Chee dale: The embankment

It didnt take me too long after my first trip to chee dale to return - about 39 hours!  This time we ended up at Max wall for a warm up  - as the most polished route I've ever done and graded at just 6b this felt incredibly hard.  Trying to escape the polish we headed up to the embankment to tackle the very technical routes - although only graded at 7a+ these were really tough.  I dogged up the first route - Bream in black and managed to clean it second attempt.  The next route- The Barracuda bass sound along seemed much harder for the same 7a+ grade and took   3 or 4 attempts to get clean (I guess it did say high in the grade in the guide book...).  These routes are tough to read and to find the holds so it was great practice and I really need to start reading routes better.



The Barracuda bass sound , 7a+ looking friendlier in the photos

The Barracuda bass sound , 7a+, trying to sort those feet out after the relief of clipping the second bolt!

The intensity of the side pulls and crimps was greater than I have ever experienced on rock anywhere and I can see great gains to be made by getting alot more mileage in at this venue.  At Chee dale I have found that getting the first couple of clips is a bit stressful, so I think a clipstick must be on the shopping list and as Steve McClure (who was at the crag) said 'everyclimber needs one' - then I can really start pushing my grade further:)

Cavewoman tying on ready to crush...

Chee dale, the most idylic climbing spot in the UK?

Another break in the Brtisih summer and it was time to explore another area of my new peak limestone book.  I have always wanted to climb at Chee Dale but looking at the grades in previous years I had felt a bit imtimidated by it, with very hard overhanging limestone rumoured to be littered with tough side pulls and small polished crimps.  However if I want to improve my climbing it seems that this is the place to head to, and I wasnt dissapointed.  We headed to Blackwell Halt for a warm up before moving onto Max wall and the embankment.

Paul seconding the arapahoe collection, 6b+ at Blackwell Halt. I had taken a whipper on this after passing the crux and reading the route wrong at the top doh!



Side pulls forcing me into horizontal positions on Max pax em in, 7a



Technical on the footwork

Leading Max pax em in 7a, Max wall

All the routes ranging 6b-7a that we climbed were challenging and technical albeit with some very polished rock and dirty rock in parts.  That said, the limestone was still the best I have climbed in the peak (and the closest to home...) and with the routes currently in condition this is a venue I definatley want to continue to come back to with so many potential projects to focus on.  Areas such as max wall were very unique next to the wye river and make this place such a special setting to climb in.

Picturesque Max wall