[Will Hunt]

I had a fair crack at this today with no joy. Did the first move and didn't have the beans for anything more. Would be great to see it get done as it's a good line in a nice spot. If burly arête hugging is your thing then set about it.





The rock is really good quality and the friction today was excellent. There used to be a problem that the hanging arête is suspended over an ankle deep bog. There is now a patio here and I used my mat on this with no problems. First move is either a heel on the right and a pull on slopers, or similar using a bomber heel toe in the vertical crack on the left which is great fun. Estimated grade: 7C+-8A?


Rochard Crags can be found off the track that runs across Pock Stones Moor. Approach is quite easy as you drive quite far up the track, so not much elevation gain from there. Drive to Skyreholme as you would for trollers. At the T, instead of turning left to parcevall hall, head right and follow the road until it becomes a track. Keep going until there is a broad parking place on the left with a wooden footpath signpost. You'll know you've gone too far if you get to the fork. More detailed info available by pm. I have a pdf topo for the place which I don't think Paul Clarke has made public yet.

[Will Hunt]

PS, route names at the crag are Beverly Hillbillies themed. Had thought about keeping in with the oil theme and using There Will Be Blood. Obviously that is now out of my hands!

[andy popp]

Looks good Will (I bet the rock is great). You should stick at it and get it done!

[Footwork]

'there will be mud' looks more apt 

[Fiend]

It looks literally like an arse 

[Will Hunt]

Quite futuristic and possibly impossible. Step forward Will Atkinson, please!
The companion line to Phoenix Wall at Panorama Crag. Using the right hand side of the weird double crimp hold, step out right onto a crap smear and leap/rockover/levitate up to the top of the crag or a tiny slot in a seam.
Looks entirely feasible from the ground until you get on it and realise how difficult it is to trust the bad right hand foothold.


Next up is the Prune Boulder at Yeadon Crag. There are currently only two problems on this big chunk of rock (see http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,25876.0.html ). There are at least three more lines still to go at. Going through the roof past very brittle feeling flakes will yield a right hand and a left hand exit. Round to the left, the north facing wall will go to someone sufficiently talented.

[Will Hunt]

I really must apologise for the video (everything about it), but thought I'd show the 8th grade boulderers what's out there at Cow Close Crag.

[andy popp]

Arse!

[andyd]

That looks a great boulder. Nice of you to offer that little gem up. You could twist my arm to walk out there :-)

[Will Hunt]

My climbing partner's car suffered a "catastrophic brake disk failure" in Keighley on the way to Malham. This was actually a really close run thing because I was dangerously close to doing some limestone trad. I went to St Ives instead.

It is possible to drive up to Druid's Altar on Altar Lane, from where the walk in to the Altar Circuit is about 20 seconds, and the walk to the Sunday Morning boulder about 5 minutes (guide available at www.unknownstones.com).
Cleaned and attempted a line on the Sunday Morning boulder. The footholds are slightly undercut, giving the feel of a slightly overhanging wall. Handholds are thin crimps. Nice and technical with quite precise body positioning.
The climbing I do in the video below is about 7B. The whole thing will probably be at least 7B+ if not (possibly considerably) harder depending on how the top moves are.

Given that it was raining this morning, the boulder dries quicker than you might expect for a north facing piece of rock with tree cover. Hopefully drying time will improve further now I've cleaned some lichen and removed some soil and vegetation from the top.

Have fun, wads!

[Will Hunt]

Forgot to mention that the Sunday Morning boulder is just above some cottages and you're quite visible when you're there. Land ownership is not clear and of course there is no official access agreement. A couple who live in the cottages were out in the garden today and didn't seem to have a problem with me being there. That said, this is not a place to have a lantern session or a pad party.

[SA Chris]

I went to St Ives instead.

Did you meet anyone on the way?

[Fiend]

The rest of that looks all a bit r_man 

[Will Hunt]

The rest of that looks all a bit r_man 

There's loads of climbing at St Ives and in the Harden area in general. In the grand scheme of esoterica, I'd say it scores about a 6, with 10 being Maximum Robin. Down in Bell Bank Woods there is Gritty Shaker, which is supposed to be "one of the best 7Bs on grit". I've not been to check it out yet but its supposed to be hard. Tom Peckitt mentioned to me that he went back to the crag on one occasion and couldn't repeat it! The rest of the stuff in Bell Bank Woods appears to be a bit green.

Standing on top of Druid's Altar is a local beauty spot. This unfortunately means that the jumble of boulders on the steep hillside below has become the rubbish bin for the local beauty spot. It's also such a jumble of rocks that getting from one boulder to the next isn't particularly convenient. The climbs have generally been done once and there isn't much evidence of repeats - you need to take a good brush to get the most out of it. Now with those discouraging facts out of the way, I can honestly say that the two problems in that video are absolutely brilliant. In particular, Brad Squit will make any 6B climber feel like an 8A climber when they lock and power through those holds to the top. Caesar is quite hard to start and I nearly gave up on it before I trialled the last move to the top and saw how much fun it was. Proper feet off slapping stuff!
For local climbers who enjoy rock climbing for the pleasure of the moves then it is definitely worth popping in for on a warm evening. The crag faces north, so shade is assured.

The Sunday Morning boulder is a genuinely good bit of rock in a pleasant litter free setting. Its tall and has got holds, but they're a bit crap. Tom has been and looked at it but hadn't got round to cleaning it yet. Its pretty clean now (could possibly use some more holds scrubbing). For those who enjoy the creative process of climbing a piece of rock that nobody else has climbed before, this project would be a great prize, and its literally five minutes walk from the car.

[moose]

Off topic, but which crags on your site have an esoterica index of "minimum Rob"? That is, some good problems, likely to be in reasonable  condition?  I like a bit of local variety  (Racing Raymond is near the top of my list of problems to revisit) and like a bit of "for the sake of the move, not the situation" action (spent Easter Sunday at Ravenswick - North Yorkshire's own Minus 10!). But generally, these days, I have little patience for using up precious days-off on fool's errands  (I had enough of those in the days of the first Northumberland bouldering guide - many a day spent seeking a supposedly stupendous boulder to find if was 3ft high with more greenery than Kew Gardens).

[andy_e]

Go and do Phoenix Wall at Panorama Crag. A man of your fingery lank with thrive upon it. In fact, let me know when you do head up there...

[moose]

Cheers fella - will give it a go. Though relearning the subtleties of malham is consuming most of my time at the moment... The joy of RP projects - week after week of pain and failure!

[Will Hunt]

It's difficult for me to make lots of recommendations because there are lots of crags on there that I haven't been to (the website is the work of about 4 people with a number of guest guides).
Knowing that you like technical wall climbs, my personal recommendation would be Yeadon. The Cestrian and The Arkenstone are both very good, as are many of the 6th grade problems there (Our Chapel, Battle Royale, Our Arms are all good fights).
If you like that, pay a visit to Sigsworth (The Wall of the Wild is very good). There's a pleasant sub 7 circuit there and plenty of potential for new stuff (take a stout brush if you intend to develop anything).

Worth noting that some of these things are 2 pad problems. The odd thing is a 3 padder.

If redpointing is sapping your psyche then you can have a brilliant day out at any of these places without having to climb hard all day.

[moose]

Cheers, btw are there any access details for phoenix wall online? I can't find reference to the place in a printed guide.

[Will Hunt]

It's at Panorama Crag near Pateley Bridge. Nice enough climb but the only thing there

[turnipturned]

 

Cheers, btw are there any access details for phoenix wall online? I can't find reference to the place in a printed guide.

From memory, Drive through Pateley, take the first left as you are going up the and park in a layby near. Walk to churchyard then take a right down to the crag. Phoenix wall access is okay but further right is out of bounds apparently.

*note I thought Phoenix wall was average, and there was a fire below so looks a bit junk now!

[Will Hunt]

*note I thought Phoenix wall was average, and there was a fire below so looks a bit junk now!

 
I think its best quality is that it's quite hard. The moves themselves and look of the wall aren't that pleasing, though it is a fine spot. In the same vein, Scary Canary is easier but better, Free Range is about the same quality and maybe a touch easier if you get the conditions.

Worth bearing in mind that much of Panorama isn't banned, but it gets quite traddy as you go right. Full details in the green YMC book, which I'm sure you've bought Moose...

What's with these wall climbs and bird related names?

[moose]

never done Scary Canary... been tempted on many an occasion - looks good... but, well, a bit scary to work out alone.  Might have a proper look next time I have an evening off and some dry weather (preferably forearmed with a few videos).  Not heard of "Free Range" / Hen Stones, and never been to Yeadon crag - plenty to go at... cheers for the beta.

[dunnyg]

Coz only "birdz" bother with techy walls will

[rodma]

I went to St Ives instead.

Did you meet anyone on the way?

Hehe :D

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