 Yorkshire
News - Spring 2010
What with the coldest and snowiest winter for decades it is hardly
surprising that rock-climbing development has been rather sparse over the
last few months. However, a few hardy souls did keep up the good work
despite the cold and exploration should start to pick up again now,
particularly on the grit with a new guidebook on the horizon.
First off the mark, on new year's day, and despite the deep snow, Nigel
Baker and Paul Clarke trudged through the drifts and fought their way up
the icy waterfalls in Gordale Scar to gain access to a line on Low Stony
Bank that Nigel had prepared earlier in the winter but couldn't climb
because of the wet. The big freeze meant that the rock was now dry and
Twenty-Ten (F6a+/b) was established despite freezing fingers and powder
snow on the ledges. The grade may change for an ascent in warmer
conditions!
On the 12th of January Chas Ward and Richard Maxted made a rare proper
winter ascent of the lower waterfall in Gordale Scar which had by now
frozen over completely and named their route Gor-jus! (III/IV). Has anyone
done this before or was this a first?
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By the middle of February the wind was
still from the north-west but a few sunny days meant that rock
climbing was possible on the sheltered south east cliffs of Moughton
Nab. Nigel was again first to spot the potential and created Stress
Management (F5+) on the wall to the left of Making the Grade. This
then led to a re-appraisal of the potential of the smaller and more
broken edge between The soft-centre and the fingery walls left of
the land-slip. I added Quarry Hill and Queenie's Castle (both F6a)
to the central buttress and Nigel added My Funny Valentine (F6a+) to
the larger buttress on the right. Johnny Walker indulged in a couple
of 'Heavy Sessions' (F6a+) to create a companion route to Nigel's,
just right again.
Meanwhile Paul Farrish was digging away to the right of the
Birthday girl and 'party' routes adding Third Party (F4) and
Partisan (F6b+) just before the crag starts to steepen up on the far
right. Nigel finished off with Black Hole Below (F6b). A steep
little number nearer to the main 'Nab'. It has good holds when you
find them, but can you find the right ones, in the right order,
before your strength runs out?
Nigel Baker on Black Hole Below |
| Whilst all this activity was going on at
Moughton Bob Larkin, whom we all thought was convalescing after a
shoulder operation, was secretly cleaning one-handed and preparing
several excellent lines on a hitherto unclimbed crag in the dry
valley above Malham. Crag X, as he kept tantalisingly referring to
it, turned out to be the main wall of the gorge below Comb Hill (now
Comb Hill Crag) and has so far provided 8 lines averaging about
15metres long. Bob has laid claim to several more that he has
cleaned but can't climb until his shoulder is fully recovered. So
far, from left to right are, Gille Comb Buttress (F6b) led by Gil
Peel; The Ochre Groove, (F6a+); The Secret's Out (F6b); Give Us a
Clue (F6a+); Shoulder Charge (F6a+), and then two of Bob's best,
Fine Tooth (F6b) and The Big Groove (F6a). Finally on the right, the
steepest piece of rock gave Nige Baker and Paul Clarke a few days
work to clean up and climb Clinically Annoyed (F6c+) with a couple
of very tough moves to turn the bulge.
Dave Musgrove on The Big Groove
Photo: Paul
Clarke
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Its now nearly 12 years since the last edition of the Yorkshire
Gritstone guide was published and the YMC have recently decided to
commission a new one. Robin Nicholson has agreed to take on the Editorship
and a list of willing volunteers has been drawn up to help with the many
tasks involved. There have been around 1000 new routes (not to mention
boulder problems) added since the last edition but new guides inevitably
draw the eyes of crag writers to the gaps that remain and I foresee that
many more will be added over the coming months. Robin, himself, along with
Andy McCue set the ball rolling in January with a new high level traverse
of the Rift at Almscliff. The Road to Emmaus (E1/E2 5c) starts from the
stile and keeps going left at a high level to the finish of Clematis.
At Gilstead near Bingley Ian Durham has added two micro
routes/highballs to the edge. Tease Arete (5a) is the right side of the
rib of No More Mr Nice Guy and Eldwick Direct (6a) is a much harder
proposition to the right of the Ramp on Knockin' off the Pounds.
If you would like to help with guide in any way please contact Robin at
robnick@hotmail.co.uk There are still a few minor crags to allocate and
there will be plenty of extra checking work to do as the scripts come in.
Good quality action photos are always welcome for new a new guide.
Publication is hoped for late 2011 so don't be rushing to the shops just
yet.
On the access front Ravens and Peregrines are already nesting on and
close to several crags in the Dales so please take heed of notices on site
at Malham (The Caveat Wall on the left wing), High Stony Bank (the main
crag but Platypus Buttress should be unaffected.) and Langcliffe. Blue
Scar is also restricted as usual till the end of June.
Notices probably won't be placed but the YDNPA also ask you to avoid
the grassy terrace on the lower left end of Trow Gill and the Old Man's
Crag at Troller's Gill until the end of May. All the sites are being
regularly monitored by National Park staff. And the restrictions will be
lifted as soon as possible.
Dave
To see previous editions of routes news click here
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