UKC

When going to Gimmer I normally park at the Stickle and just follow the path the other side of the beck and up and it takes me an hour. I note people suggest that the MFB approach is good, but is it just doing a Diff for the sake of it, but no quicker. I have done MFB years ago. If I just want to get to Gimmer should I stiick with plan A

In reply to J1234:

If you want to make the most of the routes on Gimmer then stick to your plan A. Whilst MFB is a good route, Gimmer is far better and you'll very likely get more done if you simply walk up there.
HTH

In reply to J1234:

It depends, if you're a pretty efficient climber then MFB can be done in about 25 minutes. It's then a quick push to the top probably 40 minutes all in but I would expect most people would feeling a little breathless after.

In reply to J1234:
Go straight to the crag, Gimmer is brilliant, save your energy for main event, you can do MFB whenever.

In reply to J1234:

In my experience the walk in is much faster than MFB

In reply to J1234:

Thanks everyone, just a thought.

In reply to J1234:

Depends how you do MFB. If it's solo, in approach shoes, then it makes a nice warm up, is enjoyable climbing and gets you up to Gimmer in about the same time as the standard approach.

In reply to J1234:

I don't understand why people do MFB to get to gimmer, it cuts out a bit of gimmer time!. I think MFB is pretty over-rated and nowhere near as good as the amazing climbs on Gimmer. Go the fastest way to gimmer on Sat, spend the whole day there and do MFB on the Sunday before the drive home.

In reply to J1234:

MFB to Gimmer is a classic day out, go for it unless your planning on doing one of those new fangled HVSs like Kipling Groove or what not.

In reply to Red Rover:

Because some prefer to climb more rather than walk? Its barely slower as a fun solo.

In reply to Red Rover:

' I think MFB is pretty over-rated and nowhere near as good.......'

MFB is a brilliant route, great rock but additionally it's accessibility, it's southerly aspect, it's lack of seepage, it's climability in the unlikely event of rain sleet or snow- it's a 24 hour 365 day belter.
Very similar rock to bits of Gimmer

In reply to J1234:

Personally I would NOT like to solo MFB with a full climbing sac. If you were to rope up to do it, then it would take much longer to get to Gimmer than the (pleasant) walk-in from the Stickle Barn. Back in the day we didn't have anything like the amount of gear we have now, so it was more understandable to go that way

In reply to J1234:

What is MFB ? I'm sure there are a few on here who don't know what you are on about ?!...

In reply to HappyTrundler:

Middlefell Buttress

In reply to Removed User:


We skipped the first pitch of MFB and soloed the rest in walking boots and carrying rucksacks on the way to do Kipling Groove. Very nice too.

T.

In reply to HappyTrundler:


All is explained in this lovely little film:

youtube.com/watch?v=UvY3fJSAeFA&

In reply to 1234None:


^^This.

I always solo MFB in approach shoes (missing the first pitch) - it's a great scramble on the way up to the crag, rude not to. Different proposition entirely roping up, as others say, don't bother.

In reply to Tony Jones:

Thats great. I have had the privilege of meeting Dorothy, a lovely person.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:
I have in truth done the very same itinerary, a fine day indeed! Skipping P1 of MFB is for sure a sensible i the interest of brevity.

In reply to J1234:

If it comes down to a choice between spending 30 minutes climbing rock or 20 minutes climbing scree I know which I'll go for

In reply to J1234:

We usually solo MFB to get to Gimmer because it's a nice warm up and gets you more time on rock rather than paths, but if you rope up for it I'd agree that It's probably not worth it since you lose time at Gimmer. It's certainly possible to solo in trail shoes with a big climbing pack on, but depends entirely on how happy you are soloing an extremely polished Diff. There's a couple of other routes that take you up MFB too, we used Prometheus on Saturday which was quite fun and gets you to the same place (still have to do the last pitch of MFB mind).

In reply to Removed User:


What not sounds like route on White Ghyll, not on Gimmer.

In reply to ChrisH89:


I'm not a great soloist but I found MFB to be an excellent approach route to Gimmer for the reasons you give. It also feels like less effort because easy climbing/scrambling is more absorbing and you seem to gain height v quickly. It's certainly the way I elected to go when I did Kipling Groove years ago.