[Houdini]

Ah . . .  Yes I did school somewhere in Derbyshire (well, a bit, but that was 30 years ago and I've long forgotten the name).

No, I'm nothing to do w/ redeveloping Welsh slate.

Sorry, nothing much to add to the thread, just a bit nostalgic for a nice area really . . .

[belperpete]

Yeah, coming from Lincolnshire, where I grew up, to Derbyshire and discovering climbing a long time ago, I was quickly hooked.
Nice to hear from you - thanks for the support and enjoy your climbing wherever that may be!

[belperpete]

UPDATE INFO: The awesome recent weather has really got the crags down here into shape and there's not many problems to report.
Few of us been on Long Tor today and it was brilliant. Perfect temperature, given the hot weather. The recently re-bolted Future Primitive had a clean-up and was repeated by Jon Clark and (nearly) by Mark Richardson. Seriously, this is an excellent route - at a not straightforward 7b (possibly+) a real classic of the grade! Not long but eye-balls out the whole way - difficult to on-sight unless you've got loads in reserve. Get on it and give me some feedback.
Did a load of ledge cleaning as well, to offer more pleasant and easy access to the right side. Looking a lot better already. All routes do-able now and a desperate project on the way with 3/4 other new routes in the offing, mostly shorter, but good warm-ups. In its maturity, there'll be a really good progression of grades from 6c to (eventually, all being well) 8b/c here. I'll put up a link to some pictures soon, to give you the feel of the place.

[Mark Lloyd]

Hi Pete, It was House Of Commons Crag that I did a lot of gardening at, not Lorry Park that was next on the list but circumstances meant I didn't get round to it, although after a bit of wandering I did locate some ab points.
I did visit last week what a mess at the bottom by the containers, I did park at the far end of the dcc car park past the garage your out of site of any buildings their plus shorter walk in.
If your prepared to put the work and money in Pete then go for it regards regearing, I just have some inherent dislike about seeing E2 cracks with bomber placements bolted up, but your right about them being dirty and unclimable at the moment. If you want to take over the crag database role also thats fine with me.
I've just moved house to Rowsley so you probably haven't got my number but carry on the good work, i'll be able to keep an eye on you from my office window at County Hall, wishing I was fit enough to do the routes.
Been doing more cycling than climbing recently have the Fred Whiiton in the lakes this sunday.

[belperpete]

Cheers for the feedback Mark. I think I got the idea you'd put the time in at Lorry Park from a misinterpretation of something Ian M said. Yeah I've been in not long ago and was appalled at the mess. Not sure what's going on with the containers. They used to be full of motorbike parts didn't they? I'll have a look at your access method, thanks. The place isn't top of my priority list, but I do intend to get it sorted as and when. At the moment we're working on Newbridge buttress down the road, as that will more easily provide 6/7 worthwhile, more or less clean and seepage free middle grade (apart from Malcolm Taylor's 7b+ ish) routes. It'll make for a good day on its' own!
I do know a bit about the Fred Whitton, having been into cycling myself for a while, when I got too knackered up to run marathons any more (2 hrs: 34mins At Nottingham being my best) although I never did it. It might not be climbing specific fitness, but if your fit enough to survive that then your doing OK. Don't stray from the fold for too long. I'll keep you updated and yes would be glad to look after the moderation for Lorry Park.
Good luck the w/e. Pete

[dpb]

Help me out with Future Primitive. Is the the thing further up the bank from the main the wall?  If so where is Scum Manifesto?  Looking forward to checking this out.

Got on Wil E today.  Very very good route if a little painful on the fingers.  Jon, agree with you that its no easier than High Torquing.

[JC]

Yeah future primitive is up the ledges, a few metres to the right of pistol fingers. Its pretty good, and quite sustained.

Glad you like Wil E. Coyote, i love the pockets on the lower wall & the mono undercut - ouch! The upper wall is tricky as well, and quite pumpy isn't it? I take it you didn't send it then? You'll soon have done everything at High Tor, i'll have to get you on Limelight soon. 

[belperpete]

Hi Dave.
Are you still interested in having a go at equipping? The stuff we're doing on Newbridge Buttress (only got Malcolm's route done so far) would be ideal for training/practice as you could ab down alongside to see how it's done. You could then have a go, straight, away at bolting the next route yourself and even test your newly learned skills by climbing the route afterwards. If you took a Desmond (Decker) 'cos of bolt failure, it'd mean you'd done it wrong and have to start again!    Thru bolting's pretty straightforward and should be the first thing to learn before resin bolting. Because this crag stays pretty dry, we're just using 10mm, non-stainless. Anyway, let me know and we'll arrange a get together.

You can't miss Future Primitive 'cos it's the last route on that section of crag. As I've said, we're looking at a line between Pistol Fingers and that, as well as 2 perhaps 3 others further right, but before the corner. Quite small (3 bolts to lower off?) but good climbing for warm-ups. Probably easier grades but typical of the climbing there, so you can get into the groove.

Incidentally, thinking of soon bolting up Jade (7a), an old (Paul?) Mitchell route with fixed gear in it mostly. With a start up Rinsemeal to get into the groove line, it would give another excellent sport route and give another easier route for us mere mortals to get on.

Also going to replace the old pegs on Tatanka Yotanka (7a) with bolts in sensible places to finish this section of the crag completely. So, NO trad gear needed (for just one route, Jade, on a sport crag, why bother?) and ALL the old pegs replaced for safety! Just the tree 'trimming' and ledge clearance to finish and the place will look (more than) 20 years younger - wish I was!

Pete

[dpb]

I dogged my way up it the sun, took a while to work out how to get to, and go past, the mono undercut.  Great climbing!  I cleaned it on the way down but then top roped in one go from Roadrunner to M1.  Red point atempt to follow soon.

Im up for learning to bolt and helping re-equip.  Off to Yorks next weekend but have a week on Tues off.  Jon, are you still up for something then?

[JC]

Yeah i am, drop me a txt or something if i don't see you before.

[belperpete]

  Hard new route at Long Tor quarry.
Jon got the redpoint today on the line to the right of Pistol Fingers at something like 7c+. Three tough, sequency sections and a hard finish.
No name for it yet, it really is an excellent route. But don't just take my word for it - come and do it. It'd be good to see somebody going for the repeat soon.
Bolted up the next line, to the right of Future Primitive and there's 2 more to come, on the right before the wall craps out.
The ongoing ledge cleaning is transforming the place rapidly and I'm gonna trim a few tree branches overhanging the crag to let more light in.
A photo topo in on the way and it'll boast 16 great routes just on that one section of wall - brilliant!

[Bonjoy]

Good work Jon! And at an affordable grade too. I was expecting it to be harder than PF. How is it for reachyness (have vague recollection of big move for a ledge)? Might have a do on it next week.

[belperpete]

Good work Jon! And at an affordable grade too. I was expecting it to be harder than PF. How is it for reachyness (have vague recollection of big move for a ledge)? Might have a do on it next week.

On Jon's behalf (he's at work), cheers Jon (shit, it's confusing - can one of you change your name?). Jon thought it might be as hard (...as Pistol Fingers), as it took just about as much working out.
However, the actual exeution of the moves on the red-point were slightly easier. So, it's the old technicality versus physicality conundrum - how to make realistic comparative grades. It's definitely more technical, but perhaps less physically demanding in the power/strength endurance area than PF. However, as I've said to Jon, don't forget he's at least 12 feet tall and has a reach that nearly matches Keenos. He graded it for his ascent and I suspect that some other would be ascentionists would either have to perform a number of feet off dynamic moves to small crimps or find different sequences for each section! Not sure which ledge you mean - the better hold in the middle zone is useful, but not a ledge, although it's not a big reach to get it and if you mean the final hold, yes there's a big gap to cross before you land it!
Incidentally and I hope you do get down here again (it'll be well worth your time) I won't give you beta, unless you ask, but you will probably want to extend  the second and third clips.
Hope that's been useful and we/me/Jon would be happy to join you if your on your own - just get in touch, we're not far away from Matlock.
Hey, Stu Littlefair was talking about a visit wasn't he. That'd be cool as well!

[belperpete]

 :bounce:Just an update on stuff at long Tor. If you do happen to go in you'll see the 3 lines right of Pistol Fingers bolted up now. The furthest right of the three, a crackline has been led (although we think it may well have been climbed before) at something like 6b/c. Short (4 bolts) but fairly continuous at the grade - a good climb in its' own right, but also an excellent warm-up route for harder stuff.
The line just right of Pistol Fingers is not far off, but a broken hold and split fingers caused a temporary setback. Essentially, the bottom part provides an easier entry to a hard 'boulder problem' finish. Not exactly a warp-up! The middle one  has yet to be cleaned, but looks very much like it should be a slightly easier Future Primitive.
Finally thanks to Lee (who called in for a look in on Sunday) for the offer of some help with the Long Tor 'make-over'. Send me some contact details, Lee and I'll get back to you.
Long Tor is bone dry now and with the work Bonjoy and co. did a while back and the work being done now (the improved access to the routes, which is coming on nicely, the tree pruning, extra routes and the quality steep face climbs to be had), as well as the developments on High Tor, the area boasts nearly 30 brilliant sport routes and can't be dismissed as a backwater of hard climbing - it's most definitely mainstream!

[Bonjoy]

Great stuff. I do hope LTQ gets lots of attention this year, it's a great crag with unique climbing, akin to steep slate. Plus it's allways out of the sun and dry in all but torrential rain.
 If the weather stays as it is Thor's Cave will be on the cards very soon, if it isn't already dry!

[belperpete]

Have you been in to Thors recently? I wondered what it would be like.

[Bonjoy]

Not this year. Was at nearby Doveholes in Dovedale yesterday, the innards of that cave looked pretty dry so I'd guess Thor's was too. I'd imagine Thormen's would still have some wet pockets but everything else would be just about dry.

[Neil F]

If you do happen to go in you'll see the 3 lines right of Pistol Fingers bolted up now.

The line just right of Pistol Fingers is not far off, but a broken hold and split fingers caused a temporary setback

Pete - did you mean Future Primative - rather than Pistol Fingers - in the above sentences?

I think we need a topo to clear up any confusion....!

Neil

[belperpete]

  yeah, sorry Neil - the one to the right of Pistol Fingers is Jon's completed new route, which he's named Exit Wound (I think). The one I was referring to is the next one along from Future Primitive. That and two other uncompleted lines to the right, when they are done (which will be soon) will see a great collection of 16 quality routes on the wall.
I've got a phototopo nearing completion and, by the way, Gary's offered to put details on his www.sportsclimbs.co.uk site soon.

[205Chris]

Looks like Gary's updated his site, here you go:

http://www.sportsclimbs.co.uk/mainpages/peak/Long%20Tor%20Quarry%20Topo.htm

[JC]

Cool its come out pretty well. Should help people who haven't been before because it can be quite confusing. 

[north_country_boy]

Great Topo to LTQ, well psyched to get there next week sometime, will be sure to post feedback.... good work guys 

[belperpete]

Great Topo to LTQ, well psyched to get there next week sometime, will be sure to post feedback.... good work guys 

Hey, cheers dude - thanks for that. This is no bullshit - it's a great place for anybody wanting quality hard middle to upper grade zone crimpy climbing, with several easier, but tasty morsels thrown in for good measure. Called in this evening (after work) to do a bit more ledge digging at the top end and it's really paying off. I'm happy to put the time in, but it would be nice to see people making good use of the place.
Reccomend warm up on Orcadian..., followed by Sac du Sable (slightly easier technically but...), then Future Primitive for starters. None of these pushovers for the grade to onsight and, in all, a days climbing for a lot of people! Don't forget Tatanka..., which is a juggy stamina-fest (as well as the other 'morsels' at less than 7b) and then go for bigger stuff. The Boltest is one of the best routes you'll find at the grade anywhere and, above that - Ruby.., Pistol.., Mosey on Down the old Crow Road. Exit Wounds could prove very tough indeed and hasn't had a repeat yet!
Bear in mind Jade not actually been retro-ed yet, as Jon and I are trying to remove the overhanging block from the top of the groove first.
Get some mates down there with you, spread the word and don't forget the incredible sport routes on High Tor. I'm sworn to secrecy re a brilliant new and long 6c+ sport route up there, so can't say any more!
By the way, have you been into Masson Lees yet. It's being gradually re-equipped with glue-ins and bosts a stack of middle to harder grade routes, which are in great condition now. Great place for stamina sessions for upper grade climbers, the record being 15 in a session (on the Black/Overhanging walls) at present.
Message to self - Shut up Pete!!

[belperpete]

 :please:Bonjoy, how about updating the UKC route database for Long Tor?

[belperpete]

Update - went in early this morning and managed to get big overhanging block off the top off Jade. Best trundle I've had in a long time - BANG!!!
Jade to be bolted and re-climbed asap - it's now 2 metres longer. As an added bonus, Bonjoys' Pistol Fingers looks better now, as it's got
extra space to the left of it at the top and looks much more open. Keep you posted.