17th September 2012
Stanage Popular
Right Hand Trinity – Severe 4b – Lead
April Crack – HS 4b – Lead
Hargreaves Original Route – VS 4c – Lead
I’d never been to Stanage. I’d read lots about it, but didnt really know what to expect. That and the almost religous way people talk about grit made it all the more anticipated.
Finding the campsite proved to be a challenge. After my third circuit of Hathersage and the surrounding area I stumbled across it, but the wait was worth it as its a beautiful place nestled in the woods and a sheltered valley. At £7 a night its a bargain.
Greated by rain the signs were a bit ominous for the following day so Bart and I scouted the area and got our bearings with the climbing. We picked the April crack area which had a number of top 50’s at reasonable grades. It turned out to be a good idea.
Right Hand Trinity was a good starting point. The crux gave me a chance to see why people regard grit as so grippy. Its amazing how much friction you can generate on it and this proved useful when I got to Hargreaves Original. Whether the loose chockstone was broken already or if I did it didnt stop it suprising me when I tried to pull on it.
All three climbs are great and for a first adventure on grit I am completely sold. Easy access, short technical routes and good camping facilities make this an obvious choice for a short climbing trip.
The one factor which I was not used to is the crowds, but to be fair this just made the day more sociable. I still prefer the solitude of Penwith but Stanage has its merits.
