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Went up to Gimmer Crag (Langdale) from the Old Dungeon Gill for a spot of trad climbing with my old mate Karl.
Weighed down with ropes and climbing gear, it's quite a slog up to the crag. We left walking boots and sacks at bottom of Bracket and Slab and scrambled down under foot of crag and up beneath north-west face.
The climb we were aiming for was The Crack (74m VS). It was Karl's first time up this one, and only my second time after many years.
The weather was dry but cloudy and breezy. As we were gearing up the clag lowered on Bowfell and the Crinkles and threatened to spread across Mickleden. We were a bit concerned in case it started raining while committed on the climb. Fortunately it stayed dry and by mid afternoon the clag had lifted. It was, however, very windy at the top of the crag.
A really great climb, well deserving of its inclusion in Ken Wilson's 'Hard Rock', though probably the easiest of the climbs featured in that book. First climbed by A. Reynolds and G. Macphee in 1928. Hats off to them!
- The line of The Crack (only the third pitch is visible) shown in red on this photo of Gimmer Crag taken from Pike o' Stickle last year.
- At the foot of The Crack looking across Mickleden. The other party at bottom of pic are about to start North West Arete (VS).
- Looking up the first pitch of The Crack. The route follows the prominent corner right of centre, moving onto left wall at point where wide crack appears to stop at inverted triangle.
- Climber on North West Arete (VS 4b)
- Karl coming up the second pitch, having made the hard moves up the overhanging rib.
- Looking down the corner of the third (and last) pitch, Karl just above the crux overhang. The climber on the left is nearing the top of Gimmer String (E1).
- Karl coming up the final pitch, going strong for the top.
Hard? Only middling by today's standards but challenging enough for two old codgers like us and certainly no pushover. Sustained at the grade but well protected.
- Pike o' Stickle from the top of Gimmer Crag
- Pike o' Blisco and Wetherlam from top of Gimmer
- Lingmoor Fell and Windermere from top of Gimmer
- Langdale from the path down
Back at the ODG a pint each of Snecklifter rounded the day off nicely.