Steel Appeal

 Thursday August 1st

Blimey it's August already and the it seems that the climbing season has only just got going.  After last week's Long Scar trip it's CB's turn to nominate a venue this time.  AT grateful that the grit was given another week off in favour of a Lakeland single pitch crag following on from last week, this time in the Borrowdale Valley.  Last visited in 2017 with BP in a Shepherds crag combo, today now dedicated to tackling the challenging routes at;

Steel Knotts

Free parking at Bowderstone NT car park and a devious walk-in fording the river Derwent avoided the longer schlepp up the valley from Grange, just 30 minutes from the car.  One other party already in action, local chaps from Keswick.

Ambling Ant (VS 4b) offered a familiar start to the session, however the name flatters to deceive. 

AT testing his mettle on the crux moves

One yellow Metolius is hard to place but provides some reassurance to start the sequence.  Good holds arrive on the slabby section further left.

A very definite PHEW!

Photomerge from originals

From the 2010 vault.

BP has moved round the arete and up to a small ledge before steeling himself for the splendid finish.

Today's local climber looks happy to be seconding near the end of the run-out section of Lost Boys          (HVS 5a)

CB made it his first lead of the day.

Found his way up there no problems.

Excellent climbing all the way, small but positive holds where it matters.

Photomerge from original  © M Glaister UKC with thanks.

It's another great day in the Lakes, that's two weeks in a row.  What's knott to like?

AT on Route 2      (VS 4c)

A burly start with a big bong and a friend then jam up the corner and gain a high hold.  

Shares a finish with the Lost Boys.

The descent path went by this route and CB stopped there and dropped his rope.  Lurching Leech (HVS 5a) is tough in the lower half and truly desperate in the off-width at the top.

CB got up it.  God knows how.  AT put through the mill on second, had a right scrap.

So continuing to break the mould with two more on-sights.

Walk in and out featured an intrepid crossing of the River  Derwent

Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.

L-R

Lurching Leech

Ambling Ant

Route 2

The Lost Boys

CB Rockin'

Depart 08.00

Park    10.00  (Delayed  15m A66 Penrith traffic)

Crag    10.35

Crag    16.05

Car      16.30 

Home  18.50 

Wrynose Cowboys

 Wednesday July 24th

A period of settled weather opens up all the windows.  Lately there's been a fair bit of Northumberland, a pair of  Peaks, so maybe time to head out west somewhere off our beaten track in Lakeland.  It's been six years ago since the last visit so look no further than the superbly situated and extensive selection of longer single pitch routes above the Three Shires Stones at;

Long Scar

Figure just visible centre right

Leave B. Walk 07.30

Three Shires 09.50 via Red Bank 

Arrive Crag 10.35.

A party of SPA aspirants powers ahead to get set up on some prime routes.

A fair few teams in action today.

Views down to Duddon

Katie's Dilemma (VS 4b), AT talked himself into ignoring the water soaking the crux side-pull and GET ON UP there.  BP had same issue in 2014.   

Another couple followed suit.  Leader is climbing on the jugs above the crux in the bottom half of this shot.  

Trigger (S4a) starts half way down the descent rake.  AT duly popped up while it was handy and had the gear.

CBs turn for two in a row. 

First up the Singing Cowboy at VS 4c, the further left onto on Great White at the same grade.

This slabby white shield is steeper than it looks.

Bold and thin moves above a #2 wire (lower left) then more gear arrives and the angle eases before steep cracks to finish.

AT ready for another go at Long Scar Groove.  Last done with NB in 2018.

The Groove is great once you get into it, the initial moves are a bit of a Dad dance.

Various options to finish from here.  The mossy exit straight above then slightly right is the usual route.

AT heads left on atempting variation.

Ends up going even further left to finish on Great White.

Wandering at will - thank goodness for twin ropes.

CB finishes off a great session with a solid lead up the steep wall of  Green Treacle (HS 4a).  Worth two stars but effectively two routes as it crosses the descent ramp at half height.  

Used the ramp all day great care required above a worrying drop.

Routes L-R

Great White  (white line)

Longscar Groove (showing variation finish)

Trigger (starts on descent ramp)

Green Treacle (green line)

(Red Arrow - start of descent ramp, extra care at half way needed).

Katie's Dilemma

Climbers just visible left of Katie's Dilemma - good company all afternoon Mr (and Mrs?) Everett.

Also met young bloke "Dave" who we chatted with two years ago at Shepherds, since when he has recently recovered from a very bad climbing accident at East Woodburn.

Walk out 16.05 - 16.40

Arrive BW 19.05 via The Brittania, Elterwater

Peak Treatment

 17 July 2024

Three weeks has passed with no crag action.  Back then the original idea was for a trip to a famous Eastern Edge but the arrival of a sudden heatwave shifted the plan to the shady quarry of Yarncliffe.  Once again the mercury had risen but there was no putting it off this time.  After well over 20 years since the last visit (see addendum) the time had inevitably come to do a re-peak at;

Froggatt Edge

Depart 08.18 arrive 10.35 parking.   The reservoir route as usual. 25 min. walk in.

CB strides in full of purpose and intent.  Sporting a recently discovered Matelot look.

Either that it's a case of montrez mois vos ognions Monsieur.

CC and SD arrive for a meet up and chat, details here

AT gets the circus under way with a pleasant lead on Trapeze, CB and CC follow alphabetically.

CB up next with a sustained attempt to pass the crux in Trapeze Direct to the left.  Thwarted by greasy rock in the lay away above the trapped block.

So escaped out right so AT could do it all again on second.

Photo © Chris Craggs

The sun had come round to shed some light on the dark corner of Green Gut.

AT has a bit of a battle but gets up, a couple of rests help.  Deals with the wet finish which is said to be awkward enough in the dry.

CB thoughtfully saved his story of the bad accident witnessed some time ago on this route. Hard to fathom gear is all there.

Original photo © Christopher Owen UKC

Making up for the earlier struggle on Trapeze Direct CB ups the ante with a solid lead of Broken Crack (HVS 5a)

A big layback to start and a steep finish on decent jams.  No rests anywhere.  

CB in command of the necessary technique, commitment and power.

All of these attributes proved outside of the outside of AT's comfort zone today - usually avoids any route like this, steep, no significant rests, laybacking,  jamming.  

Managed to retrieve the gear before abandoning and lowering off.

AT regrouped to tackle Sickle Buttress (S 4a) further right.

A hard start is more than 4a by common consensus with two fingerlocks holding the key.

The traverse is polished and rather worrying in today's heat but leads to a fine finish.

Afternoon sun very hot now, CB helpfully opts for  a very nice three star excursion up the amenable Heather Wall.

Tody's Wall will have to wait.

Along with all the other routes on AT's hit-list (below)

Just a touch over optimistic.  Routes done highlighted.

Note that Broken Crack was not on the list.

Wonder why that is.......?

Plenty to justify a return.

Great setting.

Leave crag 16.35

Car 17.00

Strines 17.30

Home 18.00

Addendum

JP kindly provided these details documenting evidence previous visits from her JW days.  May 2000 and May 2001 (latter with the GMan).  Brilliant stuff from the vaults!

CB = Currant Bun !

Lions at their Peak

 June 28-30

Lions Tour 2024

Word went out and the band got back together in search of another Tour Story.  Lawsons escaped to the other side of the world, who can blame them?  MT located a spot a few steps up from a barn, although one of the rooms had it's own bath which somehow felt like a backward step!   Just east of Dronfield where it all started in 1983.  Easy access to the glorious  Peak District National Park.

Swish place overlooking rolling woods and fields

All very jazzy, chrome and glass everywhere, very comfortable.

Patios a go-go

Spacey 

All mod cons

Everyone arrives in time for pub meal in Holmesfield followed by late night chat.

Saturdays walk

Padley Gorge 

RL with a gammy knee so said he'd see us here at Nether Padley.

But no sign of our glorious leader!

Witnessed a bad fall at the half way café blood everywhere ambulance called.

OUCH.

Still no sign.

Turned out he couldn't get parked by the café so caught him up at the Surprise view car park.

Varied walk about 4m, dry with occasional sun

Take away curry from Dronfield - all good!

Sunday

Open Top bus trip - inspired by SD.

Hopped off at Hathersage for elevenses in Outside.

On the way to Hope.

SD said we had to get off there as the next stop was Despair.

MT stayed downstairs in the cosy covered cabin

Short walk to the Roman Fort

Not much left of it

Nothing in fact

Watched England overcome the Swiss to make the semis.

De-stressed at a nice Italian in Dronfield.

Monday morning

Coffees al fresco

FAB Weekend