Classic Rock - Stanage Ticked

Ticked off the remaining Classic Rock ticks for Stanage this evening.

I'd done Flying Buttress and April crack before, Hannah having done Flying Buttress previously. Even though we'd climbed at Birchen on Tuesday I'd really forgotten just how challenging climbing on grit can be.

We warmed up on a great little severe called Bishops Route, S 4a ***  Climbing an initial short crack takes you up to a ledge. This is followed by a few interesting moves to good flakes and finish direct.

Bishop`s Route.
© deepstar, Aug 2012 - ukclimbing.com

Next was one of the Classic Rock Ticks - Hargreaves' Original Route VS 4c ***  One of Stanage's choice VSs. From a boulder, pull up and left onto the slab, traverse left then move up and right to a resting ledge. Continuing up the centre of the slab trending slightly rightwards. Well protected with modern technology. Photo page 96. © ROCKFAX

Hargreaves' Original Route, VS 4c *** - Image from Peterborough MC

As I said above, haven't climbed consistently on grit for some time now so it all feels a little alien.  It's a different style of climbing to anything else in the UK. Grit also is best climbed in cooler temps, it just gets sweaty and so do you! So this felt like a real challenge. With it being a slab you it doesn't take much strength so that was a good thing at least.

It's only 18m but looking up the slab the top seemed miles away. After some puffing and deep breaths I topped out and Hannah came up. I think retrospectively I really enjoyed the route, at the time I wondered if I still enjoyed the grit as much as I used to. I've come to the conclusion that grit is about a really confident approach and once you've got in to the groove things become much more enjoyable.

We finished off with a quick blast up Robin Hood's Right Hand Buttress Direct HS 4b ***  A great route up the wide crack splitting the centre of the face. Low in the grade but intimidating. Climb to the large overhang and shuffle out right to reach a small ledge below the main crack. From here route finding is not a problem. © ROCKFAX

 Robin Hood's Right Hand Buttress Direct HS 4b *** - © Chris wilson, Apr 2008

The little step out onto the front face is probably the crux, it's always scary stepping out onto something or round an arete. It just feels precarious and you usually notice that you're a long way off the ground (or at least at least it feels like that). The upper crack is straight forward, take a few friends though, they come in handy.  

We called it a day as we were getting had by the midges.  Not a bad little evening, 9 stars, 3 Top 50 climbs (Rockfax Top 50 Eastern Grit Guide) and 1 Classic Rock tick.

More climbing planned for the weekend so I'll put up our progress next week. Have a good weekend whatever you're doing!