James McHaffie has added to his impressive string of new ascents this year with a new route on the big, bold and adventurous area at The Range. The route, which he and Dan McManus put up last weekend in the esoteric One Stack Zawn is called Divided Britain (E7 6c). 'The name seemed appropriate!' said James. He has graded it E7 6c.
© James McHaffie
James told us a bit more about the route and the area:
George Smith had tipped us off about the route and said it could be 8b. When we arrived it was a lot better and steeper than I expected but looked very unlikely. It must be 8-10 metres of horizontal climbing and it looked like George was being conservative.
There is good gear all the way and after checking and drying it once Dan and I both led it.
We found knee bars, one of which supplies a hands-off rest in the middle of the roof right where you need it. Without finding them it would feel hard. It probably feels about 7c+/8a in its current form and should prove a popular E7 6c.
This route, and particularly Stone Masonry (E7 6c), E7 6c (another recent addition by James on Porth Dafarch) definitely deserve attention. They are both non-tidal or near enough; both have good gear and brilliant wild climbing.
James continued:
The new Gogarth South guidebook is very good and has great pictures of the cliffs. There are a ton of new routes you could do in the area from almost any level. You just need to check the bird bans on them. The day after we did Glenda Huxter's I am Curious Yellow (E6 6a) and George Smith's Fishura (E6 6a). Both brilliant routes which deserve traffic.
James McHaffie is sponsored by: Boreal, DMM, Rab, Sterling Rope and is a BMC Ambassador.
Dan is sponsored by: Scarpa and DMM
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