UKH

Funny thing while reading around, I came across a "crag" that I'd always previously ignored in "Scrambles in the Dark Peak" as I assumed it would be a worthless choosy gully in the middle of nowhere.

Turns out that Alport Castles is a 400 or 500 meter long edge, completely unsuitable for summer climbing due to the broken nature of the rock seams, dispersed with turf and the dreaded Peak shale. Really only sounds worthwhile/safe while frozen.

Except for the one route written about in the above mentioned guide book (Alport Castles Tower (winter) (I)), and one route put up earlier this year (Talk 'n' Turf. (IV 5)), it looks completely undeveloped as a winter/mixed climbing location; I certainly cant find any other mention of routes in the various books I own, old and new.

Am I missing something? Does anyone fancy scouting it out when the freeze gets going?

In reply to MikeMarcus:

Ello, where's this been hiding? Well spotted. We'd be up for a bit of prodding around if the freeze sets in.

In reply to olddirtydoggy:

Kind of in plain sight.

I'm going to have a bumble up there tomorrow between the rain and see what's going on.

In reply to MikeMarcus:

Have you been up there? Calling it an "edge" is a bit optimistic. IIRC it was caused by a landslip like Mam Tor so expect much looseness!

In reply to MikeMarcus:

It's been climbed on for years.. just not recorded. It needs a very hard frost and getting there in such cold conditions can be problematic and other venues might be more tempting.

In reply to Offwidth:

I'll find out in the morning but the 1.5km walk in from the road looks a lot easier than the trudge up the River Kinder from Bowden Bridge (or if you like up Sandy Hayes, round the Pennine Way and ab down from the top), necessary to get to the Downfall.

In reply to MikeMarcus: Its the getting up the Snake from Glossop thats the bugger if its that cold and snowy.

 

In reply to MikeMarcus:

It's not very high above sea level so takes some fairly extreme weather to get a proper freeze. Definitely been climbed on for years though. 

In reply to Monk:

Can we, just like lift it up about 800 meters?

In reply to MikeMarcus:

Where is Sandy Hayes? Trying to work out why you would ab in to Kinder Downfall, I guess if you came up Fair Brook it would save you a bit of walking...

In reply to MikeMarcus:

The great thing is that when it's in condition all the punters will be queuing round the block for Kinder Downfall.  

You won't be interrupted!

In reply to TobyA:

Was thinking about coming to the downfall from the Hayflield side (because that's where I live), Sandy Hayes is the quickest way onto the plateau from Kinder Reservoir. Obviously there are many other routes to approach the Downfall from many other directions. I'd choose to come up the River Kinder although it takes longer than arriving via the Pennine Way, because it's bloody gorgeous.

In reply to TobyA:

We came over from the other side on ''the busy day" last year. Because the prevailing winds blew the snow drifts onto the standard approach we left later and got there earlier than the others. It did involve driving through the barricades on the Manchester road... 

Dovestones QuarryIn reply to MikeMarcus:

If you are looking for quality mixed climbing in the peak given cold and snowy conditions Dovestone Quarry has some actually worthwhile stuff, like the northern corries but with a shorter walk in...

In reply to MikeMarcus:

Please god no 'are the castles in yet?' threads everytime it's a bit parky in Glossop.

In reply to Pay Attention:

It's much much more likely the punters won't be bothered to get anywhere near The Downfall in the hard sustained frost conditions for the Castles  to be in;  only the super keen and hardy will walk in the extra distance. In such conditions rarely forming icefalls and mixed routes near main roads are an easier target. Places like Mam Tor and the nearby limestone ridges may then get the Dark Peak punters.

In reply to DerwentDiluted:

I thought you would appreciate the more refined humour of that situation .

Interesting place for sure

http://i66.tinypic.com/2qlc2h2.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/656gaw.jpg

In reply to DerwentDiluted:

I haven’t posted here much, or read many of the threads. Are people really that grumpy/cynical/jaded? Why?

I can see the downfall from my bedroom window and I’m very happy to tell anyone who enquires if it’s covered in ice. In fact, ask me nicely on a Saturday morning and I’ll walk up there to check.

In reply to MikeMarcus:

Not at all!

Enquiries about Kinder Downfall conditions are a perennial and essential part of the build up to proper winter.

Have you seen the movie?

In reply to Pay Attention:

which movie?

 

In reply to MikeMarcus:

I expect you've seen the German language 2004 film "Downfall" in which Bruno Ganz portrays the increasing insanity of Hitler's final days. Some cunning linguist has added subtitles to give it a contemporary relevance.

youtube.com/watch?v=zGq-3TlswZs&

it possibly has more academic citations than "yes, but what has he done on grit?"

In reply to TobyA:

Main reason to approach via Sandy Heyes is that it is a spur and the snow blows off it.  If the Kinder River approach is thigh deep, it's a lot quicker as the edge path tends to be clear.  You can drop into the amphitheatre via Square Chimney.  

In reply to RichT:

It’s a quicker route to the downfall even in summer conditions. But the little waterfalls up the River Kinder, followed by the majesty of the ravine as it closes in around you is worth the extra legwork IMO

In reply to DerwentDiluted:

I propose a petition to the BMC to have them install a turf temperature gauge as they have in Snowdonia and the Lakes. 

In reply to MikeMarcus:

Have you ever thought about setting up a webcam?

In reply to deepsoup:

Actually yes, I thought about it yesterday when I offered to trot up there. Problem is there’s a tree across the road which in the past couple of years has started obscuring the view as it grows taller. Pretty soon I’ll have to trot downstairs and cross the road to see if it’s “in”. 

I might be able to put a cam on the chimney or something. I’ll have to check 

In reply to MikeMarcus:

I've been looking at webcams. I don't think that there's such thing as a weatherproof webcam with a long lens. If anyone can find one, please link me to it.

In reply to MikeMarcus:

I was up at Alport Castles last Tuesday and there were sizeable ice blobs down the LH side of the main gully on the left of the crag, basically spray from the stream which sometimes runs down it. The rest of the crag was bone dry though, so not much to freeze. The gully itself is good fun (easyish II) when it's got some snow in it.

If anyone fancies a bumble up there this afternoon while it's dry and the temperature is low, drop me an email.