UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => bouldering => Topic started by: dunnyg on September 15, 2021, 07:52:58 pm
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I'm currently at the back end of a finger injury, and looking for inspiration for the coming cooler temps.
What are peoples top boulder problems in the 7B-7C ish range? Mostly interested in things day tripable from Ikleyish, so in Yorkshire, Lakes, Lancashire, NYM, and a little bit of the Northumberland.
Things I did last season that I rated, were Ben's groove, Trust, Calf Traverse (a seige!), Ned's problem (trowbarrow).
I think I am fairly up to date with things to do in Yorkshire, but with the others I am not really sure.
Keen for all styles, prefer nice landings, but happy to coerce others to donate pads if needed.
Grades are just a guide, happy for easier (or even soft touch 7C+!).
Bring on the psyche! :2thumbsup:
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Kyloe in seems like a good bet. Yorkshireman, hitchhikers off the floor, cubbys lip, that slab at the far end...
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Decent selection at Wimberry I reckon. Fish Arete Sit, Dark Matter, Stateside, Miles slab (aka Directissima), Elephant slab sit, Take Cover (aka Flakes of Concern only gets 7a+ but pretty tough for that). Edit - forgot You're joking.
Three of them (Fish arete sit, You're Joking and Dark Matter) are at the Fish boulder with fish arete sit being worth a trip on its own.
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Some NYM ones... can say with confidence these would be regarded good quality anywhere and are fine when it's hot. ie. too hot for grit:
Sleepy Hollow sit start 7B+ at Ingleby Incline
Chasing Rainbows 7B (sit ~7B+) and Fragments 7B+ at Round Crag, Blakey Ridge
Mighty Oak 7B at Oak crag, Blakey again
Edge of Glory sit ~7B and Wings of Insanity 7B+ at Roseberry topping
Cold War 7B, and others at Thorgill
Dark Angel and its variations ~7B-7C+, The Mechanical Turk 7B, Chuckie Egg (highball) 7B at Stoupe Brow
All the above are fine with one or two pads apart from Chuckie Egg maybe. Also, I've 'Hunt-proofed' the grades to some extent. Most are given more generous numbers on ukc logs but think the above more inline with peak, etc.
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Most of the below are still in Yorkshire but perhaps slightly lesser known:
Midnight caller at earth quarry 7C - climbs like a grit sloper problem but is on bulletproof lime and is a good line. Dont need to wait until it's cold. Landing is OK on your own with 2 pads but you might get harassed by teenagers on motocross bikes
Archimedes at Norwood. 7C+ in the guide but in reality it's a grade easier. Fingery crux and the landing is quite poor but workable on your own.
Brass monkeys at stanage 7C (7B+ if your span exceeds 6 foot). Burly compression roof. I did it alone OK but a spotter might be helpful.
Okey dokey at buckstones 7B. Not too dissimilar to brass monkeys but easier. Pig in a pokey on the other side of the boulder is equally as good (feet first double toe hooks!) and 7A+ (soft).
Elysium at Smeaton Edge 7B/+. The highest quality limestone out there and its actually a good line too. Spotter recommended. I did not follow this advice and did approximately 4 backflips down the hill. Nice holds and board like moves.
And a few I've either not tried or done but look exceptional:
Bad moon rising 7B+
Kojak 7C
Mossatrocity 7C
Gritty Shaker 7C?
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Before I broke my wrist, I'd got back into bouldering. Highlights in the grade range and locations you specified were,
Earl - The Flakes (waiting for my wrist to recover before getting back on Andy Brown's Wall).
Caley - Ju Ju Club (I'd prefer to have done Ben's Groove but padding / spotting issues made this more ammenable) .
Lots of stuff at Woodwell O'ert Road - Butternut Squash; Crushinator Low; Blood, Sugar Sex, Magic.
Wiltons - Starship and Renaissance Man (Nemesis was good too but I think TomTom knocked off a vital foothold, Rhamanousa Stand is on my to-do list... for when I am not broken).
Anston - Reservation (I thought this was hard and a bit scary without spotters - not high but the fall-on-head-potential felt significant); the Apprentice Wall blocs and their variants are good too - Spidercrab Blues is probably the best.
Roche Abbey, Beef Buttress - Faith LH and LH, Tony's undercut eliminate
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The Coil and New Rose at Farleton. The Coil gets 7A+ but feels hard for that grade. They'd make a good session.
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happy for easier
A couple of my favourites from recent times:
Photo Finish 7A+, Gilstead
Local Interest Only 7A, Mytholm Steeps
Pochette Surprise 6C+/7A, Deer Gallows
(Mr Monster 7A+ / 7B-and-a-bit / morpho , Pots And Pans Quarry (only attempted))
Baildon & Jobseeker's Party Block too.
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Mytholm Steeps
Do you know if Mytholm is slow/quick drying? Tony's Wall looks good.
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Geminid trail (7a+) on the chevin boulder is one of my favourite problems of the grade. Slow to dry and might need a bit of a clean but it is really worth it.
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Just while everyone is building their psyche list, it would be cool to see Wayfinder in Ruin Bank Woods repeated and downgraded/confirmed.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CL69NLDD2Ic/
Sorry, that was a bit shameless.
Huw, also on my list for this season is:
Razor
Kojak
Pruneaux
A visit to the Hitching Stone (never been)
Stuff at Widdop like Happy Feet etc
Gritty Shaker
Crystal Method (as if I could even dream of climbing this mf)
Lagerx3, Pivotman, the new things at Australia Roof at Earl
A trip to Lund Stones (never been)
Juha's Arete
Join me.
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(Mr Monster 7A+ / 7B-and-a-bit / morpho , Pots And Pans Quarry (only attempted))
Agree that this is a cool problem and definitely tough, basically bearing down on a mono with poor slabby feet. Not sure it is morpho though, just hard. The only problem is that there is nothing else there. The only other problem harder than 5 listed on UKC is ATTAK which was apparently done by Charles Cooper (he's come up before on this forum) and is basically a route to be soloed anyway. It would be extremely highball!
Saying that you could combine it with a wander over to Alderman, but that doesn't have loads either. Definitely on the esoteric end of venues and problems.
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(Mr Monster 7A+ / 7B-and-a-bit / morpho , Pots And Pans Quarry (only attempted))
Agree that this is a cool problem and definitely tough, basically bearing down on a mono with poor slabby feet. Not sure it is morpho though, just hard.
It is definitely morpho. After several hours over a few sessions in perfect conditions, I often managed to achieve a stable position on the terrible feet, then there was a credit-card edge a couple of inches out of reach which was the only feasible option to keep enough balance to move a left foot up. I'd say it's probably 7A+ if you can reach that, but if you can't then it's *much* harder. You don't need to be a 6' yard dog but if you're 5'8" you need to be prepared for it to be at least a grade harder than the stylistically comparable Nadser for example.
Agree that the singularity of the problem might be an issue but then again it's a lovely setting, great rock, winter suntrap etc.
@LiamHutch89: Sorry I don't how well Mytholm dries but it's not too far a walk to check at least!
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Mytholm Steeps
Do you know if Mytholm is slow/quick drying? Tony's Wall looks good.
Slooooooooooooooooooooowwww
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Cheers for all the suggestions, I am keepong an eye on this but things ended up a bot hectic. I will respond in full shortly. Lots of new things and things ive half forgotten about so very useful. Thanks!
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Bellyporker's Progress
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Bellyporker's Progress
Good one for autumn or spring as rarely in condition in winter.
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Kyloe in seems like a good bet. Yorkshireman, hitchhikers off the floor, cubbys lip, that slab at the far end...
Wouldn't want to day trip it from Ilkley though....
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Wouldn't be my first choice at the 'back end of a finger injury' either!
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Assuming "slab at the far end" is Nadser, agree wholeheartedly.
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Jack the Nipper at Anston is a 7B+ which seems ace to me so far (not done it yet) and is a known to be a great problem.
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Jack the Nipper at Anston is a 7B+ which seems ace to me so far (not done it yet) and is a known to be a great problem.
Not one if you're on your own (unless you are a lot braver than me or have a lot of pads) - pretty easy up to a massive committing move, high up.
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Jack the Nipper at Anston is a 7B+ which seems ace to me so far (not done it yet) and is a known to be a great problem.
Not one if you're on your own (unless you are a lot braver than me or have a lot of pads) - pretty easy up to a massive committing move, high up.
A fair point. Weirdly enough I don't find it that scary, which is odd cos usually I'm a bit of a wuss
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Like I said before, loads of good ideas, thanks. A few thoughts
Kyloe is on the list, I love it there and I have family up that way, so weekending is very likely. I still need to do Jocks and Geordies (!) from a previous schooling too... I always liked back bowden, but not really familiar with what is good around those grades?
Wimberry A crag that I have meant to get to, thanks for the reminder! The stand to Fish arete has been on my radar for years.
NYM Loads of class looking things to be on with, and often drier than the rest of the country. Are any of these lines particularly fast drying?
Yorkshire Is Smeaton a winter venue, or should I wait for next spring? I was never that inspired with Kojak, not sure what I am missing here? I've not seen it in the flesh or tried it though, and it is in a nice part of the world and I can have a fall off Pochete suprise too.
I had a trip to Earth Quarry. Somehow managed to get lost getting to the crag for hours. Not sure I can face a return, and not sure I'd be brave enough without loads of pads and someone to spot me.
Okey Dokey looks fun, I enjoyed the other side of the prow, and there are loads of easies for the other half to play on too, good shout! Have you tried the legz akimbo thing? I had a bried look in a blizzard once, but it looked absolutely desperate...
Mytholm steeps - there Tony's wall does look cool. I've only done the wicker man (very enjoyable).
Belly Porker - can I have E7 for it still on UKC if I use 8 pads? How many friends does a non-brave person require?
Roche Abbey, I've only been once so a return trip is due. With Anston I always get suckered into Colt and walk into apprentice wall when it is wet. One day I will catch it when dry and have a good session!
Job seekers party boulder is close to my parents, i've never found anyone else keen to go though.
Lancashire I'm keen to explore more here, I've only been to Thorn, blackstone and Trowbarrow, so stuff at Woodwell and the grit quarries looks grand. The rose looks proper crimpy goodness, so hopefully I will try and make it to Farleton this season.
Does bad moon rising require many pads?
Will I'll come for some of them. Not arsed about Pruneaux though. Plus if you hold my lamp at some point I will give wayfinder a go. For some reason Razor gets my juices flowing, also keen for the fly up there too. Lager just seems untouchable every time, but I would like to get on underpants, and theres that dyno-y one I should do (andy browns wall?). Keen for Widdop always.
Can't belive no one has suggested DWR link ups yet :spank:! Other things I'm keen for from previous efforts, though not all necassarily quality are:
Titfield thunderbolt
Juju club
Whisky Galore
Leaches problem (or something steep at Kilnsey anyway, I get mixed up)
Underhand extension
Slopey Traverse
Beast of the field
That mono sit start at the bottom of Goyden (a true test of finger recovery if I remember rightly!)
Roof right of sonic at Thrope moor end (even on a toprope)
Picnic sarcastic, and the 7B round the back
So much to go at :bounce:. Any more suggestions out there?
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Severus Snape at Back Bowden is great fun and there's only really one hard move with some decent toehook beta. Four Mats Wall is supposed to be good but have to confess I've not tried it myself.
Hard Reign Direct is also meant to be really good, but again can't comment on it personally.
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Severus snape does look really fun, cheers. Hard to tell with 'four mats wall' as for me wall climbs are a lot harder to judge. I will try and have a fall off when I get up there though. Think I tried hard reign back in the mists of time and got schooled, so it would be good to get schooled on the direct too. Looks like a proper heartbreaker :2thumbsup:
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Fluide, Pumped up PP, Will's Slopher, that pateley slab (phoenix wall?), tantric traverse, heaven in your hands. All high on my list when I were still in God's County :wub:
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Can't belive no one has suggested DWR link ups yet :spank:!
They're all too hard for you ;)
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Yorkshire Is Smeaton a winter venue, or should I wait for next spring?
I was never that inspired with Kojak, not sure what I am missing here?
Belly Porker - can I have E7 for it still on UKC if I use 8 pads? How many friends does a non-brave person require?
Not sure about Smeaton specifically but magnesium limestone is generally much better in winter than summer I've found. Takes far less seepage than Peak lime and less likely to condense in winter than summer.
I agree, Kojak is okay but only one star really. This has nothing to do with my having fallen off the end of it twice. :-\
There are actually two versions of BPP, both equally excellent but very different in style. The left hand is an overhanging and powerful arete, whereas the right is more of a prow / compression boulder into a tenuous rock over. One big pad and a medium should be okay for both I think.
Whilst you're there you could have a look at all the new stuff Dan T added a couple seasons ago, those look great.
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Job seekers party boulder is close to my parents, i've never found anyone else keen to go though.
It's fine on your own with a couple of pads, as are all my meagre suggestions.
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A few at Brimham have been mentioned so I'll disguise a beta request as a recommendation.
The problem at 3 min 50 into this video looks excellent. Hes called it the black sail (7A+) but I can't find any more info on it. Where is it?
https://vimeo.com/265040778
Also, as Goyden has been mentioned, ribtickler stand is very good, and gets 7B but I thought more 7C. The sit is obviously good too but is 7C+ (I haven't done it).
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Also, as Goyden has been mentioned, ribtickler stand is very good, and gets 7B but I thought more 7C. The sit is obviously good too but is 7C+ (I haven't done it).
I was going to ask where on earth Ribtickler stand gets 7B but see it's down as that on UKC somehow. 7C all day long!
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A few at Brimham have been mentioned so I'll disguise a beta request as a recommendation.
The problem at 3 min 50 into this video looks excellent. Hes called it the black sail (7A+) but I can't find any more info on it. Where is it?
If you're stood facing Joker's wall and look leftwards, it's on the opposite side of that huge slabby boulder you'll see.
I think it might be written up in the Cameron Duff book as a V4 or something similar.
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NYM Loads of class looking things to be on with, and often drier than the rest of the country. Are any of these lines particularly fast drying?
All the moors stuff mentioned is exposed and fast drying with the exception of Sleepy Hollow which is hard to get in a fully dry state - ideally visited during a dry spell.
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Kojak has good moves but is quite delicate rock I thought. I guess similar to other Rick on Barden. It's hard to walk all the way up there, find it damp and walk away.. gets plenty of wind and faces West so that helps.
*rock
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I ran past on wednesday and had a look. There was a dead sheep under it and my trainers were soaked when i descended the approximate approach. Kojak does look better than I half remember from videos. Think Id want a spot as its a little slopey landing, but I am pretty soft when it comes to that sort of thing.
The pocket thing looks cool too fiend, so will head up at some point this season. With wellies....
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I ran past on wednesday and had a look. There was a dead sheep under it and my trainers were soaked when i descended the approximate approach. Kojak does look better than I half remember from videos. Think Id want a spot as its a little slopey landing, but I am pretty soft when it comes to that sort of thing.
The pocket thing looks cool too fiend, so will head up at some point this season. With wellies....
Oh man, Yetix and I went for a look at Kojak in the dark on the way out from a session at Crookrise and Fairies Chest. I think he regretted trainers as a footwear choice, even before he slipped right into a stream :lol:
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I distinctly remember from my only visit in 2010 that the old brick guidebook described the walk in as across a "succulent bog".
I also remember a highlight of hoiking Footwork out of a snowy VD chimney in which he'd become cragfast.
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Succulent bog is accurate, I very nearly lost a trainer. Such a great little spot though.
Also Im adding "the fly" of crookrise to the list above as it looked impossible when doing the crease.