Dave Warburton

The White Scoop and Waves of Inspiration

2012-02-15T19:48:00.001Z

Franco and I have enjoyed developing the moors over the last couple of years and towards the back end of the summer managed to 'put up', two of our self-appointed best routes. My addition was the very bold, break-away line from 'Central Crack' (E2) which i headpointed over two days and decided on a grade of E7 6b***. Franco, over the same time period cleaned up and climbed a slabby wall, featuring beautiful scallops from the quarrying. This dynamic and arguably morphological climb was grade E7 6c/7a*** with Franco deciding on 6c after some musing.

We were both fairly confident about the grades and quality of our lines and looked forward to someone repeating them. In October, local strong-man Richard Waterton headed out of a pleasant day shunting the lines and got in touch to seemingly confirm their quality and grades. This was a pleasant surprise and the dialogue can be seen on Franco's Blog: http://www.francocookson-climbing.blogspot.com/2012/02/bit-of-moors-grading-re-jig.html.

Dave Warburton on the F.A of 'The White Scoop'

The take home comments were that the franco's Waves was indeed around E7 6c*** and around slabby F7b+. He suggested that the climbing was very good on excellent rock.
While Richard commented that my style on The White Scoop was indeed worth around E7, however he questioned whether it was not worth climbing higher and placing gear off a left hand crimp to create a 'less suicidal' climb at around E6 6b.

Dave Warburton on the F.A of 'The White Scoop'

I would suggest that any future ascentionists check the top out is clean and enjoy it in any style they like. A moderately high runner at E6 or at the top of the crack at E5? to make a safe and excellent pitch, which i must admit crossed my mind but decided the FA was best done in the style i did it in... As i say, go and enjoy it in any style you like!

Richard didn't say any of the other lines were crap either! Except that 'Barry' the E4 on the largest boulder was extremely poor rock quality, which i must admit, i totally agree with. You'll be able to find a better E4 on the walls of the quarry somewhere, i'm sure!

Franco on the F.A of 'Waves of Inspiration'

Back end of '11

2012-01-14T12:03:00.001Z

An uneventful year-ender in regards to keeping my blog updated, however i managed to achieve a few things that were pleasing for me. After my love-affair with Hawkcliffe, i lost interest in trad/headpointing as the weather degenerated and the dissertation/work mounted up.

I turned my attention to bouldering therefore and also taking advantage of the cheap rates at Leeds Wall to 'see if i could get strong', as i am aware i am not particularly strong in any way, shape or form. I think the highlight of this 2 month period was certainly Demon Wall Roof (Font7a+)... which is a bit disappointing when i think about it now... however, i enjoyed the moves after struggling to manage the final move, after the 'crux'.

The low point was repeatedly failing on the final move of 'Green Wing' (Font 7b). The final move is not the crux, not even close, but i couldn't manage to do anything other than mashing my hand on the sharp lip of the JUG! Never mind, i take some sort of comfort in 'cruising' the moves up the final slap and V8 is certainly not really my territory.

The year ended properly with the discovery of North Sea Crag X. An east facing series of buttresses which look like they will provide some excellent trad routes. Currently established after our brief foray are two routes; an excellent corner crack which is well protected and certainly slightly awkward (HVS 5b**) and a highball arete (Font7a+) that leads to the upper buttress which hosts some outrageous looking lines. Stoked. Get in touch.

The dissertation is done and the exams are past, so i should be back to climbing after leaving it for 3 weeks. I couldn't believe how bad i felt last night when i popped down the wall. Never mind.

Hawkcliffe finally let's me down...

2011-10-30T18:18:00.006Z

Rain finally breached the seemingly ever dry defences of Hawkcliffe and when myself and Conor returned, with me being stoked to look at Stepmother Jag - E4, Call of the Curlew - E4, Driveby or Shamrock (E6's) i was pretty disappointed to discover the crag was damp.

I had a quick look at the direct finish to Woodland Ecology, which looks possible but hard so i changed my attentions to a sort of 'alternate finish' to Woodland Ecology itself as it tackled the driest section of crag. I'd actually already soloed the top 'new' bit the day previous while there on my own, but i returned today to lead it properly - i prefer to do FA's with someone else.

Baisically, it follows Woodland Ecology to the gear and then makes tricky moves up to the base of an obvious unclimbed scoop. From here, it is possible to reach out right and finish for the final move of Woodland Ecology baiscally avoiding the large ledge and adding several more (i thought) good moves on this great slabby wall. Decided it was E4 6a* as the moves and positions are good even if it is a tad eliminate. The moves are similar but more sustained than Woodland Ecology and the gear is closeby but i wouldn't call it perfect.

Anyway, made up for a damp day at the crag - i might leave it til next year now and go elsewhere? Though, perhaps i should make the most of Blood on the Shamrock being clean... though i haven't the foggiest how to shunt it safely and i don't think i'm good enough to flash it? We'll see...

Hawkcliffe revisited... Woodland Ecology & Flame Arete

2011-10-26T21:07:00.002+01:00

My wednesday day off was put to good use with a return to Hawkcliffe, hoping to find it dry after last nights rain. It was.
Arriving at Emerald Buttress i wanted to do Woodland Ecology and Huw was keen to follow up that or Ginny Greenteeth or whatever. I decided i wanted to do Woodland, repeating the start (which is the same as Ginny) to the gear and then right to the Arete. I repeated the start with ease and then placed some gear but failed to head right on scrittly holds, so i backed off and abseiled down to clean the holds i could reach... And gave it another go. This time i found the clean holds a nicer crimping proposition and it make the experience much easier, however i still needed a slight footslip to jolt me with adrenaline which allowed me to reach blindly around the corner, into the slightly dirty scoop and then, the scrittly and airy ledge - it's clean now!!!. The finishing arete of Blood on the Shamrock providing a beautiful finish... Have to do Blood on the Shamrock now!

Woodland is an odd one, its sooo much easier than Ginny Greenteeth its amazing they have the same grade. E4 5c and E6 6a seem to be more representative of the routes, although i muddled around on Woodland Ecology, perhaps put off by the grade wondering where the E5 6a bit would be...? That said, i did feel i benefitted a lot from previous doing the start of Ginny Greenteeth, up which it starts, but even so it's a world away from Ginny Greenteeth! Still, a quality little route and well worth doing, it's the easiest of the buttress and provides a good warm up for the bigger challenges that await...

Huw then followed me up and also did Ginny, seeming pretty impressed with the climbing - what a buttress!

We then went over (somehow missing Adam Hughes who was at the crag today too!?) to Flame Arete. This is a terrific, bouldery arete, well protected and with some good moves. E5- 6b-** is a fair reflection of this route which i got after several ground up attempts... Theres some many different holds and sequences i kept getting drawn into different holds and body positions. Doesn't really matter though, cracking arete climb.

Chalk on Driveby - Good effort Adam! Start of this 'Charlie Don't Surf' also chalked which is great - this crag is seeing a proper revival. Class.

The Elevator - Eldwick Quarry

2011-10-19T22:33:00.004+01:00

Adi Gill's Eldwick slab first came to my attention with the appearence of a cracking photo on UKC, see below. A pleasant lower wall leads to a cam just above half height backed up a tad lower with a swedge 4. After requesting beta from Adi, he suggested just headpointing the climb as the climbing is quite sequency and this suited me fine, as 1 cam between me and the ground, while repeatedly failing on a 6c move was not what i really wanted while trying to get around half days out due to lots of coursework and the possibility for the singular cam pulling...

Adi Gill on the F.A of Elevator E5/6 6b/c**

Anyway, i had linked the climb with Conor in a quick flash before rain came so this set back the date to get on it again, to today. Returning with Huw and Ewan i was stoked and the baking sun was pleasant, though a little to warm perhaps. I decided to 'quickly' check the moves and gear before doing it. Unfortunately i found the move at the top much harder than i remembered, falling off the slap to the top break.

However, i eventually decided that it was ok and i made the cool series of moves up to the swedge and cam. Rockover out right to a thin crack and then make a short series of right to left reorganisation of feet, prise the elevator doors open and then pop to the break. I placed the size 5 friend and then decided to traverse the break right, rather than clip a preplaced loweroff. No reason either way, i wanted to top out properly, but that top rock is rank.

Excellent route, short lived and flashable with the beta - hard onsight mind you! Ask you are interested for beta or just watch the video below :-)

Edit: As for the grade, i am unsure. At the time i felt it was probably E5 6c, similar in someways to Mane Vision on the Moors. However, recent ascent suggested E5 6b. I am interested in this as i'd have felt a mid 6b move in this situation would be E4, but perhaps a top end 6b would be E5. However, i found the route very cruxy and the dynamic nature of the move, for me, suggested 6c (low mind you) to me... regardless, E5 is think it will settle at and you can take your pick - E5 6c describes the nature of the moves and position in regard to gear, even if the move isn't actually THAT hard...

Anyway, quality climb which is well worth seeking out and there is a cool Font 6c to7aish? finger crack in the quarrybay to the right of The Elevator, called Comply or Die. Definately easier if it is clean and not damp/ferny!

Ginny Greenteeth - Hawkcliffe

2011-10-16T18:37:00.003+01:00

I quite like Hawkcliffe, its sort of forgotten but somehow the lines aren't that dirty and the climbing is amazing. I had always noticed 'Ginny Greenteeth' in the guide and after rapping down it on my last visit, knew that an onsight was off the cards for me.

I returned today, lonely, to have a quick play with the plan of giving it a quick shunt and realising it was hard and bold and then doing something else. However, i found the climbing excellent and wanted to be able to revel in a clean ascent.

The crag (that i could see) seemed dry after the nights light rain and i was delighted to see Emerald Buttress (and what a buttress it is) looked reasonably clean and totally dry. After setting up a shunt line and giving a 10 or 15 minute chalk and clean i flashed (on shunt) up to the really cool balance stand up just below the crux, near the 'arete'. The start is tricky and a bit bold - i would advise taking a pad, then you make moves past 'gear slots' which i thought looked shit (until i found the ACTUAL gear slot which is rather good!)

By this time i had already set my heart on climbing the line today and i spent the best part of an hour i think? or so figuring how to make the top mantleshelf/reach/horrorshow more bomber. Eventually, my beta was to stand in the hands off chillout (which is the must just before) and let my fingers dry out!
From here a crimpy pull and poor feet lead to a sloper then a slight readjustment to a good hold and highfoot. Move right to a good hold to top out, don't try to go direct.


Ginny Greenteeth - Picture courtesy of 'Radclimb.com' taken from http://radclimb.com/photo_album.0.html.1.html Cool little website with some good photos, historical stuff and quality anecdotes - take a look!

I tried the line as a oner, then again and decided it was worth a punt but i and i'm happy to admit it, decided to leave a hanging line of the top section... just in case.

Setting off, the intial moves felt easier without a shunt and i quickly found myself just below the 'chill out'. A terrific move (i think the move that made me want to solo the line actually) utilising a thumb sprag (not like the photo!) allows me to arrange my feet so i can take my hands off. I chilled here for what felt like ages but might only have been a minute or two. Hands up to the crimpy parts of ledges above and then VERY specific feet (i found that if i didn't have the bang on it didn't work for the next move - scary shit!) i was really pulling hard to the sloper that allows a slight piano-play to the better nubbin. It's not over though, as the left foot is now ready to pop off the overhung crimp but a right foot pushed against a small flake allows more balance and santuary. A couple of moves right (around a metre) from the slopey ledge leads to a good hold and footholds out right and an ok top out into grass.

What a route. What a buttress. But what about the grade... E5 6a*** is bold 6a but i felt there was a 6a move low down then sustained 5c up to the cool reach seen in the photo. This move is probs 6a (especially if you do it like that!) and i thought the top was hard, still 6a, but hard.
The gear is a funny one. I turned up today to solo the line as i had previously rapped down and seen some shitty pockets and Nik Jennings had soloed the line so i decided it was probs just a solo... however i totally missed the good rock slot about a half metre lower than the shitty pockets until i found it while shunting... The problem is i'm not convinced the gear will keep you off the deck from the top crux... A running belayer will, but i usually find you end up going further than you think from rope stretch, belayer pull etc etc...

For what it's worth - i think it's tricky to read, the crux is at the top, you're facing a long fall or potential deck (maybe softened by rope stretch) and it's not a path up to that point. E6 6a+*** for my money, but it might feel a bit nicer with gear and a fellow climber in the vicinity, perhaps?

But regardless, it's an amazing climb, 10 minutes from the road. Convienient to get to, scramble up to and set up a abseil on and the climbing is quality. The buttress isn't that dirty, it seems to take sod all seepage. I'd recommend a pad or two for the start, you may as well! I'd also recommend the gear, which if i had seen last visit i wouldn't have come back today on my own. I would have still headpointed it though...

I want to get good enough to onsight/flash climbs like this, so this was a brilliant little education for me.

Eldwick, Earl and Hawkcliffe

2011-10-02T13:47:00.001+01:00

A week of less travelled Yorkshire Grit crags saw some nice routes ticked and some good projects lined up. The weather meant I was stoked for 'cold north facers' hence Earl and Hawkcliffe and they worked out ok, but i still found the temperatures too hot, unfortuantely.

Eldwick contains a quality slab climb, with a cam at just above half height and a technical sequence at the top. 'The Elevator' E6 6c** is currently on the wishlist but after a quick play on it, as i was told it would be hard to onsight/GU, then i feel it will go. It's an ok proposition to GU i think, perhaps with beta? Anyway, i chose repeated lobs onto a singular, admittedly good cam, wasn't to my liking and went for a project approach. Also at Eldwick is a tricky, but excellent finger crack 'Comply or Die' which is rated at Font 7a+* and climbs really well. It could be easier than this, if you're a crack wizard?

Earl was a useful day out, the crag was damp from dew? i think but it was dry enough to allow a few routes and highballs to be climbed. 'Rat Au Vin' and 'Sharp Arete' providing enjoyable short solos up aretes on good gritstone. Then, while waiting for 'Sour Grapes' to dry, we journied over to 'Tiger Wall' which provides a great MVS solo across a prow of rock and then i climbed what i reckon is the best E2 on grit i've done, Earl Buttress. This excellent route climbs up to an awkward rest and gear then committing moves up to a jug and cam leads you to jug haul up the steep wall. Excellent stuff.

Further left, we had a quick play on Eraser Slab direct (E2 6a*) which is a nice rockover move and i looked at Kipper (E4 6a*) which looked excellent and also Early Riser (E5 6a***). I wasn't keen to solo either of them, especially after seeing someone recently slipped at the top (on top rope) of Early Riser - cooler and drier day for it i think, or a quick headpoint? I dunno, who cares.

Then decided to have a bit of fun, trying 'Overhanging Wall Direct' which is E4 6a in the guidebook, but used to get HVS 5b. Eitherway, its a well protected (albeit with a ledgey fall) top out over a perched boulder. Scrittly holds, which i cleaned with my hands from the rest below, allowed a few campussy slaps and heel use. I'm not sure it's E4, but what i do know is it's not HVS... ;-)
Unfortunately, the early evening brought midgies, so we were unable to do anything else but Earl was a nice enough day out.

Hawkcliffe. Excellent crag this, possibly my favourite Yorks Grit Crag. It's got a combination of very big buttresses and smaller craglets, with some classic stuff. I climbed Squirrel Crack (E1 5b***), Fistful of Siestas (E2 6a*), Syrett's Slit (E1 5b*), Abandon Hope (E3 6a*). While i also cleaned and tried Flame Arete (E5 6b**) ground up, but it was too hot for me and i sweated up hilariously, calling it off! I want to go back when its cooler and hopefully still dry to give this a go. I also had a rap down and then climb back up of 'Call of the Curlew' (E4 6a**). It's an odd one, easy enough when you know how, but the start is bold but 'only' 5c? then gear which is adequate i think and pumpy to place then, an 'easy when you know how' rockover on to the arete leading to a slopey and scary top out. I have to learn gritstone climbing realising that 'non' holds are often very useful and again, when it's cooler i'll go back and see how this feels, as i wouldn't have got on it the other day.

The harder stuff at this crag looks good, but i just can't seem to get my head around small, flat crimps on gritstone, i love them on sandstone, but grit just leaves my fingers feeling like they are crimping metal or something? Anyway, hopefully the cold will help out?

Finally, i thought i'd jump on 'Blull Glum Gommit' (E2 6a**) or whatever it's called. It looked fine, but the peg is half snapped through and if this pulls you'll swing into a corner. The moves are on these small, flat crimps, which i can't figure out how to use, as like i say, i love crimps on sandstone/limestone. Anyway, careful with Blull Glum... due to the peg issue.

Quality Crag, Squirrel Crack and Syrett's Slit are excellent routes as is the short and sweet Fistful of Siesta but if you go it's probs worth taking a nylon brush to allow you the option to clean your line or to clean something up if you do the clean stuff! This crag really should see a bit more traffic, it's 10minutes from the road! Stoked to look at Ginny Greenteeth (E5 6a***), Emerald Arete (E6 6a**), or Woodland Ecology (E5 6a**) too - i think.

The triple E7 Moor's Video's - Danby and Stoupe Brow

2011-09-19T17:12:00.000+01:00

Video of Franco and my ascents of 'Die By The Sword', 'The White Scoop' and 'Waves Of Inspiration', graded H7 6c**, E7 6b*** and H7 7a***.

Two E7s an amazing last day of Summer '11.

2011-09-19T11:48:00.004+01:00

Stoupe Brow, the large quarried walls overlooking the beautiful seaside village of Robin Hoods Bay has attracted myself and Franco ever since we finally saw the picture of the huge boulders, with the smallest inclusion of quarry walls in the background.

Since then, we've been a couple of times, but often we get put off by what we class as a 'long way to go', however our summer of cleaning, climbing and prospecting First Ascents has lead us back to the crag we always knew had potential.

The Central Crack (E2/3) was climbed by myself and Franco and may be a first ascent? Regardless when we did this a year or so ago, we noticed an obvious leftwards trending sequence up a scoop. The 'Time For Tea' of the Moors we thought!

We were wrong. The large looking holds are awkward, non-positive but do afford a quality sequence of move, safe to say, not in the E3 5c league of Time for Tea. Franco had worked the line telling me of sustained 6a/b moves leading left further from safety and when i had a play on the line last year i was shut down by the slopey, slightly dynamic nature of a deceptively steep feature.

Popping left into the Scoop

Finger dishes

Returning full of confidence i got to work shunting the crux sequence and i found myself unable to decypher a sequence i liked the feel of, considering a fall will either see you slam into a corner or worse, the ground.
Eventually though i found a sequence i liked the feel of. The intial traverse being friendly and allowing chalking opportunities, you then find yourself crimping into a scoop to get feet on a good rail. From here a pop leftwards to a flat 3 finger dish is the beginning of the tricky climbing and with each move of the gripping sequence up the scoop, the gear becomes further and further away.

Crimpy crux moves

High feet and an insecure step

The result of a fall is mixed. The crux for me was the pop, which is safe enough with the gear placed from the chockstone in 'Central Crack'. However the moves up the groove at 6a/b above this, leading to a very scary almost E6 6a finishing move where the ground is a certainty. I had a rope at the top to grab just incase, as the top outs at many of the buttresses are steep onto grass, with very little substantial vegetation to grab, however it is possible to top out 'properly' on this route but might be exceedingly dangerous to do so! I'd recommend a brush of it too, as the abseil scours in some of the rock and the plentiful stakes would suggest a Coastguard or Mountain Rescue practice site.

Amazing climbing, beautiful feature - what a way to finish the summer!

Gripped

Terrifying finishing reach

Nick, my brother who had come along to Stoupe spotted a large, corner crack which he dilligently cleaned and sorted out. He then lead the climb, opting to 'traditionally' wedge himself up the crack somehow gaining height with every wriggle. Low gear was all he managed to place and topping out he was certainly quite run out! I then seconded the climb and couldn't figure out how the hell he climbed the crack so i opted to use the small selection of crimps and pockets that adorned the walls of the corner and bridged my way up the line. He couldn't tell me what grade he thought his method was, however i feel a grade of HVS 4c* or E1 5a* would describe the ascent by myself. Either way, we called it 'Best of Both' in reference to the fact you can thrutch or delicately climb the line with both options being memorable and also a bit of joke regarding Hovis.

With time and light starting to leave, Franco then decided it was time for his ascent of the outrageous and beautiful smooth rib, we'd both had a play on a few days earlier. The climbing is superb. Starting with a balancy, dynamic step up to a crimp the rib above allows itself to be climbed with the utilisation of micro-crimps, pops, huge rockovers and iron features. Oh so typical of the moors sandstone. Low runners protect the desperate moves low down however the upper wall is tricky, reachy and ultra bold. Franco decided a grade of H7 7a*** was adequate, explaining that the climbing would probably be much harder than E7 to onsight. The question of whether or not the route is 7a or sustained 6c is also a funny one, i am of the feeling it's certainly 7a for anyone sub 5'10!

Desperate Crimping sequence

High feet and morpho moves

What a day, what a crag - which may not be quite the all round venue we thought... it seems we may have another 'Round Crag' on our hands as many of the sub - e grade lines are not as good or as numerous as we first thought. Regardless, it's a quality venue for E2+ and certainly needs further development!

Bold and thin above gear

What a summer - come on!

Danby - Aretes, Offwidths, Bold Walls and boulder problems. Phase 1 of re-development complete

2011-09-16T10:47:00.010+01:00

Franco and I have completed the 1st wave of re-development at Danby Crag, a fine crag now boasting a brilliant wealth of difficult and excellent routes. The culmination of this frantic summers work was a quick headpoint by Franco of the bold, hard and brilliant 'Die by the Sword' followed by the discovery and ascent of 'Stalin' a quality offwidth struggle.

Danby this year has seen the addition of routes all across the escarpment at grades, generally in the E-grades. However, part of our relationship with this crag was to develop any unclimbed lower grade routes too or to clean / publicise any excellent forgotten routes.

2011 development has added the following to Danby:

The Jungle Drum - E4 6a** Classy arete climb with gear at half height

Jack Metcalfe on 'The Jungle Drum'

The Polish Diplomat - E5 6b* Wall climb, with adequate gear at half height and a very hard pull to gain the top

Dave Warburton on 'The Polish Diplomat'

Chocolate Moose - E4 6b** A leaning, highball arete that is font 6c+ above plenty of pads

Franco Cookson soloing 'Chocolate Moose'

Palma Ham - E2 6b (Font 6c) A hard rockover leads to a slab. Providing a rare opportunity for moors padding.

Dave Warburton padding up 'Palma Ham'

Palma Ham E2 6a (font 6c) - Danby Crag from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

The Battle For Tripoli - E6 6a** The Danby frightener. Continual interest up the groove to a horrifying step onto the arete, above a huge fall

Howl Psyche - E7 6b* Another serious outing climbing through a low roof via dynamics or gymnastics. Massive fall potential

Dave Warburton Soloing the frightening 'Howl Psyche'

Die By The Sword - E7 6c** Brilliant, fingery and sustained moves up the wall right of The Hypocrisy of Moose. A running belayer won't stop you hitting the ground, though it will lessen your journey down the steep bank!

Franco post-crux on the outrageous 'Die By The Sword'

Stalin - E3 5b** The pinnacle offwidth is steep. It has good hand and footholds on the wall however to aid progress. Very low runners are of little help, though huge cams will make this one safe (and lower the grade!)

Dave Warburton - struggling to overcome 'Stalin'

We also established some fine boulder problems in the 'Ravine' area and also below 'Twin Aretes' Buttress.

Vulcan Bloc Arete - Font 6b+** The photogenic arete is climbed from sit to a tricky top section. Eliminates abound.

Dave Warburton bouldering out 'Vulcan Bloc Arete'

Marine Band Traverse - Font 6c* The obvious traverse of the odd, wavy break. Strenuous and powerful.

The Effervescent Pheasant - Font 6c+/Font 7a*** The brilliant arete, found deep in the woods is climbed from sit.

The Effervescent Pheasant from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Aside from our new routes, we also cleaned, photographed and reviewed the quality of:

Osiris - HVS 5a** Now given two stars this obvious crackline is sustained and tricky. Excellent climbing but still a tad dirty.

Roosevelt - VS 4c** The underrated crack and slab is clean. Protected at the hard bit it has a tricky, unprotected start. Excellent climbing

Dave Warburton leading the impressive 'Roosevelt'

Valiant - VS/(mild)HVS 5a*** The superb groove-crack is barred by a protectable, tricky bulge to start. Excellent moves past this allow the well protected groove to be enjoyed. Superb climbing.

Sam Marks enjoying an ascent of the terrific 'Valiant'

Castle Ridge - VS 4c** Originally graded VD (along with the rest of the buttress) this tricky climb is finally given a more fitting grade and contains some great climbing. The rest of the routes on this buttress are less tricky.

Creeper Wall - VD** This remains the same as it was, but it is very pleasant and clean currently.

Farndale Fayre - Video

2011-09-14T11:30:00.002+01:00

Farndale Fayre - E5 6b** from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Excellent route, enjoy!

Farndale Fayre - E5 6b**

2011-09-11T21:45:00.000+01:00

A went up for look at Farndale Fayre the other day, with Franco in wales i decided i might have been able to work the moves, then solo the line - saving a bit of time. However, upon abbing the line and checking/cleaning the holds i realised the moves looked tricky and i failed to figure out the moves past the 'arete pinch'.

Steve and Karin journied to Round Crag yesterday, quickly checking many of the lines, including Farndale Fayre. Utilising this opportunity to finally meet Steve and Karin, i went up too and managed to figure out the moves past the zero friend on a Top Rope.

Unfortunately, time and weather prevented a lead so i returned today with Franco, intent to get the line done as the climbing and position is excellent!

It was windy - this 'hurricane' must be coming and it felt really hard to hold the positions on the arete as a result. However, after a few trial runs and placing the friend from the ledge, which is tricky, I felt i could go for it, wind or no wind.

Starting moves

The climb was fine, initial reaches establishes you on the line and then a tricky sequence popping up to an arete pinch, then a massive heel throw allows the bold, upper arete to be gained. Loved it! The friend protects the moves up til the ledge holds on the left, from here you're soloing.

The arete-pinch reach

Amazing route, with powerful climbing to compliment the other brilliant routes on this quality pinnacle. What a day out you could have - Fresh Arete, Honey Arete, Farndale Fayre for E5 aretes and then the rest of the crag of course!

A few forgotten gems

2011-09-04T14:07:00.003+01:00

A couple of days at the 'less popular crags' looking at some of the dirty, lost or neglected 'classic' routes of the Moors. Many of these found their way on to my ticklist on UKC: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=236

High Crag - Tripsdale

Myself, Franco and Sam ventured to the elusive High Crag. I actually wanted to go to Tarn Hole to do the E4*** but we thought a warm up on Kestrel Crack, Warrior and Hanging at High Noon was a good idea...

Kestrel Crack is HVS 5b** currently and climbs the fairly straightforward looking crackline. I viewed it as a non-sandbagged crackline, which i thought was quite a result! However, the climbing wasn't quite as straightforward as i thought and cleaning the route onsight, i found a bit of Heel-use prudent to negotiate the roof! It's a quality climb actually and it's well protected (crack innit!) but the climbing is tricky, E1 5b** for my money but it's a bit of Flying Buttress Direct at Stanage... HVS for the E1 leader maybe?

Heel action on 'Kestrel Crack' HVS **

Through the crux

Sam then fought his way up Warrior - THE elusive classic E2 that sounds so inviting, mysterious and amazing in the guidebook! Kestrel and Warrior are worth the walk up on their own! As for the walk in, cutting direct up the valley through the bracken isn't really that bad, but if bracken walking isn't your thing you can follow a farm track from the river crossing then cut back along the moor top to the crag top.

Starting difficulties - Warrior E2 ***

Upper steep groove

It began to rain, so Hanging and the project we found will have to wait, as well as A Reach too Far at Tarn Hole!

Highcliffe Nab:

Franco and I visited Highcliffe for my birthday. I was going out for a meal that night so we chose a local crag and went with the idea of cleaning a few classics and doing Magic in the Air.

Long story short, we got on Ping. Onsight cleaning made the route feels desperate but after my ascent and Franco's then rapping and cleaning, the line is currently very clean and deserves to be climbed more. It's super well protected, tricky to start and tricky to finish but it's excellent, with good moves and a nice position! Get on it and keep it clean!

Franco starting 'Ping' - E1 5c **

central crack section

clean enough for a solo

Franco then sussed out an FA and while he cleaned it up, i quickly abbed down Magic in the Air (E5 6b***) with siderunners, which i placed. I didn't really clean the line, as i was wondering how i'd fare if i climbed the line 'sort of onsight', so i checked there were no majorly dirty parts and cleaned some wierd ivy like plants that would have caused some top out issue!

Franco belayed me on Magic and after initially thinking i would flash the line, i floundered reaching off a scrittly hold on the arete (really regret not cleaning it better). But after a quick rest i set off again and making the delicate starting moves up to the big arete hold, i was pulling around the arete and up on to the sculptured wall and pockets that Stargazer finishes up! Excellent route!
What's more, it was nice to compare the line to some of the F.A's we've been putting up recently both in terms of quality and grade.

Franco then finished his cleaning and soloed the line quickly, believing the grade was around E4 5c*. Another bold tester he called 'Curious Intrigue'.

Starting moves of 'Curious...' E4 *

The awkward midheight reach

high up on smeary layaways

More highcliffe action followed, with a return to the left side to clean 'Peeler' the E1 5c** crackline. This thin crack is well protected but is hard. It was really very dirty, with ferns and moss so franco managed to get his way up it onsight, then realising the top out was horrific, lowered off the top most gear. I then rapped the line and cleaned it. It's excellent and now clean enough for an ascent up to the top. However I DID NOT clean the top out as it's a big job and may require a saw for a couple of felled trees. My advice would be to SET UP A LOWER OFF, for this climb and Gluon, which i also cleaned and looked more E4 6a than E2 5c!

Franco onsight cleaning, 'Peeler' E1/2 **

Finally we finished the day with an ascent of 'Holden's Wall'. Another superb route. The poorly protected start is followed by a juggy top out with good reaches, protected by an awesome thread! A really quality route. The right hand start is as good, if not better with slightly better moves but it's harder at 5b. The Holden's Wall area is really easy to get to along the top track, the obvious prow is easy to see and get down to. There really is no excuse to go and keep this one clean!

Holden's Wall - HVS **

A final Highcliffe word of advice:

Final word, there are lots of lower grade routes (Severes and VS's) that look good over the left side of the crag too. We found a nutket and nylon brush were enough to clean the cracklines of Ping, Peeler and the buttress routes of Gluon, Holden's Wall and Franco's 'Curious Intrigue'. However perhaps for some routes a wire brush would be useful but use it carefully! Also, something larger for the cracklines which are choked with mud might be useful, perhaps an Iceaxe or trowel? But again, be careful using it!

Final word of advice, in some cases the top outs are 'dodgey' but may be a lot of work to sort out. If you're not a local or it's just too big an effort, just set up a lower off when you are cleaning up your chosen route. Some of the routes are really very good and you'll be helping with the restoration of this accessible, quality crag!

Peak Scar thoughts:

Very short thoughts... some of the HVS's are actually E1!

Howl Psyche & Battle For Tripoli - Danby Crag First Ascents

2011-08-29T21:47:00.006+01:00

Myself and Franco both have projects at Danby. Franco is currently working on 'Vulcan Arete' and the 'Moose Wall', both E7 6c but at opposing ends of the bold spectrum. I however was very stoked by the easier but ridiculously bold, 'Otter Wilderness Direct'.

Ive shunted the line in the past and felt good, but wanted a cool, breezy day. Funnily such a day came along however it only dawned on me it was the perfect day, when i was shunting it for the second time, today. I felt solid enough for a lead, the low 6b crux felt fine and a half slip was held today, which gave me some confidence. I asked franco for photos. I needed proof and memories of this adventure.

Crux Heel

Abseiled down, i placed my mat on the dusty ground and slapped a load of liquid chalk on. It's the best. Franco prepped, i set off, climbing the starting crimps, which will remain dusty for eternity i think. A quick sequence of pockets, side pulls and heels and i was crimping my way to the sloping shelf, with it's critical (for me) thumb hold. A quick chalk and a high foot, two finger crimp on the right rocking up higher and higher to a side pull... now, heart in mouth smear feet on the sloping ledge and chalk left and right.

Sloping hold with thumb hold

A scary, feet smearing reach from here gains the first really good hold, a bomber pocket. A series of beautifully sustained, well positioned moves find their way delicately up the arete. The line is the same for the top of the groove to the left and also, Franco's 'Otter Wilderness Route'.

John Dunne - esque?

Top crux. Necky 5c.

Slightly unstable

I was pretty stoked topping out and i felt the ascent was a small step up from Fresh Arete. Although Fresh Arete contained a dynamic pop at the top of the main difficulties and is unprotected, the arete i decided to call Howl Psyche (due to the nearby village, Houlsyke) i felt was far bolder, even though it was static. A fall, from any point on the route will result in a fall through a tree, down into the boulders below. If the floor was were you start the route, i'd have graded it E6, but feel the added fall zone means E7 is worthwhile.

Heel for stability

'Howl' Psyched!

Franco, spurred on by my ascent, decided it was time to beat his long term project, the groove. To call it a project is a bit of a falacy. He had taken a 'factor 2' into the undergrowth hanging on the cliff below. He had never been back. However, aware of the upper moves from my ascent and from his own ascent of 'The Otter Wilderness Route' he made his way up the groove. At around half height is a horrific step onto the sloping ledge of the route i had just ascended and they finish the same. The route is sustained at 5c/6a and is unprotected. However, with the evidence of surviving a factor 2 from this very route, he decided a rope and belayer was a better option than 'the perfect shot'.

I then shunted Franco's Hypocrisy of Moose. I had belayed him when he did it and i had seen him work it a couple of times but i'd never actually tried it. I flashed on shunt up to the rickety flake and then floundered, eventually finding a sequence to get established around the corner on the opposing gastons. I couldn't get up and around to the next hold and wouldn't like to test the tri-cam (the Rp's will rip out!). The topout is horrific too... Awesome line, good holds and really good moves. Pretty un-obvious and it's bold. Can't believe Franco lead it, i thought i was going well at the moment!

We finished the day on a boulder below the buttress. Hidden in trees a carpet of moss simple folded off and the arete below was cleaned and quickly climbed, providing perfect moves in an endearing position. We decided it was a bit stiffer than the other arete we had ascended at Danby and felt Font 7a*** described the climbing well, however we were pretty knackered from the day! Danby now has a fair bit of mid grade bouldering and highball routes which were delighted about!

The Effervescent Pheasant from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Bring on the run into Uni... 3 weeks to go. What can we achieve?!

A wild day at Lion Buttress, Round Crag - 'Mane Vision' E5 6c* + Video!

2011-08-29T09:44:00.007+01:00

Sam on the start of the cruxy, 'Mane Vision' E5 6c

Darkness and a 1 hour blast in the space of 3 days at Round Crag had seen Franco and I discover another fine unclimbed line. Lion Buttress, the host to a couple of fine lower grade routes, also contains a central wall, spilt by a traverse crackline, 'The Kitten' (VS).

Franco had previously attempted to climb direct through the break and in the dark he said the climbing was thin and excellent, if only he knew where the next hold was! I had returned with him to try it and my first attempts too showed that a quality sequence of moves, protected by good gear with a tricky little fall was the routes character, something i liked the sound of.

Focussing hard, it's a long way to that tiny crimp

Franco, had trashed his tips on several attempts at yarding on the thin, two finger crimp but eventually stood up and looking comfortable and in the sunlight this time, he reached to a tiny protrusion. Balanced and comfortable, it was a matter of just reaching the sloping crimp on the micro-ledge... Bang.
Franco hurted down to my position with yells of anguish. The protrusion had snapped! Bugger!

Huuge reach

It was now a straight dyno to the sloping crimp, using reflex strength in your left arm and the tiny two finger edge with your right, you would have to pop again with your right and hold the swing. 6c move for sure.
Franco, desperately got closer and closer to hanging the crimp taking some unbalanced, sideways falls and I, lacking the reflex strength never really got close to hanging the crimp. There had to be another way.

The vicious winds of the moor tops were battering, relenting for short, 10 second periods of calmer, warmth. It was a chilly day and the conditions on the rock, were good...but i didn't think the wind was conjective to success, not only that I was scared at the prospect of Franco managing the sloping crimp dyno hold and me being resigned to accepting i was unable to pull off such a feat. I pulled up again clipping the gear and chilling at the 'Kitten break'. I pulled on, left hand into the 3 finger pocket/edge. Closed to a powerful crimp. Right hand on the pinch undercut getting my feet up into the break and then in one fluid movement rocking up to and holding the tiny, finger splitting edge. This time, I felt more composed, in balance and fiddling my feet about i through caution to the wind and pushed a couple of fingers from my left hand onto the stub of the broken protrusion. The 'gaston' held and i was stuck two fingers on a gaston, two fingers on a unforgiving, but excellently shaped little crimp.

I stood for what felt like an age. This wasn't some wierd out of body experience, it was windy as hell and i held the position for the best part of 20 seconds, battling to avoid being ripped off the wall. I could see, just about the grey, sloping edge and while stood motionless, i visualised deadpointing it. Over and over.

I popped and at the same time, unconciously tried to snare my left toe against the break for balance. It worked, allowing me just enough time to hang the sloper before my left food followed me around to the right. Ground up and now facing a ledge hitting fall, i was scared. I reached up higher and scrabbling for feet, I nearly threw it all away with the mantle finish. It was complete.

I was happy, but also gutted. I felt the wall was going to become a dynamic test piece, but if i'm honest i'm just glad to have climbed it in a really fitting style, ground up. And i wouldn't have managed the dyno, so i shouldn't complain!

Franco then, utlising my beta made a quick ascent. We were unsure whether the 'more static' beta was indeed 6c, If it is, then it's my first 6c on a route, which would seem to make sense as this is the greatest number of ground up's i've done. But as many a climber has said, 'easy 6c is hard 6b!' and it's a quality challenge, quite contrary to the bold lines of Round Crag proper.

Sam then tried the line, but struggling to manage the huge rockover to the tiny crimp, he didn't quite manage to hold it, firing off and rather nastily scraping the front of his shin. I could see white on the front of his shin and i bricked it, asking him to show me the wound quickly. Fortunately it was just a fatty layer, which i really should have come to the conclusion of quicker, due to his reputation for having chubby little legs...

All in all, a wild day up on Blakey in the roaring wind. The buttress, with it's Lion/Big Cat theme had to be adhered to and we felt 'Mane Vision' was a good attempt at keeping with the Lion theme and also a bit of a remark to the fact it was climbed, eventually, the way we were attempting it at first!

A desperately hard (for me) route which is well protected where it matters and is in contrast to the poorly protected routes of Round Crag. I feel it's a useful addition to a crag in a great setting which i really hope starts to see a bit of traffic. A brilliant day out at E5, Honey Arete, Farndale Fayre and Vampiric Obsession, using Heel of Approval to get yourself warmed up to boldness! Then a well protected struggle with Mane Vision!

Mane Vision E5 6c, Round Crag. Ground up FA from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

To wrap up a decent summer...

2011-08-27T16:46:00.004+01:00

Time feels like it's running out, fast. There's so much i want to do, both established routes and the FA's we're desperate to get done while we are both based in the Moors.

Established Routes:

1. Magic in the Air - I'll happily tick this with the siderunner at E5. If it feels nice, then i'd be interested in the actual line, which without side runner is E6/7 - Done with E5 side runners. Awesome route!

2. Stratagem - The E4/5 testpiece of Ravenscar is off putting as it's awkward and hard and easy to blow at the top - which i hate.

3. Hanging at High Noon - E4 slabby wall at High Crag. Steve and Karin's route that gets the stars, but will need a damn good clean! Might try to get some action shots of Warrior too? - Got Warrior shots and found a project

4. A Reach Too Far - The E2 6a (1pt aid) was freed by Steve Crowe and Karin Magog and is rated at ***. This esoteric gem has to be on the list, will be very interesting to see the how the quality is!

5. Farndale Fayre - Steve Crowes' E5 arete. Short in height but big in impact. You get a good photo to, if I can get the bottle and a 3rd person for photos! Don't think i have time to get stoked for Pippi or Scut de scun Ai. - Done, headpoint after being shown the sequence by Steve.

6. Grand Master Flash - Bouldery then thin up top. I must be able to give this a good go onsight now? Given E5 but has been proposed to be an E4.. not sure about this though?

7. Pyscho Syndicate - Extremely thin and very bouldery. Given 7a back in the day of 7b's due to sustained nature by the F.A and described as the 'hardest move in the world' (at the time) by R. Fawcett on a repeat. It is now graded 6b, but can only be desribed as nails!

8. Time Captain, Love or Confusion, Res Publica, Cardiac Arrest, Teesside Twitcher and Three Screaming Popes would be excellent too - far fetched though! - Did the Web - E5 6a**

First Ascents:

1. Otter Direct - The blunt rib at Danby is my project!. Currently the direct start to the 'Otter Wilderness Route' is regarded by myself and Franco as one of the very boldest routes in the Moors. The climbing sees a crux at around 4 metres at 6b. With sustained top end 5c above. There is no gear and the fall is doubled by the cliff below the route which has an ominous hole too... E7 6b. - Done. 'Howl Psyche' E7 6b*

2. Vulcan Arete and Moose Wall - Franco's projects but they require time and attention from me too. Danby will be a ridiculously well routed crag in the high grades when achieved. Jungle Grooves could go too but at E6 6a, it might be a straight choice between Otter and Jungle in terms of not taking too many risks...
Jungle Grooves climbed at E6 6a by Franco, now called 'The Battle for Tripoli' also did Franco's Wall project 'Die By the Sword' - E7 6c!

3. Kay Nest Wall - I've not really looked at it in regard to free ascents, but i've heard it's E7 6c, well protected by original, hand drilled minature bolts which may or may not hold... Finishes with a dyno to an edge or something horrid.

4. The White Groove - Hopefully the coastal super route, at a run out and sustained 6b this is considered E7. It just needs a couple of days dry weather and then a warm, full day as it's a bit of a drive from the main moors. - Given another clean and sorted a sequence. Tricky, physical climbing leading to a bold top section.

5. Puma Wall - The wide wall, with a break at half height on Lion Buttress. It was attempted by Franco in the dark and he said it would go. Climbing is top end 6b with good gear - a well protected tester. E4 6b is a tentative guess. - (DONE!) - Mane Vision E5 6c

6. Otter Arete - The left arete of the newly discovered Otter Hill Bastion - bold and probably E4+

I will not do all of this, but it would be excellent to do a handful of each list! And the rest will have to be done whenever i return in the future! Stoked.

Honey Arete - Round Crag

2011-08-18T18:55:00.003+01:00

No silly videos or action shots today, after a dodgey morning of car related troubles and such, we eventually got ourselves to Round Crag. I was not stoked for Danby today and i was looking forward to trying 'Honey Arete', which meant hoping that our drainage work had been successful.

The ground below, usually perma-boggy was a beautiful dampish, sort of solid, but now without worry of getting muddy and wet. What an improvement!

We observed the tall, elegant arete and commented on the two obvious cruxs, one past the pocket at 3metres and then the top section which looks thin. I was psyched out by this and having previously Shunted the starting moves with Steve Ramsden didn't really mind a quick rap down to clean holds and then shunt back up to check how it climbed, Franco was off looking at Scut de Scun Ai.

We both elected that a 'fielder' below was a much better option than photos on this occasion and with the confidence of a human impact reduction, Franco then, similarly to 'Vampiric Obsession', onsighted the climbing following my cleaned holds and i quickly did similar with the knowledge of my own pre-inspection.

Franco at the top of Honey Arete

The arete is graded E5 6b*** and i would fully agree with the quality when it is clean. Hopefully a few more ascent over the next year or so may keep the holds lichen free... The grade is a funny one, it's extremely bold but the landing is flat. The actual 6b crux may be ok to jump off from, but i wouldn't like to slip. I would regard the top, thin smeary section to be very serious. Good effort to Franco for onsighting it!

Myself, chuffed even if it was a headpoint

Snotterdale Crag - New Routes and bouldering (Video!)

2011-08-17T20:43:00.008+01:00

Felt un-stoked for Danby today, but still in the mood to climb. I was actually looking forward to maybe repeating some probably un-repeated lines and the best place for that we decided was 'Snotterdale', the blacksheep of the Scugdale family.

I'd been before and climbed the excellent E2 of Desperandum, which is reason enough to go alone. However our last visit had made us aware of an FA or two. There were also a couple of E3's which are Steve Brown and Dave Paul routes, i think, which are always interesting to try to climb!

Carrying on the current tradition of looking for warm up boulder problems at these cliffs, we soon found a rather cool looking prow system. The rock was clean and the holds provided were really good! A quick look and soon a quality, albeit short sequence was put to use. It's a tricky one to grade, but there is a definitive crux and we decided a Font 6c* would probably suffice. It could be a tad easier? Either way, we were both certain it was a very worthwhile little problem to do at the crag.

Font 6c - Wizard's Prow

Wizard's Prow

We the turned our attention to the line we had spotted last year. An obvious hanging crack, slightly remeniscent of 'Strapadictomy', but obviously a statement to be taken with a pinch of salt!

Franco was stoked to climb the line onsight. But it was in serious need of a clean, so i volunteered. However Franco was adament that a onsight/ground up ethic was in place on the line and that he was capable of climbing the line while cleaning...

Long story short is he was. After two or three gos up and down, cleaning as he went he said he fancied a crack on lead. The small tricams, cams and mid sized sideways nut providing the gear in the horizontal break. A quick rockover to a gaston and then a relaxed 'flow' onto this allows the top to be reached. I then repeated the line with the beta of Franco's successful ascent, but the crux couple of moves are excellent.

An odd climb to grade, as the gear is ok but the landing isn't perfect. It's not high, but the move is tricky. It's a 6a move and the gear is there but it might not stop you hitting the small series of ledges and, it may well pull out? We opted for E4 6a** and named it 'Snotterdictomy'...

After this i was interested to either climb 'Soothsayer' a rather cool looking E1 5b wall climb, or 'Sixth Sense' an interesting slabby wall at E3 6a. I opted to look at Sixth Sense and quickly gave it a clean which it was in dire need of! I then soloed the line, eventually making the unbalancing and bold move to the pocket at the top. I then panicked and asked for Franco to run around for a rope. However while he did this i remembered what i was doing and made the move ok. The top out is a bit rank though! Franco said he wasn't really that interested in it, but i told him it was good. He repeated it and agreed it was a worthwhile climb, certainly worth a * which is doesn't receive currently.

The midges arrived in a bad way, so we quickly climbed the quite long, angled arete at the lower tier which went at Font 6b** which has a couple of really good moves including a long slap for a sloper. Excellent!

Taken in poor light with the last life in the camera - The long and very cool Font 6b arete, 'Lady of the Lake'.

The film below might be a bit shite, as i have put both ascents of all the routes on, in an attempt to help get an idea of how to climb the routes, Franco will often LANK lines and i'll often make things look desperate...

Snotterbad Little Movie... from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Palma Ham - Font 6c (video) - Danby Crag

2011-08-15T22:46:00.003+01:00

We noticed a large slab, covered in moss and dripping wet and i cleaned it of the thick of the moss yesterday. The intention was to progressively just keep cleaning the slab as it dried over the days and weeks... however returning to Danby today, it looked a good deal drier than yesterday.

I first had a shunt of 'Otter Wilderness Direct' the E7? 6b route just to the left of The Hypocrisy of Moose. It's very good, two star and bold as brass. Really look forward to it and i'm hoping to find myself in a similar state of mind and ability as Fresh Arete last year.

Anyway, after this we gave the slab a look and after a quick clean from Franco he quickly soloed the upper slab with a large rockover. I however was scared by the fact the rock, when stood on or crimped, turned a damp dark brown colour. I tried Franco's method and quickly chickened out asking for a rope, which i used to clean a few more holds and practice the top moves, which was now more to my liking and then made a similar rock over but with different hands. Excellent little slab, something the moors lacks.

Franco then quickly (his second attempt) managed the direct from the ground over the undercut start, utilising the flake on the right of the 'roof'. He did it stylishly with a heel and an egyptian move to get established. I, after a few more attempts, was happy with the heel but found i would flounder while crimping on the wetting holds, but eventually managed a very ungainly and shin scraping entrance to the upper slab.

Franco rocking onto the Slab

Awkward little move

Excellent slab climbing, shame it doesn't keep going and going

The crag now has arguably 4 quality boulder problems, with the Ravine Boulder hosting a Font 6b+ Arete and a Font 6c Traverse. Chocolate Moose is a highball Font 6c+ arete which is hopefully going to become popular and now this slab, a rarity in the moors, should *hopefully* attract some attention to Danby Crag. Moreover, another E7 in the form of the Otter Wilderness Direct, should attract some attention too. Stoked.

Palma Ham E2 6a (font 6c) - Danby Crag from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

An outsider ventures where few dare go... (video)

2011-08-14T22:31:00.003+01:00

Franco invited his fellow Manchester Uni climber Jack Metcalfe, up to the Moors for a day of boshing out our recent developments at Danby. Jack was psyched and laden with 4 mats between us, we had a line-up for what was going to get done.

Jack warmed up with a swift and assured onsight of 'Jungle Drum' - E4 6a**, confirming the grade and quality and also that myself and Franco were right in downgrading after the discovery of the 'easier' start. Cracking route though, get out there and get on it.

Jack, cruising the Jungle Drum (E4) onsight.

We then moved onto the current Danby development centre, 'The Ravine' where myself and Jack were stoked to repeat Franco's, 'Chocolate Moose' - E5 6c*. Jack quickly figured out a sequence and was soon 'boshing' his way up the larger holds at the top of the arete and pulled through the horrific top out. I then managed the same feat after 2 or 3 false starts and a jump off the top out... thankfully the 4 mats were put to good use and the manner we ascended the route was deemed a highball Font 6c+ and after contemplation the grade of E4 6b*** was considered correct but for once it appears this arete is probably best approached above a stack of pads!

Franco then showed Jack his two current projects, the blunt rib and the 'E7' arete, which he felt wasn't far away from being completed.

The final actions of the day were a quick, infact flash, of 'Body Torque' (font 7b/7b+) by Jack. A very impressive ascent, quite faultless and quite useful as it was midgey are fook up there in the windless conditions!

Excellent day out, good to have the quality and grade comparison from Jack and hopefully this may spur a few more folk to repeat or go searching for FA's too.

Another Danby day out, with Franco, Dave and Jack from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Bit more bouldering... (V11 video)

2011-08-13T17:49:00.005+01:00

An odd day. We both felt weak and a bit tired after yesterdays quite 'full on' day, which involved digging ditches, Font7b+ bouldering and some route cleaning, not to mention the walk ins.

Anyhow, we opted for the quickly drying Wainstones as the light rain fell and we opted for just boulder mats. Franco had talked of 'being able to do' Steve McClure's V11/Font 8a heinous problem 'The Finger'. The problem involves a small sidepull and a mono which is an old bolt hole.

I looked at the problem and thought it would be very risky for an 12st lump to start yarding on singular digits while they are in very 'tweaky'pockets or in this case, bolt hole. After a bit of warming up and 2 or 3 'practice' runs, Franco suddenly nailed the top hold and began his oddly familiar dance of victory with obligatory rockshoe throwing.

Not a bad effort on what was, until recently, the very hardest boulder problem on the Moors, but i do believe some of the recent work at Oak Crag may have changed this?

A tad disgruntled that my physique and psyche didn't allow me to do more than just hold position on the mono and sidepull, so i seeked out Jas Wood's 'Fade To Grey' - Font 7a* a thuggy sideways boulder problem situation under the omonous Garfit Buttress. After a 1st go to check the sequence and figure the thuggy, groping top out, it went second go and i did it again for good measure. Very nice.

Danby, Stormy Hall and Round Crag

2011-08-13T09:39:00.004+01:00

Feeling 90% after my recent shingles episode, I was looking foward to climbing. Franco had returned from the Lakes where he had been a couple of days, just after me.
The weather was pretty piss. Raining and grey with no real look of brightening up we waited until it had stopped and set off for Danby, both myself and Franco convincing ourselves it would remain dry.
For a sheltered, north facer it had coped well but 'Chocolate Moose' E5 6c had unfortunately developed a wet streak. Franco and I decided it was just a day for cleaning and 'looking', but we soon gave in as it was apparent the rock was actually a bit too damp to clean on 'Otter Direct'. Franco had just had a clean and shunt of 'Death Arete' which meant the trip was not a complete waste.

I was a bit disappointed by the lack of climbing and i was really interested to see if i was capable of climbing my best after the lay off and the pain in my back from the shingles. The day i fully developed shingles, i had fancied popping up to Stormy Hall and repeating Steve Ramsdens' 'Body Torque' Font 7b+ from sit, so see how it related to 'Paparazzi Arete' at Clemmitt's Crag Boulders.

Franco was stoked for this and the 'free falling' pinnacle takes no drainage so was a good bet to be dry and it was.
After some initial false starts and a visit from Dave Butler, walking home from a shift at the Lion Inn, we both eventually managed a very dynamic ascent of Body Torque.

Body Torque, Font 7b+ at Stormy Hall Boulders

After consulting Steve's Video's in the food-rich environment of Franco's kitchen, we saw how Steve ascended with a craft heel in the pocket myself and Franco put our right hand in. Anyway, if i go back i'll use a heel to make it more static.
Finally, with mist rolling in, we decided to leave Franco's house at 7pm to go to Round Crag. My thoughts here were to dig a trench allowing the free drainage of the boggy arete to the north of the buttress and also show Franco, 'Heel of Approval'.

Heel of Approval - E4 6b - Round Crag

We did both these things, but the damp, misty conditions put Franco off an ascent of 'Heel...' and we then dug a rather belting drainage channel. All in all, a very mixed and useful day out on the Moors!

Gowbarrow Crag with Mother

2011-08-13T09:04:00.001+01:00

I have thankfully seen the worst of my Shingles issue, the rash and associated pain diminishing fast and as a result climbing could recommence.
A family camping meet up in the lakes provided me with a couple of days of rest but on the final day, i took my Mum (a total non-climber) to Gowbarrow Crag to 'show her the ropes' as we both felt it may go some way to allowing her a better understanding of what safe practice is and such like - she was especially interested as a result of Franco and Lukes' escapades in the Alps (not really relevant) and also the events surrounding IanJacksons death.
Anyhow, the day was a success, after all the initial work of showing mum abseiling and prussics and belay set up, i set up a Top Rope on the lower buttress at Gowbarrow and mother very quickly despatched a 'Diff' crackline and a VD wall climb, after i had soloed them to show her climbing technique.
I was quite impressed, two faultless ascents of actual climbing the VD wall was actually on quite small holds for hands and feet and probably wasn't VD...

Suitably satisfied by mothers climbing ability i decided she would be able to give 'The Whistler' MVS 4b** a good go and it looks like good climbing and also a perfect situation to place some gear and get mum to 'second'.
I set off on solo, dragging a rope and placing gear to keep the rope on line for mums second, i didn't bother to teach mother to belay as it was unrequired on the day and i quickly made my way to the top of that excellent route. It's well worth a quick pop up if you are in the area perhaps?

Mum seconded again with very little issue, a slight struggle to get past the roof but another clean ascent - A fine effort!

Illness - Shingles

2011-08-03T13:46:00.000+01:00

The week that started with a walk around near Highcliffe and a couple of sessions at Round Crag, was a week I was constantly aware of a slight tenderness under my right arm and a painful upper shoulder/back.
While Soloing at Round Crag, i quickly decided enough was enough and left waking up the following morning in some discomfort. Still psyched and aware i was going to Surrey for the following week, i decided i HAD to go climbing again, so Clemmitt's proximity and the Font 7b arete was an ideal target, which i achieved.
I did however feel pretty poor at Clemmitt's, in regard to my back being very painful and i returned home at 9.30 pm and went to bed.

I had a half plan to get up early before it got warm and go to 'Body Torque' the Font 7b+ boulder near my house, however, the morning was just too much of a pain and lethargy consumed time. I soon developed a small rash under my right arm and by the evening a fully blown angry rash from my chest to my back, only on the right side of my body.

Unfortunately, by this time we had arrived in Surrey so i popped into a NHS drop in centre and was quickly diagnosed with Shingles, something my mother and I had already come to the conclusion of. Apparently, i must have experienced a great deal of stress recently, which affected my immune system - can only imagine it was the idea of all these FA's on the Moors and not enough time to climb them all! ;-)

Should be cleared up in a couple of weeks or so, rash is still prevalent but hasn't spread to my left side of my body or any of hte adjacent nerve pathways - hopefully wont develop the after virus either, (as im on anti-virals) which can result in months to years of muscular pain... joys.

Psyched for more Moor's based action, with the added bonus that Adam Van Lopik has confirmed that Octopet climbs the slab to the left of Honey Arete and not the line of Vampiric Obsession. This is good on two fronts - 1. Vampiric will remain one of our FA's and is a good climb and 2. Octopet looks fooking ridiculous at E4!!! Can't wait to give it a look now!

Paparazzi Arete - font 7b***

2011-07-31T11:28:00.000+01:00

Another trip to Clemmitt's to hopefully and finally tick the brilliant arete problem i had previously done from crouch. I quite quickly managed from sit, the starting move isn't hard and just makes setting up for the crux a bit harder and everything just that little bit more difficult to hold, pushing the grade from Font7a+ to 7b and gaining a * in pure quality.

Unfortunately, i decided i might be able to refine the arete so that it was slightly less 'chancy' when i got on it in the future. I did just this, by messing around with my feet a bit earlier, i could take the weight with my left foot pushing higher, while crimping on a small edge. Normally, i would pop up again with my right hand to a good full pad crimp, but this time i elected to hold my wieght and swing my left hand to said crimp. This, rather unfortuantely, seems to make the move around the nose of the arete much easier, without the need to drop down on the smaller holds and also, you can more easily hold the swing (i.e you don't have to cutloose) but it's better to swing off anyway.

Also did a small, 2 move font 5, which is on the opposite rib to Paparazzi Arete, as seen in the video.

I hope that my method just 'suits me' and that it remains a font 7b. Perhaps i've just got a tad stronger? But i doubt it, i feel my beta reduces the grade significantly! (So i might delete this video in the future :-)

Papparazzi Arete - Clemmitt's Out Boulders. from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Heel of Approval

2011-07-28T20:23:00.004+01:00

A quick dash up to Round Crag to try to make myself feel better, while suffering from drousyness and aching muscles (due to illness, nothing impressive like pushing myself or owt!) reaped some sort of reward... I had previous been to Round Crag and decided i WANTED to do Honey Arete E5 6b**/*. However i realised the floor was VERY wet and i really couldn't be arsed abseiling down to then get my shunt on and then start climbing, so i sacked this idea off very quickly and decided instead to warm up on Pannierman's Arete - Steve Ramsden's boulder problem arete on the boulder below the pinnacle.
I'm going to go back though, with a spade, to dig a proper drainage channel which would stop the bottom of Octopet, Honey Arete and Vampiric Obsession getting so horribly soggy.

Pannierman's Arete is a cool, quite high Font 6b+ with a dynamic finish. In the full sun today, it felt slippy, hard and bold. I imagine it would be much friendlier in cooler conditions. Regardless though, it's pretty good and a decent warm up and actually packs a fair few moves in from sit.

I then decided that if i was to salvage anything, i would have to try the North Arete project. Adam Van Lopik graded this E3 6b after top roping it years ago and Franco and myself had looked at it previously to onsight/ground up. I seem to remember cleaning it moons ago but it certainly didn't look like i had!
It was filthy, so i decided enough was enough with this arete toying with us, (me especially as i say "i will do that north arete as well, seeing as we're up there!" everytime i go and i never do... ) so i just rapped down and cleaned the obvious holds.
A quick shunt showed i was short sighted with my cleaning and i soon developed a bold, but pretty easy solution to the arete. A cunning heel.

It's a one mover, that much is simple. The landing (though not as horrific as i remembered) would need to be padded by 3 or 4 mats to feel safe, as the 'cunning heel' is good for the climb but would result in a pelvis first fall if you didn't manage to nestle it on the jug. I can however see why Adam Van Lopik suggested E3 6b, as it's purely 1 move, but to onsight would be bold and potentially painful. The top moves on the arete are good too, lots of big hand holds but unbalancing if you stray to the arete, so your left to pad up smears and edges up a slabby groove. It's like a gearless E2 5b once you've stood on the starting jug.

All in all, another F.A - which i'm actually very happy with. It was a better move than i thought it would be - i sort of had visions of an arete grovel, using your thighs and knees to gain height, but not so. I also found the upper section tricky onsight (as i only cleaned and chalked the obvious holds in the upper section, prior to the lead)

The video demonstrates the move, which will remove your onsight! as it's pretty much all about figuring this out - but who care's it's a route that needed doing and is quite suitable to sit upon the fine pinnacle of Round Crag.

I decided a name of 'Heel of Approval' may entice future ascentionists to figure out the beta for themselves and although i can understand the grade of E3 6b set by Adam, i feel the grade of E4 6b is more fitting. No stars due to the unsustained nature, but it's a good one move and unfortunate it's not a flat, lovely landing as it would be a fine E3 6b, if so...
(an afterthought is that there is a pocket which could take a cam, which might stop you hitting the ground proper, but maybe not the boulders and ledges? I'll have a look next time i'm there, but this may be the reason he suggested E3? Would maybe get in the way though...)

Enjoy the video, due to the position of the camera it makes the arete look slabbier than it is, you can tell due to the wierd unbalanced looking positions i get into!

Heel of Approval - E4 6b from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Highcliffe Photos and Round Crag thoughts...

2011-07-28T20:03:00.001+01:00

A strange week. Franco departed to the Alps and i decided to shunt projects and also established routes that i didn't care about. However, i seem to have developed Franco's Illness, the Illness that saw him struggle while bouldering at Danby. I feel like crap, too tired and lacking in psyche to do anything until about 3pm it seems, I also have a wierd soreness in my right armpit? and also a really tight right shoulder muscle.

Regardless, i packed the Shunt and headed to Highcliffe - Long story short i ended up looking at the buttresses and doing little else. A quick shunt of 'The Web' - E3 5c did afford me some good climbing, but it's a joke at E3 and 5c. The mantle move used to have a peg, this is no longer and there and would see you crater from 7metres (while mantling) the move also seemed very hard for 5c! I would tentitavely place this in the realms of E5 6a! But maybe i can't mantle for shit!

After this i checked out the recently re-exposed left hand buttresses. These areas sport some 'old testpieces' of the 8-12m kind, ranging from thuggy flared cracks, to peg-scared fissures and gearless, excellent looking Aretes. There are some 'classic' looking VS thuggy cracks but they all need a damn good clean. They certainly look good, I would suggest heading up with a brush/nutkey/trowel etc etc, picking a line cleaning it and climbing it. I unfortunately forgot my nutkey so Ping, Peeler and Cling on will have to wait another day. Also, not really soloing territory - would be much nicer with a couple of people! Peg scared well protected cracks at E1 5c (1970's grade too, most probably!), are probably closer to E4 to solo...

Peeler - E1 5c**

Holden's Wall - HVS 5a **

Gluon Arete - E2 5c! Cling On Traverses in on the Rail at E1 5c*

E2 6a Arete, HVS cracklines and HARD boulder problem flake feature (cool)

Ping (E1 5c**) and Twin Cracks (Severe)

'Far left Buttresses - FA potential on this 6-8metre high 'venue'...

I then walked right over to another 'buttress' i had spotted on the drive over, however it's pretty shit. It might provide some FA's for a local, desperate climber!

Dissolutioned by this 'day out' i quickly drove to Round Crag, Blakey Inn and proceeded to rap down and clean 'Telescopic' E4 5c. This route is pretty poor to be honest, with slightly sandy rock, very closeby collapsed pillar (that is hard to avoid) and as the grade might suggest, is just a bit 'sketch'. There are far better routes at Round Crag even if you have to have a quick look first, they are rewarding.

My belief is still that a good day out would be had, if you either lead onsight/ground up 'Time Out' the E4 6a*** groove, placing the fiddly wires (or pre-place them?) and then using the gear as side runners for 'Fresh Arete' E5 6b** and going ground up on this too.

My quick day here was halted by tiredness and hunger but i did have a quick note-to-self about coming back and shunting then soloing Honey Arete (E5 6b**/*) and then having a quick look at Lopik's E3 (E5?).

Danby Bouldering

2011-07-23T15:07:00.003+01:00

A quick visit to Danby to check any improvement in cleaning or strength on the FA's at Danby, turned into a bouldering day. The crimpy, hard routes required a warm up and the good 'bloc' positioned in the Ravine area of Danby, provided a nice arete and also a sustained traverse.
Unfortunately, this total lack of concentration on the routes, meant that we were spent after a bit of cleaning, bouldering and what not.

The Hypocrisy of Moose - H7 6c***

Regardless, there are now 2 nice boulder problems at Danby, which would be nice to try if local or may provide adequate warm up for some of the harder problems.

The Arete is a sit-down start. A potentially frustrating start, leads to better holds. A large sidepull, can be avoided to create an eliminate Font 6c, which is very good. With the sidepull, Font 6b+ again worth doing.

The traverse of the obvious break of the boulder is a good one to the get the arms working. Starting low on the right, traverse left towards the Ravine, using cunning footwork and some powerful moves. Enjoyable.

A video illustrating the two problems put up on the Ravine boulder with some other bits and pieces too. Just made for the sake of it:

Bouldering at Danby Crag from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Addition:

The following day, the day before Franco journies to the Alps we decided to return to Clemmitt's, so Franco could 'send' the sit start to Paparazzi Arete (Font 7b***) and i wanted to either do this, or the low, crouching start at Font 7a+**.

Long story short, it took me a few goes, but i eventually sent' the arete from a crouch. I then tried from sit which is ok, the starting move from sit isn't that hard, but it does add an element of fatigue and sweaty fingers to the rest of the arete, which is by far and away the crux moves. Franco had quickly managed the sit-down start, as he knew it was a case of being fresh. All in all it's an excellent arete boulder problem - definately one of the best (if not the best) boulder problem i've done.

We also did a direct, starting as for the arete sit, but making a direct reach up the face and topping out, at font 6b+ or so. A nice evening with Franco and Rebecca.

Battersby new routing, new buttress hunting gone wrong and a quiet evenings bouldering...

2011-07-21T23:36:00.006+01:00

Disappointed by the recent weather thwarting our climbing plans, we decided that we would test the idea we had, that 'Battersby Tower', a newly discovered outcrop along the Battersby range would provided superfast drying, rock... We weren't disappointed.

We arrived feeling 'ropey', from the effects of an upper-class night out in Yarm... but quickly got to work. Franco abseiling down the left arete and proclaiming that 'it was for another day'. I then decided, feeling the least dodgy of us, to have a quick solo of the 'rampline' of weakness up the front of the buttress. We couldn't decide if it looked VS or E2. However, i was confident i wouldn't be too bad. I racked and roped up, but realised i cherished photos much more, so Franco took them while i trailed the rope and gear up. I intended to place gear where possible, however, the gear is poor in the lower sections.
The crux is interesting. A step up to either a large, licheous sloper or a smaller footedge. Eitherway, the move is unbalanced and the lack of gear focusses the mind. A cool little move and the top groove was delightful. An E1 5a* or E2 5b*, we were unsure. It reminded me of 'Physical' at Broughton Bank, although harder, but it also reminded me of Queer Street at Highcliffe, an E1 5a**. Either way, a lower grade route, which we were especially pleased with.

Franco then quickly dispatched the direct start to the same line, taking the obvious groove at E2 6a, but with not added quality. The real shame was the offwidth that bounds the right side of the crag. It is too close to the edge to warrent a route effort, REALLY large gear would be needed too!

We decided to call it a day at Battersby and for whatever reason chose to walk towards 'Rudd Scar' and 'Botton Head' to check if they actually existed... Rudd Scar certainly does and there are outcrops along the Botton Head area, though we lost psyche to check them today after being defeated by endless bog and waining time.

Some crags for future devoties?

We finished the day with a quiet evenings bouldering at Potter's Quarry. I haven't been for ages and the two 'big 5c's', Borboletta and Poision Letter were in mind, as we had previously dismissed them at 'hard and high' when climbing at 5a/5b. Anyway, the route was less high than i remembered and was also much more decorated with holds. The crux actually appeared to be the move off the deck and we quickly dispatched both routes first go, which was very nice. They are hard for '5c' i would give them either highball V3 or much more fitting, E1 6a - i don't know if it was just my knee, but i felt pretty lonely towards the top of the wall. Regardless, it's an excellent little problem, quite sustained to the top.

Franco on an 'undergraded' eng.'5b'... more like Font 6a+

After viewing the old maps in the area, the area that 'tower' is found, was called 'Otter Hill', which we liked a lot. The buttress is part of the 'Battersby Crag' area, but it is around half a mile from the already developed 'Battersby Crag' so, we have elected to describe this as it's own buttress. The Otter Hill Bastion...

Clemmitts Bouldering

2011-07-16T11:58:00.002+01:00

After an annoying and probably expensive incident with the car (something to do with springs destroying the tyre), Lee (Betaguides) Robinson journied up from Hull, with the intention of trying out the Goathland bouldering opportunities.

Franco and I were less inspired by this, with the 40-50min drive being a bit off putting at 5.30 in the evening. We thought Clemmitts, (the newly developed and extensive bouldering circuit which had aluded my attention due to a variety of reasons) mainly due to a small circuit that needed trying around the southern area and also, the fact i'd never been.

Anyhow, the scattered collection of boulders had some pleasing and often tricky little problems, with some good aretes, especially on the 'Mobile Phone' block. The obvious arete and the walls to the left and right giving nice Font 5+ climbing, however the sitting start on the arete, bouncing the grade to around Font 6a/6a with an eliminate traverse from the main arete towards the right, however the last move was very hard and totally eliminate, so we left that.

Lee then found and flashed a Font 6b arete, that climbed really well indeed

A low boulder nestled in a small collection of 'blocs' contained a quality, low, angled arete. With powerful moves on small crimps with a crux dropdown on small holds, with poor feet. An excellent problem at about Font7a+/V7.

Certainly psyched to get back to do all the good problems in the Clemmitts main circuit as well, looks more than worthwhile.

Danby Crag - New Routes

2011-07-05T16:57:00.004+01:00

Spain seems like last year. Since then i've spent the best part of 3 weeks finishing uni work and revising for exams, in which time i went to Troller's Gill and Kilnsey. These were ok days out with routes from F7a to F7b. I then began my summer mapping project, 6 weeks of geological mapping in the Skyreholme Area.

I was quite psyched for this, expecting some people to come from leeds to climb, but unfortunately this never happened and i ended up spending 5 weeks 20minutes from Trollers. Admittedly after a day of geology in the field i rarely felt like going down to 'see if i could get a belay off someone there. I ended up soloing a few lower grade routes there, a quality HVS slab, Brute a strenuous flake E1 and a F6a or two.

Fortunately this came to an end and i returned to the moors to meet up with Franco. I was unsure how i was climbing, feeling a bit peeved that my F7a fitness (pretty good for me) was lost, due to exams and mapping. I had flashed E4 and E5 just before too.
However, Franco's arete finds at Danby were great. Complimenting tricky moves, with good positions and in my style. A quick headpoint of 'The Jungle Drum' a really good, 8m arete with a well protected but potentially hard to read move at half-height near numerous cams. The tops moves padding with feet which laying away from sandstone flutes is a delight.

Shunting 'The Jungle Drum' H4/E4 6a**

To the right is a wall, starting off below a bulge, you ascend to a series of horizontal breaks where 'adequate' rather than good gear is arranged. From here a tenuous, painful move on a fingertip splitting edge allows a good rail to be achieved. This move has as much about foot placement as it does on sheer will to yard on a painful edge, but after a couple of shunts i felt that the 'on-off' move was more on, than off.

Abseiling down 'The Polish Diplomat' H4/E5 6a/b

Reaching the crimpy-horror-hold, the crux is pulling off this to the top

The crux, it's a hard pull, very obvious but can be very 'on-off'.

Both routes are around E4/5 6a/b, probably low in this grade, 'The Polish Diplomat' probably weighing in as slightly harder than The Jungle Drum, due to the potential added danger. Sam however found the climbing on The Jungle Drum much more straightforward than The Diplomat, so perhaps i can't grade?

Sam yarding, unsuccessfully on the crimpy-horror-hold

Franco then found yet more potentially very hard routes, one being very interesting involving a wild slap or a ridiculous full length static stetch (probs need to be 6ft 2 at least!) to a small break at the top.

Sam enjoying the tremendous, sustained and stiff, Valiant VS 4c** (MHVS 5a)

Face pulling on Valiant

Seems Danby is where its at. Oh, Battersby crag too, maybe...!

An odd, mish-mash of pics and video from our couple of days at Danby new routing.

Compilation of video and photos of Danby Projects from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

El Chorro - Archidona, Desplom, Loja and El Choado

2011-05-03T22:26:00.005+01:00

2 weeks of spanish sport climbing provided the respite between geology fieldwork and exams. Unfortunately the weather was fluctuating, with chilly, windy conditions turning to warm and stormy towards the back end of the week.

Anyhow, it was a long two weeks in regard to blogging for it, so im just going to post a load of photos and forget the text! The trip was interesting for me, as i found there was SO much to climb, i tried to just onsight everything, resulting in the second week seeing me try nothing below F7a, warming up on F7a's at that! I generally fell off lot's but got some good Onsights and RP'd stuff i decided i'd get second go, no problem.

It was a good little trip, seeing Archidona, Despomilianda, Loja and the Gorge itself. The routes of the trip were, Cosas caseras at Despomilianda, Canibales a dieta a quick F7a+ redpoint at Loja and a 'saver' for me after 2 1/2 days at the crag in poorish weather. Gros Rouge, a F7b that i nearly flashed taking a last clip fall, I decided i could probably flash/onsight F7b at somepoint but it didn't materialise. Excellent F7a slab/wall climbing with Fiebra de sur was also a highlight.

((Clicking on the photos enlarges them, which is quite helpful!))

Archidona - Franco Cutloose on F7b roof

Chilly antics at Despomilianda

Sean on a hard F7b at Despomilianda

My bivvy cave, with a view at Loja.

First rays of sun for 2 days!

Made me go crazy...

The importance of food!

Franco on an unsuccessful attempt at F8a tufa climbing

Almendruca, F7a*** at Les Albercones. Too many bolts on this wall...

The closest you can come to a F7b flash, never mind...

Oceano Gris - F7a slab above the train line

The balcony that was my home for 4 evenings...

The steepness that is Puema de Roca, F7a**

Obligatory silheuette shot...

Franco on Puema de Roca also.

Photos, courtesy of Franco, Rebecca, Huw, Sean and Me. Can't remember who took which in some cases!

Good trip, i'm stoked to go back in the winter so we can stay for longer at south facing crags, as we were managing about 4 hours in the morning 7-10/11ish and then 4 hours in the evening from 4/5ish to 8/9. There are a fair few routes i'd quite like to redpoint along the Frontales and that.

Hetchell - Home to the scrittly solo

2011-03-25T20:14:00.005Z

Heading home from Leeds to Castleton, i was driving back on a sunny, if a little muggy, afternoon. I took the wrong road towards the A1 and ended up passing Hetchell crag. I was planning on soloing at Scugdale on the way home but Hetchell is often a bit damp and it had been dry for a week so i took my chances. Guidebookless, i followed the path i vaguely remembered and sure enough, the crag showed up in trees on the left.

I had a rope with me as i planned to look at moors things, so arriving i decided to try the E4 5c, Dead Angst. I seem to remember Andy Hobson telling me to clean it prior to the solo, i think he said that, or he said it was good regardless but anyhow, i abseiled down and cleaned and chalked the holds.

Some asian lads turned up and started messing with my abseil rope, so i hung around and 'chatted to them' being told i was 'sick' and 'way-cool bro' and that apparently last time they were there, they found a rope and 'messed with it' but someone was using it and they 'nearly killed them'. I questioned their proudness on the subject, expecting some sort of backlash, i actually got an apologetic, seemingly friendly response when i told them never to mess with ropes at crags again..

Anyhow, i returned to the base of the crag when they seemed to have wandered off and set about on the solo. The starting crux i had a feel of and it looked ok, just crafy footwork i decided. I pulled on, and the holds, cleanish now after a quick scrub allowed me to gain the 'buckets' at half height. I chalked up and gained the two holds above, with a bit of a 'moment' when i couldn't organise my body position! I then looked up and found i was totally miles from the next chalked holds! What the fuck, i thought, fortunately, there are two fairly obvious slots in the small break a 1 pad 4 finger on the left and a 2 finger slot on the right, both a bit slopey and scrittly. Right foot high up to a shallow pocket thing (i would DEFINATELY want clean of scrittle) and i reached the juggy break and up to the top, via a couple of moments of being frightened... I wasn't sure about the top and groped around via lots of 'good' holds but no buckets that i wanted! I got up it to find the lads who once again were, for use of a more eloquent word, impressed by my exploits!

Dave Warburton soloing 'Dead Angst' at Hetchel from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Friendly little crag, i like it, definately a clean and flash sort of venue though i think as i scared myself again on the 'E3' to the right, chosing to finish up 'Dead Angst' at the top (slightly right of actually)as the top seemed very, very sandy.

Scared enough for one day i quickly departed for the Moors, arriving to some roast pork! Awesome day.

I reckon this was probably my last day climbing before heading to Wales/Ireland for 2 weeks of Geology Fieldwork. However after that, i'm mooching out to El Chorro with Cookson, H-dawg (he's from Halifax you know...) and Dr. Sean. I set myself the targets of V7/Font7a+, get some sport climbing done before hand and be climbing E2/3 by the time i left to Ireland.

As it turns out i didn't tick V7, a handful of V6's at Almscliffe was my best, though the last move of DWRoof and also the last move of Crusis would suggest i was almost there and to be fair i was hardly 'psyched' for it, just kind of went when the weather was shite! Also had a sit under the keel, sort of felt like another Almscliffe 'person'.

Trad was a tad disappointing. Ok, some E2's on grit, like the Shelf at Crookshite and a ground up of Atomic (E3) was nice enough, but i also took a gear ripping, ground clipping whipper at Gate Cote off one of the massively steep E2's there, so i felt a bit odd with trad.
I half fancied getting some of the *** Yorkshire Limestone E3's when the stuff was invariably dry during this great period of weather, but Oedipus is birdbanned now i think? I don't own a clipstick for the start of Central Wall and Amber Gambler at Attermire just looked plain nails to start! I couldn't convince anyone to go to Giggleswick south and i didn't really think about Malham!
I did however do a couple of Nice E2's on the limestone, Brutus and Comer at Attermire being worth the drive there and although i thought Comer was better, i was happy with Brutus as it's the kind of thing i'd have pumped out on properly in the past, but i found it almost 'pleasantly pumpy'.

I think the highlight of the first 3 months of year has to be the Sport on the Yorkshire Limestone. I was always told that it 'seeps til summer' but thats just the big crags really and there are some esoteric gems (if you like that sort of thing, which being from the moors, i do!)
I ended up spending a total of 4 days at Gate Cote Scar!!!! mainly due to it's quickdrying, sheltered character which was impressive during a week of heavy showers and strong winds. There were also days at Troller's Gill (should have done more but partners not interested in the place!) Panorama is great and Moughton too. I managed my first F7a in the UK and also my first F7a+ too, though, they were bouldery through lower overlaps and then easier above, so i don't know how much of an idea that gives me of Chorro!

Then obviously a E3 and E4 at Hetchell yesterday, though, highball solos are my forte, even if these are the wrong side of highball! Anyhow, let's see what Spain brings!

Crookrise and Attermire

2011-03-21T23:04:00.001Z

Nice couple of days, firstly up at Crookrise, soloing the Crease Direct (E1) and Hovis (E1) which were nice routes and Winters Day (E2) a cool, if slightly eliminate slab. Then i decided to crack the rope out and do The Shelf (E2), which was a nice one mover, which until you pull into feels like it's going to be E2, but is probably only HVS, with a size 1 cam! Pretty cool little route regardless.

Attermire Scar is a crag i'd fancied going to for a while for a bit of short, limestone tradding. Anyway, only managed to find one person keen to head up for the day, Huw, so we did and managed to tick some great little routes, with Brutus (E2), Tipster (E2), Smitton By Anguish (E1). I also got a treat by finding Comer (E2) dry, which is apparently quite a good result for March.
The very interesting fact was that the crag seemed un-polished which seemingly suggests the crag has recovered over the last 10 years or so (judging by rockfax database comments) so that was another nice suprise.

Nice crag, sunny or sheltered or shady depending on which buttress you head to and what you fancy.

Attermire might have been my last day out before Ireland Fieldtrip and spain. I'm a bit disappointed we couldn't get a couple of days at Troller's or Loup Scar but finding the time and people who were keen for F7+ sport has been unfortunately hard. Never mind, we'll just see how spain goes now?

Gate Cote Scar

2011-03-11T18:54:00.001Z

50mph winds and westerlies with showers, i proposed Troller's Gill. Unfortunately Huw doesn't seem to like the place and there aren't really many other people in the club willing to go to F7+ crags, i don't know if it's because it's sport or because it's 'hard' but anyway, i decided to search the guide for somewhere that might be worth a 'punt'.

Gate Cote Scar, East facing and 'quick drying' seemed a little bit too good to be true, but after the evenings rain i knew the quick drying aspect would have to be truthful for a successful day.

We drove over through early afternoon dry weather arriving at the crag to rain... Fookin' hell!
We walked up anyway and found it was dry, another exception coup for the 'choad hall' team. Admittedly first impressions of the crag is that it isn't Kilnsey, Malham or anywhere else like that, but it was dry and clean and that's all that matters... (and for the record it's actually very good!)
There is a healthy mix of trad and sport. I was keen for the sport seeing as rain was a potential factor so we warmed up on a lovely F6a+ arete, while it snowed... making jokes about climbing in Switzerland or somewhere similar.
We had a sit around and ate some food while the snow stopped and i tried the F7a***, "A Matter of Degrees". The start felt nails and i gave up. Trying the F7a** "Arc de Ciel" to the right. This was easier and i quickly got up to the top bulge and was undercutting my way to a good F7a O/S. I'm still not sure about the start to the other one, it looks like it may have lost holds? I'll try abit harder some other time.

The short day came to an end with Huw climbing the F7a and then climbing the F6b groove line, which looked good fun. I then rushed to try the F6c+ to the left but found the second clip hard, which was scary... I also found out it's given F7a+ elsewhere...?! Another one to come back for.

We did, the next day! Similar weather a couple of lads, Daf and Sam who were keen. Unfortunately the weather was worse, more rainy today.
I decided to trad climb today and tried the 'classic - Blue Meanings' E2. I however didn't really know which crack to head towards on the upper wall and then it began to lash it down, so i escaped right up the VS. Abseiling down, the wall the 'E2' didn't look E2... more E3 5c, but i'll have another play when it's dry!

Huw got some trad in while it rained and then I decided to try the F7a+ under the main low overhang, which climbs a short wall on sidepulls and through the roof using an obvious hole. I had tried it the day before and given up finding the moves bouldery. However this bouldery section was the only dry rock, so i quickly had a rethink and found the sequence went much easier if you use your noggin'. I was past the crux on a bomber finger lock, getting pelted by rain. I popped to the incut which felt like shit, even thought it's a jug and over the next 10 or 15 minutes skated my way to the top. Hard fought clean ascent in the rain, of a very well named route - "Sunshine on a Rainy Day"... excellent.

I intend to return, but perhaps on a more pleasant day to do some of the trad in better conditions. It's worth a look, as it does seem to dry very fast and it's certainly sheltered from westerly and westerly showers.

Keen for all this early season Limestone esoterica, really should go to the proper venues though!

Slipstones

2011-03-11T18:41:00.001Z

After a fair few limestone visits, Huw said he was more keen for a gritstone crag. I decided i had some unfinished buisness at Slipstones, Huw had never been and i knew i could fill a car with people to pay the way.

We arrived to sun and nice temperatures, story of the week! not bad for march. Anyhow, I decided to focus my attentions rather than just randomly soloing everything, so got straight on Ripper and after a early slip i was topping out after the exciting upper section, not one to be underestimated. The day got pretty productive, with leads of 'Zoom' (HVS), 'Agra' (HVS) two routes i'd never had the balls to solo, seeing as they are so well protected. Also did Wisecrack which was nice, as it had always looked nails when i was younger.
I also managed 'Timeless Divide' which is the hanging arete after a V4 boulder problem start, I'd seen a chap lead it way back when and he said it was a whale top out and fully deserving of E2.
I climbed the V4 start and then plugged some cams in that break, which you could sleep under! then, knee bar in utilising the obvious holds (which i didn't do for a while!) i found the jugs on the top... whale you say?

After this, i only really had 2 objectives left. Sulky little boys, the Font7a+ arete, (which i later found is nails!) and Atomic (E3). Timmy was keen for Atomic, so i lead up, committed to the pocket and pulled for the top. It felt piss, really easy. Until i ended up down by timmy... What went wrong?! I tried it again and got further away from doing it 4 more times! Timmy then had some plays and eventually got it. Spurred on by this, i got back on and 'sent' it first go? Completely identical sequence everytime, was it cooler? more windy? No idea, but anyhow it's a great little sequence a cool V3? above the cam laced break.

An evening was spent soloing around on the brilliant micro routes, Aces High (VS), Ellingstring (VS), Steve's Wall, Pauls Arete and Stainthorpes Wall (all E1). We also met a potential Leeds Unier as well, which was nice we need a few more keen climbers to join the club who know what they're doing already!!

Trollers Gill

2011-03-05T21:12:00.000Z

I'd been to Troller's Gill before and wanted to do the Jim Grin F7a. Unfortunately at the time i wasn't leading F7a and the same day had climbed The Diedre (E2) at Kilnsey. I had on that occasion climbed Shaggy Dog Story (f6c+) which was nice enough.
Anyway, Saturday was grey and drizzly, so up early and keen we had to sit on our hands a while and we rushed some uni work out the way by 11ish. Then set off, hoping it would have brightened up by lunchtime. It didn't really brighten up, but the drizzle stopped and there was a chilly breeze. Regardless, we arrived at Troller's Gill to overhanging walls of white (dry) limestone.

I looked at the Jim Grin and exactly the same as last time i came, wasn't entirely sure where it went and decided it was something i'd rather onsight than redpoint, it just looks like if you don't get it first go you'll get more and more tired if you have to try it twice or three times, resulting in a failure. It was cold too and we don't have a clipstick to retrieve if i couldn't do it, so being a wuss i said i wasn't keen.

Last time i was there a bloke told me to do Angelic Upstart F7a, which he said was best if the first two bolts were clipped, so as we warmed up on that F5 on the left hand side we did just that. It was cold and i could feel the psyche draining from me, but i decided that the more bouldery looking sequence through the first overlap looked a nicer propersition, today. (excuses, excuses)

I pulled through the overlap on unfortunately damp undercuts, which made staying on the next sidepulls interesting, i managed and got a left foot up to a small rail. There were two side pulls to go for, a wierd blocky looking one, that didn't look stable and a better one that was a bit lower. I opted for the lower, solid looking one. It wasn't right. I tried to pop up but got it wrong and was off. Gutted.
I tried the loose looking sidepull, it was the perfect height and was totally solid. More gutted. I lowered off and Huw had a play doing it a totally different sequence, ha!
I got back on it after a bit of a rest and food and using my slightly weird sequence (left hand to undercut, right foot up high for balance and match into the wet undercut) managed to gain the sidepulls above the roof (ignoring the apparently juggy pocket just right...) which allowed a quick hand wipe and chalk and then up into the groove above, which for some reason felt traddy, weird bridging and sort of half rests.
Enjoyable route, but would have been super necky at E6 6b, admittedly, a pad or two at the start might have made things slightly nicer...? I think a couple of wires would have gone in higher too, anyway, respect to anyone that onsighted that as E6, top effort.

Chilly and a bit 'over-limed' we drove back to leeds, Boro lost 5-2 to Reading apparently and Huw and I decided gritstone was on the cards. I fancy some trad, preferrably on limestone or the lakes but it's meant to be like 2 degrees tomorrow, so perhaps Slipstones would be a better bet. I do have unfinished buisness with Atomic E3 6a, Sinbad E3/4 6b and Sulky Little Boys Font 7a+... I say unfinished i've never actually tried them and seeing as i've been to slipstones twice that's pretty bad going!

We'll see, very keen for all this bolt clipping. Huw and Conor said something funny the other day - having headpointed an E7 in the summer and now turning my hand to sport, perhap's i'm becoming the next Sean Jacobs? It might not be a bad thing, but will i spend years in leeds? Do a PhD? Entrepeuring my way to sunny holidays, clipping bolts in Spain?

Nah, doubt it - A geology PhD sounds friggin' horrible!

A dry week - Yhorkshire Limestone!

2011-03-05T20:55:00.002Z

It's been dry since monday, so come wednesday myself and Huw decided that Panorama and Moughton Nab were on the cards. We managed to find Conor, Timmy, Alex and Tom who were keen and in the Espace we drove, relatively cheaply out to the dales.
Moughton was the destination first and after a warm up and a nice tick of 'Avalon' F6c, we went to the steep right hand side that had been drying off nicely in the warming sun.
"Bucket Symphony" F7a, looked like the most appetising line and i said i'd go first - prepared to fall off and end up redpointing it. Anyhow, the first move is a big jump for a massive jug. I didn't commit for a while but when i did properly go for the jug it was much easier than anticipated. Climbing up the jugs and incuts i soon encountered a loose rock, so jumped off.
I pulled back on and climbed up to this and removed it.

Starting lunge for the huge bucket on 'Bucket Symphony'

Timmy cruising the start to 'Bucket Symphony'

Conor on the powerful starting moves of 'Bucket Symphony'

I had a rest and Huw had a go, and after sorting the start out, flashed the rest of the route following my lead and chalk... I then got it on my first ground up attempt which was nice and flowy, i didn't even feel pumped at the top.
Timmy and Conor got on it and Timmy managed a fine flash (after sorting out the start) and i climbed 'Burly In Ribblesdale' F6c, which climbs to the left via a reach and pop all on good holds. Nice.

The Sun was lost so we all left to Panorama. We thought it as closer than it was and after thinking we wouldn't find it, i ended up careering around looking for the correct way over to some distant cliffs. Found it and i decided to just get on Panoramic, F7a, again for the flash.
Unfortunately i was knackered and the bouldery, powerful moves on jugs admittedly, powered me out. I put the clips in and sorted out some good beta and Timmy flashed it, following my line of chalk and utilising the hidden incuts and jugs here and there.
Huw mean while climbed a fine F6c+ and F7a to the right. Making me feel pretty downhearted about being totally knackered.

Awesome 'Sole Marks' in underlying Greywacke near Panorama Crag

Therefore i decided we'd come back the next day!

We returned to Moughton and i wanted a play on the less steep walls right of the Moughton Mauler (E4), which looks ok as well for the record, bit blocky and dirty. Anyway, it didn't really happen a quick try of a F7a+ and a fall off a cool short F6c meant that we were a bit dissolutioned with the place. So we returned to Panorama Crag.
I felt a bit tired and feared not being able to cleanly do Panoramic, which to me seemed like a wasted journey! So i ate a shit load of food, flapjack and a pasty, all the John Dunne recommended stuff and had a lie down in the sun. After this i jumped on Panoramic and despatched it first go. Happy.

Huw Goodall flashing 'Panoramic' F7a** at Panorama Crag from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Huw then flashed it, so i asked him for beta on the F7a he did the day before, which he told me and i prompty flashed that. Doubly Happy.
Huw then did a steep one move F6b+ and i got a 'second wind' and started feeling pretty psyched to get on another F7a, but with light running out and it getting cold fast i ended the day with a quick 'send' of a F6c, and F6b, up the blocky overhangs to the left of Panoramic. Awesome couple of days out on the Limestone, really really happy to get some done before Easter and good to tick some Limestone 7a's in England, even if they are somewhat bouldery.

Very keen for Troller's Gill next.

Almscliffe and Sport...

2011-03-01T22:31:00.001Z

My thoughts this year have been on getting stronger and better as a climber - rather than just focusing on trad. My nemesis is bouldering, especially so gritstone but i have gritted my teeth recently and have 'hit the cliffe' with my housemate Huw. I must admit that i am fond of what i class as 'highball' gritstone like Simon's Seat South Crag and Ogden Clough but 'harder' more technical or powerful bouldering isn't my thing - as i don't get on with slopers and i'm not strong - Hence why i'm willing to try it now as it's bound to get me strong!

Anyhow, a couple of trips to Almscliffe allowed the ticking of some V6/font7a's around the Crucifix area of Almscliffe and i'm currently failing on the last move of Demon Wall Roof font 7a+, this i'm fairly sure will go soon. I've briefly held the top hold of Crusis Font 7a+/7b?? and me and Huw's currently project is 'The Keel'. This is V8+/Font 7b+ and involves some pretty cool moves, so i'm looking forward to getting back to this, hopefully i can finish off DWroof so i can focus on it more.

I've also managed to get some limestone action in, we travelled to the very quickly drying Robin Proctors Scar. When we arrived it was chilly, damp and we warmed up on some F6a+, which was really nice. The crag quickly dried off and i decided to try to get through some F6c/F6c+'s as there is only 2 F7a/F7a+'s and they didn't look my style. Anyhow, i enjoyed the 'milage' 6c day and it bodes well for E3 ticking. Very very keen to get to some other crags around, thinking Panorama and Moughton soon for more focussed F7.. climbing which i'm looking forward too. It's all training for becoming a stronger climber which i should do, it will definately aid my trad climbing. In conjunction with the bouldering too i feel more confident on the gritstone, ultimately i'm getting more out of my increasingly runnning out number of days climbing (due to geology related field course and exams).

We'll see what happens in the next few weeks - i think we have 5 weeks or so until easter, where we go to Ireland for 2 weeks geologying and then 2 weeks in Spain sport climbing (which is what all this training is for). After Easter spain, it's all about revision and catching up on the work i should have done in easter (fieldwork reports!) so i think i'll miss climbing here and then after hte exams it's straight out to the dales for my dissertation mapping. I will get some climbing in here, i must admit i could be somewhere shit, but i will probably have to work extra hard for partners and such. Looks like a year of Limestone for me and more importantly bouldering and sport! Keen for it, if i'm honest!

Sunny Simon's Seat

2011-02-10T21:31:00.000Z

Galaxy Prow, Font 7a*** and the Mapping Area behind

After a few months of very little climbing, a few potters around running along the canal and some vain attempts at Fingerboarding, we finally went to a crag proper.

Simon's Seat, up above Bolton Abbey is a great little crag, the North buttress was cold and wet but the suntrap, south face was beautiful.
The climbing is on awesome, pebbly gritstone, the really good stuff worth shouting about! I've only experienced grit like it at Healheugh, another quality gritstone micro-crag.

Anywho, myself and Huw were psyched to try the Classic highball E3's, 'I'll Bet She Does' and 'And She Was'. We stuck a couple of pads under the arete and then, faultered quite quickly in the heat...

Huw then managed to get quite high to a crimpy rail but decided against it, it was skritly and sweaty.

I was struggling to gain the crimpy rail, from the large flat crimp.

So we moved onto the wall climb, 'I'll Be She Does', however climbing the central wall without the crack was a bit eliminate, but it was possible, climbing up via a mono and tennis ball. We however didn't really get any higher than this either, so i went for a walk around the north wall and Huw spotted a good looking chipped prow.

I wandered back and found Huw finishing off the final moves of the prow, so i gave him a spot and he did it well, it looked good but i was keen to save the tips and strength for the Arete, so didn't get on it probably worth going back up for a day bouldering there though in the future. The Prow was Galaxy, Font 7a.

I then wandered back to 'And She Was', pottered up to my previous highpoint, left hand on the slopy-crimp on the greenpatch on the arete. I then found getting a foot up fooking tenuous, slippy and committing, then sketched a pop for the big, obvious pocket which wasn't deep and bomber... but it was big enough to stick with a bit of adrenaline! Topped out and felt happy to have salvaged the walk up!

Me above the hard climbing on 'And She Was'

Pretty relieved at the top.

Finished the beautfiul day highballing at Lord's Seat on yet more, pebbly rough Gritstone - really nice day to get the psyche back :-)
Very keen now for more Moorland Grit, perhaps' i'll be become a convert? Yeh, I doubt it too!

Running...

2011-02-08T17:02:00.000Z

After a winter of limited 'snowy' climbing and no rock touching since November, i came back into climbing with a brief high with a quick 'send' of the Dolphin Belly Slap, V6? at Almscliffe. I say a brief high as i then got shut down on Pebble Wall (V5) and Sloper Patrol (V5) and some other V5 traverse. I did however manage to tick 'Almost Pleasant' (V5) at Ilkley just the other day and this had some meaning to me as i remember one of my first LUUMC trips, in the rain, sheltering under the Calf but i didnt get the tick.

Anyway, this was all over a period of about 3 weeks, so not a lot of climbing, so i've given up and started running. I'm not a runner, i never will be. I have neither the ability, joints or will to be any good at it, but once going ( which can take some serious effort!) i generally quite enjoy it.

I've tried running in Leeds before and hated it, but now i've found the Canal and it's rubbish filled quietness. The odd strange looking dog walker or Chav riding a bike isn't all that bad...

Anyhow, i'm hoping to build up to 4 runs a week which i think is enough for someone with a poorly tracking patella. With a weekly aim at 30km a week with anymore being a bonus.
Currently doing 8 - 12km runs, twice a week which is enough not to put me off before it gets addictive.

Here's to potential positive effects to my climbing - ie Shift some weight and gain some aerobic fitness... But i guess i'm going to have to start climbing again really - especially as i'm already booked up to hit Chorro in Easter...

2010 - A Round Up

2011-01-03T11:19:00.000Z

Thinking back, slightly hungover on the previous year, my first thoughts were that it was a bon year. But i always struggle to remember the finer points, the details and the interesting little aspects that define a year worth describing as interesting. The only way I do this is to re-read blogposts and look at the UKC logbook, thank god for such devices as i'd forget stuff i've done, even really good stuff!
Anyway, 2010 started with a winter route with my bro and then, a uptake of Trad again, mainly at the Leeds local spots like Baildon and Almscliffe. I seem to remember feeling decidedly weak and falling off Moria (E2) at Baildon.

Return to form:

After this we managed to get a brief spell on the Yorkshire Limestone as well, with an extremely dry January and by early March my last winter route was climbed, Moss Ghyll (V, 5) on ScaFell. And by the end of March i was climbing regularly, starting to regain a bit of fitness with a reasonably successful trip to Millstone/Lawrencefield with the MUMC or BUCS or something. I remember climbing Suspense (E2) a route i was apprehensive about in regards to onsighting it... which i did, with ease - which was nice. I also onsighted Satire (E2) an extremely steep, strenuous gritstone route. Quite unique!

Satire E2, Baildon Bank

Moors FA's & Gritstone:

At a similar time we also revisited Ravensdale AKA Stoupe Brow on the moors. This coastal crag, near RobinHoods Bay was in need for further development and a quick trip allowed the ascent and repeat of some of the prominent cracklines, and some work on the 'White Scoop' (E7).

I spent April swanning around soloing places, a lovely evening up at Ogden Clough comes to mind with some quality solos of gritstone micro-routes. I enjoyed it the most i think, because for me, Gritstone is all about micro routes, 6-8m lines which takes gear but whats the point, just spend the evening tootling about, Slipstones, Ogden and the like is what i think of when i think Gritstone.

Seacliffs and Slate:

May saw my first trip to the Sea Cliffs of Wales. Indeed, by first Seacliffe experience. Admittedly i wasn't anywhere near the sea at Gogarth Uppertier but i enjoyed the Strand (E2) and also the funky Failsafe (E2). After this i also climbed one of the best routes i've done on Slate - the German Schoolgirl (E2).

German Schoolgirl (E2) Dinorwig Slate Quarries

Yorkshire Limestone:

After this the weather seemed to pick up and I found myself at the yorkshire Limestone more often, climbing for the first time at Malham and also trad at Kilnsey. It was also this time i discovered that my main climbing partner at Leeds, Ewan, was totally against Sport climbing. This still strikes me as odd seeing as he spends a lot of time 'training' at the Depot, something i can't bring myself to do. Anyhow, we spent a good few days, ticking E2 routes like The Diedre, Crossbones and Sundance Wall. I also did my first sport route on a sweltering day (the same day as the Diedre) at Troller's Gill, some pleasant but short F6c+. Pretty stoked to go back there and do the F7-stuff there. To be honest, i'm pretty psyched for anything on Yorkshire/Cumbria/Peak Limestone as well as Seacliffs and Lakes/Wales Trad. (Just like anyone else really!)

Exam Leave:

I think the end of May/Early June saw me on Exam leave and I was home in Castleton without my standard climbing partner Franco. I ended up getting 'stoked' knowing i needed to climb before the exams and then my 2 weeks of geology fieldwork in Scotland so i, quite uncharacteristically, one foggy/Sea fret Yorkshire day jumped in the car without too much thought and drove over the A66 to Brough to a soloing crag I'd heard of but never been to - Windmore End. I ended up spending the day soloing limestone micro-routes, in 20degree heat with a beating sun with lush views across the Eden? Valley. Amazing stuff. I also did some of my first E3's for quite some time, admittedly, they were soft i think but micro-soloing is my forte i would say, generally pushing the boat out more than most.

80's Pete / Neckband Crag:

On the way back i had a brain-wave and rang 80's Pete. A lad that i'd never really met from Saltburn. He's stoked and works mornings and such so is often available for climbing. This was a lucky break for me, as he was climbing in the same grade range that I was and was psyched for similar stuff. This meant I could go and get on E1/E2 territory in the Lakes without Franco (rightly) encouraging me to "stop choading around on E2 and get on something 'ard". Anyway, i climbed some stuff i'd wanted to do for ages, Big Dipper/Mirrormere (E2) at Hodge Close Quarry and Asphasia (E2) at Sergeant Slabs.

The big deal for me though was me persauding Pete to go to Langdale and walk to the apparently perma-wet Neckband crag. I'd seen it in the guide, it's got a beautifully draw topo in the Langdale guide, showing the strong lines the crag exhibits and a plethora of stars at E2. I was drueling.

We walked in on a boiling day to this north-facing crag and arrived to a chilly, breeze whipping around it. It was outrageously cold considering what the rest of the country was experiencing!

It didn't matter and we climbed some of the finest stuff i've done. Admittedly i've not really climbed all that many 'uber-classics' but these climbs are certainly deserving of *** especially compared to some of the shite that gets ***. Tracheometry, which is a 'variation' on a 'bitch-of-a-start' E3, is one of the best E2's i've ever, ever done. 45 metre single pitch of amazing overlaps and thin fingerlocks and such. Razor Crack (E1) is one of the best single pitch lines i've been lucky enough to climb too.Outrageously good or so i thought anyway! If you get the chance you've got to go to Neckband.

With the Alps trip encroaching fast, but with a 2 week loss of time for geology i was really psyched to go to the lakes and do big routes. Franco however, back from Manchester wasn't. He was far more interested in Moorland FA's. The main objective of his, the Kepwick Wall.

I'd never seen it, but we arrived on a windy, cold and dampish day. Setting up a TR we played around on the amazingly hard, tenuous, dynamic, hard, thin, smeary, reachy, balancy, tenuous, hard and death-causing moves. Franco was psyched, i was happy to treat it as training...

While in the Torridonian area mapping I also had a brief foray into the Caves around Inchnadamph which was pleasant relief from the mapping and on our 'day off', i fell ran from Inchna up to Ben More Assynt and Conival which was pretty cool... Awesome area of the country, shame it's in the arse-end of nowhere as i'll probs be reluctant to head back!

The Alps:

We'd always wanted to go to the Alps. Franco had, he went that ill-fated year with Ian Jackson and Luke etc. I had stayed at home, over-cautious about my injured knee. This year however i was more prepared to go and see how it went.

We chose to 'warm up' on the Chamonix Aguillies. These short (long for the UK!) multi-pitch routes up to, around 10 pitches generally, but climbing at our (my) grade was going to be very good stuff!

The weather was boiling. Far too hot i would sweat my way up from Cham to the plan and then carry on up to the Blatiere or the L'M or Peigne to get on a route. It was a month of Very early valley starts, rests on the plan and then routes til the afternoon. Aweseome stuff - the first couple were killers but cable-cars just aren't game (unless they were cheaper...!)

The routes on the more 'adventurous' peaks were falling down, even at night. It was incredibly hot. Anyhow, we achieved some amazing routes, Menegaux (E1), Majorette Thatcher (E2/3), Verdon Memories (E3/4) into the SW arete of the Peigne and then descending with a doubled 60metre..., Le Ticket et la Lune (E2/3) as well, were all fantastic routes, with great climbing on amazing rock.

The Majorette - Blatiere

Plus Lourd Que L'Air

However the weather didn't stay hot. It soon got unsettled, very, very unsettled. The whole of the alps seemed to be in the same boat and for the next 2 weeks we sat around in our shack (eventually moving to a proper shack) and climbing some sport in the valley. I didn't mind this, as i wanted to clip some bolts all year and i managed my first F7a's onsight - or so i thought. It so happens that a F6c+ i onsighted in Costa Blanca has been upgraded so that was nice too see. I also met the talented Will Sim for the first time and some other cool guys like Chris and Sam.

Verdon Memories

I think my most vivid memory was when we threw caution to the wind and walked up to the Peigne, after an evening of heavy rain. Franco and I were utterly-psyched for Dimanche Noir. F7a slab climbing apparently.

We climbed up the first pitch and i hung out, ready for a long time hanging on the belay while Franco tenuously onsighted the slab pitch. I wasn't wrong.

While Franco, picked his way up the slab on tiny white and pink crystal clusters, Sam and Chris were on a line to the left. Chris took a whipper and then began to aid his way up - the banter was hilarious.

Franco was still slowly and methodically making his way up the line of smears, past some seepage.

The weather rolled in, and we were soon in a cloud. I was shivering like mad and franco was below what he was calling the crux, about 5 metres from the belay. He made it, i don't know how. I seconded, reasonably well at first the smears were outrageously thin but held weight and i soon arrived at the crux. I fell off trying the outrageously contorted rockover/reach thing but some of the 'holds' were damp in the 100% humidity of the cloud. I still don't know how Franco climbed it.

Shack

In Absentia - F7b

On the rap down we saved Chris who was stood on a tiny, sloping ledge for the past 20 minutes? And we ran back to the tent just before a storm hit. We woke to snow plastering the range (full mixed conditions) and we sat in the tent for 2 days while it snowed and rained.

We ran to Switzerland and went to Giertroz, where we had a good day before a big storm hit. I nearly onsighted In Absentia F7b, failing at the last clip. Franco O/S it and we both thought it was one of the best routes we've done.

Returning from the Alps, lighter, stronger and psyched Franco and I went moors FA hunting. We achieved some good stuff at Round Crag, with Fresh Arete, Vampiric Obsession and some other stuff around and about.

http://davidwarburton-climbing.blogspot.com/2010/08/headpointing-highs-and-impressive.html

http://davidwarburton-climbing.blogspot.com/2010/09/le-pinnacle-de-choad.html

After the moors episode i climbed with Ralph for the first time, climbing some quality stuff at Tremadog, (Grasper E2, Void E3) and also some great stuff at Gogarth with Supercrack (E3) and Quartz Icicle (E2). Also the beautful but short Phagocyte (HVS)

Great back end of the year but soon Uni work got too much and then i tried bouldering and pulled a finger tendon and i've not climbed for months since really! Weak, yes probably but i don't know yet - i haven't climbed for ages!

Rosedale Ice - or not.

2010-12-26T15:36:00.000Z

Decided to head around to the waterfall in a gully opposite the Lion Inn Pub at the head of Rosedale Valley. Franco was seeing family or sommet, so I asked me dad if he fancied a bosh around from the pub with the dogs. He agreed.
We made good time through the often knee deep snow occasionally finding nice Neve or raised vegetation but ultimately it's not too bad. The dogs found it hard going jumping through chest deep powder and i'm looking at one of them totally flat out, knackered.

It was warm, the car reckoned -5 on the way up but it didn't feel it. Though the cloud was building and it was nearly midday. After about 50 minutes, i think?, we arrived at the 'icefalls'.

Unfortunately the main fall isn't very big or very well iced. It's sides were made up of terraced ice that didn't look especially entertaining. To the left of the fall however was the most perfect steep slab of Neve. The powder was getting drenched by the water and had frozen to a bomber, Scottish-like Neve. I jugged up on that for the craic and then slid back down and searched out the Ice on the right side of the Falls.

There was one wall, hidden in a little alcove that seemed to be a well frozen mossy wall. I climbed up it directly, escaping left at the very top to get better frozen turf. It was quite enjoyable actually, on soft ice and rock hard turf/moss placements. Sustained III i would suspect?
After that, i found a slanting parrallel crack with a drift below. I had a play M7? i reckon it would be, got a few torques and a horizontal crack up it and found an old wooden wedge. Clearly someone had been climbing this in the summer way-back-when. Anyhow, i didn't fancy committing to it so pulled my axes out and dropped into the snow below. Which was harder than it first appeared.

On the way back to the path, dad spotted a thinly iced slab. It looked good, if a little slabby but the very thin ice allowed for some technical, soft hitting ice climbing. It was actually quite enjoyable.

I wandered back to dad and we made the, funnily, less grueling walk back to the pub (which was slightly uphill the whole way). The dog packed in 2/3 of the way back after he spent his last energy catching a rabbit. He managed to drag himself to the car though, good lad.

Nice walk out, certainly not worth the walk around for the climbing, considering the around at Round Crag is better. The ice wasn't perfect, possibly because the tempt was -1 when we got back to the car, there did seem to be a lot of unfrozen water about and that. Worth taking your axes though if you're planning on walking around that way i would say though, just for a bosh around.

Lets hope it either getting sodding cold again OR begins to melt the snow in the day and then freeze at night, if that happened there would be some amazing ice as most buttresses have good cornice-style accumulations above.

27th of December:

Currently much warmer, hovering around the freezing mark with fairly consistant snow fall currently, though earlier it was raining. I would say, judging by the quality of the ice yesterday the thaw started yesterday and has affected what ice there is.
Certainly worth leaving well allone and, with a bit of luck and some freeze/thaw there could be some really impressive stuff in a weeks time.

Moors Ice hunting

2010-12-24T21:24:00.000Z

Went hunting for some more moors ice and found it at Blakey. Some good but small stuff, made a short video.

Of particular note was a column of ice, which was located just to the left of the Round Crag Pinnacle. As well as this there was a few small mixed lines and some technical thin ice smears. A few of the 'taller' corners up turf and ice were nice at a lower grade too.

Some cornices and windslab with potential to fly down a boulder strewn hill so, amazingly, take care near the hill edges and top outs.

Enjoy.

Round Crag/Blakey Ridge Ice climbing. from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Lakes trip and Moors Ice hunting at Fryup.

2010-12-22T18:34:00.000Z

I met up with Franco and headed to the Lakes, interested to have a few days there before Christmas. We drove over to -10 temps and was stoked to go to Scrubby. We woke up early and drove to Deepdale and walked up to the crag, on route the snow was varying from powder to neve. There was plenty of ice on show but when we could see the crags, Hutaple, Greenhow End and eventually Scrubby we could see they clearly were black. It was wintery but there had been no precipitation for a couple of days and non of it had stuck to the buttresses.
I was happy to get on anything, Franco wanted to try the open groove of Hrothgar (HVS) as an FA but we knew it wasn't in condition. Non of the mixed routes were, but Heorot top pitch was forming which is worth bearing in mind.
I started up the lower amplitheatre towards the ledge of Hrothgar, up some variable Ice and steep turf but we eventually decided to move together rightwards and we came to the crux of Pendulum Ridge (III,4). Franco wasn't really fussed but i fancied climbing it, he was happy to just solo about but i wanted to climb it properly.
Franc lead up the steep wall on hooks and then belayed and i followed, it felt quite hard really to mantle rightwards onto the ledge to the in-situ wire. After this I lead up rock and turf but noticed Franco was following up and we just soloed to the top. It's pretty sustained steepness for III. It felt very IV,4 to me, with a nearly 5 move on the crux wall, unless we did it wrong. We got on the line just before a couple of parties turned up and they were still on the crux as we were walking back down to Deepdale proper. Worth doing but i must say, Portcullis Ridge (further up Deepdale) is very similar in terms of steep turf and then a protectable crux (IV,4/5)which is slightly out of character, it's just as good so if you've done Pendulum Ridge, go do Portcullis Ridge next.

We returned to the hut and then decided we were better off just heading home, Black Crag Ice fall looks like its forming well from a distance. The following morning it hadn't snowed so we packed and left. I was sort of interested in wandering to do something on the Helvellyn range but the walk in / good climb ratio wasn't really in our favour, the only VI we know of is up on Cock Cove. I was also interested in trying the lakeland icefalls, but Honister is a long way away, Shoulthwaite Gill was apparently thin and i'm not really into Ice so i wouldn't want to punter around spoiling someone elses day.

We ended up heading back to the Moors and arriving back at Lunchtime, we unpacked had a relax and then head out on a 'dog walk' to check out Fryup Head Ice falls. There was a lot of ice around but it wasn't really up to much, generally hanging off moss and heather that overhangs the cliffs. Dodgy territory.

The main waterfall at Fryup isn't frozen yet but if it does, it would be a great II/III. The left hand steeper version is frozen but needs thickening up before either of us fancy leading. Next up, roads clearing dependant of course, might be a trip to Saltburn sea-ice cliffs. Cool. If not, fancy checking out if the slight water falls at Hob Hole or Danby Crag have managed out...

Fryup dale Water fall. Ice formed on left but main not so. Red from Iron leaching.

Icicles of death. Hanging from overhanging turf

Cool Moon-rise. Taken on a 4 sec. lapse held in hand so a bit shaky

Thank You BMC

2010-11-30T00:23:00.000Z

(Click to Enlarge!)

Thanks to the BMC, Choad Hall was lavishly fed with sandwiches after the BMC Yorkshire Area meet. However, as well as their fine dining, they also provide high quality literature. As well as a host of other things that i can't quite put my finger on? Insurance or bolting, something like that anyway.
Theres a few other jokes someone with a keen eye may be able to spot. Enjoy.

Early season pleasantry

2010-11-26T21:49:00.000Z

The North York Moors got a dumping of snow, but the rest of north England didn't seem to have received the same degree of snowiness.
Anyway, a bit of blog searching and Huw was keen to head to the Lakes, being aware that the snow was easterly and a few hopeful blog photos, we decided that the pretty standard venue of Helvellyn was worth a punt for a early morning bash from Leeds.
Conor, eager to climb his first Winter climbs, picked Huw and I up at 4.15am and we headed up the A660 to the Lakes. Arriving at the foot of Helvellyn, at about 7.45am. It was beautifully white and just starting to glow a bright orange.

As this was a very first hit of this season, and Huw and Conors winter climbing was limited at best ! :-), I was happy to 'punter' around! Enjoyable climbing it was and well worth the gamble from Leeds.
We racked up, with standard first trip glitches like a loose anti-balling plate and overheating on the walk in. We decided, that seeing it was the first trip of the season, we'd start at the obvious central gully. Gully 2, grade I.
I don't think i've ever done a grade 1 before, the first route we did last year was a FA of 'Crazy Torque' which was meant to be a grade II but we decided the big corner crack/roof looked to inviting! But Gully 2 was supplied with frozen turf, great neve and Ice patches. Actually, the whole face is well iced and the ice is reasonably good quality. A great warm up, with some 'Steck' style running on the upper neve. Bliss.

Anyway, we topped out on Conors first winter route and he was 'buzzing', so we walked to the summit, seeing as the gully tops out there! and then carried on to walk down Swirral Edge, and off back to the base of Red Tarn Cliffs.

Viking Buttress. IV, 5.

Gully 2. Grade I.

Next up, V Corner. A grade III, classic reputation and we pretty quickly soloed up to the corner and Conor, very psyched, despatched the pitch with relative ease. A good effort from the winter 'novice'. Duck to water and that.

After this we had a sit around and eat and drink, I then fancied climbing something 'tricky' which i decided would be a toss up between Viking Buttress(IV,5) and Blade Runner (IV,4). Anyway, people began to amass at the crag, as the day progressed and for whatever reason, i didn't decide to get on Viking Buttress and went for the icy groove of Bladerunner.

Gully 1, with the groove of 'Blade Runner' IV, 4 on the left.

The initial groove was a little tricky on thinnly plated rock and a pinnacle of ice to stand on. I found no gear here and 'fiddled' for a about 5 minutes wondering whether i should back off. I decided to 'commit' as the moves looked good and i managed to make a further move to gain a crack where i stacked a couple of hexes and hammered them in. Good.
The next series of moves through the bulge are great, with a giant full axe torque you could hang a donkey off, then with much more gear, carried on up to the top bulge, which is negotiated with a cool seqence of bridging. A brilliant 45m pitch in my opinon and i was happy to see it received another ascent that day. Well worth doing!
After this, we chilled out again, then headed up to solo, Gully number 1. A grade II. However, during the day, the neve had begun to lose it's bite and the turf it's solid texture. We went up anyway as it was certainly still climbable, but it was trickier than II, in my opinion, the corner wasn't banked out with neve as i'd seen photos of, and the groove was plated with very thin verglass and slightly unfrozen turf. Anyway, myself and huw continued and topped out on Helvellyn for a 4th time. We were tired after our 4am start and decided to head home at 2.30pm after a fully successful day.

Huw and Conor and fellow climber on Gully 1.

Huw on the central section of 'Gully 1'

Tricky maneuvoirs in 'Gully 1'

So, Helvellyn is certainly 'in'. The only route i saw that wasn't in was 'Rape and Pillage' which was bare, but looked hard to start.
The view of the rest of the lakes was bare. The western hills were white but not overly so, other than the Helvellyn range, the Fairfield Gullies looked snow filled, so definitely potential for neve in them, if not now then in the future. The rock over Deepdale way looked black though, unfortunately.

The conditions deteriorated during the day, as you'd expect. Not to any bad state, but the early morning was rock solid and blissfully quiet, we had the entire crag to ourselves.

A nice start to the season, with some nice lines ticked and a good day of gaining and losing and gaining height, good for training and such like i guess.

Grit Bouldering (Burbage and Baildon)

2010-11-14T15:08:00.000Z

I decided to try and embrace this aspect of climbing seeing as it's getting colder now. We ventured to Burbage, as Huw has a knackered hand and fancied somewhere to go easy soloing. I was quite stoked to 'see what i could boulder' so decided Burbage would be ok.
Myself and Ewan quickly flashed 'Banana Finger' V3- but then found that the direct wasn't very appealing - the prospect of shinning yourself hardly makes one KEEN.

I then wandered over to the Burbage South boulders, i found a nice little steep rounded rib, on a boulder down and left of 'sheep'?? block. The guide i had, gave it B7, font 7a/7a+?? anyway, it started with feet on a ledge and crimped up to a wierd pocket and then, hopefully a big hole.

Eventually i found how to start, using a double knee bar and reach, but found i couldn't campus up to the pocket as my feet kept hitting the adjacent block. I eventually just did it, trailing a leg onto the block. No tick, but nice enough moves.
Me and Ewan then tried 'the sheep'? V5ish, up discontinuous cracks. Unfortunately, i found the topout slippy and then burst a tip!

I put my finger bursting down to the hard bouldering a week ago at Ravenswick, as my fingers were not 100% weirdly all week, they seems to have bloodblisters underneath. Anywho, i wandered back to the car slightly dissolutioned and disappointed that my attempts at embracing such an aspect of climbing backfired. Oh well, i'll try again sometime... I'm pretty keen for Bridestones, Slipstones and maybe Earl Crag bouldering??? To be honest, i'd like to do some Limestone bouldering in Yorkshire - any areas anyone knows of?!

ADDITION:

After a few days off, my tips recovered and everyone went to Tremadog for the weekend. With work and limited psyche i stayed at home. After discovering Twig (Andrew Harvie) had a day off, we arranged to go somewhere local, and with the foggy weather i decided Baildon would be a good bet. It was ok, warm and damp but we were able to a have a couple of hours messing around.

We warmed up on 'The Mantle' - V5/Font 6c**. An entertaining struggle that i managed 3rd go.

We then tried 'Without Moon' which looked good in a photo i'd seen of it. It has a knacky starting move and then a very, very large jump for the top rail. I tried to jump but i don' think massive jumps are my thing, and at Font 7a+ i'm guessing it's going to be reasonably hard!
Anyway, after this it began to rain and then Middlesbrough were beaten 0-1 by Millwall. Nevermind! I am however re-psyched to try Swingover (E3) and Wombling Wall (E4) as they both looked achieveable again.

Hilarious blogs, Roseberry banter and a spot of bouldering...

2010-11-07T00:26:00.000Z

An interesting week for me, really. Firstly, the appearence of the rather comical blog, http://www.climbercoollist.blogspot.com/ which seems to have taken the UK internet climbing scene by storm. FIT INNIT...

Good work.

The Ravenswick Experience:
My short series of problems illustrating Ravenswick as a bouldering venue.

The Ravenswick Experience from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Then a return to the Moors, where i teamed up with Franco, as usual, to suss out the potential on the Moors for FA's and such and what would go in the winter etc etc.
We decided to nick to Ravenswick Quarry to gauge each others strength after not climbing together for a while and Franco recovering from a broken hand and what not.

Ravenswick was a bit of a success though and we repeatedly returned to the crag on a few evenings during the week to boulder on the almost perma-dry walls. We created a whole host of problems and eliminates and intend to make some sort of 'stoney-esque' numbered holds topo for the crag. The best little problems there are the traverses (Font5+, Font6c, Font6c+ and F7a+!), 'Hidden Tresure' Font7a and a few others. There'll be video up tomorrow, that i made which is just a amateurish overview of a few of the problems there, hopefully it will attract a bit of attention for people that use the crag to train/boulder or havent been?

We also had a bosh up to Roseberry to finish Pasghetti Direct, the main wall up the Face. Unfortunately, the wet weather had taken its toll on the sandy rock, making it unclimbable. It was very windy and cold anyway! One to mull over the winter time i feel, the route looks pretty serious. In a delusional state of disappointment, we made a silly video on the Face of Roseberry. It does have some decent beta for Pasghetti Alpinist (E4/5) and some other stuff.

Roseberry - Get Psyched... from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

As a result we ended up returning to Ravenswick for yet more bouldering, in the presence Lee Robinson and Sam Marks. There'll be a video up in a bit which should hopefully ignite a bit of interest in this great training venue and any feedback of problems or what not can be added to UKC or commented on here, as we'll be making a Stoney-esque numbered topo for the wall, in time!

On a related but slightly dated note, Lee Robinson organised a 'moors bouldering meet' and Ravenswick was visited. The majority of their problems were put up on the Larger expanse of Black Wall, below the routes of Fred (E4), Black Magic (E3) and Jug (VS) - the area to the right of where myself and Franco have been concentrating. This area is more prone to seepage and we were unable to repeat their good looking problems. We'll return, maybe over the Christmas period.

Well Worth A Look:
http://betaguides.blogspot.com/2010/10/saved-by-black-wall_24.html And while on BETAGUIDES, have a look at his RAVENSWICK FREE TOPO.

Get 'sending'...

Wales, Gogarth and Tremadog

2010-10-20T16:49:00.001+01:00

A Quick weekend hit of Wales with a new found psyche and a new climbing partner for me, Ralph. It was a good weekend.
We raced down to Gogarth and walked to Wen Zawn. T.Rex was on the cards. I didn't feel strong enough or have the self-confidence but climbing with someone like Ralph gives you a bit of extra motivation. Unfortunately we didn't have a long enough abseil rope and didn't fancy the jumping over sea boulders to get there, so we decided to just cruise the classic, Quartz Icicle (E2).
I got the Quartz vein pitch and enjoyed the moves and holds, Ralph got the top pitch and eventually worked out a finish to the route, going far more direct than the guide suggested but the route finding was a bit awkward, i didn't mind i enjoyed hanging out above the sea (I think this was my first cliff above the sea?), even if it was a tad chilly. Wen Zawn to yourself is bliss.
I did nearly suggest doing Dream of White Horses seeing as we were there, but we both fancied going to Easter Island Gully to try Supercrack (E2/3) and Wonderwall (E3).
We rapped in and Ralph pretty efficiently climbed the more-straightforward-than-you-think 'Supercrack'. I hadn't cleanly climbed an E3 in quite a long time and this lack of confidence showed when i realised that i'd end up seconding Supercrack and having a bash at the tricky looking Wonderwall. I changed my mind. "Rap and strip the gear Ralph" i shouted up.
He did, leaving in the first nut and cam and then i roped up and climbed Supercrack, rather than Wonderwall. After clipping Ralphs first gear, i quickly got to work hawling my unfit, confidence lacking, overweight arse up the steep lower wall, rattling in gear here and there.
I arrived at the jug, where the crack branches right and felt fine, i had a 2-3 minute shake out and gear check and then got to work on the 'decidedly awkward' upper crack. It really isn't awkward - it has one tricky move that can be well protected (even though i didn't!). Perhaps we both just got lucky but we both felt it was pretty much over once the steepness had been passed. Great climbing anyway, well worth doing and i'm glad i did that over dogging Wonderwall, i'll come back and do that.
We finished the day by escaping Easter Island Gully via the interesting and superb, Phagocyte. HVS.

The next day, Tremadog was on the cards as the weather was iffy. We warmed up on 'The Void' E3+ and thoroughly enjoyed it! I ran the first two pitches together up the awkward groove then the great crux of Vector. Then trending right via a awkward ledge and crack to the Belay, a brilliant 40+ metre? Pitch, felt very E2.
Ralph had already said he wanted the crack pitch and i didn't offer a resistance. He likes his cracks and he made pretty steady work of the upperwall. One unfortunate slip when starting the crack!! was the blip, but a great piece of climbing on his second go.
I seconded the line cruising the first crack section 'elegantly bridging' but then found the move past the peg pretty hard, but i think he had placed a wire in a finger lock? so i'll return sometime and give it a bash myself!
We then had sandwiches and it was already early afternoon, so i elected to climb 'The Grasper" (E2). A route i'd heard about and a line Ralph hadn't done so i seemed the logical choice. Ralph climbed the first pitch of Zukator, as it looked the obvious thing to do and is 5c as well. I then enjoyed the upper corner crack of bridging brilliance, slotting in wires here and there and ultimately cruising it. I didn't really find a 'hard pull' but i did find the top out awkward? Either way, a brilliant line well worth doing but next time i go i'm giving Geireagle (E3) or maybe Cream (E4) a bash.

Bon Weekend, cheers Ralph.

Returning Psyche and loathe of Grit

2010-10-20T16:10:00.000+01:00

I haven't posted in a while and it's not because i haven't done anything, but more because i've seen myself fall out of love with climbing in such a way i barely even remembered why i did it. The problem was the Gritstone, my old coin word for when things go shit, but i'm afraid i just don't like the stuff really. After my horrendous time at Ilkley falling off Slyvia nad Slyveste, i journied to Stanage, where i eventually managed to do the crux of the very reachy 'Moribund' E3 5c and then proceeded to fail on Guilotine (E3) and find Saliva (E1) moderately tricky. I did however get on Left Unconquerable (E1) and find it pretty easy going despite it's reputation for being pumpy and the conditions were very cold and wet in the crack for jams.

My psyche began to return though with the visiting of proper crags and stoked folk. Firstly Huw Goodall. Huw was a good climbing partner during the last couple of weeks as we told me about the wonders of Heptonstall. Admittedly it was a place i'd wanted to go for ages, but Huw reignited my interest in this aspect of Grit climbing and we quickly journied there with another psyched lad, Ralph.
There for an Evening, we only really had time for a route each, so Huw climbed Fairy Steps Direct (VS) and I climbed the classic E2-, 'Thin Red Line'. This crack system and hanging chimney at the top create a great quarry route, well respected throughout the area. I must admit when Ralph told me i had to finish left through the Chimney i thought he was lying, but it's true it adds to the climb, even if it feels horrendously eliminate.
Ralph then repeated Forked Lightning Crack, something i intend on ticking next time i go. A good trip, with psyched people and a reminder to me that i do actually like Grit...Quarried Grit.

Out of the LUUMC lot, a couple of lads have said they fancied visiting the Moors for a spot of weekend climbing. Conor was unavailable, but myself and Huw had a 3 day weekend and with transport looking suspect at Leeds, i offered the idea of heading to the Moors and staying at mine for the 3 days and climbing the wonders of Moorland...
Huw agreed and we were soon at the horrendously lowcloud hit Moors. Dischuffed, i was. I had intended on taking advantage of the dry weather to take Huw to Wainstones and Ravenscar for the Friday but that wasn't to be and instead we headed to the only place i could think of that was lowlying and quick drying. Park Nab.
It was a nice enough afternoon, soloing and leading about on the crags micro lines. Huw climbing the 'classics' most notably, Hara Kiri (HVS), a great little route.
The next day provided more agreeable looking weather and i elected to introduce Huw to the amazing Whitestonecliffe. I had told tales to the LUUMC of the hanging walls of death, Silica concretion 'bombs' and the brilliant feeling of climbing on 'cheese'. I think the majority went back to drinking their pints and talking of Rylstone, but a few were interested and now 1 was about to enjoy the delights.
I talked about 'The Nightwatch' (VS) all the way to Whitestone in the car and when we arrived Huw jumped on it immediately. He did well, climbing the route quickly and he didn't protect it ridiculously like i know folk can and have! I'm pretty sure he ranks it up their with one of the better climbs he's done, certainly single pitch.
After this, i climbed the two routes i'd delayed doing for years. Central Cracks and Countdown Direct, both HVS and both brilliant. I don't know why i hadn't done them, maybe because i was scared of Whitestone? Maybe because when we went there it was to try the traverse? Or more likely, because i'm a lazy climber and they looked damn hard work for HVS, a grade that, if i'm honest, doesn't really interest me anymore.
How wrong i was.
The climbing is superb, the rock and jams brilliant on both routes - just Whitestone enough so you remember your there, but solid in the vast majority. I topped out on both routes feeling pretty good and interestingly, completely unpumped, which i found quite interesting as i felt they would leave me fighting due to my poor ability at the time and lack of fitness. Anyway, they are both WELL worth doing.
We finished the day with a quick ascent of Frigg (HS) which i found was a little tricky for the grade if taken direct, but plenty of gear. Another good shout if your there.
Finally, we went to Scugdale. Huw fancied some microrouting/soloing and he wasn't disappointed. The sun beat down after burning away the low cloud and he ticked all the classy micro routes at Scot's Crag and then managed to get New Dimensions (E3 6a/V4) on his 3rd attempt, after a bit of beta from myself and Martin Parker (Whom i finally met, nice chap with a decent legacy on the moors). A good effort from Huw, who'd have got it second go, if he wasn't such a wimp on the rounded top out! ;-)

All in all, a return of psyche all because of a day on Quarried Grit and a weekend in the Homeland :-)

Freshers

2010-09-30T16:05:00.000+01:00

Back at Leeds after a reasonably eventful summer hols. I returned in fairly decent spirits hoping to get a few weeks on the Yorks Lime before the autumn hit too hard and i was also quite stoked for getting friendly with the Gritstone...
Unfortunately, the weather was somewhat poor during Freshers week and the Lime seems to have had its summer, so we had two trips to Ilkley and Almscliffe.
I was feeling strongish and confident so i got on 'Sylvia' some E3 to the left of 'Sylveste (E2)' on a small buttress in the Rocky Valley. Unfortunately i didn't give the line much thought and i was soon picking myself up out of the rocky pit from below the climb, with a bleeding but ok leg.

Rather embarrassed about this with the new Leeds Uni climber Heather Florence; i decided seeing as i was geared up i'd do Sylveste again. Unfortunately this didn't go to plan and after totally missing the big hold, slipping off microcrimps at the top, I took a nice whinger with a much lighter belayer in the form of Heather... What a start to the gritstone campaign, it truly is a whack rocktype.
I ran away from Ilkley, glad i hadn't got on Blind Valley(E3+) and that was that.

Almscliffe that Saturday was strange too. I arrived and looked at Western Front. It looks so doable and so it should be it's E3. It was cold and windy though, so i soloed about not actually finishing anything and just downclimbing from cruxs and such - really strange feeling.
I found Conor and asked him to belay me on Great Western (HVS***(*) (Apparently)), seeing as i'd never got around to doing it last year. I climbed up Crack of Doom (VS), then told by Conor to carry on to the top to 'a jug and rest' i did so. I found a pumpy, non jug and got a nut stuck... Then i Anihilated my fore finger knuckle ragging it back out - i currently have a rather large chunk out of it.
I reversed to the traverse and found a beautiful cam slot. Fook sake, i pratted around higher up and then on the traverse line found a much better bit of gear and contrary to many peoples thoughts found the traverse seemingly unpumpy...? Finished up 5* finish, which is a good *** line but not really sure about the jamming, you actually have to go out of your way to jam, but they are nice but nothing to whittle on about 'the best jams on the crag'.

Sean then asked if i fancied doing Yellow Wall (E2) , his 1 remaining un climbed line at the grade at Almscliffe. I didn't know what it was, where it was or anything about it so i belayed him on it and then decided i may as well do it for the craic. It's a good 1 mover, with cams on the right and feet difficult to place. Might have to do Yellow Peril (E4 topout) one day, if i start to find a love from rounded gritstone topouts?

Seemingly ok day ended with me and Sean trying Forgotton Wall (E5), but i quickly discovered the move to be nails (6c) and reversed. Sean had a go and fell off then started to redpoint the crux. He did OK nearly latching the break but hurt his knee, so he lowered and then everyone wanted to leave so i didn't actually have a go at the crux. Never mind, its grit 6c so i wouldn't stand a chance anyway.

Stanage on Saturday, Stoked?, no not really...

Hodge and that...

2010-09-09T13:17:00.003+01:00

A few days in the lakes was planned and we departed to the CMC hut, intent on ticking Lakeland E4's.

We chose Dow Crag, as the guide had 3 *** E4's in a row on 'B' Buttress, that seemed like they all needed doing. Unfortunately, Tumble, the classic E4 was wet in the lower groove so i backed off and then we discovered that Genocide now didn't have the peg insitu which would mean it was harder than E4, pretty de-stoked by this Franco soloed Eliminate A and then we left Dow Crag to Hodge Close, just down the road.

Franco On Genocide E4?, Dow Crag

Franco Soloing Eliminate 'A', VS, Dow Crag

Limited Edition (E4 6a/F6c+) had been on my to-do list for ages. I viewed it as a better protected, harder Ten Years After and i liked the sound of that. Franco climbed the route first from the 'Big Dipper' rampline, quickly popping his way up the starting groove and then simply rocking through the upper reaches of the climb. He abbed back down and then i had a bash.

Franco On Limited Edition:

The moves off the ledge are thin, the second clip feels desperate and then a long reach or pop to a really good hold. We both felt it was touching Eng. 6b but it was very warm.
Above this is a good 6 or 7 metre run out, leftways where soloing 5b/c helps you, until you reach a 3rd bolt. Above this is a great piece of flake climbing and a 4th bolt. Then, reversing 'Mirrormere' you traverse right for around 7 metres to a foothold and 5th bolt.
A thin, contorted rockover leads into the final tiny flake and the top. Great route, slightly unbalanced due to the hard start but the positions are good.

We left back to the Club Hut and decided that a visit to Cathedral was in order. Unfortuantely, Basilica the big E4 up the huge wall was seeping, so we decided to try Cold Turkey, E4 6b...

I don't know if this was ever ed... but unless abseilers and perhaps waterwash has combined to totally strip any holds off this slab, the climbing was very, very hard indeed. Certainly not E4. We rapped in but i sacked it off and got back out on the left. Franco was interested to see if it was possible and he did get to the top of hte climb but said it was totally ridiculous. Above the two lower bolts are two rusty pegs, they looked bomber enough but the top wall would be run out with moves of 6a at least, making the whole thing seem to be 6b moves (now 6c??) into run out 6a... yup, sounds E4...
My mood got worse as on the drive out of Cathedral i hit a rock protruding into the road and got a flat tyre. Unfortunately someone had taken the spare out of the car, so stuck in the middle of nowhere we abandoned the car and started walking back to the Hut at Ullswater. We luckily got a couple of hitches and arrived to find the hut had been booked by RAF Squaddies. Great.

While in the hut, i decided it was time to try the new and poorly understood 'Dunne Diet'. However, the effects have been not all that i expected...

The Dunne Diet from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

I had rung my parents are asked if they fancied a trip over to the lakes...and if they fancied bringing a spare tyre. They did, as they had been planning on visiting the lakes anyway, which was lucky.

The following day, after repairing the car we gave mum and dad a tour of the quarries and then invited them to watch us climbing at Hodge Close, as it was roadside and easy to see whats going on. My parents had never seen either of us climbing and often asked about rope management and belays and such so it was a good place to show them 'the ropes'...

Bloke on 'Sky' E2/F6b+

We climbed 'Sky', a retrobolted E4 5c, which is now F6b+... it really should have had less bolts to make it E2/3 but never mind. Great climbing well worth doing.

Me climbing Sky, E2/F6b+

The parents seemed to enjoy our quick ascent, without issue and they left to Ambleside. Franco and I stoked for 'First Night Nerves' found it was wet, so we decided to try 'Carpe Diem' (F7a+) which climbs a shallow groove formed by the rockfall. I remember myself and Franco looking at it before, as a trad line.
Anyway, the climbing is nice, but the bolting is poor. Far too many closely spaced bolts but then the only tricky clip, the 3rd bolt, is placed awkwardly and the 2nd bolt is far to close to the 1st... I don't know how to bolt but it seems a shame a nice feature of rock has been spoilt, not by the bolting but by a poor job of doing so. Still, climb is worth doing - don't get me wrong!

Franco then had a quick play on a proj...

Le Pinnacle de Choad

2010-09-02T21:45:00.001+01:00

Another cracking day at the local crag, Round Crag aka Pinnacle de Choad. Named so, because the pinnacle is wider than it is tall!
Journied back with Andrew (Twig) Harvie in order to 'send' Vampiric Obsession, Francos New Route on the north wall of the block.
I'd done the moves on TR and cleaned the line figuring out the beta so Franco could flash it, which he did. I however couldn't do the climb due to having to meet my parents in Rosedale, on that particular day.
I arranged with Twig to go and i'd settle for Vampiric and he would try 'Fresh Arete' - E5. However, it was warm so we located ourselves on the North wall and quickly got started headpointing Vampiric, it quickly became apparent that Twig was more psyched for this as well, as the dynamic moves of Fresh Arete was going to aggrivate his injured wrist.
In the end, i lead Vampiric after a couple of Top Ropes. I climbed up to the gear via the long reach to the break and installed two cams, 0.5 and 1. Then with these protecting the technical stand up move above, i was quickly at the crux. A reach and a pinch and a left hand slap/snatch into the crimp side pull. Over the top on the tree root, which i had 'backed up' by tieing a rope to it for stability!
If any one is wondering it would be possible to dig off that ledge, but it would dirty the climb to such a degree i think it would be a poor choice!
Great climbing, really enjoyable. Around F7a, with a 6a/6b crux towards the top which the gear in the break wouldn't catch you from. Nice.

After this, i did Fresh Arete again to show Twig and then with a choice between Time Out (E3/4 6a) and Dither (E2 6a), i decided a quick jaunt up Dither was worth 15 minutes of my life.
It looked like a well protected mantle move, but was dirty. I climbed up, placed some gear in the break (which would be better but needs a good clean!) then dropped down for a rest. Boshing up again i mantled over the lip, hands on small sloping pocketty things, i began to slide backwards in the heat. I popped for the top but it was futile and i took a pretty decent fall into space.
Most fun i'd had all day, as i sort of didn't expect the gear to hold (even though it was good!) and i didn't really expect to come off!
Pulled and went again, made the move around the lip and on the slab again, pulling on small irony monos and slippery warm edges, i suddenly found the incut on the Arete. Shite.
E2 6a with that hold, without, no wonder it felt desperate! Nice enough climbing anyway, good for a nice clean fall one of the better no starred routes i've done.

I wasn't too fussed by this, a mixed day of Headpointing a lower end E6 then failing to Onsight a hard E2, means i can headpoint about 3 grades harder than i can onsight, overall (seeing as i onsight E2/3) but mainly installed in my mind that my ability to onsight is shockingly bad! Never mind :-)

Strong and finally mobile.

2010-09-01T14:05:00.000+01:00

Since returning from the Alps, our family has only had 1 car. I am too tight to buy myself one and i can't really justify it at University. I used to get convienient use of the parents car, as we had a 2nd car that mum could use if i was out and she needed it.
Unfortuately the Landrover died so the Parents have been monopolising their car (fair do's!) and i've seen the odd afternoon here and there climbing as a result.
Now, after a month of making do they have bought a second car - i have 2 weeks to get climbing before university starts... so first stop. ROUND CRAG, again!

Twig is psyched to Flash the E5, Fresh Arete which is cool and i do feel like i should go and nail 'Vampiric Obsession' seeing as i have already cleaned and tried some of the moves prior to Franco's Flash the other day and then running out of time for me to have a go.

Fortunately, Franco's University work is nearly ended and we are planning to hit the Lake District this weekend, stoked for big, bold, Lakes Slabs in the Quarries. Cannae Wait, a month too late but never mind...

Headpointing highs and impressive flashes.

2010-08-21T20:39:00.000+01:00

(Video's now present )

My last post was about 'making the step up', my chance to finally climbing something perseived as being 'hard'. The day finally came, in rather poorly planned circumstances.
Franco and I arranged to head to Round Crag, as Franco had a few jobs to do and i didn't have access to a car, but could get a lift nearby from the parents as they went to Rosedale show.
I arrived and shunted 'Fresh Arete' (an E5 with siderunners in a nearby E3) and got a text from Franco saying he was behind in his schedule.
I lazed around, listening to music and sleeping on my bouldering mat as it was still early.
I occasionally got up, when i was chilly, to work the line again - i felt pretty ok on it, but the whole thing felt sketchy, sketchier than my previous morning on it, but i reckoned that was just because i knew the occasion was fast approaching, i knew it wasn't just Top roping for fun, it was top roping for a solo.
Franco arrived and we each had a couple of goes at the line. Franco admitted that he was less stoked for this particular FA, but we both knew he could easily do it.
I decided that even though i felt a bit psyched out by the prospect of a ground fall solo, i should probably do it as i certainly had it wired in my 10 or 15 top ropes.
I liquid chalked up, this beautiful invention helps with my sweating ailment, for that i am most grateful.
Anyhow, as the video coming will show i climbed it quickly, leading the line with low runners at the break/ledge where you start 2 metres off the deck. At the top block are good nuts to protect the top out. Infact, i climbed the line so quickly i totally forgot to chalk up at my chalking points which was quite funny as i'd spent a few TR's deciding where i could and couldn't chalk up!
Awesome feeling when i pulled over the capping block and stood up looking back to Farndale. Sweet.

Round Headpointing from Ram Man on Vimeo.
Above, Steve Ramsden climbing the Arete (with a good angle of video) and showing the side runners and moves from directly behind. The Fresh Arete sequence is after the starting route which is the impressively bold Pippi longstocking.

"Round Crag New Routes"

Round Crag New Routes- from Franco Cookson on Vimeo.

Climbing, is F7a+ we reckon, with unpredictable, slappy, compression moves. The climbing itself is fairly staightforward to headpoint/beta, as i had previously climbed the arete with Siderunners 2nd go, but onsight would be pretty hard and ultimately from the higher moves you'd almost certainly hit the floor, despite everything Franco would have done in regards to running belaying.
I'm not out to sandbag folk, so i've decided to stick with E7 6b rather than E6 6b, as even though it sticks out like a sore thumb at this sandbagged crag, it's what you'd want to be climbing to try and ONSIGHT it! Ultimately it should get H7, but i think i'll just stick with giving it a big phat E grade as it makes me happy :)
I can't rename it, but i would have liked to have called it Choados or Choadasaurus Rex. Partly because it's funny to me and it describes the Round Crag Pinnacle well (being wider than it is tall) but also it kind of keeps up the tradition of odd route names (Hypocrasy of Moose, The Otter Wilderness Route, Welcomed Back to the Beaver Pack, Pasghetti Alpinist for ours and then Three Screaming Popes, Primate Wardrobe Superviser to name some previous era FA's)

Being very slightly less self orientated, we wandered to the north wall of the Round Crag Pinnacle and made a start on the FA of the blunt arete to the right of Honey Arete.
The moves looked good, on undercuts and largish edges. It was very dirty though and happy from my headpoint i said i'd clean the line on abseil and sort the moves on toprope.
I quickly found a sequence but the last move kept me guessing for some time. Eventually, i figured it out, a beautiful wide pinch.
I cleaned all the nessisary holds well and then shunted the line again. I then set to work filming Franco's Flash. He asked what i thought the grade was, i didn't know, maybe E5? Before i found the move i thought it was going to be E7 or worse but if the runner at the starting undercut were good, then the first few moves would be protected.
Franco and I, in our haste however didn't have any gear that would fit such as crack as we only brought gear for Fresh Arete, so Franco just soloed the line. I watched, heart in mouth.
Pretty solid flash from Franco who exclaimed E6 at the top and said it was certainly one of the harder flashes he'd done! It certainly felt like a good series of moves when i shunted it to clean it, i will have to head back up sometime and do it, shame i can't ground up it really

some afterthoughts by Franco...

Post-Vampiric Obsession Fear from Franco Cookson on Vimeo.
Epic.

Time to make the step up?

2010-08-12T10:17:00.000+01:00

Fresh Arete has seen a lot of activity recently. Steve's FA then a few repeats, it's well worth climbing in it's current state, but the goal for myself and Franco, as locals, is a solo.
The climbing is around F7a+, not particularly hard but with no runners and hard to onsight slappy moves and a difficult to read hold, then the resulting solo may well be E7.
I've climbed Fresh Arete with the side runners second go ground up and felt pretty bomber on it then, only failing first time due to sweaty hands and being unable to chalk up. My second go i found a chalking point and the ascent went with no real issue.

Anyway, the climbing is good and suprisingly secure considering how it is climbed with slaps. The two moves i dislike, are both easy but just sketchy. Firstly a reach up left to a positive sidepull, i have to lock and then slightly dynamically reach which feels horrible. Then higher up is the crux, a tenuous smear which has always felt fine, but it's a smear.

I've since shunted the line 5 or 6 times and felt pretty bomber on it. My last two attempts utilising liquid chalk which seemed to help with my ailment of over sweating on the crux.
E7 6b, F7a+ solo? with a protectable topout, perhaps this is the time i make the step up to easyish headpointing, with their impressive looking grades...

On a similar note, i met up with Steve Ramsden for the first time at Round Crag. We sort of managed a half decent couple of hours at the crag, in between heavy rain, with me sort of half cleaning 'Honey Arete E5 6b***' and then after failing to find a sequence on TR, Steve then managed the line in damp conditions, with little effort!.
It's probably worth a clean and TR every time i head up there, it will get cleaner every time but it won't stay clean, on the north face of the pinnacle. Climbing didn't look all that 3* either, but the landing is soft into the bog!

FA's and Repeats - Moors!

2010-08-09T17:24:00.001+01:00

Returning to the Moors, i had a couple of days off climbing but we soon were back to our usual antics of FA hunting. The weather was showery and i didn't have a car so Twig from Ayton drove over and with only 2 hours before he had to be back home, we quickly ran to Clemmit's Crag. A poor crag even for the moors, but the finger crack there was yet to be climbed and we did so in a team Ground up. Funny times in the rain. The harder moves are low down, but its fairly sustained, fiddly wires and an old peg for gear, at around E4 6b.

However, far more importantly was a return to Round Crag up near Blakey. I'd been here lots before but usually got shut down by the place and it wasn't my favourite crag. WE had always been torn between using hte crag as a training venue or, getting strong elsewhere and then Onsighting/Flash/Ground Upping these short, bold test pieces...Well, fit and light from sport i was quite psyched.

Steve Ramsden had recently put up a new E5, climbing the arete left of Scut di Scun ai, he called it 'Fresh Arete', apparently due to the conditions at the time. Franco had mentioned this FA before but his goal was a solo, Steve on the other hand climbed the line on Side runners in Time Out, which are placed from the ledge they both start on.
Franco said that he was up for working the line for the solo and that it was a great route to try and flash.

Franco TR'ed the line again, i watched for BETA! Then placed the Rps in the crack to the left and had a look at the slappy, compression climbing. The runners make the climbing seem quite safe, but i was far from convinced by their quality. I must say it would be a hard, pure onsight.
I reached the crux and on two undercut/sidepulls i was unable to move my hands. Sweating but unable to chalk i couldn't pop for the next hold. I was off, one move from success.
A smallish swing to the left and that was it, my flash attempt was gone, i didn't even end up that near the ledge, like i thought i might! Funnily on llowering me down Franco said he thought that was it. He didn't rate the RP's either!

Disappointed that a very flashable E5 had gone, i lowered and chalked up LOTS. Then boshed up again, this time finding a right hand chalk up point just before gaining the awkward right hand sidepull/undercut. This was enough, a tenuous smear and reach and i was slotting a cam into the crack at the top and then i grovelled over the top. Not a Flash, but my first E5 ground up.

Below is a video of Steve Ramsden first climbing the HARD E5 'Pippi Longstocking' then after, is the FA of 'Fresh Arete'.

Round Headpointing from Ram Man on Vimeo.

Copyright Steve Ramsden.

All this sport climbing has it's benefits, eh.

2 weeks of Alpine Sport...

2010-08-09T17:07:00.001+01:00

My knee began to give me trouble and the weather turned shite. This added to me being uninspired by the hills as all they do is cause my knee pain, meant that valley cragging became my main exploit for the last two weeks of our month in the Alps.

The weather being poor, meant we moved from the poor quality shack we had made, to a better known one elsewhere.

Me in the Bath and Chris at the Shack

This is where Chris was staying too and Franco and Chris had already teamed up to 'send' the American Direct on the Dru, in icy conditions!
I, unable to venture to the hills got in touch with my mate from Uni, Huw and we climbed some pretty poor sport at La Joux. This psyched me up to head back to the hills, for a rematch with Dimanche Noir (VIII).
Myself, Sam Dewhurt, Franco and Chris made one last foray into the hills armed with huge supplies, a tent and lots of gear. The weather was meant to be awful and we decided to sit it out and seige anything going in order to save our last 10 days!
We managed to get on Dimanche Noir, after an evening of heavy rain. It looked seepy but there was no option - we were both stoked for the apparently amazing second pitch, pure friction climbing on perfect Chamonix Granite.
Franco lead the second pitch, a 'F7a' slab pitch with 'unavoidable, bold climbing'. Chris and Sam elected to try an unknown route to the left as it was chilly and hanging around to climb Dimanche as a 4. The following 2 hours was ridiculous.

Franco, slowly but steadily made his way up the damp, cold slab in what can only be described as an odds game for success. Chris meanwhile was taking whippers and french freeing this blank, hard looking thing to the left.

I eventually seconded franco up the slab, the moves were utterly brilliant but the climbing was so smeary or non holds that when i eventually arrived at the belay after a couple of falls on 'hard points' franco and I laughed at how desperate it was for F7a! Amazing effort onsighting the pitch it must be said.

We rapped from here as the weather closed in, rescuing Chris on the way! Then, spent the next 2 days sat in a tent as the Aiguilles got snowed on, eventually admitting defeat when it dried up and ran back to the valley, via 4 different descents! Chris running down in the rain the night before to meet a friend (taking no gear as we hadn't decided to come down then), leaving me, Franco and Sam with a shit load of kit. Sam happily got the Tele down, taking two HUGE rucksacks with him. Franco ran down with a rucksack full of gear and 4 helmets on the outside and i, without a rucksack, had a few drybags on a piece of sling around my shoulder. Funny looks from walkers on the way down!

Down in the valley, I however found myself feeling light and strong on the local sport crags and i got a huge confidence boost with a flash of a F6c+ at 'Church Crag', when Will Sim and Oscar showed us this quality crag, that isn't in the guides. With this confidence, I quickly RP'ed my first F7a at Monolith and then towards the end of the holiday, a double O/S of F7a at Gaillands. The photo below is of 'Le Plague' F7c. This was good bouldery fun, which non of us managed. However, the same route with use of the arete is F7a, this was my first flash (before we tried the F7c!)

Me gurning on 'Le Plague'

The highpoint of the sport for me, was a near-flash of 'In Absentia' F7b at Gietroz. We weren't sure of the grade but the climbing looked superb. As it was, it was better than superb and my fall from the last bolt was not annoying, as Franco and Sam reckoned it was F7a+/F7b (Sam originally thought it looked F8c!!!!) and we later discovered it was F7b***. Go do it - It's amazing.

Franco on the brilliant 'In Absentia' F7b

Anyway, currently much more psyched for Sport climbing now, i actually enjoyed it in France/Switzerland.

Chamonix Aiguilles

2010-08-09T09:05:00.001+01:00

This was my first 'alpine season', that said the season didn't amount to much 'alpine' climbing. The first week was spent warming up and getting fit walking up to the chamonix Aiguilles.
The First day was spent finding a place to doss, not the campsite at Argentiere - instead we decided to 'have a bit of fun' and look for a woodland bivi site, rumoured to exist. We found it, thanks to Franco's somewhat limited knowledge of the area and we spent the day finding supplies to make our 'Favella'. The skeleton of the structure was still in place, with some repair work, obviously being obliterated by the winter months? Anyhow, this was home for the first fortnight.

The second day in Chamonix, we racked up and walked up to the Aig. de L'M. Arriving in the afternoon we had a sleep on the bivi ledge below the cliff and then, with no forecast of showers, we go on my first route in the Alps, The Menegaux Route - TD/VI+. This was a good intro, we ended up climbing at like 3pm til 5ish i think - totally opposite to normal but it was ok, the descent (sans boots) was interesting down the deep snow couloir on the left of the L'M.

Returning to the Valley, to rest and eat our next 'hit' was the Pillar Rouge on the Blatiere. This great crag, gave us a good few days climbing over the next 10-14days or so. The Majorette Thatcher TD/VII/Font 6b crux! was a tricky little number with a cruxy pull through a roof then glorious jamming above. We had to rap a pitch early, as the sun came around in the afternoon, not a bad effort walking up from the valley that morning!

Me on the first pitch of Majorette Thatcher, on the Pillar Rouge.

Les Diamants Du President, TD, climbs a large chimney/diedre system to the left of the Majorette and we elected to 'run' up this climb. The climbing was good lower down, with a brilliant twin crack jamming crux pitch. Above, the climbing was diedre based with some amazing, but totally sketchy (for me being fat) offwidth/chimney climbing some of which was totally run out as we didnt have big gear.
We then had a 3 day rest in the Valley, refuelling and then hit the next Aiguille along, the Peigne.
The Peigne has a beautiful slab, facing Chamonix and this is full of classy, slab pitches.
We woke early and walked up to get on 'Le Ticket, Le Carre, Le Rond et la lune' TD+/VII+. Unfortunately, the weather was damp in the morning and we loited around at the base of the Peigne making Cairns.

Me and Franco with one of Franco's Cairns.

We finally did get on 'Le Ticket' and cruised it, racing a standard, fast, french guide. Nice chap.
Franco ran down to the Valley that night to get food for an extended stay and returning in late, we had a bit of a sleep in. Still stoked to climb, we ran up to the Blatiere again and jumped on the 'Crook-Penning' TD/VI+. We intended to run up it, quickly for practice. We did, good climbing.

Franco leading 'Plus Lourd Que L'Air' ED/F7a+

Our final action on the Aiguilles, was to climb 'Verdon Memories' ED/VIII-. This is a harder version of 'Le Ticket' with a F6c crux slab pitch. The climbing is brilliant with micro holds and perfect friction on the rock. We were on the route super early, making our rubber shoes feel hard in the cold but we climbed the route without issue and elected to 'run' up the 'Voie Normal' - AD all the way up the Peigne. However we ended up on the West Arete? as we were simuling territory overtaking parties, the climbing felt V+/VI but it was probably slightly harder line than usual as we were going around parties.
We ended up at what we think was the Lepiney Crack. Nice finale to the Peigne!

Me seconding 'Verdon Memories'

Slabby brilliance on Verdon Memories, Aig. du Peigne.

We intended to climb the Super hard, super classic 'Dimanche Noir' ED3/VIII/7a slab. Unfortunately, my knee made an appearance on the walk down from the Peigne so i sacked it off back to the valley, as i was not prepared to hurt my knee as i'd be unable to get myself down to Cham, if it did 'go'.
The Chamonix Aiguilles for me were fantastic. I've never done multipitch over 3 or 4 pitches really, especially not 35-50metre pitches sustained at a grade! The routes we climbed, on paper, were towards my limit as well which i was delighted about.
Certainly amazing climbing, on amazing rock in stunning surroundings!

Sponsored by Marmot

I think this was our last forray up to the Aiguilles during the 'hot weather' and we ended up spending a couple of days in the shack. It was dry enough, but the area was littered with holes when we arrived. These were undoubtedly mouse holes and our suspicions were realised when they became ballsy enough to walk on us at night and such like. We caught sight of a few and tried to make our belongings mouseproof but eventually, after a night in the shack alone, when Franco went up to Les Dru with Chris, I couldn't do it anymore. I was worried sleeping in the woods on my own anyway and that hightened awareness meant i heard every squeak, every mouse running over my sleeping bag and i eventually snapped, catching two and swiftly killing them. I don't know why i did it as it wasn't their fault, but it made me feel better and i was totally 'in-tune' with my aggressive, hunter side - which allowed me to catch bloody mice with a plastic bag, a stick and rocks. Ah well, enough was enough we searched for a home more suited...

Kepper's Groove

2010-07-01T16:48:00.000+01:00

Two weeks ago i was TRing the Groove at Kepwick the night before heading to Leeds to depart on scottish geological mapping. Two weeks of lost climbing, but some running and caving saw me feeling fit but not climbing fit. I had actually put weight on but felt pretty good, a 3 hour ascent and descent of Ben More Assynt from Inchnadamph being an impressive feat for me, anyway.

We returned to Keppers, me mostly interested in seeing what i was still capable of climbing. I however felt pretty good with a quick solo of a pleasant enough E1 and then had a bash at the 'FA' of the blunt arete which franco had just soloed. Goes about E2 5c with a heathery topout.

Then we got to work TRing the groove again, i however felt much better on it this time around. The rock was dry this time, however it was very very hot. Liquid chalk was out and i found that i could do all the moves except the top horror move but was unable to link them. Happy enough with that.

An early Link of the left Hand finish - H8? 6c

Link of the Kepwick Groove from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

After franco i eventually managed wierd starting move and then pulled through what is meant to be the crux. A hard pull from the starting pocket to an edge. It's tenuous stuff.

Crimpin' hard from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Finally another view of the route, with half a link and some crappy banter, which is quite funny, if you can hear the dialogue... but you might have had to be there!

Franco climbing / banter from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

Sticky Damp

2010-06-10T22:12:00.000+01:00

3 days of horrendous north east weather coinciding with the return of Franco from Uni, meant that climbing looked rather limited before my departure to NW highlands for Geology fieldwork. However, a day at Newton Aycliffe wall for a bit of bouldering and then tradding up the scene with some runout, traversy lines and taking group clipping falls meant that a good day was had by all! Well, Franco, Pete Simpson, Rebex and I all thoroughly enjoyed it anyway!

My last chance to climb was Thursday evening, amazingly it had sort of dried up a bit in the brief afternoon without rain and Franco rang to ask if i was up for a crag. I decided it would probably only be a look, but took ropes, gear and stakes and sledge hammer (all usual FAing stuff) to the crag.
Pleasantly suprised by the dryness, althought it was quite chilly we quickly made a top belay out of stakes and then started to play around on the already horrendously scarred, cleaned holds.
Starts with a big pop/reach to a slopey pocket from an undercut which i think will be pretty morpho. Then from there a hard move up and left to either sidepulls of a pocket, then using mono pockets for each hand a high foot into slopey dish/pocket and a great move up at left to gain the blind flake. Futher contortions reach the top.

Good climbing, F7cish very little in the way of placeable gear as well, were into skyhook and micro, wired tricam territory if we can figure out how to place them on lead... Cool moves with a pop to a dish pocket, sidepulling up a cool blunt flake and beaut deep finger pockets, leading to a balancy morpho finish. Bon.

'stoked'

Video's non removed.

Lakes, 2 1/2 days.

2010-06-05T19:56:00.000+01:00

Wednesday, 80's Pete and I travelled to the Lakes in search of classics in the HVS to E2 range. We decided that the often talked about Sergeant Crag Slabs was probably the best option, seeing as we'd never climbed there is easy to get to and had plenty to go at.
We arrived to a pretty full crag with two parties already there. In a rather slow day, we ticked Terminator 2 (HVS***) and Lakeland Cragsman (HVS***). I climbed the classic slabby (E2 5b***) Aphasia, with Pete also climbing the pleasant Quicksilver (E1**). Aphasia was interesting as it was much more sustained and far better protected than i thought it would have been, i ran out of QD's by the crack and sacrificed cams and screwgates but ultmately just ran it out a bit!
Pete was at work at 6am the following day so we rushed off to the car, i'd hoped to have gotten enough time to climb Bleak Howe Buttress (E2 5c***) but it wasn't to be.

The following day, when Pete finished work at 2pm, we journied BACK to the lakes with an evenings cragging in mind. I decided that Hodge Close would be ideal and we quickly despatched the classic 'Behind The Lines' (HVS***), this being Pete's first Slate climb. I told him that he'd get on well with the climbing as he's an intelligent climber and places his feet well. I then decided to sack off trying Limited Edition (E4 6a***) to do the reputedly very good Big Dipper/Mirrormere (E2 5b***).
I asked Pete to climb the first pitch up a strenuous crack and then lovely rampline, which is E1 5b on it's own. This line takes a cool left to right of the buttress, with a belay on bolts. The second pitch which is E2 5b, tiptoes from the belay leftwards for 30 metres to an arete, via two bolts.
Great piece of climbing, on both pitches a definite classic.
After Hodge, we returned to the Hut at Patterdale where we met Chris and Heather Woodal, which is always nice, they told us about their week in the lakes in the good weather - jealous.

The forecast was potentially hot with thunder showers, but even so i decided a trip up to the esoteric gem of Langdale, Neckband Crag, was the best bet. I had half considered Goat Crag, Borrowdale, but decided to hit Neckband as it was likely to be in condition given the recent very dry conditions.
It was in condition and im exceptionally glad we went. Pete warmed up on the distinctly awkward classic HVS corner crack, Mithrandir. Great climbing but definitely awkward for the grade. This was the trend of the day.
I was going to get on Gillette Direct (E2 5c***) but Pete declared an interest, so i got on the *** variation to an awkward E3 6a. This route, Tracheotomy(E2 5c***) misses out the very awkward looking overhanging finger crack, that i looked at but couldnt fit fingers in. However, Tracheotomy, turned out to be more than worthwhile.
Starting as for Gillette Direct, it pulls out right and follows the upper cracks of the E3, with some great thin locks and padding and brilliant gear. It was all very sustained and ultimately amazing, worth *** at any crag in both our opinions.
Pete then climbed the well thought of Gillette Direct (E2), which again provided thought provoking, intense climbing for the whole 35metres.
I finished off with Gandalf (E2 5c**) which looked inaccessible with the traverse to its undercut base being totally mossy. However, the holds were clean in the main and i climbed this again, with interest. Not as good climbing as the previous two routes (no bad thing!) but probably more worthy of ** than many routes!
Pete then finished with what has to be one of my favourite climbs yet. The E1 5a***, Razor crack, tackes an obvious splitter through 4 overlaps. He climbed it steadily enough but was tired. I go on the second and was blownaway. Juggy climbing, with perfect gear lead to a cool rock onto a jug and then, brilliantly, a little offwidth section. I decided i may as well offwidth climb it with a fist and hand jam pull into the niece and then an ankle/leg lock hands off rest and lean back. Brilliant.
Finishing up the final overlaps via some quality locking and more perfect gear!
E1 5b for my money perfectly sustained 5a climbing with a 5b crux and perfect perfect gear. Go and do them all, now!
The left side of the crag is clean, despite the large black mossy streak, however the righthand side appears to have been forgotton for longer. I fancied the E3 there, but the crack systems were very much vegetated and regrettably, i'm not the one to clean them.
Wandered back to the car in the baking sun (having been almost chilly in the northshade of the crag) and returned to the moors via some convection rainfall (showing it was a good couple of warm days!) content with money well spent!

Tahu Ratum - British Expedition

2010-06-05T17:16:00.000+01:00

This summer, sees an attempt at the as yet unclimbed NW ridge of the stunning Granite peak of the Tahu Ratum, Pakistani Karakorum.
Luke Hunt, Tom Ripley, Hamish Dunn and Holly Mumford of various universities in the UK are heading out 23rd of July to hopefully bag this most impressive FA.

The following blog, is a good in depth piece written by the team:
Tahu Ratum - Blog

Awesome stuff!

Windmore End

2010-05-31T19:19:00.000+01:00

The weather on't moors was pretty shit. I'd been unable to find a partner and the west of the country was seeing decent weather. All in all, i had two choices go to the Lakes soloing or stay at home and train? (not likely)

In the end, i decided to sort of cut it half way. I didn't really want to go to the lakes and solo classic HS's or VS's, i just wasn't in that sort of mood. I fancied a day soloing at a 10metre crag - but didn't really fancy going all the way to the Lakes for that, at say Black Crag, Wrynose.

In the end, my thoughts drifted back to an email i had received a few weeks back from the Cleveland MC. It was a meet reminder for a sunday meet at Windmore End, above Brough. I had considered going, as it is reputed to be a lovely soloing crag made up fo pretty solid, nicely weathered limestone.
I had the routes list as part of the email and there were quite literally 100's of routes from Diff to E3. I decided it was a much better option than soloing say 'Fool's Paradise' or 'Eliminate A'.

Departing the mist and rain of the moors, i was greeted by sun and warmth at Windmore. The drive over was busy with holiday makers heading to the lakes and horse's heading to Appleby. I was quite happy about exiting the A66 early, actually.

The crag itself barely exceeds 8-10metres and is composed of beautiful limestone, it was somewhere i'd spotted as being 'close to the moors for sussing out limestone' when i was younger and had only experienced Grit and Sandstone.

Long story short, the crag in my eyes was great. Great views, great rock and all on good holds. The routes never have horrendous slopers or thin slippy footholds or anything 'cruxy' like that, they just seem to be good moves between good holds. Either jugs, or good finger jams or bomber crimps. It really was bliss.
The grading was soft too i think, unless i was going well. A few of the E3's i soloed said 'Very Bold', which i found were bold but so they should be for a 8m E3 5c...
Perhaps it's just coming off the back of the last 6 months on the Yorkshire Shit(grit)stone? Either way, soft grades or just they suited my stile of being slightly bold without trick moves, it's the enjoyment that counts and 5 E3's 4 of which were Onsight all made up of good moves is a good day out for me! :-)

Well worth the effort if you live nearish and probably worth a detour on the way to the Lakes from the North East, if you enjoy 8metre, Soloing of a variety of grades. The VS's and HVS's that i soloed, mainly on the 'Far Right' were excellent too.

Happy.

Rain

2010-05-29T18:07:00.000+01:00

After having to go to Leeds, on the nicest day of the week, for a meeting about the forthcoming fieldtrip, rather expectedly the weather crapped out on the saturday.
I decided to hit the old training patch of Ravenswick, with it's slightly overhanging walls of limestone it's the Stoney, of the Moors.

Arriving in the heavyish rain i wasn't too hopeful, but was pleasantly suprised to see the walls dry and not seepy.
Over the next 3 hours i traversed the usual traverses on black wall. Gutter Crack to Flake Crack traverse (with jump finish) being the best, but i did the variants too with bummelzug start and also Marooned (with easy beta) up then managed the 'hard' finish to the traverse.

Gutter Crack to Flake Crack Traverse from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

This goes by traving right on the crimps then gaining a much smaller crimp, below the pinch hold. From here you much pop to the good pocket with your left. This constitutes the crux and is hard and very fluffable. I didn't manage the V7 full traverse utlising this finish.
I ended by traversing whitewall (v2 5b) along the bottom break, having a leg bar rest for 20 seconds then traversing back slightly higher. Good little session considering the weather.

Marooned - Ravenswick from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

P.S the weather was 'mid heavy rain' you got wet if you stayed in it. What i did notice was that if you fixed lower-offs, you'd get away with climbing the routes in the conditions and the bouldering is good. Worth bearing in mind.
There are many 'easy' problems possible all along the wall.

Nesting Shoes

2010-05-27T15:34:00.000+01:00

From now on, don't bother repairing or resoling your old, tired winter cragging shoes, just open them out, stick them somewhere sheltered say a garage or shed with plenty of access from the outside world and let them become homes for birds...

Returning from Uni, i went into the shed where my training wall is. Intent on actually using it i set about making some routes/problems and then went to get my shoes, that i'd left in the garage over the winter.

The Swallows, that reside in our garage every spring were happily buzzing around the roof space crapping at will. I was quite shocked to find my shoes had become the early attempts at a home, unfortunately for the poor Wren or whatever, i decided i wanted my shoes back.

So, if you have any old shoes - lop 'em in a shed and see what happens.

Philleas Fog

2010-05-25T21:58:00.000+01:00

Steve Ramsden, the Moors raider from Hull found a very good looking boulder problem at Camp Hill, Philleas Fog Font 7a*.
My final exam at Leeds Uni, Maths, was over and unable to find a climbing partner in Leeds i quickly made my way back to the Moors and after a meal with mum at a garden centre, i made my way with the dog to Philleas Fog.
The rock looked good and was still chalked from Steve's ascent. I quickly jumped on it, this time unfortunately without videos!
I didn't make much progess on my 'flash' attempt. I've seen his video and it made the start look easy and the top look hard but doable. I found the start quite a shock, but made it to the lunge for a good hold before struggling to get my feet up and falling off.
Second go was much better, i gained the crimp on the right which i found good until i started to pull on it, when i seemed to slip out of the blighter.
Over time, about 20 minutes i eventually (without using a heel on the big sidepull) gained the final flake/crimp on the left. Here Steve drops his right knee on a rightward facing hold and slaps the top. I tried and failed, miserably.
I gave up on the dropknee, and just placed a foot against the rightfacing hold and jumped for the top. The holds were ok, but the friction certainly wasn't brilliant. It was about 10 degrees and no wind, i was running out of chalk.
15 or 20 goes (from standing), two of which i held the top before popping, i eventually nailed the 'good' bit and made sure i didn't come off! This time from sitting, i had got the bottom of the little left flake/crimp where i could get a smaller but more positive contact.
Very Very Very happy, with this ascent. Mainly as it's brilliant climbing but also because i'd come from Leeds to do it!
Felt very much harder than Waylander, (Font 6c+), so if Philleas is Font 7a, then Waylander must be easier.
I've now repeated two of Steve's Font 7a's and found them both tricky but eventually got them. I think this is my achieveable bouldering grade, i've done a harder one mover of his, (For Leichenstein) but i did it differently.
Food for thought anyway, but i fancy the trad or sport :-)

Philleas Fogg @ Camp Hill from Ram Man on Vimeo.

Sun is out...

2010-05-21T19:44:00.000+01:00

I'm not a huge fan of the cold, as my finger's have shite circulation and it stops me climbing routes as i can't feel the holds! Similarly i despise the warmth, when climbing, as i sweat ridiculously.
Anyway, summer appears to have come slightly early to the UK, with temperaturing hitting the late 20's which is nice to lay around in, but slightly unpleasant for me.

Ewan and i, post exam (Gold Occurences in the British Isles), decided to get out to somewhere quickly for an evening. I was psyched to hit the lime but time didn't allow so instead we got to Brandrith. Long story short, we soloed most of the nice looking lines, including Fingerdancer (E1 5a) which is more like HVS 4c. It's a great little line though with wonderful holds, well worth going up for and it was starting to show a bit of greenery!
I also did an E2 that takes a hanging crack from the ** VS on the first buttress encountered. The line looked ok, but when i got up to it and though about the description you don't actually climb the crack at all (at least not at the grade) Instead you crimp up the wall on the right about a metre from the MSevere. Anyway, it's nice enough moves and the gear is 'ok' so it packs a bit in, probably worth doing. The E1 6a there is a bit of a leg breaker too, a tricky move that if you actually fall off, rather than jump off, you'd hit a ledge and topple backwards, not pleasant. Again, though the move is good though - Typical Gritstone really, you either groundfall or slump on gear and dont fall anywhere.

Today was my last day before a weekend of revision, so i was psyched to get on a classic E3. Dib Scar was chosen but in the morning the forecast made me reconsider, quickly.
Arriving at Kilnsey, due to it's East Facing aspect we quite quickly got on with the job in hand. A step down from Classic E3, a beaut of a line, the huge bulging Corner of 'The Diedre' (E2 5b). This brilliant looking route and classic mid grade route had been on my radar for ages but i never could get around to going to Kilnsey just for that.
Ewan quickly despatched the first pitch and i got on with the second. Brilliant juggy pulls through the bulging corner, and then a tricky traverse left gains a Tree. I was a bit put off by the gear back in the corner, i wasn't sure if i had to go straight back right from the tree or not. The Polish on the tree itself made me realise that you clip it and, staying on it's right use it to gain a break that leads back into the corner. Or at least, that's what i did!? A0?
A beautiful traverse right in a great position unfortunately lands you at a loweroff, which i clipped but wanted to ignore, topping out to the Sun. Shirt off, tanning away as i brough up Ewan.
Grade wise, i don't understand E2 5b. It's not sustained as such, it has 3 clear 'tricky' sections. The bulge pull is about 5b and well protected. Then above is a traverse left that i felt was 5cish, with very good gear. The above the tree was another traverse, again i thought 5b/c, with gear a bit lower on the tree. All in all, it's definitive E2 experience but i feel 5c is the grade for at least two sequences? Anyway, lots of gear, not pumpy, not massively sustained, but continually interesting and a superb route, get it done!

It's DRY and could do with a few ascents to clean it up abit!!!!!

After this i decided that i fancied a bit of bolt clipping as it was so warm, so we trotted around to Troller's Gill. I wanted 'Jim Grin' F7a, but decided to give a short F6c+ ago just to see. I Fell off on the O/S due to slipping, but then found the next move hard to discover the seqence for. I did and the route went 3rd go, which i was happy with. It's a nice little route actually 'Shaggy dog Show' i think it's called. Looks a bit poor but is worth the effort in my eyes.
However, i decided that 3 go's on that would probably mean 5 or 6 on a f7a, so feeling a bit lightheaded in the heat departed. Some beasts were crushing F8a. Good work.

Moors Bashing. Alps. Future thoughts...

2010-05-18T21:57:00.000+01:00

Exam season is upon us and i'm currently revising Chemistry of the Earth, Gold Occurrences in the UK, Maths and Practical Geology modules. After this i have two weeks to spend being idle and climbing lots... Transport is the issue however i think. If i return to the Moors then i will have a car some days, but maybe lack the partners of more popular climbing haunts... There is plenty to do though, lots of shunt, bouldering to repeat and discover, FA's to hunt. But, you have to be properly psyched for some of this, will i be in my two weeks off before this shitty Geology fieldclass to Northern Scotland?
Perhaps i return to the Moors for a few days 'active rest' before heading back to Leeds where i have more hope of catching a lift to crags...

Either way, the main objective on the horizon is the Alps. The Coach is booked we'll be there on the 4th of July for a month or more. Psyched! Yes i am, but for what? I don't know yet i'll probably just warm up on a few of the quality routes Franco did two years ago, like the Cordier Pillar and i'm sure Franco has set his sights on something hard... The Frendo Spur is attractive, as Ian Jackson climbed it in his first alpine season, but we'll just see how things go. I had a pretty decent winter this year in regard to snowbashing so that might happen.

If i had a car and didn't have this silly geology thing, then i'd love to spend the 5 week's i'd have been exams finishing and Alps trip buzzing around the UK trad, getting back to something respectable like i was last summer. I only seem to be able to get above E2 by climbing a ridiculous volume of routes and i quickly lose it. Really want to spend some time on Limestone (sport and trad), Skye Maybe, Pembroke, North Wales and my favourite area the Lake District. I'm particularly envious of Franco and people heading out to Pabbay while i'm in Scotland taking dips and strikes, but i guess if we return mid August then i have another month to organise climbing before returning to Leeds for Semester 2... Decisions on where i want to go abroad, anyone know any Uni's in America that are CLOSE to climbing or have good climbing clubs?

Malham

2010-05-16T16:09:00.001+01:00

Taking the saturday off revision; Ewan, Sean, Gareth, Rowan and I headed for Malham. Rowan, Sean and Gareth got on the Sport, whereas me and Ewan tried our hand at the Trad.
A lazy day was in order as we slowly dispatched the pleasant E2, Crossbones. I say pleasant, it's HVS for the entire route except from a 3 metre section that is in my opinion hard 5c, as i wrong handed myself on the route and had a bit of sketch to pull through the crux, as i say though, above this it's limestone bliss on a lovely exposed ramp.

Ewan wasn't feeling his best and he quickly climbed the HVS, Pikedaw Wall, that climbs a cracked niche a few metres to the left of Clubfoot (VS). I declined to second and this ate up lots of time with a abseil and walk around with the gear. We however decided to wander up to the Terrace and i got on the brilliantly exposed 'Sundancer Wall' (E2). Again, another unsustained line. An initial pull gains a break and then a hard series, where i had to really reach and pull hard gains respite on a break and a bomber superlight WC wire - i love these babies on Limestone.
After this you stroll up a great corner crack feature pulling through the top blocks on pockets in a great position. I really enjoyed this line actually and after abseiling down for the gear, we met up with Gareth and he climbed the same HVS as Ewan, Pikedaw Wall. This time i did second and it's a great little micro route with a top wall of heavenly jug pulls!

Almscliffe - Black Wall Eliminate

2010-05-16T15:57:00.001+01:00

Hadn't been to Almscliffe for ages and since i've come to Leeds it's only my 3rd visit. I find the place a bit annoying (even for grit) with its 'bad reputation' and 'gods own rock' bollocks. Either way, Ian Jackson used to be fond of the place, ticking many of the classic lines then he'd often solo repeat them. Most impressively, Black Wall Eliminate (pumpy E2) and Five Star Finish to Great Western (HVS).
I always meant to get on Black Wall Eliminate on my second visit to the crag but ended up just doing Syrett's Roof (font 6c / E3), i think that must have been a short day?
Anyway, we arrived in the late afternoon after a day of revision and i quickly climbed Black Wall Eliminate, which i have to admit i didn't fancy soloing! I placed 3 runners and found the climbing fine but on solo, even as repeat, would have been quite goey.
Next up, two nice climbs that i didn't expect to get on really as they certainly didn't 'appeal' to me, but i was feeling energetic.
Clematis (E2) climbs up to the right of Orchist, 'via long reachs between good holds' which i decided to get on as i don't like reaches. Anyway, after fannying around placing gear and a downclimb for a rest, i made the reach out right and after a bellyflop rest under the block at the top, i topped out on this enjoyable little climb.
Checking the logbooks, people seem to solo this route? Ordinarily, i'd often log climbs as solo that most people lead but this was the other way around. Perhaps im losing my soloing head?

I decided that wasn't the case and after bouldering out the start, i quickly despatches Bancroft's Roof (E2 6b) which was nice, with a bold 5c move getting over the roof at the top.

Flower Power, Queer Street and Stargazer...

2010-05-09T21:16:00.000+01:00

Another nice day on't Moors, i decided to spend a couple of hours at a crag shunting. After Sunday Lunch i wandered up to Highcliffe Nab, above Guisborough to check a few lines out.
Stargazer (E3 5c**), is a great little climb but it is generally thought to be difficult to onsight and probably trickier than 5c. However, its 'direct' variant gets E4 6a*** but i have to admit that i've always been skeptical about it's grade, the top looks hard!

I decided i'd just ab down it to 'see'. However, after looked i decided i wasn't going to O/S it so i may as well shunt it first! Starting at Desperate Den Direct (E6 6c*), i made the terribly hard move up to the small crimp, with a bit of a pop i nearly held it but blamed the top rope for unbalancing me! From here i pulled up to the break and quickly made my way up the pitmarks, direct up from the pocket hold on the Stargazer traverse break.
I did the same first move, using the hidden sidepull and 3 finger pocket but reaching up and slightly right to a small, sharp gaston. Using this, i reached through to a deep 1/2 finger pocket and pulled to a similar hold. Foot went into a hold that it didn't feel it would stay in and i made a reach for the break.
Ok - tricky, slightly bold but you wouldn't hit the deck. E4 6a ** i'd say as it wasn't really amazing. However, at the large break where Stargazer finishs up a crack, i was a couple of metres to the right at a 00/0 cam slot. Ok, i thought so just make a move up to...
I pulled around the bulge and quickly fell off. Where the hell to you go from here? I'm on a positive crimp hold with a metre and a bit to the slopy top and grass. I tried to rockover but couldn't i tired to pull on a slopy sidepull thing but that didn't work either...was it too warm? God knows but it's fucking nails! E4 6a** to the break below the bulge... at least 6b to gain the actual top of the wall in my eyes - maybe i missed something?

After this, i cleaned and worked Rockhopper twice. It's a bold move made tamer by a bit of work. It's a crap line and the move is more bold than good but it was worth doing anyway. Scary like defintely felt E3 5b!

I felt pretty happy about this, soloing around and about, doing some of the easy VD's and VS's i'd never done before then soloed Queer Street - which is never enjoyable! I moved the rope over to Moonflower and tried Moonflower proper. Unfortunately i found the SelfBelay made the climbing quite a bit harder than it actually is so i dogged around on Moonflower Direct (E4 6b) which i'd done before and then, without the unbalancing rope soloed the line with the rope hanging. Ethics out the window top rope practicing a line i'd already done, but it was a satisfying solo for me anywho!

I finished by working and soloing another route i'd fancied 'just doing for the hell of it', a route called Scar - E1.
I tackles a short, steep crack and after a work i soloed it. 5c move was good, well protected for leading and quite scary to solo. Grand day out i thought as i quickly packed my gear away before i did anymore solo shitpieces.

However, as i began to walk away from the crag i remembed 'Flower Power' English 6c. It's a traverse of Moonflower wall, so i turned back, shoes and chalk out and searched for holds.
Holds found, i worked a sequence tried it and fell off twice then did it third go. I found the moves quite enjoyable (so it's probably 6b rather than 6c!) but it felt a tad easier than Waylander so it's prbably Font 6b+/6c.
Grand day out - the only other things i got from the day is that Esmerelda(E7 6c**) had chalk on it and looks hard and that Magic In The Air (E5 6b***) is definitely G/U territory with the cams over in Stargazer. Psyched.

Waylander

2010-05-08T19:27:00.000+01:00

I returned to the moors, for a 'relax' before revising for my exams. I decided to keep the climbing to a minimum and to 'push' my technical grade, rather than do stuff comfortably. I had intended to shunt something hard at Ravenscar or Highcliffe, but the northerly wind made it pretty darn chilly.

I elected to bosh up to Ingleby Incline to check out 'the 4th best boulder problem on the moors', after repeating Steve Ramsdens; The Prow (Font 7a), For Liechenstein (Font 7b) and also having a day bouldering with Lee at Stormy Hall, i decided that this statement was probably truthful.

Rocking up to the boulder listening to Roxy Music, oh yes. The Boulder, is nestled in trees about 1/2 mile before the cottages along the track. It's fairly easy to see if you keep your eyes open at the large tree clearing to your left.

I had a 5 minute warm up then got on the wall, it looked 'flashable' from their video but their beta seemed wierd, once i got on it! Ultimately, i failed - struggling to hold a small sloping crimp from a half lock off move.

Second go was more of the same, this time i slapped to the top from the slopy crimp but it's not 'the way' to do the problem. 3rd go was a disaster, as i was tired so i decided this was the time to have a rest, drink and chillout to some more Roxy Music... 4th go, i managed the moves and the wet top out. I don't have a video for me doing it, on here as it's larger than 100mb, but i'm working on uploading it to Facebook or Vimeo etc, then linking it back... Failing that, watch Steve Ramsden's 'Moors Attacks' Video - Link to his blog in the right margin.

Waylander - Font 6c+ from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

I then got all horticultural and removed the tree that was blocking a lovely looking traverse line...

This traverse leads into the crux of Waylander, which is a beaut. It took a few goes to find the holds i needed and clean them, then sort a sequence. I have a video of this, unfortunately my camera batteries weren't up to the job and died on me.

After a good 20 minutes rest and recoup, i had maybe my 10th or 11th go at the traverse-into-Waylander an it went. It's a great extension in my eyes but not technically more difficult. It starts at the right of the boulder on two good incuts and a right foot on a low pocket thing. Pull up and place your left foot on the ramp (Quite frequently your right foot touches the floor here, unfortuantely) then cross through with your right hand to an undercut. One powerful move and your established on the traverse and more importantly you're fully prepared to meet the Waylander crux after 1o or so previous moves ;-) Grade - i'm not brilliant at boulder grading, but i'd guess that seeing as its Font 6c+ for Waylander and the traverse itself is maybe Font 6b, that together it makes a 'more sustained 6c+', rather than Font 7a. It didn't feel as hard as The Prow at Wainstones, though the climbing is totally different!

I had planned to walk up to Battersby Crag - but i didn't feel like it and without a camera to take photos i had no real reason. I quickly climbed the Left arete, on it's right side that was pleasant enough then departed, running back to the car for some 'Alps training'.

North Wales - Slate and Gogarth.

2010-05-05T16:54:00.000+01:00

The LUUMC had a sort of 'bodged' trip as a result of a mini-bus hiring rejection, as a result we made our way to North Wales in people's cars, two quite psyched folk hitched!

Anyhow, we journied down to Bethesda, where we were staying, bantering between the four of us. Ewan, Conor, Huw and myself were on 'good form' with respect to jokes, anecdotes and this was epitomised with us rollin' into Bethesda listening to the music from Tetris, that we'd linked from Huws Gameboy to Ewan's Cars Tape player...good times.

The saturday was a dull looking day and we opted for the slate as it was showery. Ewan and myself were psyched to tick classic E2's, the first of which was Pull My Daisy (E2 5c***). This classic is described as being a 'poor mans alternative to Comes the Dervish (E3)' but it is a classic non the less. Ewan cruised the route, only taking time to commit to a rockover up below the Metal stake that forms the last piece of protection.
It then rained, so we sat under some slate overhang for half an hour or so, waiting for it to stop. During this time, there were two false starts for me and i was incredibly pissed off. Eventually however it did brighten up and i jumped on the Daisy, and dispatched it with similar ease, a very classy route with a gearfilled technical crack line, then a run out but much easier section above the stake-thing.

I then got on the retobolted 'Horse Lattitudes' (F6a+), as i had spotted the line (which climbs a Dolerite Dyke) in my guidebook with the grade E3. I climb for lines these days so decided to do it anyway, bolted or not. The climbing is pleasant, with some thin rockovers and interesting holds in quartz rich veins and the odd pocket. I made one tricky move and decided that was probably the crux, so i missed the next bolt and ran it out to the ledge, just to get a more 'traddy' feeling. The upper arete is climbed with a particularly pleasing rock rightwards.

Ewan was less enthused with this climb and we quickly departed to the German Schoolgirl (E2). However, just before abbing in it began to rain in earnest and we ended up at Pete's Eats after having a quick looking around the Quarries and fortunately meeting up with Huw and Conor at Bus Stop Quarry.

Day 2: Gogarth was chosen as the weather is nicer towards the west coast and this seacliff is as westerly as you can go on Anglesey. I'd never been to his most amazing seacliff so i was keen to get a feel for the place on the 'upper tier', plus it had the classic 'The Strand' (E2 5b***) which is a sustained, pumpy crackline in an impressive position.

I had a 10 minute warm up, as it was cold with a blustery northerly and it was out of the morning sun. I felt apprehensive and chilly to begin with, my beta for the climb would be not to look up the crack to see how much left you have to do!

This 43m pitch really does just keep coming, but it's all there as they say and so it should be at 5b. More gear than you could shake a stick at, i quickly realised that i would run out of quickdraws if i wasn't careful. This was much to the delight of Ewan for some reason...

My last gear below the final bulge was a nut, complete with the rest of my nuts clipped directly into the rope - but it didn't really matter as the moves here are juggy.

Very happy with this climb, i met Ian Moore from the moors who had come up to do the Strand. Myself and Ewan wandered into the sun and jumped on 'Fail Safe' (E2 5b). This routes first pitch is described as 'Funky' and it certainly was. Ewan lead the line well seconding i was impressed with the moves and rock architecture. I then lead the second pitch which is a 5a 'V corner' that is the second pitch of the HVS next door. Pleasant climbing on both pitches and well worth the effort.

We decided to retreat from Gogarth and it's cold wind to Rhoscolyn. I was psyched for the Hard E2 'The Sun' whereas Ewan fancied the E2 5b that he had climbed a few years earlier on second. Arriving at the crag however i lost all psyche to climb, as it was busy and there were people on the Sun. So Ewan quickly climbed the E2 5b and we departed to his house.
Day 3: We fancied a day in the Pass but that night it rained/snowed so we elected for the slate again, mainly as we all had routes we wanted to do there. I fancied actually getting on German Schoolgirl and Ewan wanted to do the E2 arete of Serengeti Slab and also Red and Yellow and... the E2 5b just to the left of Pull My Daisy.We started the day at Serengeti, with Ewan quickly climbing 'The Stick Up' (the arete) and Conor climbing the E1 'Seams the Same'. We then departed to Twll Mwr, where Conor and Huw climbed Combat Rock (HVS/E1) and myself and Ewan climbed 'Rhyfelwr' E1. Both particularly nice lines and the huge void that is Twll Mwr made me quite psyched to climb the massively exposed looking arete - which went at E2. However, it was cold and not in the sun so it wouldnt have been pleasant to climb or Belay. I'll come back!

We then swiftly made for German Schoolgirl, which i climbed with relative ease (even though i nearly fell off early on!) and this was particularly satisfying. A line i'd wanted to do for quite a long time and it didn't really disappoint - it would have been better when E2 was properly at my limit but never mind.

While here i met Matt, whom myself and Franco had met 2 years previous in Pete's Eats while we were dossing in the slate quarries. It was nice to chat to him, was amazed he remembered me.

Ewan didn't fancy German Schoolgirl so he ascended the ropes and made for Rainbow Slab where we found Conor on Bella Lugosi is Dead (E1+). He was stood about 2/3 of the way up in a most exposed position - good for a photograph said Ewan and myself pretty much in unison. However, Conor required some gear (cams and small wires) so Ewan lowered them down to him and i took some snaps. Conor then climbed the impressive looking crackline, after finally getting some gear that fit!

Ewan and I headed down and Ewan quickly (but not without interest) climbed 'Red and Yellow and..' I shouted up to him to ask what it was like, his answer was clear - if i didn't really want to do it, then i shouldn't. Fair do's i thought, as it didn't really impress me as i line so i took a cowards retreat and just starred longingly at Collossus (E3) that i feel i probably could climb, i just totally don't have the confidence!

Confidence (or lack of), training (or lack of) and sketching.

2010-04-29T21:06:00.000+01:00

After the disappointment of the Lakes last weekend, i felt optimistic for our usual wednesday off Uni to go climbing. Unfortunately, car drivers were unavailable so i got on the bus up to Caley to see who was about. No one was about so i decided to solo some stuff i hadn't done which mainly meant Tip Off (E2 5b).
It was greasly warm, very humid but ultimately the climbing is very straightforward. So much so i felt confident for an attempt at the right arete, which gets E3. Soloing up 'Rip Off' i attempted to make the move but chickened out (confidence?) jumping for the sloping ledge to the right, which was a ludicrously dangerous move in all honesty, as it looked easier to do than it was. However, that improved my confidence and i jumped back on it for a second bash, in full knowledge that i could jump off - if it went tits up.
Well, what a sketch.
I pulled up to the weird chipped box thing, and put my left foot on a smear - reach up to a small edge and then staddling the arete and with hands bunched together i realised then, that i didn't have enough purchase on the rock, to lauch off backwards onto the awkward-to-land slab. Fuck, what a mistake, with the crack between the two buttresses in waiting. I popped for a small ledge to the right which had a small amount of Chalk on it.
It's good - and it turned out Ewan had chalked it on monday night after he had considered giving it ago.
Speaking of Ewan, the Lanky welsh punter has been training of late and has developed that most inportant of climbing attributes - Confidence. It's skyhigh, running around the Yorkshire Grit like a man possessed he's climbing anything with an E in front of it.
I'm glad my most called upon partner at Leeds, is finally pushing his limits as when i first met him he was clearly capable of more than VS.
That said, soon i'll be the one 'puntering' as i get the feeling he can only get better with training (with which he seems hell bent) and the fact he's the perfect climbing build, lanky and skinny. It has inspired me to maybe start training, as i've never trained properly, though i feel next year will see my developments as i will have a finger board, a nicer area to go running and also i'll be buying a season card for the Leeds Uni Gym... We'll see.

Anyway, after some messing around traversing blocks and doing the horn again and smearing up the Angels Wall block without chips, i decided to wander over to Chevin Buttress.
Arriving, it looked as i imagined it and looked like a lovely place to spend the afternoon.
Long story short i soloed the VS's which are all quality lines, Vampire Ledge being the best tick in my eyes as it takes some pretty exposed terrain on some hidden holds that spice things up, until you find them.
Chevin Buttress is a real classic, the crux on that is superb and then the VS through the bulge is a beaut, a bit dirty to start and definitely the most difficult to solo!
Quite confident i soloed the Unstarred (deserved so for its escapability) E2 to the left of Chevin Buttess that involves one tricky move and then a bold move, then a more straightforward finish near the C.B direct. Confidence flowing, I then tried the Waster (E1) but it felt tricky and far too well protected for leading, to be soloing so i departed quickly.
I checked out the quarry, it looks worthwhile to be honest - The starred HVS's look good fun and the E1 crackline 'No Prisoners' could be a good finger lock test.

Returning to Caley i met Connor and Ben (slightly frustrating), so after a short chat and cool down (it really was boiling) I had a quick tootle up Angel's Wall, finishing the correct direct way and then totally sketched Boot Crack (VS), as i didn't fancy laybacking in the greasy conditions so elected for an armbar and footlock. Bad day for doing slightly silly things, might take it a bit easier this weekend in Wales. Or not.