Knockin' on Heaven's Door | E8 Trad climb at Curbar Edge

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Probably the first to top-rope the slab, but relied on a crumbly foothold, so passed on the lead.

References

[1] Correspondence, October 2025

First ascent. 5 sessions. Pre-placed gear.

Pollitt had a ‘mare on the first ascent when his foot slipped on some lichen on the exit ramps, far above the peg. He rated it as harder and bolder than his South Stack routes. [1]

Climbed from the right with a pre-placed peg. The peg was seated within the slot using the butt of a hammer, which proved controversial, as did the extensive top rope practice. Pollitt repeated the route four times for photos.

References

[1] ‘Peak Rock’, Vertebrate Publishing, 2013.

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3416013038464847

Second ascent.

Ron had been trying the route on and off for a few years. He came out of ‘retirement’ from hard routes to polish this one off, climbing it in the same style as the FA and declaring it “about E7” [1].

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/andy_pollitt+big_ron_fawcett-9483

Third ascent?

From the right with the peg.

References

[1] On The Edge 63, page 10 /library/11066/on-the-edge-63

A variation on Pollitt's line which allowed some better gear to be placed. Claimed as a new route Born Slippy E8. Later ascents have tended to climb Pollitt's line but have used an unobvious traverse to place the born slippy gear.

References

[1] On The Edge 63, page 9 /library/11066/on-the-edge-63

4 sessions.

Ben was not impressed with Richie Patterson’s renaming of the route and wanted to put things straight with no off-route gear or pegs. He suggested E9 for a solo ascent.

The ascent did not go entirely to plan, as his flared trousers obscured the footholds on the final moves.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 84, page 10

Following the line of Born Slippy.

References

[1] On The Edge 122, page 10.

[2] On The Edge 118, page 12

With the Born Slippy gear but no pegs

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C8H_xwItJbF/

Just a couple of skyhooks. After hold breakage making the top moves harder.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2bdROeVsH4?t=283

Like many of Ben’s hardest ascents from this period, there were no witnesses. Controversy ensued.

I climbed the easiest way up to the gear on Born Slippy, then finished up the slab. Don't know what this is supposed to be but it's the most natural way up the cool slab.

Robertson placed the peg on lead. He took a few falls and generally thought the gear was pretty good!

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/01/roaches_and_curbar_-_hard_grit_repeats-45807

Just to clarify, as the situation with this route is not cut and dried as with most routes. We started up Knockin', made a short traverse left to the bomber gear in a hole just beneath the lip (which Born Slippy climbs a variant start to reach, not really required), then came back along the traverse and finished as per usual, hand-placing a peg on the way (on lead). I believe Alex Honnold headpointed the route a similar way although without the hand-placed pegs and reckoned E8 6c. Both myself and Ryan [Pasquill] think that is about right. You could argue that should the hand-placed peg hold then its more like E7 6c, but its far from a certainty and its probably sensible to assume it will rip, hence the back-up plan of the Born Slippy gear, which would almost certainly prevent a groundfall with a decent belay.

I was a lot more scared than on both End of the Affair and Gaia. I'd say it's definitely worth E8. Placing the pegs for the first time on lead wasn't ideal. I placed them slightly to the left of where they should have been. I didn't trust them at all.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/10/ryan_pasquill_flashes_knockin_on_heavens_door-58563

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/11/katy_whittaker_on_knockin_on_heavens_door-68537

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/BaKHAYylZzL/