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These route descriptions have not been checked so please treat grades and other comments with a healthy dose of scepticism. As always climbs change over time, in particular any in-situ gear should be treated with caution; you ar responsible for judging the situation. Dow Crag and associated crags Comments Received A Buttress Southern Circuit MVS This is reported to be harder and more serious than the grade might suggest, more like VS or 5c depending on how p4 is started, taken as per the guide it is a short committing move (especially for those lacking in height), but from memory there is a hidden rock 4/5 just on the right after you start the moves. This may be by-passed by climbing the easy chimney on its left (start of Balrog pitch 3) for 2m, then stepping right to join the slab just above the overhang. Even with this evasion the route is worth VS rather than MVS. The technical crux was pitch 1. This was quite stiff for 4b, but not unduly. In bone dry conditions, the moss was not too much of a problem, and the holds and protection were good. Pitch 3 has some difficult route finding, and in general the route is quite serious, challenging and worthwhile for those who enjoy general seriousness. Side Walk Note. On the Dow Crag diagram Side Walk is shown as going up the dog-leg crack, but the guide describes it climbing the groove on the left. The latter is the correct route for Side Walk B Buttress Broadrick's Direct Possible undergraded, may be VS 4b, 4c rather than MVS 4a, 4a? We agree that the route is undergraded, but thought the first pitch had a harder move than the second (probably more so for a shorter person). If combined with the straightened-out Direct Finish, it would be 63m, MVS 4c,4b,4a. (Last pitch climbed by Ian Gray and MB 17.9.2014.)" Max Biden 21/09/2014 09:55:48 Madam and B Buttress Variations Following the discovery of a description made after the first ascent it seems that the descriptions of Madam and B Buttress Variations is incorrect. Madam climbs the first pitch of what is now described as B Buttress Variations; Madam as currently described is the variation start to Eliminate B (1947) Giant's Crawl Report of a very loose and wobbly pinnacle on the last pitch. A large block (cubic metre maybe?) was knocked off Giant's Crawl on 25th April 2009. It was on the pitch which traverses back left near the top. The whole pitch is quite unstable and there were quite a few loose blocks still there. The block smashed into Easy Terrace and managed to get most of the way to the tarn. Pandora's Box The first peg as described is now no longer (having fallen out), but it has created a bomber no. 1 Rock placement to protect the initial moves Pink Panther The thin flake at its start fell away with tragic consequences in 2003. The start should be described as: "Start on a flat topped pedestal 3 metres left of the bridged block. Step right to a flat ledge and climb a scoop Eliminate B Pitch 3 should read: 16m, Walk left and then climb easily right up the slab Close to Critical E6 6a **. James McHaffie comments that Close to Critical is now very pokey as the bottom peg is missing. It deserves The Shining Path The second peg snapped off under a small load, there are 2 other pegs of a similar type on this route, obviously in a similar state. (The pegs are the foreign thick blades with the eye at 45 degrees, Charlet-Moser Universal?) What is going to happen with this route - will someone replace the pegs, or will the route revert to 1 Copyright Fell and Rock Climbing Club. These route descriptions have not been checked so please treat grades and other comments with a healthy dose of scepticism. As always climbs change over time, in particular any in-situ gear should be treated with caution; you ar responsible for judging the situation. a "natural" state? Is it a huge ethical concern to replace all 5 pegs on the route, maybe every 10 years? However the route has been led without using the pegs by C Matheson? Blind tarn Crag Goldscope Direct Should be E3? Grey Crag Page: 83 Routes appear to be reverting t nature, one visitor noted that Drought (MVS) was dry but seemed much harder than 4b with poor gear. Glasnevin Wall (MVS) was found to be wet and looked unclimbed. Culloden (VS) was pretty clean and a decent route. Golden Striker (S) was filthy and avoided. The Peddler (S) had good rock and climbing but was dirty. At the top, a traverse to the belay of Culloden was needed to avoid a huge heather cornice. In reply Climbed here about 10 years ago and were pleasantly surprised at the time (mostly anyway!). It seemed then like a pleasant enough place in its limited way. We climbed a number of routes: Culloden was good, Glasnevin Wall we thought worth a star perhaps, Drought was dry-ish but definitely bold and probably due for an upgrade. We also did The Bluebird which was 5b (not 5a) and worth a star Little How Crag Sunshine Arête This can be started direct at Severe and has Very obviously been climbed before. The diagram in both guides is wrong as it does not show the top pitch of the route. Thunder Slab The diagram shows the alternative finish which is HVS (5a). Thunderclap Thunderclap seemed very easy for VS - MVS 4b maybe? Greased Lightning Seemed very easy for HVS and the gear is reasonable - VS 4c? Great How Crag Original Route VD A sandbag at VD, definitely S Sunlight Crag Page: 104 The routes on this crag appear to be described in the wrong order. Of the existing routes, reading from left to right, Moonshine should be described first, then Sunlight Crack etc. The Sunday Slab presumably starts right of Moonshine - or it could actually be the Variation Start to that route. Sunlight Crack Great little climb - did in one pitch instead of breaking into 3. Not convinced by the grade of Mild Severe in the 1993 Dow guide! The 'slightly overhanging corner' is not well protected and at least a 4a move and the top slab has no gear. I would grade Severe/Hard Severe. On the other side of the spectrum 'Moonshine' although not hugely well protected is a little over graded at Severe and is more like an easy Mild Severe." 2 Copyright Fell and Rock Climbing Club. These route descriptions have not been checked so please treat grades and other comments with a healthy dose of scepticism. As always climbs change over time, in particular any in-situ gear should be treated with caution; you ar responsible for judging the situation. Yew Pike Page: 116 Sunshine Boys MS The length of this route is more like 30m, not the 25m given in current guide book. I can also confirm that this route is excellent on good clean rock and well protected (Dow Crag rough). It has a gymnastic start to get established, but once established is just about at the MS grade given in current guide book. Horn Route VS Checked this route for guide book. It does not deserve a star. It is very poorly protected and very awkward climbing i.e. does not flow. The grade should be at HVS 4c. The climb was very dusty and lichenous and this is also apparent on the other climbs on this buttress. I can also confirm that Longhorn as described is dismal route Mart Crag Yewdale Page: 119 The access described in the current guide is not ideal as it encourages visiting climbers to climb dry stone walls. A better approach is: Turn onto the Copper Mines valley road, between the Black Bull Inn and the Co-op (a reasonable amount of roadside parking is available on the straight section of road beyond the Ruskin Museum). Walk up the road until open fell is evident on the right. Go through the bridle gate and follow a good track until another gate through a wall into a wood is encountered. From here ignore the gate and follow the trod above the woodland fell wall until the crag comes into view. The final choice of ways to the crag are all steep and rough and the most arduous. This approach is approx. 1km and 30mins should be enough to reach the base of the crag. New Routes and Variations Easy Buttress Profanity Arête 32m HVS 5a * Climbs the arête left of Blasphemy Crack. Start below the Blasphemy Crack pinnacle, where a crack reaches the bed of Easy Gully. Climb the crack to a junction with Blasphemy Crack, and from a pedestal above, pull leftwards onto a slab and move up to the upper left corner. Climb the well positioned arête above. First ascent: () A Phizacklea, JL Holden 21/08/2005 'A' Buttress Unnamed as yet 43m E1 5a * The slabs left of Lemontyde, high up the side of Easy Gully. Start on a grass ledge, 12 metres right of the starting point of Crock's Crawl, beside a cracked recess 1 8m 5a Make a high pull over the bulges left of the belay and continue to a ledge and belay beside a small recess at head height in the wall behind. 2 35m 5a.

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