Around the Moors in Eighty Ways

This weeks mission myself and Steve headed up and along to Camp Hill. Another power trudge along the full ridge from Castleton! A couple of tiny quarries later and a total loss of enthusiam after 45 minutes. A nice little oasis appeared. And at long last Camp Hill crag with its host of boulders were in view.
The first cluster was a good little diversion from the crag boulders as it held the best vertical line we had seen in the moors. Possibly been done before? but maybe not from sit? with a even fainter line to the left?

Ready for the first left hand painful crux

Heels on

 Phileas Fogg Font 7a+*** SS

The moves are Technical and a sustained Font 7a+ from sit 6c+ from standing.

The area in all had a lot of problems in the Font 5+ grade and some harder eliminates. but not so many pure hard lines. I enjoyed some good low-ball problems with some bizarre moves I am always keen for any kind of strange contorted movement however high.

Knee-deep Font 6a+* SS

A good while was spent on a line on the lower bolder a hard arete eliminate using the arete only for hands (possibly 7b** SS) excellent moves to the top, Steve got the moves and just missed the best bit of the top sloper! damn!

Lower arete

Hopefully there will be some video of the day from Steve. Yet again another great days bouldering in the North Yorkshire Moors. Cheers

Moors Attacks

Steve Ramsden's footage of some of the Moors nice finds. Good work Steve.

Moors Attacks from Ram Man on Vimeo.

Stormy Hall Topo

The shortest walk in on the Moors to a few *** problems  

and only 50p. Worth it for the Body Torque Prow

Click here to buy it

A Grand Tour

The day started with a hearty breakfast at Tescos, were Steve (Aka Ram Man) was getting dropped off, we had agreed to do some major scouting out of the bouldering at Ingleby Incline with a few diversions on the way, the first one being......

A Fine Traverse at Ravenswick

The Second Crux

Ravenswick Quarry - a great little limestone crag with a steep wall you can climb on in the rain, a short walk in (2mins), lots of eliminates and some harder traverse test pieces. The one above is on the lower platform in the quarry alcove, starting from sit on the far right of the break and using the crack only for hands once you have gained the break. It's entertaining as the crux moves are at the beginning and the end, all in all a pumpy, sustained but worth while SS F6b, no feet in the break under the lip! a great warm up

Body Torque Block

The next stop was Stormy Hall, for some unfinished business, and to introduce Steve to the Project, Body Torque. He seemed very happy with the find, and after some good hard attempts and change of technique, dispatched the crux in a true Ramsden manner, using this equation (power + technique x determination = success)

Body Torque F7a+*** Hard

Other problems done were Angry Woodlouse SS F6c**, on the face behind the Body Torque prow - a good jug to start, to any of the left hand side-pulls, then pop for the top. Very precise moves, pure class. 

Next was linking the moves to the bottom boulder traverse on some slopers - not too hard but I was too pumped out to finish the job!

SS at the Heather using the upper slopers

Finally over to Ingleby for some power trudging, checking out the first half of what the area has to offer.

As we got there Steve spied a monster block, just on the edge of the felled woodland. It was something to drool over for sure and it held about six lines with a bit of cleaning. Steve got straight onto the left arete, quite entertaining watching him palm lichen with a bad landing! 

I decided to clean the central line, hanging upside down from a holly tree to clean the not so good holds at the top. This proved very worthwhile as the line fell in true three star fashion, after some bold attempts, on a high top crux, lead to a very morpho end to a fine moors test piece, Waylander 6c+*** (for me one of the best lines I have done in moors to date).

Ingleby is full of potential, Having seen projects I would go back to attempt and share with any other eager esoteric beavers! The area is too vast to do in a day, but a return visit is definitely on the cards.

Steve pressing hard on Waylander 6c+*** 

Steve will be making a video of the problems - coming soon. 

Saturdays Main Event

Sorry for the quality of this video, but my camcorder has gone to camcorder heaven!

This is Franco Cookson on the impressive Danby Arete.

The Hypocrisy of Moose*** H7 6c E8?

Danby and the Sublime Arete

Back on the Moors again, this time joining Dave and Franco, Franco was feeling ready to lead his project at Danby Crag, I was keen to join them and video and take pictures of the ascent. before even getting to Franco's, I spied some tasty boulders off the road on the way into Castleton! so we went up to warm up before going to Danby

Franco warming up at the Stormy Hall Boulders F6a+

Body Torque a Painful Prow Project! F7b?

After setting up the video and working out the best place to shot the Arete, I went for an investigate the very dark mossy boulders below, surprisingly finding three good lines.

Good Save the Green F6a+*

The Great Rock and Roll Swindle F6b**
Up the centre of the scoop

The other being the left arete from sit, on the block above, thanks to Dave for the Photos. By the time i was done, Franco was ready to lead, The arete

Setting off

Gear Placed

The Hypocrisy of Moose*** H7 6c (E8?)

FA Franco Cookson, Dave Warburton (shunted the crux moves) 10/04/2010

The route Follows the right arete of the Twin Aretes Buttress. Bold and blind side pulls and undercuts lead to good gear in a suspect flake and a lower tricam. Make further harder and blinder moves to a good edge and a large finishing rockover, which is a worrying distance from your gear.

Flowing technical moves, with a beautiful sequence of off-balance gastons. The onsight grade was based on the RPs not being that bomber- ripping out on Franco's onsight attempt. It might be safe, but the flake does move!

An awsome route, it was great to be there to witness it, thanks, yet another great day in the moors.

Rosedale Topo

Some good clean North Yorkshire Moors Lines

Buy the Topo for a mere 50p here Betaguides Rosedale Topo

A Very Lucky Easter

Heading up to the Moors with the weather forecast as it was, seemed a bit crazy, wet sandstone is a bit of a no go! Saturday a visit to sodden Stoupe Brow on the Two Sisters, an amazing pair of boulders with some bold future lines, a few goes at some projects, not a good idea as the foot holds were wet.
Had a skeg at some good lines-plenty to return to. May even don a harness to have a go at some of Franco and Dave's routes (shock horror-says the wife!).

Stoupe Brow

Piton Crack

Sit Start to a rising arete

Woke up early Sunday and dashed off in the morning light to investigate further round the Brow. Bumped into some old friends from the Highlands! 

Found a nice overhanging block with spectacular views across to Robin Hood's Bay.

We headed on to Rosedale keen to check out some blocks down in the valley (Any excuse to get a visit to the Lion Inn!)

Lion Arete, Rosedale head F6a ***

Working a hard sit start to a project - traverse along a band of ironstone nodules the up to small crimps

On the south side of the Lion Boulder, on a sunny afternoon break between the showers. This one has a mane of heather growing on top (Nothing to do with the pub!?).

Project - an erstwhile effort, but didn't make it to the top

The problem 'Beer' 6b+* a great drink beloved by Jason and Steve

Rosedale Monologue F6b**

On from here to the Rosedale Monolith it  had a central project on curved sloping rails (Albert and the Lion?) was attempted initially, then a top-out was achieved on the arete (Rosedale Monologue).

Rosedale Monolith-Shows the angle

Final moves on the overhanging arete (Rosedale Monologue)

Thrill Seeker

Is this how climbing makes you feel? this picture sums it up for me perfectly.

You are in control with the need for some excitement, who cares about the landing!