[harrison]

I need to climb some slabs and avoid pulling on hand holds so I'm in the market for some friction recommendations to get a bit psyched.

No grotty crimping or pebble pulling please, silky footwork only.

Appliance Friction at Stanton in the Woods is the ideal example, nothing to pull on, basically hard walking.

Location anywhere in the UK apart from maybe not further north than bowden doors. Unless its really good. I'm between London/Northumberland a lot so peak, yarkshire, and the county are all ideal, but wales, lake district etc all good.

Grade range ideally f3 - f7B (7B friction slab surely nails) and top quality.

Open to easy route recs as well!

I'll update original post to contain the list.

Thanks!

[Aussiegav]

Velvet Silence at Blackrocks. One of my all time favourite lines on grit.

Highballable with plenty of pads. Or protectable on a fixed line.

[Dingdong]

Ron slabs at stanage come to mind

[SA Chris]

If you are looking for easy routes Rylstone is the queen of Yorkshire slabs, starting from President's and working your way upwards. I have done Dental at least a half dozen times (only solo once wired!) and it never fails to please.

[Ross Barker]

The C3PO/Spring Slab boulder at the Roaches must be a contender for sure. Probably quite a few others in the Roaches/Ramshaw area too I'd imagine!

I don't think North Wales is blessed with many pure friction slabs, but the RAC boulders has a clutch of easy ones in a pleasant location. I think Willy Two Goes up in the Pass fits the bill but probably mega hard!

[Plattsy]

There's a big easy slab near alliance friction too. Hands optional.

Chicken ninja slab (Stanton Moor) has a handful of smearing problems. Though to get established on the slab might require a pull.

Square block at Robin Hood Stride. Scoop slab various and scoop slab traverse no pockets/ no hands.

Easy smeary slab next to square block.

Probably stuff over at Cratcliff top boulders if you willing to eliminate handholds.

[edshakey]

Big Slab, higgar tor

[Bonjoy]

Witchcraft 7A – Crag Z
Just Looking 6A – Stanton-in-the-Woods
The Cherub’s Bit 7A – Turningstone Edge
Beauty 6C – Stanage N
Tex Avery 6C+ - Baslow

[andy popp]

How Sure? at Howshaw
Force Nine, Ramshaw
Spring boulder, Roaches, as others have said.

[mrjonathanr]

In your position I'd arm myself with a top rope and set up camp at Froggatt. Benign Lives, Science Friction and Sunset Slab and Great Slab areas come to mind.

[stone]

If you reconsider your Northern boundary, Arran and Glen Etive are really good for pure friction slab routes.

[Fiend]

What a great topic 

In addition to what has already been mentioned (a few of which are steep and thin enough surely involve some serious ratting).

The Gallt Yr Ogof slab, 6-something, it really does look like a walk, 49 seconds in, proper teetery:


Elsewhere in Snowdonia, Frostbite 6C+, Ryan's Slab 6C+, Spiderpig 6C+, all brilliant but do involve some boning. Standing Loon Only 6C / 7A-and-a-bit is pure desperate smearing.

Depending on what hands you're resting, Mono Slab RH 6B is good and Mono Slab LH 6C is bloody great, at Stanton In.

Nihilistic Narl 6C+ with a tied down spotter at Stanage Plantation is as good as any grit slab with a stunning situation, start of this:


Paul's Peach Slabs 6B+ - 7A at Honley involve a few pebbles but as per grit it's also in the smears etc:


(Details here: https://fiendophobia.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-very-secret-slab.html )

Sunset Crack 6C/+ at Wharncliffe is ace, maybe too boney tho:

(I'd say Nihilistic Narl, Sunset Crack, Mono Slab LH, and Beauty are the holy quadrilogy of Peak Grit 6C/+ slabs)


Further North, the Garheugh Port slab has some beauties, especially Half-Life 6C/+ (a Varian find), again it has edges but look at the angle it's mostly feet:

(Details here: https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TKp7vQf3zUU/XH-q-xvsgCI/AAAAAAAACfU/jBIWFE0gS58un1JscLiaXOWjfej02bQPgCLcBGAs/s1600/gargheughtopo.jpg )


Crikey, yes, slabs...

[Dingdong]

Oh yeah, Acid Reign 6C at Rivelin too

[Ged]

Depending on your boldness/willingness to top rope, peak technique at back bowden 

[Will Hunt]

C3P0 springs to mind.
Depending on how tall you are, Andy Brown's Wall (left of Deliverance) is decent. There's a couple of pebbles that you hold gently for balance but you're not really pulling on them for upwards progress.

[Tom de Gay]

Miles’s Slab at Wimberry is pure friction and pure class.

[stone]

Johny Dawes handfree toproping at Roaches

[stone]

Rewatching that Johny Dawes video got me imagining him and Faz Apefoo forming a climbing partnership.

[andy popp]

I've done Obsession Fatale hands free (there may have been a knee or two at some point) and wouldn't be at all surprised if it's easier than Chalkstorm in that style.

[SamT]

Honarary Caley at the plantation would fit the bill too.

[Fiend]

I found HC a bit cranky, I remember cutting loose on it, although on a palmdown I think.

Top UK slab padding recs (no cranking pls) thread definitely needs more layback aretes and morpho jumps tho  .

[Ballsofcottonwool]

Spring Boulder at the Roaches as others have recommended
PDB at Burbage south
Scratch Scoop on the pock block at Burbage south, mostly padding with one hard pull on a left hand crimp, the more you pad the less you have to use the crimp.

[chrisbrooke]

Force Tart (7A+) at Plantation is fun and mostly about feet.
Scoop Eliminate (6A+) in the Burbage South boulders is really fun.
Smear Test (6A+) at Plantation has one committing slab move and is worth seeking out.
I would say Tombstone at Froggatt.... but that is definitely grotty crimping......

[SamT]

I found HC a bit cranky, I remember cutting loose on it, although on a palmdown I think.

are we thinking of the same problem  .

How do you cut loose on a palm down?

[Will Hunt]

Oh my goodness, how did I forget?!
The slab at Dalehead on the valley way up to Simon's Seat. Info on Unknown Stones.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/dbpage.php?id=319905

Grades on the block are a bit all over the place. I thought Sounds and Silences was the hardest at 6B+ and the 6B+ on the right was the easiest