As discussed with Peri Yesterday here is the Froggatt Soft touch circuit.
Ian warming up on Chequers Buttress
Froggatt is a strange crag you can go there do 9 routes, pick up 11 E points & still have an easy day or if you pick the wrong routes you can get your ass kicked.
This is how I do my regular little circuit.
Chequers Buttress at Hvs 5a, a real soft touch & a good warm up, well worth its 3***’s, it has superb gear even a overhead placement on the crucial step up to the main arête.
You need one set of wires 1-10, one no 2 friend & 2 slings to belay.
Browns Eliminate E2 5b, this route is a little run out but the crucial moves are protected by a no 3 friend & 3 Rock plus you can get a larger nut in Green Gut before you start the traverse. If in doubt top this one first as people have been hurt on it but its well worth adding to your repertoire.
3 pebble slab E1 5b, Another soft touch protection in the pocket is no 2 friend (some say 1.75 but I ain’t got one) & small Rock 2/3 ish.
It’s a bit run out on the slab but what do you expect for the grade.
2 sided Triangle E1 5b, Crux here is well protected by a large Rock on the left, the hard move is starting the slab & soon over.
You can speed things up on these 2 routes getting the first man up to set up a lower off on a convenient tree above both routes.
Motorcade E1 5b, a superb slab climb, easy to start put a couple of mid size rocks in upper crack of Tody’s wall, then climb the slab to the right, the guidebook says its 5a but I think its worth 5b. Using this method it’s still quite run out but you would not hit the deck.
Get your second to leave the runners in for the next route.
Ratbag E2 5b another superb mirror image of the last route & very similar grade if you use the nuts in Todys Wall. Once again quite run out but crucially you would not hit the deck if you came off.
CMC Slab Hvs 5a but easily as hard as its neighbours the given grade allows for 2 side runners.
Brightside E2 5b, another classic, starting up a HS chimney I find this the hardest bit, you then place a couple of really good 1,2 rocks and when you step out of the chimney onto the face you come into balance.
Place ½ friend & 1 friend, step up on good holds, mid sized friends then move up steep ground on good holds to ledge. Western roll type finish that is well protected by no3 & 3.5 friend.
Great climbing never E2 in a million years.
Sundowner E2 5b, you need a 1.5, 2 friend on the first section then move across & put a small wire in the bottom of Sunset Crack, the guide says the top section is 5a but I think its 5b for a couple of moves. Once again if you came off you would swing but should not hit the ground.
If you want a much tougher day try some of these.
Chequers Crack Hvs 5c
Big Crack E1 5c
Synopsis E2 5c.
Valkyrie Hvs 5a,5a
Strapiombante E1 5b
One important factor to remember is that Froggatt gets very busy at weekends & it helps if you have neat feet.