[Stu Littlefair]

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

It's the 'coming up here' bit that I'm having trouble with. Nails. I can get the pinchy thing below the good thing but am specifically interested in where people put their feet for the move up to the first good hold. Any clues folks?

Also - Who really thinks this is 8a+ (apart from Rich "couldn't grade flour" Simpson). Can anyone name a harder 8a+ in this country? It's probably easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle. I certainly think it's easier to campus Powerhumps than tick this, for example.

Also - I think the top section is quite hard too.

Also - I think the top section is quite scary too.

Also - Good effort Keenus. God knows how you did it with that enormous wet patch at the start.

[nik at work]

Also - Good effort Keenus. God knows how you did it with that enormous wet patch at the start.

Now now Stu, tread carefully. This is how the rumour machine gets going:

"Keenus climbs route in rain wearing wellies with a birds nest in his hand once everyone else has gone home apart from his belayer who bent down to tie his shoelace for the entire duration of the half-hour ascent, no thumbs, yeah whatevah..."

As for how to climb limestone I have no idea, but I would suggest a penchant for masochistic unpleasantness would be a promising starting point...

[Ru]

I'm sorry, I thought it was 8a+, but then you knew that.

I'm sure I've told you this, but once you've got the pinchy thing below the good bit, your left foot should be on the arete to the left. Now pull and slap.

On a more helpful note, I think the Harris has some proper beta.

[Stu Littlefair]

Rupert you're sodding useless. There is a lot of arete there you know, and I kind of assumed from the excess of polished rubber marks that I should be looking around there somewhere. God! I don't know why I bother. You're worse than McClure, whose beta for Victor Hugo consisted of "I think I pulled on a small hold somewhere".

Worse still, Harris seems to be living in a parallel universe where the Limestone doesn't exist. It's all a bit twilight zone.

Finally - I'd like to distance myself from nik at works scurrilous accusations!

[Bonjoy]

 The Harris is indeed in a parallel universe called font. What is the world coming to?! Come on 'arris, leaves are bursting out on trees, Cuckoos are a-rising and the sap is calling it's lonesome refrain. You can't hold back the turning of the seasons forever. For all our sakes man, it must be time to call the lime.
 
 I saw James do Rev (Unc'obody was belaying). He gets the first LH pinch, steps LF onto polished arete smear, then gets a right heel toe thing in with arch of foot across top of arete.

[nik at work]

I'd like to distance myself from niks scurrilous accusations also. Largely because I wanted to use the word scurrilous (it's lovely).

Not as good as plinth or rumbunctious mind.

I'll be off now.

Ta-ra...

[Ru]

I saw James do Rev (Unc'obody was belaying). He gets the first LH pinch, steps LF onto polished arete smear, then gets a right heel toe thing in with arch of foot across top of arete.

That's what Andy does, I remember now. I know it involved a heel but couldn't picture it.

[Buoux 8C]

Tis a proper 8a+, comparable with Chouca and some of Gullichs old school Frankenjura routes. Agreed it would be new school 8B, but then what about Evoloution, Liquid Amber, Sea of tranquility, Hubble, Azincourt, La Rose, Action directe, Chouca, Wallstreet bla bla bla. Should we upgrade all those a few (million comparable to the new school grades) notches aswell?
I think not. Lets keep at least some history in Britain. Besides, whats wrong with a stiffy (take that as you might).

[Buoux 8C]

^{saw James do Rev (Unc'obody was belaying). He gets the first LH pinch, steps LF onto polished arete smear, then gets a right heel toe thing in with arch of foot across top of arete.}


For fooks sake. Fucking foot hook. Whats this country coming to. What happened to the tradional left foot on smear, left hand dipping in chalk bag before reaching directly through to the jug then going home for a well earnt piece of brocolli. How do you boys sleep at night.

I am appalled.

[Duma]

   :D :D :D
best post of the year.

[dave]

I saw James do Rev (Unc'obody was belaying). He gets the first LH pinch, steps LF onto polished arete smear, then gets a right heel toe thing in with arch of foot across top of arete.

That's what Andy does, I remember now. I know it involved a heel but couldn't picture it.

i got some photos of harris on this - i dunno if they'll glean any useful beta though. I believe it was a night when he said he was lapping it for training......i saw him do it once after a few goes....., not sure that counts as "lapping it" though.  :D

[Stu Littlefair]

For fooks sake. Fucking foot hook. Whats this country coming to. What happened to the tradional left foot on smear, left hand dipping in chalk bag before reaching directly through to the jug then going home for a well earnt piece of brocolli. How do you boys sleep at night.

Thanks Rich,

I'll try that sequence, sure it will help. And OK, you've talked me round. We can give it 8a+ if you like, although I'm not sure that picking the hardest routes at each grade in the world and then insisting that every route be as hard as that to qualify is a viable grading strategy.  There comes a time when there are simply too many "new school" grades around, and the original grades become the anomalies. Fuck it though - that time is not yet upon us. We should make a stand, and ensure that Raven Tor shall forever remain a bastion of proper grades! Do not go gentle into that dark night, my friends. Rally around the flag, and adjust your 8a.nu scorecards now! You have nothing to lose but your ranking! And let's downgrade Mecca to 8b (but only after Keith does it).

Sorry. Got a bit carried away there. 8a+ it is then 

[Johnny Brown]

What is the world coming to?! Come on 'arris, leaves are bursting out on trees, Cuckoos are a-rising and the sap is calling it's lonesome refrain. You can't hold back the turning of the seasons forever. For all our sakes man, it must be time to call the lime.

Too right! I fell off westside last night. If only 'Arris had called the lime no one would have seen. Alas... they did.

For fooks sake. Fucking foot hook. Whats this country coming to. What happened to the tradional left foot on smear, left hand dipping in chalk bag before reaching directly through to the jug then going home for a well earnt piece of brocolli. How do you boys sleep at night.

Amazing to see the accelerated career these youths are going through. Big numbers, controversy, secrecy, comebacks and now self-parody all within the first year. At this rate he'll be overweight, bitter and running a latchways firm within the year.

[Falling Down]

At this rate he'll be overweight, bitter and running a latchways firm within the year.

Yeah... I heard that he'd described Gaskins and Smith as 'a bit slappy'... 

[Ru]

Come on 'arris, leaves are bursting out on trees, Cuckoos are a-rising and the sap is calling it's lonesome refrain. You can't hold back the turning of the seasons forever. For all our sakes man, it must be time to call the lime.

Wow. Been a bit head down recently what with exams and stuff, but as the sun streams insistently through my window I would never have guessed that the lime had not been called. In the old days the job fell to Zippy and Keith (one of the historically rare occasions when the job is split), and perhaps, the job may one day fall to me, or some other keen lime watcher. But for now the job is Andy's. To a lay person, indeed anyone that has not actually held the job, it does indeed look like all the signs are in place for the calling. We can but hope and trust that Andy has good reason behind the delayed call. Patience all.

[Doylo]

Everyone thinks its 8b cept Ru and Rich. Font 7c into 7c/+. Magnetic at Malham is generally considered a proper 8b and thats a font 7c sequence into a French 7b!

[Ru]

Except that Magnetic is probably 8a+.

Especially if you compare it with, say....   Revelations.

[Control freak]

What is the world coming to?! Come on 'arris, leaves are bursting out on trees, Cuckoos are a-rising and the sap is calling it's lonesome refrain. You can't hold back the turning of the seasons forever. For all our sakes man, it must be time to call the lime.

Too right! I fell off westside last night. If only 'Arris had called the lime no one would have seen. Alas... they did

Oh dear, was is the worl coming to. That punter rating is gonna keep climbing if you continue to fall off things like that. You better hope the limestone season is nigh

[a dense loner]

this threads got it all

[Andy Harris]

As “the caller” of the Peak district limestone season (a bit like that Guy Giles on Buffy but without the sexy fighting chicks half his age) I have to weigh up many things rather than bow to the pressure of the masses. I can't disclose all of these as I will pass them down on my retirement to the next chosen one. I'm not sure exactly when this will be but it's likely to happen when I fall off the Powerband or become too weak to use the approved sequence.

What I can say is that conditions have improved dramatically of late, I've consulted the Make it Funky flake in my rockery and a little lump that fell of Pump Up the Power many years ago (incidentally making it easier) and my bones are telling me it's time to call it. And whilst it's not a determining point in my judgement I have to give substantial weight to the embarrassment of Johnny Brown falling of West Side. Nobody who has a problem that wired should have to undergo such a public humiliation.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here 1st, I'm calling the lime!!!!!

However, I have still got a few ticks left in me on the grit so you may have to wait a week or so for that crucial foot sequence or story of the good old days when font 7c+ was rock hard.

"Long live Moffatt"

[Fiend]

I would bloody well hope so given how warm it is out there!

P.S. LOL at it all.

[SA Chris]

I have to weigh up many things rather than bow to the pressure of the masses. I can't disclose all of these as I will pass them down on my retirement to the next chosen one.

Just curious, is this done in a Dalai Lama scouring the land fashion, or is it more like when they elect a new pope? Or a subtle blend of both.

[Bonjoy]

 Does anyone know what happen to the pocket at the start? The guide says something like the pocket was 'damaged' making the route harder (it was 8a when first done). I've always thought someone (who?) put sika in the back to stop the pocket seeping and in so doing made the pocket smaller, but I can't recall where I heard/read this. Had a look in my fairly comprehensive collection of guides and none gave any clue as to who, when or what happened. Anyone (Harris?) know the story?

[Ru]

I was under the impression 2 things had happened: 1: the edge of the pocket crumbled through blow torching, 2: the back was filled with sika to stop seepage, making the route go from 8a to 8a+ and 8a+ to proper 8a+ respectively.

[ned]

Just found this: http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,2088.msg22294.html#msg22294

John Hart has the original (not well publicised) lip of the Revalations pocket which bacame significantly harder. 1995 or so.