Trad climbs

Named after the late Ed Stone. [1]

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/mike.t.turner.7/posts/pfbid0L9ispdkySNMHGebcv4stjEWb1f3JWjp32koZqFWBbUGYBDbXmwhL7eFmawDYw4EAl

The hardest route on Dinas Cromlech. 8a climbing with spicy gear.

Originally graded 12a (~7a+) in the mid-80s it went down to 11d after a block at the end of the route broke off leaving a good edge .

Named after the Carlos Castenada book.

John Dunne:

It is undoubtedly one of the best routes on grit, in terms of the line, the position and of course climbing. [1]

References

[1] Yorkshire Gritstone Volume 2, 2014. Page 63.

Originally climbed with no pads and a single ball nut for protection. James gave it E10, believing any fall would involve hitting the ground. Subsequent ascents tested the ball nut (above pads) and found it to be better than expected with the ball nut holding around 20 falls. Based on this, grades around E7 to E8 were suggested.

Due to the falls the quality of the placement deteriorated, with Jordan Buys ripping the gear in a fall from high on the route. It is not clear how reliable the placement currently is. [1]

Now usually climbed as a highball above a big pile of pads.

References

[1] https://johnroberts.me/outdoors/2011/11/the-promise-is-it-finally-the-end-of-the-affair/

First top-roped by Johnny Dawes in 1989, the name refers to the time that he was born.

The first E9 in Scotland. Repeats have taken a slight variation through a line of least resistance, rather than MacLeod's original. [1]

References

[1] Dave MacLeod Moving the Needle, 2024.

A Steve Wunsch project before Barber's impressive nuts-only protected onsight ascent.

References

[1] https://www.henrybarber.com/categories/media/media_1-1.php

[2] https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/henry-barber-interview

FRCC Scawfell Guide 1924:

The most arduous ascent in the Lake District; unexampled exposure; combined tactics and rope engineering essential at one point; not less than three climbers. Rubbers…The difficulties met with are so great that the expedition ranks amongst the world’s hardest. [1]

References

[1] https://www.thebmc.co.uk/100-years-of-central-buttress-scafell

[2] https://footlesscrow.blogspot.com/2014/06/central-buttressnow-and-then.html

[3] https://www.frcc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Journals/Journal-1914.pdf

After making the first ascent with 2 pegs in place Dave Birkett placed a bolt just above the pegs. This was quickly chopped.

Bernard Newman:

It is difficult to understand the reasoning behind such a senseless act - I was always under the impression that a bold lead threw down a challenge to other climbers. If Mr Birkett's intention was to gain fame perhaps he has been successful.

Merely being a good climber is obviously not good enough these days... If, as we understand, he has been manipulated by others one can only feel sorry for him. Now that the precedent for bolting on mountain crags in the Lake District has been set, we can expect a rash of hard new sport climbs on Scafell and Dove Crag and anywhere else that protection requires a little thought and skill to place. [1]

References

[1] Mountain Issue 140 (1991), page 12