[MischaHY]

This seems like such a bizarre thing to ask but I've got a UK trip coming up in a couple of weeks and realised that since I've been living in Germany for 5 years my overview of the climbing is somewhat diminished. Time for a refresher 

Where you would you recommend getting to over a three week trip (trad/bouldering mainly)? We'll visit family near Manchester but other than that don't have fixed orientation points other than that I'd rather not do islands on this trip. I've done a lot of Peak grit and slate in the past so still well familiar with those areas. Barely done anything northwards except for Almscliffe/Malham/Giggleswick and the Lancs quarries.

Definitely more psyched for safeish trad VS-E7 (esp. cracks) than sport because we've got loads of that here whereas trad is minimal. In terms of bouldering I've only really bouldered on grit and a bit in North Wales (pass/cave) so would be keen for some general recommendations there. Gradewise probably up to high Font 7s.

Had some recommendations for Scotland and super keen to hear more. Hit me! I'm very aware that the weather will crap out at some point so keen to have well spaced options with the chance of chasing better conditions where possible.

[SA Chris]

Ooof, where to start!

I'd keep all options open, and see what the forecast is like on the day. Any type of rock you are particularly psyched for?

Scotland wise you could choose a base and jump off from there for the day, depending on what the weather was like;

For example from Ullapool you could jump off to Reiff, Stac Pollaidh, Ardmair or and number of climbing areas in the region, covering a range from bouldering to multi pitch.

Or from Fort William / Glen Coe area you would have masses to go at, from mountain routes to sport to boulders.

[MischaHY]

Ooof, where to start!

I'd keep all options open, and see what the forecast is like on the day. Any type of rock you are particularly psyched for?

Scotland wise you could choose a base and jump off from there for the day, depending on what the weather was like;

For example from Ullapool you could jump off to Reiff, Stac Pollaidh, Ardmair or and number of climbing areas in the region, covering a range from bouldering to multi pitch.

Or from Fort William / Glen Coe area you would have masses to go at, from mountain routes to sport to boulders.

Totally open on rock type so more focused on style really i.e. not keen for hard moves with deck potential because I usually need at least a few weeks to come into a good headspace for it. It feels like a massive question hence why I'm hoping to narrow it down a bit! So much good stuff to go at.

[remus]

I think Gogarth and Tremadog would provide you with some really good options. Amazing climbing, they're relatively reliable weather wise, plus there's loads of bouldering in north wales if you fancy a few days without a rope.

If you're driving over from Manchester a stop off at Nesscliffe along the way could be fun too. Pretty unusual climbing and some ace lines, though it needs to be dry as the rock is a fairly soft sandstone.

[SA Chris]

Agree, locating yourself centrally in Snowdonia would give you a crazy amount of options.

Fort William / Glen Coe would be first choice from a Scotland perspective, but both Snowdonia and Lochaber are weather dependant /fickle.

[Teaboy]

North Wales for convenience or if the weather is iffy, NW Scotland otherwise. 

[Fultonius]

If you are passing Dumbarton you MUST stop and have a go on Chemin de Fer.

You'll just be hitting the last of the pre-midge (or early midge, weather dependent) season in Scotland and often the best weather. Glen Nevis has heaps of good E5s, but it doesn't get a huge amount of traffic these days so maybe bring a decent brush.

You could potentially jump on a boat with Shark and go to Mingulay? Lewis is amazing, as is a lot of the North West - Supercrag (trad)



https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/creag_rodha_mor-17982/

Diabaig for some safe hard cracks on Sandstone (don't go on a hot day).

And obviously the suggestions already given ^^^

[Tom de Gay]

For trad, I'd head for the SW for maximum adventure with minimum hassle. The variety of rock types – from Cornish granite to Carn Gowla – offers endless possibilities for getting yourself into trouser-filling situations, all within a relatively compact area. Weather is not great, but extricating yourself from a multi-pitch sea cliff in the rain is all part of the fun.

[Ged]

If you haven't been to Pembroke, it's pretty hard to beat. You could climb mega classics all day every day at those grades.

[SA Chris]

So that's the first 6 months of your trip covered..

[MischaHY]

So that's the first 6 months of your trip covered..

Or the first 6 years  Yeah I've had almost all of those places in mind so good to have some confirmation. Very psyched on Pembroke and South West. If we do head north then Dumbarton is definitely happening but depends as it's a lot of extra driving to get up there!

Definitely keen on the bouldering as well, anywhere I should be paying particular attention too? Also very psyched with specific route recommendations   

[Nails]

Pembroke's very friendly if you haven't trad climbed for a while. Tends to be steep and very well protected. A good place to get trad climbing fit whilst climbing. Huge amounts to go at in low to mid E grades. Can't believe I've not been for a while.

[IanP]

Or the first 6 years  Yeah I've had almost all of those places in mind so good to have some confirmation. Very psyched on Pembroke and South West. If we do head north then Dumbarton is definitely happening but depends as it's a lot of extra driving to get up there!

Definitely keen on the bouldering as well, anywhere I should be paying particular attention too? Also very psyched with specific route recommendations   

I would think Wales is the obvious answer.  North Wales has the biggest variety of easily accessible climbing in a relatively small area anywhere in the UK (and possibly further afield) - brilliant single and multi pitch trad, sea cliffs, slate, bouldering and limestone sport.    Once you've done that Pembroke, as many have said, is superb - just great fun trad climbing in a wonderful setting.

[SA Chris]

If we do head north then Dumbarton is definitely happening but depends as it's a lot of extra driving to get up there!

From Manchester, Fort William is a similar distance to Cornwall, although it doesn't feel like it.

[User deactivated.]

If you've only really bouldered on grit and little bits in Wales then the Lakes would be my first choice. I recently visited the Harter Gold boulders and that's a good day out with Starshot and Son of Kong being 2 excellent lines in the mid/high 7's to try. Judging by the guidebook, Carrock Fell, Lad stones, or Kentmere might be even better days out! The Bowderstone too if you want more board style.

Lime isn't known to be the UK's best rock, but some of it is genuinely really good and doesn't need especially good connies. If you are based around Manchester then Tremeirchion is not a long drive and has some of the best lime i've climbed on. Despite being a compact venue it hosts some very good boulders in the high 7's (check 36 chambers & 22 chambers sit) and it's rainproof (at least when I was there recently). Anston Stones in south Yorkshire could make a good day out too.

If we do end up getting some cooler weather then a day on the grit at Crookrise is hard to beat.

[El Mocho]

I'd second nearly all the suggestions on this thread, given good weather the UK has the best trad climbing in the World. A couple of points from my perspective, and also considering you are coming over from Germany:

N. Wales is probably unmatchable on variety of rock types and styles within 1hrs drive (if based in Llanberis), bearing in mind many other countries seem to be much less varied in both rock types and styles of climbing I would put this variety very high on my list for a visiting climber. It is also a more safe area weather wise than many - Gogarth, Tremadog, A55 sport, Parasellas etc are often dry when the mountains are wet and the slate dries super quick. You could argue that the Lakes/Scotland have better mountain trad, Pembroke better (and def safer/more easy enjoyable) sea cliff trad, Peak/Yorks/Northumberland better bouldering but there is not much in it and none of those venues can match it across the board. There is also the Lleyn which has the best adventure climbing in the World although maybe not what you are after, and the Diamond which is the best sport in the UK if you can get it dry.

N.Wales is v. accessible from Manch, potentially with a fun stop at a Sandstone or A55 sport to break the journey (or Tremeirchion see Liams post). You can also drive south to Pembroke without too much hassle.

I think if you were really keen for some mountain trad in the Lakes or Scotland then go for that, with good weather at one of the top crags you will have some amazing climbing experiences, scenery, walks, climbing history etc but if you go with a bit less enthusiasm, and then especially if the weather doesn't play ball you could have a less good time. Walk ins can be quite long (this can be a positive a lot of the time due to where you end up, but if done repeatedly, on mixed forecasts etc can become trying esp if time is running out), routes can be a bit dirty, might still be a bit cold on the higher crags (but hopefully not midgy yet) and, esp with Scotland, there is a bunch more driving involved.

Cornwall has an amazing holiday vibe, cream teas etc. I've found the best climbing there to be more on the adventurous side, moving away from the Granite onto the shale/Green Stone etc. The Granite crags where the rock is bomber (eg Bosi) have really good routes but a lot of it is a bit more crumbly/shitty esp when you head away from the classic venues. I enjoy a bit of choss climbing but find loose Granite my least favorite (maybe joint least favorite along with shitty Lime). Again a long drive and doesn't really have much wet weather venues.

Lime isn't known to be the UK's best rock, but some of it is genuinely really good and doesn't need especially good connies. If you are based around Manchester then Tremeirchion is not a long drive and has some of the best lime i've climbed on. Despite being a compact venue it hosts some very good boulders in the high 7's (check 36 chambers & 22 chambers sit) and it's rainproof (at least when I was there recently). Anston Stones in south Yorkshire could make a good day out too.

I'm not sure how close you are to the Frankenjura but please don't climb on Peak lime, it is all worse than the worst crag in the Jura and Anston is worse than anything in the Peak 

If you have flexibility with accommodation I would:

Hang out with family in Manchester checking the forecast and reading a copy of Mountain crags of Scotland/Extreme Rock. Weather turns great in Scot/Lakes. Targeted trip to the mountain crags to do 2/3 classic big routes with a easier day/journey break at Borrowdale/Dumby depending on if you are Lakes or Scotland. Tiring with the driving and walking but it's the start of your trip so doesn't matter.

Head back down to N. Wales and do a mixture of cragging/mountain lite/sea cliff/bouldering as the fancy takes you. Can be way more flexible with weather/mood/energy.

You are having a great time so have extended holiday by an extra week/didn't spend more than a day visiting family at the start of the trip so you now head to Pembroke just as the tides are good and have 5 days cranking and swimming.

If weather didn't look to be good at start of trip for the North you can reverse the order, the advantage is you can get your trad head in gear on the Pembroke stuff.

I would leave the pads at home.

[T_B]

As above (El Mocho, not the Anston suggestion).

Another point with Pembroke is mid-week firing on the range. Combined with an unhelpful tide and your options suddenly become much more limited. It is however probably the place I would most take a visitor for trad in the UK (as much as I love the Lakes/N Wales).

[abarro81]

With the caveat that I've never bouldered on the stuff there, there looks to be some good bouldering on the north coast of Devon/Cornwall nowadays, and if my memory serves me well (from a long time ago when I climbed trad) I thought Pentire and Sharpnose were as good as anything in North Wales that I did. Obviously this may just be my preference on indicative of which routes I've done in North Wales! Might be a good option if the weather is better in the south of the country and you're keen to boulder as well as trad? Pembroke is obviously very nice, but like TB I recall it sometimes being a pain with different bits being closed.

I would not recommend going to Tremeirchon or Anston (Anston is quite like going bouldering in Franken - for better or worse - and wouldn't feel like making the most of being somewhere different!)

[duncan]

As El Mocho, with a couple of footnotes:

1. There is no firing in Castlemartin from 14th-29th May. Get in!

2. The Great Seacliffs of Scotland is perhaps the better book for the pure rock climber. Both are great. Extreme Rock might cost more than the trip!

[Ged]

As El Mocho, with a couple of footnotes:

1. There is no firing in Castlemartin from 14th-29th May. Get in!

2. The Great Seacliffs of Scotland is perhaps the better book for the pure rock climber. Both are great. Extreme Rock might cost more than the trip!

Plus there's loads to do beyond broadhaven beach (mowing word and Stackpole), and Lydstep area if they are firing

[andy moles]

Echoing what others have said (but correcting for that English thing of lumping the entirety of Scotland into one, as though it's comparable as an area to the Peak or something):

North Wales for the immense variety within an hour radius

Pembroke or Devon/Cornwall for beach holiday vibes with as much or little adventure as you feel like

Northwest Highlands (Skye to Cape Wrath) for the equivalent to North Wales spread over a larger area, but with a wilder feel, better rock and bigger scenery (and drive east if it gets wet)

Hebrides for the mellow pace of island life combined with the wild edge of continent feel

[SA Chris]

He does say rather avoid islands this trip.

Agree though, of all the places I've been to in Britain (and I've been fortunate to go to a lot), the Hebrides stand out clearest in my memory, as feeling the most wild, raw and open.

[MischaHY]

Brilliant thread. I'm proper keen for Hebrides in general but want to dedicate a full trip of at least 3 weeks to just islands in the next year or two because it looks so fecking brilliant. I know I wouldn't be satisfied with a few days. The other factor is that we're in the van and coming over with ferry so we start down south and will already be doing plenty of missioning around. North of Scotland feels a lot further when you've got to come all the way back down again (and then some!). Plus side of the van is location flexibility so definitely taking all these recommendations to heart. Very psyched for the trad!  Never been to Pembroke so expecting to have a very good time providing conditions are there.   

[SA Chris]

If you are going in a van and have any surfing ability, take a board to the Hebrides. Brilliant surf.

[MischaHY]

If you are going in a van and have any surfing ability, take a board to the Hebrides. Brilliant surf.

Honestly only ever touched a surfboard once but I've got a regular trad partner who is well into it so might be something for that trip as he'll definitely be keen. Nice to have something else to do to curb the obsession a bit