If you lead The Bat with grades in hand you won't experience the fight only the fact that the big corner pitch is rather scruffy close up and the other pitches a bit so-whatish. If it's at your limit it then you'll enjoy the fight. The Bat now has four E6s as neighbours, some of exceptional quality.
Have climbed the Bat the crux corner is pretty full on and usually wet, another great classic that feels like Alpine rock is minus one direct, quite often a bergschrund at the bottom.
Ooft, hard work today. What’s ‘bouldering mats hover and blow away mid crux’ on the Beaufort Scale? 🙂
...and take out a kid who's on a Sunday stroll with their parents - no never happened to me 🙂
(please note - no children were harmed in the making of this anecdote)
Anyone want to buy an Alfine wheel?
@Spin bit of a resurrection but I am actually interested. Can't work out how to send a DM!
Suggestions for winter sport climbing destinations please...
Done Mallorca and El Chorro in November before and both were pretty wet. Sardinia was nice then, and Tenerife had great weather in January but not so nice rock.
Really want some nice long lines. Thinking Kalymnos, but flights are apparently bad in winter, which leaves Leonidio as an option... Any experience of it in winter?
Cheers
I did an orange today,
That is all.*
.......
I am pleased, actually very pleased as I tried it about 80 times over two sessions, whereas normally I'm a circuits kinda guy. This is my first orange, and probably my only orange. And it was kinda slabby and soft touch, but you gotta take the wins where you can. (Depot, not 'bleau)
* Apologies, clearly it wasn't all :-). But it is now
Oops dupe....
Nice one.
What’s an orange? Is this another bloody grading system?
It was the future twenty years ago...
What’s an orange? Is this another bloody grading system?
Yes, it relates the size of the holds to the size of citrus fruits. You start off on pomelo and progress towards kumquat.
Depot Orange? Quite tough. Good work. Talking of food at the Depot, I understand the rocky roads are not stocked there anymore. Pffft.
I understand the rocky roads are not stocked there anymore. Pffft.
True but the pizza dude occasionally makes a batch of chocolate brownies when he's not too busy pizzaing.
Which are very good
Kumquats…when clementines aren’t that hard any more and mandarins are approaching a rest
Well played sir :-).
I understand the rocky roads are not stocked there anymore. Pffft.
True but the pizza dude occasionally makes a batch of chocolate brownies when he's not too busy pizzaing.
Which are very good
Kumquats…when clementines aren’t that hard any more and mandarins are approaching a rest
Well played sir :-).
Depot Orange?
These are just pleasing on the eye works of modern art that the setters put up to express their inner selves. There's no actual holds or anything, you're just meant to admire them
Fresh chocolate brownies? Sheffield? I'm only there occasionally, but we went to the Works instead last Sunday morning. Good, but busy. Expected though as the crags were wet. Next time, back to the Depot with this important cake based knowledge.
.
The brownies, or at least these hand crafted brownies, are at Trafford Depot. But are only sporadically available.
So caveat grimpeur as people on the Franco Italian border might have said 2000 years ago.
Fresh chocolate brownies? Sheffield? I’m only there occasionally, but we went to the Works instead last Sunday morning.
If cakes is what you want, try Puck and Pollen just around the corner from the works. You might not end up going climbing though...
Well yes, can't be taking any unnecessary risks on serious issues such as this.
Talking of risks, I need to re-sling my cams. (all sorts of makes). Where are folk sending cams off to nowadays? Or diy with a doubled up 30cm sling and something captive to keep it all together? Or fat tape and tape knot?
Puck and Pollen looks good!
Probably will sit lighter than the Norooz kebab I had before a session a while ago. It was good though.
,Ineed to re-sling my cams. (all sorts of makes). Where are folk sending cams off to nowadays? Or diy with a doubled up 30cm sling and something
I'd heard that some companies now refuse to resling stuff older than x years old. Which is a bit of a pisser.
Having said which, the last Friend I had reslung was so old that it had a hexagonal nut on the axle ends.... must have been forty years old!
Ok. Mine aren't quite that old! I have quadcams, aliens, and friends all from late '90's through to c 2004 or so. All well used, but well maintained. Nothing needs doing apart from slings. I will check the x years old thing, so it might end up being diy. No rigid stems! I was a sport climber before trad, so when I started building a trad rack the rigid stemmed friends were already superceded.
DMM will resling their own cams, but otherwise there’s nowt. Some discussion about it here:
https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/gear/resling_bd_camalot_c4s_in_uk_or_chamonix-776279?
DMM will resling their own cams, but otherwise there’s nowt. Some discussion about it here:
https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/gear/resling_bd_camalot_c4s_in_uk_or_chamonix-776279?
You can buy precut lengths of dyneema cord from Needlesport and DIY. Having previously done it with tape and tape knots this is much better.
On another note, I climbed with a partner's Ultralight Camalots. Holy shit, what a difference.
Ok, that looks quite neat, certainly neater than tape knots. I'll do that then it's all done in one go. Thanks for the link.
Ultralight camalots? That's current tech. I am firmly in the past! Just pulling the rack back together to teach the already very strong kids some trad technique. Talking about current tech, I was handed what I thought was a half rope the other day, only to be told it's triple rated, so fine as a single! 8.5mm of single rope? Well it might be. All my belay devices say no though.
Yeah, I've got one of them it's a bit disconcerting when you started out with an 11mm single rope!
I won't be getting out anytime soon. I've been bouldering with my nephew but he isn't too good with heights and routes.
I have been taking my 6 year old to eden rock and he loves it. 
Apologies, can't be arsed finding the spikes thread
Grivel has 30% off BF just now I'm case anyone needs new crampons or axes
I hummed and hahhed on new tools and didn't buy anything as really the money spent there would be better used on more trips
Lovely afternoon at Stanage with my son. He lead a nice HS for the first time and I did the Unconquerables. Was well chuffed. That was pretty much my limit thirty years ago and it was great to be able to tick them all in one session.
Must admit though ... new gear helped. The DMM Dragons truly are amazing compared to my ancient friends
I've had a few really nice bouldering sessions over the last couple of months. Having consistently dry weather just makes it much easier to get out. Last couple of weeks the mornings have been great - cool air temperature and sunshine cos I'm too old to get stand it too cold.
Just been doing the rounds of my local crags - Caley, Shipley and Almscliffe mainly.
Nice little bonus for my daughter a few weeks ago. She hasnt competed in about 18 months as it just became a bit ugly. Still loves climbing but for herself rather than comps. Well she had a free weekend and she was a bit short of cash (still at college). Mentioned she might just enter a comp for the fun of it and see how it goes.
Call from her mum that she had won the comp, cheque for £600 in her back pocket and she had enjoyed herself. She has a quite limited run Yellow Tshirt that will stand out next time she visits that particular chain of walls.
I’m down in West Cornwall and always intended to climb here when i was younger. Gurnards and Bosigran looking beautiful in the sunshine but I’m resigned to watching.
Bit of a thread resurrection, I lost interest as the forum seemed to become rather unusable for me following the refresh.
Anyone else had an absolutely amazing spring/early summer?
Had a week of mint weather on Skye and climbed every day. Just great to be there and not worry about the weather. Highlights included King Cobra, Paradise Found and a brilliant link up on Sron na Ciche. And the weather just continued after that. Did Sassenach in bone dry condition, had a great day on The Harp and Meteor on the Shelterstone then did The Nose of the Fhidhleir on Friday, the last good day before it all started breaking down. Plenty of cragging in between those mountain days too.
If someone can remind/re-educate me, I'll put some photos up.
I've been rebuilding my rack and teaching my nephew.
Had him out to rosyth quarry a few weeks back. I was feeling weak and HVS felt like a challenge. He keeps borrowing carabineers and I seem to be buying more. Must be one of the few 15ear olds with hb screwgates.
His ego has taken a battering and he's been somewhat humbled from top roping indoors, to leading indoors and now to seconding outside.
He's more keen to show me his rope climbing skills than his knot tying a belay building skills.
The mighty Rosythe Quarry! Never actually climbed there despite living in the central belt and having relatives in Rosythe.
Last time I was there there was some guy trying to jump belays on his Mx bike. This time it was deserted.
The walk in through the woods smelt like a urinal, the down point to being so close to the industrial estate.
As for the photos, hit the my media below the text box, then add images then the check box then the insert into post and wait while the hamster is prodded into action
As for the photos, hit the my media below the text box,
I don't have that, is it for paid members only?
Spin, I had to look up Meteor on the Shelterstone Crag, looks good. I have scrambled the top out of Sticil Face as a way off, definately not recommended!
Just testing photo upload. From phone via Google pics.
is it for paid members only?
Yes, I think it is. New Forum feature...
Alternative method seems to be to revert to the 'old' mechanism of hosting images in Postimg or Flickr or wherever, and copying the link. But it seems messy.
Anyway, thanks for resurrecting this thread earlier, I've availed myself of that link above to NeedleSports and bought 5 lengths of the dyneema to reinvigorate my set of 1980s Friends. The ones as described by @thegeneralist with the hex nuts. They'll be fine
I had to look up Meteor on the Shelterstone Crag, looks good
It's a fairly new addition. Worthwhile but the top pitch is very serious, we both reckoned E2 5a.
A Jules route, his understanding of the word serious is somewhat different from the rest of humanity!
I bought 9m of that beal dyneema cord to rethread my hexes.
I got some 30cm 11mm dyneema slings and baskets it for the cams
While I can genuinely see the appeal of climbing, bouldering, etc, and the scenery is glorious, (when it’s not raining), there is nothing that could possibly encourage me to attempt it. Especially now, my hands just no longer have the strength to grip safely, but my deep-rooted fear of falling has been a major obstacle for pretty much all my life. Climbing trees was never a feature of my early years! Good luck go with all those who do it. 👍🏼
I took my daughter to Limekilns last Monday to have a look - put a top rope up on Red Flag so she could have a play and she went straight up, with a few pauses to examine fossils. Lovely place, used to climb there a lot 15+ years ago so really nice to bring my daughter.
While I can genuinely see the appeal of climbing, bouldering, etc, and the scenery is glorious, (when it’s not raining), there is nothing that could possibly encourage me to attempt it.
To be fair it's miles safer than mountain biking. The risks are much more manageable whereas one root in the wrong place can have quite sudden consequences on the bike! Not that climbing isn't without risk, obviously. I'm probably just tempting fate now...
OK, think I've worked the photo thing out! The Nose of the Fhidhleir on Friday.
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In order:
Vulcan Wall
Diabaig
Loch Coruisk
Tha Asp
The Cioch
Skye Wall
Sassenach
And some from The Harp/Meteor. The big pitch on The Harp is probably the best I've done this season and delighted to find I can still lead a pitch like that!
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Looking great, I really need to find some time in my life for some of that.
Whenever Spin posts here I have a feeling that can be beautifully summed up by his fifth photo above...
There can be only one!
Brilliant and inspiring. But despite that paling insignificance, I have also been getting out and about in my own little way, but mainly on Gritstone. Revisiting various HVS/E1 challenges from my youth. Finally got my arse onto Flying Buttress after 25 years and gave it a reasonable go. It wasn't a clean ascent as I had someone else's gear in and clipped, but I'll be back.
Still hugely intimidating for a punter like me.
Met some random Yank off UKC yesterday who wanted to do The Unconquerables, which was good. Though I did flail miserably on Goliaths Groove. Gear or holds seems to be the order of the day for the starting moves. Maybe I will take a mat next time.
availed myself of that link above to NeedleSports and bought 5 lengths of the dyneema to reinvigorate my set of 1980s Friends. The ones as described by @thegeneralist with the hex nutee only one!s. They'll be fine
Tangentially related... I bought some 1.5mm 7x7 wire and crimps to try to fix my half dozen or so broken friend cables. I'll report back on how that goes....
Advice please...
Some bloke who I have done a bit at Masson Lees and Stanage with is proposing a few long weekends away to climb some classics in Scotland ( or Wales or Lakes) I am unsure as I am a complete punter whereas he seems very solid ( Supercouloir on MB a few months back). I never did much big stuff in Scotland so totally unsure what to go for.
Revisiting Hammer might be nice, Torridon is too far away. Would love to do some Cairngorm granite but not sure what. Arran sounds good.
What non insane VS to E1 routes would people recommend?
Ditto lakes
Ditto Wales?
Cairngorm granite wise The Needle and Clean Sweep are obvious targets at those grades. The Clean Sweep is absolutely superb when dry but it does take a while to dry. Creagan a' Choire Etchachan is also good for things like Talisman and Scabard. I'm sadly less clued up on the southern Cairngorms although you won't go wrong on the Dubh Loch.
Arran is great, South Ridge Direct and West Flank Route are both brilliant.
For Lakes and Wales you won't go far wrong looking at the Rockfax top 50 lists.
I've not done masses in Wales but here are some things I really enjoyed:
Bochlwyd Eliminate
Direct Route on Glyder Fach
Superdirect on Tryfan
Lavaredo
Non insane Welsh VS?
East Wall Traverse, Idwal. More than often too wet, but after a dry spell it's a great climb on pristine rock.
- Talking of The Harp, this is the other Pete Whillance classic on the Shelterstone. 1988, couldn't lead it now
Thought you might have a few old Shelterstone pics!
Non Insane Wales
- Cemetery Gates
- Sabre Cut
- Main Wall & The Grooves (Cyrn Las)
- Diagonal, The Cracks & Direct Route (Dinas Mot)
- Meshach & Shadrach (Tremadog)
Non Insane Lakes
- Lots in Borrowdale
- Gimmer Crack & NW Arete (Gimmer)
- Slip Knot, Gordian Knot & White Ghyll Wall
Beg, borrow, steal or eBay a copy of the old Classic Rock and Hard Rock books, no shortage of ideas in the two of those.
Haha! Same move, one legged climber t 
his time!
Anyone got any thoughts on cycling the Pennine Bridleway and doing some cragging along the way? I've had a hankering for such a trip for a while, probably mainly soloing but I'd take harness and personal kit and maybe try to hook up with some locals with rack and rope.
Looks like the PB passes a lot of decent crags but might I be better making up my own route? Or are there any other existing routes that take in lots of decent crags? Grit better than lime from a soloing standpoint!
A mate and I set off last Mon with the express intention of doing Will O' The Wisp, which goes roughly up the middle then leftwards on the lower tier of this crag high in Cwm Cywarch
Well, we set off late from Telford. We fannied about getting up to the crag. We faffed getting geared up. We had a bite to eat. We failed initially to find the base of the route. We then sort of circumvented the 1st pitch which was very vegetated. We decided it was by now a bit late to continue, so we abbed off a rather ropey looking piece of tat. We walked down and went home. All in all, a good day out not rock climbing.
Can I suggest the nine edges challenge. I've been meaning to give it a go this year but got diverted onto other stuff. Clearly it's just a one day thing rather than a big trip but could be worth a go.
I've been trying to work out what level to pitch it at... I reckon 3 grades easier than your hardest onsight. So 9 VSs for me and a shit load of biking.
Can I suggest the nine edges challenge. I've been meaning to give it a go this year but got diverted onto other stuff. Clearly it's just a one day thing rather than a big trip but could be worth a go.
I've been trying to work out what level to pitch it at... I reckon 3 grades easier than your hardest onsight. So 9 VSs for me and a shit load of biking.
What's the gear on Sabre Cut nowadays - I did it about 35 years ago and I know size 3 cam doesn't fit. It's a fairly slabby, not too wide, offwidth corner for reference. My mate wanted to do it, so I did the first pitch, he looked at it and said no thanks. I placed maybe 3 runners and 2 of those at the bottom of the corner which is most of the pitch.
I'd go the other way from Cemy gates and do Ivy Sepulchre.
In the quarries Bella Lugosi is good, not too hard, go round the corner and consider Pull my Daisy which is easy but very bold
