Zac Poulton: Scrambling

Showing posts with label Scrambling. Show all posts

Saturday, 29 September 2012

Threading the Needle

Threading Napes Needle

Today I've been out with a group of managers from Outward Bound Eskdale. None of them had explored the Wasdale valley before so we trekked up to Sty Head Tarn between the showers. From the MRT box we picked up the Gable traverse path which leads below Kern Knotts to the iconic landmark of Napes Needle. Threading the Needle was tricky in the damp conditions but with everyone safely over we continued the adventure by climbing behind the Sphinx as well. A fairly direct descent brougght us back to the Wasdale Head Inn in order to sample some of the local ale.

Scrambling across Gable towards Sphinx Rock

Descending back into Wasdale

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

Pinnacle Ridge

Puzzling out the suspended slab

Rain, wind, hail, sunshine and repeat, paying special attention to all those walkers still attired in shorts! We were slightly better dressed as we headed up Grisedale and the classic Pinnacle Ridge. Heavy showers were sweeping across from the west but there was just enough sun and a drying wind to allow us to make an uneventful ascent. Overall the friction was pretty good with just the occasional greasy foot hold to focus the mind. Full marks to Sue for innovative use of a nut key to hook the top edge of the suspended slab which was just out of reach! We extended our day by traversing over Fairfield for a late lunch in the Priest Hole before descending the long Hartsop Above How ridge.

Topping out on Fairfield

Monday, 10 September 2012

Pigs in the attic...

Jude on Corvous in the rain in 2011

It has been suggested that MIC stands for 'meet in cafe' or 'must ingest coffee!'. Both correct today as we retreated from Borrowdale in the face of driving rain. A few hours later we were back and braved the elements to head up Comb Gill, everyone's favorite location for climbing in the ming. However we weren't heading for the classic Corvous, which we'd climbed in similar conditions last year, but for Dove Nest Crag on the opposite side of the valley. This promised an interesting Diff and a couple of scrambles on a unique cliff. A large landslide has created a playground of chimneys and tunnels among a series of stacked blocks. It is still potentially unstable and the caving aspect should be avoided but the face and chimney routes provide plenty of entertainment. We started up Outside Route, a 75m Diff. The first pitch proved harder than anything on Corvous so we diverted on to the Attic Cave scramble which wriggled and twisted through some very impressive scenery to the obvious cave. We descended by the same route and squelched our way back to the car.

As for the pigs in the title. Well a very surreal moment where we were ambushed by two large Gloucester Old Spots as we crossed the first field on the normal Corvous path. An unusual sight in the Lakeland fells but they were friendly enough, just wanting a quick scratch between the ears!