Number in series 70; Year of publication 1986 - Fell and Rock ...

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G.S.Sansom 147Herford thoughtfully hung a short loop over the tip of the flake to assist us inthe ascent, but even then we required much help from above, and it was with asense of great relief that we found ourselves on the crest of the flake. Murray,who had been observing us from the recess with some interest, was delightedwith an invitation to join the party, so we lowered him a rope down the crackand induced him to remove the threaded loop on the way up.We were well satisfied with the day's work, but not with the climb, inasmuchas it left 150 feet of the Central Buttress still unclimbed. Two days later,therefore, we set out, greatly regretting Gibson's absence from the party, toexplore the upper part of the face.Fifty feet above the top of the Great Flake on the Central Buttress is anirregular V shaped grass ledge, from the western end of which springs a widechimney, which is the lower section of a conspicuous Bayonet-Shaped Crack,running up to the very top of the crags. The upper section of this crack was, weknew, easy; the lower portion looked very unpleasant, but we hoped to avoid itby climbing the steep face on the left. With Holland and Slater belaying us, weclimbed down steep rocks to the V shaped ledge 100 feet below, and from therewere able to look down a remarkably smooth and almost vertical wall to the topof the Great Flake, 50 feet lower. The wall was broken at one point by a rightangledarete, which, in spite of the fact that it overhung slightly, possessedsufficiently good holds to permit of a comfortable descent of 25 feet. From itsfoot a wonderfully exposed traverse across the almost vertical face on the leftenabled us to pass behind a large detached pinnacle and climb slightlydownwards to the shattered ridge against the foot of which the Great Flakeabuts.Much elated at this discovery we climbed back to Holland and Slater, and thethree of us at once descended the easy rocks to the "Cannon." Belayed from thispoint I led across the traverse and up to the V ledge. Herford then took the lead,Holland going second. Now the way by which we had descended necessitated anextremely difficult hand traverse, on bad holds, in an exposed situation, and wetherefore cast about for a better route. Herford first tried the Bayonet-ShapedCrack, but it looked repulsively difficult and he abandoned it in favour of a mostexhilarating traverse across its foot, on to the vertical wall beyond, and upwardsacross the latter for 30 feet to a steep slab, which he followed, for another 25feet, to a good belay at the top of the lower section of the crack. We soon joinedhim here and climbed easily up the left wall of the upper portion of the Bayonet-Shaped Crack to the top of the Crags.The Central Buttress climb as a whole is extremely interesting and thesituations absolutely unique. As regards difficulty: The direct ascent to the Ovalfrom Rake's Progress is decidedly difficult and entails an 80 foot run out. TheFlake Crack is unfortunately excessively severe and requires very carefulmanagement to render its ascent safe. The traverses and ascents on the upperwall are extraordinarily exposed, but not unduly severe, and the climbing isexceedingly enjoyable. The climb is certainly the longest in the district.317
MORE OF C.B.Bill BirkettWhen the editor asked me to do a piece for our Journal, celebrating 100 years since thefirst ascent of Napes Needle, I felt a certain buzz of excitement. I wondered how I couldfit a piece in when there would inevitably be so much written about our Lakeland rocks— but he replied over the telephone that there was plenty of foreign material, could Iactually do something about Lakeland rock climbing.Well, actually, I thought I could, because, as everyone knows, I don't know anythingabout foreign stuff. I mean I haven't been up Everest or even walked in the Pyrenees(walking at altitude makes me frightfully dizzy). Then I thought what can I do — Ahundred years of rock climbing? I took me a whole book to do it last time! No, it's got tobe something a little bit different. Personal experiences; how Bobby Files guided apathetic 13 year old up Napes Needle or me and Rick on the North Buttress or actuallygetting up Centrefold after even thinking it's not too good an idea. But then that's all toonear the bone.So then I thought perhaps I'll try to capture the spirit of the thing, the excitement ofthe movement, the feel of the rock, the wonder of the hills. So then again it had to be aday of real experience in the Lakeland Fells. More of the same in fact — but then that'swhat I like. Because if nothing else I am a rock climber and Lakeland is where I am andI'm gullibly honest in these simplicities.So here we go with an article on Central Buttress, that's on Scafell you know and somepeople walk past but Bill and I couldn't. (Essay from Classic Rock Climbs of Great Britainto be published by Oxford Illustrated Press in summer 1986)Central ButtressBecause 'CB' is so famous, cliched, and popular, I for many years avoided itlike the plague. When people said 'You mean you haven't done CB?' I wouldsmile and inform them that this was one I was saving for my old age. I meant it.A rather remarkable man, Bill Peascod, changed this situation for me with hisinfectious enthusiasm for life in general and climbing in particular. Bill thoughtCB to be the single most distinguished Lakeland route he had climbed anddescribed it as having a unique blend of size, steepness, character, quality ofclimbing, difficulty and atmosphere that made it incomparable*. This wasrecommendation enough and on one rather damp and greasy day we set off toclimb it.Scafell is a mighty lump of rock, the pride and focal point of Lakeland rockclimbing, and the rock for climbing stretches in a long semi-circle from theShamrock up to Deep Ghyll Buttress and then, growing in stature, arcing roundthrough the Pinnacle, Pisgah Buttress, Scafell Crag and finally, on the Eskdaleside of Mickledore, the East Buttress. All steep and impressive ground and all,on the Wasdale side of Mickledore, dominated by the highest and steepest faceof rock; the daunting Scafell Crag. Here a 250ft. clean, vertical wall intimidatesboth age and mind, seemingly exhibiting no weakness, no compromise, in itsdomination. Yet, on interested inspection, beneath a faint wisp of a horizontalcrack, a magnificent leaning groove, only initially hidden by the sheer size of thewall, plucks at the heart of the climber. This is the Great Flake and provides the* Journey After Dazen by Bill Peascod
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100 YEARS OFROCK CLIMBINGIN THELAKE
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EDITOR'S NOTESGeoff CramIn June 188
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4 THE FIRST ASCENT OF NAPES NEEDLET
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6 THE FIRST ASCENT OF NAPES NEEDLEb
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10 A SHORT HISTORY OF LAKELAND CLIM
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H.M.Kelly and J.H.Doughty 33for the
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H.M.Kelly and J.H.Doughty1892 Moss
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H.M.Kelly and J.H. Doughty1923 Toph
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John Wilkinson 47men: Birkett, Peas
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John Wilkinson 53are now Hard Very
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John Wilkinson 57have radically tra
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John Wilkinson 6 5being made by the
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John Wilkinson6SWith the opening up
Page 55 and 56: 68 A SHORT HISTORY OF LAKELAND CLIM
Page 59 and 60: Pete Whillance 73good routes on Low
Page 67 and 68: A SHORT HISTORY OF LAKELAND CLIMBIN
Page 69 and 70: A SHORT HISTORYOF LAKELAND CLIMBING
Page 71 and 72: Ron Kenyon and AlMurray 89climbed b
Page 73 and 74: Ron Kenyon and Al Murray 91spotligh
Page 77 and 78: Ron Kenyon and Al Murray 97In the E
Page 79 and 80: 102 A SHORT HISTORY OF LAKELAND CLI
Page 81 and 82: 106 A SHORT HISTORY OF LAKELAND CLI
Page 83 and 84: 110 THE NORTH-EAST SPUR OF THE DROI
Page 85 and 86: 112 THE NORTH-EAST SPUR OF THE DROI
Page 87 and 88: ROCK CLIMBING IN NORTHERN ITALYAl C
Page 89 and 90: AI Churcher 119Sergent and Caporal,
Page 91 and 92: 13 MILES FROM THE EQUATORRay Cassid
Page 93 and 94: Ray Cassidy 123and I suddenly found
Page 95 and 96: W. Heaton Cooper 127One element see
Page 97 and 98: June Parker 131show a new route bei
Page 99 and 100: 136 THE ABRAHAM COLLECTIONwas a for
Page 101 and 102: 140 THE WASDALE CLIMBING BOOKClimbi
Page 103 and 104: SCAFELL CENTRAL BUTTRESSG.S.SansomR
Page 105: G.S.Sansom 145bulge, above-mentione
Page 109 and 110: 150 MOREOFC.B.ground, rather overha
Page 111 and 112: 152 CLIMBING IN THE MIDDLE AGEStemp
Page 113 and 114: THE MAN WHO BROKE THE NEEDLEGraham
Page 115 and 116: G. Sutton 157tooth....'Ron's voice
Page 117 and 118: G. Sutton 159view; they must have b
Page 119 and 120: Ed Grindley 161A couple of hours la
Page 121 and 122: 164 THE MODERN ICARUS!This was now
Page 123 and 124: 166 THE MODERN ICARUS!Aware that I'
Page 125 and 126: Angela Soper 169whispered happily,
Page 127 and 128: 172 THE WELL-OILED MACHINE - TWELVE
Page 129 and 130: 174 THE WELL-OILED MACHINE - TWELVE
Page 131 and 132: A. Harry Griffin 111the same mould
Page 133 and 134: A. Harry Griffin 179merged together
Page 135 and 136: 182 WAY OUT WESTone of them picked
Page 137 and 138: 184 WAY OUT WESTseverity it was of
Page 139 and 140: 186 WAY OUT WESTwho made me a pair
Page 141 and 142: SCOTLANDThe Fell and Rock members c
Page 143 and 144: Jim Sutcliffe 193June Parker report
Page 145 and 146: NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESAlan Murray & P
Page 147 and 148: 198 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESIvor the Bo
Page 149 and 150: 200 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESBLEAK HOW C
Page 151 and 152: 202 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESJoker Man.
Page 153 and 154: 204 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESPrivate Eye
Page 155 and 156: 206 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTES6a. Climb t
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208 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESBURNT CRAG
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210 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESYEW CRAGAut
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212 NEW CLIMBS AND NOTESSilverstone
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214 IN MEMORIAMGladys died peaceful
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CLUB OFFICERS AND MEETS 225Libraria
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