UKC

Thinking about having a go at the Original Route on the Old Man of Hoy. From my research I believe the crux (The Coffin?) is an awkward/thrutchy/jamming/squirming/offwidthy type thing.

Does anyone who has done it have recommendations for routes of an appropriate style and difficulty I could try to get ready for that particular challenge? Ideally in Yorks/Lancs/Peak, but Wales/Lakes possible too.

Any advice very welcome

It's been a while... but I remember the wide part being not especially awkward but with a bit of steep jamming (hand/fist) to get out of it at the top.  There was a wooden wedge that I believe was originally used as a point of aid, so I think that was supposed to be the hard bit.

Agree with Dave, for me the crux was committing to exiting the coffin/cave (it's pretty wide for a coffin, but a cramped-but-comfortable space to be leaving with 50m of air beneath your feet). Once you're established in the crack above the overhang, it's airy but easier. Find a dirty, sandy fist-jamming crack/overhang to practice on? It's outside the area you were asking about, but I'd suggest some of the Northumberland sandstone would be your closest comparison in northern England.

The climb is an amazing overall experience.

Climb Thunderstruck (HVS 5b) to get used to the rock quality.

Not really what you were looking for, but I'd add a little note of caution if you feel this is something you need to specifically train for.

The down then traverse then up path of the pitch means it's pretty hard for the belayer to keep you snug without generating problematic rope drag, so a fall, even with gear right by you is likely to be further than expected.

This photo gives an idea of the awkwardness of the rope management:

https://dmmwales.com/cdn/shop/articles/RAY1526_2880x.jpg?v=1727879751

I would advise making sure all your lower gear goes in one half rope and save the second one for gear at the crux so belayer to gear to climber run of the rope is as close as possible to straight up and down (not like in the photo).

The Old Man is very isolated, very exposed to weather, sandy, can be wet from sea humidity, is complex to retreat from the crux and you'll probably be fighting with fulmars at some stage too (though hopefully not in the crux section). So imo it is best climbed with a grade or two in hand.

(beta alert) If you watch the 1967 broadcast you get to see Sir Bonners demonstrate the crux move with considerable aplomb while delivering a running commentary. Quite an eye-opener to see a man often characterised as a snow plodder moving so well on rock!

youtube.com/watch?v=k6aYKZwr15k&

17:40 onwards...

I'd suggest a day at Stanage or The Roaches, or both, climbing plenty of VS/ HVS cracks will get you into the movement style. As other have said, the often damp and sandy nature of the rock on Hoy may be troublesome, but it won't be as technically difficult as the sterner grit HVSs. (Disclaimer: I've only abbed down this pitch having done a different route).

although it's totally possible to belay directly below the chimney and it's just done with the traverse for tradition

Thank you - a trip to Northumberland might be fun and possible 😊

If at all possible, avoid climbing that crack with a pack.

Thank you. I’ve seen advice (including from a contributor to this thread - thank you James101) to split pitch 2 with a belay below the steep crack to help with the issues you describe so that may be the way to go

Thank you. Nifty work indeed from Bonnington there.

Yep good advice by the look of it

I did Spiral Route on the Old Man of Mow as preparation.

On TOMOH the fear from exposure, and constant fulmar attacks (they regurgitate, and then spit out a fishy oil that gets into all your gear), are hard to prepare for.

A posse of clowns on the summit of Mow Cop flicking vomit & shit at me during the ascent would have improved its preparation value I guess?

Both were brilliant adventures! It's why we do it.

If you look closely at that photo you can see some red rope fixed to make the downclimb easier, which gives a good idea of how far down you have to climb. I guess the DMM/AMI "tidy up" removed this last year...

Anyway, the leader needs to think a bit about protecting the second here. Splitting the ropes as you suggested works quite well.. Falling off seconding might still leave you swinging in mid-air and reluctant to have another go...belaying below the chimney might make this even worse. 

We fixed a rope from this belay (top of pitch 1) to pitch 2.

As a team of 4, on descent the first 3 abseiled down with a quickdraw in to the fixed line - which guides you safely across and back to the belay.

The last guy down simply untied the fixed line from the top of pitch 2 and clipped it into his harness, abseiled in to space (put a knot into the ends of your abseil rope!), and then we simply hauled him in to the belay.

A few days before our ascent I read in the Daily Mail of a team of 4 SAS who had climbed TOMOH the week before us (1988). All I will say is that the amount of Helly Hanson material evident on the rock suggested it was a team of 3 officers and one NCO.

Also, one of our team wore a bright yellow Berghaus jacket. This was by far the most triggering colour to fulmar chicks. He got plastered in vomit. Luckily the birds do run empty - but beware, they can somehow  'recharge' after a break of 10 minutes.

In that photo there's a comfy resting spot at the back of the alcove (hidden in the dark). After a few airy moves of surprisingly delicate climbing (given what you see in the photo), you're hand/arm jamming in the thinner crack just visible right at the top of that photo.

I have the T shirt ! Seconding that bit, luckily.

Sorry to be that guy, but you know one could perhaps prepare for that by climbing outside of the fulmars' breeding season and leaving the chicks in peace.

No need to apologise. You are absolutely right. I was 16 and pretty naive -  I didn't really know about nesting seasons and such information wasn't as freely available as it is now. Would check such details were I to plan a trip nowadays.

If you go again you'd have 60m ropes so there's no need to do the diagonal abseiling stuff. You can abseil straight from the top of pitch 2 to the ground with 60m. 

I'd suggest being competent at E1. The route is on the adventurous side, dusty, loose in places and has no end of mobile obstacles. We got midged, so not so much standing around at the descent/ bottom. 

Its not a route or location to push your grade on. 

All the talk of packs, besides some water, maybe, we did it as a 3 in about 4 hours. Even if the weather is less than optimal (so normal) only a 2nd needs to handicap themselves with a pack. Long ropes both for the climb and abseil are useful. 

Have fun. 

Yes I had been thinking it would be good to avoid the fulmars’ breeding season, both for their sake and mine. When do you think would be a good time to climb, with that in mind? September?

I don't have any local knowledge to offer, maybe somebody here knows whether they might go a bit early or late on Hoy but they do generally fledge by the end of August.