UKC

I'm looking for inspiration at about E3 in the Peak or Yorkshire because I realised that I've got nothing I'm really aiming at this year. There are E4s that are totally inspiring like the Strangler, Moon Walk and Indoor Fisherman, but there's nothing that is really getting me psyched below them currently. I'd be interested in people's opinion on the Gardom's E3s well as other ideas including lime.

As you can see from the E4s above I'm into technical, exciting climbing without taking a likely Desmond. I haven't got loads of endurance, but I climbed Zeus at Burbage South last week for example.

Cheers

Owen

In reply to Cake:

High Tor has a selection of brilliant E3 routes

Robert Brown has a short lived hard section through a bulge and an easier E1/2 second pitch
Perseus is a bit bold but offers sustained interest at a moderate difficulty in comparison to it's close neighbour
Darius, although graded E2 is very much an E3 experience and one of the best routes in the Peak District/Country

Chee Tor is also very good in the E3 range, it should also be dry at the moment

In summary - get on the limestone.

In reply to Cake:
My Gardoms experience, mainly seconding (or trying to) but with guidebook views from watching onsights and talking to local E3 specialists.

If you can do bold, and find gear calmly under pressure, Crocodile is very reasonable. Waterloo Sunset is similar difficulty but a bit bolder. In contrast Stormbringer is super specialist (famously brutal mantel), Sleeping Sickness is tough and reachy, Landsickness deceptively hard. Some argue Apple Arete Direct is E3.. (a supersoft E4 headpoint). On other easier E3 ticks I thought the unstarred Press Gang was really soft if you are OK on that sort of climb.

There are loads of good starred E1s and E2s that rarely get climbed... Rythmic Itch (a storming route the modern way... going left then back right.. to avoid the Gibson stretch). Four Horsemen... nice soft E2. Vaya Con Dias, Left -hand Pillar Crack and Biven's Crack ..three proper prizes for the super experienced 'HVS brute' climber. Blenheim for the bold.

In reply to Wood for Trees:

Thanks. Darius is definitely on the list along with some Stoney E2s. Thanks for the recommendation of Robert Brown. I didn't know much about it. It seems like a lot of grit E3s have a ground fall potential.

In reply to Cake:

Second the High Tor and Chee Tor recommendations, although I found Robert Brown bolder than Perseus. Different styles. Lyme Cryme is a step up - harder and bolder than either.

The Beest is really good. Adjudicator Wall also: this would be a good one once yo ufeel almost ready for sustained E4. Further north, Midnight Cowboy is amazing.

On grit, I think a really good day can be had at Cratcliffe - Boot Hill, Nutcracker etc.

In reply to Cake:

My experience at E3 is fairly limited however some that I have done and would recommend are as follows,

Boot Hill - Cratcliffe - Excellent route, the bottom arete (climbed on the left, i'm too short for the tall mans E2 way on the right) feels quite unlikely until you go for it. Good gear throughout, just take a good selection of cams.

Appaloosa Sunset (sp?) - The Roaches - Excellent route, a little bold but great techy climbing on the crux.

The Swan - The Roaches - Similar to Appaloosa, very good.

Chalkstorm - The Roaches - Don't fall off.

There's probably more i've done but can't remember at this moment it time.

As an aside I fell off Waterloo Sunset and stopped around 1 inch from breaking my legs, this was after the crux step up from the break trying to find a way to get the ledge on the left. Only a sling round a tree and a very quick belayer stopped me decking. I did however get whiplash and a nice purple bruise on my nose.

In reply to Offwidth:
Who are you calling a brute?

Thanks for all that about Gardoms. I'm not going to get on Stormbringer yet as I think its too likely I'll take the smack on the slab. I must go there this year for some of those.

In reply to Adam Moroz:

Thanks Adam. The aside about Waterloo Sunset is not an aside! It's exactly the kind of beta that is important to hear. I think I've either read your story before or something very similar.

In reply to Si dH:

Thanks. Never been to Beeston Tor, but I knew I wanted to.

In reply to Cake:

Time for tea E3 5c - an E1 crack to start, take a deep breath and race out left to the top out.

Black Hawk Bastion E3 5c - Maybe soft but still commiting.

Billy Whizz E2 5c - Sustained

The Tipper Direct E3 6a - a route I need to get back to but very safe at the grade and fun!

Long Johns Slab E3 5c - no gear but the top out is on jugs and has a low crux.

The Scoop E3 5c - soft at the grade?

I'm probably at a similar point in my development to you and listed above are a few of the E3's/E2's I'm eyeing up or have done. Enjoy!

Oh how about The Rasp or Quietus?

In reply to Cake:

Asp?The Asp (E3 6a)

In reply to Offwidth: what stretch? I didn't find it a stretch: just reached up and grabbed it. I can't help the length of my arms, +7 ape index, I just have to live with it.

In reply to Tigger:

Tried it quite a while ago. It was hot and I got it all wrong.

Black Hawk Bastion E3 5c - Maybe soft but still commiting. I've tried this twice! Not soft to me.

Billy Whizz E2 - sustained.
Tipper Direct E3 6a - a route I need to get back to but very safe at the grade and fun!
Yes, these are inspiring.

Long Johns Slab E3 5c - no gear but the top out is on jugs and has a low crux.
I've done that. There is gear half way up and gear near the top. Great fun battling with the first move.

The Scoop E3 5c - soft at the grade? Where's that?

Oh how about The Rasp or Quietus? I have an unimpressive history with The Rasp

In reply to LakesWinter:

Yeah, doesn't hugely inspire me, but I should get on it. I'm sure it's good

In reply to Cake:

Sorry I meant Scoop Wall at Stoney, E2 on UKC E3 in the BMC guide.

In reply to Offwidth:

Yes, I completely failed to do this, despite being something of a mantelshelf specialist at the time. Traveller in Time is about VS in comparison.

In reply to Cake:
Boulevard
The Asp
Twikker (I've not done it though...)
First pitch of Coventry street?

Moonwalk, strangler and jet runner are all fairly safe; just get on them! I massively regret 'saving' things now...

In reply to Oli:

Yeah, I did Jetrunner and it felt about soft E3 because I trusted the gear

In reply to Cake:

Millstone is a good bet, Twikker is excellent for starters, if that feels easy try Saville street. Also good around that grade Gates of Mordor, Pinstone St, Time for tea, Dextrous hare.

In reply to Cake:

Probably a bit far south but how about San Melas at Roaches? Bomber gear in the break, couple of thin moves then romp to the top...

In reply to Cake:
Are you interested in limestone ones?

High Tor - Lyme Crime and Robert Brown, both can be done in a single pitch with 60m ropes. Nightmare of Brown Donkeys is good fun as well and a great name.

Chee Tor - Queer Street and Splintered Perspex. Lots of other good E3s as well.

You'll need good stamina for all of these though. Try Darius at High Tor as a test - great E2, going on E3.

Adjudicator Wall at Dovedale is meant to be very good (not done it yet).

Some of the Malham ones are meant to be good as well.

Pembroke is the place to head for great limestone but the Peak is the place to test yourself on it!

Black Grub at Beeston Tor. Pocket pulling magic and lots of threads but not quite a clip up.

Gardoms E3s are all worth doing. Most 3 star grit ones are, even if you aren't really into grit.

In reply to Misha:
Thanks.

Yeah, I'm interested in limestone, but I just don't have a huge amount of stamina. Beeston Tor needs to happen this year.