Climbing on White Ghyll and Lower Scout

White Ghyll

As the weather looked good 1st weekend of the month, Evan and I got some climbs in. On Friday we met at the ODG where and went up to Raven Crag where Evan was keen to lead 'Middle Fell Buttress' a classic 'diff'. We were the only ones out on a day like this. It showed bits of sunshine but all in all was rather dull. It drizzled regularly and the wind picked up on belays. This was Evan's first multi pitch lead. He went up it in good fashion, draping slings over spikes and putting good protection in the rock. I was happy just seconding today, as Evan wanted to build up his practice at gear placement. He lead it in about 4 pitches, The first was the full pitch, the second was lead in to due to an awkward conversation we had, where Evan shouted....

"Ethan I think we'll have problems communicating at the top of this pitch, so I'll cut it short"

I replied "What did you say, I can't hear you?"

Me with Langdale and Side Pike below

Evan then lead the last two in one. There was an option to climb up onto an additional pitch, but I was pretty cold and desperate for the loo, so we headed down the large gully on the left. I was only in rock shoes (not wanting to haul my size 14 boots up) and made sure I took it steady, whilst Evan seemed to hop down like a goat, in his walking boots. After a quick break outside the ODG, we went to lower scout, where I was all ready to lead Cubs Crack, an interesting looking single-pitch graded 'severe+'. I fussed around at the bottom trying to wrok out which hex to place. I then got it out jammed deep in the crack, then Evan said "I hate to say it, but I don't think we'll have time". He was right. We agreed to meet up again on Sunday, to do lower scout and then head onto White Ghyll, an interesting looking cliff  higher up.

Belayledge on Slabs Route 1

We met up in Ambleside nice and early and were in Langdale by 10. We decided to miss lower scout and head onto upper scout, only to find orderly queues, for the the only two climbs on the crag. We then went down to Lower Scout. From Friday I knew exactly which hex to use and where to put it. I put it straight in the rock clipped in and went up the climb, putting two slings over a rock spike and a tree close to the top. After bringing Evan up and collecting the gear we went straight up to White Ghyll.  This time I had brought some converse shoes which made the approaches and descent nice and easy. We arrived at the foot of the crag. I filled my bottle up at the stream and drank before passing it to Evan and spotting two strange looking water bugs swimming around in the bottom of the bottle, as he was drinking it. After pointing it out to him he instantly gave it back to me and said "enjoy!". I left Evan to work out the route whilst I enjoyed the sunshine. We had planned to climb the lower part of the crag now and then the upper later in the day. Evan found the bottom of 'Hollin Groove' (Severe+) and I set off up it. I climbed the first pitch rather badly, at one point holding on freely by my arms whilst trying to get a foothold. After that it got a little easier and I climbed on until I was finally at the first belay pitch with the holly bush at it. I was quite tense from the pitch, but decided to climb on as the pitch above looked quite easy, and there wasn't much space on the ledge. I climbed on up out of the sunshine into a groove. It was here that i realised it was dripping with water. Every hold was soaking wet. I kept on climbing, putting in runners at more frequent points. I just wanted to get up it. Although the climbing was less technical than the previous pitch, I was more nervous as I didn't know what to expect further up and it seemed to get wetter and wetter. I looked at my left hand; soggy, green slime was running down it. I managed to put my back against the rock in a chimney position. I took a rest and tried to calm my nerves. When your nervous climbing becomes much harder, the blood pumps around your body and you tire much quicker. I placed a hex in the rock and then carried on up. It was only a 15 metre pitch but it felt like it was 50. I eventually felt the sun on my face. I was at the top. Despite now being on level ground I found myself crawling to the back of the ledge where, I took a quick rest. I could now start to relax. I looked around the valley and up at Crinkle Crags and Bowfell. Then I set up a belay and Evan came up. He too was having trouble on the first pitch, so I kept as much tension as possible on the rope while bringing him up. When Evan reached the top we had lunch.

Evan setting off on the final pitch

Descending via the gully

Then we went down towards the ghyll and walked further up it to the upper part of the crag. Here we went on a slab where we planned to climb a 'severe' with the creative and imaginative name of ' slab route 1' I started up. It was 4 pitches but I reckoned I could manage it in 3. The climbing was constant and trouble free. I went up it quickly enjoying every move. Without realising I had passed the ledge described as 'unmissable' to Evan by the previous pair climbing on it, and went straight on leading 3 pitches in 1 before setting up a belay just below the top. I was tempted to climb higher and try and top out, but I couldn't quite work out how high it was and only had about 10 metres of rope left. After Evan came up he took the lead for the last easy part of the climb, before reaching the top. After sometime trying to find an anchor Evan set up a direct alpine style one on a rock spike and brought me up. After reflecting on the day we made a descent back down to Langdale via a scree covered gully.