UKC

I'm hoping to get in some grit climbing in the Peak in the spring with a Scottish friend who has never climbed on grit before. I haven't been on grit myself for over 30 years so am completely out of the loop. We are both of a certain age (I retired last year) but are ok up to VS on Scottish rock. Any recommendations up to this grade that won't frighten us too much! I would also appreciate some ideas for easier routes to get acclimatised on. Thanks in advance.

In reply to pamph:

Stanage Popular is a great place to start. Easy approach and a great place to get used to climbing on grit.

Here are a few classic route suggestions you could look at:

Hollybush Crack - Vdiff
Heaven Crack- Vdiff
Black Hawk Hell Crack - S 4a
Balcony Buttress - S 4a
Christmas Crack - HS 4a
April Crack - HS 4b
Manchester Buttress - HS 4b
Hargreaves' Original - VS 4c
Martello Buttress - VS 4c

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Dave

In reply to pamph:

I'd suggest get rockfax eastern and/or western grit and you'll see there are hundreds of routes to go at for those sorts of grades, sort out your accomodation, camping or whatever somewhere central such as hathersage so that you've got access to various different crags. Then prior to arriving, ask on here for more specific advice about the best crags for the prevailing weather conditions, it tends to be very variable in spring but there's usually plenty to go at and is seldom a total washout.

In reply to pamph:

Heaven Crack Stanage for an easy one.
Flying Buttress is one step harder at the same crag.
Hargreaves original VS
Christmas Crack HS both in the same area at Stanage,and some other good routes in that part of the popular end of Stanage.
Lots of variety at The Roaches, but I will let others give names at other crags.

In reply to pamph:

I don't think grit is particularly scary. Lots of cracks you can stuff with gear, you don't have to opt for a ground-fall horror show with no holds you know!

Go to a classic crag and climb some classic routes, it won't be any harder or scarier than going climbing anywhere else - in fact given the accessible, outcrop nature it's likely to be a lot more easy going than 90% of the climbing in Scotland!

In reply to pamph:

Thanks to the four of you who have replied to my request, there is plenty there to consider. Here's hoping for some spring like weather.

In reply to pamph:

One aspect of grit you might like to consider is that quarried crags are generally less of a shock to the system than the natural edges. Lawrencefield is a good introductory venue with Three Tree climb, Nova, Tyron, Great Harry and Excalibur all nice routes.
Across the road Millstone Edge (quarried) has some nice HSs and steady VSs like Lambeth Chimney, Great Slab, Eartha, Covent Garden, The Mall. Then there are some steady HVSs if you're finding English grades too soft - Lyons Corner House and Bond Street are a couple that spring to mind.
Hope you have a good trip.

In reply to pamph:

At VS, a lot of the best routes are cracks, I'd seriously recommend getting a pair of crack gloves - turns jamming into a pleasure.

In reply to veteye:
+1 for The Roaches - a great day can be had on the classics, mixing longer routes on upper and lower tiers, getting in lots of climbing and huge variety. One of my favourite days at The Roaches was spent roped up, low-land mountaineering style, up and down and round and round on things like Crack and Cave, Valkyrie, Technical Slab...and a bit of suffering on The Bulger... it's quite a big crag for grit but you can usually see what you're getting yourself into, and it's all brilliant.
If you can take advantage of mid-week quiet, that's even better. Have fun, it'll be great.

In reply to Rog Wilko:


Not sure I'd recommend Excalibur as an introductory VS. It's very pumpy towards the end. A friend had a fall from it and busted their arm. I came very close to falling as well.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

What nonsense. In all my years climbing grit I've never seen anyone wearing gloves. A bit of tape here and there maybe but crack gloves??
Turn it will ya!!

In reply to jimjimjim:


Open your eyes. I see them regularly. I also wear them, being a soft-skinned desk jockey. Otherwise I'd be reduced to one jamming climb per fortnight as I wait for the skin to heal.

In reply to BnB:

Really, I've seen them once, and that's only because I was given them as a Christmas present.
I also wear them, being a soft-skinned desk jockey. Otherwise I'd be reduced to one jamming climb per fortnight as I wait for the skin to heal.
Sounds like you're doing it wrong

In reply to pamph:
The good thing about grit is it's usually very obvious if it's going to be a frightener from the floor, so they tend to be easy to avoid.
Cragtykes advice is perfect though, post here the day before climbing to find out which crag will suit the weather conditions. It can make or break the day at this time of year, and there will be routes to suit at every major crag

In reply to deacondeacon:


I'm doing it right since I got crack gloves!!

In reply to pamph:

Rather than specific routes I'd advise that you try and experience the variety of Grit, so many people just turn up at Stanage, Burbage, Froggatt and the Roaches and dont get the whole peak grit picture. Essential visits though these crags are I'd make the effort to have at least a day on moorland grit with either Dovestone Tor or Dovestones Edge being prime candidates, easily confusable but they probably offer the best first days out on moorland (Maul-land????) Grit in the peak.

In reply to DerwentDiluted:

Dovestones Edge is great. The walk in is not.

In reply to db79:

I quite like the walk in. Keeps it quiet. The parking can be a bit of a nightmare though.

In reply to SenzuBean:


I guess someone has fallen off most routes at some time or another. The OP didn't sound like a novice.

In reply to pamph:

Between David Staples and Rog Wilko, you've got the perfect answer. David's Stanage Popular list will get you started. Be warned - Hargreaves is the joker in the pack. Make sure you've got big cams or make very sure you're good at placing big hexes. It's a great route - along with Heaven Crack, my favourite - but, as Jim Perrin noted in Classic Rock, it's emphatically not a route to underestimate. The most beautiful solo though.

If all's going well on Stanage, as Rog Wilko notes, at Millstone, 'Lyons Corner House and Bond Street are a couple that spring to mind.' Would do Bond Street first - again big cams/hexes to start - better gear than L C H. I just wouldn't do the VSs on Millstone. HVS is a much better grade. I'm guessing VS in Scotland is still a grade to take seriously so it might give you a little leeway south of the border.

If it rains, go to the Climbing Works, ask for 'Dodgy Graeme' (that'll wake 'em up), point out that Scotland was the only place that disappeared a whole Roman Legion (the ninth) and you thereby demand free entry! The little sod will probably be so gobsmacked he'll let you in for nowt.

Mick

In reply to pamph:

Thanks to you all who have suggested lots for us to consider. Mention of Lawrencefield and Millstone brings back memories of the early 70's when pegging was the way ahead on some of the steeper cracks. Not that I indulged you understand! Having thought long and hard, I think the last time I climbed on grit was probably the 70's (not 30 years ago, but nearer 40.....argh) so I have probably got to approach it as a newbie. I do remember taking a mega fall on a Severe somewhere when I had only one runner in, a home made chock, and was only saved from a ground fall my second running down the hill. The top of the pitch was a slab with two scoops which ended under a steep wall with a horizontal crack at the bottom. I moved up the slab and tried to jam the crack, but my hands were too small and they slipped out. I slid down the slab to the small ledge at the bottom, and peeled off backwards. I also remember I was wearing a yellow chest harness of some sort. This was in 1972 or 73 and it put me off grit for a while. I went back in the late 70's but never really got to grips with it, so I'm hoping age and time has matured me a bit, and I can approach it with a clear head!
Thanks again for all the beta.