[r-man]

other people might aspire to climb font 8a/8b or whateva but you only truly achieve in climbing if and when you climb a john welford fb7b+

Came across this whilst searching for info about other stuff. So I'm intigued, what are the Welford Classics? What problems would one need to have climbed to proclaim themselves a true Acolyte of Welfordism?

And have any of them ever been downgraded? 

[Johnny Brown]

7b+ is John's default grade. There was a period when every new problem he did was awarded it. A few turned out to be harder, but its probably fair to say none of them are 8a.

Once upon a time, Burbage north would be a good one, though some fat lummox has pulled the pebble off so its defo harder now.

[Bonjoy]

Some Welford probs I can think of (not necessarily 7b+):

Mother's Pride
Famous Grouse
Green Man
Velvet Crab
The Pig
The Rib
Fuji Heavy Industry (?)
RH side of Sole Power
New one near living in Oxford at Burb N
No Class
Ramair
Two newies at Ramshaw

[Nibile]

great white at curbar?

[dave]

greatwhite must be the deffinitive welford 7b+, in that people who've done loads of 7b+s can't touch it, and probably huffy will be the only person you know who'll have done it.

[Johnny Brown]

I find it pretty much the same grade as Ben's wall; ie 7c but not at the top of the grade (exactly what it gets in the guide, too). Obviously those who can lank ben's wall might think it harder.

Spartacus is another.

[dave]

i'm always amused by the notion of people "lanking" bens wall. I'm pretty sure if there was a genuine way of lanking it i'd have noticed it by now.

[Jim]

Nige has the best beta i've seen for ben's wall. Great white is definately easier for people with a long reach to gain the side pull static as opposed to us normal shaped people who have to jump to it. Most welford 7b+'s now get 7c i think

[james]

For bens wall beta, the only man to ask is Mr B.  I also think Great white is a similar grade to Bens, but obviously two very different problems

[AndiT]

Barry Sheen I think is his too at Gardoms South, and is very good. Probably 7b+

The Old Fogey Arete at Ramshaw is an amazing problem which he saw fit to give 7c, I reckon somewhat harder.

He's also added a few 7b+'s to Wrights rock in the Churnet too

[Bonjoy]

 Any idea where his prob at Wright's is?
 BS is reaching from a good undercut to a distant edge on a vertical wall and as such is more reach dependant in difficulty than just about any problem I can think of. I imagine 7b+ may well be right if you can comfortably make the span, otherwise....

[AndiT]

Jon, I fully agree about BS, oh well

Go to wrights rock, go to the 'other' buttress on the left with an obvious traverse on it. The sit start into the end of the trav up the obvious painful pockets to join the trav and then a bit of a rock up to finish. Doesn't top out as the rock is grim.

[Bonjoy]

 Cheers.
 You know if anyone has done the roof finger crack, described as unclimbed in the BMC guide?
 Wright's is dearly in need of an updated topo I reckon.

[BenF]

You know if anyone has done the roof finger crack, described as unclimbed in the BMC guide?

I have a suspicion that it was climbed by Jamie Cassidy a few years ago, on our first trip to the Churnet.  I may be wrong, but it does more than ring a bell.   

Wright's is dearly in need of an updated topo I reckon.

So it does.  I've thought about it and I'd like to think that I might get my shit together and have a go, but given my work levels at the moment, it's unlikely.  Then again.

[Bonjoy]

Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it....etc

[AndiT]

I've been toying with this idea for a few years now. It'd have to include routes though, as this is where it's at in the churnet. If enough people are interested, I'll do it...

I may live to regret this though.

Andi

[BenF]

So that's decided then?  Andi's going to do a topo yeah? 

[Bonjoy]

 

[AndiT]

I can. Give me your knowledge so I don't miss anything. Oh, and to bring things back to topic, all of Welford's churnet probs are 7b+, right!

[Bonjoy]

Don't know much myself, but these topics contain some knowledge.

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,5959.0.html

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4074.0.html

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4928.0.html

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,3663.0.html

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4309.0.html

[AndiT]

Cheers.

It appears however that very few have dared go beyond Wrights Rock and none out of the sanctity of Dimmingsdale, I have a whole world of treats beyond to offer out though.

[Bonjoy]

Will have to pester you for a guided tour sometime this autumn.

[AndiT]

Abso-bleeding-lootly.

We could have rocktalk-style crag picnic, but with loads of beer and fires and shouting and stuff.

[rainbow]

  Go to wrights rock, go to the 'other' buttress on the left with an obvious traverse on it. The sit start into the end of the trav up the obvious painful pockets to join the trav and then a bit of a rock up to finish. Doesn't top out as the rock is grim.

Hi Andi, Its Stuart,  Bumped into you a few times in churnet earlier in the year. The problem you mentioned above is one of my old ones from 2001 called "Out there and Back" the original method was to rock for the top from the break without use of the twin pockets out left. Not yet sent the traverse which is quite tasty. More new Wrights newness is Rocket Ride F6c/7a ish. Is the wall on the niche traverse, on the buttress immediately to the left of main crag. Taken directly with use of pepples and diagonal crimp up to the lovely juggy rail. 2nd 3rd ascents went to some strong sheffield types so strong pulled part of the rail off! Done lots of other stuff other side of valley which needs repeating. A guided tour by yourself for all things esoteric sometime this autumn would be a good idea.

Congrats on doing The Pride on lion rock, V Impressive

[AndiT]

Nice. Yeah, did that niche problem last time we went up, noticed the rock scar! A good problem, shame it doesn't appear to be able to go any further

I've done the traverse to the twin pockets and then up, were you planning on going further? I thought the sitter may have been done before...

There's a big lump of rock in Rakes Dale called Allens Rock which only has two routes on it, plenty to go at there then!!

I did Inaccessable a couple of weeks after The Pride, this is one of the best routes I've ever climbed, in fact so good I've done it twice. If anyone wants an absolutely awesome Nadin E5 to do, then this is the one!

Sure I'll see you up there soon enough, give you some more of that extreme spotting!

Andi