UKC

DESTINATION GUIDE: Classic and First UK Multipitch Routes

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 UKC Articles 28 Oct 2011
A cold day on Little Cham, 4 kbHeather Florence chooses some of the UK's finest multipitch routes in the lower to mid grades. Spanning the length of the country, from Cornwall to the Isle of Skye, this is a must tick list for any aspiring multipitch climber.

Have you done them all?

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=4095

 Calder 28 Oct 2011
In reply to UKC Articles:

Is there any need for this list/article, really? Most of these are widely known established classics from the mmost famous ticklist of all, Classic Rock.

The additional ones are just sort of padding.

And as for the routes on Idwal Slabs... they're all practically the same climb that really really really don't need promoting. Even during the week the place is rammed with folk already tangling their ropes for their first multi-pitch. Why make it worse?
3
 Chris the Tall 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Calder:
Don't be so negative

"Recommend me a good first multipitch" is quite a frequent question posed on here, so well done to the author for spending time and effort in writing an article to answer the question
 JHammond 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Calder:

I don't think it's a bad article at all! It has reassured me that, in my first two years of climbing, I am indeed ticking all the classics that I thought I was.
 Calder 28 Oct 2011
In reply to JHammond:

It's not a bad article, no. But the choice of routes makes it totally unnecessary.
 Calder 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Chris the Tall:

So lets direct all the people asking this question to the same old polished routes that already have long queues of people waiting at their base. They'll have a really good day out, while waiting to climb...
In reply to Chris the Tall:

> "Recommend me a good first multipitch" is quite a frequent question posed on here, so well done to the author for spending time and effort in writing an article to answer the question

But the article is more than that. Had it stuck to that question I'd have been very supportive and sure, it's a nice piece with some great photography. But was there really a need to over-extend a 'first multipitch' article with lots of other classics too? Little Brown Jug is a fine route but a good first multipitch it ain't, for example.

Had I been the editor I'd've stuck to the 'first multipitch' idea and saved the VS's for another article.

But to each their own. And the pictures are nice.

T.

 Ramblin dave 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Calder: Looking at your profile, you've been climbing for quite a while and climb quite a bit harder than the stuff that's recommended in the article. So perhaps what's obvious to you isn't obvious to someone who's wondering what to do as a first multipitch route?

Anyway, nice article, but isn't Cioch Direct a bit dodgy at the moment?
 Calder 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Ramblin dave:

Maybe I should shut my gob and do an article on alternative classics. I'll have a ponder...
 Chris the Tall 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Calder:
Why not write an article yourself, with a list of easy and excellant but obscure multipitch routes

It seems these days a lot of beginners have a certain amount of trepidation regarding multi-pitch, and the crags that are suffering from over-popularity are single pitch crags like Stanage
 Ramblin dave 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Calder: Sounds like an idea!
In reply to Calder:

> Maybe I should shut my gob and do an article on alternative classics. I'll have a ponder...

I think that would be worthwhile. The routes at Idwal are fine routes, but they're crowded. Why not offer up places like Criag yr Ogof in Cwm Silyn, and routes like the Ordinary Route for a first multipitch and Outside Edge as a classic? Just a thought.

T.
 Simon Caldwell 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Ramblin dave:
> Anyway, nice article, but isn't Cioch Direct a bit dodgy at the moment?

Possibly why she recommends Cioch West instead
 Ramblin dave 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Toreador:
Oops. Colour me stupid...
 Dr_C 28 Oct 2011
In reply to UKC Articles:

A nice article picking a selection of lower grade routes, and some nice photographs - so whats the need to be pick fault with it? Lists of "the 10 best anythings" are always subjective anyway. I for one enjoyed reading it, but if I hadn't I'd see no reason to express my negative feelings to the world (and Heather).
In reply to UKC Articles:

Interesting article, I'm one of those hoping to get on some multi-pitch for the first time and it's not always easy to know where to start looking.

" 'The Buckle' as it is known"

Ehm something like that
 Skyfall 28 Oct 2011
In reply to UKC Articles:

Good article. Shows the diversity of British easy trad climbing. Actually made me quite nostalgic thinking back to some of those early routes I've even got one or two left to do off that list (at either end of the country). Lovely photos too. I agree that maybe some alternatives might have been better but it would be sinful not to mention Idwal (for example).

Thanks - am sure a lot of people will get inspiration from it.
 ledifer 28 Oct 2011
So what were your first multi pitches and how did you get on with them?

I've already decided on mine, my first ever climbing experience was last September seconding ledge climb on the anvil wall at bosigran. I was terrified and hated every single second, until I got to the top and decided it was actually great fun.

Anyhows I came back to devon and this year decided to have a proper go at this climbing malarkey. Got my own rope yesterday bad did my first few leads at dart rock wall. Did up to 5+, normally top rope 6a+ but leadings a wee bit more nervy!

So I reckon in the spring ill start getting enough gear to have a go at trad and my first multi pitch is gonna be back at bosigran up ledge climb, just so I can beat it and you know, have a little Rocky moment at the top
 Calder 28 Oct 2011
In reply to ledifer:

> So what were your first multi pitches and how did you get on with them?

With the exception of being dragged up Little Cham on a frosty Christmas Eve, before I even knew what a 'friend' was, my first proper one was Sunshine Arete on Little How near Coniston on a lovely, warm spring day.

I blagged a mate to come with me, he seconded it in his converse pumps, while I pretended to know what I was doing.

I have to say it was a cracking day out. The route is pretty decent, but the fact there was no-one else around really made it. The feelings of being totally responsible for my mate, and of not having the pressure of people climbing behind, along with the satisfaction that you've found this sunny, peaceful, little corner of Lakes, were very fulfilling.

I'm so glad my first experience didn't involve pissing about with the hoards at Idwal.
 Jonny2vests 28 Oct 2011
In reply to Stingraypoindex:
> (In reply to UKC Articles)
>
> Interesting article, I'm one of those hoping to get on some multi-pitch for the first time and it's not always easy to know where to start looking.
>
> " 'The Buckle' as it is known"
>
> Ehm something like that

Ey?
 DJonsight 28 Oct 2011
In reply to ledifer: My first multi-pitch, and first lead outdoors, was an HVS corner at Kilnsey, with my schoolfriends Baz and Jacko.
We'd got six hexes between us and picked Kilnsey from the guide as a nice place to start out. All my gear fell out so it was a good job there was a tree to belay from.
I hope you enjoy your first multi as much as we enjoyed ours.
 Skyfall 28 Oct 2011
In reply to ledifer:

1st multi-pitches were my 1st ever climbs - Idwal (hardly anyone else around as it was a rather cold and damp day in March iirc) then Flying Buttress in the Pass. Then I think I led Bracket and Slab at Gimmer in ge Lakes.

Other early ones on those lists were Xmas Curry, Little Cham, Troutdale Pinnacle, Corvus. Leading friends up them when I was still qiuite a newbie. Great days
Dahinchl 28 Oct 2011
im insulted by the lack of a mention heather. goose
In reply to UKC Articles:



> Moving on from the solid granite cliffs to the infamous 'Culm Coast' and its looser, more adventurous climbing brings us to Cornakey Cliff. This was one of the first routes I did in Cornwall

Not meaning to be picky, but Cornakey Cliff is in Devon, not Cornwall. Still, a good route all the same!
 Tom Last 28 Oct 2011
In reply to The Green Giant:
> (In reply to UKC Articles)
>
>
>
> [...]
>
> Not meaning to be picky, but Cornakey Cliff is in Devon, not Cornwall. Still, a good route all the same!

Hmm, if you wanna be picky...

Ordnance Survey have the border as Marsland Mouth/Valley, a bit north of Cornakey, putting Cornakey firmly inside Cornwall
In reply to Southern Man:

I beg to differ, but will willingly be proven wrong with a photo!

 Tom Last 28 Oct 2011
In reply to The Green Giant:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=221450&Y=117095&A=Y&Z=120

The dot/dash line running the length of Marsland Valley is apparently the OS symbol for the county line.

Anyway, as you say, it's a great route - hands across the border I say!
kesh2010 28 Oct 2011
In reply to UKC Articles:

Excellent article Heather, hopefully I can make one of these routes my first multi-pitch climb!

alkesh
 Alkis 29 Oct 2011
In reply to UKC Articles:

I'm not sure I would recommend the Demo Route as a first multipitch climb. It does not really have a multi-pitch atmosphere and does not provide a multi-pitch experience as such. It's a lovely route but it's just a wiggly single pitch that could be done in two pitches if you only have a single rope.

The experience of being exposed midway up a crag, several pitches from the ground is so worthwhile that I would not waste the very first attempt on something that might well trivialise it.

That's all my personal opinion, of course.
 Tom Last 29 Oct 2011
In reply to Alkis:

I agree, it would be a bore as a two pitch route.
In reply to Southern Man:

Ok, I'll give you that one...!
 Tom Last 29 Oct 2011
In reply to The Green Giant:
> (In reply to Southern Man)
>
> Ok, I'll give you that one...!

Cheers! Can we have Berry Head too please?
In reply to Southern Man:

I live in Cornwall, I don't know why you're asking me!
 Voltemands 30 Oct 2011
In reply to ledifer: Giant's Crawl in the lakes. Awesome first multipitch, the climbing really isn't hard and the belay ledges are exactly that. Perfect for setting up your first belay anchors up high. We were using a guide book along the lines of...easy climbs and scrambles in the lakes. We went up Giant's Crawl, scrambled down a grade 3 and then ascended C Ordinary (?) which is right next door, - or possibly C ordinary then Giant's Crawl, my memory fails me. Either way great first experience, and the approach is a great walk!
 GrahamD 31 Oct 2011
In reply to UKC Articles:

I have to say this reads more like a list of favourites than good first multipitchers. Demo Route really isn't multi pitch, Littl Brown Jug really as a first multipitch ? Wreckers Slab likewise ?
 GrahamD 31 Oct 2011
In reply to The Green Giant:

Rockfax mistakeingly puts Cornakey in Devon. It is in Cornwall.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...