Page 40 - Army Mountaineer Winter 2022

CLIMBINGMEETS
PEAK DISTRICT MEET
Michael (Arthur) Daley
In July the AMA held a weekend meet in the Peak District, based out of Thorpe Farm Bunk Houses, within
easy walking distance of Hathersage and only a 5-minute drive from Stanage Edge. The bunk houses themselves are converted farm buildings, but Thorpe Farm nonetheless remains a working farm providing an ideal location for a weekend on grit. Expecting the weekend to be popular I booked the Old Shippon and The Byre bunk houses which would have given accommo- dation for 46 members. Unfortunately, we had a lot of drop outs with only 10
eventually turning up for the weekend. This was great for those that did attend as there was plenty of room to spread out and instructor ratios went down to one-to-one.
On Saturday we were rudely awoken at 6 o’clock, by a bovine march past, as the farmer moved his cows through the adjacent yard. After the mandatory safety brief the group was paired with their instructors and headed to Stanage Edge early, desperate to beat the rush and secure a parking space at popular end. But despite the drizzly weather, the edge
was indeed popular and busy as anyone who has climbed at Stanage knows. However, there is plenty to go at, although a couple of us did opt to queue for the Top 50 HVD Flying Buttress and another Top 50 VDiff Hollybush Crack.
Flying Buttress starts with an easy but sparsely protected slab before some strenuous pulls lead to the upper slab and a very undignified top out. Hollybush Crack was probably my favourite route of the day. For a VDiff it keeps you thinking all the way to the top. Loads of gear and plenty of bridging, it really was a great
Jamie on Leaning Buttress Crack at Stanage
Windgather High Buttress
Undignified top out on Flying Buttress
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