Evening Meets at Wharncliffe Crags
Wharncliffe Crags
Wed 13th Aug, 2014
Meet around Great Buttress/Puttrells Progress area
Members- Dan O’Brien and Andy Stratford
“Whatever happened the Popular Peoples Front?” “He’s over there… Splitter!” – The Life of Brian
The risk of a soaking from the last hurrah of Hurricane Bertha and a lackluster forecast from the doughty Norwegians at yr.no was enough to persuade a significant contingent of the KMC that summer was over and that a session at Awesome Walls was the most sensible plan for Wednesday evening. For the hardier (or foolhardy?) however there was no real choice - the compact gritstone* of Wharncliffe was calling. Our optimism was rewarded with a warm and sunny, if breezy evenings climbing.
Wharncliffe is a crag with such history, with Puttrell first visiting in 1890 and putting up routes that still stand the test of time, it was a shame to arrive to find a significant amount of graffiti spray-painted around swathes of the Great Buttress area (though not on any of the routes as far as I can tell…) If I ever meet GEM we are going to have words – though at least paint will eventually wash off unlike the carvings of the 1950s from an age where youngsters had more respect…
Andy and I climbed Himellswilen, a completely unspellable classic VS which felt high in the grade - especially when I was taking a knee-bar no-hands rest and Andy was stuggling to reach any of the gear I had selfishly placed at the extent of my reach. A classic nonetheless. Next came Andy leading Tower Face, a heavily starred HS with some excellent technical climbing. We finished with a solo and top-rope attempt on Tensile Test (E1), a short but fingery wall climb with no gear to speak of – I was certainly glad of the extra confidence provided by the crash-pad.
Other routes climbed were Forget Me Not (S), Alpha Crack (D), Beta Crack (S), Romulus (VD), Remus (S), Fly Wall (HS), Fly Wall Gully (M) and Black Slab (Left, Centre and Right – VD).
As there were only two of us in the pub and with myself not planning to attend next week you would think it would be easy to settle on a venue… What followed was an in-depth discussion on the merits of Lancashire quarries over natural moorland edges. The moorland edges won out – it seems the potential for midges I the quarries is still a deterrent – Windgather next week!
Dan
*Coal Measures Sandstone according to Andy
Back to Current !!!!
If you are considering coming along to a club meet, please read the following:-
Participation Statement
"I accept that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a risk of personal injury or death. I am aware of and shall accept these risks and wish to participate in these activities voluntarily and shall be responsible for my own actions and involvement."
More Evening Meets:
During the spring and summer months evening meets are held outdoors at local crags, usually on Wednesdays, weather permitting. Keep an eye on the scribbles for the latest information. Indoor climbing wall meets start again in the autumn.
Some lucky people may be able to get out climbing nice and early, but this will vary depending on work hours and the traveling distance. Generally you should find KMC climbers at the crag by 6pm and some might still be there after its gone dark.
If you have any questions about coming along to a meet, or if you want to try and arrange car sharing, etc., then just send us an e-mail. For the latest information check the Scribble pages.
Outdoor Climbing Venues Used:
Alderman Rocks, Chew Valley (17)Aldery Cliff (3)
Anglezarke Quarry (16)
Ashworth Moor Quarry (1)
Bamford Edge (9)
Beeston Tor (1)
Blackstone Edge (5)
Bridestones (West Yorkshire) (1)
Broadbottom Quarry (2)
Brownstones (3)
Cadshaw Rocks (6)
Castle Naze (23)
Coire an t'Sneachda (1)
Cow's Mouth Quarry, Littleborough (15)
Deeply Vale (3)
Den Lane, Uppermill (13)
Denham Quarry (8)
Dovestones Edge, Chew Valley (17)
Dovestones Lower Left Quarry (1)
Egerton Quarry (4)
Froggatt Edge (2)
Harpur Hill Quarry (13)
Helsby (14)
Hen Cloud (2)
Heptonstall (7)
Hobson Moor Quarry (44)
Hollywood Park Boulder (2)
Horseshoe Quarry (5)
John Wayne Memorial Crag (1)
Kinder Downfall (2)
Lester Mill Quarry (2)
Longford Park Boulder (3)
Millstone Edge (7)
Misty Wall, Kinder Northern Edge (1)
Moving Buttress, Cheedale (1)
New Mills Torrs (12)
Pex Hill (5)
Pot Hole Quarry (2)
Pots and Pans Quarries (2)
Pule Hill, Marsden (16)
Ramshaw Rocks (8)
Ravensdale (1)
Ravenstones - Chew Valley (1)
Reddyshore Scout (2)
Roaches Lower Tier (1)
Roaches Upper Tier (7)
Robs Rocks - Chew Valley (9)
Rough Knarr (1)
Running Hill Pits, Saddleworth (18)
Shining Clough Rocks (6)
Staden Quarry (6)
Stanage North (2)
Stanage Plantation (1)
Stanage Popular End (3)
Standing Stones - Chew Valley (7)
Stoney Middleton (1)
Summit Quarry (2)
Swinton Boulders (1)
Tegg's Nose (2)
The Pump House (1)
Thors Cave (1)
Tintwistle Knarr (2)
Tissington Spires in Dovedale (1)
Tonacliffe Quarry (2)
Troy Quarry (33)
Victoria Park Boulder, Stretford (2)
Warton in Silverdale (3)
Wharncliffe Crags (1)
Wilton 1 (19)
Wilton 3 (9)
Wimberry Rocks (9)
Windgather (22)
Winnats Pass (1)
Witches Quarry (18)
Woodhouse Scar (2)
Wormstones (1)
Yellowslacks (3)
Climbing Walls Used:
Manchester Climbing Centre (118)Marple Rope Race (3)
Rock Over Climbing (6)
Stockport Awesome Walls (181)
The Depot: Manchester (70)
Warrington North Face (3)
Other Evening Meets (126)
Lancs online guidebook