Nobody seems to have posted any news for a bit, so I thought I would tell anybody who's interested of some new problems in the Peak.
I have done three problems on a new boulder underneath Cratcliffe Tor. The boulder is located down the hill underneath the ‘Hueco butress', (the small yet impressive buttress just right of the main crag containing a couple of routes and some nice problems). Many Peak activists have admired this boulder for several years, but due to the very over-grown nature of the block, nobody had plucked up the courage to clean it up. I recently did the deed, and was rewarded with some of the best new problems I have done in years! It was a little off-putting to put in so much effort to clean the block as it is fairly big, and there was so much thick moss on it that it was difficult to tell if there would be any holds on it! However, I think you'll agree that there seems to be just enough holds in the correct places to have given me the best type of rewards for my effort. The problems are as follows….
‘72' V5
Start sitting at the back of the large roof with hands in the big pocket. Cross the roof using a nice 3 finger pocket to a good edge, before a committing move to a big boss on the lip. Traverse the slopey rail leftwards around the arête until its possible to mantle and grab the flutings at the top. Classic!
‘72' Direct Finish V7
Start as for ‘72' to the boss, then climb the hanging arête above on its right-hand side until a hard move to grab the vague runnel can be made. Then push on for the very accommodating finishing jugs. Again, a classic problem spoilt only by the slightly un-nerving landing. A few mats and competent spotters make it a lot more amenable. A very slopey and balancey little number!
P Crack V8+
Start under roof with hands in big pocket. Head out through the roof directly using a small pocket and a sloper at the lip, and make a very hard move to gain the hanging finger crack (toe-hooks in the massive hueco on the right-hand side of the roof make this a little easier!). The moves to gain the crack are hard, but the crack is even harder, flaring and becoming more awkward with height, until a desperate slap to the top can be made. Comes complete with bad landing! The large block under the roof on the right hand side is not used - fairly obviously. Several mats and a spotter required due to an awkward landing zone. Very sequency, but OK when you know how to do it!
I am particularly pleased with this trio, as they follow strong lines on the best grit that the Peak has to offer. The boulder is by a large tree and will revert back to nature unless it gets a bit of traffic, so hopefully posting the details on here should ensure the problems get some ascents. 72 and 72 Direct have had repeats, but P Crack only went down this afternoon so the grade could well be iffy....... :wink:
