Heather Wall, Stanage Popular End, Peak District
VS 4b
It's a popular misconception that rock climbing's another 'extreme'
sport and when you're doing it you're always pushing yourself to your
limit blah...blah...blah. Of course people climb for all sorts of
different reasons and an adrenalin high is probably the least common. In
fact, a psychology student friend did his whole dissertation on the
subject of why climbers climb. Once he'd got past the "because it's
there" issue with all two hundred interviewees the most common
reasons were 'being outside in the fresh air', 'finding out where your
mental limits are' and 'seeing things from your elevated vantage point
that other people can't see'. In fact, not only do we all climb for
different reasons but sometimes, we want different things from our
climbing. Apparently the winter is gritstone season and I can't deny that
the friction is better in the cold. But for me, long summer evenings on
the Eastern Edges - places like Stanage, Burbage and Millstone are hugely
relaxing. Even if you don't actually climb much, just being there,
mooching about, bumping into friends who you haven't seen for months, the
odd easy route (obviously it's too sweaty to do anything hard!) these are
the best things about summer in the Peak. And, if you asked me to pick one
route for a quick solo before the sun disappears over Kinder. Heather Wall
at Stanage.
Heather Wall is a rarity on gritstone; a route with proper holds. The
ground at the bottom is nice and flat and as soon as your belayer's ready
it's tempting to launch up it. But, take time to have a look at the series
of horizontal and vertical breaks above you. With a lot of gritstone
routes it's hard to figure out how good the holds will be until you're
actually there. Heather Wall's different in that the holds are positive
and arranged on a simple chessboard of horizontal and vertical breaks in
the gritstone. The first set of holds are good and positive and there's
plenty of opportunity for some early protection in a vertical crack. Good
footholds take you up to a major horizontal break for more gear, a shake
out and a chance to plan the next bit.
Above are some small crimpy holds on the face. Some are horizontal,
some vertical. The challenge is working out which order to use them in to
get you to the next major break. The tall will probably reach through. The
shorter will have to think a bit. It's not difficult climbing but it pays
to relax, take your time, breath and look confident because there's
probably plenty of people watching you. Now you're at another break and
there's plenty of good gear to be had. Next comes the crux which involves
moving from this break up to a couple of positive, but distant holds
before a mantelshelf onto a good ledge. It's worth taking time to double
check the gear before making these tricky moves. Feet are on smears - it's
a long stretch up but as soon as your fingers curl around one of those two
holds and you pull your body into the rock, you can breathe a sigh of
relief. There's still the mantelshelf move to make and in all honesty you
might prefer to have better holds at this point but you'll do it somehow.
There's a short wall at the back which shouldn't be too much of a problem
and then it's over - only thirty feet high but a lovely, intense climbing
experience.
Having done the route once you'll find it hard to walk past in the
future. You'll remember the moves, savour the bottom and be wary of that
top bit and the mantelshelf. It's certainly one of my favourite VS routes
in the Peak and twelve years after I first climbed it I still think those
moves are just superb. If you're going for the onsight lead take a good
selection of cams because the parallel-sided breaks are well suited to
that kind of thing. The route's pretty much straight up so you don't need
to worry about double ropes or anything like that. Keep it simple and
enjoy the climbing.
|
