Summit 360 | Colin Densem

Clare’s foot still niggles her, but a green light from the physio for some gentle climbing was given. The weather was fine on Saturday, so we headed out to Stanage for some gentle climbing.

Quite a warm day with a typical breeze blowing in from the west, we headed for High Neb. It contains a couple of stared routes below VS and an interesting route of High Neb Edge at HVS 5C. I’d seen this on a previous walk past whilst heading to Crow Chin. I thought it looked quite plausible on a good day, today is a good day.

On arriving it transpired some poor chap had fallen off whilst soloing and broken his arm. His friends kept up the banter, the Mountain rescue team arrived a few minutes later and dealt with it all very quickly and quietly.

I headed off up Mantleshelf climb a * VD, this should be good. I’m still working my weaknesses and doing a mantleshelf has never been high on my list of graceful moves. It passed without incident and Clare also enjoyed the route, stopping to watch the air ambulance helicopter land on the causeway track to lift the fallen climber.

We then took to Cave Buttress a Severe 4b ** and it’s an absolute gem of a route. Getting of the ground, well, the rest is just very sweet climbing.

A quick eccles cake saw our gentle climbing arrive at High Neb buttress, being VS 4c it took a little discussion for Clare to consider it. It has a lofty claim in the guide to support it’s *** status.

One of the best routes on Gritstone

A party were on it so I waited, and bouldered the start to the aforementioned HVS. Right up to the crux and high enough to notice the landing. It could go I thought, and jumped off.

Back to High Neb buttress, wow! It is a very good VS. Well worth the time to lead it. Clare also got up it, cleanly too. She had a terrific smile on her face, I think that says a lot about the quality of this route.

On a high, it was that good a route also requiring a mantleshelf. I bouldered the HVS a few more times, upon reaching what I took to be the pre-crux hold I jumped off. Not brought the house yet, it can wait… I’ll do the VS 5a variation on the previous VS.

At 5a it should be within my ability… somehow when I read guides I manage to miss the obvious.

A tough, physical start

Working my weaknesses, I fell off three times. Clare simply said, you can do this, you know you can. Next attempt I got it. Now far from me to know what I’m doing, but the bouldery hard route around the side felt a lot easier. A sketchy move saw me on the slab and to the top.

That was the end of the day, the route I’d chosen to do in place of what I’d wanted had caught me out. Another day on the crags, not quite last off. Perhaps when I return I’ll be in a mind to look at Old Friends, leading that will be one heck of a bold day day for me.