John Dunne
Unjustified took a lot of flack for being a soft 8c about 7 or 8 years ago. I've heard it said at the crag that some people think it harder than Bat Route due to there being a relative lack of rest. I personally found Unjustified to be easier than Bat Route as the crux was a fair bit easier. (V6 as opposed to the V8 of Bat Route). Also there is more harder climbing higher up on Bat Route. However, maybe consensus is changing? It certainly hasn't had many repeats recently....and since going down to 8b+ Unjustified is now climbed looping out right hence the downgrade as it was 8c going direct on the FA from Tony Mitchell (must have been a hard move this way). The controversy was that ppl still took 8c for it even though they were not going direct. Every year people mention Total Eclipse and the original finish to TF. It would be great to try these things. However, getting a belayer on the upper tier is not trivial and there are plenty of other classics that seem to occupy people's time. I know Jim Pope and Will Bosi tried Total Eclipse a few years back and posted up this vid of the crux moves. I hope this works. If not its on Faceache...https://www.facebook.com/william.bosi.3/videos/961728413926449/
"Because a route is popular does not necessarily mean it is over graded. It is a real shame that people's hard work and achievements are stripped of them because they are not perceived of as being among the "strong". It is this very attitude of giving hard routes too much respect that holds the general level back in this country. I think that on the continent people are more inclined to try harder routes, whether they are a "somebody" or a "nobody" and this drags the whole community along."
"...I knew at the time I did it that it all went too easy to be 8c given my form at the time and True North, by no means a hard 8c confirms it; Unjustified is a good grade easier. If Cry Freedom remains at 8b+ then even that grade may seem a bit much.
It's telling that it's easily one of the best routes in Yorkshire and yet the queues have disappeared off it since it was downgraded.
Did Dave Birkett do any sport climbing?
There is another route at kilnsey of steves that also needs a repeat, comes out left from true north. As well as the obvious old routes of mutation and violent new breed.
