[tim palmer]

Most Almscliff problems aren't even Yorkshire-class, let alone national class, people only climb there because it's insta-drying and roadside  .

Have you climbed chiasmata?

I agree that most problems at the cliff aren't the best in the country but there is really good climbing at the cliff, lots of it quite steep and the rock quality is, for the most part, magnificent

[Will Hunt]

I don't want to turn this thread to turn into an Almscliff thread but my main problem with it is the hammering it has taken through overuse. Much of the grass in the most trammelled places is gone, the ground is fucked under many of the problems, lots of the rock has been trashed or polished. Its always very very busy. This is personal taste though and I actually don't know how much it would matter to an international visitor. I think people appreciate a vibrant scene more when they're abroad on holiday than when they're escaping for a few hours bouldering at the weekend.

So no world class problems at the Cliff then?

[tim palmer]

No

[tomtom]

I don't want to turn this thread to turn into an Almscliff thread but my main problem with it is the hammering it has taken through overuse. Much of the grass in the most trammelled places is gone, the ground is fucked under many of the problems, lots of the rock has been trashed or polished. Its always very very busy.

Hmm... its no worse (save possibly one or two holds on a handful of problems) that it was when I first visited in 1992...

I have been climbing there on own many many times... weekends, or nice evenings yes its busy - but the rest of the time non..

Most Almscliff problems aren't even Yorkshire-class, let alone national class, people only climb there because it's insta-drying and roadside  .

Most people find the long distance of Almscliff from the nearest McDonalds a positive aspect.. :p

[EStephens]

Being a welshman I'd be showing no patriotism at all if I didn't highlight problems such as The Pinch at Sheep Pen, Will/Tenzing on the Mallory Boulder and Lizard King in the Pass. Each have some excellent moves, in fine settings and are all very impressive aesthetically. For me personally, Jerry's Roof ('locals start') is an ass drag into some albeit pleasant moves on polished choss; a problem gifted it's classic status mainly for it's history.

[nai]

some albeit pleasant moves on polished choss; a problem gifted it's classic status mainly for it's history.

Sums up quite a lot of font "classics" to be fair.

[tomtom]

Maybe a fairer criteria would be world class blocs or boulders - rather than individual problems...?

[iwasmexican]

i would put optimus prime right up there, despite not getting much attention:



also northern soul/ preparation h

[Footwork]

Having just seen pictures/ videos, Awooga and A Bigger Berry look lovely

Also:

Under a Full Moon
Devon sent
Cocoa Team special
The Crack?
Lanny Bassham
Cypher
Brownian Motion
Ill Gotten gains

[36chambers]

I don't want to turn this thread to turn into an Almscliff thread but my main problem with it is the hammering it has taken through overuse. Much of the grass in the most trammelled places is gone, the ground is fucked under many of the problems, lots of the rock has been trashed or polished. Its always very very busy.

This is complete hogwash.

Where has all this cliff bashing come from Will? Is there an interesting backstory behind your personal vendetta?

The cliff provides plenty of quality climbs in a good setting, with excellent views of the English countryside, and glorious golden sunsets, what's not to like?

[ducko]

Split traverse - orme

[tomtom]

Ok here's an idea. Take each problem and give it marks out of five for:
Location
How well it climbs
Quality of the line.

EG ShuffleBottom Traverse at ArseWank Quarry, Lower Mithlington would get
O,5,0....

NTBTA 5,3,5

Etc... Then in a kind of top trumps kind of way we can work out the winners!

[lagerstarfish]

Where has all this cliff bashing come from Will? Is there an interesting backstory behind your personal vendetta?

yeah; he's an unlikable, mushroom headed tit

that's what I heard, anyway

[Coops_13]

I don't want to turn this thread to turn into an Almscliff thread but my main problem with it is the hammering it has taken through overuse. Much of the grass in the most trammelled places is gone, the ground is fucked under many of the problems, lots of the rock has been trashed or polished. Its always very very busy.

This is complete hogwash.

Where has all this cliff bashing come from Will? Is there an interesting backstory behind your personal vendetta?

The cliff provides plenty of quality climbs in a good setting, with excellent views of the English countryside, and glorious golden sunsets, what's not to like?

with a pleasant aroma of s*** from the nearby farm

[r2d2]

Suavito? Not sure about that being 'world class' even local class compared to similarly graded local problems like Sean's arête on Curbar. 

At least Suavito tops out

  One of the best feelings you'll get in climbing is topping out. I hate dropping off

Each to their own I guess. Is topping out a prerequisite to a class boulder problem? What about moves, rock quality, history. For all of those powerband would be a hands down better problem than suavito and that's side ways shuffling with rules and a nasty pocket.

[GazM]

Another vote from north of the border for Malcs in Torridon.  The Essence too, although the approach is far from world class.
Echoing Will re. the Cliff, I'm a very occasional visitor to the Peak and was amazed how trashed the Plantation looked when there a couple of weeks ago. But then, if there's someone at the crag that I don't know I consider it crowded.

[Fultonius]

Blue Meanie and Dumby @ 5+ is definitely world class. Best problem at Dumby.

Pump up the Jam in Skye is a world class roof crack @ F7A (or whatever).

I would say Mestizo SS is great, but that's just because it's the only 7A+ I can lap consistently. Oh, surely consolidated is one of the best traverse/slightly/uphill problems around.  It even has a nice view and no broken glass!

[sxrxg]

So for the problems I posted earlier I'll fill in my top trumps card.

Location/Climbing/Line

- Crescent Arete, Stanage 4/5/5
- Matterhorn Arete, Cliff 3/3/5 - potentially with two 3's it should come off the world class list...
- Caseg Groove, Caseg 4/5/4
- Rouses Wall, Carrock 4/4/5
- Picnic Sarcastic, Bowderstone 3/4/4
- Malcs Arete, Torridon 5/4/5
- Tetris, Roaches 4/5/4
- Jerrys Roof, Pass 3 (too close to road)/3/4 - again with two 3's should come off the world class list.

A new addition:

- the pinch, sheep pen 5/4/4

I have also admired these lines and can see that they must be world class...

- Careless Torque, Stanage 4/looks amazing 5?/5
- Cypher, Slipstones 4/leg flick move looks amazing 5?/4

[Will Hunt]

NSFW   off topic:

I don't bash the Cliff. I love it, for some of its qualities. It's meant a lot to me over the years.
I like the Cliff because:
It dries faster than any other crag in the known universe
The walk in is short (and you can always spot a local by seeing who hasn't got shit up to their shins when they arrive at the crag)
You always see someone that you know
There is a high density of good and decent problems there.

But it does also suffer from overuse and erosion. Under The Keel, Demon Wall Roof, Pistol Whip etc etc. And a busy crag is not always what you want. And a lot of the climbs are not as good as you might be led to believe by the queues. Part of their quality comes from the fact that they are established classics and climbing them is a shared experience. Lots of people have had the same experience trying and climbing The Keel or Demon Wall Roof or Flying Arete or whatever. That doesn't necessarily make them world class.

I honestly don't know how anyone could say they prefer the location of the Cliff to Barden Fell/Rylstone/etc etc

McNab - 5/5/4
Hen Arete, Bird Flu 5/5/4
Trust 4/5/4
Suavito 4/5/5
The Gemenid Trail 4/4/3

[r2d2]

Suavito is definitely a log problem. The holds are knackered scrittle for a start.

[Fiend]

Blue Meanie and Dumby @ 5+ is definitely world class. Best problem at Dumby.

Pump up the Jam in Skye is a world class roof crack @ F7A (or whatever).

I would say Mestizo SS is great, but that's just because it's the only 7A+ I can lap consistently. Oh, surely consolidated is one of the best traverse/slightly/uphill problems around.  It even has a nice view and no broken glass!

Blue Meanie would be a Scottish-class problem IF it had some sort of line, but it's scarcely even that.

PUTJ is an amazing F6C and could be a contender for world class but being in a cave without a particularly distinct start might preclude it.

Mestizo SS is dreadful, completely imbalanced with an arbitrary start with the ground slanting away from the problem. If I'd travelled to Font for something like that I'd sit down, get vaguely disgusted and wouldn't even pull on.

Consolidated is possibly the least inspiring non-line at Dumby. A completely unaesthetic rule-governed eliminate arse-shuffle. It only gets more than a footnote in the guide because it's easy to work to get the tick.

 

Edit: One thing I will grant to Dumby is that as a bouldering venue it has some world class aspects: Dominating and distinctive blocs, lots of impressive problems, proper problems, plenty of variety and good climbing right across the spectrum in a very condensed area.

[owensum]

Great post - Im particularly interested in this as Im coming over from the US this summer to Yorkshire (see my main post on the forum).

Speaking as a perspective as a US-based climber, Almscliffe is pretty disappointing for most boulderers who would travel that far. However, I think there are lots of world class problems in the UK, in a particular style which is very unique internationally (thinking grit of course).

I put forth two suggestions, from my very limited time bouldering in northern England - what about Deliverance (one move but what a setting/boulder!) and Simba's Pride?

[Falling Down]

Funny thread.

[Stewart]

I have a worrying vision of someone visiting Scotland from abroad after reading Fiends posts on this thread and going bouldering at Cambusbarron Quarry.

[lagerstarfish]

I haven't done it, but - Cindy Crawford at Ilkley does look good

big line, tops out, views, short walk in, flat landing, big first ascentionist