[the_dom]

Hi all,

I've been contemplating a move to your side of the world (well the general UK vicinity) and have been thinking about coming out for a short trip in August.

Of course, that would involve, despite any protests from my g/f, a trip to sheffield to sample to impeccable grit that a certain visitor to SA from the UK/USA raved about..

Will august be too warm, or will it be worthwhile?

Thanks for any help..
dom

btw: does anyone here (Percy B maybe) know how to get hold of Brian Chase - the fugger doesn't  reply to emails?

[Bubba]

You might get lucky but August usually means sweaty rock and hideous insect life I'm afraid ....

[the_dom]

thanks bubba,

When is a better time to visit? I couldn't really give a shit about seeing the UK before I move (my g/f clearly does), but the opportunity to boulder is much more important, so I don't want to visit when the weather won't be prime..

[Bubba]

Ideally you want to be somewhere between late autumn when the heather/midges have died away and the temperatures start to cool...up until about this time of year really, when it's just starting to get a bit too warm.  

Late September / October might be a good time to visit because the grit should be coming into condition but it won't be in the middle of a grim wet winter.

[Jim]

best time is decemeber or febuary or march IMO. January this year it didn't stop raining for a full month

[dave]

to get any reasonable grit bouldering done in august you really need to be out of the sun and in the wind, which is often a problem since the prevailing wind direction is southwesterly. If theres a northerly or easter wind (there sometimes is) then you can get on something out of the sun, but otherwise you're generally shafted unless its unusually windy. places with no wind in the summer will tend to be midgey death.

[dobbin]

but the_dom why just those nasty brown stones?! :wink:  we have many of the slimy white variety, and they  will be ok in August (September is probably a better proposition), so come and see our beautiful countryside when its sunny rather than in December when it rains!

[the_dom]

but the_dom why just those nasty brown stones?! :wink:  we have many of the slimy white variety, and they  will be ok in August (September is probably a better proposition), so come and see our beautiful countryside when its sunny rather than in December when it rains!

True - limestone bouldering sounds great.

There are two problems:
(1) logistics - chances are I'll have max 3 or 4 days to climb (and I'm more terrible than usual on my first day at a new style of climbing), so it makes sense to spend those days at one or two similar areas.
(2) money - the exchange rate between pounds and rands is great for you guys, but for me it's murder. And travelling is, by all accounts, pretty expensive, so my mobility will be somewhat limited.

Plus, after all the photos I've seen of Deliverance, I really have to try it (I know, I know, everyone and their dog has done etc etc, but it looks really good, and I'm 6'4" so it may even be possible for my weak ass).

It's pathetic to admit it, but most of what I know about UK bouldering is from:
a) The Real Thing (what little UK bouldering there was looked great)
b) Stick It
c) lurking on this forum
d) Hanging out with Brian Chase when he lived in Cape Town, and kept telling me that the Peak is better than Rocklands (pfft, can't believe that).

figure I've got to try it...

dom

[Bubba]

Peak limestone isn't really that nice imho - it's polished and horrible, albeit in some quite nice venues.  There's also not that much of it.

[Jim]

ditto. come for the grit, not the shit

[the_dom]

I've never bouldered on limestone, and, of course, grit is a commodity that's pretty exclusive to the UK (AFAIK), but I think grit is probably closer in texture and friction etc to the sandstone we get here.

Does anyone have any recommendations for areas that are a must-go?

And any that I should avoid?

What are the classics that I should get on in the V6-V8+ grade spread?

[dobbin]

You're all sloper loving pigs!

Fair enough though, it is polished, and some of it is quite royally shit, but some of it is Ace (note capitalisation).

Another nail in the slimestone coffin is transport. Its the living end to get to Rubicon on the bus and the one that goes to the Tor only does so approx once a day. Public Transport to the grit edges is still not great, but at least there is some. You could hire a car I suppose!

You've got to do Not to be taken away and the Green Traverse at Stanage. THink they're in the range?

[dave]

other uber klassix in 7a-7b+ are west side story and blind date (don't fancy your chances in august), buckstone dyno (ok in summer), deliverance (if you'r 6'4 then it should be alright providing you can smear). also stuff like gorilla warfare at curbar stays in the shade and is on positive holds. trackside at curbar is good but will be a pig in hot weather. gardoms north boulders can be OK in hot weather if theres a breeze, some good roofs and ting. also the eagle stoen on baslow can be ok with a breeze, and has got about 6 problems all excellent in the range you specify, and an easier classic groove (about font 6b and still not easy).

[jonP]

If you've never climbed on grit before, you'll enjoy it even on a hot day.  But bear in mind that the average temperature is 20 degrees - not exactly tropical - so on a typical cloudy day conditions will be fine.

And I could mention that there are several north-facing crags in Yorkshire that have better bouldering than anywhere in the Peak, but I won't.

[the_dom]

20 degrees??

That's baltic..

Winter here never really gets under 15-20 degrees in the middle of the day, and that's what we consider pretty good.

At the end of last year I spent some time in Rocklands where the temp got up to 38 degrees, admittedly we did stick to rooves in the middle of the day, but we climbed nonetheless.

That said, I'm pretty sure there's a difference between the styles (i.e: rocklands does lack the real slopers of grit) that would make the temps significant.

Thanks for the advice on the problems - mmm, this trip better happen.

[dave]

I'd take that 20 degree thing with a pinch of salt. Last summer about July/August time it was in the 30s for several weeks in the peak, in fact all of britian had one of the hottest summers on record. I;m sure it got up to about 37deg in the peak. Bear in mind untill yesterday all this week its been in the low twenties up here, and although there was a wind it was still hot.

the main problem with grit in the heat is that your skin will deteriorate rapidly unless you can excersise great self-control. We've all seen visiting americans/germans at at the plantation in summer with every single fingertip taped up!

[the_dom]

the main problem with grit in the heat is that your skin will deteriorate rapidly unless you can excersise great self-control. We've all seen visiting americans/germans at at the plantation in summer with every single fingertip taped up!

That's what happened at Rocklands. 4 days on = no skin whatsoever = end of trip.

[tommytwotone]

my usual hot weather plan is usually burbage south edge - the stuff over near the quarries stays in the shade at it does catch a breeze. You can always go down to the boulders in the evening once it's cooled down a bit...

[unclesomebody]

or you can do what we did, and head out at 1am.  Lastnight, after a session in the pub, we headed out ot Burbage North.  Thinking it owuld be really cold we brought plenty of clothes.  As it turns out, it wasn't even very cold.  The rock was fairly cool, but certainly not cold, and the air temperature, at a guess, was probably somewhere between 8-10 degrees C.  Pics to follow!

[jimbo]

I have difficulty walking and remaining conscious after a session in the pub let alone climbing. I admire your commitment....

[the_dom]

or you can do what we did, and head out at 1am.  Lastnight, after a session in the pub, we headed out ot Burbage North.  Thinking it owuld be really cold we brought plenty of clothes.  As it turns out, it wasn't even very cold.  The rock was fairly cool, but certainly not cold, and the air temperature, at a guess, was probably somewhere between 8-10 degrees C.  Pics to follow!

Holy christ on a stick..

I could not do that after the pub.

[SA Chris]

Better than scratching around the peak; providing theres a breeze blowing there are some cooler north facing edges up in Yorkshire; Earl and Widdop being a good possibilty and, I guess, places like Wimberry. Check out the excellent yorkshiregrit.com. Or you could just drop the grades a bit and struggle on V1s and 2s cos they feel way harder in hot weather.

[a dense loner]

wimberry in morn or evenin just b4 midges get out, north facin, sun not yet at its zenith or just gone out of view, amazin. underused boulders  :