In reply to bill briggs1:
In praise of the old CB ... how I remember the classic old 'Great Flake' pitch. It was very intimidating, because, pre-Friends, there wasn't much gear (except at the chockstone). It had a very committing feel, with rather smooth rock on either side. The chockstone was a huge peculiar thick spike sticking out sideways to the right that was very awkward to get round and then get established on as a footledge - while very helpful in providing holds it, in effect, 'got in the way'. IIRC, to get the left foot round it, and on to it, was a very tricky move with the right foot very high on the right wall above the chockstone. The next move was the crux, because you then had to move the right foot up very high again and then somehow 'get started' i.e. move the left foot up a bit, but you were in such an extreme layback position that you were kind of locked solid. I had a couple of gos, but you couldn't hang around too long because it was a surprisingiy strenuous 'resting position'. You had to go at it in a very determined, quite dynamic way with a bit of a bounce, and as soon as you moved your left foot up you could get a bit of purchase with your right, and you were on your way.
Even then, it was still very strenuous and relentless - 'in yer face'; you had to do quite small moves with the hands, keeping the left hand above the right to prevent any barn-door movement, so it seemed quite a long way - though quite fast because you had to keep the momentum going. All very very thrilling. It was one of those bits of climbing like Cenotaph Corner that had a totally classic feel; it actually made you feel quite 'important' when you were on it, if you know what I mean. It had this enormous sense of history, and you couldn't help being aware of all the great pioneers who had gone before you up this very crack, like a who's who's of British climbing.
Then came the magic moment when you reached up left with the left hand to find the greatest jug in the world (the top of the flake in effect being a jug that's 40 feet long). Then another nice surprise, a nice little hole about an inch in diameter on the top edge of the flake that you could get a tape through for a perfect thread runner. Then it was sheer joy - a scamper leftwards on the easiest hand traverse in the world, on perfect rock, in a truly stupendous position. If only there was more climbing like that. Then you were at the perfect haven of Jeffcoat's Ledge, one of the great classic ledges of Britain.
