Newcomers meet

Stanage Newcomers Meet April 2026

Members: Andy Stratford & Mich Harrison (Meet Leaders), Jared Kitchen, Rory Marsden, Stevie Graham, Harry Potts, Phil Mitchell, Jess Bailey, Kosta Belajev, Luke Cullum, Lynne Williams, Claire Hawkins

Prospective Members: Adam Sackfield, Tom Middleton, James Martin, Amee Cosby, Paul Gray, Edward Backhouse, Frankie Jackson, Max Hulse, Ian Goodall, Harry Collin, Kat Peever.

Guests: Noah Macey, Nathaniel Middleton

The team showed fortitude through a day of sunshine, chilly winds, brief light showers but good climbing conditions on an early season Saturday at a popular end that didn’t feel too busy. For the first time in a few years there were no Ring Ouzel related bird restrictions, so we were able to start around the Black Hawk area – and keeping on the bird theme we heard the squawks of a feral parrot all day!

We split mostly into teams of three with a bit of mix and match and recounting who did what is beyond the level of detail needed!

The number of leads of routes is perhaps a better guide…

Black Hawk Hell Crack S 4a x 5, Black Hawk Traverse Left VD x 4, Castle Crack HS 4b x 3, Flying Buttress HVD 4a x 3, Hollybush Crack VD x 2, Crack and Corner S 4b x 2, Heather Wall VS 4c x 2, Lancashire Wall VS 5a x 2, Physiology VD x 2, Providence E1 5c x 2,

Manchester Buttress HS 4b, Garden Wall S, Leaning Buttress Indirect VD, Leaning Butress Crack VD,  Soft Shoe HS 4b , Bishops Route S 4a, Right Hand Trinity S 4a, Gargoyle Buttress variant HS 4b, Gargoyle Butress VS 4b, Tinkers Crack VS 4c, Cool Groove S 4b, Eliminator HVS 5b, Anatomy VD , The Wedge VS 5a, Right Wall Route HVD 4a, Sociology S, Straight Chimney VD all had one ascent except Anatomy VD – which had a second and was prospective member Max Hulse’s first trad lead.

By 3pm the sun had come out and things were warming up, and by the time we got to the Scotsman’s Pack in Hathersage at 6pm the beer garden was bathed in warm sunshine – a great finish to a very well attended newcomers meet.

Many thanks to all the members who came and climbed with a great bunch of new folk.

Andy

 

Andy Stratford