UKC Forums - UK's best E1 - all suggestions consolidated.

UK's best E1 - all suggestions consolidated.

This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.

EZ 18 Jun 2012

Stone Muppet 18 Jun 2012

Someone should make that into a ticklist.

Stone Muppet 18 Jun 2012

Good work, though

StuLade 18 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Who suggested the llech du groove? Didn't think it was particularly brilliant, a star or two at most in my book. The line's impressive through the middle of the crag but the climbing's not all that. Good work on collating all these.

Greenbanks 18 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ:

Is NW Passage so good you named it twice?

)

Bulls Crack 18 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ:

I'm intrigued by this Sheltered Wall http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=32689 Possibly E2 and most votes for 1 star.

Nick Russell 18 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ:

Some of those are E2, some HVS, but a good list for the climber operating "around" the E1 level

OP EZ 18 Jun 2012

In reply to Nick Russell:

My offering out of those was only for cenotaph corner. They are all suggestions from others.

OP EZ 18 Jun 2012

In reply to Greenbanks:

Boutros Boutros-Ghali told me to!

Mark Kemball 18 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Perhaps the way forward is for folks to now suggest (with reasons) routes to remove from this fairly extensive list (as people have already) before finalising it as a UKC ticklist.

I agree that Sheltered Wall, though a pleasant route, has no place in a list of the UK's top E1s - it's litle more than a highball problem, nice crimpy moves, but nowt that special.

Hammy 18 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Just one route in the Lake District!! Come on now.....

OP EZ 19 Jun 2012

In reply to Hammy:

Haha. Either people can use the list as a recommended E1s list or they could edit the list. The floor is open...

Liam Ingram 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ:

Quite a lot of accepted E2's in there. The only one I have done is Prophecy of Drowning and I thought it was definitely worth E2.

I will suggest King Cobra as a route that could be added.

Owen W-G 19 Jun 2012

Few too many E2s in there for my liking

Does George really belong in such esteemed company?

Calder 19 Jun 2012

In reply to Hammy:

> (In reply to EZ) Just one route in the Lake District!! Come on now.....

Some of these I haven't done - but to give people food for thought:

Praying Mantis (Goat Crag)
Razor Crack (Neckband)
Phillistine (High Crag)
Raindrop (Black CRag)
Nimrod (Dow)
Whit's End Direct or Gimmer String(?) (Gimmer)

Mike Lewis 19 Jun 2012

In reply to Calder: I've done all of those except Phillistine, and whilst they're all great routes, I wouldn't put them up with the best in the country.

The Needle, Minus One Direct, Spring Squill, Cenotaph, and Superdirect stand out for me.

caradoc 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Voie Suisse is an interesting one, I can't believe it's in great condition given the total neglect of the Arans.

Motown 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Sheltered wall? Entertaining but not the best.

Brett ffitch 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Is there a way of getting this into an order grouping the climbs by area. eg. Pembroke, Lakes etc. ?

brockers 19 Jun 2012

In reply to Calder:
Praying Mantis does defiantly deserve to be on this list
Of the two you've suggested on Gimmer, I'd go for Gimmer String being far superior than Whits End Direct.
Raindrop is good, but I thought the Mortician, combined with the traverse of Suoerdirect was far better, I'm aware it's HVS though.
I wouldnt rate Philistine as being a top E1 though. It's good but not that good.

Simon

Jim at Work 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ:
Good work, thanks (and accepting all the following comments): someone should produce a guide book for this - Mr Craggs where are you when we need you?
(or has it been done already ; guide, not coffee table book?)

Calder 19 Jun 2012

In reply to brockers: Forgot to mention Totalitarian, and something on Castle Rock...?

brockers 19 Jun 2012

In reply to Calder:
Yeah. You're right, North Crag Eliminate should be on there yes. I thought Toralitarian was E2 though and I haven't done it.
Simon

gingerwolf 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: nicely done, now we need to get out and do them!!! (and before I move somewhere extremely flat like Kent!!! :P)

Sean Kelly 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Strand is E2 and always has been. Why do others think it E1?

Heike 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ:
since when is Torro E1? I always thought it's E2, but definitely up there with the best!
H

OP EZ 19 Jun 2012

In reply to gingerwolf:

Hahahah You'll end up one of those dirty chalk toolers. (no real toolers were harmed in the production of this comment)

Mark Phillips 19 Jun 2012

In reply to EZ: Agree Yo Yo is very very good, but what a swine getting the bottom pitch dry.Took me a few goes..

Mark Warnett 01 Jul 2012

Please add Flying Butress Direct which is, as we all know, benchmark E1, better and harder than the Left Unconquerable!

Simmy 01 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:

What about three pebble slab?

MJ 01 Jul 2012

In reply to Simmy:

What about three pebble slab?

Is that the same "Three Pebble Slab" that is third on the list?

MJ 01 Jul 2012

In reply to Mark Warnett:

Please add Flying Butress Direct

That's also already on the list...

Mark Warnett 02 Jul 2012

good point. can't believe nobody has said its HVS...

duzinga 03 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ: Great list.
If someone decides to amend the list, I would highly recommend adding Meditation at Chee Tor.

Wilbur 03 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:

Assume three pebble slab is on here as a joke?

The strand is e2 by all accounts

Fredt 03 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:

3 Pebble Slab should be removed, as it's not E1

gingerwolf 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Fredt:

> (In reply to EZ)
>
> 3 Pebble Slab should be removed, as it's not E1

Uh oh

"Puts kettle on...."

:P

OP EZ 03 Jul 2012

In reply to gingerwolf:

Isn't there a drink station half way up that slab for exhausted runners?

OP EZ 03 Jul 2012

Actually, maybe 3PS should be demoted to the Hardest VS in the Peak thread or is it not that hard?

Bulls Crack 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Fredt:

> (In reply to EZ)
>
> 3 Pebble Slab should be removed, as it's not E1

as a nice e1 in the peak - not as one of the uk's best though surely?

Bulls Crack 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Bulls Crack:

> (In reply to Fredt)
> [...]
>
> as a nice e1 in the peak - not as one of the uk's best though surely?

That was meant to be about Meditation not the Froggat HVS+!

James Oswald 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Bulls Crack:
Completely agree. It's not even the best runout bold HVS/E1 slab on grit IMHO.. I much prefer fringe benefit at Rivelin.

James Oswald 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Wilbur:
"The strand is e2 by all accounts"

Cue Jon Stewart telling us all that it's 3 HVSs piled on top of eachother....

alan moore 03 Jul 2012

In reply to caradoc:

Not "total".

James Oswald 03 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:
For some sandy goodness, how about adding Red Square at Nesscliffe? I lead this yesterday as my first sandy lead and thought it was awesome. An adventure with a short walk in. Can't decide if it's E1 or E2, maybe E1 when totally dry?

OP EZ 03 Jul 2012

In reply to James Oswald:

At some point after this week of heavy overtime I will go through this thread and re-consolidate the suggestions. If I can find an easy way to do it I'll try to group them this time as well. Maybe by number of pitches, by rock type and by location.

Fredt 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Bulls Crack:

> (In reply to Fredt)
> [...]
>
> as a nice HVS in the peak - not as one of the uk's best though surely?

sorted that for you.

Mark Warnett 03 Jul 2012

3 Pebble Slab - I can resolve this once and for all:

It is E1 on a hot sweaty summer day, and HVS on a dry winters day when the friction is mint.

So you can put it on the E1 list with that caveat.

trust that is agreed?

no_more_scotch_eggs 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Mark Warnett:

there is a definitive answer:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=10925

according to the voting in the logbooks, with over 1400 votes cast, it is a grade which is harder than HVS, but easier than E1

so, that can only mean one thing:

its E0...

;-D

gregor

Dave Garnett 03 Jul 2012

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

The fact remains that it wouldn't make it on to a list of Britain's top 100 best HVSs or E1s.

Very little on grit would actually.

mockerkin 03 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:

>> If that list shows anything, it shows how many crags are within easy reach of large centres of population, apart from some of those in Scotland and Central Buttress Scafell. Most of those crags are close to and familiar to many climbers. There is no way that it represents the best E1 routes in the UK. No-one has ever done all the E1's in the UK anyway.

OP EZ 03 Jul 2012

In reply to mockerkin:

> No-one has ever done all the E1's in the UK anyway.

I doubt anyone has ever done all of anything climbing or otherwise. That shouldn't stop people compiling lists of the best. Or maybe a better question may be "best or favourite E1 in the UK?"

Bulls Crack 03 Jul 2012

In reply to Fredt:

> (In reply to Bulls Crack)
> [...]
>
> sorted that for you.

In what way?

ian caton 03 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:

Major ommissions which should be in top ten:

Carnage left hand - malham.
Falcon - craig pant y fan. tremadog.
Daydreams - mewsford

Please sack off Suicide wall - bossi and Rock Idol. Iconic? yes, but good? no.

bpmclimb 04 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:

What about Manzoku?

The Pylon King 04 Jul 2012

In reply to ian caton:

> (In reply to EZ)
> Daydreams - mewsford
>
> Please sack off Suicide wall - bossi and Rock Idol. Iconic? yes, but good? no.

Rock Idol is amazing

Al Evans 04 Jul 2012

In reply to ian caton:

> (In reply to EZ)
>
> Major ommissions which should be in top ten:
>
> Carnage left hand - malham.
> Falcon - craig pant y fan. tremadog.
> Daydreams - mewsford
>
> Please sack off Suicide wall - bossi and Rock Idol. Iconic? yes, but good? no.

Agree with nearly all this, I thought Suicide Wall the most overated 3 star route I'd ever done, would still keep Rock Idol though.

James Oswald 04 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:
Rock Idol is awesome. What about The Smile at Lower Sharpnose? Super jugginess. The moves however are admittedly fairly uninteresting and mundane though.

Chris Sansum 04 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:

I'm surprised to see Wurlitzer but not King Kong at Wintour's Leap. I haven't done Wurlitzer, but surely King Kong is THE E1 line at Wintour's?

beardy mike 04 Jul 2012

In reply to Chris Sansum: Cock on - I was just thinking the same. I'd say King Kong and Surrealist are both better than Wurlitzer - it's a good route for sure, but not THAT amazing, whereas both king kong and Surrealist are sustained tussles that you remember (and you body remembers) for good... and what about Malbogies, M1 and Central Buttress - all worthy I'd say...

Chad123 04 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:
I have fond memories of climbing at Wintour's and even the polished, dirt covered rock of Symond's Yat as a teenager, but to say that routes like King Kong are the equal of Central Buttress, Black streak, Jack the ripper, Yo yo and Torro (Surely E2 not E1, felt E2 when I did it a few weeks ago) is just silly...have never climbed at Avon but imagine it's a similar story...

Dave Garnett 04 Jul 2012

In reply to bpmclimb:

> (In reply to EZ)
>
> What about Manzoku?

I've always thought Manzoku was pretty unremarkable. I think it only became popular because it's so accessible; it must be horribly polished by now too. Actually I think most of Stennis is a bit scruffy even compared with St Govan's, let alone Stackpole, Mewsford, the Leap, Mother Carey's...

Jon Stewart 04 Jul 2012

In reply to ian caton:

> (In reply to EZ)
>
> Please sack off Suicide wall - bossi and Rock Idol. Iconic? yes, but good? no.

Both way better than Gogarth, which is certainly popular for its history rather its quality and one of the worst routes I've done in the area. NW Passage is a good representative for Gogarth E1 I think.

@james oswald: The Strand is "like 2 HVSs on top of each other" - not to say what grade that makes it (but to the OP, it is always given E2).

I'd add one from Shiegra (although the best routes I climbed there weren't graded E1, although they could have been) - Presumption is the classic. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=49655

John2 04 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave Garnett:
'I've always thought Manzoku was pretty unremarkable'

Disagree.

'I think it only became popular because it's so accessible'

Disagree.

'it must be horribly polished by now too'

Wrong. Don't ask me why, but the rock at Stennis Head doesn't get polished.

Jack_F 04 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ: Aviation is alright but the top pitch isn,t that interesting. A better close would be the Spider at Chudleigh.
M1 on Avon could be thrown in there too??

John H Bull 04 Jul 2012

In reply to EZ:
Stop me if I keep going on about Sealhunt, but it is better than probably half the routes in the list, including half the other Pem E1s like the rather dully positioned Manzoku. Good list though.