to Mayaculpa:

That's got to be one of the best suggestions so far. Just because it's v easy we've all forgotten about it (myself included). That really is an arete.
In reply to Kafoozalem: Well done Pete for flying the flag for the south west. It's more than a little tiresome, the myopic Peak/Wales/Scotland/Lakes emphasis you usually see on these threads
 TraceyR 13 Jul 2012
In reply to martinturnchapel: There is also "The Arete", Main Wall, Avon Gorge.
 Tom Valentine 13 Jul 2012
In reply to Goucho:

Pulpit Ridge at The Ravenstones. If I could have made the first ascent of any route in the UK, this would be it. Contemporaneously, of course.

Windrete at Millstone. An unsung (and scary) ofering from one of our favourite contributors.

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