[kelvin]

I think it was because he realised it would require putting some time in and the hour he'd already spent at Raven tor was more than enough.

Seb Bouin said much the same thing to me about Raven Tor and specifically Hubble.

[tomtom]

I think it was because he realised it would require putting some time in and the hour he'd already spent at Raven tor was more than enough.

Seb Bouin said much the same thing to me about Raven Tor and specifically Hubble.

:D

[Doylo]

I think it was because he realised it would require putting some time in and the hour he'd already spent at Raven tor was more than enough.

Apparently there was some old bloke in Bens Roof screaming ‘cunt‘ which put him off the crag.

[tomtom]

(Only wearing his pants)

[SA Chris]

I think it was because he realised it would require putting some time in and the hour he'd already spent at Raven tor was more than enough.

Didn't even stop to say Hi.

[shark]

I think it was because he realised it would require putting some time in and the hour he'd already spent at Raven tor was more than enough.

Apparently there was some old bloke in Bens Roof screaming ‘cunt‘ which put him off the crag.

I'm (comparatively) chilled now Hazel has shown me the light. Love, hugs and peace x

[Nibile]

Seb Bouin said much the same thing to me about Raven Tor and specifically Hubble.

Sour. Fucking. Grapes.

[Fiend]

Did you go to the Tor when you were visiting to get replica measurements for Malc's Pinch?? It is an underwhelming pile of turd in a long valley of underwhelming piles of turd. Essentially Horseshoe for the 8c - 9a+ climber. I presume any visiting hard sport climber would only go there because their Spanish sat nav got lost en route to Kilnsey.

P.S. I did my first proper redpoint at The Tor so it has a special place in my heart.

[Nibile]

Fiend, at first I didn't feel like replying, but since I'm in a particularly good mood this morning, because the sun is shining and I am about to go for a ride with the coolest motorcycle on earth, going around with a smug grin on my face like the coolest motherfucker on earth, I'd like to offer you this analogy, to help you understand how far you are from reality.
Going to The Tor is like going to an old school techno club, where the paint is coming off from stained walls, the floor is filthy and the toilets are a nuclear war zone, but also where the history of techno was made and the gigs are still powerful for those who know their shit.
Basically, if you don't like it, you're not worthy of it.

[lagerstarfish]

I now have a mental image of Shark at Voodoo, Le Bateau mid 90s looking at his hands in awe and confusion.

Sven Vath is playing records

Shark is wondering what he is doing here

[mrjonathanr]

Did you frequent Voodoo, Lagers?

[andy popp]

I always quite liked the Tor.

[TobyD]

Essentially Horseshoe for the 8c - 9a+ climber. I presume any visiting hard sport climber would only go there because their Spanish sat nav got lost en route to Kilnsey.

P.S. I did my first proper redpoint at The Tor so it has a special place in my heart.

No, it's Stoney for the stronger person. Shiny, rattly, crumbly rock, painful holds, disgustingly hard cruxes, buckets of history and usually bits of dribbly seepage. Its much like 98% of British sport climbing, and that's why we love (to hate) it.

[Fiend]

Now Stoney is an almost great crag. The only thing wrong with it - by the standards of inland limestone - is the polish. It's actually got lines and all! Character even. One line at Stoney is worth the whole of the Tor.

[abarro81]

 We only like it cos we have no choice. Like Stockholm Syndrome or something

[tomtom]

Good metaphor Nibs.

But the only reason I ever thought old techno/house clubs were any good was because I was off my tits whilst there!

If crags were nightclubs - the Tor would be a Ritzy running an acid night once a week. Stoney a hardcore DnB basement club.

[lagerstarfish]

Did you frequent Voodoo, Lagers?

I went a few times. My kind of night.

Should have gone more.

[andy popp]

by the standards of inland limestone

... Ahimsa is bloody fabulous.

[cowboyhat]

I think people don't like it cos its hard
I think people like it cos its hard

When you do a route at the Tor, you know it was hard. Likely harder than routes you've done elsewhere of the same grade. It probably took longer than expected and you probably learned something.

Similar to the appeal of the school room, its a benchmarking thing; serves a purpose. The routes are old, and they're still hard. Can I pull hard? That is binary which can be gratifying in our fickle pastime.

I'm never going to try and make the case on aesthetic grounds and I wholly agree than one should not go there on a crisp day when gritstone is dry and in season. Most of the entire rest of rock climbing in the world has more going for it; views, lines, moves, rock stability, hold variety, and you can potter about to your hearts content having all manner of wonderful experiences without ever having to turn down that lane

But sometimes I just get that feeling deep inside, the Tor is the test.

And it is the closest crag with hard routes to my house.

[Fiend]

I'm never going to try and make the case on aesthetic grounds and I wholly agree than one should not go there on a crisp day when gritstone is dry and in season.

AHEMSharkCOUGH

Choadside Attraction was soft I think.

I'd say a Beastmaker or Moon Board is a more wholesome benchmarking tool. Or the Schoolroom.

[mrjonathanr]

Did you frequent Voodoo, Lagers?

I went a few times. My kind of night.

Should have gone more.

I went most Saturdays for quite a while.

Should probably have gone less 

[mrjonathanr]

Back on the thread. There are a few reason the Tor is popular. One is that a lot of the climbing is actually rather good.

[abarro81]

I'm not sure the tor is disproportionately hard compared to most places. Like most crags it has some soft things and some hard thing...

[TobyD]

I'm not sure the tor is disproportionately hard compared to most places. Like most crags it has some soft things and some hard thing...

The only soft things at the tor are all the pads semi permanently under weedkiller and Ben's Roof. The hard things are all the routes and the boulder problems. The walk in is pretty easy I suppose.

[shark]

Alex was responding to cowboyhat and meaning soft for the grade rather than hard per se as what is on offer is undeniably hard compared to most places. However, anything soft I can think of apart from Toadside is due to more recent upgrading (Tin Of, Weedkiller, Revelations) or use of kneebars/pads (Mecca, Bens).

[abarro81]

Yeah, new beta has changed things. My point was just that if we use the grades that people are normally using for things, there's a fair spread. Off the top of my head, with the caveat that this is IMO, though I've tried to pick things where I suspect the consensus would agree:
[if the following looks weird try a wider screen - I wrote it like a table before realising that was a crap idea]

Soft(ish)                 Normal(ish)       Hard(ish)
Waddage               Chimes              Baby chimes
Keen
Fat lip                                               Weeding the lip
Mecca                    Mecca ext.
                               Kaabah
                                                        Devo, Evo
                              Crucifixion
Toilet
Call of Nature
                                                        Most of the RHS routes
Bens @ 7c+          Bens @ 7c        Bens @ 7b+
Weedkiller @7b                              Weedkiller @ 7a+

On the whole I don't think it's too out of keeping with other crags, especially in the UK, and  especially since grading on short routes always becomes a bit more random (like with boulders) as it can get v specific.

That said, there are some things I find ridiculous, e.g. I think PUTP is about 8c but I know that's just me sucking on it and some find it fine

[shark]

Soft(ish)                 Normal(ish)       Hard(ish)

Bens @ 7c+          Bens @ 7c        Bens @ 7b+

 

2 kneebars, LH exit - soft 7C ? (route 8a+)
1 kneebar, LH exit - normal 7C ? (route 8a+)
No kneebars, LH exit - hard 7C easy 7C+ ? (route 8a+/b)
No kneebars, original finish - 7C+ ? (route 8b)
Extension, no kneebars, original finish - 8A (route 8b+)

[tomtom]

Has no-one reversed Bens yet? #justsayin

[shark]

Has no-one reversed Bens yet? #justsayin

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,29563.0.html

[tomtom]

But that doesnt start at the top of Too Hard for Shark Leach and reverse Bens though...

[cowboyhat]

I'm not sure the tor is disproportionately hard compared to most places. Like most crags it has some soft things and some hard thing...

Sort of missing the point, I wasn't necessarily carping about stiff grades though there obviously are quite a few.

More the overall experience, you'll have to pull hard on a small hold, it can be tough on the ego etc.

[haydn jones]

But that doesnt start at the top of Too Hard for Shark Leach and reverse Bens though...

I did Ben's there and back did the original finish then reverse down too hard and back along Ben's. So I guess I still didn't start from the finishing jug of too hard.

[Fiend]

Belly Of The Beast into Mutation shimmy right and plod up Waddage?? Almost as good as the Ali Bawbag cave...

[tomtom]

But that doesnt start at the top of Too Hard for Shark Leach and reverse Bens though...

I did Ben's there and back did the original finish then reverse down too hard and back along Ben's. So I guess I still didn't start from the finishing jug of too hard.

😁 i was just teasing Sharkus

[nai]

All those new starters at the wall, psyched to manage a 4+, gazing up in awe at the overhanging walls, wondering how they could ever do that.
If only they knew what they have to look forward to, what they're dreaming of is big cliffs, mountains, the sun on their backs. But if they really are super keen, try really hard and become quite good they'll end up aspiring to climb an arse drag in a dripping cave in December. 
And then do it backwards.

[tomtom]