Dawes Ride a Shovel Head

A few days ago i managed to climb Dawes, ever since coming to the Lakes its been somthing i have always wanted to do. Every year for the past 2 or 3 i would look up at the main wall on Raven Crag wondering if this year i would be strong enough. Ever since climbing Trilogy the classic E5 to the left it has been a bit of a distant goal.

After a cheaky session of getting spanked (not litteraly) in Thrang Quarry me and Rob ragged it to Aside then back to Raven and quickly put an ab line down it, which turned out to be a major mission in itself.....just looking at it from the line got me excited the holds altho small looked positive, the pegs at the top look good the middle ones a little suspect. We left in the dark, a little rain still falling with high hopes of returning in the next day or two.

the next day we went back and got a top rope on it after working the out the moves i was able so do it clean on the first propper top rope go. Oh damm it no excusess now!

Two days later we where back with Mike and after one more go on top rope i lead it. The first few meters are on the pluto travers then you rock onto the headwall and pull on the first small holds. A few meters of easy climbing 5b maybe past a good peg lead to a good jug and a spike. A sling on the spike with a sneaky brass offset to hold it down and small cam provide some good portection for the next moves.

A few moves lead to a shocking peg that would shurrly rip, after you clip this you make some of the harder moves of the route, then clip two more goodish pegs from a small right hand. Two or three more moves bring you to below the roof, a good jug and two good pegs await you there. A final big pull (thats quite blind and scarry due to the fact that a fall there altho safe would mean climbing the whole route again) lands you at the top of the overhangs and more loveley jugs.

Great route really enjoyed it. Gear seemed to be ok, the middle 3 pegs where a bit suspect deff the bottom one was bad and i recon deffinatly would rip if you fell on it, which would be a bit exciting. Climbing was quite steady once you knew what you where doing. Would be wild to onsite it.

Grit Flick - Team Ambleside

Went to the Peak.....top roped End of the Affair (E8 6c).....was scared.... sun came out....great excuse not lead it......."ummmm its too sweaty up hear i tell George F" What a line tho!


Whatched Will take a whipper of some E4 round the corner, VERY EXCITE!!!!

We then hit up the Bath (matlock bath. i can say that cos i have been there) for some chips and a cheaky pint. yum yum

Then chauffeur Mr Rob Lay drove us up to Burbage South car park...which we found after driving past the bloody thing about 5 times.

Rob and Will slept in the car, i was truffed outside to enjoy a night on the Mondo, only to wake up at 2am to find my sleeping bad covered in a massive frost and then for it to slowly melt as the morning arrived...didn't really help the mould situation that my sleeping bag is already trying to cope with.
After a peanut butter sandwhich, and some shit coffee we headed up to the crag. To warm up i decided to do the knock (E4/5) which perhaps was a little keen as my hands became freezing straight away and apparently i missed a good hold at the the top. Anyway good route, slightly shocked to hear George F fell off at the top ..........must have hurt a bit...the mans a nutter.

After that Mr Lay was keen for a bit of Life Assurance action so i sent him on a beta recon mission and armed with that flashed it, Rob quickly followed.

last route of the day was Nosveratu E6 6b which came highly recomended by Foster, and rightly so. Amazing route one of the best route i have done in the peak (thats not saying much tho cos only done about 10) after jumping off the bottom a few times trying to work out the moves i did it to the top, pritty cool dyno at the top as well.

Good trip. here are few pics.