UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => bouldering => Topic started by: Dolph on February 20, 2017, 09:26:29 am
-
It's been a while since I last posted, but here seemed like the best place to open this can of worms.
Basically I've been working on a small guide with Lee to the magstone based climbing to the east of the peak. After lots of stuff getting in the way. This is actually starting to get close. This got me thinking about grades and what to put stuff in the guide as. At Anston and Roche as people have repeated stuff, holds have broken and new sequences have been found, sometimes like so many, I just got over excited at the grading of a FA. Many of the grades in the original guide where considered soft by some as a result. What I want to know is what grades do folk think need changing and what to downgrade (let's face it people never admit to grades going up).
Here are a few examples that spring to mind:
For example Dark Art is often quoted as soft at 8a. So is it 7c+
Dangerous Action Man is climbed totally different now to the original line just right of the arete. So is that 7b+ Not 7c?
Passion at Roche. Is this 7b or 7a+?
Black Crow often gets quoted as soft is this 7c?
What about the harder stuff?
Any input is very welcome. I'd like to reach few benchmarks in these main areas then grade other areas accordingly. Whilst I'm against the seemingly current trend of downgrading stuff. It's much better to get this sorted out, rather than have a book full of grades everyone disagrees with.
-
Isn't the access still a bit iffy at Anston?
-
That's off the topic.
However the BMC have liased with Natural England and there is no problem with the guided bouldering effecting areas of SSSI status.
The problem is members on the Anston Parish council object and won't meet with local climbers or the BMC to discuss it and the benefits a responsible adult presence has invthe woods. Winning them over is key. A track record of responsible access is always the most powerful argument. So the advice is to keep going and be polite if confronted.
-
:guilty:
Awesome.
I was curious as I was politely asked to leave by the rangers (working for Natural England) last time I was there.
-
Interesting issue.
I think that it's quite important, whenever possible, to track down the history of a problem, when making a guidebook. History is important. People tend to forget everything.
So, it's good to let them know that a grade change could be due to holds snapping, or new sequences found. This helps keeping the whole downgrading stuff on a clear, honest level.
I remember something I read ages ago, about some guy who thought it was a good idea to publicly declare a lot of Nicole's problems in the less known areas very soft, after repeating them. Like 7c instead of 8a, and so on.
Asked about the issue, Nicole replied very honestly, saying that it could have easily been possible, because he had opened all those problems on the flash try, maybe not finding the best beta.
So, what's behind a boulder grade tells a lot and people should know it all.
-
I very much doubt that was an Natural England Ranger! A while back a parish council steward was patrolling trying to stop people from climbing at the request of the council. He tried to turn me away. I refused and told him to go and get the police and prove to me which laws exactly I was breaking. I ended up sitting down and having quite a nice chat with him. He agreed the whole thing was stupid.
That said I was in a mood. I would advise just to be polite and leave or go to a different area, if challenged. I am hoping this has stopped now unless any one has been turned away recently?
-
Opening problems and grading them is always at best a total stab in the dark. Things change. Sometimes there is a story behind it such as a new sequence, a slightly different line, changing holds, but it can just be the rock getting a lot cleaner and just feeling more grippy than it did for the first ascensionist. Sometime politics come into things. Not wanting to tell your mate that the 7c he just cleaned and did is actually 7b. Or grading a line to try an attack a repeat. No one rushes to repeat an 8a that feels like an 8b. They will ignore it.
I'm less bothered about all that, than just wanting to know specifics. I have read a lot crag introductions that say the grading is soft. If that's the case what specifically? Or is it just all of them and I take all the grades down by one?
-
I suspect Dark Art is 7C+ if you're tall and can get a footlock at the back for the move from the l-hand crimp sidepull to reach with your right into the right hand hold, before bringing your feet out. If you have to heelhook on the starting r-hand hold, that would seem harder, but maybe not if you're short and therefore not really bunched :-\ Even then it's probably top end 7C+. Some people who have done a few at the grade comment on logbooks that they find it hard. I'd leave it in as soft 8A (it was my first non-trav 8a ;)). It's a great problem and harder than some 7C+s on Peak lime (though not many I can think of!). In the context of other problems elsewhere though I don't think 8a is that crazy. Just looking back I did River of Life at Turningstone around the same time. Another roof thing and not as hard as Dark Art imo, despite generally being felt to be stout for 7C+.
I think Black Crow is 7c, partly cos it's so basic, but then it's always damp and so you should maybe give a + for perseverance in going to the crag and eventually being able to do it. When I tried it the first time I went to Anston it felt hard. A couple of years later I did it relatively easily.
Dunno if either of the above helps? They're basically either soft at their grade or hard for the next grade down :)
Overall, it's nice to go to Anston and have some softies where nearby in the Peak so much is utterly nails for the grade.
-
Has anybody repeated Speedway from standing yet!? 7b+ indeed..... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
-
Apologies, :off: again.
Hmmm. It was a month or so ago and my memory is a little fuzzy. He and another chap were doing some work on the trees in the wood.
I'd put off climbing there again because of it but looks like it's back on the cards again.
-
Grade-wise, the low to mid 7s I've done at Wave, Ebola and Woodies have felt about right.
-
I think a ton of stuff in the peak is getting very hard for the grade. It's had a downward trend for a while, this is not the place to get into why. One approach is to bring the magstone in line with the current grading trend in the peak, as in, if in doubt it goes down. Or to just accept that it's generally 1/2 a grade softer.
Tom yes speedway has been repeated s few time. I think it's settled st 7c+. The sit has been repeated twice as well to my knowledge. One seemingly agreeing with the 8b and another taking 8a+, another soft or hard contender........
Cheers for the feedback! That is exactly what I'm after.
-
I've climbed a fair few hundred problems over 7a+ and yet I can't do Passion despite a number of sessions on it. Feels solidly in the 7b range to me. My mate though finds it steady. :shrug: suggest 7a+/7b? :thumbsup:
-
Anston Stones is about the only place I've bouldered on lime, and I've not done masses there so I don't have huge amounts to compare it with. The only thing that I thought was iffy was that Fine Art and Colt couldn't possibly be the same grade. Colt felt nails, maybe warranting 7B? If Colt is 7A+ then Fine Art definitely needs to come down to 7A. They might even both need changing!
-
Passion felt unfeasible to me - and I normally manage that grade reasonably quickly. I suspect it's a bit morpho (I have very long legs and big rockovers are a weakness). Re Anston, the stuff around 7a/7a+ has not generally felt misgraded to me. Only exception is maybe Colt which felt prettyeasy. On thr other hand, I remember struggling a lot with Last Stand (has something fallen off?).
-
I have done a few low to mid 7s here and they mainly seemed well graded. Unnamed 7a and Last Stand possibly a little soft. I simply can't do colt whlist finding beretta alright. I think beretta is definitely 7a+ so maybe colt could be 7B? It's possible I just have the beta completely wrong though as I've not tried it that much. All the vertical wave wall problems are spot on. There is a problem called rivendell which gets 6c+ in the guide and I felt like it was more like 6a+ IIRC.
Good work by the way. Looking forward to the new guide.
-
I think this just goes to show how subjective grading is: I thought Colt was incredibly soft (maybe a reach thing). Beretta, Fine Art and Beta Blocker fair at the grade (for limestone that is - which always seems tough compared to grit for me). Last Stand I thought was undergraded. I agree re the unnamed 7a seeming too easy. I found most of the 6c+ - 7a stuff around Borg at Roche very stern (and a bit necky feeling)... and Passion unfeasible.
-
Colt felt about 9A when I first tried it but I don't think the grading is too inaccurate once you work out the beta. Moose, I bet you can reach the top with foot locks still in!
-
Agree on Last Stand feeling hard post breakage. Feels harder than Beretta and Blind Bat.
-
Agree on Last Stand feeling hard post breakage. Feels harder than Beretta and Blind Bat.
Weirdly though, once I did it, I found the extension link into the finish of Alpha fairly steady - like the crux of Last Stand was mainly mental, convincing myself that it was possible.
-
Agree on Last Stand feeling hard post breakage. Feels harder than Beretta and Blind Bat.
I think I did this pre-breakage and it was my first 7A flash hence me thinking it was soft.
Beta blocker and Reservation both spot on IMO as well.
-
Agree on Last Stand feeling hard post breakage. Feels harder than Beretta and Blind Bat.
I think I did this pre-breakage and it was my first 7A flash hence me thinking it was soft.
Beta blocker and Reservation both spot on IMO as well.
Actually it wasn't my first 7a flash but thats beside the point!
-
When did Last Stand break? UKC comments suggest there was definite loss of an ear quite a few years ago. I did it in summer 2015 and thought it was quite easy - did it second go which would be unusual for me. Has something broken since then?
-
It broke in early 2013 I reckon.
-
The ear one that was a very unusual sticking-out fin like ear thing, ultra positive, between the starting ledge and the high right slopey ledge. You'd know if it was there when you did it.
-
I think it also depends on sequence. There is a very specific heel placement that makes it feel easier. I'm usually quite good at spotting and using specific heels but I struggled on that one and it felt nails the first time I did it with a slightly different heel.
Tall people don't need the heel at all but don't know how hard that sequence is, it doesn't work for me.
Beretta and Blind Bat still felt easier even once I had the right sequence.
-
I am pretty tall but very weak and undynamic so had to use the heel - but it felt incredibly bunched and awkward getting it on - the main reason I found the problem tricky
-
I'd say most of the grades are fine Mike.
Colt - 7A+ is fine, no need for 7B especially since there's knee trickery available
Revolver - hard to grade as it would be nails for the short, but I'd be tempted to put it down to 8A
Dark Art - 7C+/8A ;)
Black Crow - I think 7C+. However I don't think Black Hoe adds much so would be tempted to drop this to hard 7C+, though it's not such a big discrepancy that it really matters. If black crow gets downgraded then this should do too, however.
White Light - I know that many think this 7C+ but I think 8A
Ebola - I genuinely think this is 7C+, though I may be in the minority here
Light Flight - maybe harder than 7A? Especially if short...
The Phoenix - I did it without realising there's a knee many years ago, but I presume it may need a downgrade for knee trickery
Swampy - could the guide clarify exactly what this does? Tried it years ago and left feeling like either I was starting in the wrong place (rh in the lh start hold of vanilla sky, lh on the rh tufa of the 7A) or it was nails for 7B+. May have missed a trick but noone having logged it on 8a.nu suggests others may have had a similar experience
Soul crusher - I thought 7C but believe I'm in the minority here
Dark lady - more like 6C than 7A
Apprentice Prow - 7A+
Sir Alan - 7A+
Fools justice probably 7C+ thinking about it honestly
Tony's undercut elim - 7A+
-
Right thanks. I'm starting to get there in my mind.
Some good feedback there abarro.
Just a few things that trouble me still.
A quick note is that Dark art and Black Crow are not the same grade surely. Dark Art is harder. black hoe defo felt harder when I did it, but it may have cleaned up well.
It doesn't help that I no longer climb much at this place. It's too popular now.
I'm starting to get a list together of my current thoughts. I'LOL post this when it's done.
-
Right I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by this. So I'm going to start at woody's. These are my current thoughts:
The Unknamed 6c+
I have no idea what swampy does. I might just delete it?
Dangerous AMW 7b+ (I have never tried the new right hand sequence, so I just don't know).
Souls Crusher 7c?
Wrestling WMDS 7c+
The rest can stay the same?
What does that sound like?
-
After even more thinking. These are my thoughts for changes on the main wave area.
Revolver 8a (shoe tech has helped loads here.)
Terrorist 8a+ (still scrapes in?)
Fine Art 7a
Dark Art 7c+
Dark Beta 8a (soft?)
Dark Reservation 8a+ (it is harder than Revolver)
Light flight 7a+
Black Crow 7c to jug 7c+ to the top left?
Black Hoe 7c+
White light to stay at 7c+
White light 8a+ and FITR 8b+ to stay at the grade due to the pinch getting worse.
The Phoenix 7b+ (new hand knee lock sequence )
Qurentine 8a (this kind of think is not my style, seems most take 8a still?)
The rest can stay the same?
Any comments on that so far?
-
I thought Dark Art and Black Crow fine at soft 8a and soft 7c+. Might be being a bit shorter than the average climber. Soft doesn't mean they should be the next grade down.
-
Soft doesn't mean they should be the next grade down.
Sorry I know nothing about Anston grades, but would like to +1 to the above sentiment - I really don't like the term "soft" - either "low", or the next grade down is much clearer.
-
I thought Dark Art and Black Crow fine at soft 8a and soft 7c+. Might be being a bit shorter than the average climber. Soft doesn't mean they should be the next grade down.
Whilst I ageee with this, this is not in line with the current trend in the peak. Which is if a problem is soft it gets automatucally downgraded. It is has been stated many times that the grading at Anston is generally soft. A statement I hate reading!!! There can't be that many low for the grade problems. Some need downgrading surely?
-
I've only been to Anston once, but my notes from the day describe The Undercut (6b at Ebola Buttress) as "almost as hard as the 7s". remember it being extremely crimpy.
Do you need Pleasley grade opinions? I've been there quite a lot more.
-
One thing to remember is that yes, anston grades do seem soft compared to peak limestone, but is this not because peak lime grades are ridiculously hard compared to just about anywhere else in the country? With a few obvious exceptions.
-
Fine Art 7a
I think this is a good call. If you're keeping Colt at 7A+ then Fine Art just can't be in the same grade bracket. They're miles apart in difficulty.
-
One thing to remember is that yes, anston grades do seem soft compared to peak limestone, but is this not because peak lime grades are ridiculously hard compared to just about anywhere else in the country? With a few obvious exceptions.
What Dave said.
-
I thought Dark Art and Black Crow fine at soft 8a and soft 7c+. Might be being a bit shorter than the average climber. Soft doesn't mean they should be the next grade down.
+1
8A (unless you're lanky), seems fair to me
-
I suppose the question really is the age old old one, when it comes to grading boulder problems:
Do you grade for the best morphology using the easiest sequence in the best conditions. Or is it some kind of average of some or all of the above factors?
I love climbing, hate grading..............
-
Do you need Pleasley grade opinions? I've been there quite a lot more.
I've just spotted this. Yes Pleasley will be in and the newer spots close by. I'd be interested to know your opinions. Some of the climbs here have changed a lot.
-
Nazgul left is much easier than nazgul right. A grade between them I'd say.
I climbed dangerous action man with a heel, left hand mono and then throw right hand top. Not sure if this is the new method or old? Basic for 7c, tricky but probably 7b+.
Found Reservation hard for 7b, but no harder than Kudos at Rubicon!
-
Soul crusher felt like soft 7C to me originally, although after trying it again I did find it a bit trickier, but not 7C+...
Didn't know there was new beta for Dangerous Action Man Wrestling, but I always found the left heel, left hand pocket, right hand flick to top much harder than Soul Crusher.
The link WWMDS I believe is solid 8A to me, the hardest moves all together on that roof isn't easy.
Black Crow is definitely harder than soul crusher which felt more like a soft but basic 7C+ to me. The difficulty for Black Hoe to me was that I had to do the crux of Black Crow to work it every time. It wasn't hugely hard but definitely trickier than the 2 moves Black Crow has at the end. So maybe much harder 7C+ or soft 8A.
I always found Dark Art very hard, took me loads of effort to do it. But once I had done it I could do it almost every time. 8A seems fair. Dark Beta is way better and has a bit more spice so more top end 8A. And Dark Reservation for sure fits in at 8A+
Ebola is the living end. Had multiple sessions and can't touch it. Maybe not my style and I'm blinded by arrogance, but I don't believe it's 7C. Definitely harder.
Haven't climbed as much at Roche Abbey but the newer beta for Fools Justice feels fair for a solid to top end 7C+, took me longer than I thought but that was probably because if fatigue.
-
Cheers Orin
Dangerous AMW was first climbed by Adam Wood (Ferret). He climbed a line just right of the arete. It went left hand to a crazy crap pinch, gotbin a right heel and then went right hand to the mono. It was totally nails! He graded this 7c+ and it felt top end for the grade. Go try it!
Hence why I think this wall is confused in the guide. Ned came up with the new method everyone uses now and I changed the grade last minute, but didn't adjust the others. I'm against pointless rules and eliminates for the sake of it generally. However I might still include this as variation. So essentially there is the original harder finish to WWMDS?
-
So hang on, whats this about different way on dangerous action man? Not been on this for years but did it with LH out to some kind of slopey thing which we crimped up on, right heel by hand, sort of clamp under roof with left foot, go out right with RH to a kind of mono thing, then go again to a king of juggy pinch thing just before the top. Felt 7cish ballpark.
-
Here's the beta I used and what I assumed everyone else did.
https://vimeo.com/108263649
-
Bonkers. Who'd want to actually pull on that minging pocket?
-
Yes Pleasley will be in and the newer spots close by. I'd be interested to know your opinions. Some of the climbs here have changed a lot.
Cool. I gather it'll be in the BMC Limestone South guide but that won't inclue the bouldering I guess. Despite having spent way too much of my life in that little part of the country I've never actually checked out the other areas so having a guide to them might motivate me!
However, despite having ticked most of the non-eliminate bouldering there, I just looked at the UKC page and can't picture any of the problems... basically I go there loads after work in the summer and forget the place even exists for the rest of the year. What's your deadline on this? I'm sure in a couple of months I'll have strong opinions on the grades again!
-
BMC limestone North includes a fair bit of bouldering.
-
BMC limestone North includes a fair bit of bouldering.
It's really showing that I didn't climb on limestone at all last year isn't it? :-[
-
We did consider not bothering to go as south as Pleasly, but it makes sense as it's all part of the same band of magstone. Also it will be nice to have all the bouldering in one dedicated guide.
With regards to the Action Man can of worms. Yes Dave that sounds like the original sequence. This was much harder if you didn't use your left foot around the arete. You might even have been able to get on a blind jam in the crack from memory. This was probably 7c. Adam eliminated this on the FA and I stand by the fact that it was nails! The other sequence I think is what most refer to as soft and maybe it's 7b+? That's what I'm trying to find out I suppose and if it's worth mentioning the other variation in some form? Unfortunately I didn't do a great job of this section of the guide. Something I'm hoping to sort out.
-
People have been putting left foot around the arete? Jesus, how do they look themselves in the mirror?
-
People have been putting left foot around the arete? Jesus, how do they look themselves in the mirror?
I'm shocked being tall you found this benchmark 7c! Still it sounds like most still think whatever sequence is used, this is 7c, so i suppose it's sorted then.
I'll keep DAMW at 7c
Soul Crusher at 7c
WWMDS at 8a
Still unsure what to do with Black Crow and Black Hoe. Surely Hoe is more difficult. I'm still tempted to drop BC to 7c, although the average have taken 7c+ for it.
-
Dunno about benchmark 7c, it was a few years ago, but don't remember thinking 7c was too far off the mark. On the other hand I've deffo been there with folk who are solid at 7c who walked away empty handed.
-
I don't think grades are overly soft at Anston, I think they are about right in the main. Last stand was an offender in the past but hold breakage has corrected that. A large selection of new basic lime climbing might have made it feel soft to people on first visits.
Just commenting on things that might be wrong
Roche Abbey
Passion - 7b
Crystal - 6c+
Borg - 7a
Tripitaka - 7a
Anston
Ebola - harder than 7c - does anyone think it's 7c?
Filthly Duke - hard for 7c - harder for short
-
Ebola - harder than 7c - does anyone think it's 7c?
I did it from crouched (by accident), not full sitting, before the low-down decent undercut broke. So I think my left hand was in that decent undercut when I pulled on?
Which bit do people find hard? I know I did the big move off the left-hand pocket differently than I've seen in videos. The way I've seen it done is very campussy off a left smeary dish (totally nails). I got the pocket and the pinchy thing to the right of it, then moved my feet across and had a high right foothold, thereby doing a shouldery rollover for the next hold, rather than a full-on campus. Felt steady that way.
-
I thought ebola was fine for 7c, but I can't really remember if that was before or after that big hold broke off that you used to get a left heel on at the start.
Filthy Duke - i would like to comment on the difficulty but every time I've been to try it it's been wet.
-
I thought ebola was fine for 7c, but I can't really remember if that was before or after that big hold broke off that you used to get a left heel on at the start.
Filthy Duke - i would like to comment on the difficulty but every time I've been to try it it's been wet.
It should probably stay at 7c if these too old fogies found it so.
Filthy Duke - I needed a lot of visits to get it in condition, need a strong wind to prevent condensation down there.
-
I found Soul Crusher really hard, its not my bag so I could believe 7c but if that is the case DAMW is no more than 7b+. These being the same grade seems ridiculous to me. I never fell of DAMW on the link, using the new method it didn't feel like it added all that much. As a result I could believe WWMDS could be top end 7c+, not out of place at 8a though.
Ebola I unwittingly did from a stand not a sit, even then I thought it was nails, probably the hardest 7c I have ever done, miles miles harder than black crow for me. I would have Ebola at 7c+ and Black crow at 7c.
Dark art sneaks into 8a for me too, I don't think dark beta deserves to be a whole grade harder.
Separately, I think free mason should be 7b+ not 7c, felt a similar difficulty to Jack the Nipper for me.
Finally, Into the light I think is 7c not 7c+.
-
Oh and at Roche Abbey,
Fools Justice is for sure no more than 7c+ if you employ enough heel hooks. Equally I would say the fool and Fallen idol are more 7b than 7b+. I think 1 move 7b+ should feel harder.
Finally, I think Enity is maybe more 7b+, feels committing but the move itself isn't that bad.
Hope that helps!
-
What's Enity?
-
Have the holds got better on fallen idol? I always got shut down on that and made short work of the fool, passion and that other 7B At the far right of impossible roof in comparison.
-
re ebola, I think grade depends on height, I have to do the campus method as I'm marginally too short/under (5'10 -1 ape index) - spanned to do with the heel in. This constitutes the crux for me so it doesn't surprise me that Dave and Tom found it steady. still a cool problem though
-
Sorry to hijack this thread but it's more active than the connies thread. Will anston be dry tomorrow?
-
Thanks Billy some useful feedback there. I agree with a lot of your grades there.
One question about White light. Is that 7c for the drop knee sequence, or 7c for the heel and pinch method. Im trying to work out if the drop knee method is just a lot easier or if the pinch gettig worse has made the standard version of this problem harder. I have never done this the drop knee way......
-
What's Enity?
Serenity form a standing start at at the lip. Basically the last hard move.........
-
We went yesterday and it was as good as ever.
I can only comment on the lowly graded stuff because I'm shit. The unnamed 7A at the left end of Woody's is probably 6C+ - also the drop knee beta in the guide is a bit misleading? I couldn't do it with a drop knee but did first go without!
Also, a note on a couple of problem descriptions. I couldn't really figure out what holds were in or out on Dirty Harry. It looked like the most obvious set of holds to use would involve a rightward facing flake crimp. The topo shows it going out right then coming back left (avoiding the flake crimp?) and the description doesn't mention the flake crimp, so is that definitely out?
Light Flight. I've tried to find this a couple of times and can't figure out what you might climb there at 6C+. Could it be a typo and it's supposed to be 7C+? Is it a jump start to the big hold just over the lip and then a campus chuck up and right?
BTW, massive kudos too you for developing such an awesome venue!
-
Random anston thought - at places like the Ebola buttress in the current guide I'm sure there's a couple of problems where the stated/obvious starting holds (like the RH sidepull on Ebola, and the split crimp and poor pinch on Phoenix) are almost unreachable from sitting for those of normal height, or there's some shit rock lower down etc. Might account for some of the grade discrepancies people report etc. It would be nice to clarify in a future guide where stuff starts from sitting mandatory, or really starts from specified holds that you may or may not be able to reach from sitting depending how long your arms are or how many mats etc. Or things that can be started lower but they are never dry etc.
-
That's a good idea Dave, especially where reach is an issue or the rock is wet and crap, as you mention.
Light flight is just hard. Its basically a direct jump and campus of the small crimp right of the other problems. i'd done it once when i graded it and just guessed it was easy if you where tall. The grade on this will be going up.
The Un-knamed is another Adam Wood problem and it has a super low start. This need specifying if it's not clear. I cant imagine any other way except drop kneeing on the start. If there is another way that would explain that grade discrepancy.
I think with Dirty Harry if you are starting at the specified place and making the first move into the undercut with the left. everything else is probably in?
I probably need to just go and re-climb this stuff. Problem is my time is short ad i'd always rather climb something new.
-
The Un-knamed is another Adam Wood problem and it has a super low start. This need specifying if it's not clear. I cant imagine any other way except drop kneeing on the start. If there is another way that would explain that grade discrepancy.
Have just checked the video where the bloke in the yellow t-shirt does it. We definitely used the same starting holds, the big tufas. Right foot was where they bloke had his, left foot was on something a little further forward and maybe left of where he had his. Most weight went through the right foot so you're almost layawaying the right tufa, which is a big jug.
It would be really hard to try and specify the 7A start the bloke does in the video since the easier method uses the same handholds. I think there's enough hard stuff at the crag to not need to artificially inflate the grades by mandating poor foot positioning!
-
The Un-knamed is another Adam Wood problem and it has a super low start. This need specifying if it's not clear. I cant imagine any other way except drop kneeing on the start. If there is another way that would explain that grade discrepancy.
Have just checked the video where the bloke in the yellow t-shirt does it. We definitely used the same starting holds, the big tufas. Right foot was where they bloke had his, left foot was on something a little further forward and maybe left of where he had his. Most weight went through the right foot so you're almost layawaying the right tufa, which is a big jug.
It would be really hard to try and specify the 7A start the bloke does in the video since the easier method uses the same handholds. I think there's enough hard stuff at the crag to not need to artificially inflate the grades by mandating poor foot positioning!
I've done this twice on occasions separated by a number of years. First time I thought it was ok, the second time found it quite hard. Both times thought 7A was about right.
-
Went to Anston y'day for the first time in a couple of years...
Dark Art. The starting hold of this has definitely deteriorated since 2013, making the first move off the deck harder. So I'd leave it at 8A.
Black Crow. Keeps breaking - see Dave's post.
Quarantine. Did this y'day in a sess on my first link go. It's mainly about finger strength and felt like french 8a+ to me. I then looked at 8a.nu and interestingly someone else had said route 8a+. So, that would translate to Font 7C or maybe 7C+?
Overall, given how much stuff has broken on these popular buttresses I wonder how much a guidebook is required?
-
I've spent a considerable amount of time at Anston over the last 9/10 months. Having never previously climbed on limestone before, it's been an educating experience.
I think the reputation for soft grades is entirely unwarranted, and actually in certain instances has gone the other way. The major caveat for me is clearly that it is not my style or what I have been used to, having been raised indoors and matured on Yorkshire grit stone. Now that I've spent more time there, I do feel somewhat qualified to offer a few opinions (and sorry this is late).
- Reservation - this feels very stiff for 7B. I'd argue for 7B+. Feels about the same as Alpha and Jack the Nipper to me.
- Fine Art and Colt - these are weird. Some people find one hard and not the other, whilst others find both nails. Personally I did Colt quicker and then was able to run laps, whilst Fine Art I did third go and then struggled to repeat over several sessions! Having now got them both pretty wired, I'd say they're fair at 7A+. Both are definitely harder than Last Stand or Blind Bat, which I think are both 7A.
- Last Stand - see above
- Blind Bat - see above
- Black Tufa - I think 7B. The first move is clearly the crux but once you've worked out how to pull off the floor it's fine. I found this considerably easier than Reservation.
- Beta Blocker - easy once you have the beta. Is that the point? Feels about 6B+ with the method I use.
Many thanks to Mike and others for developing the place. A clear measure of it's quality is that despite living in Halifax it's comfortably my most visited crag of the last year (I dread to think how many miles I've racked up in that time :-\).
-
Does anyone know if this guide is still going to be produced? Have had a few sessions at anston and have been reminded how great it is. Would be nice to have a proper guide to the area and to discover some other mag lime crags? Is there a topo available anywhere for Roche?
-
peakbouldering.info is good for roche (http://peakbouldering.info/areas/7-far-eastern-limestone/crags/123-roche-abbey)
-
Any news on access?
Whilst walking along the valley floor path a few min ago was challenged by a couple of old ladies walking their dogs - and told ‘the sign says no climbing’. I said that was only for some parts and they muttered something at me and waved me away....
Must have been here 50 odd times and not been asked/challenged before.
-
They may have been the parish council representatives.
-
Busybodies will be busybodies. There is a certain type of person who takes anything that doesn't fit into their sphere of experience as a personal affront.
-
Upon exiting Anston afterwards - I had a good look at the sign. And the ‘rules’ it quotes are all English Heritage sub paragraphs. So as Dolph says at the top of this thread - if its fine with EH then that’s my argument back if challenged again.
-
I'm sure it's fine, but just to avoid confusion, Dolph didn't mention English Heritage...
However the BMC have liased with Natural England and there is no problem with the guided bouldering effecting areas of SSSI status.