[Peak][ Doll Tor][ 50 problems][ up to 7b+] (Read 7167 times)

bolehillbilly · October 20, 2012, 11:12:13 am

Doll Tor is a previously undocumented venue in the pine woods below Doll Tor stone circle. It’s a collection of boulders/small outcrops which tumble from the hillside.
I came across it in April and have been climbing there on and off since. Cleaning up and climbing new problems mainly with Tim though a few other folk have visited too.

The rock quality is excellent, landings mainly good and there’s a big variety of styles of problem. Low stuff, highballs, arêtes slabs, grizzly mantles and some steeper bits too.

A few of the problems are genuine ‘area classics’ which deserve to see some attention.

Most of the harder problems have been added by Bonjoy who started exploring the woods at about the same time.

I think between us we will start to upload info onto Peak Bouldering info and I’ve just registered the venue on UKC so will add a listing there too.

Johnny Brown · October 20, 2012, 11:40:06 am

Sounds interesting, I've explored these woods a couple of times but never found anything that looked worth cleaning. Certainly intrigued by the highballs!

bolehillbilly · October 20, 2012, 11:59:15 am

Quote from: Johnny Brown on October 20, 2012, 11:40:06 am

Certainly intrigued by the highballs!

That's my definition but then I'm not very good and not very brave.

Some of the blocks which didn't look so great have turned out to give good problems with minimal cleaning, just going on days when the conditions have been decent.

leeroy · October 20, 2012, 11:54:29 pm

I may put a video of me and jonboy on gathering storm and dolly bird on soon. its a top place, a handful of really nice problems.

Bonjoy · October 21, 2012, 10:04:49 am

Some lovely probs here. My favourites are Teru Teru Bozu, Valley of the Dolls and Gathering Storm , but I'm yet to try most stuff. Combines well with a session at SitW.

bolehillbilly · October 21, 2012, 09:08:53 pm

Quote from: leeroy on October 20, 2012, 11:54:29 pm

I may put a video of me and jonboy on gathering storm and dolly bird on soon. its a top place, a handful of really nice problems.

Looking forward to seeing the footage. Have listed all the problems now and dolly bird got a rename to valley of the dolls.

leeroy · October 21, 2012, 09:38:55 pm

Quote from: bolehillbilly on October 21, 2012, 09:08:53 pm

Quote from: leeroy on October 20, 2012, 11:54:29 pm
I may put a video of me and jonboy on gathering storm and dolly bird on soon. its a top place, a handful of really nice problems.

Looking forward to seeing the footage. Have listed all the problems now and dolly bird got a rename to valley of the dolls.

ah ok, yeh loved that one, nervy rockover onto the slab. what grade does that get?

bolehillbilly · October 21, 2012, 10:14:05 pm

Was originally giving it the default 5+ but thinking 6a. Not sure if you did the right hand version (runnel with the left hand, right hand crimp) which makes the rockover harder and is more like 6b. It's a great bit of climbing either way.

Bonjoy · October 22, 2012, 08:40:04 am

Have since done it Bolehill's way Leeroy, it's steedier and the landing is less dodgy. Feels like benchmark english 6a this way, so whatever font grade that equals

Also managed to do Gathering Storm with a proper pull on rather than jumping. Turned out to be not that much harder than the jump, maybe low end 7b+. Good move, makes a proper problem of it. The sitter off the block on the right remains to be done but will hard (7c+/8a?)

cofe · October 27, 2012, 07:37:05 pm

Did the easier version of Gathering Storm today and tried the jump briefly - felt quite harder. Just starting from the block seemed most logical. Good prob. Also did the arete about 20m right. Not much else jumped out though, it did seem a bit dirty after the weather we've had.

Bonjoy · October 27, 2012, 08:55:43 pm

Honestly it's much better from the deck, class moves.
I think Marc et al cleaned and did a lot of stuff last year. Amazing how much stuff grows back in a wet summer.

cofe · October 27, 2012, 09:12:22 pm

Likely suffers the same as SITW: no traffic and nature reclaims it. Things tend to look more appealing with a bit of chalk. Nice vibe in the woods though.

205Chris · October 27, 2012, 09:18:08 pm

Quote from: cofe on October 27, 2012, 09:12:22 pm

Nice vibe in the woods though.

Really? I had a wander down there last weekend to check the place out. By Doll Tor itself (i.e. the stone circle bit) there were all sorts of weird artefacts hanging from the trees. Felt like I was walking through a scene from the Wicker Man.

cofe · October 27, 2012, 10:00:46 pm

Yeah that's a bit weird.

Johnny Brown · October 28, 2012, 11:00:37 am

I like that kind of vibe. There's nowt to fear in those woods, as the arch drude said at the andle stone 'oh, we have seen heaven today in these hills!'

Yoot, how did you move your hands up the arete?

cofe · October 28, 2012, 11:35:27 am

Gathering Storm Block Start:

I'd just get rid of mention of the jump start now it's been done from the deck.

205Chris · October 28, 2012, 02:01:10 pm

Quote from: Johnny Brown on October 28, 2012, 11:00:37 am

I like that kind of vibe. There's nowt to fear in those woods

You've obviously never seen the film Deliverance

Bonjoy · October 28, 2012, 05:19:24 pm

Pull on with LH in left of two pockets, RH on undercut pinch on arete/lip, LF on dish smear on lip (directly beneath the righthand pocket), then a powerful slap to arete about a foot above the angle change. The low start also forces you to do the top bit a techy way with more moves rather than the big slap way.

monkey boy · February 27, 2015, 07:57:49 pm

Went and did Gathering Storm today so it's a bit cleaner than normal!

It's a great problem and deserves some attention.

Bonjoy · February 28, 2015, 04:10:34 pm

Good work. Did you have a look at the potential sitter?

monkey boy · February 28, 2015, 06:44:28 pm

Not really as it took ages to clean it up. I think it would go though so might go back and have a look. A proper hidden gem!