UKH

I need some climbing chat to take my mind off local election results and the future constitutional settlement for the UK!

I climbedGalening Crack (HVS 5a) at  Horseshoe Quarry on Friday night. I've thought I should try it for years, having heard from at least one mate/old school UKCer that it is the BEST route at Horseshoe! Nevertheless it's always easy to use the excuse of 'I'm going sport climbing so I won't take any trad gear' when going to Horseshoe and HVS has seemed a bit hard in recent years.

But I've ticked quite a few 6as onsight this spring, so am happy my climbing is at a pretty decent level for me and it seemed like I should try it. So on Friday, I did the 6a to the left of Galening Crack, the very nice Like Ice, Like Fire (6a) and that went smoothly. With no further excuses I racked up and got on with it. Of course it went smoothly - plenty of solid gear and actually really nice moves. My first HVS onsight in a couple of years I think. 

So can anyone think of any other decently protected Peak District limestone HVSs I should now consider trying? I've done Surface Plate (HVS 5a) at Aldery before, fallen off The Seven Deadly Sins (HVS 5a) at Harpur Hill (I think because actually what I was trying from old confusing logbook directions was The Seven Deadly Sins Direct (E1 5b)) and I've seconded The Thorn (HVS 5a) at Beeston Tor - which felt both terrifying and hard, as a second at least! I think that's it for limestone HVS for me - at least in the Peak. I do want to try Original Route at High Tor, but still a bit unsure of my potential to freak out up there on the big wall! 

Any suggestions? Well protected is the thing that will probably most convince me to get on something.

Cheers all.

In reply to TobyA:

Are you sure you're in the right place?!

In reply to TobyA:

Joint Effort (HVS 5b)

Hard start with steady climbing above, well worth doing 

In reply to TobyA:

There is loads to go at and if you enjoyed Galening Crack, then you are in for a real treat!  Original Route is brilliant and has great gear - it does have a tricky section though.  

I think the stuff at Wildcat would be good - lots at HVS at the crag including some really nice climbs like Catastrophe Grooves, Coyote Buttress, Catacomb Direct and Cataclysm.  It also has some great VS's in the mix and a few harder things to chase.  There are some great routes at Willersley as well, plenty at HVS including Lone Tree Grooves, Gangue Grooves, but it is a bit of an acquired taste IMO.

Back at High Tor, there is Lamplight and Highlight - you also have Memories on the right wing - a decent 6a.

Near to your stamping ground, Stoney has go to be on the list.  Yes, it is polished and a hard taskmaster, but work through the Stoney HVS's and walk up extremes elsewhere.  Medusa, Padme, Fe Fi Fo Fum, Aurora Arete should get you going.

Any of the dales have a good range of routes to go at, though you have to move around a bit to find the better routes.  Get out of the quarries though and discover some inspiring climbing!

In reply to TobyA:

If you're doing ok with exposure then a repeat of The Thorn shouldn't trouble you too much. The crux move is protected by 3(!) pegs, if I remember correctly, and you can back them up with bomber gear too. I think I had about 6 bits protecting that one move, which quickly eases once you've done it.

In reply to NIGBEE:

Of course - totally forgot that completely ace route. I actually seconded it last summer and sort of regretted not going for it onsight. The start is pretty techy from memory and Rich only put some tiny cam in. It's not too high up and after that seemed both steady and well protected, but maybe the tricky start slightly put me off going for it. But an excellent wall.

In reply to Derek Furze:

Thinking more now of course Stoney - I onsighted Minus 10 some years back and found it pretty straightforward, but yes there are others there. I've done many of the routes up to VS. Wildcat is a good call - still not done a route there, will need to see who is inspired to come down there with me. Thanks.

In reply to mrphilipoldham:

I remember unclipping Rob's gear from the pegs on the Thorn and thinking they looked ancient and rubbish! But there may well have been solid kit nearby I've forgotten about. 

In reply to TobyA:

Something else not mentioned in the Peak would be John Peel in Dovedale. If you were further north one day, Junkyard Angel is very good at Malham (wouldn't drive there just for that route though, there is better at E2 if you are with someone who climbs it.)

Re: stoney, I think Medusa is fairly desperate but if you like hand cracks then Fe Fi Fo Fum felt fairly steady I think. Well over a decade ago so pinches of salt etc.

In reply to Si dH:

Looking it up now, its actually Fe Fi Fo Fum that I seconded some years back there. I don't remember it feeling desperate, so maybe that's one to try. Still haven't done the VS that goes up the corner there anyway which I really should!

In reply to TobyA: Galening Crack is indeed good value. The route to the left used to be trad too - known as Like fire. Like ice  E1. What about Ravensdale (birds permitting) Medusa IS polished, but there are several VS/HVS offerings. Quiet!!

In reply to TobyA:

You want the crags around Matlock - lots to chomp on.

In reply to Derek Furze:

Double like from me Derek since your list is a good one and you know that it's stamping ground not stomping! There aren't many of us left.

I'd add Nine Lives Wall to your Wildcat list. I'd walked past it for years until a good friend with deep local knowledge pointed me at it. I really like the Matlock crags and regret that coming from the North they're the most distant. Ravensdale is another favourite with many Hard VSs and VSs that fell like Hard VSs

In reply to Martin Bennett:

Yes, forgot to list Ravensdale despite going there a few times last year to repeat some of the classics.  Toby - put Conclusor on the list for a start, but there are plenty of decent HVS's there and slowworms on top of the crag as well!

Nine Lives Wall is great Martin, but yes, a long way from Blackburn!

In reply to Derek Furze:

I went to Ravensdale in 2000 a bit before leaving the country, then went back there last summer that oddly turned out to be 19 years and 364 days later! I've got that VS fist crack on my to do list but hadn't looked too hard at the HVSs so will have to give them another peruse in the guidebook.

Thanks.

In reply to HB1:

Have a look at my original post again - it's a rather good 6a now.  Actually I did it on Friday as my warm up for Galening Crack, it wouldn't have been that way around when it was an E1!

In reply to TobyA:

If you head for Wildcat I would recommend Cataclysm and Coyote Buttress (short section of well protected steepness).

Conclusor at Ravensdale is also very good, but quite pumpy! 

In reply to TobyA:

Go to High Tor and gun up Lamplight, then Highlight then Original Route. What a day to remember that would be...

In reply to Si dH:

Good call. Whilst in the Dale also take in Ten Craters and Simeon Direct.

In reply to TobyA:

Good effort on Galening Crack. Ravensdale, Wildcat and Willersley used to be HVS heaven in the Peak. Not sure what state any of them are in now, re traffic. Of the three, Wildcat always seemed the most friendly.

Stoney is indeed a hard taskmaster. Would leave Medusa for a bit. Would also leave Original Route on High Tor, just until you feel more confident.

There are loads of HVS cracks/grooves in the Peak, which you can fill with gear.

When you've got a few under your belt, would go back and repeat The Thorn. You may well find it easier leading than seconding. Iirc the steep/hard bit is quite short and well protected.

Would do lots of VSs and a HVS every time or two you go out. All about mileage. If they're cracks and grooves and you lace 'em, not too much chance of coming to harm. Some great routes at the grade. Have fun!

Mick

In reply to TobyA:

As other's have said, Willersley, Wildcat & Ravensdale (currently bird restricted?) are your lime VS/HVS best crags in the Peak.

I found Original Route (HVS 5a) hard for the grade even though it's "only" 5a - maybe that was just me. Lamplight (HVS 5a) is the easiest of the High Tor HVS's.

Conclusor (HVS 5a) at Ravensdale and Catastrophe Grooves (HVS 5a) at Wildcat have a similar feel and difficulty - both good - upper mid grade - sustained difficulty for several moves rather than cruxy.

The Thorn (HVS 5a) is IMO quite low in the grade, short difficult bit that can be well protected but intimidating situation - treat it like a bit of overhanging climbing wall and you'll be up it in a flash.

Joint Effort (HVS 5b) has a technical start then steady VS to the top - lovely route - overall low in the grade.

And so many more...

Many routes that used to be lime HVS are now E1; Charas (E1 5b), Medusa (E1 5b) - there's a reason for this 😁

And unless it's changed (maybe now super-polished?), I've no idea why Minus Ten (HVS 5a) has gone up from VS - used to be a benchmark example of VS 4c limestone jamming - hopefully it's not been upgraded just because people can't jam.

In reply to TobyA:

Gangue Grooves

The finest limestone HVS I have done in the Peak

In reply to DubyaJamesDubya:

It is very good but probably worth E1....

In reply to TobyA:

Had my first experience of Peak lime this year and was surprised by how good the natural cliffs around Matlock are. Peak lime seems to get panned as being chossy and polished but coming from Avon, I can assure you it's pretty good. Didn't do any quarries but was amazed by how many VS-HVS routes those cliffs have. Endless corners, cracks and grooves. They're also covered in gear! Went to Wildcat and Willersley and they were both great. 

Not an HVS but quite a hard VS, Golden Yardstick (VS 5a) is outrageous at the grade. 

In reply to Michael Hood:

Thanks Michael - lots of good beta there. There seems to be a few routes on limestone on the cusp of VS and HVS - I think some of the big corners at High Tor have gone from VS to HVS haven't they? Maybe Lamplight that you mentioned...?

I did Minus Ten quite soon after arriving back in the UK so its some years back now. But I do remember I pleasantly surprised that it went so smoothly, not knowing it had been VS before it got upgraded in the guide I have! But there are HVSs on grit that I've done without too much bother and others that spat me off quite dramatically - so no surprise really the same is true on limestone.

In reply to Michael Hood:

Original Route is more “all you can eat” than outright hard.

In reply to spenser:

Although on Coyote buttress, this section is followed by badly protected scariness.

Good route

In reply to S Andrew:

It was my first HVS lead.  I thought it was steady, not too steep, gear OK.  I'm  happy to hold your ropes, Toby!

In reply to Dave Garnett:

It was actually Mr Andrew whose recommendation got me on the crack at Horseshoe. I remain immensely impressed by just how many routes Stuart has done right across the southern UK despite his geographical location towards the north of the Union!

Have you been on Original Route since it being your first HVS, because - and I mean this as a complement to your long and illustrious climbing history, Dave - it must have been quite some time ago!

In reply to TobyA:

Yes, I led it again only about 20 years ago!

I’d add Beachcomber at Ravensdale and Beeston Eliminate to the suggestions.

In reply to Dave Garnett:

I'm up for another visit to Ravensdale this summer - I happened to have walked past it and cycled past it in recent weeks, so it has been on my mind!

In reply to TobyA:

Hi Toby. Some comfortable HVS trad limestone would include Acrophobia (Stoney Middleton),Original Route (High Tor), Gymnic & Conclusor (Ravensdale) & Adamant (Willersley). I've led them, so they're all fairly easy & pretty safe. Nik

In reply to buxtoncoffeelover:

Cheers Nik. As ever I seem to be following your logbook comments and recommendations around the Peak! It's pretty rare for me to get on a route where the buxtoncoffeelover and cragtyke team haven't been before - even, shall we say, those newer ones of a slightly wobbly nature in the glorious delights of Goddard's and the like!

In reply to TobyA:

Rockbiter (HVS 5a) at Ravensdale is pretty reasonable at HVS from what I can remember of my ascent (BUKC*) mind you I was climbing better then!

* in the mists of time, Before UKC

In reply to Cake:

I don't remember that, however I did lead it when I was warming up on HVS and going very well, wouldn't get on it at the minute! 

In reply to TobyA:

If you're willing to stretch the "among the sport" parameter and if it can be outside of the Peak the Witches Quarry in lancashire has some real nice trad routes at that level:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/witches_quarry-464

Witch Bane and Crucible I remember being decent, plenty of gear.

In reply to Eagle River:

I need to get back to Witches at some point.  Fond memories of the place and lots of decent climbs across the grades.  Good call.