[moose]

Finally bagged the Top Cat Traverse at Almscliff today.   After dropping the low slopey finish a few times I thought my time had gone, but black coffee and an apple did their magic.  Having spent Saturday at a work meeting in Birmingham probably helped too - added motivation for making the best of the day.  Probably more relieved than pleased though... those holds are painful.  Still, a reassuring day's work for a weak wage-slave with a dodgy elbow.  Justifying a cake from the farmshop and a few dips into my case of obscure foreign beers.   

[rginns]

  good work Moosy!

[Pantontino]

Finally bagged the Top Cat Traverse at Almscliff today.   After dropping the low slopey finish a few times I thought my time had gone, but black coffee and an apple did their magic.  Having spent Saturday at a work meeting in Birmingham probably helped too - added motivation for making the best of the day.  Probably more relieved than pleased though... those holds are painful.  Still, a reassuring day's work for a weak wage-slave with a dodgy elbow.  Justifying a cake from the farmshop and a few dips into my case of obscure foreign beers.   

Nice work Moose - I too dropped the slopey finish a few times before I did it, although easier than the pocket section, its definitely the red point crux.

[dave]

Finally bagged the Top Cat Traverse at Almscliff today.   After dropping the low slopey finish a few times I thought my time had gone, but black coffee and an apple did their magic.  Having spent Saturday at a work meeting in Birmingham probably helped too - added motivation for making the best of the day.  Probably more relieved than pleased though... those holds are painful.  Still, a reassuring day's work for a weak wage-slave with a dodgy elbow.  Justifying a cake from the farmshop and a few dips into my case of obscure foreign beers.   

must have been nippy up there in the wind without a down jacket..........you see where this is going.

[Bonjoy]

Completed my south peak limetone proj on Saturday – The Great Tribulation E6 6b *** 
Very steep and unique for the Peak as far as I can think. Nice open setting and shady all day. Stays dry even in heavy rain. The climbing is solid 7c in standard and the gear is pretty good with some insitu stuff (old pegs left in and two swapped for new ones, plus a couple of threads) and decent runners where you need them. The bottom involves steep 3D climbing up blocky overhangs, the middle is steep but steady, the top is a brilliant super steep finger crack to some glory jugs. Very ground-uppable, though would be a very tough onsight. Keepads useful.

[dave]

Very steep and unique for the Peak

You should make things out of clay, and lay by the bay.

[T_B]

nice one - looks good, so where is it like?

[Bonjoy]

Oh yeah, I guess that might be useful info. It’s at Hipley Hill SK 211546  (not in any guides since the old BMC Southern Limestone guide from the 80s). It’s on the Grangemill – Ashbourne road 300m south of a turn off for Brassington (look out for signs for Spencer Bros just before turn off). Limited parking 150m up this turn off by gate on the right. Crag is visible on the east side of the road. No access probs according to the old guide, but things might have changed. The hill above is an SSSI with lots of rare meadow plants (Jabob’s Ladder, Angulate Solomon’s Seal, Herb Paris), partly for this reason and partly due to looseness I placed a lower-off to avoid the need to topout.

[tlr]

Good effort. I've often looked at that hanging crack as I cycled past and wondered if anything went up it.

Very pleasant location.

[SteveM]

YYFY! I just got a job offer, substantially more wad in the pocket that means the end of  working for the local government-esque fuckwits here! On the downside I won't be able to commute on my bike because it's in Knaresborough (home is Sheffield) but we can make the longer commute work by renting a room up there and it's not like there's a paucity of rock in that corner of the world. Hell I could still commute on my bike from local doss room to the office if I can work that out.

YYFY!

 

[tomtom]

YYFY! I just got a job offer, substantially more wad in the pocket that means the end of  working for the local government-esque fuckwits here! On the downside I won't be able to commute on my bike because it's in Knaresborough (home is Sheffield) but we can make the longer commute work by renting a room up there and it's not like there's a paucity of rock in that corner of the world. Hell I could still commute on my bike from local doss room to the office if I can work that out.

YYFY!

 

Nice one Steve - was that the job you went for ages ago up there? Shame the evenings are starting to draw in, would be good to meet up @ the cliff again sometime..
T

[SteveM]

Nice one Steve - was that the job you went for ages ago up there? Shame the evenings are starting to draw in, would be good to meet up @ the cliff again sometime..
T

Yep, one and the same. I called them up again and the conversation started with "You know that job offer I declined last year, and how you said to call if anything changed. Well..."

I shall definitely be up for some cliff action. Bring a lantern, I've still got that big gas fired one for just this sort of thing! And Wetherby's literally on my commute too...

 

[tomtom]

Nice one Steve - was that the job you went for ages ago up there? Shame the evenings are starting to draw in, would be good to meet up @ the cliff again sometime..
T

Yep, one and the same. I called them up again and the conversation started with "You know that job offer I declined last year, and how you said to call if anything changed. Well..."

I shall definitely be up for some cliff action. Bring a lantern, I've still got that big gas fired one for just this sort of thing! And Wetherby's literally on my commute too...

 

[Krank]

My first YYFY and its a double. I got Leather Joy Boys at Newstones done yesterday and Monologue on Ramshaw got crushed this evening on my first try of the session .
Anyone done Monologue? seemed a bit soft for 7c maybe 7b/+. I hadnt climbed harder than 7a+ before yesterday, so i cant really judge.

Anyway YYFY!!!

[shark]

Completed my south peak limetone proj on Saturday – The Great Tribulation E6 6b *** 

Top marks for doing it without bolts. What is the finish like ? - I remember it looking like it would have a grovelly  grassy topout. I thought if I ever did it I would call it the 'Hipley Hill Billy' !

[Bonjoy]

I had a go at cleaning the topout on abseil, but soon gave it up as a bad job and put in a  lower off instead. As well as being grim, topping out lands you on an SSSI and stops the route being climabable in the rain, which it otherwise is. The lower-off also makes stripping the route less of a pain.
Do you know any more of the history of this line Simon? As well as all the old pegs and threads it has about 4 old bolt sleeves in the lower half. I know Malc Taylor and Martin Roome tried it and I think they put the pegs/threads in, but I’ve no idea about the bolts. There was also some wooden wedges in the roof to the right, I guess from the aiding days.

[Johnny Brown]

Anyone done Monologue? seemed a bit soft for 7c maybe 7b/+.

How tall are you? Remember it being a bit morpho...

[shark]

Yes the lower-off makes sense. It used to be an aid route. I turned up with Seb one day to have a go - I think we had been drinking as it was a wet day and there were some bolts  in (put in by Malc or one of his mates I think) which was something of a visual abhorence then (The times, the manners..) to me at least. So I took them out and rubbed mud into them to disguise the sleeves even. Apparently the mud ruined the internal thread of the bolt sleeves so Malc couldnt put new hangers back on he later told Seb. It was too hard for me at the time we went, but its been in the back of my mind to do it for 20 years as there are few opportunities for good hard well protected trad lime routes like this. Really glad you chose to do it this way.  Kick up the backside as well for another route in a similarish vein too...

[slackline]

Good work on the new route Bonjoy.

Congrats on the new job Steve.

[Krank]

How tall are you? Remember it being a bit morpho...

Average height, maybe 5'10/11. Felt very stretched at the top, couldnt keep my heel hook on when i was doing the last few moves. How did you find it?

[Johnny Brown]

I get to the stretched bit and can't reach the top. Must try harder...

[Bonjoy]

Yes the lower-off makes sense. It used to be an aid route. I turned up with Seb one day to have a go - I think we had been drinking as it was a wet day and there were some bolts  in (put in by Malc or one of his mates I think) which was something of a visual abhorence then (The times, the manners..) to me at least. So I took them out and rubbed mud into them to disguise the sleeves even. Apparently the mud ruined the internal thread of the bolt sleeves so Malc couldnt put new hangers back on he later told Seb. It was too hard for me at the time we went, but its been in the back of my mind to do it for 20 years as there are few opportunities for good hard well protected trad lime routes like this. Really glad you chose to do it this way.  Kick up the backside as well for another route in a similarish vein too...

Cheers, it’s good to know some more of the line's (chequered) history. Sounds like you did me a favour putting mud in those bolt sleeves, otherwise it might already have been climbed! I’m reminded of another similar possibility too, I wonder if we’re thinking about the same line?

[TobyD]

Completed my south peak limetone proj on Saturday – The Great Tribulation E6 6b *** 

Nice one dude. I'd be really excited about getting in there for the second ascent if i could do much more than type right now (blubblub, whinge whinge )
Looks like a really good route. Too good for a fruit / sparrow / cheeseboard related moniker? Or not good enough?

[Bonjoy]

Yeah, damn shame your out of action for the second ascent. They say how long before you're fixed?
I think the plum/pippet/port salut theme might be making a resurgence this winter.

[TobyD]

Yeah, damn shame your out of action for the second ascent. They say how long before you're fixed?
I think the plum/pippet/port salut theme might be making a resurgence this winter.

Doc said today i could climb again in 3 weeks. I reckon i'll be on easy stuff before that though. I suspect shady trad limestone may be out by the time i'm back on savage F7c trad routes though...

I look forward to 'mi amigo the pecorino / papaya'.