ash wrote
Quoted message said:Also consider Pinnacle Ridge on the north side of St Sunday Crag. The
hardest part is finding the right ridge in the first place but no harder
than Sharp Edge to do.
Ash, even given that you're worried more by exposure than technical
scrambling, this is a sandbag. For an inexperienced scrambler who's just
done the easy ridges and says he isn't brave enough to consider grade 2, the
steep corner and arete of Pinnacle Ridge, a grade 3 scramble, would be
intimidating.
Not impossible mind, but intimidating. I recall using a rope on Pinnacle
Ridge the first time I did it and I was leading E1 at the time. Mind you,
it was covered in melting ice...and this was (sadly) a good while ago.
But Mike, it is a good day out and worth working up to. The main difference
between Pinnacle Ridge and the ridges is the steepness of the rock and the
exposure, in places. I don't recall much in the way of 'technical' moves;
the holds are all obvious and good. As has been said, the steep and exposed
bits can be by-passed, but this would be a shame, leaving you with lots of
slog and not much recompense.
Buying the book 'scrambles in the Lake District' would be a valuable
investment. I don't think the supplement's as good value. And you may find
that the difference between grade 1 and grade 2 isn't as much as you might
think. You should, assuming they're dry, try some of the easier gill
scrambles - Langdale has a number - and then for a bit more air, perhaps a
grade 2 scramble on Harrison Stickle or Great Howe (I think) round in the
Duddon Valley. Then if you want to...off you go to grade 3.
But remember that scrambling is perhaps the riskiest activity of the lot.
You make your own choices and just because it's been recommended on
uk.rec.walking doesn't mean that you can do it, that you'll be safe if you
try, that it won't hurt should you fall and, most of all, that you can blame
me for any damage suffered to your body, ego or reputation should you either
fail or succeed.
T.
