UKC

By far the best crag on the Culm Coast some might say. Three precariously balanced yet magnificent fins of rock protrude out into the wrath of the thundering Atlantic swell.

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In reply to UKC Articles:

Might be worth moving the block of text on page 6 so the subject of the shot can be seen.

In reply to UKC Articles:

What a lovely looking feature. Nice work

In reply to UKC Articles:

Thats me in the pictures of Misery Goat. Good article, great crag.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Stunning photography Mike, as I expected no less from you!

In reply to UKC Articles:
Great article and photos. One of the best crags in the country and perhaps the most unique (or does that honour go to Blackchurch?). I've enjoyed telling that story about the Bulgarian climbers. "We don't really have tides on the Black Sea." "This is the second biggest tidal range in the world." As for grades, take an E grade off to convert to Peak limestone

I did weave a couple of other culm route / crag names into that puzzle of a sentence as we went to a couple of other crags on the other day that weekend. Answers on a postcard...

In reply to Misha:

I'd take off a grade to convert to Pembroke, and then another to Peak lime. Then take a third off to convert to Cornish granite! That said, I had a go at Wraith the other day and it was a little bit harder than the other E4s - not so much a cruise, more of a procrastinating, down-climbing, traversing off bail into Out of the Blue, which was surprisingly stiff once absolutely boxed out of my tree!

Great photos, great crag. I'm always surprised how many climbers I meet have never been.

In reply to jon:
Hi Jon,

We've just updated the system that we use to create these digital features and that should now allow greater flexibility in the layout and design of them. Unfortunately this feature went out before the benefits from this update could really be exploited so we just had to publish with the caption in that position (captions for these full screen images were fixed in one of 4 positions on the old system).

Great article though Mike.

In reply to Jon Stewart:
Diamond Smile at E1, Fay at E2 and Pacemaker at E3 would be a tad stiff even by Peak lime standards! I've heard E2 suggested for Break on Through, not done it myself though.

In reply to Martin McKenna - Rockfax:

That's a shame - does seem rather inflexible. Presumably the new system would allow you to just shunt all those things leftwrds a bit. Maybe Mark could put that photo in his gallery so we could see it?

In reply to jon:

Yes, newer digi features should benefit from recent changes.

Here is a direct link to the photo for the moment: https://ukc2.com/digi_features/9018/rf_ad.jpg

In reply to Martin McKenna - Rockfax:

Great article, great crag. Editing & proof reading... Must try harder!

In reply to UKC Articles:

"a brilliant quote by activist Iain Peter's sums it up for me:

Grading Lower Sharpnose is a tricky one, partly due to geology. If the Middle Fin, for example, were to tip a few degrees south, Lunakhod and Clawtrack would become classic Severes, a slight shift to the north and Fay, Pacemaker etc. would turn into hold plastered VS's whilst Clawtrack would be a desperate full on off-width. In truth, any small movement would dramatically render any grade debate obsolete!"

Not so sure an imagined change of angle has to do with it. It seems more likely that any small movement would dramatically render the whole crag obsolete!

In reply to UKC Articles:
If anyone thinks Fay is top end e4 I'd suggest getting on Rusty Halo to re-calibrate. Or Usurper if you want to blow your mind further

Sharpenose is a full grade soft IMO

In reply to Gerry Gradewell:


It did happen once - https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item/52694/major_rock_fall_in_the_south_wes...

In reply to Gerry Gradewell:

I've done it twice and thought it was E5 both times (albeit a soft E5). Strangely I had a far easier time on Pacemaker, which I thought was relatively straightforward in comparison - more sustained, but with an easier crux and no dubious pegs to psychologically contend with.

Regarding Rusty Halo + Usurper, there is no denying that they transcend the grading system as we know it...

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

Haha wow, when did it tilt back again?

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Fair enough. Thought around 6b+ with one hardish pull between good holds. Agree that the pegs are crap but without them it's still what a 4m runout, nowhere near the ground?

Not been on Pacemaker but will be surprised if it's easier than Fay. Looked like it'll involve making use of those angled sloping feet.

In reply to Gerry Gradewell:

I have a suspicion it's probably not tbh, may just have been a high gravity day - or that tilt again

Still, unlike Rusty Halo I don't wake up in cold sweats thinking about them.

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Pacemaker easier than Fay! You'll be saying that Behemoth is easier than London Wall next!

...and you say my grading is wonky.

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Sharpnose will do that to you. What?? A tricky to read sequence, or slightly poor hold. On an E4? Outrageous!!

Re Rusty Halo. Yeah it's totally brutal, but awesome. There are no words for Usurper.

(tho perhaps a telling off for the guidebook writers)

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:
What, Fay is a top end E3!

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

I also had a harder time on Fay than expected, possibly due to expecting it to be really steady. Agree about the pegs. Pacemaker felt soft E5, just, although I was tired from a long weeks climbing. Break on through is far easier though, hard E2/ easy E3? Shocking that it gets the same grade as Fay in some places. Amazing crag anyway, always have a great time climbing and dodging the tide there!

Surprised at the suggestion that Pembroke is harder grading... always enjoyed the ego boosting holiday grades there...

In reply to UKC Articles:

In the interest of balance, I'll say Sharpnose grades have all felt spot on to me. Just a question of endurance, I'm sure if I ever went there 'sport-fit' they would be a doddle.