UKC

Haste Not (VS 4c)

Looking to save a bit of time on linking some Langdale routes together and I noticed on this video that they did Haste Not in 2 rather than the guidebook 3 pitches.

youtube.com/watch?v=3umIWxUiJEg&

It seemed to work ok and meant a better view of the second on the traverse. As far as I can see in the logbooks most people don't do this.

So anyone tried it in two? quicker or more faff/rope drag?

In reply to djwilse:

Haste Not is logically done in 3 pitches, that'll be why most do it that way. I've climbed it 2 or 3 times, always in 3. It's a magnificent route with such wonderful climbing, why rush it.

Rope drag will definitely be more of a problem and it looks to be the case in the video.

Same view of the second on the traverse, belayer is in the same place!

In reply to Mark Eddy:

That's right. It's one of the very greatest classic VS's south of the Scottish border, with the traditional stances perfectly placed for the shape of the route. Nothing needs to be changed or improved, it's just so good/fun as it is. The near-perfect route of its standard, I submit. (Or have people got less competent at belaying fast over the last 15 years since I stopped climbing? I doubt it.) This strange new attitude creeping in everywhere, of wanting to make things ever faster and easier. Funny, I thought the whole point of rock-climbing was to seek out difficulty and climb things near your limit. Otherwise, just walk round to the top of White Ghyll, ffs!  Or, if you're so good you find the standard (quite slick) way of doing Haste Not boringly easy, just solo the bloody thing. Alternatively if you're that good and yet want to 'be able to see the second' (actually one of the best things about the route is that you're both a bit 'on your own out there' on the traverse), you can probably belay at three or four places along that traverse and truss yourself up like a chicken in a hanging belay ...

In reply to Mark Eddy:

I thought the belayer in the video stopped short of the normal 2nd belay (in the groove shared with Gordian knot? Seems to be taking a semi hanging belay, which from when I did Haste Not (many years ago) I don't remember.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

"Funny, I thought the whole point of rock-climbing was to seek out difficulty and climb things near your limit".  

I would have to disagree with you here- this is one of the points, there are others like have fun, be out in nature, camaraderie etc etc. 

In actual fact it was the 'seek out difficulty' bit that prompted my question. I was looking to do the Langdale three star VS in a day round and to make this work I would indeed need to find ways of doing it quicker or at least very efficiently.

In reply to djwilse:

How many are there? I was climbing on Gimmer on Saturday, so that cliff alone must have a fair few! Sounds like a fairly epic day! Good luck if you go for it.

In reply to djwilse:

Haste Not is better climbed in 3 pitches because the first goes up and left, the second goes right for its entire length and the third goes up and left again! However, you will definitely have an easier time if you ignore the suggested "corner" belay at the end of p.2 and instead climb up to the big ledge just above (nut belay). Guidebook descriptions in both Rockfax and FRCC guides are typically muddled - better to follow your nose.

In reply to TobyA:

12 routes, 27 guidebook pitches. There are 3 on Gimmer - F route, NW Arete and the Cracks.

It's 3 stars according the FRCC guide.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=1661

In reply to djwilse:

Bilberry Buttress could easily be climbed in two, by running p1 and 2 together.

NW Arete - make sure to start up and left  of the gully floor, as it's easier than trying to go boldly up the sloping ledges.

F Route can be done in 1 with the better Whit's End start.

The Crack can be done in two.

The whole thing could be sped up by eliminating the climbs that don't deserve three stars, starting with the pleasant but very minor Main Wall Crack and the distinctly B-Side route Enterprize.
 

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

You got a bunch of dislikes for this. I will probably get a bunch of dislikes for this too: despite the stars, I thought Haste Not was possibly the least enjoyable of all the mountain routes I have done in the Lakes (admittedly far fewer than many on here, and it's a long time ago now.) I thought it was disjointed, awkward, the ropework was a faff and the climbing wasn't very good. It gets you in to good positions for a VS, but that's about it. So if he is keen, I would recommend the OP does it as fast as possible and spends more time on the other routes in the area. I can't speak for doing it in two pitches though.

In reply to Si dH:

Ha! Blasphemy! Haste Not is arguably the best VS in Langdale! Certainly the best in White Ghyll, with its clutch of great VSs. Historically important, great climbing, great position, very exciting, and no need for ropework to be a faff.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I’d rate it the same even including Scotland.

If the OP wishes to streamline the route there is always the option of Haste Not Direct.

In reply to djwilse:

Isn’t the clue in the name of the route?