UKC

Hi
Led my first trad VS lead down the Avon Gorge - Floating Voter. I really enjoyed, didn't feel tooo bad and remembered to breath etc!

I've got the Gorge book and West Country Climbs book - however suggetions advice on next VS leads to do... Don't want something toooo epic, like the look of Giants Cave Butress, but how is it...?

Advice etc appreciated.

In reply to rorschach:

Floating Voater is no give away with all that polish, so well done sir.

GCB is nice, good situations, the climbing itself isn't amazing, but you have to do it because its position. Stick someone in the gallery to photograph you.

Gronk is good fun, as is Unknown Wall which has a hero move around a roof. Piton Route was good - wouldn't know how good the pegs are these days though.

For some reason Cornwall is brilliant at VS. Bosigran and Chair Ladder both have uber-classics like Little Brown Jug. There's loads more hidden away at the lesser crags too.

The Wye Valley (not in WCC but close by) has tons of good VSs too.

In reply to rorschach:

How are you with multipitch stuff? Nearly all the good stuff at Avon is more than one pitch. If you are fine with it, then Giant's Cave Buttress is great, with huge ledges to belay on. Piton Route is good too, but can feel bold in places (and doesn't really rely on pitons at all, except for the first belay). Clarion is excellent, but takes some trickery to place gear and there is one very run out section in the middle. Gronk is good, with some bold sections and a second who is comfortable at the grade is good as it has 2 large traverses on it.

Petros is the one VS that I have never got on with. It's got a great fun move to start, and some nice climbing, but I always find it harder and scarier than any VS should be. It may be that being short i can't reach the good holds off the top of the flake, so have to do some harder moves, but I'm not sure.

In reply to rorschach:

I've had another think, and there are a couple more fun VSs at Seawalls. Daydream is pretty good, a single pitch with interesting moves. The alternative finish to Nightmare is ok too, and quite easy at VS (but the gear isn't great). Then there is Jumping Carrots, which starts well, but the finish is hard to work out - the obvious line is harder than 4c, and the other way feels like a cop out, or is very dirty.

In reply to rorschach:
Rockers Revenge is a nice 2 pitch route - do a few one or two pitch routes before doing something like Gronk or Unknown Wall perhaps.

The ones at the Upper Amphitheatre walls like Cave Left and Pocketed Wall are fun soft touches (with the exception of In Through The Out Door which isn't hard but is a bloody grim bit of speleology). But the rock is a tiny bit loose, and you abseil in so backing off will involve meeting the wrath of the people in the Giants Cave.

Daydream is good and safe, it does have some almost tough moves at the start for a VS, but you'll walk it I'm sure.

For boldness practice I'm an Egon at the Amphitheatre is a short very easy bold VS, and it may prove useful in getting the head better for longer, more serious climbs.

If you go to Fairy Cave Quarry, Robs Crack is basically HS but is worth doing and super safe.

Well done doing Floating Voter - I thought the low down glassy and awkward crux of that route is essentially unprotected and high enough to hurt your legs.

In reply to Tdubs:

Thanks to advice so far. GCB and Unknown wall/ daydream etc all sound doable.

Another question, I have a full rack including 2 sets of DMM nuts, Cams etc and two small DMM peenuts...I'm thinking of getting a few extra micro wires...any suggestions to which ones...Eg wild country micros...dmms etc or think I can get away with what I've got..? I'd personally rather carry a few extra, so appreciate what others suggest re climbing at VS and hopefully higher soon!

In reply to rorschach:
I've never rated the WC or DMM micros. They're cheaper but don't really cut it for me.
Try BD Micro stoppers, DMM IMPs or RPs if you can get them. They fit better and are stronger - the WC and DMM micro rocks/micro wallnuts are surprisingly weak.
PS anybody who says you don't need microwires at VS/HVS can do one, you're in the Avon Gorge so you can place whatever the hell you want, and you will place microwires a lot. Just try and get a good placement and don't feel you can lob onto them with careless abandon.

In reply to rorschach: DMM brass offsets. Don't leave home without them!

In reply to rorschach: Personally I would say both Unknown wall and Gronk are pokey at the grade. Gronk's pitches all have their own little cruxes and the first three all make you think. Piton Route is much more steady and only has a couple of stopper moves, which are a bit polished but reasonably well protected. Central Rib is also fantastic although a little runout on the first and second pitches, but all the moves are steady enough. GCB - personally I think the climbingis actually pretty good - the first pitch is technically the hardest, the mental crux is the third pitch. The middle pitch is more of a scramble. The other option is Clarion followed by Aftermath or petros...

In reply to rorschach:

I'll echo what TDubs said - the microrocks from DMM and WC are not really that good. I've used them a few times, and they have their place but BD micro stoppers, DMM IMPS and Brass offsets are all far stronger and far better. I would buy some of these first.

I tend to always carrry my micros at Avon, but don't place them often. However, when I do place them they are often the only gear I have, so are critical.

As for other routes, I've been having a think and I can't think of many other VSs to recommend at Avon. There aren't that many of them, but there are some corkers.

In reply to rorschach:

Nice one doing Floating Voter. That is probably one of the most polished VS climbs in the area!

Goblin Combe is excellent for that grade range. Nice spot, good gear, not too polished and sound rock. Elrond is enjoyable, Bifur is a bit soft and there are some great HS routes as well. eg Bard the Bowman, Esgaroth and The Gnome King

In reply to maresia:

Thanks for advice so far. Just back from Dicks Climbing in Bristol and proud owner of DMM IMPs! Nice to get gear from shop where he knows what he's on about too. I liked look of Offsets, but might get some off these at a later date.

In reply to rorschach:

Agree with you about Dick's Climbing. I always get my gear there - good to support local business and not give Slush and Rubble any more of my cash.

I've placed my offsets far more than the IMPs. Both are good but the offsets are awesome.

In reply to maresia: Especially the green one - they seem to go everywhere...

In reply to rorschach: Thanks for the kind words Sean and Ben.

Agree with Mike about Clarion, good route but I seem to remember the gear being a bit fiddly at the top?

Mike, I owe you an email started to write it but confused myself with complicated ideas.

In reply to rorschach:

Another vote for Dicks Climbing. For the OP, would recommend Gronk.

In reply to Richard Hall: No worries mate - look forwards to it You fancy getting scared together down there sometime? Got an idea...

In reply to mike kann:
Thanks to advice re VS climbs down the Gorge. Off this Sunday weather permitting - Daydream or Gronk looking good...maybe GCB if feeling confident!
Hopefully try out my new wires as well!

In reply to rorschach: TBH I'd say you need more confidence for Gronk than GCB!

In reply to mike kann: Thanks Mike. GCB it could be then! I have seconded Piton Route and fell off first pitch on traverse across part! So if Gronk needs a bit more confidence, I'll try GCB. How is third pitch - how far do yo need to go before you can put gear in? Cheers, Sean