UKC

Malham Cove is the jewel in the crown of Yorkshire's limestone crags. A huge amphitheatre of perfect rock which offers classic routes of all grades and styles in a beautiful setting.

This is a nationally important destination and a must-visit venue. UKClimbing.com's Assistant Editor Kevin Avery tells all...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1797

In reply to UKC Articles: Isn't the article missing a link to the current YMC limestone guide?
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/book.php?id=210

I've just sent in an update to the list of crags that it covers to add Malham (and as many others as I can remember)...

In reply to UKC Articles:

Such a shame they bolted Yosemite Wall :0(

In reply to the inspiral carpet:

Why do you say that, it was an aid route on tatty fixed gear that was freed using fixed gear, surely a few well placed bolts are better than that?

In reply to Tyler: But what about the added danger of not knowing whether the gear will hold? I think a route that was aided once and then freed by clipping into the old aid gear should be left as it is. Climbing is not a SAFE sport and should not be made so. There should always be a few of these type of routes just to scare the sport climbers!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On grit the gear would be left as it is.

In reply to nilcanpoop:

What's the point of a clip up unsafe gear? It's neither one thing ort the other, you may as well do a sport route iwth an imcompetent belayer or by not tying in properly if you want to intriduce artificial levels of danger just to 'scare the sport climbers'. Besides, most of the sport climbers you see at Malahm have a pretty decent grounding in scary stuff as well.

Anyway, on this particular route its a non-issue because I believe the local parish council objected to unsightly tat on the cat walk, that's why the threads on New Dawn were removed.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Its worth pointing out that first timers to the crag often have a hard time as the character of the rock means the style of climbing takes some getting used to on the Catwalk routes in particular. The handholds can be awkward to use - lots of sidepulls and undercuts - and the footholds often tiny and hard to spot which can make sequences challenging to work out. Cooler conditions make a big difference.

In reply to nilcanpoop:

Your views are (now)in a tiny minority. It is generally accepted that rotten fixed gear is best replaced on limestone sport routes even though as you say on grit any fixed gear on trad routes - which are a rarity in any case - would be left as it is.

In reply to Simon Lee:

Can some informed person comment on this: "No more polished now than when I did the first ascent - Mick Ryan comments on his own route, Consenting Adults". As variously a southerner/ expat/ pseudo-Canadian I have only fitted one trip to Malham into my life so far. But I did do Consenting Adults and recall it being glassy-smooth. In fact I have never before or since seen anywhere more polished than Malham ... and that was 1992. Is this because 1. the holds somehow improved thanks to acid rain or an as yet unexplained reaction between limestone and chalk/ sweat/ rubber or 2. you are all deluded?

In reply to tobyfk:

Much of the 'white' lower wall rock was already very smooth and quite chalky when they were first climbed - especially those that weren't aid climbs - which were glassy. I did Consenting Adults again three years ago after 15 years away. Didn't seem to have changed much. I flashed it as well.

Try Stoney Middleton for some of the very best polished rock in the UK.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Retro-flashed?

Another place I have been once.

In reply to tobyfk:

I haven't noticed the polish on the routes get any worse over time. Perhaps the routes polish quickly and then remain at that level of polish. Personally I don't find it makes the climbing any less enjoyable. Stoney seems more polished.

In reply to tobyfk:


Stoney is great Toby. The routes are stand out gems, absolute classics.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Of course. I am flying to Amman in Jordan tomorrow morning on my way to Wadi Rum ... you reckon I should swap my ticket for East Midlands instead?

In reply to tobyfk:

Wadi Rum ? What a bag of camel shit. Loose camel shit at that. I expect.

In reply to the inspiral carpet:

Why do you say that?