[moose]

I have next week off, accommodation in near Sheffield booked, and a desire to remedy my relative ignorance of Peak bouldering.  Previously the Peak had always been a bit betwixt and between for me - too far for an easy day-trip, but unlike the Lakes / North Wales / Northumberland, it felt too close (and somehow mundane?) to justify an overnight stay.  So, time to open my mind and open my account....

The forecast looks warm, and this being the UK, there will be rain, so I would appreciate any recommendations for shady / breezy grit and rain-resistant limestone.  General crag recommendations, or specific problems in the 7a-7b+ range, would be gratefully received. I am a Yorkshire sport climbing refugee, weakling, and unreconstructed crimp pervert, so problems that comprise static pulls between ratty holds would be especially prized!

Also, I only have the 2011 Ru Peak guide for reference, so please do not get my hopes up by mentioning crags with restricted access that you can not give directions to! 

[kac]

Burbage south edge in the morning can be ok. Loads there but electrical storm would seem a good choice. Up high howshaw tor is really good and black rhino a quality 7a. On the lime it's a shame about griffs access! At the tor Rattle and hump hard way start is nice and crimpy - hard for 7b though and v hard for 7b when warm. Lots of stuff at rubicon but bit of a sun trap. Lees bottom is a better bet on a hot day although best mid grade stuff is not crimpy. Chiggars with attitude is a really good 7a+. At cave dale Sheep shifter is a quality 7b with some crimping. Not much else there though so best to warm up somewhere else.

[CapitalistPunter]

I have next week off, accommodation in near Sheffield booked, and a desire to remedy my relative ignorance of Peak bouldering.  Previously the Peak had always been a bit betwixt and between for me - too far for an easy day-trip, but unlike the Lakes / North Wales / Northumberland, it felt too close (and somehow mundane?) to justify an overnight stay.  So, time to open my mind and open my account....

The forecast looks warm, and this being the UK, there will be rain, so I would appreciate any recommendations for shady / breezy grit and rain-resistant limestone.  General crag recommendations, or specific problems in the 7a-7b+ range, would be gratefully received. I am a Yorkshire sport climbing refugee, weakling, and unreconstructed crimp pervert, so problems that comprise static pulls between ratty holds would be especially prized!

Also, I only have the 2011 Ru Peak guide for reference, so please do not get my hopes up by mentioning crags with restricted access that you can not give directions to!

Kudos at Rubicon sounds like it would suit you well

[User deactivated.]

I second Howshaw and black rhino. I also did this thing on the upper tier which is quite good:



The house boulder at Bradley is very good and crimpy, although the best problems on it are around 7C. Pinch punch may suit you. 

[slab_happy]

Burbage south edge in the morning can be ok. Loads there but electrical storm would seem a good choice.

Yeah, a lot of Burb South Edge stays shady until mid-afternoon.  Also David Traverse and Pebble Mill Traverse would fit the bill for static pulls between ratty holds, I think.

[remus]

Conies Dale is a nice spot at this time of year, especially for an evening hit.

[moose]

Cheers - I had not heard of Howshaw but it sounds like a good'un. 

Lees Bottom and Conies are now on the list for a look.  I have a guide for Lees Bottom from the esoteric bouldering companion site but no topos for Conies.  Is there an online  guide for Conies or it just a matter of piecing it together from UKC and videos? 

Also, what's the current situation with access / property owner aggro?  UKC advises access "either from the NW via footpaths from the entrance to Eldon Quarry (see image) on the Castleton to Sparrow Pit road; or through Oxlow Rake east of Peak Forest." Is one of those routes still the best method?

Re Kudos - I tried it years ago and it did not go well - seem to remember having a lot of trouble with a high foot.  Tempted for a rematch - perhaps I've become more limber and flexible in my 40s (ha!).  Other stuff to go at there though, so Rubicon is on the list for a cool / overcast day.

[Stabbsy]

For Conies access, I posted up what I’ve been doing on the access thread last week.

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30662.0.html

[tomtom]

Hi Moose,

Similar height climber recommendations follow :D

1. Rubicon. Its fine before about 11am - when the sun comes onto Kudos wall. Forget Kudos, get stuck into a bigger tail, and a bigger splash. A bigger splash direct is soft 7B. If its overcast try the start to Caviar 7B - I think that will be right up your street.

2. Another vote for Conies - doesnt come into the sun until mid afternoon from memory.

3. Lees Bottom is OK - but can be very fickle with conditions.

4. Theres all the stuff in blackwell dale that you can climb on  - that is right next to the road - but is classic. Beginners wall is a nice spot - and Man of Steel (and variations) there are good (I think - thats the 7A+ & 7B?)

5. Tor: Always feel a bit meh about the Tor. Enjoyed Weedkiller Traverse though...

6. Finally. CragX. Think this would be a great one for you... Jericho Road mainly vert/slightly overhanging with a few droppable moves - I can see Pink Indians being up your street too.. If you need to know how to get there etc... drop me a message.

[moose]

Cheers Tom  - Blackwell Dale is high on the list.  I've done a fair bit of the easier stuff at the Torr years ago - Weedkiller Traverse, Basher's, Too Hard for Mark Leach, the 7A+ version Rattle & Hump start.  Conies does sound good.. although the access does sound like a bit of a farrago - hopefully all the advice about when to leave the path and which fences to cross and where makes more sense when you get there.

[Wellsy]

I couldn't even fucking pull on A Bigger Splash Direct lol. I mean I did, held the position for a second, and then get off. Jokes. I am a hyper-punter though.

[sdm]

Lees Bottom and Conies are now on the list for a look.  I have a guide for Lees Bottom from the esoteric bouldering companion site but no topos for Conies.  Is there an online  guide for Conies or it just a matter of piecing it together from UKC and videos? 

Do you have the BMC Peak Lime North guide? Conies is in there.

[CapitalistPunter]

Hi Moose,

Similar height climber recommendations follow :D

1. Rubicon. Its fine before about 11am - when the sun comes onto Kudos wall. Forget Kudos, get stuck into a bigger tail, and a bigger splash. A bigger splash direct is soft 7B. If its overcast try the start to Caviar 7B - I think that will be right up your street.

2. Another vote for Conies - doesnt come into the sun until mid afternoon from memory.

3. Lees Bottom is OK - but can be very fickle with conditions.

4. Theres all the stuff in blackwell dale that you can climb on  - that is right next to the road - but is classic. Beginners wall is a nice spot - and Man of Steel (and variations) there are good (I think - thats the 7A+ & 7B?)

5. Tor: Always feel a bit meh about the Tor. Enjoyed Weedkiller Traverse though...

6. Finally. CragX. Think this would be a great one for you... Jericho Road mainly vert/slightly overhanging with a few droppable moves - I can see Pink Indians being up your street too.. If you need to know how to get there etc... drop me a message.

Went to Lees the other day and it was all in good nick, very sheltered too.

I though A Bigger Splash was piss for 7B, one of those that's hard to grade I guess

[moose]

Do you have the BMC Peak Lime North guide? Conies is in there.

Afraid not - my Peak lime knowledge is limited to an ancient copy of Rockfax Northern Limestone and whatever is in the bouldering guides.

[Wellsy]

Hi Moose,

Similar height climber recommendations follow :D

1. Rubicon. Its fine before about 11am - when the sun comes onto Kudos wall. Forget Kudos, get stuck into a bigger tail, and a bigger splash. A bigger splash direct is soft 7B. If its overcast try the start to Caviar 7B - I think that will be right up your street.

2. Another vote for Conies - doesnt come into the sun until mid afternoon from memory.

3. Lees Bottom is OK - but can be very fickle with conditions.

4. Theres all the stuff in blackwell dale that you can climb on  - that is right next to the road - but is classic. Beginners wall is a nice spot - and Man of Steel (and variations) there are good (I think - thats the 7A+ & 7B?)

5. Tor: Always feel a bit meh about the Tor. Enjoyed Weedkiller Traverse though...

6. Finally. CragX. Think this would be a great one for you... Jericho Road mainly vert/slightly overhanging with a few droppable moves - I can see Pink Indians being up your street too.. If you need to know how to get there etc... drop me a message.

Went to Lees the other day and it was all in good nick, very sheltered too.

I though A Bigger Splash was piss for 7B, one of those that's hard to grade I guess

You're a hatefully strong lad is what you are.

In all seriousness I think its a bit gated and probably if you are not weak as I am it feels fine.

[moose]

The main thing that puts me off A Bigger Splash is the height - the videos make the finish look really high!  My bones do not react well to big drops these days. 

Wellsy, I suspect I will be spanked by all these problems. I briefly tried a few of them years ago, when I was younger and stronger.  I was unsuccessful then and  I am definitely not in peak condition at the moment!  I am currently in a "scrawny skeleton" phase - comparatively good at hanging crap crimps, but lack the beef to move between them (unless there is a cunning heel etc).

[CapitalistPunter]

The main thing that puts me off A Bigger Splash is the height - the videos make the finish look really high!  My bones do not react well to big drops these days. 

Wellsy, I suspect I will be spanked by all these problems. I briefly tried a few of them years ago, when I was younger and stronger.  I was unsuccessful then and  I am definitely not in peak condition at the moment!  I am currently in a "scrawny skeleton" phase - comparatively good at hanging crap crimps, but lack the beef to move between them (unless there is a cunning heel etc).

A Bigger Splash Direct is pretty low, just pulls on head height leads into a single slap to a good hold.

[Bonjoy]

Most of the obvious recommendations on the limes have already been made. I'd just add that Twisting in the Wind 7A+ at Windy Knoll Cave is brilliant and a perfect compliment to Sheep Shifter, being about 1 mile up the road and having an equally short walk in. It's on cracks, slopers and undercuts.
The P is a good option for vert crimpy mileage.
I'm not a big fan of Rubicon bouldering, but agree on the recommendation of the Caviar start. One of the best 7Bs on lime. It climbs like the crux of a hard route on Malham Upper Tier.
Howshaw is the best bet on grit, if you don't mind a long walk in (it is beautiful up there). Lowrider at Stanage North is also a good summer grit option, but it's definitely not vert crimping, though there are several very nice vert crimpy highballs nearby.

[spidermonkey09]

Off topic, but you sport climbing these days Moose or have you become a fulltime boulderer?

[moose]

Off topic, but you sport climbing these days Moose or have you become a fulltime boulderer?

I haven't done any sport climbing since before Covid.  I keep meaning to start up again (if only to get my money's worth out of all the gear I have) but keep delaying as I have got used to the lack of hassle of not having to arrange partners etc.  Pathetically, I am also afraid of just how bad I will be after such a long hiatus - I used to go from 8a+ish form to around 7b over every winter - I dread to think what 2-3 years will have done! 

I do miss the scene at Malham and Kilnsey though, and the security of knowing you have near-weather-proof climbing to look forward to every weekend (having to obsess about rainfall radars is a bit of bouldering faff I could do without).  I guess what I really need is a sport project to get excited for, but there are slim pickings for routes that are realistically achievable, not shit, and not already done.  Main Overhang at Malham is unfinished business, and I've not done Free and Easy (long since given up on Predator) - unfortunately Malham is a fickle suntrap and I cannot think of many candidates at Kilnsey.

[Paul B]

Something tells me that spending your time bouldering isn't perhaps the death knell you expect in terms of your sport climbing performance 

[moose]

Something tells me that spending your time bouldering isn't perhaps the death knell you expect in terms of your sport climbing performance 

True. I suspect my basic physiology - long, pretty light, complete lack of fast twitch muscle - means my baseline route ability (particularly for intermittent / endurance stuff) isn't much below what it fell to every winter anyway.  My routine for most of the past decade was to start route climbing every Spring at Malham - fucked after six moves, unable to climb Consenting, Bambi on ice footwork - three months later - RPing at 8a+ish, suffering from the climbing equivalent of "battle fatigue" and wanting the season to end!

Btw, I'm in the Peak from Friday 10th (tomorrow) until Friday 17th (Airbnb in Nether Edge).  If anyone fancies extra pads, admittedly inexperienced spotting, but incredible brush-on-a-stick range during that time, feel free to contact me for a hook-up.  Anywhere with bearable conditions and a low 7 or two I haven't already done would be okay by me.

[Droyd]

Twisting in the Wind 7A+ at Windy Knoll Cave is brilliant and a perfect compliment to Sheep Shifter, being about 1 mile up the road and having an equally short walk in. It's on cracks, slopers and undercuts.

I went and did this yesterday evening and had a great time - lovely place, negligible walk-in, fun, gymnastic climbing, and it even tops out. Lovely and cool in the cave so it'd be a decent bet for the next couple of days. I had three pads and was still glad of a spotter for the last bit (as well as a tarp for some animal - it's a limestone cave after all).

Is there a reason it's not on UKC beyond not having got round to it? I was considering adding the crag.

[SamT]

Not sure, but perhaps possible access issues surrounding the large rock fall (lip of the roof) and also very important SSSI (geological features and acheolocial finds).

[Bonjoy]

This is true, but I think I just never got round to adding it is the main reason. To be fair there's a lot of probs I've not put on UKC.
I saw the cave before and after the rockfall and I felt 100% safe climbing on the bit where TitW goes. There's certainly bits of the Cornice that scare me a lot more. Isn't the rare geological feature in the quarry above? I'd read it's a deposit of a gelatinous tar like rock called elaterite  only found here and somewhere in Australia.

[SamT]

Drifting off topic here but re the Tar - yes that rings a  bell. I think there's a theory that its those tarry deposits found around that hill side that may have caused the blue bandings in Blue John. 

[Droyd]

Seems like it's the elaterite that's behind the geological SSSI designation (which is a band at the top of the quarried wall just next to the cave - looked like mud to us!), although some bones were also found in the cave. I've stuck it on UKC on the basis that it's brilliant both in terms of the climbing and how cool it is in hot weather, but happy to hand over mod status or change any FA details if I've got anything wrong: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/windy_knoll_cave-29963/

[Bonjoy]

Cheers. I've added the two variant starts.