OFF THE WALL

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Skin and Grit

‘Dave did 35 routes today’, the keen young climber told me in admiring tones in the pub on Saturday night. One of my climbing ambitions is to experience Peak Grit. I’ve been hooked by the idea of wondrous friction, slopers, no holds to speak of: it all sounds magical to a novice tutored on limestone.

So I did the long drive up on Saturday evening to be ready for a long days climbing on Sunday. 35 climbs? I couldn’t wait for the indulgence.

I found an experienced partner and we chose Ramshaw- he hadn’t been there for a long time and it would avoid the Roaches inevitable Sunday masses. One of our group did mutter about the routes being as awkward as shit, but that didn’t put us off at all.

What I learnt at Ramshaw: I thought I knew how to do hand jamming, but I didn’t – and that it hurts; listen to advice - the routes there are mostly undergraded; and it’s a rare day when it’s possible to fit in 35 climbs- we did not quite 6 in as many hours.

My partner opened the day on a VS 4b (Battle of the Bulge)… and failed. So we downgraded ambition and moved on to a Severe 4a (Phallic Crack) with a nasty sideways backwards overhanging move near the start and some hand-jamming - my initiation in grit stone climbing. I arrived at the top bloodied and wobbly legged loudly denouncing the grading - and followed this up with a quick session from my partner on the correct way to use your extremities as gear.

With growing reservations I chose a severe to lead (Magic Roundabout 4a)– ‘delicate and balancy’ was the gist of the guidebook’s description. It was and it was lovely- but I couldn’t kid myself that it was truly representative of the usual routes in the area.

As my partner was intent on ticking off the good crack climbs, I couldn’t avoid taking more skin off my knuckles. We did Great Scene Baby (S4a) and Tricouni Crack (HS4b) in not quick succession. I only managed the start of Great Scene Baby with both the verbal and physical help of 3 veteran local climbers: a Severe, my arse. The climbing was intense enough to raise the adrenalin levels so I didn’t notice the continuing damage to my hands until I’d finished the route.

Despite this I still volunteered to lead a V.Diff (Boomerang), strangely still believing in the guide’s lies – but actually it was fine, even though it did involve me shuffling along on the curving slab on my knees at one point.

My partner doesn’t like the taste of failure so for the last climb he chose Flaky Wall Crack (VS4b). If it had cracks I managed to avoid them and we were both successful – him in finishing it and me in retaining the remaining skin on my knuckles. The most difficult bit was making a belay at the tiny pinnacle on the top.

Climbing on grit was a bit like starting all over again. The concept of using your body as a bit of gear is an interesting one and it generally demands a radically different approach to the one us southern limestone lovers have got used to. I loved the sticky rock (even though at times of panic I forgot it had this quality, but nothing unusual there), and when my skin heals I’ll be there again. I think I’ll try the Roaches next time though.

Posted by fishinwater