UKC

As the title says, I'm looking for a good 8a which will isn't soaking wet at the moment! Preferably nothing too short or bouldery, that's not too hard for the grade, and is enjoyable enough to put a lot of effort into working it.

Also suggestions for similar 7c+s are welcome, I'm based in Glossop so anywhere in the Peak, Yorkshire and maybe North Wales would be okay.

Lots of routes at Malham look pretty good and dry a lot of the year but I'm not so keen on the climbing on the Catwalk so I don't think Raindogs is for me, which is the usual suggestion, but I'd be interested to hear about 8as on other areas of the crag? Also if any thing is dry on Kilnsey or Pen Trwyn...? I'd say the Peak but everything here either seems really short and bouldery or seeping like mad.

Just to give an idea of where I'm at, I'm fit enough to onsight 7c on rock and plastic, but weak enough not to be able to climb most V6s.

Thanks in advance, Jake

In reply to Joughton:


Best get strong then innit Jake!

In reply to kingholmesy: I'm trying, honest!

In reply to Joughton:
You have a top rope assent of the Toilet on your logbook. Why not try "Call of Nature" which is far more pleasant and strait forward and just as dry. Aberration down Chee Dale is more pumpy and technical than very bouldery. Also quite dry.

In reply to Joughton:

Can't help with conditions as I'm out in the north sea at the moment but L'Ob Session, Malham is superb.

Brilliant route, much nicer place to be than the catwalk, most of the route should be workable even if the very bottom is damp.

In reply to Joughton: Todal Recall and New Age Traveller are both good and soft 8a's upstairs at Malham and stay fairly dry. The Kilnsey 8a's are often powerful, but I've not tried the Bulge, which may be up your street but does seep.

Andy F

In reply to Joughton: Hi Jake,
If you want the grade, can recommend New Age Traveller "upstairs" at Malham, very "do" able after putting in some effort,,and is 8a!! though low in grade
Also, Herbie at 7c+ looks very good, and have been recommended it...on my tick list to work on!!
At Kilnsey can recommend Comedy...only 7c, but once you worked out the start it should "go" pretty quick, and "The Thumb" at 8a
Think all the routes in the peak I can recommend will be very wet at moment
Hope this helps
Nick B

In reply to andy farnell: Looks like the upper area of Malham is are the place to go then, I've just had a look in the guide and they do look much longer and sound less polished than the stuff on the catwalk, though I'm guessing they're not quite so good in the rain? I'd really like to go to Kilnsey but I don't see it drying out any time in the near future...

In reply to kristian: I thought about it but from the side the crux looks really sharp! Thought it might be a bit demoralising if I was trying it repeatedly, though it is pretty much perma-dry...

Cheers for all the replies!

Anyone been to Lower Pen Trwyn recently...?

In reply to Joughton: Yo, I'm also based in Glossop and have a similar aim! I was very close on Free Monster at WCJ cornice the year before last but then the weather put a halt to play and its not been dry since as far as I know. Free Monster really is brilliant, the crux is maybe 7A or less and perhaps it will dry out again this year! I'm interested in trying a thing called The Big Apple at Stoney (nr King of Ming a superb, longish 7b+). I think that is relatively bouldery but not too bad by Peak standards but more importantly this buttres was one of the few dry thing last year, plus its only 25 min drive from Glossop! I've only got two months left before I move to Devon but if you fancy some evening sessions working something near Glossop then I'd be keen.

In reply to Joe Costello: Oh right cool, I'd definitely be up for some sessions if the weather improves before you move. Can't believe I forgot about Stoney, Garage Buttress stays dry really well doesn't it? Yeah I've had a look at that, it looks pretty short and P.E, but I'm pretty psyched for Little Plum too which is just to the right. I should have quite a lot of free time over the Easter holidays and no one to climb with so I'll drop you a line if you're keen.

In reply to Joughton:

A few people have been but it's a bit chilly still tbh. Morning sessions might be ok

In reply to doylo: Cheers, I guess it would be bearable in the morning sun, but pretty cold when it goes into the shade... are things like Statement or Muscle Beach dry?

In reply to Joe Costello:

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but if you're looking for partners when you move to Devon drop me a line Joe.

I'm moving down that way in a week's time so will be keen to meet people to get out climbing with, whether it be trad, sport or bouldering. I'll be working in Plymouth, living in SE Cornwall.

Cheers, Luke.

In reply to astley007:


It simply isn't 8a though. It may have been when people climbed it direct from the undercuts without stepping left and then straight up to the last bolt instead of reaching right from the flake, but the way "everyone" (ok the 5 ascents I've witnessed) climbs it now, it's easyish 7c+. It's significantly easier than L'Ob Session - I've never been on Renaissance but I'm told that is much harder still but that may just be wrongly graded. If you want a bonafide 8a up there then Toadal Recall is the one. Last year Kilnsey did dry out completely in March but it wasn't long before it was soaking again!

The upper tier is as sheltered from the rain as the catwalk. If the weather is bad there is an 8a at Beeston Tor, I don't know anything about it but it might be worth a look?

In reply to Joughton: Nice one. I won't be here over Easter weekend itself but will be around the rest of the time. I'll ask my mate who has done Big Apple for some knowledge.

I've tried Little Plum, it essentially boils down to one hard move from undercuts to a distant hold. Def a 7B move for someone my size, might be easier if your taller though. Other 8's in the peak I've tried tend to have a 7B crux (Sissy, Hot Fun Closing etc) which might not be ideal for you if V6 is your limit.

In reply to kingholmesy: Nice one Luke, noticed your post on UKB actually and was going to reply to you. Your going to be a fellow grockle invader! Moving to Exeter so bit of a distance from Plymouth but could easily meet half-way at somewhere like Ansteys, Torbryan or the Moor.

In reply to Joe Costello:

Sounds good. They're all on the list of places I'm keen to visit, so get in touch when you're down.

In reply to Tyler:

I'd agree based on as much as I know though I've not actually completed it. More importantly it's not actually particularly good - Free and Easy (7c), Herbie (7c+) and L'Obsession (7c+) are mile better. Serious Young Toads (7c) is also very good up there (and less popular so easier to get on) with sustained climbing on pretty good holds for the upper tier.

In reply to Joughton:

I did not recommend Garage buttress because most people would turn their noses up at the place! But yes Big Apple would fit the bill. It is not sharp, is dry and sheltered and is soft at the grade. You have to work your feet harder than your hands around the crux.
As for Little Plum that is supper bouldery and only half a route if you don't go for the top. Which again is quite hard.
Someone mentioned a Beeston 8a, again you need to yard & crank that one out!

In reply to kristian: I heard it was you who did some of the re-bolting on Garage Buttress Kristian so if that is correct then thanks a lot for that. King of Ming in particular is great.

In reply to Joughton: Well, if you're onsighting 7c then it shouldn't really matter what style or condition your 8a is in as it should almost be a foregone conclusion that you'll do the 8a in a session?

In reply to Joughton:

As a point of interest, rather than a suggestion to you, I went for a wander down to Water-cum-Jolly yesterday, on the way home from Curbar. Rubicon area was dry and people were routing.

These fall under the shorter, powerful section of your assessment of peak routing though. "Hot fun closing" had someone on it which is 8a, but has a 7B boulder problem start.

The WCJ cornice was still seeping though for those thinking about free monster.

In reply to Joughton:
at 8a:
Free Monster, WCJ cornice
Roof warrior, Chee dale cornice
Call of nature, Raven Tor (best chance of dryness at the moment)

at 7c+ there's some fantastic options, but alot will be wet at the moment I'd have thunk:
Body Machine, Raven tor
Proud Whore, Raven Tor
The Lockless monster, the nook (chee dale)

Also, you're on the right side of the peak to head west, so Mussel Beach, and Bad bad boy at LPT would be good uns!

Good luck!

In reply to Gus: Dinbren and most of clwyd limestone is dry at the moment. some 8a's up there too

In reply to robert mirfin: Hey Rob how are you doing? I'm dismayed that no-one has mentioned Subculture at Kilnsey, it does seep a little but it's an ideal first 8a with the crux low down then steady but pumpy climbing to the belay.

In reply to Joe Costello:


Well I only partially re bolted Ozone Bozo on the left, which despite the poor rock is a true esoteric classic. The rest are all new routes. So I can't take much credit/blame.

There is also Vision of Loveliness 7c+ down the dale. Quite dry, not too many hard moves, a bit ugly.

In reply to kristian:

Has anyone done this in the last year? Someone I know heard a cracking sound from one of the glued crimps on the headwall then sacked the route off so I don't know whether that hold is stable or not.

In reply to Tyler:



I reckon you should be the one to break the news to Rab

In reply to 205Chris:

You maybe right. It was a bad job.

In reply to shark:

I thought starting a downgrade controversy was your job?! Anyway, he might have gone straight up.

Yes, but they are all super fingery and gnarly, especially the ones put up by Mirf

In reply to robert mirfin:

Sorry that was a reply to the above

Hi Jake,

If you've top roped the toilet in a oner then try jumping on the sissy at Rubicon (if it's dry). The crux is fairly bouldery but its mostly in the fingers, i.e. if you can crimp your way up the toilet then you can crimp your way up the sissy. Of the two, the toilet certainly took me longer. I'd imagine that your dad has already climbed 'Rubicon' in the past, but if not I'm sure he'd enjoy giving that a go between belaying you on the sissy

Cheers,

Will

In reply to Joughton:


Mussel is dry. Statement has been dry but might be starting to seep.

Thanks for all the replies, they've been really helpful! I think I'll just head up to the upper tier of Malham and choose whichever 7c+ or 8a looks best, regardless of grade. I've never climbed 7c+ either so New Age Traveler would be a big achievement at either grade, but Herbie also looks brilliant and I'm interested by the mention of tufa... Cheers!

In reply to ksjs:

I wish! As it happens it's just the one 7c onsighted and it fit me like a glove - a nice techy 7b+, then a big rest by the lower off and a pumpy 7a+ extension. I really do need to improve my redpoint grade though, at the moment it's no improvement to my onsight grade but that's probably just because I've not put much effort in yet. I imagine an 8a will take at least a couple month's effort...

In reply to Joughton:


Think more positive than that!

In reply to ksjs:

Interesting point but if you were a fitness wad just able to get up european style stamina 7c's (30+m length) which were easy to read on onsight than would you be able to transfer this fitness to an 8a of the same style? i.e you've only got 7c stamina (if the routes you do are easy to read).

I get your point for cruxy short british routes. Here onsight can be well below redpoint as the moves are so much harder theres many different nuances you can learn which aren't obvious on the onsight.