UKC

Having fought my way up The Grazer, Burbage North, yesterday I have been reminded how much I enjoy a good gritstone scrap.

Other lines I remember being a full-on scrap include Fern Crack (Stanage) and Hawks Nest Crack (Froggatt).

So what VS grit routes (OK - and non-grit routes) are more like a boxing match than "come dancing".

In reply to EarlyBird:

Great Harry, Lawrencefield.

In reply to Flicka:

Once graded HVS - haven't tried it, but it looks like a fight.

Another one that springs to mind: Embankment 2, Millstone.

In reply to EarlyBird:
Embankment 2: first time i tried it i thought, hells teeth that was grim.
But then, i couldn't finger jam and tried sticking to the thinner of the 2 cracks.

I've since done the route many times, not so bad once you know it!

Reunion Crack at Hen Cloud - I remember than being a bit grim too!

In reply to EarlyBird:

Altar Crack, Rivelin
Grey Face, Curbar
The first pitch of Embankment 1 and The Mall, Millstone
Second Leaning Groove, Bowden Doors
Grim Wall, Craig Bwlch y Moch
Ashgrove Prelims, Craig-y-Forwen

All routes I walked away from feeling like I'd won some epic battle. Not done it but Lorraine at Bowden also looked like a scrap, as does The File to a weak jammer like me.

In reply to ro8x:

I'm not surprised you found it a bit grim - isn't the thinner of the two cracks E1/E2 in its own right?!

Climbingpixie - Altar Crack, good call.

In reply to EarlyBird:

E1. i did use the fat crack to wedge in ankle in once, apart from that i stayed in the thinner of the two! I remember being so gripped i totally forgot about gear and placed a rubbish about near the top. I was suprised my second didn't just rip it all out!

In reply to EarlyBird:
Altar crack, not sure of as I have done it twice, mindst you it was no better the second time. Hows about Roof Route and Dowel crack on Burbage South.

In reply to John Gresty:

Roof Route seems to have a bit of a reputation - I've done it twice and thought it seemed quite straightforward, sink your left leg in the crack and sort of swim up.

I don't know Dowel Crack - does it remove flesh?

In reply to EarlyBird: Dowel Crack, BMC guide gives as VS, Rockfax gives as HVS 5a and I didn't notice the dowel. A real wide grunt

In reply to EarlyBird:

I remember once fresh from success on an E4, having a go at Low Nose Crack on Simon's Seat

I couldn't get both feet off the ground

Y.

In reply to John Gresty:

Excellent! It's on the list.

In reply to EarlyBird: Like some of the others, I've also done Roof Route at Burbage South - and found it an honourable fight. Not bad at first but ends up being exhausting (Roof Route at Rivelin, however, is a quantum leap up in terms of the tussle involved - although it is HVS). Here are a few other lower grade routes to consider - but where the fight is sometimes more concentrated into a cruxy section: Sailor's Crack at Birchen (Severe!); The Rat's Tail at Higgar Tor (VS); Thrombosis at Stanage (VS - & good luck!) and Lone Tree Groove at Black Rocks (VS). Don't use any of these as warm-ups for harder routes!

In reply to Nigel E: I didn't find Roof Route (Burbage one) too bad. If I remember correctly, I soloed it so it can't have been too much of a struggle as I hate wriggly things at the best of times.

In reply to Nigel E:

Sailor's Crack at Birchen (Severe!);

Thrombosis at Stanage (VS - & good luck!)


Roof Route I didn't find too bad, just an unusual technique, but I would have to agree that Sailor's Crack at Birchen is ridiculously tough for the grade. I've just read the user-comments for Thrombosis; sounds intiguing and strangely enticing.

I can't add much to the Grit list except maybe Missippissi Buttress Direct(not so much a fight, as awkward and out-of-balance), but moving to Swanage for a moment, Spread Eagle was a skin-of-the-teeth fight for me. I'm really looking forward to taking a few solid HVS/E1 friends of mine to it in a feigned nonchalant way!

In reply to EarlyBird:

Square Chimney & Whisky Crack at Almscliff
Notice Board & Righthand Cracks at Brimham
Bottle Crack at Back Bowden Doors (although it's only a fight at VS because it is obviously much harder than that, in fact it gets MVS in thc current guide, hahahahahaha)
Bullroar at Oxenber Scar (mmm, a limestone offwidth)
The Direct Finish to Damascus Crack at The Roaches
Struggle at Windgather
Medusa at Bradley Quarry (not only a struggle, but completely and utterly rubbish at the same time)

And I'd second Great Harry as a proper all-body experience. It is great fun though.

In reply to EarlyBird:

Oh, and Roof Route at Burbage South is a bit of a fight, but only for your left ankle/leg. Reginald on the other hand is an all-body workout.

In reply to victim of mathematics:

"All body experience", that's a great description for the kind of routes I'm after.

I've done Struggle and the direct finish to Damascus Crack - I can't remember the finish to DC but Struggle is well named.

This severe at Birchen sounds like a must.

In reply to EarlyBird:
Crack of Doom - Almscliff
F route - gimmer - what a route

In reply to EarlyBird:

Green Crack, and Castle Crack on Stanage can not be considered relaxing.

In reply to victim of mathematics: Square and Chimney at Almscliff is MVS.

A better VS battle (and much superior to crack 'o doom would be Zig Zag.

In reply to victim of mathematics: Square and Chimney at Almscliff is MVS.

A better VS battle (and much superior to crack 'o doom would be Zig Zag.

Also Joanne at Baildon. Short but sharp...

In reply to EarlyBird:
Great Harry at Lawrencefield (as someone already said) Polished and awkward,
But the most awkward route I've ever attempted is Jankers Crack at Froggatt. HS4b allegedly and far more of a struggle than any of the E2s I've done this year.
If I never attempt anything easier than HVS I should be OK.

In reply to Richard 261: Indeed, I backed off Janker's Crack (at HS) and opted to finish up Janker's Groove (VS) instead, which was actually quite nice, and certainly easier than surmounting that block on the crack.

In reply to EarlyBird: matday cracks on castle rocks in the lakes is a tad of a brawl if i remeber !
jas

In reply to ro8x: According to rockfax its E2 5c.
As for a tough vs, traditional climb at almscliff was a bit of a battle for me.

In reply to Heddwyn:

I'll give you one Double Crisis on Craig y Clipiau.

The top pitch is an absolute beast. It is the only route I have climbed that I will definitely (or alomost definitely) never ever climb again.

Gary.

In reply to EarlyBird:

First pitch of Shadrach usually gets you going.

In reply to EarlyBird:
Currently working my way through all the VS routes at Curbar in the BMC guide (right to left). Ye gods, there's some fights in there!

In reply to EarlyBird:


Gentle and obvious laybacking / jamming


Both slightly thoughtful.


Steady laybacking / bridging.


Steady, two cracks makes it twice as easy.


Easy and elegant one move wonder.


Obvious and steady with a bit of nouse.


Easy jamming.


This is actually quite hard indeed - that's one to start the list.


Usual steady bridging / laybacking.


Pleasant solo on good holds.


Mildly awkward, maybe worth getting on the list (although I might be thinking of the HVS next to it?)


Easy jamming IIRC.


Yes this is quite awkward whatever way it's done, number 2 on the list then.


Juggy boulder problem into a Mild Diff.


The one that used to be graded VDiff??


Definitely, hard in many directions, that can be number three on the list.


Safe obvious one move wonder.


Easy fun chimneying, suitable for VDiff in big boots approach.

So....

Removing all easy jamming, easy laybacking, and easy bridging routes and the inability of you modern wall monkeys to climb cracks, that leaves us with:

Embankment 1 P1, Millstone
Lone Tree Groove, Black Rocks
Zig Zag, Almscliff

....and maybe a *few* more...

In reply to EarlyBird:

The Mangler, Blackstone Edge

In reply to Heddwyn:

Glad someone else thinks so!

i would nominate

Lazy L and Last call at Shorncliff.
Meshach P2 (as it currently stands in UKC logbook - i thought it was stiff for HVS let alone VS!).
First and second sister at Stanage.

oops - just seen you meant grit only... oh well!

In reply to EarlyBird:

Scarlett's Chimney at Rivellin certainly felt like a VS to me and I think falls into the fight category. Classic sandbag at HS 4a I think.

Also Gargoyle Buttress at Dovestone Tor was a fair fight for VS, even if you do manage to jam the top half elegantly.

In reply to Fiend:


I've an idea I ended up facing outwards on this!

In reply to Darron:

If you don't face outwards, or upside down, or both, you don't get the tick!

In reply to EarlyBird:

For grit, try Left Hand Tower at Stanage and Jankers Groove at Froggat.

In reply to GrahamD:

I remember failing on Left Hand Tower complete with ropes early one December morning when I was climbing quite well and had previously soloed it. That sloping shelf was horribly slimey.

Outlook Chimney and Nursery Crack (without cheating) are very much in the style the OP has in mind.

I also agree with the chap who said Spreadeagle at Subluminal, which I remember finding quite hard. Some unpleasantness connected with standing up on a sloping shelf.

Baboon and Transept Direct on the same crag used to be quite outstanding sandbags in the period between one of them losing its chockstone and it getting put up to HVS.

jcm

In reply to Darron:

Like on here;

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=768;sa=showPosts

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

As a fight, spreadeagle isn't in the same league as baboon - far too refined and technical.

In reply to sutty:
Fantastic
I could prob dig out a pic of me in the same place in the mid 70's. It would look 'old', the gear would look 'funny', but at least there was some.

In reply to Darron:

Took some finding that, didn't show in google images but have seen several more on the web on the route.

In reply to Darron:

No-one's mentioned Obscenity on Burbage North which springs to my mind - that and Broken Crack at Froggatt (which may now be HVS?)
I can't think of any non-peak fights strangely enough...

In reply to Different Steve:


How about the first pitch of Diocese, Chair Ladder?

In reply to EarlyBird:


There is an even better fight down at Aire Point which usually involves getting your head stuck and your hands and arms shredded.

In reply to EarlyBird: Bynes crack at burbage was a struggle for me. ( I jammed it - no doubt someone will say it's a piece of piss laybacked.)

In reply to GrahamD:

Pray tell.

In reply to EarlyBird:

I wish I could remember the route's name. Its VS and I think its the only route there that gets a star (at least in the old Bosi guide) and its a pig ! I can't remember the name but I can remember having to take my helmet off to get out of some horrible skin shredding contortion I'd got into (and this is over 10 years ago).

In reply to GrahamD:

Headline, I think? Something like that. That VS crack up the middle, anyway. I only got half-way, but it did seem like a contender.

I agree Spreadeagle is merely a hardish VS rather than a Fight.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

What's these VS cracks at Stoney How the Hell and What the Hell? remember finding one an absolutely desperate struggle

In reply to JimR:

Yes, indeed, especially as it's obligatory these days for it to be the middle of winter and absolutely f**king freezing after you've given up on grit and come down to Stoney to get out of the wind.

Now Medusa in the old Paul Nunn guide at VS must have been worth queuing under just to watch the fun.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

And on that last theme, Viper Crack at Cheddar. Especially since the roof fell off, I hear.

jcm

In reply to grahamtc:

Fat Man's Misery springs to mind as worthy of inclusion (even by Fiend's criteria).

In reply to JimR:

We did HTH and WTH one day. I led one and my mate led the other, but before I was ten feet up the route someone rushed over to say another lad had fallen off the finish of White knight and hit the ground, so I shouted tight and rushed up the route in a couple of minutes so we could get to the casualty.
Luckily he had crashed through a tree that broke his fall and it turned out his worst injury was a broken arm from hitting a branch. Still went to hospital for a check up though.

In reply to GrahamD:

Do you mean Aireline

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=32267

I fought it earlier this year and managed to get up with some dignity - however I did continuously doubt I could make progress. It was as much a mental as physical struggle.

In reply to EarlyBird:
I find Right-hand Crack and Central Crack at Brimham a bit of a struggle, but then right hand crack would be much easier if my hands actually fit inside it on the crux!

In reply to CurlyStevo:

Central Crack definitely qualifies!! The top part being where all the joy is...

In reply to EarlyBird:

Birch Tree Wall at Black Rock

In reply to mic_b:

Not really. It can be (and is best) climbed relatively unstrenuously, i.e with good footwork and jamming technique.

In reply to O. C. Curmudgeon: Re Aireline -
IIRC quite easy to get ones head stuck if tempted too far into the crack - could be elegantly bridged with long legs!

In reply to EarlyBird:

Has anyone mentioned the Crank at Rammyshaw and hedgehog crack at Hen cloud?

Ooo! forgot to mention caudite crack at laurencefield.

In reply to EarlyBird:

Broken crack @ Froggatt - but maybe that was just me

I didn't find the Grazer too bad at all...

In reply to EarlyBird:

The Bulger at the Roaches certainley gives a nice full body experience at VS. I even think the E2 branching off left may have been pioneered as an escape route...

Nice to people who enjoy this type of climb, I like this sort of thing but most people seem to make excuses and run a mile from them - LOL - they just don't ubderstand all the fun their are missing.

And at VDiff Chasm Route's vertical vice pitch is worth a mention on Glyder Fach, wow what a VDiff...

And then there's tree climb or birch tree climb at Brimham, you climb a tree and launch into a slanting smooth fluted widening crack that I climbed using strange caterpillar like movements!!

In reply to howlingbaboon:

Cordite crack is HS in the definitive guide, just to make you feel better.

In reply to 1234None:

It is subjective, isn't it? Because I found Broken Crack ok

In reply to GrahamD:

yeah but its a beast of a climb and should be a VS, either that or the hardset HS there is.

In reply to 1234None:


No it isn't just you, it requires good jamming skills for that flare at the top. Or there is a crimpy 5b alternative that avoids it.

In reply to EarlyBird:
South ridge direct, Arran.

In reply to EarlyBird:
Really? The Y crack or the S crack?
Not fights surely? It was p*ssing down when I did them. Mind you... I think it usually is.

In reply to Darron: Y crack, short lived but a good struggle for VS.

In reply to EarlyBird:
Gardoms Unconquerable VS4c - excellent route but bloody hard work from start to finish!

In reply to EarlyBird:

Jumping Carrots in the Avon Gorge. Managed to get my left foot trapped under my bum when I pulled left onto the ledge somehow. No handholds and the ledge only just wide enough... whilst on a fairly long lead out.....it took about 5 minutes to gradually work my left foot out from under me and forwards onto a decent hold!

In reply to howlingbaboon:

Its good that routes like Cordite crack (pig that it is) maintain a solid benchmark for top end HS. Its a hooby horse of mine that far too many routes of 4b standard are given VS rather HS.

In reply to EarlyBird:

Has anyone mentioned The Mall at Millstone yet? Found that tough but I seem to remember missing out a very obvious gear placement that meant I ran it out in good style which might explain it.

As for Embankment 2 - it is a tough VS but only because your left foot feels that it is trapped in some medieval torture device for most of the route.

bluebrad