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