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Spurred on by a conversation I had with a friend at the weekend, we were talking about some of our favourite routes. The initial question was about most memorable climbs. I said the climbs had become secondary to the day out and the company at the moment, and while getting up a tough route for me was a bonus, it had become more about returning to ‘naive’ experiences which I find hard to get by returning to the same sport project or boulder session after session. So I got to thinking about great climbing experiences on more esoteric or ‘backwater’ bits of rock which are safe and great for boulders too as they offer short sequences of amazing moves by good protection. I’d be interested to hear what you guys think and if there’s any you could add for me to look this grit season? Criteria is generally less than 10 logs in ukc and preferably 0-5 and unlikely to be being tried by anyone else. Ones I’ve done over more recent ish years and would recommend-
Clock People e6 6c (Ron 1984) -Millstone. Well protected thin crack and slab climbing with a font 7b crux on worn peg scars and opposing crack edges. The boulder problem start to this is a real technical gem.
Poppers e6 6c (Richie Patta 1994) - Baslow edge. Less ascents than its neighbour ‘the grand potato’. The font 7a+ dynamic start is quality but the route really kicks in after the break with fierce crimping and then a fluffable top out. Richie was crazy to give this e5! Top wall as hard as the crux of messiah?
The Lost World e6 6c (John Allen 1985)- Carl Walk. One of the more popular on the list. An easy start to a break followed by a hard press into an undercut feature and a reachy and powerful font 7a+ move off this to the break. It was a bit of an eyeballs on stalks slap for me.
Declaration e6 7a (Dave Pegg 1986) - Rivelin Needle. 6b ish moves up a thin crack to a full on boulder problem of a surprising right hold into ratty layaway crimps, feet on smears. I can’t think of anything as hard I’ve done on the edge. Much harder than big Al and Sparks.
The Children’s House e5 7a (John Allen 1986) - Cratcliffe. Climb suicide wall direct via the tricky finger crack to the small pod like cave. Rock up to a gnarly crimp layaway with your left, tension smear into high right foot. Hold a rat shit slopey beak feature, take a shallow runnel and pop for a tufa or slopey jug. Intense.
Adios Amigo e5 6b (Mark Leach 1985) - Millstone. Unusual moves out of a corner on thin holds to catch shot holes. Aliens or rolled over rock 9’s I think I used. Very strange and good climbing up these to a flake and ledge. Top end e5.
Mirror Mirror e5 6b (Andrew Woodward 1977) - amazing climbing on the block above Tetris. Move up and into an undercut arch feature split by a finger crack. Steadier than the other routes mentioned but safe and bouldery.
Clock People e6 6c (Ron 1984) -Millstone. Well protected thin crack and slab climbing with a font 7b crux on worn peg scars and opposing crack edges. The boulder problem start to this is a real technical gem.
Poppers e6 6c (Richie Patta 1994) - Baslow edge. Less ascents than its neighbour ‘the grand potato’. The font 7a+ dynamic start is quality but the route really kicks in after the break with fierce crimping and then a fluffable top out. Richie was crazy to give this e5! Top wall as hard as the crux of messiah?
The Lost World e6 6c (John Allen 1985)- Carl Walk. One of the more popular on the list. An easy start to a break followed by a hard press into an undercut feature and a reachy and powerful font 7a+ move off this to the break. It was a bit of an eyeballs on stalks slap for me.
Declaration e6 7a (Dave Pegg 1986) - Rivelin Needle. 6b ish moves up a thin crack to a full on boulder problem of a surprising right hold into ratty layaway crimps, feet on smears. I can’t think of anything as hard I’ve done on the edge. Much harder than big Al and Sparks.
The Children’s House e5 7a (John Allen 1986) - Cratcliffe. Climb suicide wall direct via the tricky finger crack to the small pod like cave. Rock up to a gnarly crimp layaway with your left, tension smear into high right foot. Hold a rat shit slopey beak feature, take a shallow runnel and pop for a tufa or slopey jug. Intense.
Adios Amigo e5 6b (Mark Leach 1985) - Millstone. Unusual moves out of a corner on thin holds to catch shot holes. Aliens or rolled over rock 9’s I think I used. Very strange and good climbing up these to a flake and ledge. Top end e5.
Mirror Mirror e5 6b (Andrew Woodward 1977) - amazing climbing on the block above Tetris. Move up and into an undercut arch feature split by a finger crack. Steadier than the other routes mentioned but safe and bouldery.