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I've put together a UKC ticklist from the list Bill Birkett gives in his book 'Lakeland's Greatest Pioneers: A Hundred Years of Rock Climbing' (1983). An early Christmas present for you all.
Here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=1782
Has anyone ticked them all?
Enjoy!
CW
Post edited at 19:08
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In reply to C Witter:
Brill list - some crackers on there.
some of Livesy's stuff would be stopper for me (E6 anyone???) But some real classics in there.
Happy Xmas!
BB
Brill list - some crackers on there.
some of Livesy's stuff would be stopper for me (E6 anyone???) But some real classics in there.
Happy Xmas!
BB
1
In reply to C Witter:
Didn't realise A Dolphin had done so much new routing in the Lakes!
Shouldn't Asterisk be in there?
Didn't realise A Dolphin had done so much new routing in the Lakes!
Shouldn't Asterisk be in there?
In reply to alan moore:
Not sure! It's not listed in Birkett's book... though, this doesn't try to be complete, but only to list the routes he deems best/most historically significant. I'll try to track it down, though! But, away from all my climbing books over Christmas period (except this one...!). Have you got a source that lists Dolphin as having FA'd Asterisk?
Not sure! It's not listed in Birkett's book... though, this doesn't try to be complete, but only to list the routes he deems best/most historically significant. I'll try to track it down, though! But, away from all my climbing books over Christmas period (except this one...!). Have you got a source that lists Dolphin as having FA'd Asterisk?
In reply to alan moore:
Actually, just found this:
GIMMER CRAG : 13/5/28. First ascent, H.S.G., G.B. and
Asterisk Route. B. Tyson (non-member).
This new climb lies to the left of the Ash Tree Slabs, and
starts level with the top of the big chockstone in the scree gully.
Fifteen feet of broken wall lead to a grassy ledge with a small
cairn and a belay. From here move to the right for six feet
on good holds, and then up and to the left slightly, to a good
grass ledge with a pointed belay seven feet above it. From
here the route is upwards and slightly to the right on a bilberry tufted
crack. Stance with belay seven feet above. Thence
straight up for about 30 feet to a small rock ledge. From the
left of the ledge, one goes straight up the wall above, landing
just to the right of a small ash tree. The last few feet from the
ledge are very severe and exposed, and should not be attempted
if the rock is at all damp. This pitch can be avoided by traversing
round the arete on the right. Rubbers advised.
So, FA of Asterisk was by: H. S. Gross, G. Basterfield and B. Tyson in 1928 - the same year as Gimmer Crack was led by A. B. Reynolds and G. G. Macphee. More here: http://www.frcc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Vol8-1.pdf
Actually, just found this:
GIMMER CRAG : 13/5/28. First ascent, H.S.G., G.B. and
Asterisk Route. B. Tyson (non-member).
This new climb lies to the left of the Ash Tree Slabs, and
starts level with the top of the big chockstone in the scree gully.
Fifteen feet of broken wall lead to a grassy ledge with a small
cairn and a belay. From here move to the right for six feet
on good holds, and then up and to the left slightly, to a good
grass ledge with a pointed belay seven feet above it. From
here the route is upwards and slightly to the right on a bilberry tufted
crack. Stance with belay seven feet above. Thence
straight up for about 30 feet to a small rock ledge. From the
left of the ledge, one goes straight up the wall above, landing
just to the right of a small ash tree. The last few feet from the
ledge are very severe and exposed, and should not be attempted
if the rock is at all damp. This pitch can be avoided by traversing
round the arete on the right. Rubbers advised.
So, FA of Asterisk was by: H. S. Gross, G. Basterfield and B. Tyson in 1928 - the same year as Gimmer Crack was led by A. B. Reynolds and G. G. Macphee. More here: http://www.frcc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Vol8-1.pdf
In reply to Peter Walker:
Its a shame Deer Bield fell down. Overhanging bastion might also be gone soon
Its a shame Deer Bield fell down. Overhanging bastion might also be gone soon
In reply to C Witter:
My mistake. For some reason I thought 'as te risk was another one of his puns...
Don't know where I got that from!
My mistake. For some reason I thought 'as te risk was another one of his puns...
Don't know where I got that from!
In reply to alan moore:
Isn't yje name from something like
'The steeplejack's an awful swot
He 'asterisks' an awful lot'
Isn't yje name from something like
'The steeplejack's an awful swot
He 'asterisks' an awful lot'
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:
> 'The steeplejack's an awful swot
My memory was being told:
Steeplejack on chimney pot
Asterisk an awful lot.
So very similar.
> 'The steeplejack's an awful swot
> He 'asterisks' an awful lot'
My memory was being told:
Steeplejack on chimney pot
Asterisk an awful lot.
So very similar.
In reply to C Witter:
For some reason 'C' Gully (Summer) (VS) has been on my wishlist for a while (though finding a partner could be tricky!). Has anyone actually done it in summer in recent years? Is it really VS, or is it more Scottish VS?
Similarly 'B' (Great) Gully (Summer) (MVS)
For some reason 'C' Gully (Summer) (VS) has been on my wishlist for a while (though finding a partner could be tricky!). Has anyone actually done it in summer in recent years? Is it really VS, or is it more Scottish VS?
Similarly 'B' (Great) Gully (Summer) (MVS)
Post edited at 09:43
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In reply to Simon Caldwell:
Aye - it's famously loose! From the Birkett book:
In April 1898 he had returned to 'C' Gully on the screes to repeat his own climb. Some poor rock on which he was climbing broke away and he was again saved by the rope. When George Abraham arrived at the Wasdale Head Hotel, Jones was in bandages. He greeted George with the words, "Promise me you'll never climb 'C' Gully on the screes! It's a deadly place." (p.55)
No idea what it's like now - though, might be up for taking a look!
Aye - it's famously loose! From the Birkett book:
In April 1898 he had returned to 'C' Gully on the screes to repeat his own climb. Some poor rock on which he was climbing broke away and he was again saved by the rope. When George Abraham arrived at the Wasdale Head Hotel, Jones was in bandages. He greeted George with the words, "Promise me you'll never climb 'C' Gully on the screes! It's a deadly place." (p.55)
No idea what it's like now - though, might be up for taking a look!
1
In reply to C Witter:
I can only claim a rather pathetic 39 of them and none after Golden Slipper. And it's taken me 43 and a bit years to do those.
Like the list though - well conceived.
I can only claim a rather pathetic 39 of them and none after Golden Slipper. And it's taken me 43 and a bit years to do those.
Like the list though - well conceived.
Post edited at 11:52
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In reply to Rob Exile Ward:
Actually thinking about it your version is better. Sounds like a definition of Jim Perrin!
> Isn't yje name from something like
> 'The steeplejack's an awful swot
> He 'asterisks' an awful lot'
Actually thinking about it your version is better. Sounds like a definition of Jim Perrin!
In reply to C Witter:
I've gone off it suddenly! If they avoided it in the days when most climbers liked gullies, it must be unusually unpleasant...
I've gone off it suddenly! If they avoided it in the days when most climbers liked gullies, it must be unusually unpleasant...
In reply to Rog Wilko:
39's not bad, Rog - and Golden Slipper takes you at least up to 1958!
I've not ticked any yet... :/ But, I've only been trad leading a couple of years. (Incidentally, despite lack of mileage, I have climbed one of your FAs - Kettle Crag is great!) I really like the idea of trying to trace the history of UK climbing out through climbs - though I strongly doubt I'll ever manage to climb the Livesley routes. I'm already looking forward to spring! A camping trip in Wasdale seems to be a must.
Having said that, I'm also quite keen to see whether there are alternate histories to Birkett's canon. E.g. Women only feature in the margins of 'Lakeland's Greatest Pioneers' - would be interesting to see if Emily Kelley, Ruth Hargreaves, Jammy Cross and others climbed many first ascents. If anyone can fill in such stories, please do!
39's not bad, Rog - and Golden Slipper takes you at least up to 1958!
I've not ticked any yet... :/ But, I've only been trad leading a couple of years. (Incidentally, despite lack of mileage, I have climbed one of your FAs - Kettle Crag is great!) I really like the idea of trying to trace the history of UK climbing out through climbs - though I strongly doubt I'll ever manage to climb the Livesley routes. I'm already looking forward to spring! A camping trip in Wasdale seems to be a must.
Having said that, I'm also quite keen to see whether there are alternate histories to Birkett's canon. E.g. Women only feature in the margins of 'Lakeland's Greatest Pioneers' - would be interesting to see if Emily Kelley, Ruth Hargreaves, Jammy Cross and others climbed many first ascents. If anyone can fill in such stories, please do!
In reply to C Witter:
It's possible that Bill has done them all. I thought he was quite a good climber in the 80s. Didn't he pull Bonners up Footless Crow in some TV program - Lakeland Rock?
> I don't think Bill Birkett will have done them all - but, maybe Dave?!
It's possible that Bill has done them all. I thought he was quite a good climber in the 80s. Didn't he pull Bonners up Footless Crow in some TV program - Lakeland Rock?
In reply to C Witter:
I thought Deer Bield Buttress had collapsed and the UKC entry for the climb gives it the No Entry & unclimbable description. Yet people are still logging it, what is that about?
I thought Deer Bield Buttress had collapsed and the UKC entry for the climb gives it the No Entry & unclimbable description. Yet people are still logging it, what is that about?
In reply to Michael Hood:
Pretty sure that's Pete Livesey himself reeling CB up Footless Crow. 'Take! I said "Take!"' Still has me giggling. That was just before Bonnington went on a long monologue about how women would never climb hard FAs because they "lack the ambition" of men... or some such nonsense.
My impression is that Bill B was good, but not quite E4 - E6 standard. However, I'm not quite sure where I get that idea from, so correct me by all means!
CW
Pretty sure that's Pete Livesey himself reeling CB up Footless Crow. 'Take! I said "Take!"' Still has me giggling. That was just before Bonnington went on a long monologue about how women would never climb hard FAs because they "lack the ambition" of men... or some such nonsense.
My impression is that Bill B was good, but not quite E4 - E6 standard. However, I'm not quite sure where I get that idea from, so correct me by all means!
CW
In reply to C Witter:
Hmm... believe he was at least an E5 leader in the Lakes (not famous for soft touches!) back when this was not so far from the cutting edge.
Only met him once, briefly - a very quiet, very nice man.
Mick
> My impression is that Bill B was good, but not quite E4 - E6 standard.
Hmm... believe he was at least an E5 leader in the Lakes (not famous for soft touches!) back when this was not so far from the cutting edge.
Only met him once, briefly - a very quiet, very nice man.
Mick
1
In reply to C Witter:
83 so far, or 84 if C Gully in winter counts. Some no longer exist...
83 so far, or 84 if C Gully in winter counts. Some no longer exist...
Post edited at 20:36
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In reply to John Kelly:
Oddly enough I was thinking of Centrefold but was unsure of the current grading. Sometimes, if you make even a slight mistake on here, people obsess about it and the point you're trying to make gets lost.
Thank you.
Mick
Oddly enough I was thinking of Centrefold but was unsure of the current grading. Sometimes, if you make even a slight mistake on here, people obsess about it and the point you're trying to make gets lost.
Thank you.
Mick
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In reply to John Kelly:
Well - I stand happily corrected. Something odd about a family that produces three top climbers...! Must be something in the local water...
Well - I stand happily corrected. Something odd about a family that produces three top climbers...! Must be something in the local water...
1
In reply to C Witter:
I think he could climb a bit, pretty much obligatory for a Birkett.
Not sure how much travel 'Centerfold' gets now 'Eulogy' and 'Dawes' seem more popular
I think he could climb a bit, pretty much obligatory for a Birkett.
Not sure how much travel 'Centerfold' gets now 'Eulogy' and 'Dawes' seem more popular
In reply to John Kelly:
As one of the belayers when Bill did Centrefold, I can assure everybody he was trying quite hard on the evening we did it, very hard moves a way from crap gear.
Woody summed it up quite nicely in a magazine article, " E7, Bill's finest hour ".
As one of the belayers when Bill did Centrefold, I can assure everybody he was trying quite hard on the evening we did it, very hard moves a way from crap gear.
Woody summed it up quite nicely in a magazine article, " E7, Bill's finest hour ".
1
In reply to C Witter:
The confined gene pool that used to be Little Langdale, where 99% of the population was called Birkett until the 1960's, might have something to do with it
The confined gene pool that used to be Little Langdale, where 99% of the population was called Birkett until the 1960's, might have something to do with it
2
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In reply to C Witter et al: Re Bill Birkett, so I thought why not just ask him (a quick search showed that he's a UKC user named funnily enough - Bill Birkett). Here's his response (with permission)...
Hi Michael,
Fun list - I’ve done most but not all of them.
But with the exception of Nor Nor West Climb I’ve done all the routes from A T Hargreaves right through to Das Kapital (I think Chris Hamper - he lead - and I did the first free ascent of this latter route - on site with no practising or cleaning).
I notice in the the blogs that someone reckons E4 was my limit - well just by way of information my lead of Centrefold is now rated at E7 in the most recent Langdale Guide and I possibly made the 2nd ascent of Livesey’s landmark Footless Crow (again on site with no practising or cleaning).
And I’m still climbing though things are rather curtailed just at the moment because of a recent carpal tunnel operation,
All regards,
Bill Birkett.
Hi Michael,
Fun list - I’ve done most but not all of them.
But with the exception of Nor Nor West Climb I’ve done all the routes from A T Hargreaves right through to Das Kapital (I think Chris Hamper - he lead - and I did the first free ascent of this latter route - on site with no practising or cleaning).
I notice in the the blogs that someone reckons E4 was my limit - well just by way of information my lead of Centrefold is now rated at E7 in the most recent Langdale Guide and I possibly made the 2nd ascent of Livesey’s landmark Footless Crow (again on site with no practising or cleaning).
And I’m still climbing though things are rather curtailed just at the moment because of a recent carpal tunnel operation,
All regards,
Bill Birkett.
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In reply to keith-ratcliffe:
Thats a strange one as there are a few ticked ascents after the collapse.
Isn't there now a good off width crack high up but you have to climb all the loose and dodgy stuff to get to it?? I've heard its been done though
There are a few other routes on the list also at DeerBield, Dunmail Cracks, Monkey Puzzle but not sure if these were affected by the rock fall in 1997
Found it
http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item/20701/deer_bield_crack_re-climbed
55m of squirming fun!!
Thats a strange one as there are a few ticked ascents after the collapse.
Isn't there now a good off width crack high up but you have to climb all the loose and dodgy stuff to get to it?? I've heard its been done though
There are a few other routes on the list also at DeerBield, Dunmail Cracks, Monkey Puzzle but not sure if these were affected by the rock fall in 1997
Found it
http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item/20701/deer_bield_crack_re-climbed
55m of squirming fun!!
Post edited at 23:25
In reply to Michael Hood:
Well that's me thoroughly chastened! What a legend. And you can pass on that I really enjoyed the book
Well that's me thoroughly chastened! What a legend. And you can pass on that I really enjoyed the book
1
In reply to Stephen Reid - Needle Sports:
Your first line makes more sense
> "He who climbs this terrible wall,
> 'As ter risk an awful fall"
Your first line makes more sense
In reply to Rog Wilko:
69 for me Rog, but then I've had very nearly 52 years of climbing to do 'em in. Another 30 are do-able for me, even now (i.e. HVS or under) and many of these are in the list I've been saving till I was old. Trouble is most are high up the hill and now that I AM old I'm not sure I have the time or the inclination to stagger up to 'em!
69 for me Rog, but then I've had very nearly 52 years of climbing to do 'em in. Another 30 are do-able for me, even now (i.e. HVS or under) and many of these are in the list I've been saving till I was old. Trouble is most are high up the hill and now that I AM old I'm not sure I have the time or the inclination to stagger up to 'em!
3
In reply to Martin Bennett:
You put me to shame Martin. Perhaps we could encourage one another to tick a few off next year? We could always make an Alpine start and maybe find a young fit novice who would come along and carry all the gear?
You put me to shame Martin. Perhaps we could encourage one another to tick a few off next year? We could always make an Alpine start and maybe find a young fit novice who would come along and carry all the gear?
1
In reply to Rog Wilko:
It's a date Rog - Scafell here we come! Now where will we find our fit young novice as porter?
It's a date Rog - Scafell here we come! Now where will we find our fit young novice as porter?
1
In reply to Rog Wilko:
If you ever need a young novice with broad shoulders and more enthusiasm than sense... well... they're probably two-a-penny, but I'd certainly be game. My other partners have already broken me in; I'm getting used to carrying the gear... and the ropes... and the sarnies...
If you ever need a young novice with broad shoulders and more enthusiasm than sense... well... they're probably two-a-penny, but I'd certainly be game. My other partners have already broken me in; I'm getting used to carrying the gear... and the ropes... and the sarnies...
1
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