[dave]

I got a mate in prison who's got a week up in t'county our pet at half term family holiday scene. He'll probably just be taking a single large pod mat and be looking to nip out for odd afternoons etc, so will have neither a spotter or a massive stack of pads.

So he's looking for some 7s that are non-lethal with the above kit, not shit rock/falling apart, and ideally shit he's not already done.

Hit me.

[gme]

Bit vague.

Every single crag in the guide fits the description perfectly, good landings on 90% of things and most not high. Only thing i cant comment on is what hes done before.

[dave]

OK basically he knows all the kyloe-in stuff, but looking for less well-known shit at bowden, back, or other random crags. Done some routes and a few problems at back (thundering thingy, couple of roofy problems, and a lowball off undercuts far left), and aware of the cave problems at bowden and the classics at bowden. I know northern soul at hepburn is good but looks a bit high for one mat.

[tomtom]

I had a session at Hepburn with one mat (a small calzone) and it was fine.. theres a great 7B and 7A on that lovely featured stand alone block in the middle, below N.Soul.. the 7A has a bit of a grim gulley descent landing, but the 7B was fine IIRC..

I am shit though...

[SA Chris]

In was going to suggest hitting up Hepburn as well if you he hasn't been before. Other stuff to do other than N Soul and you might find another party on N Soul if you fancy a shotty.

Where  you he based?

[dave]

I'll be in bamburger.

[iwasmexican]

could try shaftoe?

[Fiend]

I vote Shaftoe. Bit of a maze to get around (hidden in plain view style) but there is some great stuff there, lots of friendly landings, faces all directions, fairly exposed, dries quickly etc etc.

[Mike Tyson]

I'll third Shaftoe. Bloody grand spot.

[Johnny Brown]

Shaftoe is shite. It certainly feels like a maze after you've wasted an entire afternoon looking for the good bit.

[Mike Tyson]

Admittedly I had someone to show me around. Maybe see if you can find a local to be a guide? My profile/avatar photo is at Shaftoe, fond memories.

[Paul B]

Shaftoe is shite. It certainly feels like a maze after you've wasted an entire afternoon looking for the good bit.

there are a handful of good problems but I'm with Johnny on this one. The tube was an utter let down.

Hepburn - Northern Soul is amazing, the landing isn't too bad at all (if you have a big pad) and you must remember Dave is a giant and thus his feet won't be very high anyhow. A lot of the rest of the crag is a bit average.

Bowden, Kyloe and Back Bowden all fit the bill best so go to the one at which you've done the least? Lets face it, if the worst comes to the worse and you have to repeat the 7s you've already done at these crags it won't be a shit day.

[dave]

Shaftoe is shite. It certainly feels like a maze after you've wasted an entire afternoon looking for the good bit.

there are a handful of good problems but I'm with Johnny on this one. The tube was an utter let down.

I had a good afternoon in Shaftoe back in like 2001 when my mate at uni got psyched a bought a car - first trip out was an afternoon here, then a week later everything was shut down for foot and mouth! I thought it was alright, but we were shit and rockstarved. I suppose its a case of managing expectations. Bit of a drive from bamburgh anyway.

Bowden, Kyloe and Back Bowden all fit the bill best so go to the one at which you've done the least? Lets face it, if the worst comes to the worse and you have to repeat the 7s you've already done at these crags it won't be a shit day.

Aye that's what I usually end up doing at kyloe-in. There I've got hitchhikers sitter to do (not likely), cubby lip (bit shit lowball) and crouching tiger sitter (bit shit, half a crack etc). Oh and that chipped slab.

Probably done the least at bowden, but thats deliberate cos the rock is dodgy. Sprung is unfinished business. Any other ideas for bowden then that aren't no knackered holds? By that I mean I'm not too arsed about poverty, vienna etc.

[andy_e]

How is shaftyo a maze? It's a good crag but a bit limited in terms of decent single pad 7s. neb roof had some good problems as does the bloc with purely belter on but the really good numbers like Timmy tippy toes you'd want a few mats.

[sjw]

Any other ideas for bowden then that aren't no knackered holds?

Sadly, probably not. Captain Haddock, Staggered (prob ok with one pad but a bit intimidating), Temptation and Transformer LH spring to mind - but clutching at straws a bit. Severous Snape at Back Bowden is really good and also probably fine on your tod.

[Paul B]

Any other ideas for bowden then that aren't no knackered holds?

Dog eat dog? A little highball but you'd be fine. The hold on Sprung broke too btw. There's a good day to be had starting at Y-front ramp and working leftwards no matter what, his eminence etc. are all great.

[dave]

How is shaftyo a maze? It's a good crag but a bit limited in terms of decent single pad 7s. neb roof had some good problems as does the bloc with purely belter on but the really good numbers like Timmy tippy toes you'd want a few mats.

Am I right in thinking theres a 7b on the turtle rock, the one which might be the thing there was a photo of Sean Myles on in OTE around 2000ish? I remember that looking good.

Severous Snape at Back Bowden is really good and also probably fine on your tod.

Aye, I've done that, its great - as is the problem just left of it. I suppose pockets traverse is another on there to go at.

Any other ideas for bowden then that aren't no knackered holds?

Dog eat dog? A little highball but you'd be fine. The hold on Sprung broke too btw. There's a good day to be had starting at Y-front ramp and working leftwards no matter what, his eminence etc. are all great.

When did sprung break? I tried it october half term 2011.

Not sure I know what dog eat dog is. Would the crack be OK wi single mat?

[Paul B]

You'd be fine for the start of the Crack but it may feel a bit dicey when you're sketching around at the top.

[a dense loner]

I hope ure not going to claim to have done something on this trip dave? Very suspicious, man enjoys day out climbing on own shocker
Personally if I went to the county to climb I'd be in bamburgh castle all day

[gme]

I would suggest that 90% of the problems at bowden, back bowden and kyloe are fine with one pad. Dog eat dog is not in any way shape or form high ball even for someone as old as me with my bad back. Most of these things were done above a mcewans bouldering mat don't forget.

Sprung isn't any more snapped than it always is (still as shite as well though)and the rock is fine on most of the problems other than the ones that have been suffering for years (child's play, Vienna, poverty, captain haddock etc.) Its only bad when its damp and that's when a lot of the damage to holds happens.

Tops of things can be a bit sandy at bowden but the climbings usually eased off by then. This is partly due to the yellow rock being a bit soft but also due to the tops hardly ever getting done and never getting brushed. I bet the top of the crack has never been cleaned properly since i brushed a thousand years of lichen off the top in 95. Its a pain in the arse to set up a belay to do so.

And shaftoe is not shite, the main wall problems and turtle rock area are really good and all fine with one pad. Admittedly they got a bit carried away after that but its no worse than the shite things people claim in burbage valley (and a lot of the peak for that matter)these days.

[SA Chris]

If you are staying in Bamburgh your time (presumably limited) would be better spent hitting up the stuff on your doorstep rather than hauling to Shaftoe. It's a PITA drive too.

Hit me with a PM if you want advice on family stuff to do in the area, we were there and abouts 18 moths ago for a week. Or gme can probably advise.

[dave]

Don't worry we've got the area dialed for family shit, more just after any local classics that may be under my radar.

[north_country_boy]

Shaftoe is shite. It certainly feels like a maze after you've wasted an entire afternoon looking for the good bit.

 

[Fiend]

I had a trip recceing Shaftoe and picking off the odd problem en-route. Maybe I've got too used to the esotericity of Scottish boulder approaches, but it didn't feel that complex once you'd walked between Areteland (good), Font boulder (didn't appeal to me but good in a low, safe, Burbagey sort of way), Neb (good), and the Main Buttress (good). Definitely not shite and the place I'd keep going back to in the County.

Other than that, Rothley has some good problems and requires less boy scout navigation skills 

Errr yeah it's only really Kyloes and Bowdens and Hepburns close to you, hmmm.

[Stubbs]

Has your mate done Prime Time and Albatross at Kyloe Out?  Both fit the grade range and are OK with one pad, plus I heard your mate is a lanky fucker so he'll like Albatross.