Last Tuesday the club made its first outing to Ravenswick Quarry near Kirby Moorside. Originally we had planned to climb at Peak Scar but the heavy downpours in the afternoon meant we had to find somewhere that was quick drying and Simon C suggested Ravenswick, despite having had poor reports about the crag (from Peter). Anyhow a larger than usual contingent turned up, Simon C, Carmen, Peri, Gordon T, Will, Dave D, Rob, Alan W and me (Peter E).
The climbing is steep and the gear is not very good and the top outs are in some places a mass of thorny bushes. Some of the group actually managed to lead routes but others were content to solo easier stuff and top rope.
Will, Peri and Peter all climbed the first few moves of Tilted Crack (HS) to have a look at the rotten rock in the crack above.
There was a particular route Left Unconquerable (HVS 5a) on which Peter seconding, got very excited, the route is a complex series of arm bars, toe jams and hanging on for dear life. As Peter approached the top he was heard to scream I'm coming (off) when he should have simply asked Peri for a tight rope. A couple of moves later the solid nature of the rock was verified when a brick sized hand hold separated from the rock.
After the stress of Left Unconquerable, Peter and Peri moved to Stepped Arete (V Diff). The first piece of gear is a solid thread but after that the leader has to rely on two marginal friend placements.
Peri spent some time building up her confidence in the gear before moving up, seconds late she was on the ground sitting beside me as both the friends had popped out.
I think my poor reports about the crag were justified and there are far better places on the moors, although not many as quick drying as this.
Peter
Tags: choss, Ravenswick
manage Left U. on a TR without any arm bars 🙂 Alan and i had some fun on the steep juggy routes at far right hand end. I agree with Peter assessment the quality of the rock is not good !
If you didn't use any arm bars then you weren't doing it properly 😉
Central Wall was also the location for a removal hold, which gave me an excuse to back off on lead, and was duly removed by David when he top roped it later!
Alan pulled a hold of Right Unq., and i think we pulled off a from the top of juggy wall area – all in all LOOSE !
As I recall, the cry from the top of LU was " I'm coming…I'm coming….!" which left me quite confused and thinking Peter must have been getting far more out of the route than I did, until he clarified with "…off!"