UKC

Where does this expression come from?

What's so special about Gritstone, compared with say Limestone, Granite, Sandstone or any other rock?

For a start most Grit climbs are comparatively short and rarely more than two pitches, whereas other types of rock often have magnificent multi pitched routes.

In reply to Trangia:

Unrepeated (?) line on the world's most popular crag:

Ron's Girdle Traverse (Stanage Edge) (E5 6b)

In reply to Offwidth:

Didn't Pete Whitaker repeat it a few years ago with someone?

In reply to Offwidth:

Thanks, but, unless I'm missing something that doesn't really answer my question as to the origin of the expression?

In reply to Trangia:

It's no more special than any other rock type but the UK climbing scene centres around the cities surrounding the gritstone edges. That doesn't mean it doesn't have special qualities - every rock has special qualities - but knowing how to climb on any particular rock type is probably more useful than raising any particular type of rock on a pedestal.

"What's he done on grit?" sounds like one of those sayings that would have arisen in Sheffield/Manchester in the mid-70s, probably associated with the perceived difficulty of trad leading on gritstone.

In reply to Trangia:
I thought it was because of the different style of climbing on grit.

You can't fluke grit climbs by just being a thug, you need good technique.

In reply to Trangia:

I think it's because gritstone has features that are rounded, has fewer positive holds than some other rock types and the ones it has are generally well spaced apart. It can be more reliant on friction, good footwork and balance than some other rock types. Grit is not unique in these respects but because it differs from the 'hold and pull' style of say rhyolite or limestone it is sometimes viewed as a testing ground for visiting climbers who are not accustomed to climbing on grit (plus I've not mentioned jamming yet).

Although for those who climb mainly on grit and don't think there's anything unique about it, a better expression might be 'what have you done on limestone?' (For me, very little, and I have to drop my grade considerably on limestone)

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Funny isn't it? I've climbed a fair amount on grit so I find climbing on limestone quite hard!

In reply to simonharpham:

Yes, I can see that. I remember finding grit really scary to lead on in the 1960s/70s before the advent of modern protection, particularly cams, requiring a lot of faith in friction and your footwork. Other types of rock, particularly limestone, and Welsh/Lake District slate although exposed always felt a lot more positive and "safer" even when polished.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:


Yes, I guess that many good climbers who'd achieved something illustrious could be "taken down a peg or two" by grit, because of its specific style (for someone who'd not done a load of other sandstone - climbers familiar with other sandstone don't tend to flounder, e.g. Ondra). As such northern (Peak/Yorks/Lancs) climbers could bolster their egos with this?

To the OP:

I'd say it's a particularly "distilled" style. The cracks are *really* cracky (require expert crack climbing technique) and the slabs are *really* slabby (they have no holds and require expert slab technique). With the accessibility of crags, when you climb on grit it's a very upfront test of how good you are at climbing the rock, including how bold you are. In other places there's a lot more at play.

Limestone is just pulling on holds and is ubiquitous - there really is nothing special about limestone. Similarly our volcanics also don't require any specialised techniques the way sandstones (inc. grit) and granite do.


This I think is part of the point. "You may be able to climb 40 pitches of loose, cold, crud - but can you do *this*?".

In reply to Trangia:

Wasn't it a tongue in cheek response to Euro Wads coming across here and walking up our hard sports routes?

In reply to simonharpham:
I find exactly the same thing.


Thinking about it I suppose the amount of climbers near grit cliffs mean the grading is familiar to people and climbs are easy for people to attempt.

If I say I've done some hard route in Spain then it's pretty hard for Brits to go and attempt and no one really knows if the grade is hard or soft. On the other hand if I've climbed Careless Torque it's easy for Brits to go and have a go at/see how hard the moves are and it has a history of attempts by familiar climbers. The only reason to not climb Careless Torque is because you can't climb Careless Torque!

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

I'd be happy if I could get up a V0- gritstone boulder problem tbh. V11's a bit out of my league at the minute!

In reply to FactorXXX:


It was, until they started walking up hard trad routes too....

In reply to Trangia:

In truth a genuinely think the expression started on here about 10 or so years ago and was simply one poster's throw away amusing comment to another who was spouting the merits of some new climber. Then it was picked up by others to be used in all manner of scenarios.

In reply to Trangia:

Probably because:
(a) grit is more or less confined to the UK
(b) the largest proportion of our hardest routes are on grit

In reply to FactorXXX:

It might be from around the 80s.

I first heard Andy Cave use it in, "this Messner is good, but what's he done on grit" in his dulcet northern tone. This was at the old Buxton conference in 1989/90ish.

I never knew whether it had originated there although, on this occasion at least, it was quite funny.

Alan

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

It's always been joke, non?... a clear self parody of the UK's obsession with God's own rock... funniest these, day when applied to international stars with significant grit ascents.

In reply to mrteale:

Im a dunce.... of course he did.

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/complete-traverse-of-stanage

Still, very long and hardly a trade route which was my point.

In reply to Trangia:

Someone said it on here regarding a famous climber years ago

There are a few who still think it's funny and relevant. About as relevant as princess Diana jokes

In reply to FactorXXX:


Kind of like the American wads who more recently came over and walked up the hard grit routes.

In reply to Trangia:

It usually comes from w+nkers...