CHAPTER II

_NEW CLIMBS ON GREAT GABLE, SCAWFELL, AND AROUND WASTDALE HEAD_

THE ABBEY RIDGE ranks as the best discovery on Great Gable since the ascent of the Ling Chimney in 1899. In the present work (p. 158) there is a reference to the rocks to the left of the ordinary West Chimney route up the Eagle’s Nest Ridge. This attracted the attention of Messrs. F. Botterill and J. Hazard with a happy result--the annexation of a new climb. This was in the April of 1909.

The lower part of the new ridge is well defined, but above the broad ledge, almost on a level with the exit from the ordinary West Chimney, several routes are available. This section was climbed many years ago on more than one occasion, notably when the deep, black chimney on the west side of the ridge was visited. This fine cleft is well seen from the Arrowhead Ridge, rising above the big boulder pitch in the Eagle’s Nest Gully. The ascent is not difficult.

The latter remark scarcely applies to the new portion of the Abbey Ridge, especially if the direct ascent of the _mauvais pas_ be made. A long ‘run out’ for the leader at this point warrants the warning that the lofty sanctuary of the Abbey is only for the expert who is in perfect training. The climb begins easily, either at the very bottom of the ridge or by joining it at a point almost on a level with the beginning of the Eagle’s Nest Ridge. The ascent to the top of a conspicuous detached mass begins to suggest difficulty. But the real work starts directly above this, in gaining a narrow grassy ledge which stretches across the face for several feet. From the extreme left of this ledge the way lies up the arête until a steep, grassy gully slightly more to the left affords a finish to the upper ledge on a level with the top of the Eagle’s Nest Chimney. This is the easier of the two exits. The direct route bears away to the right below the steep and grassy gully until an overhanging block rises above the climber. It is important to make sure of this position, as the rocks are now very well scratched. The key to the situation is a good hold for both hands right under the overhanging block. Progress beyond this crucial point is scarcely safe unless this grip is secured, but once above this ‘step’ the rest is comparatively safe and easy. The rock throughout is of the usual Gable quality.

Two other small variations on the Napes may be mentioned in passing. In the autumn of 1910 Messrs. H. R. Pope and E. T. W. Addyman found an interesting problem on the right wall of the ordinary West Chimney on the Eagle’s Nest Ridge. From the big belay half-way up this cleft it is possible to traverse out to the right on to a steep rock face which forms the left-hand wall of the Ling Chimney. This wall can be climbed to the top on ledges which lead across to the right-hand edge and then back to the left again. The finish can be taken directly upwards.

It is scarcely advisable to say that anything new can be found on the Needle Ridge. However, Messrs. A. G. Woodhead and J. Laycock have accentuated the fact that this much-trodden ridge can be climbed straight up from the lowest point. The last 15 feet before the old route is gained require skilful treatment.

Numerous small and unimportant variations on the ever-attractive Needle have been made. Records of personal gymnastics are best omitted here, though the best of all may be mentioned--that of the beginner, who ‘climbed’ the top stone by a really new method. This enthusiast assumed a position of repose on the mantelshelf, and for half-an-hour pored over the view over the edge and down the impressive scree slopes of Gable. At last the patience of the lusty leader on the top became exhausted. Though the novice hung on with his hands, he ‘had to come,’ which he did feet first.

The attractions of the Ennerdale Face of Great Gable have been increased by the discovery of a splendid course by Dr. J. S. Sloane and Messrs. M. Gimson, A. J. Gimson, and J. E. Henderson in the April of 1909. They appropriately suggested that the rift might be called the SMUGGLER’S CHIMNEY, and this name has been adopted. The hand and footwork starts about 100 feet west of the foot of the Central Gully, with about 20 feet of ascent of steep rock. The chimney proper, which is vertical and about 85 feet in height, now begins. It is in three stages, and the first part gives 35 feet of engrossing climbing before a cave is entered. The hardest part of the climb occurs where there is an undercut bulge of rock about 10 feet below this resting-place. At this point it is probably best to forsake the back and foot method and allow the arms and knees to do most of the work. The second section of the chimney above the Cave consists of a narrow, vertical, deeply-cut crack which bears some resemblance to the Monolith Crack in North Wales. This stretch--though squeeze might be the better word--is 25 feet in height. The final pitch is almost the same height, but its extra width will prove gratifying to stout climbers despite the somewhat constricting final wriggle afforded by the hole of the ‘through route.’ Easy, grassy ground is now encountered, which leads past the ‘Smuggler’s Retreat,’ and thus to the crest of the crags.

In the September of 1908 Messrs. G. H. L. Mallory and G. L. Keynes found two ‘little climbs’ on the Ennerdale Face to the left of the Bottle-shaped Pinnacle Ridge. They can be reached from the Scree Gully--marked B on the line drawing--by traversing upwards from the fork towards a large overhanging crag. This is a prominent feature of this side of Gable Crag. The new climbs are claimed to be the nearest routes which can be found to the left and to the right of the overhanging crag. Cairns mark the start of each course, that to the left being the easier of the two, and giving about 150 feet of climbing. On the right a steep crack affords for the most part the means of ascent. The difficulty is concentrated in the first 80 feet. Where the crack becomes easier and wider higher up, it is probably better to end the climb by traversing on to the right buttress.

A few other minor points of interest on the Ennerdale Face may be worth mention. For instance, Messrs. H. V. Reade and G. Arbuthnot have shown that the vertical crack rising from near the foot of the Oblique Chimney to the gap behind the Bottle-shaped Pinnacle may be climbed, but not without difficulty. The disappearance of the much discussed ‘rocking-rock’ in the Engineers’ Chimney has not made the ascent any easier; in fact, the relative difficulty of this section remains about the same.

In misty weather the foot of the Central Gully was often difficult to locate, even though the climber happened to be sitting at it. Recognition is now a simple matter, for a huge boulder has fallen and bridged the foot of the gorge most picturesquely. Other slight alterations have also occurred in the bed of the gully. For instance, more holds have developed on the steep crack in the middle part of the gully, where the usual easy route slants up to the left to the Staircase Pitch. The ascent of this crack is now frequently made. For those who do not essay the ‘Direct Finish’ there is a steep but not difficult crack just to the left of the great nose of rock which so boldly divides the upper part of the Central Gully. The ordinary route is still further to the left, but there are variations galore hereabouts.

’Tis a far cry from Wastdale to the head of MOSEDALE to find an outcrop of wet slabs less than 200 feet high. Yet several parties of enthusiasts have developed the art of finding diminutive new climbs in remote corners. There are two main rifts splitting the Mosedale Rocks. These are known as the East and the West Cracks. The former is the more difficult of the two; in fact, the pitch near the top would seem to require the use of a lowered rope from some friends above if the ascent is to be made safely. It has not yet been climbed without this aid. At least two routes have also been found directly on the face between the two cracks, and two smaller rifts to the right of the East Crack have been added to the list of conquests. All are well marked and easier to find than to climb, for the experts of the Fell and Rock-Climbing Club, usually under the skilled leadership of Mr. H. B. Lyon, have specialised on the Mosedale Rocks.

GREAT END. THE BROTHERS’ CRACK.--Glorious as is Great End in the winter time, it has never appealed largely to the rock-climber pure and simple. But these latter will be entertained excellently if they join the brotherhood of the new crack, which owes its exploitation to those well-known judges of a sound climb, Mr. G. F. and Rev. A. J. Woodhouse. The crack rises about 60 feet to the north of the well-known Brigg’s Cave Pitch on the east end of the crags. The actual crack itself is nearly as high as that on Kern Knotts. It is situated in a corner, and rises vertically from a large grass ledge. This take-off is reached by ordinary scrambling, though the final landing is made by means of a short crack. The real climbing up the main crack, which is here too narrow to admit one’s body, begins with a slabby section in two parts, in all about 20 feet high. The crack now widens, and is available for wedging purposes. After a short stretch of ‘back and knee’ the most difficult portion is reached, and for this the leader would be well advised to thread the rope behind a jammed stone. The final obstacle possesses an overhanging chock-stone, but good ledges on the left wall simplify the finish. The climb is undoubtedly severe, for the leader can nowhere receive any help from his companion.

SCAWFELL.--Of late years but little new climbing of any magnitude has been done on Scawfell. This is no doubt entirely due to the fact that in the early days Scawfell was the most attractive and most exploited of all the Lakeland crags. The present decade has produced first-rate climbers to an unlimited extent, but their best efforts have been restricted by the rocks themselves, and, where these have been forced to yield climbs, what they have given us are in many cases just beyond the line of safety, even for the best parties. Another effect of this strenuous search after new routes has been the discovery of many variations, and some of these are worth description, although necessarily brief, in a work like the present.

SCAWFELL PINNACLE CLIMB DIRECT FROM UPPER DEEP GHYLL.--The start of this climb is described by Mr. Jones on p. 88. After the first 15 feet or so he traversed away to the left on to the arête of the Low Man.

Messrs. A. G. Woodhead and W. L. Collinson climbed this lower difficulty in August 1907, after which they bore straight upward over shelving and fairly difficult ledges for a hundred feet or so, until impending rocks forced them away to the left. When almost in a line with the top of the Pinnacle they struck straight upward from a broad platform (where a cairn now stands) over a bulge of rock, necessitating a good arm pull, until a belay was reached. Thence a grassy gully led them without difficulty to the top of the High Man. The climb is one of much merit, and deserves more popularity than it enjoys. The exceedingly difficult start may have acted as a deterrent, but it may be an encouragement to leaders to know that once they have overcome this _mauvais pas_ the higher rocks contain climbing of a much easier order.

SCAWFELL PINNACLE FROM DEEP GHYLL, VARIATIONS.--A somewhat easier way of reaching the Low Man from the _firma loca_ (p. 81) than that of the arête followed in the first ascent, was found and climbed by Mr. A. H. Binns alone in August 1904. This is now called Gibson’s Chimney route, after Mr. H. O. S. Gibson, who repeated the ascent in June 1907, and left a lucid description of it in the Wastdale Climbers’ Book.

From the _firma loca_ a traverse is made in the direction of the arête until a crack sloping up to the right is reached. This is followed for about 15 feet, and the upper reaches of the chimney described by Mr. Jones as ‘hopeless’ (p. 82) soon attained. Here a leaf of rock, with good holds on its edge, affords moderately difficult and strenuous climbing for 30 feet until the chimney becomes impossible. It is then abandoned to the left, along a traverse which leads past a good belay to the arête. The first step upward on this gives a pretty problem in an exposed position. The holds are small but good until the vertical piece is scaled. Thence the going is comparatively easy to the crest of the Low Man. Other variations have been found from the _firma loca_, but, while some of these many prove useful to a leader unable to follow Mr. Jones’ route, the original climb is by far the most entertaining for strong parties.

A good belay about 40 feet up the lower crack has dispelled many of its terrors, and now renders the long initial run out on the part of the leader quite unnecessary.

DEEP GHYLL, SECOND PITCH.--It is of interest--a melancholy interest perhaps--to know that it is no longer necessary to climb up the left or right side of this famous pitch in the historic manner, and that an inglorious ascent can now be made through a hole at the back of the cave. Stones drop straight down this hole from the Ghyll above, perhaps as a hint to climbers to play the game in the old-fashioned way!

MOSS GHYLL, UPPER VARIATION.--This starts some 20 feet to the right of the foot of the Great Chimney. A few feet up the face a crack is reached, and this can be followed to a small cairn. Here a choice of routes offers, one back to the top of the Great Chimney, and the alternative one to the Pisgah Ridge. A strong party led by Mr. F. Botterill first proved the possibilities of this variation, and described it as slightly more difficult than the direct exit up the chimney.

MR. BOTTERILL’S CLIMBS.--The long sloping cracks, the upper parts of which were followed in the Collier’s and Keswick Brothers’ climbs, were ascended in their entirety at Whitsuntide 1903 by Messrs. F. Botterill, H. Williamson, and E. Grant.

The crack nearest Mickledore Ridge is difficult throughout, and is, moreover, somewhat earthy and friable; there is no record of a repetition of its ascent. The companion crack was the scene of a remarkable _tour de force_. Mr. Botterill’s account of his exploit,[2] and the warning note sounded by a party of great skill and experience which unsuccessfully essayed the second ascent, will probably acquaint climbers with sufficient details to cause them to take the climb itself ‘as read.’ It is in a class apart, and, basing our judgment on a survey made on a rope from above, we do not recommend it.

After a lapse of nearly twenty years, and repeated onslaughts by many parties, PIERS’ GHYLL was ascended throughout for the second time in September 1910. Mr. H. R. Pope, admirably backed up by Mr. R. B. Sanderson, succeeded in leading a large party up the various wet and friable pitches that go to make the climb. From a vivid description, written by Mr. Sanderson in the current number of the Fell and Rock Club _Journal_, we gather that, in spite of the constantly falling rocks in the Ghyll, the narrow pitch below the Bridge Rock is practically unaltered, and is still the greatest difficulty. It is necessary to stand immediately below the waterfall in order to work up a shallow, almost holdless groove. This is very steep; the rocks are, of course, wet and slippery; added to these is the uncertain nature and paucity of the holds--altogether a combination of difficulty, disagreeableness, and danger that most parties will care to court but very seldom.

During the same holiday Messrs. Pope and Madan climbed from Tennis Court Ledge to the Fives Court on Pisgah Buttress by traversing from the right-hand end of the Ledge for a short distance. Thence they climbed directly up a steep rock-face for 15 feet or so to the Fives Court, a somewhat easier but much more exposed route than that up the crack utilised in the first ascent.

Other variations of a minor character have been made on many of the older climbs; indeed so thoroughly has the face been scoured, that it would be a very rash man who would nowadays come down to the Wastwater Hotel and say that he had made a new route up Scawfell.