After baking on Burbage on Saturday we opted to seek out some shade on Sunday. Shining Clough sits high on the northern edge of Bleaklow about an hours walk. The approach was as expected – hot! Unfortunately the hoped for cooler conditions didn’t really materialise and the climbing while of good quality was hard work, steep and sweaty. Not being used to such conditions reduced our tally for the day to a half Ganley. We weren’t alone in our theory as the edge was busy.
Wow – that looks like a hard route in the 2nd picture! Where does it go next? There’s no gear either! π― I’m hoping it goes round to the right (out of shot) where there are some big holds and gear… π‘
Big holds and gear??? This is grit we’re looking at. More like slopers and flaring horizontal nothings!!! π
The route is Pisa Direct VS ,the crux being a precarious step round to the right onto a ledge.You need big holds here as most routes are well steep.The first route we did was Monkey Puzzle VS 4b overhangs all the way.(the sunlit face in picture 1)
Hey Paul,
Good to see you on the blog again π
So Shining Clough was busy on Sunday was it? Well its a fantasic crag but you should have come to Wimberry with me and Graham. Only one other party there and lots of very wide and very overrated ie multi starred (for effort I guess, but still very good) routes. Didnt do anything harder than 5a- 5b looked absolutely desperate. One guy tried ‘Wimberry’s answer to Peapod’ (which he said he had led) and came down after 15′ unable to reach the crux. His right arm so green it looked like he was turning into the Incredible Hulk.
Would like to go back but am off to the Tatra for a couple of weeks as of Saturday
Val
Wimberry was our 2nd choice.Those cracks are certainly an acquired taste. π Probably wouldn’t have got past the excellent bouldering on sunday.
Hey Val, your “green” description doesn’t make your idea that Paul and co. should have come with you to Wimberry sound like a missed opportunity – more of a wise choice!
Good to hear from you though! Send in an article from the Tatra if you fancy – we’d love to hear all about it…