Birchen Edge Lead Training Day

If you read my last post re bouldering, you'll know I'm currently injured. However, a couple of friends of mine were looking at leading their first routes outdoors and so we'd set up this trip a couple of weeks ago. I didn't want to cancel and also figured that if I chose the right venue, somewhere slabby, strain on my arms would be minimal.

So I settled on Birchen Edge, which turned out to be the perfect choice!

Unfortunately, one of the guys had to drop out which left myself, Adam and Nathan. We set up below Trafalgar Wall. Nathan had decided he didn't want to be on routes so much today and was happy to just potter around with the bouldering mat and so it was myself and Adam who set up for the first route.

Trafalgar Wall....Trafalgar Crack takes the, well, crack. The party to the left are on Camperdown Crawl with Trafalgar Wall taking the rh side of the slab direct.

I put a bit of thought into what routes to do. Adam had only climbed outdoors once before and that was on quarried grit on a 'transition to rock' one day course. Climbing 6b+/6c indoors and bouldering up to V5 ish, I knew he could climb. But, and it's a big but.......climbing on grit edges is different and particularly on cracks and slabs, where everything you've ever been taught about indoor wall climbing techniques, pretty much goes out of the window! So it would be good for Adam not just from a technical perspective (setting up belays, placing gear etc) but also from a climbing technique view point. I chose first to lead Trafalgar Wall itself at S 4b. This route is all about slopers for hands and grit friction for feet. I ran through some tips for Adam....keep your heels low and your body away for the rock, think about where your centre of gravity is and position yourself accordingly, shoulders back on slopers etc. We were both up in no time!

Next up, time to get Adam on his first lead. We ran through gear placement tips and then Adam set off up Trafalgar Crack at VDiff. Nice climbing with lots of gear and a variety of gear too with opportunities to place hexes, nuts and cams. Adam was soon up with no problems at all and so I made my way up to join him and set up the belay. We went through the mechanics of belays, the thought processes in terms of set up, fall directions, load factors etc. We used different knots and I explained why we use them and when. I really enjoy passing on all I've learnt over the years!

By the time we were down, Nathan had re joined us. I think he had been put off a little by Birchen's reputation for being a 'beginners crag' and was maybe expecting all easy routes and queues for each! However, having walked the crag, I think he was pleasantly surprised! He asked if he could join in and chose a line also along Trafalgar Wall which is Camperdown Crawl HS 4c. The crux is low down, a steep pull off a sloping ledge via thin crack and onto the slab itself. I opted out of this one due to the steep pull and really not wanting to aggravate my already aching tendons any further however, both Nathan followed by Adam, really enjoyed the route.

 

Adam cruising Camperdown Crawl HS4c



Next up was Promenade Direct HVD 4a which I chose to lead. Unprotected balancy slab moves lead to a break and gear then a step right to finish up the exposed arête. A really nice route which probably deserves Severe.

 



 

 

Promenade Direct HVD 4a



We then moved further along the crag to the Emmas Slab area and with Adams lead again, I pointed him in the Direction of Emmas Dilemma at S4a. It's a tough little severe this one and although there is lots of gear, in places it's quite difficult to place and really involves good foot and body positioning to find the most comfortable position. A calm head is needed in these situations and I thought it would be good experience for Adam. A steep pull onto the wall gains the crack which is then followed throughout with a tricky bulge at half height. Placing gear to protect the bulge move is where its awkward but Adam managed it no problem at all!

 

 









 









Adam setting up belay after solving the mystery of Emmas Dilemma S4a

 

It was now Nathans lead again and he chose another slabby number in The Crow Nest VS4c. After yet another steep pull onto the wall (a theme of this crag is that the starts of routes tend to be steep and sometimes even undercut and so the crux's tend to be low down sometimes giving the routes lopsided grades like HS 5c!) the slab climbing that follows is really cool and well protected, a cracking route for any aspirant VS leader maybe new to leading grit slabs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belaying Nathan on The Crows Nest VS 4c

 

 

We saved the best til last and our final 2 routes of the day would be on Sail Buttress. There are 3 Birchen routes in Ken Wilsons tickfest that is Classic Rock - Powder Monkey Parade; Sail Buttress and Topsail. I chose to lead Topsail at VS 4c. A short groove leads to a superb thread runner before a steep pull over a roof and a pad up the finishing slab to safety. It's no pushover despite its stature and as with all overhangs, footwork is the key! It's a little gem of a route and a must tick for any VS leader.

 

 



Finishing off the top slab on Topsail VS 4c

Committing moves over the roof on Topsail VS 4c

Last route of the day and it was only fitting that it should be Adams lead. Sail Buttress is a cracking HS 4b that starts with a difficult mantle onto a ledge and then an airy traverse out above the big roof and onto the slabby arête up which it finishes. Again the crux moves on the traverse are well protected but it's still a committing sequence and would be a test for a new leader. Adam strolled up it, a perfect finish to a cracking day!

 

 

 

Adam polishing off the crux sequence on Sail Buttress HS 4b

 

Adam on the top slab of Sail Buttress HS 4b

 

 

 

Birchen Edge is a marvellous little crag. Yes the routes are on the short side but you know, sometimes good things come in small packages so don't let stature cloud your judgement over quality because you'll be missing out!

 

 



 



Bouldering Day

Woke up to glorious sunshine this morning and so decided it was too good an opportunity to miss, no climbing partners available though so bouldering it would have to be.

I headed over to Brownstones, a famous little quarry just outside Bolton in Lancashire. Many a top climber have cut their teeth and honed their skills at Brownstones over the years and there are many test piece problems put up by such Lancs stalwarts as Hank Pasquill to name just one.

The crag is split into a number of sections with lots to go at even at the lower end of the grade scale. I set up camp beside Ash Pit Slab. This is one of the higher stretches of the crag and the problems hereabouts can be considered high ball. A fall from the top moves here is going to hurt a bit definitely.

I warmed up on a couple of problems I'd done before, Analogue and Degree Crack (4c and 5a in old money). Nexus on the overhanging wall adjacent to Ash Pit Slab is a pumpy little number at 4c with a tricky top out especially for harassed climbers!

Then the main event.......I'd come to do Digitation and Directissima. It had been a long time since I could manage these 2 problems so it would be a good indication of how I'm climbing and progress, if any, that has been made. I manage to get Directissima on my 3rd attempt......foot kept slipping off a crucial smear low down but once I managed to stick to this and stand up, the rest was really nice. I flashed Digitation and was delighted! A rarity this problem, a quarried grit slab! Tiny crimps, mostly sloping for the hands and not much more than smears for feet, the first move off the good foothold being the key move, then the trick is to just keep moving and hope the friction holds out!

I did a few more problems after that, Layback at 5a and Parrs Crack at 5c amongst others before warming down on a neat little traverse along one of the side walls. I managed to tick 11 problems and was really pleased with myself.

Lester enjoying the sun whilst Dad falls off stuff!



The evening session saw me team up with Nathan and Matt for a spot of esoterica up at Ashworth Moor between Bury and Rochdale. It's not the biggest bouldering venue in the world but that said, there are some quality problems and we settled on a stretch of wall in the sun! Pretty much the whole of this stretch sees every problem having to surmount a low down roof. Powerful and dynamic moves were the order of the day here.

We managed to tick From Concnetrate sit start at F6a.....it's all about the body position; Yawning Arms sit 5+; Into the Cleft sit 6a quite a fierce layback number; and then the best til last...Black Hole 6a+ which I managed to flash albeit having seen beta from the chaps!

Me spotting Matt on Black Hole 6a+ on a fantastic evening at Ashworth Moor



I had a fantastic day, although it came at a price! Severe tendon problems in both arms now but mainly the right. A combination of over climbing, not resting properly inbetween sessions and not warming up properly has led me to a place where now only complete rest will solve the problem. It may even be worse than that but I'll see where I am in a couple of weeks time and go from there.

Yep, I pushed myself!



Stanage Plantation

Nathan and I headed out to Stanage Plantation last weekend with no particular plan other than to try to avoid at least most of the crowds. Stanage is a wonderful edge with miles of stunning grit lines to choose from and yet there are places along its buttresses which become so jam packed with folk there are literally queues to get on routes......I don't do queuing for routes!

Glorious day at Stanage.....and not a soul about!

Plantation for me is a much better area than the Popular end anyway. Classic routes on magnificent buttresses and the base strewn with some outstanding boulders sporting classic lines themselves including the superb 'Not to be Taken Away', 'Crescent Arete' and 'Brad Pit'.

We made our base camp alongside 'Brad Pit' as it happened and I chose a line as a warm up called 'Hot Spur' HS 4b. Another slabby number (I seem to be favouring the more technical slabby routes at the moment, in love with the grit friction!), it starts from a block below the buttress, a steep step across gets you established on the route proper, then it's just nice climbing finishing with a balancey couple of moves up an exposed rib. A nice pleasant start.......and in no way in keeping with the rest of the day!

Me setting up belay atop Hot Spur HS 4b

In fact, it was probably THE worst warm up route I could have chosen! Nathans lead next and we were both eyeing up another slabby route or two......except that Nathans eye was constantly found wandering over to the magnificent line that is Goliaths Groove! He pondered whether to do something else first and then announced "right, let's do it"!

I'd done GG many moons before although weirdly for such an amazing line, I couldn't remember too much about it. I didn't lead it, I remember that much but as for the route and the climbing itself, nope, nothing! After what was to come, I suspect this may have been a kind of voluntary memory loss!

Nathan 'tooling up' pre battle!

We got the gear sorted and Nathan racked up. He had settled on a plan of attack which basically involved treating the lower wider section of the crack as an off width. He would position his left hand side into the crack itself and face right and so he racked all his gear on his rh side. I suggested he get up to a point, place some gear and then come back down for a breather before setting off for a big push. Nathan agreed and off he went.

What a struggle! There was a fixed wire nut just below the final bulge of the first section that Nathan would clip en route if solid enough. He got to just below this and placed a big cam, clipped and retreated, exhausted! It was slow going and looked extremely hard work. Jam left leg into crack, get some sort of left arm jam and somehow manage to inch upwards! Nothing on the walls either side, no holds no nothing really!

what seemed like hours of struggle and this was our high point!

'no hands' rest above the final bulge!

After a number of attempts this way Nathan retreated and sat slumped below the route absolutely shattered. I'd mentioned trying to layback the thing. It seemed the only logical solution to me so I asked if he minded if I jumped on it and I think he was quite relieved to let someone else get on the sharp end for a while! I decided not to rack up thinking there was no point if I couldn't do the first section, I'd see how it went to the gear Nathan had fixed and if it went ok I'd come back down and gear up. I wasn't sure how it would go really and so set off with no expectations......I certainly wasn't expecting to be at the gear in seconds and surprisingly easily.....but I was! Gear clipped, I returned to ground for a breather. I'd even reached the fixed wire but having no draws on me I couldn't clip it. Buoyed by my small success and some new beta for the route, Nathan, on the verge of admitting defeat, decided he'd like one more go at the thing. Confessing that he hadn't done much laybacking, he set off, like myself, with no expectations at all, in fact probably secretly thinking we'd got no chance on this route, it had beaten us. Not at all! Up he went, reached his gear, past it, managed to clip the fixed wire and he was now in unchartered territory.......this might just go! A couple more moves and he'd be over the first bulge and at a position where he could rest. A big push, words of encouragement from me and he was over and sat on the half way ledge! The crux was done, surely it would be easy from now on in? Not at all. Our previous efforts had clearly taken their toll. Nathan moved up to the second bulge, it was a struggle, he was nearly there and I wasn't about to let him give up now. One more layback, go on, big push and yes, he was over, it was done! It was a fantastic effort really, just sheer tenacity and bloody mindedness got him up it, brilliant stuff!

Nathan on the summit

I seconded it, managing the first section really well but come the second bulge I had nothing left, mentally and physically I felt shot to bits. I had two tries but just couldn't get over the thing. I've analysed this in my head since and this is the honest conclusion I've come to.........after the time we'd spent on the route, I just wanted to get off the thing now, either up or lowered back down. I therefore wasn't thinking about the climbing. I was flailing about up there instead of working the thing out. The upper section walls have holds on, it isn't just a crack up there and I know that if I'd gotten my feet right, my body positioned better, thought about things more, I'd have done this route. It's another learning curve and another lesson I'm happy to take.

I was really pleased for Nathan though. This route is tough, very tough. No one move wonder here, it is relentless and it never stops wanting to hurt you! His sheer determination was to be admired.

So that was us for the day, 2 routes in 6 hours and we were absolutely battered......but that's good isn't it?!

Esoteric Heaven

I love climbing, in case you hadn't noticed! Mostly I enjoy the freedom, being outdoors, the fresh air, the scenery, it all adds to the experience. Occasionally though, I get to visit those less popular crags, the esoteric side of the climbing venue, where beauty is less obvious at first glance.

One such place is Pinfold Quarry in Lancashire. About a 5 minute car journey from the centre of Bury and yet so hidden away, the place is known only to a few die hards and rarely gets a visit.

One of our club members Nathan, has been re discovering Pinfold recently and along with 2 others, Jim and Matt, I decided to tag along with them to see just what Pinfold has to offer.

The crag is small, probably less than 50 or so routes, mainly in the higher grades. The rock is loose in places and care is needed.......that jug you're about to pull on, make sure it's solid and not holding up the rest of the crag! That just adds to the excitement though!

To make matters worse however, it appears that the landowner has dumped what appears to be an oil/fat like substance down some of the walls, making climbing nigh on impossible and definitely not pleasant at all!

In fact, all that is left is a small section of wall capped by a large overhang at mid height. Fortunately, it is this section of wall where the better routes seem to be mainly concentrated and so this is where we set our stall up.

When I arrived, the chaps had already warmed up on a HVS 5a and Nathan was starting his second lead of the day on Necromicon Arete E2 5c. A boulder problem start leads to a ledge. Arrange gear as best you can then make an airy traverse out onto the front face above the overhang then make a difficult rockover onto a decent hold on the arête and finish up this. I watched the others do the route, Jim in particular did really well considering he'd climbed outdoors just 3 times before! Then it was my turn.

The boys had left the gear in to protect the traverse so once I'd removed this, I suddenly became aware just how much of a swing I'd be on if I came off the thing. Falling wasn't really an option. I found the traverse really nice and even managed to do it with a bit of style! Now for the crux rockover......except I couldn't get my 50 year old hips to flex enough to get my foot high on the hold. A crimp for the rh and side pull on the arête for the lh, smear for the right foot and I was up on the hold and route was done. Nice! 5c......well I'd love to say I've ticked my first outdoors 5c for many moons but if I'm honest, I'm not sure it's 5c. Still a very worthwhile route though and that traverse will feel E2 on lead no doubt.

Matt topping out on Necromicon Arete E2 5c 2 scoop takes the thin crack right of the overhang and through the roof above  direct

Next up To Scoop or not 2 scoop E3 5c. This route is nails! Up a thin crack to the overhang then surmount this direct......simple, not! Long story short, none of us managed it, even on a toppie! Nathan managed to 'dog' the route after much huffing and puffing. I managed to get over the roof but not able to stand up above it! So, this is the same grade as the previous route, hmmm, I'm not so sure. One of them if not both, are graded wrong for me and I suspect this route is nearer 6a and maybe harder (I'm in the process of seeing if it's lost a hold or 2 since the FA!).

Finally, Nathan led an E1 5a called Suck it and See. A nice route and bang on the grade I'd say, which was making a refreshing change! again start up a thin crack, over the overlap to the break, traverse this for about 5 metres then tackle the wall direct to the top. Nothing too taxing and the gear Nathan placed looked to be solid. It has no stars this route but I think it's worth one definitely.

And that was it for the afternoon.

In summary, would I visit Pinfold again? Probably not in its current state to be fair but if you've never been and are looking for an afternoons entertainment then it's well worth an hour or two of your time. I understand the chaps from Lancashire Rock Revival are on the case regarding the dumping of the waste material so hopefully something can be done and the rest of the crag opened up for climbing again.