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Appian Way, Pillar Rock
© Gordon Stainforth
Climbers: Simon Robinson and Nick Blunt
Camera used: Hasselblad 500CM, 150mm
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VOTING: from 80 votes
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User Comments

If this doesn't make more people climb on Pillar, nothing will...
london_huddy - 13/Feb/07
This photo along with all the others in the book inspired me to get into climbing.
The Pylon King - 13/Feb/07
Fantastic, what grade?
greg101 - 18/Feb/07
Hard Severe. One of the most ancient, classic climbing grounds in Britain. Still a long approach (I recommend a bivvy or a high camp - good spots near Robinson's Cairn - to get the most out of it). As Steve Ashton says, The Appian Way is 'representative of the best on the face' - that's the West Face, and it has three. Almost all the routes are quite stupendous IMO. New West Route being arguably the best 'Hard Diff'(read V Diff) in England, leading directly to the best summit in England. The very exposed 480-ft VS North-West Climb on the front of the Rock was also a tremendous achievement for 1906, IMO.
Gordon Stainforth - 18/Feb/07
Don't know whether it's any busier these days, but in the 70s and early 80s (last time I climbed there) you could almost guarantee total solitude. A lovely crag, and a great route IMHO. Marvellous pic BTW.
Sgur - 24/Feb/07
Thanks. I suspect Pillar is more neglected than ever. As you say, in the 70s and 80s you could almost guarantee solitude. I'm pretty sure I had to set this shot up, i.e get some recruits the night before at the Wasdale Head Hotel, but I can't remember. You do occasionally see people on New West route though.
Gordon Stainforth - 24/Feb/07
Man I'd love to take a photo like that. Where were you positioned? Did you need a telephoto lens?
I've climbed on Pillar rock several times. I don't actually think the routes are partiularly outstanding, but the experience is still great due to the overall situation - the solitude, the sheer size of the thing, the views and perhaps best of all - the summit! It's a 'proper' summit and you have to abseil off it into a gap to then find your way out to the descent path. A proper little mountain experience. I love it!
Andy S - 11/Aug/07
I was positioned on the scree below New West Climb - the beauty of it is that you can move about all over the place, left to right, up and down to get into the camera position of your choice. Not so nice is the approach route, down a very rotten gully on the west side of the notch behind the Pillar.
Also, you don't have to abseil off the summit at all. Much better to use the 'grade 3' scrambling route, Slab and Notch on the east side.
Gordon Stainforth - 12/Aug/07
Stunning in every way - pretty much like the crag.
Tom Valentine - 08/Mar/09
Captures why we go climbing - one of the best rock climbing pictures I have ever seen - inspirational.
stewart murray - 06/Nov/09
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This picture is copyright. If you want to reproduce or otherwise re-use it, please email the photographer direct via their user profile. Photo added February 12 2007.
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