[Mirf]

Yes, I`ll try and get up there next week, thursday could be a good day, will check the weather. Dave has my number or email me robert@mirfin.fsnet.co.uk

[SA Chris]

Take a whole army of boulders to remove the tree.

Or one with a decent chainsaw. Would the estate do it for you?

[BenF]

Or one with a decent chainsaw. Would the estate do it for you?

They may do.  I was up there once and a bunch of people who claimed to be the owners of the land that Wrights lies in came steaming up the hill to tell us off for sleeping out at the crag.  We explained that the things we had were not exactly sleeping mattresses and they seemed reasonably friendly after that (albiet in a green wellies, RangeRover Vogue owner type of friendliness).  Actually come to think of it, once we had explained about bouldering pads, they simply asked us if we wanted to climb Everest (honestly), didn't listen to our (restrained) answer, went on in loud voices about how much land they owned and wandered off to shoot some animals (probably). 

[AndiT]

Not so much an oddity as a cracking line, but yesterday Nic Sellars added another fine route to Wright's Rock by climbing Simple Simon and continuing all the way to the top of the crag to join the Leading Fireman. Awesome.. He even asked if 'trees' were 'in' when topping out, you could tell it was his first time in Dimmingsdale! He didn't venture a grade but a 6c boulder problem into a bit of '5c-ish wall' finishing up an E2, with first gear at around 25 foot. He did say it felt easier than 'All Day and All of the Night (E5 6b) which he did about twenty minutes later, so if nothing else we can guess where it'll go in the graded list.

[etjoset]

Hi Andi. I'm not certain of this but I have a suspicion that Andy Brown might have topped out up Leading Fireman when he first did Simple Simon back in '92. I remember him mentioning something about this while we at the crag on a subsequent visit (in about 1994) but my memory is a bit hazy these days. Alternatively, he could have been talking about a repeat of the full version of Fingers in Every Pie. I'll ask him when I see him. Anyway, good effort by Nic and I doubt that either this or All Day and All of the Night will see many ascents in an average year.

[AndiT]

Hi. Either way would be interesting to know. As far as I was aware Fingers in Every Pie had not had a repeat, but it certainly doesn't mean it hasn't. I've never fathomed the move past the peg, which seems far and away the crux of the route which has always planted seeds in my mind (and others) that 'Alternative Three' is a strange claim as it shares the crux but not the grade... Anyway, if no-one else, I would certainly love to know what Andy has to say about it all and it will be of great use in compiling subsequent 'Churnet Histories'.... I suppose the fact that it was Leading Fireman Direct before it was Simple Simon may suggest it was done as a route, but the fact that it only appeared as a problem in the guide may also suggest the counter. Please let me know.

Many thanks,

Andi.

[etjoset]

On the day that Simple Simon was done I recall that another member of the team, local climber Kelvin Grice from Cheadle, spent the entire day falling off Alternative Three and the concenus at the time was that the old grade of E4 6a was somewhat harsh and that it was probably at least as hard as Fingers. It's a nice looking line but I've always shyed away from trying it because of this.

[etjoset]

I spoke to Andy Brown tonight and he confirms that he led Simple Simon on the first ascent back in 1992 and that he continued to join and finish up The Leading Fireman. The original grade was reckoned to be about E4. He also repeated the route version of Fingers in Every Pie about this time - a ground-up ascent, though with a fall going past the peg on the first attempt, followed by a clean ascent shortly afterwards. He also mentioned that he'd cleanly top-roped but not led Alternative Three and reckoned that this was harder than Fingers. Simple Simon was so-named in part because of its proximity to Fingers (Simple Simon met a pieman...) and in part because Fingers was a Simon Nadin route.

[AndiT]

Brilliant, cheers for that. Another Churnet chapter draws to close.

[rainbow]

I spoke to Andy Brown tonight He also repeated the route version of Fingers in Every Pie about this time - a ground-up ascent, though with a fall going past the peg on the first attempt, followed by a clean ascent shortly afterwards. He also mentioned that he'd cleanly top-roped but not led Alternative Three and reckoned that this was harder than Fingers. Simple Simon was so-named in part because of its proximity to Fingers (Simple Simon met a pieman...) and in part because Fingers was a Simon Nadin route.

15 years ago, Impressive indeed. TR the moves from break to finish a few years ago. Pleased to say It may be easier for the short. (Sorry Turner) Plenty people are capable of doing this. Plenty of spotters and pads its just a matter of time.

[Mirf]

Wright`s topo Rar file  http://www.leopoldkroll.com/web/content/dnld/wright`s%20rock.rar

[mark]

Went to Wright's for the first time last weekend and was impressed. These topos will further encourage me to go back. Tremendous effort, Rob, those look fantastic.

[AndiT]

Can't seem to open that file.. The link doesn't work for me nor does selecting the whole thing, I get some message about rar files. Shame, would love to see what you've done.

[GCW]

Andi, try This

[Mirf]

It does work but because of the apostrophe in Wright`s it wont work if you click on it

Copy and paste it into your browser and and download the RAR file, I think it should open with windows XP or download WINRAR

If you have any problems email me at robert@mirfin.fsnet.co.uk

I was a bit reluctant to put it on here after hearing about the access problem at Eagle Tor, the churnet is still a bit of a backwater for climbing and a great place to get away from the crowds, so use the topo wisely and don`t all rush there at once and respect the place.

[AndiT]

Thanks for that, still can't get it, neither on my home or works computer, so I'll need to download the WINRAR thing.

Backing up what Rob has just said, Wright's Rock has no genuine access. Recently, the path which most of us approach by (when you cross the fence from the woods into the grassy field) has had it's 'definition' changed through the land registry because those in the house which has been undergoing renovations beneath Wright's for a few years don't want people to have the right to be able to walk past there house and so disturb them. This could be a 'thin end' and will be worth watching. Although we can still access this route, we no longer have the right and it can be removed. Please be careful and lets not hammer the place.

On a similar note, please try to clean the chalk off as best you can, the rain never gets to Wright's and I imagine if someone wanted to get arsey about climbers going there, this could be a good starting point the chalk is very obvious from the footpath. The 'L' and 'R' marks on the traverse a few months back were just stupid as was/is the drawing of an elephant on Gentlemans Rock which will be there for a long if it doesn't get washed off. Please take care and respect this places, access is as always a delicate issue.

[Mirf]

Hi Andi if you send me an email I`ll send you the topos in their raw format

I might take the link to the topos down and anyone who wants a copy can email me

I agree with you about the chalk, it all seemed to get worse about a year and a half ago, a jet spray and a generator would shift it.

[AndiT]

PM'd you dude 

[rainbow]

Rob emailed me a week or two ago with the topo's, he's done a brilliant job sorting out where all the lines go and developing most of the stuff to the left. I have to admit not really given a thought about the access. If we lost access to this I would be truly gutted. I've got some pics from 97/98 and theres only chalk on the traverse. On the plus this time of year most of the crag is screened by the trees so this should help. Anyway me and Rob have spent alot of time developing other stuff in the valley so next time you go instead of wandering up to Wrights take a walk on the wild side a go play on some new moves.

PS went up there yesterday eve with a mate a conditions was the worse I've ever seen, everything was soaked with condensation.

[PATRuL]

looks mint

[dave k]

I have emailed you Rob for your topo. Its an hour drive for me so I won`t be over too often.  Tends to be my "slightly less likely to rain venue." As opposed to my likely to rain venue" which is new mills torrs. Big shame it is always so chalked, but I guess thats a result of its steepness quality.

I did a low traverse of wrights that misses the stuck on flake (crux) of the existing traverse. Have done it as a full low traverse including what I think is the earlier mentioned low traverse. Anyone else done that? Quite technical for me.



 

 

[etjoset]

Not sure quite what you mean by "full low traverse" but going L-R and staying low beneath the hand holds of Wright's Traverse is Wrong's Traverse and is well worthwhile (easyish 7B?). I started this on the low holds below the start of Simple Simon and went all the way to the right end. Did you start it even further left and stay very low? Does this add anything and can you somehow avoid using the holds on Wright's?

[dave k]

No I did the same as you. Some nice moves to avoid the broken flake.

[AndiT]

What happens on the end of this? It all feels fine until about eight foot from the end where all holds disappear. I can't fathom it, certainly not at 7b, couldn't even do some moves, let alone link them. Seems to be an undercut right facing thin layaway, then a six fot span to a mono...

[Mirf]

It all goes below and without the hand holds on Wright's the last bit is done using bad hand holds but pretty good foot holds if I remember. I seem to remember getting a pinch by using a cluster of pebbles and maybe a mono?, It`s probably harder for tallies though.