Great Slab Climbs
Chris Mellor
UK. Any ideas?
Chris Mellor
Climbing site with Everest region data - http://www.pentire.com
Kate
Chris Mellor a écrit
>I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
>UK. Any ideas?
What grade ?
Spawny
>
> I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
> UK. Any ideas?
Etive. Loads of excellent stuff from VS to certain death. All in SMC
Glencoe guide. A bit midge-infested at the moment, and probably weeping
loads after the toasty summer we've just had. Needs 2-3 days of good dry
waether for most of the routes to be enjoyable.
Spawny
Simon Witcher
Spawny wrote:
> Etive. Loads of excellent stuff from VS to certain death. All in SMC
> Glencoe guide. A bit midge-infested at the moment, and probably weeping
> loads after the toasty summer we've just had. Needs 2-3 days of good dry
> waether for most of the routes to be enjoyable.
>
> Spawny
The Shelterstone Crag in the Cairngorms provides loads of superb
multi-pitch outings on immaculate granite in the extreme grades.
For more choice of long,easier routes, Arran is good : Souwester
Slabs, West Flank Route etc. on the side of South Ridge Direct.. If the
weather is unsettled, then Yorkshire / Derbyshire grit would be a more
reliable option : Froggatt, Rylstone etc.
If you're restricted to climbing further South, then you have my
sympathy, but I have heard rumours of good slabs on Lundy in the Bristol
Channel...at The Diamond, The Devil's Slide etc.
Simon.
alastai...@my-dejanews.com
> I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
> UK. Any ideas?
ANY of the routes at Etive. Slab climbers' Mecca.
Easiest is Spartan Slab (easy VS)
Regional Midge Headquarters though, with AGM held every year during July
and August.
See ya,
al
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t...@fs3.ph.man.ac.uk
> Loads about Etive...
Weeellll, I dunno.
I'd say that great slab climbs are those which reward ability (style and
footwork) AND courage.
I'd have to nominate anything on the Rainbow Slab (Llanberis slate quarries),
anything on Froggatts Great Slab and any line you care to take up Black Slab
at Stanage (when led or soloed, of course), oh, and Sacre Coeur on
Blackchurch Rock (North Devon).
I found climbing on the slabs in Glen Etive to be a strange experience. After
the leader has stepped up on a series of imaginary dimples in a condition of
extreme fear, the second can follow the pitch by basically putting both hands
and both feet flat on the rock and moving them in the same sort of way as
when small children climb the stairs. It's really very very unsettling. I
seriously believe that someone who was mad enough could climb anywhere on
those slabs just by recklessly padding. The routes up the blanker bits are
sections of insanity stitching together occasional features and/or runner
placements.
A total non-climber could probably do a route in the shape of their own
initials if they really wanted to!
Don't get me wrong, it is a brilliant crag, but I think of it more as an
oddity than something to be included as a conventional slab climbing venue.
Maybe I'm just too set in my ways??
Now, where did I put me asbestos pants...
tim
John Dalrymple
>Everyone else wrote
>> Loads about Etive...
>
>Weeellll, I dunno.
>
>I'd say that great slab climbs are those which reward ability (style and
>footwork) AND courage.
>
>.. snip ..
>I found climbing on the slabs in Glen Etive to be a strange experience. After
>the leader has stepped up on a series of imaginary dimples in a condition of
>extreme fear, the second can follow the pitch by basically putting both hands
>and both feet flat on the rock and moving them in the same sort of way as
>when small children climb the stairs. It's really very very unsettling. I
>seriously believe that someone who was mad enough could climb anywhere on
>those slabs just by recklessly padding.... snip
I vaguely recall a story from years back concerning the short sighted
Rab Carrington, when doing a guide for the Slabs, wandering around
solo on the lower section round about the Pause with a book in his
hands checking out descriptions.
I bet he didn't wander about the Pinch slab like that though ...
cheors
JDal
Linus
>I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
>UK. Any ideas?
Baggy Point (N. Devon, near Croyde) is pretty much all slabs, grades from easy-ish up to E-something,
fairly steep but well protected with good holds. There's a lot of slabby stuff along the N. Devon
coast, but some of it tends to be loose and crumbly. There's a couple of bits along Cornwall as well,
e.g. at Trewellard.
Pembrokeshire, especially the stretch betwen Lydstep and Tenby. Mostly quite short but there's some
good stuff there.
Slate slabs (e.g. Llanberis) are always fun, but tend to be an acquired art, and usually quite steep
and bold as well, although I hear 'The Very Big and The Very Small' is becoming something of a trade
route these days.
Idwal Slabs in the Ogwen valley, Snowdonia, are longish (3-4 pitch) and generally easy, so best
avoided on sunny bank holidays. Continuing up the walls above the slab makes for a fun day out.
If you want a really long day out, the western flank of Sron na Ciche (IIRC) in the Black Cuillin of
Skye has mega long slab climbs, and that big breasty Cioch thing they ponce around on in Highlander to
boot.
And of course the best slabs in the western hemisphere are to be found at Finedon, Northants. Several
classics of varying grades, well worth a visit if you're in the area. But don't tell everyone or
they'll all want to move to Wellingboro'.
Struan Gray
Struan
Andy 19376
> And of course the best slabs in the western hemisphere are to be found at
>Finedon, Northants. Several
>classics of varying grades, well worth a visit if you're in the area. But
>don't tell everyone or
>they'll all want to move to Wellingboro'.
>
Andy.
Ian Waghorn
<strua...@sljus.lu.se> writes
> Don't forget Lundy.
Indeed. The Devil's Slide is awesome. Isn't it the longest slab in UK or
maybe even Europe? Or the world...??
The basic route up the slab is a pretty tame HS. The best route is
Satan's Slip E1 4'ish' i.e. not too technical but NO gear (appart from
an RP half way up at 200') I've not done it myself but it looked great
from where I was on Albion (an excellent VS to the left of slab).
What about Wreckers Slab? I've always fancied it, anyone done it?
Ian Waghorn.
Barrier Smith Ltd.
Air Conditioning Specialists.
Alastair Downie
> The routes up the blanker bits are sections of insanity stitching
> together occasional features and/or runner placements.
Yeah!
Cool!
See ya,
al
Nic Hellyer
you Chris? ....Chris...?
Peter
Route/Integrity on Sron na Ciche
--
Peter
Windows 98 and IE5 the only way to fly
http://www.bigfoot.com/~kinlochleven
The Kinlochleven and West Highland Way Websites
Chris Mellor <Ch...@pentire.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
67tWdJAu...@pentire.demon.co.uk...
>I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
>UK. Any ideas?
>
>
>
Julian Hall
> > I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
> > UK. Any ideas?
>
> ANY of the routes at Etive. Slab climbers' Mecca.
>
> Easiest is Spartan Slab (easy VS)
>
> Regional Midge Headquarters though, with AGM held every year during July
> and August.
I climbed Spartan Slab on Saturday in glorious weather. It was dry
except for a couple of patches just below the crevasse move and at the
start of pitch five. Other people seemed to be sucessfully climbing The
Pause and Hammer. Swastika was avoided by one party since they could see
weeps that they didn't like the look of. The major slab area just right
of Spartan Slab (Ba's etc) had wide stretches of running water. With
just a little wind, we weren't troubled by midges on the route but they
were there at the top once the wind dropped.
It's a damn good route too!
Julian
--
Dr. J. A. Julian Hall, Lecturer, Department of Maths and Stats,
University of Edinburgh, JCMB, King's Buildings, EDINBURGH, EH9 3JZ, UK.
Room: 6221 Phone: [+44](131) 650 5075 Email: jaj...@ed.ac.uk
Fax: [+44](131) 650 6553 Web: http://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/hall
Chris Mellor
internet.fr> writes
>
>Chris Mellor a écrit
>>I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
>>UK. Any ideas?
>
>
>
Any
Chris Mellor
>Chris Mellor <Ch...@pentire.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
>>UK. Any ideas?
>
>ish up to E-something,
>fairly steep but well protected with good holds. There's a lot of slabby stuff
>along the N. Devon
>coast, but some of it tends to be loose and crumbly. There's a couple of bits
>along Cornwall as well,
>e.g. at Trewellard.
>
Tre-well-hard??? Surely you jest..
> And of course the best slabs in the western hemisphere are to be found at
>Finedon, Northants. Several
>classics of varying grades, well worth a visit if you're in the area. But don't
>tell everyone or
>they'll all want to move to Wellingboro'.
>
>
Not heard of this. What guide is it in?
Cheers ... Chris
Chris Mellor
<I...@barrier-smith.demon.co.uk> writes
get 400' of friable culm slab with the same sort of feel to it as Heart
of The Sun at Baggy in terms of the pebble beach getting smaller and
smaller as you climb up.
The rock is quite poor which makes protection suspect and it's not the
place to have a nervous second (or leader).
Cheers...
Chris Mellor
<Niczzzz...@aol.com> writes
>"Soft Touch" at Baggy has to be on the list...you remember THAT one, don't
>you Chris? ....Chris...?
>
>
said I already had 3 mins solo flying time - well, descending really.
Great pro though. Those RPs really do work.
Cheers ...
Chris Mellor
writes
>2 best routes/days out imho Hammer - Etive Slabs and Cioch Direct/Arrow
>Route/Integrity on Sron na Ciche
>
>--
Harris?
None in the Lakes?
Chris Sims
>
> > And of course the best slabs in the western hemisphere are to be found at
> >Finedon, Northants. Several
> >classics of varying grades, well worth a visit if you're in the area. But don't
> >tell everyone or
> >they'll all want to move to Wellingboro'.
> >
> >
> Not heard of this. What guide is it in?
>
Its in the superlative "Leicestershire Climbs".
The place really is truely unforgettable
John Cardy
<Ch...@pentire.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
> UK. Any ideas?
>
I'm amazed that no-one mentioned the West Buttress of Cloggy,
which is covered with superb and exciting slab climbs (including the original
Great Slab) - or does no-one go there any more?
Aardvark
Devils Slide, A Widespread Ocean of Fear (an absolute must) and Satans Slip
on Lundy. Comes the Dervish, White Slab, Great/Bow-shaped Connection,
Cystitis by Proxy, Poetry Pink, Pull my Daisy, Pincushion, Silly Arete (a
kind of slab/arete hybrid), Wailing Wall (a kind of wall/slab hybrid),
Superdirect and Zeta (Mot) in North Wales.
Terrapin and Soft Touch at Baggy.
Any other Culm slab particularly the more er... esoteric ones.
Andrew Robert Reed
<Ch...@pentire.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <6q7pds$8jt$1...@eros.clara.net>, Peter <abr...@clara.net>
>writes
>>2 best routes/days out imho Hammer - Etive Slabs and Cioch Direct/Arrow
>>Route/Integrity on Sron na Ciche
>>
>>--
>Thanks for all the suggestions. Any one know anything about big slabs on
>Harris?
>
>None in the Lakes?
>
Botteril's Slab, Scafell is a terrific route in a fine situation. And
don't forget Engineer's slabs. It's got to be one of the best VS's in
the UK.
>Cheers ...
>
>Chris Mellor
>Climbing site with Everest region data - http://www.pentire.com
--
Andy
Andy 19376
atMillstone Edge?
And yes, I would much rather drive 100 miles there than 5 miles to Finedon.
Andy (laughing because my holidays start Friday 4.30pm).
Guy Beaumont
Waghorn <I...@barrier-smith.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <6q6tiv$h5n$1...@news.lth.se>, Struan Gray
><strua...@sljus.lu.se> writes
>> Don't forget Lundy.
>
>Indeed. The Devil's Slide is awesome. Isn't it the longest slab in UK or
>maybe even Europe? Or the world...??
>
>The basic route up the slab is a pretty tame HS. The best route is
>Satan's Slip E1 4'ish' i.e. not too technical but NO gear (appart from
>an RP half way up at 200') I've not done it myself but it looked great
>from where I was on Albion (an excellent VS to the left of slab).
>
>What about Wreckers Slab? I've always fancied it, anyone done it?
>
>Barrier Smith Ltd.
>Air Conditioning Specialists.
character with the rest of the route. Plenty of disposable holds to
concentrate the mind but the gear is good. Don't do it as a first VS lead
though!
--
Guy Beaumont
Chris Mellor
Kate
Cornwall : Bosigran - Black Slab, D ; Ochre Slab,VS
Great Zawn - Desolation Row, E2
Wales : Dinas Mot - Direct Route, VS ; Diagonal, HVS
Superdirect, E1 ; Zeta, E3 ;
Western Slabs, E3
Cromlech - not sure if left wall counts as a slab
Slate quarries - someone must have mentioned
Seamstress,HVS ; Comes theDervish,E3?
Lakes : Scafell - Jones's Route,S ;Moss Ghyll Grooves,S
Hodge Close - Behind the lines,VS
White Ghyll Crag - Dead Los Angeles,E3
Pavey Ark - Golden Slipper,HVS
Peak : Stanage - Don's Delight,HVS ; Impossible Slab,E2
High Neb Buttress,VS ; Wall End Slab,VS
Wuthering,E2 ; Grotto Slab,D(done this one
with my 8 year old son and 60 year old mum)
Roaches - Smear Test,E3 ; Chalkstorm,E1?
Burbage North - some nice easy stuff,cant remember
Froggatt - Sunset Slab,VS ; Downhill Racer,E4
Ahh, takes me back..........
Kate (who likes slabs)
Toby Speight
0> In <URL:news:6qck9b$b38$1...@front4.grolier.fr>, Kate wrote:
Kate> Some more nice slabs that I don't think anyone's mentioned
Kate> Peak : Stanage - Don's Delight,HVS ; Impossible Slab,E2
Kate> High Neb Buttress,VS ; Wall End Slab,VS
Kate> Wuthering,E2 ; Grotto Slab,D
and the Green Streak [HVS] (can't omit that one).
Half the routes at Birchen.
Allen's Slab at Brimham [VS] and a few routes of VD-HVS on Cubic
Block.
Dental Slab at Rylstone; Old Lace at Crookrise.
Mayday[S] on Mad Burn Buttress, Skye.
And the biggest easy slab climb of the lot: the Dubh Ridge on Skye
(my favourite Diff anywhere - 900m of beautiful ascent).
--
Toby Speight <URL:mailto:Toby.S...@digitivity.com>
APM Ltd., Poseidon House, Castle Park, Cambridge.
Hillwalking CB3 0RD. Tel +44 1223 568925, Fax +44 1223 359779
resources <URL:http://www.ansa.co.uk/People/tms/cuhc/resources/>
us...@simms.softnet.co.uk
of Arran. A superb three star route with lots of grip ( and you can
interpret that either way!). The only down side is the 300 metre climb from
the path through trackless heather.
Regards,
Phil
Chris Mellor <Ch...@pentire.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<67tWdJAu...@pentire.demon.co.uk>...
> I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
> UK. Any ideas?
>
>
>
David John Pritchard
<Ch...@pentire.demon.co.uk> writes
>I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere in the
>UK. Any ideas?
>
The Roaches
Technical Slab, Wild Thing, Track of The Cat, Wings of Unreason, Smear
Test, Bloodstone, Ascent of Man, Chalkstorm, A brilliant E4 between
Chalkstorm and Rhodren whose name I can not remember, Commander Energy,
Piece of Mind, Obsession Fatale and many more.
Froggat / Curbar
Sunset Slab, Great Slab, Hairless Heart, Heartless Hare, Downhill Racer,
Long Johns Slab, Canoe, Kayak, Finger Distance, White Water just to
mention a few.
--
Dave
simon.h...@virgin.net
- brilliant !!
Charles Arthur
<Toby.S...@digitivity.com> wrote:
> Kate> Kate <URL:mailto:kate...@club-internet.fr>
>
> 0> In <URL:news:6qck9b$b38$1...@front4.grolier.fr>, Kate wrote:
>
> Kate> Some more nice slabs that I don't think anyone's mentioned
> Kate> Peak : Stanage - Don's Delight,HVS ; Impossible Slab,E2
> Kate> High Neb Buttress,VS ; Wall End Slab,VS
> Kate> Wuthering,E2 ; Grotto Slab,D
Wall End Slab Direct (E3 5c). Very fine.
Almost any slab in North and South Pembroke.
S. Pemb: Crystal Slabs. Sunset Boulevard. Baker's Door.
The slab in N Pembroke (can't remember its name) on the back of the
double-volume guide is simply fantastic. As is Uncertain Smile (E2) which
gets a colour pic but is elsewhere in N Pemb.
Charles
--
The Independent on the Web: http://www.independent.co.uk
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Roger Peppe
> Silly Arete (a kind of slab/arete hybrid)
not mentioning the roofy bit halfway up.
stopped me in my tracks, that did. i was expecting a kind
of slab/arete hybrid...
rog.
Toby Speight
0> In <URL:news:67tWdJAu...@pentire.demon.co.uk>, Chris wrote:
Chris> I'm interested in finding out about slab climbing gems anywhere
Chris> in the UK.
The Can at Caley is a classic of the genre. It also happens to be the
slab that's done greatest damage to my body - perhaps that's why they
upgraded it from HVS to E2.
Martin - be warned, it's waiting for you...
David John Pritchard
<Toby.S...@digitivity.com> writes
>
>The Can at Caley is a classic of the genre. It also happens to be the
>slab that's done greatest damage to my body - perhaps that's why they
>upgraded it from HVS to E2.
>
grade (British) of 7b (it probably was before sticky rubber). Now a very
good E5 6b.
--
Dave
Andy 19376
>
>Try Chalkstorm at the Roaches - 5C - lead - E2 - E4 depending on gear
>- brilliant !!
Totally agree, but no side runners please. And those holds just above the break
look suspiciously like hammer marks :(
Andy.
Rob219021
boots start on long rock slabs is excellent, but theres much more than that to
be done
Chris Mellor
Thanks to everyone for their responses. My personal favourites are :-
ARRAN
ROSA SLABS
The popular route - I forget its name.
WEN SLAB
A Dream of White Horses
CLOGGY
Sheaf - fantastic for a VS
Not Great Slab. It's big but it's inconsistent
SLATE
Comes the Dervish
DINAS MOT
Superdirect, Zeta - both better than Diagonal.
Diagonal - great value at 5A
PEMBROKE
BARCUD
Be Brave, Sensible, Careful - all good.
The Great Valerio - tremendous VS slab traverse
LUNDY
Matt Black - mind-boggling 5C with size, protection and impact
All the Slide slab routes
American Shrapnel - great 5C climbing next to ...
American Beauty - even if it is a bit over-rated
Ocean - It's big, big, big.
(Haven't done any Diamond routes. They look superb though)
BAGGY
Peeping Tom - another traverse to drool over
Hot Sweet and Sticky
Gladiator - enjoy it whilst the flake is still there
Midnight Cowboy - 3 lovely pitches
Soft Touch - just brilliant
Terrapin
Undercracker
Etc, etc.
Heart of the Sun might be underrated. You might say PInk Void is a
better VS than Heart of the Sun is an E2. BUt I don't really think so.
CORNAKEY
Wreckers
KENIDJACK
Saxon
Rock Dancer
Would anyone with slab climbing or slab crag pictures that could be used
in a book get in touch please?
Cheers .... Chris
Dr J.S. Marsland
: Some more nice slabs that I don't think anyone's mentioned
: Wales : Dinas Mot - Direct Route, VS ; Diagonal, HVS
: Superdirect, E1 ; Zeta, E3 ;
: Western Slabs, E3
Western Slabs E3? I thought it was VS.
Also recommend West Rib HVS - an unsung classic.
: Peak : Stanage - Don's Delight,HVS ; Impossible Slab,E2
: High Neb Buttress,VS ; Wall End Slab,VS
: Wuthering,E2 ; Grotto Slab,D(done this one
: with my 8 year old son and 60 year old mum)
Add to those Incursion, Incursion Direct, Daydreamer, Nightmare Slab
All the best
--
John
The Yorkshire motto updated: Hear all, see all, say nowt;
Eat all, sup all, pay nowt; Read all, lurk all, post nowt;
And if tha'ever do's owt for nowt allus do it for thi'sen.
Kate
Dr J.S. Marsland a écrit
>Kate wrote:
>: Some more nice slabs that I don't think anyone's mentioned
>
>: Wales : Dinas Mot - Direct Route, VS ; Diagonal, HVS
>: Superdirect, E1 ; Zeta, E3 ;
>: Western Slabs, E3
>
>Western Slabs E3? I thought it was VS.
Ooops, a slip of the keyboard.
Very nice VS it is too
Kate