UKH

The Great Beast at Baggy is graded at E1 on here, but E3 in the latest guidebook. What's going on? Two full E grades Is some difference. Can anyone hopefully explain this discrepancy and which grade is nearer the mark?

The latest guidebook is correct.

And yet 4 on this website have given it E1. They were obviously on top form.

You mean they didnt test the gear! There is a big difference in climbing something on sight and abbing down and checking all the rock and gear. Check out Stanners's logbook entry and see what other sort of stuff he climbs.

Some write up there from Stanners. The majority of other ascentionists say very little.

Yeah some climbers are not very articulate.

That was my first ever E1. I thought it was a soft touch. 38 years ago. Perhaps some holds have been rubbed off. Crux near top if I remember.

You get a lot of this with slabs, in my experience. Climbers padding around fairly comfortably, no hint of forearm pump, at worst a bit of discomfort in the calves and toes. It is tempting to think "this feels too easy for ....." What they might not be doing is realistically assessing the consequences of a fall, often from some distance above marginal gear.

There isn't much of this style of climbing on the Great Beast though. It's awkward, strenuous in places with uncomfortable rests. Thought it was one of my toughest E1's and it sounds like it got harder in the intervening years....

It hasnt got harder (I dont think) but the gear placements and pegs are pretty shocking so has got much more dangerous in the event of a fall.