10 Gritstone Edges Challenge

Attendees: Trish Cranston, Dave Dillon, Robert Clark, Alex, Jane, Rachel Ketley, Al Metelko.

 

Saturday. As meet leader, I had plans to do the last 5 crags and thereby leave a car near the Robin Hood Inn while staying the night at the CC hut near Froggatt. Luckily Trish was up for it but unfortunately it was somewhat wet, it didn't stop raining until early evening in the Peak. Climbing on each crag was not an option so we walked this section, leaving my car at 7:30pm which was very much too late arriving at the hut around 11 in darkness.

 

Sunday. Trish drove the relatively short distance to Stanage where the A-Team (Rob and Wavey) were already waiting, 15 minutes later the rest of the group arrived. As the A-Team were ready they headed off at 9am sharp and the rest of the group split into 2 teams - Alex and Jane - Trish, Rachel and myself.

I'm not going to list the routes done by each team but had the A-Team not waited and done more than the one route on each crag, and have the time to take photos (see web site) they would almost certainly have completed the 10 edges. Never the less we ended up a team of 7 and therefore doomed to not completing the challenge, however I felt we all had a more interesting and enjoyable day. It was 5:30pm when we finished the 5th crag, Laurencefield, the next being Yarncliff. Burbage Brook was the point of no return, as there was maybe only one more climbing possibility we decided instead to walk back to the cars at Stanage. Logically I should have left the group at this point and walked on to my car. As I needed a lift to the Robin Hood Inn we all decided to have a meal there, unfortunately they stop serving at 7 on Sundays. Also the next pub just stopped serving food as we were buying our drinks. The convoy continued to Chapel where we all sat down to a curry.

Thanks to Rob and Wavey for leading up the hardest routes of the day and giving other members of the team a chance to second them.

Al Metelko