[Idol eyes]

O'er! run the risk of being bannished from the Gritstone Treaty!!!
The traverses at that great big quarry in the lakes, just remembered, Trowbridge! red wall???
and (I know its not a Boulderproblem, but it is bouldery) start to the "Evil 7C+" at Chapel head scar!!! the really cool crimpy wall, would be about V6 if it was what I am saying it isn't.

[GCW]

Trowbarrow is great.
Favourites: 
Shallow Grave (on my list this year, but the first moves are good)
The problems on the shelterstone are good.
Fairy Steps has some good stuff too.
Woodwell ain't too bad either.
Peakwise, the daft dynos at Minus 10 are things I enjoy.

[SA Chris]

The problems on the shelterstone are good.

Granite shirley

[GCW]

Bit of a walk in.
Off topic, but I did a few lines on the Shelterstone boulders years ago.  Some very nice problems if you happen to be staying in the A'an basin.

[Kingy]

Bit of a walk in.
Off topic, but I did a few lines on the Shelterstone boulders years ago.  Some very nice problems if you happen to be staying in the A'an basin.

Aye they were nice those, even though I only had hiking boots with me. We mountain biked in from Aviemore all the way up Glen Avon and stayed in bothies for a week living off pasta, carried the bikes all the way up Ben Macdui, only to find that the descent was shite, really rocky and slow, one of the reasons I gave up MTB!! Isn't this rock granite though? Sorry to be a pedant!

[Paz]

Well it sounds like everyone's psyched.  Bring forth the Harris, I say we call the lime early this year. 

[KH]

Can't believe no one has mentioned Dinas Rock!  It's a toss up for me between Gentle Jess (SDS) or the Fat Cat Roof (the problem through the main roof of Kenelgarth Wall).

[SA Chris]

Bit of a walk in.
Off topic, but I did a few lines on the Shelterstone boulders years ago.  Some very nice problems if you happen to be staying in the A'an basin.

Aye they were nice those, even though I only had hiking boots with me. We mountain biked in from Aviemore all the way up Glen Avon and stayed in bothies for a week living off pasta, carried the bikes all the way up Ben Macdui, only to find that the descent was shite, really rocky and slow, one of the reasons I gave up MTB!! Isn't this rock granite though? Sorry to be a pedant!

I think GCW referred to a different shelterstone originally. I mentioned the Sottish one as a joke (well an attempt thereat). Sorry to mislead.
Shelterstone boulders do get a mention in the new bumper book though. I reckon you would be able to ski in to the boulders for a month or so still, unless there is a monster thaw.

[GCW]

1.  I said the problems on the Shelterstone (Trowbarrow) were good.
2.  Chris made a clever word play joke regarding a crag in the 'Gorms.
3.  I mentioned I'd bouldered in the latter area, and it was good.
4.  You correctly recognised there is little limestone in the 'Gorms.
5.  We all confused ourselves, and each other.

[Kingy]

I think GCW referred to a different shelterstone originally. I mentioned the Sottish one as a joke (well an attempt thereat). Sorry to mislead.
Shelterstone boulders do get a mention in the new bumper book though. I reckon you would be able to ski in to the boulders for a month or so still, unless there is a monster thaw.

Oh really there are 2 shelterstones? I appear to have completely missed the first reference as I only saw GCW's 2nd post, such are the perils of t'interweb! Anyway, yes the 2nd Shelterstone would be under about 10 foot of snow at the moment, although some good sport could be had ice/mixed climbing on the Shelterstone crag, if that's your bag, and you could bivi in relative comfort under the Shelterstone itself.

[Kingy]

Anyway, back on topic, Ben's Roof at the Tor is my new favourite problem on the lime, power endurance training in spades, a choice of excellent finishes, permanently dry, the full compliment of slopers, pinches, undercuts and pockets, a nice soft grade plus a pain factor that is through the roof (oh ignore the last part!) 

[Doylo]

Anyway, back on topic, Ben's Roof at the Tor is my new favourite problem on the lime, power endurance training in spades, a choice of excellent finishes, permanently dry, the full compliment of slopers, pinches, undercuts and pockets, a nice soft grade plus a pain factor that is through the roof (oh ignore the last part!) 

cool movement but a bit nasty!

[Kingy]

cool movement but a bit nasty!

That just about covers most of the Tor!

[Jaspersharpe]

cool movement but a bit nasty!

That just about covers most of the Tor lime!

 A bit of nastiness is a good thing.

[Paul B]

Anyway, back on topic, Ben's Roof at the Tor is my new favourite problem on the lime, power endurance training in spades, a choice of excellent finishes, permanently dry, the full compliment of slopers, pinches, undercuts and pockets, a nice soft grade plus a pain factor that is through the roof (oh ignore the last part!) 

Hmmm strange I find the start to be often wet? and what are the different finishes?

[Kingy]

Hmmm strange I find the start to be often wet?

Yes its surprising but the only handhold which seems to get wet at the start after heavy rain is the 2 finger pocket for the RH on the 2nd move. You can just use a higher pinch to bypass this. Some locals have been lapping this problem every week since February, even when its been pissing it down, as training for Make it Funky, sometimes 3 times in a session. I think the drainage in the field above the crag changed or something as Mecca and Ben's Roof seem to be drier these days compared to a few years back, whereas the start to Body Machine has turned into a waterfall!!

and what are the different finishes?

The 'easy' finish involves getting the jug for the LH with the RF toe hook after the crimps following the crux crossthrough to the sidepull off the undercut. You then move up to some flat holds and the fire right to the finishing rail.

The 'harder' finish uses the undercut in the roof that you can reach off the good crimp for the left hand after the crossthrough. This method again uses the RF toe hook. The undercut is used to gain a sloper and then you go again for the rail. Shorter but harder and the way Ben originally did it apparently. Plus is avoids the big LH jug on the easier finish that is often wet.

It seems that these finishes have sort of become accepted as major variations on the problem although whether you could have two 7c+'s on the scorecard is a different matter!!

[Paul B]

sorry couldn't follow that for the life of me. I'll have to take your word for it but only a year or so ago I'd go and find the starting pillar to be wet low down and have to start slightly higher off a press thingy.

[Andy F]

O'er! run the risk of being bannished from the Gritstone Treaty!!!
The traverses at that great big quarry in the lakes, just remembered, Trowbridge! red wall???
and (I know its not a Boulderproblem, but it is bouldery) start to the "Evil 7C+" at Chapel head scar!!! the really cool crimpy wall, would be about V6 if it was what I am saying it isn't.

Do you mean the start to Prime Evil, the 7c+ that heads right from the first couple of moves of Super Duper Dupont? Probably is worth V6/7A to the rest by the 3/4th (can't remember which) bolt, Love the swing onto the tufa at the start.

It's also got a really bouldery crux high up IIRC.

[Idol eyes]

I can piss the whole route to the last move!!! can not hold the top slap! can not seem to hold the diagonal crimps with my sausage trotters!
Prime Evil 7C+ fantastic!!!

[Andy Harris]

Just to clarify the Ben's roof stuff.

The 1st jug is often wet but a quick pat of chalk normally renders it OK.

The 2 finger pocket is also often wet but I don't use it, there is a poor pocket / gaston to it's right (the 1 paul mentions i think).

Basically you can finish the problem how you want. The more direct finish avoiding the left hand jug (RH u'cut, LH sloper, LH edge, RH top) is trickier moves but shorter. Using the jug and holds leftwards is easier moves but longer. No grade difference just 2 methods to finish.

God knows how Ben finished it orginally but Steve Mac who made the 2nd ascent some 10 years later di the direct finish as that must have seemed obvious at the time. As usual more holds and an alternative have been found and I'm sure every variation inbetween.

ps. The finish from the jug is good footless at around 7b.

[dave]

sorry couldn't follow that for the life of me.

you're not kidding paul, I've just had to read ted's post 5 times, even though i'd guess what he was on about before reading it i was still confused. Note to Ted: never write a guidebook mate. 

andy, i've done that footless finish a few times and i'm surprised its 7b, i thought i was shit at footless stuff (and I am). its a good one though worth doing - presuambly this would esquate to a footless version of what was once known as "too hard for mark leach".

[Paul B]

Just to clarify the Ben's roof stuff.

Cheers Andy.

[Andy Harris]

Just thought I'd throw in the footless bit and was debating at somewhere between 7a & 7b. If you're good at footless I guess it's piss but footless moves on edges shut a lot of people down even if they generally climb a lot harder. This is THTBML footless.

Generally I'm crap at footless vs feet on but there are plenty of Mules with the opposite affliction.

Would certainly feel a lot harder when you get there with Ben's roof!!!

[Kingy]

I prefer the direct finish myself, that jug on the left often accumulates wet, pasty chalk and can be minging after rain plus its not really in keeping with the rest of the problem. Anyway, I am pleased to report that it's all dry bar the two finger pocket at the start as of yesterday. Form an orderly queue!   

[Bonjoy]

With these freezing easterlies i think it's a bit soon for a wholesale switch to the lime. Saturday at least looks like fine grit weather