Grade | Route | Gear style | Popularity | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ascent of Man | |||||
E1 5c | Snap, Crackle and Andy Popp
Disappear into the holly. | 7m | |||
E5 6b | ★★★ Catastrophe Internationale
From the right-hand end of the long elongated slot, climb straight up the steep wall by hard pulls on pebbles and desperate friction. The landing is hard. | 8m | |||
HVS 5a | ★ Slippery Jim
The awkward and oft-green groove is squirmed to a rounded exit. The route is not popular though, if you happen to find it dry, then jump aboard. | 8m | |||
E4 6b | ★ Bareback Rider
The arete on its right-hand side and the high slab above. | 8m | |||
E3 6a | ★ Ascent of Woman | ||||
E3 6b | Days of Future Passed
Climb the rounded arete by laybacking to good gear and a though-provoking mantelshelf finish | 10m | |||
E3 5c | The Aspirant
Climb the centre of the left-hand side-wall of the gully, passing a useful flake to an exit on the left. | 8m | |||
Teck Crack Area | |||||
HVS 5b | ★★ Ackit
Follow the right-trending flake by awkward laybacking (good gear is available but it is tricky to place) to bulges, which are crossed by a steep pull and a delicate exit out left. A fine line. | 14m | |||
HVS 5b | ★★ Teck Crack | ||||
Crystal Grazer | |||||
E3 6a | ★ Joe's Hanging Crack
The hanging crack splitting the nose is a mini Ray's Roof and leads, in the unlikely event of success, into the clutches of the substantial holly. | 10m | |||
HVS 5b | ★ Lightning Crack
| 25m, 2 | |||
E4 6b | ★ Pindels Numb
Finger traverse left from the with increasing difficulty (V5 to here) and pull into the leaning corner with great difficulty. Once established, finish easily. | 10m | |||
E5 6a | ★★ Crystal Grazer
Gain the lip of the roof from the diagonal crack on the right then foot traverse left to a shallow groove. Climb the left-hand side of this to finish. Thought by some to be 6b. | 10m | |||
E6 6c | Heredity
A direct start to A Fist Full of Crystals, avoiding the use of the right-hand side slab. | ||||
Dorothy's Dilemma | |||||
HVD 4b | Crack on the Stairs
The crack halfway up the stairs to the Upper Tier. | 4m | |||
HVS 5b | ★ Poisonous Python
Although short-lived, the thin snaking-crack on the front of the buttress has good moves and good runners. | 8m | |||
S 3c | ★ Yong Arête
The scooped arete just to the right of the steps is climbed on well-scratched holds after a precarious start. Delicate and without too much protection. | 8m | |||
HVD 4a | ★★ Yong
The mild jamming crack has good hidden layaway holds. Western Grit's answer to Froggatt's renowned Heather Wall. | 10m | |||
E2 5b | ★ Something Better Change
The centre of the delicate slab on small but improved holds. The exit is very rounded and avoiding the crack to the left requires will-power especially near the top. A (sensible?) side runner in Yong lowers the grade a couple of notches. | 10m | |||
E2 5b | Something Better Change Right-hand
Right-hand arête of Something Better Change. No gear but you could probably jump off rightwards onto a ledge if wobbling. | 10m | |||
VS 4b | ★ Wisecrack
The steep diagonal crack in the face. | 8m | |||
HVS 5b | ★★ Hypothesis
Small wires protect the delicate left-hand arete. | 10m | |||
E7 6b | Destination Earth
The slab is bold and precarious. A side-runner (placed on route) may stop you repeating the first ascensionist's bouncing trick but then the route is only really worth E4. | 12m | |||
S 4a | Cannonball Crack | ||||
E1 5b | ★ Graffiti
Start up the arete and move left to a groove and crack which used to be the Direct Finish to Cannonball Crack before it was usurped. | 16m | |||
E1 5a | ★★ Dorothy's Dilemma
The fine delicate arete is not over endowed with gear and requires commitment and neat footwork. Start on the left, move onto the front face (wires) then press on and stay cool. | 16m | |||
HVS 4c | ★★ Bengal Buttress | 30m | |||
E3 5c | ★ Schoolies
Good bold climbing though escapable. Climb the bulges (reachy) then straight up the centre of the face to the final crack of Bengal Buttress. | 20m | |||
E3 6a | ★ Chain Reaction
A bit of a squeezed in line. Start as for Steps through the roof, then then tinker leftwards to the heather ledge. Arrange some gear, then tip-toe across rightwards to the arête, finish as for Bengal Buttress. | 30m | |||
E5 6b | Steps | 30m | |||
Valkyrie Area | |||||
E1 5b | ★★ Crack of Gloom | 20m | |||
VS | Raven rock Gully Left hand | ||||
D | Raven Rock Gully | ||||
VS 4c | Swinger
The steep and neglected crack in the right wall of the gully leads to the upper section of Via Dolorosa. | 20m | |||
E5 6a | Sidewinder
A devious oddity that grapples with the left-hand edge of the great roof. From the base of the crack of Swinger, ape right and climb a groove to a possible stance under the giant overhang. A flake on the left leads past the lip then stretch right, passing a flake, to climb the arete. | 24m | |||
VS 4c | ★★ Via Dolorosa | 33m | |||
S 4a | ★★ Via Dolorosa Variations
Starts on the higher ledge to the right and finishes up the dark and slippery Raven Rock Gully. Best split into 2 pitches otherwise rope drag may be a problem. | 2 | |||
HVS 5b | ★★★ Matinée
1
HVS 5a
15m
2
5b
8m
FA: Joe Brown & Don Whillans, 1951 | 23m, 2 | |||
HVS 5b | Matinee Alternative Finish
Below the bulge at the top of Matinee follow the break out right on jams and thin feet to finish up the offwidth | ||||
E4 6a | Manatee
From the large chockstone in Matinee, venture out left and up to a hidden jug, then finish more easily up the wing shaped flutes to the top. | 14m | |||
HVS 5b | ★★ Valkyrie Direct
A long and elegant pitch up the steep jamming cracks in the arete. Climb the crack and the bulges to a rest at the base of the flake on the regular climb. Finish as for the normal route, or via the tricky bulging short-cut crack just right of the arete. | 28m | |||
VS 4c | ★★★ Valkyrie | 2 | |||
VS 4c | ★★★ Valkyrie
1
VS 4b
15m
2
4c
23m
Traditional hard Grit VS. Not for the novice or faint-hearted VS leader. FA: Peter Harding & A Bowden Black, 1946 | 38m, 2 | |||
HS 4b | Valkyrie Corner
Follow the initial corner of Valkyrie right to the top. | ||||
HS 4c | ★ Valkyrie Corner Flake Variant
Start 1m right of Valkyrie Corner, climb direct and trend right up the large flake rather than staying left in the corner. Finish route as normal. | ||||
E6 6c | ★★ Northern Comfort
From the tip of the Valkyrie flake, climb the wall past some useful flakes to a finish up the left arete. Wild and very reachy. | 14m | |||
E5 6b | ★★★ Licence to Kill
From the top of the flake on Licence to Run continue straight up to the hanging crack above past seeming blankness. FA: Gary Cooper, 2000 | 22m | |||
E4 6a | ★ Licence to Run
The right-trending flakes in the wall above the Valkyrie stance are pumpy though good gear is available if you can stop! | 12m | |||
E4 6a | ★ Licence to Lust
A counter-diagonal across the wall, utilising the same holds and runners in the central section at License to Run. | 12m | |||
The Swan Wall | |||||
E2 5c | ★ Eugene's Axe
Climb the rounded arete to reach the steeper rock then take the wall above, left then right, then finally left again. | 20m | |||
HVS 5a | ★ Pebble Dash
1
HVS 5a
12m
2
4b
9m
FA: Dave Salt, 1969 | 21m, 2 | |||
E4 6a | Secrets of Dance
Follow the groove of Pebbledash then climb the disappearing crack in the steep wall until a right-trending ramp can be followed rapidly to easy ground. | 20m | |||
E6 7a | ★★★ Against the grain | ||||
E6 7a | ★★★ Thing on a spring | ||||
E4 5c | ★★ Up the Swanee
22m. Grippingly precarious, especially for the tall. From runners in the thin crack teeter rightwards along the highest break until the horizontal crack can be reached. Swing along this and climb the excellent jamming crack at its end. | 22m | |||
E3 5c | ★★★ The Swan | ||||
E3 5c | ★★★ The Swan
FA: John Gosling & Mike Simpkins, 1969 FFA: Ron Fawcett & Geoff Birtles, 1977 | 26m | |||
E4 6a | ★★★ The Super Girdle
Follow the Swan to the Mincer, cross Smear Test, then step down and traverse the Elegy slab to finish up The Bulger - intense. Height | 44m | |||
E4 5c | ★ Swan Bank
Links The Mincer with the end of the traverse of The Swan. via some bold and reachy climbing. Finish rapidly up this. | 20m | |||
HVS 5b | ★★ The Mincer | ||||
Smear Test Slab | |||||
E3 6a | ★★ Smear test | ||||
VS 5a | ★★ The Pincer | ||||
E4 6a | ★★ Kicking Bird | ||||
E5 6b | ★★ Bloodstone | ||||
E6 6b | ★★ Bloodspeed | ||||
E4 6a | ★★ Blood, Sweat and Smears
Start as for Cold Blood and keep traversing left via the crack briefly, before finishing as for Bloodstone. | 18m | |||
E6 6b | Cold Blood
From the junction of Pincer and Guano Gully, rock up onto the slab, and continue direct via a sustained sequence. | ||||
S 4b | Guano Gully
The narrowing crack leading to an open groove up and right is a less smelly experience than you might be expecting. Once past the crucial overhang, things ease dramatically. | 14m | |||
VS 5a | Guano Gully Direct
Direct start up the lower crack. | 13m | |||
Elegy Slab | |||||
E2 5b | Mousey's Mistake
Climb the right-hand side of the gully to the roof then step out above the overhang and climb the delicate left-hand side of the Elegy slab. Side runners lower the stress factor. | 14m | |||
E6 7b | ★★ A Little Peculiar
The direct over the imposing roof features the hardest mantelshelf in the world - a free hanging one-armed flip, with no footholds! Good holds lead to the lip but above there is precious little with which to make progress. If you manage the desperate gymnastics, casually saunter up Elegy to finish. Protected by side-runners (a chockstone in the crack) and RPs low down. | 14m | |||
E2 5c | Elegy | 12m | |||
E5 6b | ★★ Clive Coolhead Realises the Excitement of Knowing...
Strange name, good route! The right side of the Elegy slab is at the limit of friction and the grade varies from E4 to E6 depending on how high you put the side runner in The Bulger. A wire in Elegy can also be used to reduce the swing potential. | 14m | |||
VS 4c | ★★ The Bulger | 14m | |||
E3 6a | Dirty Wee Rouge
Direct up the bouldery bulges. | ||||
S 4a | ★ Fledgling's climb | 13m | |||
HS 4a | Wing Wing
Between Fledgling's Climb and Little Chimney. | 9m | |||
VS 4b | Battery Crack
Climb the awkward crack rising from the recess and head into the groove above. A successful ascent will leave you beached and battered below the final section of Lucas Chimney. A great route for masochists! | 10m | |||
S 4a | Lucas Chimney
The narrow rift in the main angle is a well-protected struggle and the leftward exit is a pig; the best advice is to try staying high. Often green early in the season or after rain, in which case it is worthy of a manky HS 4c. | 10m | |||
Kestrel Buttress | |||||
E7 6c | ★★★ Goldcrest
The impressive left arête of the Hawkwing buttress. | 18m | |||
E1 5b | ★★ Hawkwing | 21m | |||
E4 6a | Poison Gift | 19m | |||
E3 5c | ★ Carrion
Climb the centre of the front face direct, starting over the butch overhang, crossing the diagonal cracks and finishing with a flourish at a notch in the final narrow wall. A bit of a non-line but with some fine climbing if you are strict. | 18m | |||
VS 4b | ★★ Kestrel Crack
A well-rounded classic though too much of a struggle to be a real three star outing. The striking hanging fissure has a brace of awkward starts (easiest on the left) and a wide awkward exit. A couple of tricky-to-thread chockstones help protect the main difficulties of the route. | 20m | |||
E1 5b | Headless Horseman
Climb Kestrel Cracks to the first thread then traverse out to the arete and teeter up this, heart in mouth. | 20m | |||
E7 6c | ★★★ Logical Progression
The hanging lower arete just right of the Headless Horseman traverse is reached via a very hard traverse from the right to the enticing pockets and a lovely balancy move to stand up in them. The arete above is much easier. Good cams under the roof protect (back-rope useful) and a very poor cam in the right-hand pocket just about serves for the rest. | 20m | |||
E10 7a | ★★★ Sleepy Hollow
Shares the start and end of Logical Progression, but tackles the direct and obvious long standing challenge; the improbable blunt arête and nose. | 17m | |||
E4 5c | Amaranth
Climb the blunt arete (as for Death Knell) and step left onto the slab and balance carefully up this, avoiding the shrubs. | 12m | |||
E2 6a | Pooh's Connection
1m of new climbing connects Rhodren and Death Knell by climbing through the overlap on a hidden undercut pocket and hanging finger locks. | ||||
HVS 5b | ★ Rhodren
A mini-Mincer and quite popular, though this one is easier for the tall. From the foot of the odd perched flake, climb the grungy groove to the overhang and layback rapidly rightwards round this to easy ground. | 12m | |||
HS 4a | Straight Crack
Bridge the leaning corner (without pushing too hard on the flake) and then step left to reach the rectilinear fissure, thankfully above the wide and potentially awkward lower section. | 10m | |||
D | ★ Flake Chimney
Traverse the crest of the huge perched flake (walk across or ride it - the choice is yours) to reach an easy groove. Awkward to protect so be wary of scaring beginners! | 14m | |||
VS 4c | Flake Chimney Direct Start
Gain the right end of the flake via the cave-like recess below using a variety of techniques. Not new as described in older guides. | 10m | |||
E3 6b | Punch
Force a way into the hanging groove with great difficulty (and with overhead gear) then finish more easily through the shrubbery above. | 14m | |||
E1 5c | ★ Choka
Pull through the roof further to the right using the thin crack and continue up its wider extension. | 12m | |||
Chalkstorm Area | |||||
E2 5c | Stolen Days | 10m | |||
E3 6a | ★ Circuit Breaker
Climb the fingery, bulging arete then the flake above to the final delicate slab perched on the front of the buttress. | 10m | |||
E3 6a | Fluorescent Stripper | 10m | |||
VD | ★ Prow Corner | 12m | |||
HVD | ★ Prow Corner Twin Cracks | 12m |