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No. 4 : Granite

Ruth Taylor on South Face Direct (VS 4c), Chair Ladder, Cornwall. All photography: Mike Robertson

How granite is formed The settings are beautiful and the rock Worldwide, granite geology provides us ...... immaculately clean. Several hundred miles with some of our most inspiring rock walls Granite is an igneous rock originating from to the North, in the Highlands of Scotland, and arenas. The Yosemite Valley the slow crystallisation of molten magma there are world-class crags in abundance; in California is perhaps the most famous cooling deep beneath the Earth’s surface. the Loch Avon (pronounced A’an) basin, of all with the 3000ft El Capitan and the It forms great pillow accumulations called in the heart of the Cairngorms is one of distinctively carved Half Dome. batholiths, which once uplifted and exposed, the most magical places you’ll ever climb create great undulating plateaus punctuated (summer or winter). The glacially gouged How to climb it by the sheer cliff s carved by glaciation. The loch plunges deep into the heart of the ...... word ‘granite’ is derived from the Latin granite massif, giving a focal point and Climbing on granite for the fi rst time granum, meaning grain and describes the grandeur to the fi ve separate big granite can be a humbling experience. The great granular texture of the rock. Granite always cliff s that overlook the head of the loch, sweeps of rock, whether slabby or steep, consists of the minerals feldspar and quartz, each one with a clutch of classics to work are often devoid of obvious looking holds which give granite a light colour ranging from your way through. and the moves can be hard to read. pinkish to white. But that light background The other main granite areas in the UK Though much of the time you’re climbing colour is peppered with darker accessory are Dartmoor, where the uniquely weathered in-balance, there are frequent unusual minerals, such as the black mica – biotite and tors sit proudly amidst a wild and windswept moves that require ingenuity and above all the black amphibole – hornblende. landscape, and the Mourne mountains in the else, confi dence. Granite is a strong rock because its mineral South East of Northern Ireland, which boast Granite slabs are notoriously sustained, grains have been knitted tightly together over a thousand routes on 20 separate crags with move after move identical to the last. during a very slow cooling period and the with every covered. Though the friction is good, it’s often hard quartz and feldspar that compose it are to trust it and the prospect of the long harder than steel. It’s highly resistant to grating slither undermines confi dence and Photo: Rich Mayfi eld. weathering and acid rain so it’s no surprise good technique. that granite is used widely in buildings and Many steeper cliff s and tors have more importantly, makes such awesome cliff s. characteristic deep horizontal weathered cracks and breaks with rounded edges, Geographical spread requiring big open handed moves that ...... once again respond best to a confi dent To fi nd the best granite you should travel approach. These are coupled with vertical to either end of the country. The tip of cracks that are, more often than not, Cornwall has exquisite granite cliff s, plunging wider than you’d like. The climbing is dramatically into the restless Atlantic. physical and often inelegant.

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How to place gear in granite vague widenings in the seams, to the biggest Best loved crags and routes ...... cams you can carry (4s and even 5s). Cams ...... We don’t granite (very much) in this do work wonders in granite but be wary of The Cairngorms in Scotland is without doubt country so you need a standard rack plus cams sitting against crystals inside cracks. THE place to go for granite. In the Loch A’an Mike Robertson high on Snake Dyke (5.7R), Half Dome, Yosemite, California. the addition of both micro gear and big These same crystals may also prevent nuts basin you’ll fi nd something for every occasion. Photo: Will Jones. pieces. Granite crack systems come in all from seating fully. Afterthought Arête is a delightful Mod on Stag sizes, from tiny seams to off -width. You’ll use Rocks, Auld Nick is a great Severe on Hell’s everything from the tiniest micro wires in Lum and The Needle (E1 5b) on Shelter Cornwall: Sennen, Bosigran and Chair Special features and Stone is excellent, but The Steeple (E2 5c) on Ladder are all world-class crags with umpteen Libby has been climbing for over 20 Big cam! particular hazards the same cliff , is without doubt one of the best classics to their credit. Demo Route (HS) on years, she’s a qualifi ed ...... E2s in the country. Sennen is a must-do, as is Doorpost (HS) on Instructor and IFMGA Guide and is the Tors are a wonder of granite. Though they The Northern Corries, though less remote Bosigran, Terrier’s Tooth (HS 4b), South Face author of – Essential Skills are rarely higher than 10-15m, these natural have some great climbs dotted amongst the Direct (VS 4c) and Bishops Rib (E1 5b) on and Techniques published by MLTUK and hilltop crags sculpted by years of weathering looser sections of cliff . Magic Crack (HVS 5a) Chair Ladder are all faultless. recently produced Get Out On Rock – the produce intriguing climbs. in Coire an t-Sneachda, and Savage Slit (VD) in Dartmoor’s Hay Tor and Low Man are defi nitive instructional DVD. In late Feldspar knobs are perfectly engineered Coire an Lochain are both 3 star quality. amongst the best hereabouts with a spread of April/May she’ll be on tour with hand and footholds protruding from For remoteness seek out Squareface (VD) crags to suit most tastes. Lucy Creamer to deliver a series of otherwise smooth granite faces. There’s a and Mitre Ridge (HS) on Beinn a’ Bhuird. The Mourne Mountains are a compact rock climbing lectures and practical particularly memorable knob on the Then make the trek to Creag an Dubh-loch range of hills with an eastern seaboard that masterclasses, evocatively named Lotus Flower Tower, above where there’s at least a lifetime’s climbing, adds an exotic fl avour. You can walk in or organised by the Fairy Meadows in North West Canada’s Black Mamba (VS 4c) is a good place to start. not, climb long routes or short and fi nd every the BMC and Cirque of the Unclimbables. And while you’re over there nip up Eagle grade. Lower Cove in the Annalong Valley is sponsored Granite’s rough ‘cheese grater’ texture is Ridge (S) on Lochnagar – it’s brilliant. high quality and south facing, Pigeon Rock is by Cotswold legendary; wearing shorts and granite lobs The Etive (Trilleachan) Slabs near Glen very accessible and also south facing, whilst Outdoors. For just don’t mix. Coe are uniquely sculpted and uniquely Eagle Rock is one the most extensive, but more info check The sustained nature of many granite terrifying. Get a feel for it on Spartan Slab rather north facing, crags in The Mournes. thebmc.co.uk pitches, both slabs and cracks, is exhausting. (VS 4c). If that goes well get on Hammer Yosemite’s 8 pitch Snake Dike (5.7) climbs The off -width ‘stove-leg’ cracks on El Cap’s (HVS 5a) and if you haven’t terrifi ed yourself an amazing granite rail feature to the top of The Nose are a good example. enough take a look at Swastika (E2 5c). Half Dome – sheer brilliance.

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