UKC Forums - Best UK "Corner" routes

Best UK "Corner" routes

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Dave 88 08 Jul 2012

I like bridging, so in line with the other threads...

Could be entire routes, or routes with a good bridging/corner section.

As most people seem to hate corners, I suspect this thread won't be quite as popular as the other ones!

I'll start with-

Great North Road- Millstone.
Goliath's Groove- Stanage (I know you don't HAVE to bridge this).
Golden Fleece- Symond's Yat.
Cenotaph Corner- Dinas Mot.
Green Death- Millstone.

I'm yet to do the last two, I'm just guessing there.

If there's enough suggestions, I'll make it into a ticklist for all the other deviants.

Sharp 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Not sure why anyone would hate corners, all of the grade with half the effort and twice the gear!

highclimbingguy 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
You wont find Cenotaph Corner on Dinas Mot

OP Dave 88 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Sharp:

That's exactly why I like them!

OP Dave 88 08 Jul 2012

In reply to highclimbingguy:

Sorry, cromlech. It's late!

JayK 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Surely - The Quarryman

Liam Ingram 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

The Torridonian at Seana Mheallan

The Ivanator 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Kinberg (Pinfold, Llangollen) brilliant pitch.

The Ivanator 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Not forgetting Finale Groove (Boulder Ruckle), Central Groove on the Dewerstone, Honeysuckle Corner on Craig Yr Wrysgan is another good one.

Harry Ellis 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Engineers Slabs, Gable = the Quarryman for VS leaders

ripper 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: not done it (yet) but I like the look of German Schoolgirl at Llanberis

Smelly Fox 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
I'd add...

The Emulator, Gogarth
The Needle (Second last pitch), Shelterstone.
Original Route (Top Pitch), Old Man of Hoy

Although the best "corner" pitches I've done are undoubtedly in North America....

Trist

Paul Evans 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
By coincidence I was thinking about exactly this topic on Friday.
I'm one of those weird people who actually like corners. Nothing better than sitting on your heel having a good hands off rest!

Goliath's Groove and Centotaph were the ones that immediately came to mind.

But whilst we're adding others, don't forget The Corner on Cloggy.

Paul

Puppythedog 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: I'll do Centotaph COrner with you, it's on my list for this year.

Trangia 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Amen

Al Evans 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Trangia: For an easier one what about Green Gut at Froggatt and Excaliber and Limpopo Groove at Lawrencefield.

charley 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Cataclysm at WildCat has a nice groove section...

TonyM 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
You couldn't miss out Pitch 1 of Nectar on Stanage.

freemanTom 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Grand Diedre Direct, Coire a Grundha, Skye. Awesome,

DaveAtkinson 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
Centurion
Unicorn
Steeple

Now they are corners. Some of the others are really just book ends.

Trangia 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Al Evans:

I thought Amen was horrendous for a Severe!

Hat Dude 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Delilah on High crag has a nice corner section

Double Knee Bar 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: You and your bridging techniques. I bet you managed to bridge your way up Three Pebble Slab!

Bulls Crack 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Octo

And Bulls Crack of course!

Steve Perry 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: As already mentioned - http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=198769

Iain Peters 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

In the SW: Il Duce, Mercury Direct, Right Angle, Diocese and Anvil Chorus. Come to think of it, they might all get into the Best Traverses list as well!

And Archtempter...

Backinthegame 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Hollybush Crack - Stanage for a low grade corner.

efrance24234 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: the grooves - cryn las
right angle - down south .. cant remember where

Cardi 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Sort of two corners, but Sea Panther on Skye was brilliant

Jon Stewart 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Sharp:

> (In reply to Dave 88) Not sure why anyone would hate corners, all of the grade with half the effort and twice the gear!

I don't like corners much, very 'unflowing' climbing in general (or perhaps that's down to my climbing); lack of exposure, too much gear(!), often very polished due to being obvious, classic lines.

The ones I've really enjoyed are:

- Scavenger
- Atlantis
- Rock Idol
- The Sun (doesn't look like a corner, but definitely climbs like one)

snoop6060 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Tons at Fairhead, pretty much every E2 is a corner.

Equiniox is a great route: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=53355

Shame about the super uncomfortable hanging belay though. Pretty much standard at Fairhead mind.

Great north road is probably the best of the list you have put there I reckon. Though Cenotaph is very much on the cromlech rather than the Mot.

Si

stewart murray 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Electron on Pillar

johncook 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Al Evans: Great Harry at Lawrencefield is better than Limpopo. At this grade; Aurora (2nd pitch) Sin, Glory Road, Brown Corner, all at Stoney! Also Froth, with a magic traverse thrown in for fun!

Matt Smith 08 Jul 2012

Another vote for both Finale Groove (Swanage) and Central Groove (Dewerstone). Sabre Cut (Dinas Cromlech) second pitch, is also good.

Offwidth 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Some grit lists here:

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/corners_topten.html

Al Evans 08 Jul 2012

In reply to johncook:

> (In reply to Al Evans) Great Harry at Lawrencefield is better than Limpopo. At this grade; Aurora (2nd pitch) Sin, Glory Road, Brown Corner, all at Stoney! Also Froth, with a magic traverse thrown in for fun!

I'm not sure Great Harry is better than Limpopo, just longer, though I agree with you about the rest, Also at Stoney the What The Hell trilogy is good.

gribble 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Altar crack - Rivelin
Crew Cut - Millstone

You can layback corners too!

Andysomething 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Deception Crack at Kyloe(Out) is almost all corner, albeit at less than 90 degree angle so it's slightly closed bookish
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=100016
One of my absolute favourites

Hannes 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Long tall sally at burbage is a nice corner

Martin Wing 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Jon Stewart: I really enjoyed scavenger too, definately one of the best.

OP Dave 88 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Cheers for all the suggestions so far, glad to see there are some other deviants on here!

Keep them coming.

OP Dave 88 08 Jul 2012

In reply to puppythedog:

Is it ever going to be dry this year?! I'd be well up for that. Perhaps in October when I finally get out again

petestack 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Shangri-la on Eastern Buttress of Sron na Ciche.

Skip 08 Jul 2012

In reply to efrance24234:

> (In reply to Dave 88) the grooves - cryn las
> right angle - down south .. cant remember where

Gurnard's Head in Cornwall

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=197

OP Dave 88 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Iain Peters:

Iain, is Tsunami at Cow And Calf any good?

Puppythedog 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Sounds fine to me, need some adventures between your job based adventures I reckon and I know I could do with some

Iain Peters 08 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

It's "interesting"! A strong line, but the rock in the top half is a bit iffy, and I guess the peg will also be past its sell by date. Nothing to worry about for a man who has enjoyed the inner secrets of Cornakey but probably better left for some future esoterica tick list!

JLS 09 Jul 2012

In reply to DaveAtkinson:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=198769

JDal 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
I'd have thougt The Bat corner on Carn Dearg would be worth a shout. http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=89516

AJM 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Iain Peters:

I've always thought the Archtempter a good line, although I've heard tell the rock really isn't up to much (and, on the other side of the coin, that it's only really HVS if you have a bit of culm nous). Never quite managed to talk anyone into it yet...

Motown 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: DWS corner? The Athiest.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=66886

Iain Peters 09 Jul 2012

In reply to AJM:

E3 5b as far as this long-time culm nous(ance) is concerned!

Pursued by a bear 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Two from the Lakes.

Eagle Front, Buttermere. OK, only the last pitch is a corner but the rest of the route is about how you can get to it at a reasonable grade. And it's a fabulous climb (best served dry; I can imagine it would be horrendous in the wet).

Grendel, Scrubby Crag. A real shame this isn't a longer climb but the corner pitch - the best climbing on the route - is a gem.

T.

HStudierende 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

The Searchers on Raven Crag (Ennerdale) looks pretty good:

http://www.frcc.co.uk/climbs.asp?guide_id=14&crag_id=591&climb_id=3...
http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=64388

Probably still awaiting a second ascent too!

Pursued by a bear 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: I have always fancied doing Central Grooves on Stob Coire nan Lochan too. Looks an interesting day out.

T.

pasbury 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Brant Direct - Grochan
The Crack - Gimmer

Bob M 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

F Route (Gimmer)
Hell's Kitchen (Fairhead)

The Ivanator 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Boulder Ruckle is the place for 3* HVS corners, in addition to Finale Groove (mentioned earlier), Jo and Aventura have brilliant corner climbing for large portions of each route.

tprebs 09 Jul 2012

Fairhead is fantastic for corners

Hells Kitchen http://fairheadclimbers.com/pages/photos/4/images/hk_sam_760.jpg
Equinox http://fairheadclimbers.com/pages/photos/4/images/equinox_760.jpg

Ocean Boulevard

Mournes
Sweetie Mice - Slieve Beg

Simon Caldwell 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
The Night Watch, Whitestonecliffe

Pursued by a bear 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Ah yes, how could I forget this one. The Web at Pexhill; scene of many an unedifying struggle (and, sometimes, a graceful ascent too).

T.

Goucho 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Not sure whether any of these have been mentioned yet?

Profit of Doom - Curbar
Nectar - Stanage
Curving Crack - Cloggy
The Bat - Carn Dearg
Centurion - Carn Dearg
Cyclops - Dumbarton
Lost Horizons - Scafell
Scoop Wall - Stoney
Agony - Etive Slabs
Steeple - Shelterstone (ok only one full pitch, but what a belter)
Barbarian - Tremadoc
Vulcan - Tremadoc

OP Dave 88 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Ok cheers for all these, I'll get round to organising them by crag, then see how it looks.

ross 09 Jul 2012

I'm surprised Nesscliffe hasn't been mentioned; it has many fantastic corners some of which are a full 50m. Pit and Pendulum is one of the best routes I've ever done. Leaf Storm is pretty amazing too.

Michael Gordon 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Goucho:

> (In reply to Dave 88)

> Steeple - Shelterstone (ok only one full pitch, but what a belter)
>

Steeple has 3 corner pitches but I know which one you mean!

Michael Gordon 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

A couple of great ones on Creagan a' Choire Etchachan. The main pitch on Dagger is one of the best corners around. Djibangi is good too.

Michael Gordon 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

The first pitch on Yo-Yo - what a stunner! (the other two are pretty good as well)

petestack 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Michael Gordon:

Butterknife on Garbh Bheinn also has a great corner pitch.

Sean Kelly 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: I didn't notice many Diffs on the list so how about Symphony Crack at Rhoscolyn? And Leviathan at the Dewerstone, a cracking VS. Also Lot's Wife on Glyder Fach, and The Grooves on Cryn Las.

GeoffG 09 Jul 2012

In reply to Sean Kelly:
Its been done before but i have to Balas @ Kilnsey.
Not much better at the grade.
Geoff.

James Oswald 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

First Slip @ Tremadog - although how the hell is this graded E1!?
Emulator @ Gogarth

Al Evans 10 Jul 2012

In reply to James Oswald:

> (In reply to Dave 88)
>
> First Slip @ Tremadog - although how the hell is this graded E1!?

I once watched Tony Wilmott lead this in his 'loons' in absolutely pissing rain, this was before the days of micronuts, it looked well 'ard for E1 that day.

Al Evans 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Al Evans: And while we are on about Tremadoc what asbout Claptons Crack?

James Oswald 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Al Evans:

You older climbers are so much tougher than modern ones... I must have placed 18 runners on that pitch! The climbing is hard, but really good!

johncook 10 Jul 2012

In reply to James Oswald: We were! I now place runners like a new kid, one every 5 ft unlike BID when it was one every 15 ft or more because we didn't have many and no place to store them in our cardboard box in the middle of the M1 etc etc!
I tried to re-lead some of the routes I did in the late sixites using the same type and amount of gear and was crapping myself, and I had decent rock shoes and a harness this time!

Hat Dude 10 Jul 2012

In reply to johncook:

Bah!
From what one of the older guys in our club says, First Slip could be perfectly well protected by a BA nut threaded on thin line

johncook 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Hat Dude: Agreed. But now we have a problem that all the small nuts seem to be metric and us old fogies know that this foreign rubbish doesn't work as well as good old fashioned imperial sizes!

DJonsight 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:
Lunakod at Sharpnose.
Call to Arms and Gargantua in Torbay.

andybenham 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Thane - Kenidjack
Diocese - Chair ladder
Right Angle - Gunard's Head
Diamond Solitaire - Lundy
Central groove - Dewerstone
Finale Groove - Boulder ruckle

OP Dave 88 10 Jul 2012

OP Dave 88 10 Jul 2012

In reply to andybenham:

Damn you! Just when I thought I'd finished!! I'll add those later, my laptop has melted my testicles and I'm absolutely knackered after my nightshift.

Pursued by a bear 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Good effort, that man! In fairness though, I only said that I'd always wanted to do Central Grooves on Stob Coire nan Lochan, not that I'd actually done it; and looking through the thread unless I've missed something, I don't think anyone else has put their hand up for it.

T.

victim of mathematics 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

I commend your efforts.

Eagle Front isn't really a corner climb, the whole route is good, it's not as though the corner is the 'main event' you're working up to.

Is Grey Panther really a corner? It doesn't look like one (although it does look like a whole world of bridging).

And although Rock Idol climbs a kind of corner feature, it really isn't corner climbing.

Oh, and Limpopo Groove, being the third best VS corner at a relatively small Peak district quarry, really doesn't deserve to be on any 'best of' list.

Burn Up is another brilliant corner at Fairhead. Formula One on Lundy was until it fell down. Diamond Solitaire (also on Lundy) is a contender. Red Square at Nesscliffe is definitely a corner. There's also an amazing looking corner at Carn Gowla called something like Tears Of A Clown. And most of Mercury Direct is a corner, isn't it?

As for Scavenger, the one on the Gower isn't corner climbing, whilst I believe the Gogarth one is (although I've not done it).

Pursued by a bear 10 Jul 2012

In reply to victim of mathematics:

> Eagle Front isn't really a corner climb, the whole route is good, it's not as though the corner is the 'main event' you're working up to.

I disagree with that. When you're on the route, I think it's clear that the climb aims for the corner. Admittedly it winds around to get to it at the grade, but that seemed to me to be what the point of that winding around was.

T.

Jon Stewart 10 Jul 2012

In reply to victim of mathematics:

> (In reply to Dave 88)

>
> And although Rock Idol climbs a kind of corner feature, it really isn't corner climbing.
>

I'm not entirely sure you can argue about the corneriness of Rock Idol. It climbs the enormous corner between two huge impressive walls. Admittedly, since one wall is steeper than the other you don't bridge the whole thing, or use small holds on both walls simultaneously, but you do definitely climb the corner in its entirety.

Perhaps there should be a new thread: most cornery corner in the UK?

Michael Gordon 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Good list! I'd add Jamie Jampot to Skye - the most perfect single pitch open-book corner in Scotland?

victim of mathematics 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Hmm. You're undeniably climbing a dirty great f**k off corner, but I don't remember a single move where all four of my limbs weren't on the right wall.

So it's a wall climb, with another wall next to you, which you don't use.

It depends on whether the OP wants a list of routes which feel like corner climbs, or those which actually climb corners. Perhaps Grey Panther is the opposite - it doesn't climb a proper corner, but does climb like one?

victim of mathematics 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

> (In reply to victim of mathematics)
>
> [...]
>
> I disagree with that. When you're on the route, I think it's clear that the climb aims for the corner. Admittedly it winds around to get to it at the grade, but that seemed to me to be what the point of that winding around was.
>
> T.

I didn't know about the corner, and I don't recall it being strikingly obvious from below, so whilst it came as a pleasant surprise it certainly didn't feel like either the meat of the route, or the standout pitch. I enjoyed the earlier pitch passing the bendy peg o'peril more I think.

Jon Stewart 10 Jul 2012

In reply to victim of mathematics:

> (In reply to Jon Stewart)
>
> Hmm. You're undeniably climbing a dirty great f**k off corner, but I don't remember a single move where all four of my limbs weren't on the right wall.
>
> So it's a wall climb, with another wall next to you, which you don't use.

Well you don't have to use it, but I reckon it certainly makes it easier. There's definitely a rest over on the steep wall in some sort of cave that has a thread in it, then on the crux, if you keep in the corner and bridge out as you pull through the steepest part of the bulge, it's even easier than hauling up the enormous jugs on the right wall. I think a reasonable contender for 'best corner climb' but admittedly not for 'most cornery corner climb'.

Paula Hamilton-Gibson 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

A few suggestions that have been missed:

Borrowdale

DDT on Goat Crag
Route 1 on Upper Falcon Crag

Gogarth

The Big Groove

Cyrn Las

The Skull, the last pitch is absolutely wild!

mrconners 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

"I like bridging, so in line with the other threads.."

Great. I like biscuits. Whats the UK's best biscuit.

OP Dave 88 10 Jul 2012

In reply to mrconners:

Everyone knows it's custard creams you moron.

mrconners 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

I prefer bourbons.

etc, etc, etc

Puppythedog 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: Yes or Hobnobs how long until you start?

Martin Wing 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88: I meant scavenger at gogarth. Although the other one is meant to be a good corner as well.

Slugain Howff 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

Anger and Lust at the Pass of Ballater

Bulls Crack 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Dave 88:

I think we've run out of corners now and guess what? They're all the best!

OP Dave 88 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Bulls Crack:

I fear you may be right! Ok I'll get to work making the ticklist/s. Didn't realise there would be this many suggestions!

OP Dave 88 10 Jul 2012

In reply to puppythedog:

No it's custard bloody creams idiot!! 31st of this month pal. Buzzing! Got to move out the house and everything but hopefully get a day out before I'm off. Gonna be weak as a kitten, I'll have to get on some corners!

Gordon Stainforth 10 Jul 2012

In reply to Paula Hamilton-Gibson:

> (In reply to Dave 88)
>
> A few suggestions that have been missed:
>
> Borrowdale
>
> DDT on Goat Crag
> Route 1 on Upper Falcon Crag
>
> Gogarth
>
> The Big Groove
>
> Cyrn Las
>
> The Skull, the last pitch is absolutely wild!

Paula, have you climbed that incredible looking and justifiably famous pitch? If so - as someone who has climbed at top-end E1/bottom-end E2 at my very best – I am in complete awe.