UKH

..........your experiences of a route with others because hardly anyone seems to have done it, it's very frustrating.

I keep harping on about Cordelia (HVS 5a) on these pages and apart from one team who ended up self rescuing I have no-one to compare notes with.

Anyone else got such a route in their Logbook, journal or memory, one they 'd like to hear others' experiences of but can't?

Edit: just noticed Rog Wilko's thread on Neglected Gems but his is centred on the Lakes

A list of the least-popular routes you've climbed would be an interesting logbook feature.

The Maelstrom, Clogwyn y Bustach, Nant Gwynant, Snowdonia. I pulled the belay peg at yhe first stance out by hand - after we'd used it.

I did Cordelia several decades ago but unfortunately can't remember much about it. Sorry.

Gimartin (VS)

Climbed Gimartin on New Year’s Eve in 1977, there are no other ascents recorded except for mine and my climbing partner Mike.

The belay after the first pitch required placing a couple of pegs in a large flake next to the stance and when I removed the pegs the whole flake (approximately 5ft in height) departed from the crag and fell seawards!  We arrived shaken but safely at the top absolutely filthy and unscathed, needlessly to say we celebrated the New Year with relish ! 

Was there a peg?

Yes I think so

Not quite in your "league" but considering it is basically soft HS and a nice route at a Peak District honeyspot, the fact that there only 11 entries in the UKC logbook has to be worth my posting this one

Blinkers (VS 4c)

Not a whole lot of love for Blabber at St Non's (Velvet Walls, Pembroke) either (which was a Severe when I took my first ever lead fall, ripped my gear and broke my ankle in 2005 ) but again not as esoteric as yours...yet also it is in a honeypot area and an "easy" grade for people that don't fall off it and break their ankle!

 

Maybe not gems [although the latter probably is], but would be very interested to hear of any other ascents of these.

American Directissima (ED2)

East Face - British/American Route; (Scott Route) (E3 5c)

The former finally collapsed about fifteen years ago, after preliminary 'adjustments'.

It's even worse if you put up a new route and no one ever repeats it. You are always left wondering about the grade. I have a number of new routes on the far north coast of Scotland and most did get a repeat. 

But my best route ever was an E2 (my grading) called "Go tell the Spartans" in Totegan Geo on Strathy Point and I don't think it has ever been repeated. If anyone knows of anyone who has done it I'd love to know what they thought.

Reminds me of a thought-provoking question I was asked many years ago:

Would you climb if you (and your partner) were not allowed to tell anyone about it, ever?

I think most people would say yes,  but sharing the experience and keeping records and photos of it help keep it alive in your memory, so important when you are no longer capable.

Memories! Climbed a lot of these esoteric routes at St Bees in the 60`s put up by W.Cumbrian climbers and started during the 1966 foot and mouth epidemic when the Lake district climbs were out of bounds. All of them were of epic quality with dubious bolts and wooden wedges for protection!