Earl Crag
It's been a while since I've visited Yorkshire gritstone and I had a free morning yesterday so decided to head up to Earl crag.
I've never been up to Earl before, and supposedly it's a good crag to visit at this time of year, in other words it's bloody cold in winter,nay unclimbable.
I arrived at the tower and having never visited the crag before I cut straight down to the crag and decided to work my way along from left to right (facing out).
This turned out to be a mistake, firstly because there weren't many problems I wanted to do at this end due to the shocking landings and general highball nature of the problems, and secondly to traverse to the other end involves scrambling across jumbles and jumbles of rocks strewn everywhere.
It didn't seem to be a very friendly crag and by now I was quite pissed off and grumpy. I was short of time.. Eventually I made it to the low block right of trick arete area, and set to on the sistart on the right which goes straight from the jug to the top. In the Total climbing guide this is given 6b, but it felt a lot easier (the more I use this guide, the more I dislike it...). I flashed it.
Then I tried the 6a to the left which involves going off the jug, left to a pocket, then a big move to the arete and up. Really nice problem, I enjoyed this.
Next I tried Trick arete (6b), but could barely even get off the ground. This seems a bit knacky, so I gave it up as a bad job. I moved on.
The sloping beauty area was next, and I got on to the Hanging Groove - 6b or 6c for the true sitstart. This felt nails and although I made progress, think it's one to come back to.
I was really impressed by the quality of the rock at Earl, in spite of getting a bit wound up at actually moving about the crag, and definitely think it would be worth a revisit.
After a scout about further along I had to go, so clambered up to the top path and went home.
Next time I think this is the way I'll come in...
I've never been up to Earl before, and supposedly it's a good crag to visit at this time of year, in other words it's bloody cold in winter,nay unclimbable.
I arrived at the tower and having never visited the crag before I cut straight down to the crag and decided to work my way along from left to right (facing out).
This turned out to be a mistake, firstly because there weren't many problems I wanted to do at this end due to the shocking landings and general highball nature of the problems, and secondly to traverse to the other end involves scrambling across jumbles and jumbles of rocks strewn everywhere.
It didn't seem to be a very friendly crag and by now I was quite pissed off and grumpy. I was short of time.. Eventually I made it to the low block right of trick arete area, and set to on the sistart on the right which goes straight from the jug to the top. In the Total climbing guide this is given 6b, but it felt a lot easier (the more I use this guide, the more I dislike it...). I flashed it.
Then I tried the 6a to the left which involves going off the jug, left to a pocket, then a big move to the arete and up. Really nice problem, I enjoyed this.
Next I tried Trick arete (6b), but could barely even get off the ground. This seems a bit knacky, so I gave it up as a bad job. I moved on.
The sloping beauty area was next, and I got on to the Hanging Groove - 6b or 6c for the true sitstart. This felt nails and although I made progress, think it's one to come back to.
I was really impressed by the quality of the rock at Earl, in spite of getting a bit wound up at actually moving about the crag, and definitely think it would be worth a revisit.
After a scout about further along I had to go, so clambered up to the top path and went home.
Next time I think this is the way I'll come in...
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