Mountain Journeys - Guided Walks - Blog

Exploring Deepdale

5/9/2020

#link-cove-beck-lake-district

Link Cove Beck

After 3 days out and about 50km of walking in the mountains, the legs were feeling tired. It would have been all too easy to stay at home today, especially as it’s been raining on and off all day.
Some inspiration from Sam & Jo and an interesting route proposal saw me putting the boots back on for more mountain fun. When Sam suggested some scrambles on Greenhow End I had to check the maps to find out where this was!! The guidebook did a pretty good job of selling the routes, and a further check online confirmed these will likely be good quality scrambles.

The walk from Bridgend along the Deepdale valley was a delight, and far drier than I was expecting. We mostly followed the river, crossing it and a couple of tributaries along the way. Belted Galloway’s huddled together between the drumlins by the meandering river, always nice to see these gentle creatures.
We could see the start of our scrambling route and the huge crag of Greenhow End towering above. Link Cove Beck provided a glorious start to the rock fun, luscious water worn rock of the highest quality allowed us to gain height next to the gushing waterfalls. A little higher and the beck became more ravine like, we escaped onto rocks on the right and continued scrambling, more easily now. The terrain eventually levelled a little at the entrance to Link Cove, our main objective now being close by and already looking pretty good.
We weren’t sure of where to start the upper scrambling, so aimed for what looked like the cleanest rock, this proved to be a good move. A couple of sheep were snoozing nearby and our presence disturbed them, they went to find somewhere even more peaceful!

The ‘light slabs’ on Greenhow End consisted of some of the grippiest rock I have ever scrambled / climbed on, this was interspersed with short sections of grass which linked together very nicely. The grass terraces allow for easy variation and even escape if needs be. As height was gained the scrambled got even better, with longer sections on rock and delightfully exposed positions in this almost deserted valley.

As is always the case when so much fun is being had, it’s over all too soon. We joined a broad ridge leading us above Scrubby Crag to join the Fairfield horseshoe and many other walkers. From the summit of Hart crag we turned off the busy path to follow the ‘Above Hartsop How’ ridge that gently sweeps back down to Patterdale.

For anyone thinking, hmmm, I wonder what those scrambles in Deepdale are like? They are wonderful and absolutely worth the walk.
If you would like to hire a guide for these or other Lakeland scrambles or walks please get in touch, we’d be very happy to help.

Thanks for reading.

Mark

#greenhow-end-lake-district

Enjoying the superb rock on Greenhow End

#deepdale-rock-scrambling-lake-district

Looking towards Greenhow End from Deepdale

Ambleside is back in track once more

22/8/2020

#group-activities-lake-district

Family fun in Stickle Ghyll

These last few weeks have been quite a blur here at Mountain Journeys HQ! A huge thanks to all you lovely people that have joined us on activities, and to all those who enquired but we simply couldn't fit in.

As the following series of photos suggests, we have been spending a lot of time in gorges and canyons, but still managing to fit in some rock climbing and even picking the sunny days for it.

Whilst we already know many of the gorges here very well, the intensity of our visits has made us even more familiar with each of them, and what's possible in different water levels. Only yesterday we found a really fun tributary gorge near to Stickle Ghyll. This gave us the perfect 'plan b' as Stickle Ghyll was far too high to go in. And today, for the first time, I did a full ascent followed by full descent of Church Beck, including all the canyon section. This was a fairly long trip and so much fun. Certainly adds a new dimension for future trips.

But it hasn't all been in the water. There have been some stunning days on the crags too. A highlight being the Eskdale granite with Lucy, Albi, and Frida. The rock cried quickly after overnight rain and we warmed up on a few easier routes on the upper crag. Strangely it became quite busy, so we moved on to the main slab and this was sheer delight. The rock was warm to the touch and provided magnificent friction. With far reaching views out over the valley and towards the coast, this is a wonderful place to climb, or just spend a day enjoying nature. Albi and Frida were clearly very able climbers, so we pushed the grades ever higher to keep the challenge, which they rose to every time, but not without a good fight. I left the family enjoying a paddle in the river and made my way home, over the Hardknott and Wrynose passes.

We are now full for August and September is looking busy already too, although still spaces in the diary. We are verty grateful to you all, thank you for joining in the adventure. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Lake District again before too long.

Mark

#waterfall-slide-lake-district

Starting Church Beck

#family-activities-langdale

Shower time in Stickle Ghyll

#adventure-activities-keswick

Stoneycroft Ghyll descent

#things-to-do-near-ambleside

Church Beck canyon

#canyoning-in-the-lake-district

Time for a big slide in Church Beck

#learn-to-lead-climbing-course-ambleside

Lead climbing - Upper Scout crag

#rock-climbing-in-eskdale

Enjoying the gorgeous granite of Brantrake crag, Eskdale

Trail running - Loughrigg

6/8/2020

#trail-running-lake-district

Descending from Loughrigg summit

Recent weeks have been a blur of gorges and canyons, with quite unbelievable amounts of customers all wanting to put a wetsuit on and jump into a gorge or abseil through a canyon. Fantastic, thanks to all. We love it.

But it's not the only activity that's been going on here. Something we aren't asked for too often, is Trail running / Fell running. Yesterday that's exactly what we were doing though. Naomi contacted us for some guidance on these local hills. A very regular runner (that was clear from the off), but unfamiliar with the area, Naomi was simply looking for a hassle free run for a morning. No route finding to worry about, no weather decisions to make, just turn up and run, we'll take care of the rest.
Starting from Ambleside, we headed out in perfect running weather, drizzle :-)
A short warm up on the flat Under Loughrigg lane, led us to the rather brutal uphill towards the old golf club. Soon up on the open fell, the view started to open up, despite the low cloud. Glimpses of Fairfield teased us. The ground was saturated and some bog negotiating was needed at times.
Fine undulating terrain, with steady uphills brought us to the summit cairn of Loughrigg where wonderfully atmospheric views down to Grasmere could be savoured. Well, I say savoured, but not for long, there was a very strong and chilly wind blowing up there. So a few snaps of the camera and a 360 to appreciate this gorgeous place and we ran away, with our sights aimed on Grasmere so we could meet up with the Loughrigg Terrace path.

Once on Loughrigg Terrace the terrain eases and becomes more trail like rather than rough fell. We stayed on the upper trail so we could call in on Rydal cave, a lady was singing in there this morning, yes she had a fine voice.

Once clear of Rydal Water it's the Under Loughrigg lane all the way back to Ambleside.

We always had a breeze, sometime a strong wind, and fairly constant drizzle. On days like this it can feel hard to make the effort to leave the house. We urge you to try it. These are the very best running conditions and pretty good walking conditions if you don't fancy the run. The views may not be far reaching, but they will be atmospheric and that can be so much finer. Not convinced? Give it a try.

Big thanks to Naomi for good company and for getting us out on that damp day :-)

Mark

Summer craziness arrives

25/7/2020

#fun-things-to-do-in-the-lake-district

Church beck canyon trip

It's been a month since my last blog post, pretty unusual as I do try to keep things up to date. We have just be so incredibly busy there has been no time to write. I'm very happy about this as the very slow start to the year did not bode well.
Now that we have all been allowed out again it seems most are taking advantage of it and getting out into the hills.

We have been busy with guided walks, rock climbing, scrambling, technical skills courses for climbers, abseiling. But mostly we have been in gorges and canyons. If I'm honest it took me a few years to appreciate the joys of canyoning, I used to think it was all just cold and wet and lots of faff. There can be an element of cold, there's certainly lots of wet, and for us there is some faff, but we take care of all that for you.
But, these are all massively outweighed by the sheer fun to be had in these magical places. Waterslides, pool jumps, abseiling through waterfalls, swimming in crystal clear waters, and splashing around with friends and family.

There are venues suitable for all from around age 5 upwards. Some venues are adult only and can be quite extreme. Just let us know what you're looking for and we'll come up with a plan.

Summer is the best time to be in these watery places as the weather here tends to be damp during July and August. Then September arrives and we hope for drier times and to be back on the rock, enjoying the rough volcanic rock that abounds here in the Lakes. We find September and October to be optimum times for climbing and other rock based activities.

Although we are now pretty booked up for the coming weeks, there is still some availability for later in August and good availability during September and October. If you're thinking of visiting and want to experience the best the Lakes can offer, please do get in touch.

Signing off now to prep for an afternoon of abseiling in the big slate quarries :-)

Thanks for reading

Mark

#guided-rock-climbing-ambleside

Original Route, Raven crag, Langdale

#family-activities-lake-district

Family fun in Stickle ghyll, Langdale

#group-outdoor-activities-ambleside

Whenever in a canyon or gorge with us, you will receive a briefing prior to getting started and at other relevant times

#rock-climbing-guide-langdale

Enjoying a blue sky day in Langdale

#lake-district-activities-stoneycroft-ghyll

Canyon descent of Stoneycroft ghyll

#climbing-skills-course-ambleside

Technical skills course with Patchwork

#where-to-canyon-lake-district

More Church beck fun

#traffic-in-the-lake-district

Traffic jam in Coniston

Cooling down in the canyon

25/6/2020

#things-to-do-in-ambleside

Time to get in that waterfall

Whilst we know lots of the Lake District, including many gorges and canyons. We can't claim to know them all. This allows us to keep on having adventures to new places, which is so much fun. And that's what it is all about, having fun adventures in amazing places. When we find those really super cool spots we know it's time to share them with our customers. Well, after waiting far too long to check this place out, last week we finally got around to doing the full canyon descent of this amazing Gill that is on the Helvellyn range.

Having managed an initial descent and loving it, today we returned to spend more time researching the venue and how best to plan for sessions there. The planning is now all done, so time to start showing our wonderful customers the delights of canyoning, Lakeland style. So that means epic waterfalls, stunning scenery, deep plunge pools, crystal clear water and so much more.

Due to the involved and technical nature of this canyon, if necessary we will show you how to abseil in a controlled and safe manor, how to set up various types of abseil, and how to deal with very slippery rocks. This trip will be best enjoyed by those with some previous experience in a gorge or canyon, or with a climbing background.

So if you're planning a visit to the Lakes and looking for something a bit different, something on the extreme side of outdoor activities, this could be just the thing.

With easy access from the towns of Ambleside, Windermere, or Keswick, it's nice and central.

Give us a call and let's make a plan.

Mark

#outdoor-activities-near-windermere

About to get airborne on the big abseil

#adventure-days-lake-district

Entering the depths of the canyon

#extreme-canyoning-lake-district

Emerging on the other side!

A busy day at Gimmer crag

17/6/2020

#guided-climbing-lake-district

Me on Ash Tree Slabs - photo courtesy of Jim Evans

Recent days have seen a return to more changeable weather here in the Lake District. Although not quite as stormy as some places further south.

On Sunday me and Jim made it out for a mountaineering day on the Langdale crags, this was a well timed day before the rains. The outline plan being to take in as much rock as possible between the valley floor and the top of Gimmer crag, all whilst sticking to easy climbs so we could move relatively quickly as heavy rain had been forecast for early in the afternoon.

We began with an ascent of Middlefell Buttress and continued on up Curtain Wall. Above Curtain Wall a decent amount of scrambling can be found and this goes almost all the way to the Gimmer crag path.

Having already gained lots of height and all on rock, we now had an easy traverse path to reach Gimmer. We could see a few teams already enjoying the immaculate rock and I certainly couldn't wait to be back on there.

Jim was keen to climb the classic 'Ash Tree Slabs' so we headed around to the Northwest face. There was a team already on the route and this allowed us to enjoy a nice rest whilst absorbing the atmosphere of this special place. There were quite a lot of climbers around which gave a nice sociable feel to the day.

We split the climb into 2 pitches, with Jim leading the initial pitch and me continuing on to belay up on the spacious Ash Tree Ledge. Once here we needed to make a decision on what to climb next. Our objective being to reach the top of Gimmer via fairly straightforward routes. There is so much choice, but we were standing directly under the brilliant crack climb of 'D Route', so that's what we climbed, splitting it into 2 pitches so we both enjoyed time on the sharp end of the rope.
I've climbed both these routes many times but still find them utterly wonderful every time I revisit. The top of the crag was pretty busy too, I'm glad we weren't abseiling back down as there was a bit of a queue!

We packed up the climbing gear and changed back into trainers before continuing our quest to the top via yet more delightful scrambling. When truly topping out on this crag the summit of Loft crag is reached and this gives superb views of Pike O'Stickle and Harrison Stickle.
All that was left was an easy walk back to the valley, topping up our tans along the way.

We are now open and can offer the fully range of activities. Whether you're a complete beginner looking for a taster session or a seasoned climber / hillwalker with a particular objective in mind. We'd be delighted to arrange the perfect day for you.

All the best

Mark

#climbing-course-langdale

Jim cruising up D Route on Gimmer

#activities-ambleside-lake-district

Packing up at the top of Gimmer - photo courtesy of Jim Evans

#climbing-course-lake-district

Pike O'Stickle from the top of Gimmer crag

Rock Climbing - Langdale

13/6/2020

#outdoor-activities-ambleside-lake-district

Enjoying the good rock and amazing backdrop at Kettle crag

More climbing adventures this week. My first visit to Kettle crag in Langdale was back in 2012 and was with a couple of good friends. It was early in the climbing season, March time, so we likely had jackets on that day too.

What I remember from back then wasn't how good the climbing was, but what a jaw-droppingly gorgeous view there was. Now don't get me wrong, the climbing is great, with ultra grippy rock and most routes offer plentiful protection. But the climbing is still overshadowed by that view, it just is!

So 8 years later here we are back at Kettle crag and thankfully nothing has changed. I was climbing with a small group of friends and we were all enjoying it. The venue had been chosen based on a slightly unsettled weather forecast and strong winds. We hoped for some shelter and for the most part go it.

A couple of the friends there that day, were getting back into lead climbing. Whilst both climb fairly regularly, they don't lead climb quite as much as they may want to. This left me with some free time to take a few photos and generally bimble around and be a bit lazy.
Both led a really nice V'diff graded climb called 'Stonechat'. I climbed the route too and whilst I wasn't enthusiastic about it before setting off (it looked a bit mucky), the climbing was really good and all on clean and solid rock. Never judge a book and all that!

At the top of the climb was a spacious grassy ledge and here we discussed the merits of setting up an abseil as our descent method. It was decided we would climb the same route again (with a different leader), or climb a route very close by. This meant a descent by abseil would make a lot of sense at it avoided a walk down some very steep ground.
With so much excellent protection on offer for the abseil, we ended up using 4 anchors, which did feel like overkill. As the abseil rope needed to be retrievable as we would be needing it to climb the next route, we couldn't incorporate it into any of the anchors and slings were needed to equalise these. 4 slings to be precise! Luckily we had plenty. I've included a photo of the set up below.

We packed up and headed back to the cars at just the right time, there was light rain falling as we reached the roadside. The weather forecasters had got it spot on today, we are thankful for that.

Kettle crag is a fantastic single pitch climbing venue and has a mountain feel to it. It was, to the best of my knowledge, the first of the Pike O'Blisco crags to be discovered and climbed on. However, because it is out of sight from roads and many paths, it does seem to get forgotten, and that is a shame. It isn't an ideal place for complete beginners to climbing, but those who have climbed a little before and don't mind a slightly longer and more adventurous approach walk (only 35 mins) this place should be added to the list. So if you're planning to come out climbing with us this summer and have already spent some time on rock, this venue would make a good choice for a full day of climbing.

We've got a bit more rain today, but looks set to be sunny again later :-)

Thanks for reading

Mark

#rock-climbing-ambleside

Sam cruising up another great route at Kettle crag

#setting-up-an-abseil-lake-district

Rather than walking to the base of the crag, we set up an abseil this time

Buckbarrow crag, Longsleddale

10/6/2020

#rock-climbing-course-ambleside

Me on pitch 3 of Sadgill Wall - photo courtesy of Iain Gallagher

For a few years now me & Iain have been saying we'd get out climbing together on a day off. Well it's taken the Covid restrictions to bring it about, but yesterday we finally made it out for that climb.

It seems that Buckbarrow crag in Longsleddale has been a venue on both of our lists for a while, so it seemed appropriate to eventually go and have a look at it. My interest had in it had been re-ignited after reading through the recently published Rockfax guidebook. This hails the route as a bit of a classic and well worth it.

I had forgotten how long the valley of Longsleddale is (The long valley of the river Sprint). The narrow and sinuous lane seems to go on for many miles. Still, the scenery is pretty and the traffic light.

The ground between the bridleway and the base of the crag didn't appear to be too steep, but wow it was a really lung buster! We took a breather before sorting the gear in preparedness for the climb. As neither of us had been to the venue before we both took time to study the guidebook thoroughly too, paying particular attention to the descent options. I would urge any climber to do the same when visiting a venue they don't know.

Our chosen route was Sadgill Wall - Severe 4a

I led the first pitch, which felt more difficult than expected, but provided some fine climbing with exposure building very quickly. Protection for the leader was only just adequate so I was glad to reach the safety of the belay stance.

Iain led through and cruised up pitch 2, this also gave some fine positions and excellent climbing that led up to an airy stance.
From this stance pitch 3 looked sensational and I couldn't wait to get started on it. With Iain poised for photos as well as belaying, I set off across a large slab, traversing rightwards with dramatic exposure. The holds were all massive and protection good, meaning I could fully enjoy the experience. Near the top of the pitch I had to climb a section of steep heather / bilberry! This will be better in a month when fruits appear on the bushes.

The final pitch of proper climbing was then left to Iain and he chose a variation finish. This was likely about the same difficulty level as the original route but took us on more of a tour of the upper crag. What was left was a delightful traverse across a series of huge pinnacles and the climb was in the bag.

Now to get back down!
This involved a steep down climb followed by some scrambling up to the level ground above the crag. From here we picked a route to zigzag downhill, crossing various gullies and taking in some very steep grass, to finally reach the bags and our lunch.

There was time for another shorter route, so we ticked off a single pitch VS climb on Low Crag which lies to the right of the main buttress. This certainly packed a punch and made for a grand finish to a great day out.

Cheers Iain. Hopefully we'll get out for more of the same soon.

We are very much open again and taking bookings. All our activities are available and we can operate them with social distancing. If you are planning a day visit to the Lake District this month, or a longer visit later in the summer, please do get in touch so we can plan some fantastic activities for you.

Thanks for reading

Mark

#rock-climbing-lake-district-buckbarrow-crag

Buckbarrow crag viewed from the bridleway

#adventure-activities-lake-district

Iain on the final section of pinnacles

#climbing-instructor-lake-district

Just finished belaying at the top of another fine climb

#outdoor-activities-ambleside

Almost back at the base of the crag after a long walk down

Sour Milk Gill, Grasmere

6/6/2020

#gorge-scrambling-sourmilk-gill-grasmere

Below the main waterfalls

There are a couple of well known Sour Milk Gills in the Lake District, one that tumbles out of Blueberry tarn into Buttermere and the other originating from Easedale tarn and forging a route to Grasmere.

It was the later of these that gave us yesterdays adventure. A Gill we have walked alongside many many times and occasionally scrambled small sections of it, but we had not scrambled the full length of the rocky stream bed until yesterday. And all this came about as a last minute thought. I had been due to climb with local friend Jim, but the day had started off very wet, so uninspiring conditions for climbing. We agreed to 'have a think about it' and hopefully make something of the afternoon should conditions improve.
By late morning I was itching to get out and Kate seemed keen to fit in some exercise too. I started to think of what we could do as a team of 3 starting from home and on a potentially damp day. A Ghyll scramble is always a bit wet anyway, so thought that would work well, but where? Grasmere is easy enough to cycle to on the mountain bikes. A plan was forming.
We took in a good chunk of off-road terrain to reach Grasmere then continued up into Easedale, with a wet river crossing en-route!!

With the bracken now growing quite high and plenty of other natural objects around, it was easy to hide the bikes, although we did lock them too. Leaving these only minutes from the start of the scrambling route felt really good. Although we had endured a passing shower, the weather was now rather wonderful, with blue skies ahead, it was short sleeves all round.

Keeping to the dry rocks gave excellent friction and good sport was had. The damp or moss covered rocks required extreme caution as they were very slippery. The stream bed had loads of good quality solid rock and a number of fine cascades to be climbed. All of these were good fun and relatively straightforward. This isn't a good Ghyll for swimming, but there is one pool we encountered that would be okay for swimming, in fact Jim did contemplate the idea.

Escape from the Ghyll was always easy as the main path to Easedale tarn runs alongside and the Ghyll has an open aspect. A short, steep climb on impeccable rock gives a good finale before a sudden change of angle. We found a good picnic site near here whilst deciding on the next plan of action.
Whilst enjoying lunch, we learnt from Jim about the 'Guides hut' at Easedale tarn. Don't be getting excited, it's no longer there! This was once a refreshments hut on the shores of Easedale tarn, if visiting have a look for the huge boulder near to the outflow, this was the sight of the hut. Everyday is a school day :-)

With the afternoon racing by, we called it a day and took a leisurely stroll back to the bikes for the ride home. One thing lockdown has made me consider much more is how and where I travel. If possible it'll be on a bike. Although I think for climbing days I'm still far more likely to use the car due to the weight of all the equipment.

With the Lakes looking set to reopen to overnight visitors from early next month, it's good to have a few ideas for what to do. We can well recommend a walk to Easedale tarn, and if wanting to spice the walk up, Sour Milk Gill is to the right of the main path and gives some fun scrambling. If you're unsure about scrambling or about where to walk / what to do whilst in the Lake District, we'd be delighted to help with ideas and can arrange fun and adventurous days out.

Thanks for reading

Mark

#sourmilk-gill-grasmere

Kate enjoying good friction on the drier rocks

#adventure-activities-ambleside

The weather forecast said rain, but we had sunshine :-)

Equalising climbing anchors....this is a long one!

4/6/2020

#equalising-rock-climbing-anchors-using-a-sling

As still this is a fairly unconventional anchor set up for the UK, but more popular overseas

On Tuesday I’d been out climbing with a friend at Upper Scout crag in the Langdale valley. As it’s a venue I visit regularly I was looking for ways to keep my mind active whilst climbing these very well known to me routes. I spent time placing protection in places I may not usually, trying to using different pieces of protection, and creating belay anchors a little differently. Going the extra mile you might say. Time was also spent covering some of the self rescue scenarios that may arise whilst climbing, fairly straightforward techniques, but as with everything, practice is a good thing and time well spent honing these skills further.

Something I find newer climbers struggle with is tidying slings neatly when dismantling a belay anchor. The biggest problem here is the knot used to equalise the protection by creating a ‘master-point’. These knots, usually either an overhand or figure of eight, can be difficult to untie and it is common for climbers to resort to actually using their teeth! The teeth method isn’t ideal and we think it’s best to avoid it, especially so in the Covid world we are currently in.

Last year an article was published on the well known climbing website UKC (link below) showing an alternative method of creating a master-point when equalising anchors. I watched the video links and read the article, feeling unsure initially but really wasn’t sure why I was unsure. What was being shown made perfect sense and the physics prove it. Instead of tying a knot in the equalisation sling, a larks foot or girth hitch (same thing) is used and the locking karabiner that this is attached to becomes the master-point. For many climbers there is a tendency to stay away from the larks foot as it is associated with a weakening in the sling / rope. This is true, it does weaken the sling or rope, all knots do and by quite a lot. In the case of a larks foot, it could be up to a 50% reduction in strength, sounds a lot right. But let’s remember how strong a sling is, typically between 24-30kn (think of this similar to 2.4 – 3 tons of static load), or to be blunt, extremely strong. After the rope, our slings will often be the strongest part of a climbing rack, and hugely stronger than a DMM Wallnut which is typically about 12kn.
Cloves hitches are something that most climbers use every time they climb, the angles they put onto a sling are quite similar to that seen in a larks foot, and we accept the clove hitch as okay to use, but so many question the larks foot. I’ve done so myself in the past, why?
The answer for me was because I was told by other climbing guides and instructors, and older climbers that a larks foot is bad. The end! No, not quite actually….

There was never any convincing science forthcoming with these statements, yet I accepted it as so many of us do, not wanting to be the one that questions. So when watching the video, I felt somewhat disappointment in myself for not questioning more. We are all on a continuous learning curve and questions can make this more progressive.

Petzl are a world leading climbing and caving equipment manufacturer and along with the Alpine guides of South Tyrol, they highlight the benefits of the larks foot equalisation method. It’s all backed by scientific evidence using drop tests, so not just hearsay. That’s enough for this method to make it into my little toolbox of tricks.

This doesn’t mean it’s the ‘new’ way and only way going forward. I’ll certainly still being using a wide variety of other methods, some of which will be explained below.

I had used this method whilst out climbing on Tuesday, simply to demonstrate it to my friend, but also as an efficient way of climbing, it really is more efficient. After publishing a photo of it online a good friend got in touch to ask about it and we discussed things in more detail. I wasn’t able to fully answer all the strength questions and this led me to delve back into it, revisiting why it is such a worthwhile technique to know.

The physics, forces and strength ratings are beyond the scope of this blog post, so for those wanting to know more, the following links are both worth looking at:
https://www.alpinesavvy.com/blog/try-a-girth-hitch-at-the-master-point
https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/gear/ortovox_safety_academy_part_2_abseiling-709758

As mentioned above, there are many ways to safely attach to a climbing anchor, I’m now going to explain a few and offer some pros and cons for each. Ultimately the anchor choice will be based on what the rock presents you with and what your aims are at that time. So knowing a wide variety of methods is invaluable, it’s also important to know what is best for each application. If in doubt it is worth considering having a day of instruction and we would gladly help with this.

#overhand-knot-climbing-anchor

Fig 1: a common sight is the figure of 8 or overhand knot to equalise the anchors

Using a sling to equalise anchors:

This method is favoured by guides the world over and with good reason. It is easy to manage, helps keep the belayer out of the belay system, can be very efficient, makes changeovers more straightforward.
But what about the downsides? Yes there are a few. The biggest being that a sling is a completely static piece of equipment, so in the event of a fall, higher forces will be exerted onto the protection and the climber. This most be carefully considered before using this method. More equipment is also needed, as at least 1 sling per belay will be required.

The first method with the sling is one many climbers will know and use. The sling is clipped into 2 pieces of protection and equalised using a figure of eight knot, this creates a master-point (see figure 1). This is straightforward and quick to make, but can use up a length of sling very quickly, so a 120cm long sling will only be enough if protection is quite close together. If carrying a 240cm sling this can help if protection is further apart. Having only 1 knot to release makes this method quite quick to tidy up afterwards.

Next up we incorporate clove hitches at the anchor points (see figure 2). This allows us to use more of sling, unlike in the above method where we can only use 60cm of a 120cm sling. The slack section of sling between the 2 anchors is redundant and there must always be at least a small amount of slack in this section. Using the whole of the sling means we can effectively use anchors that are further apart and still maintain an acceptable angle between the protection. You’ll also notice we have added the DMM Pivot belay device to this set up. Using a sling to create a master-point allows for easy use of these devices.

#dmm-pivot-belay-device

Fig 2: here clove hitches are added and help utilise more of the sling

The knotted sling in figure 3 is more controversial but certainly used around the world. 2 knots are added to create a master-point. However, should 1 anchor fail the sling will suffer some shock load, this being somewhat reduced by the knots, but they don’t completely take away the risks. This method should only be used on totally trustworthy anchors, for example a couple of bolts. An advantage of this system, especially so on bolted climbs, is that the sling is left with the knots in for the entire route and can be despatched quickly at each belay station, thus saving time. On long Alpine climbs being efficient can be extremely important.

#using-knots-to-aid-equalising-a-climbing-anchor

Fig 3: this is more appropriate for a bolted spot route rather than trad climbing.

Next up figures 4 & 5 show master-points created using a clove hitch and a larks foot (girth hitch). These are very similar and achieve the same result. A locking karabiner becomes the master-point, this must be in the locked position to be considered safe. The advantage of either of these systems is in their efficiency, particularly for the climber left to clear the belay system. It also allows more of the sling to be utilized by the anchors, thus potentially reducing angles between the anchors (smaller angles are generally a good thing as the forces are more evenly distributed).

#using-a-dmm-pivot-belay-device

Fig 4: The South Tyrollean anchor method

#using-a-clove-hitch-to-equalise-a-climbing-anchor

Fig 5: As above but with a clove hitch in place of a larks foot

Figures 6, 7, and 8 show slings employed to attach 3 and 4 anchors. The slings used are 120cm and 240cm. When equalising with a larks foot at the master-point up to 4 anchor points can be used whilst still keeping the angles between each piece at an acceptable level. If an overhand knot were to be used instead, a 240cm sling would be needed. These are more bulky to carry, can be a handful on a windy day, and are more expensive to purchase.

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Fig 6: 3 anchors equalised with a 240cm sling

#using-a-120cm-sling-to-connect-trad-climbing-anchors

Fig 7: 120cm sling equalising 4 anchors

#how-to-connect-4-climbing-anchors-using-a-sling

Fig 8: 240cm sling equalising 4 anchors

So far we have focused on using slings to equalise anchor points. There many be times when we prefer / it is better to use the climbing rope, so now let’s explore some of the ways we can use the rope to safely attach to anchors.

A common method of doing this is by using clove hitches and attaching these to a karabiner on the climbers harness. A bite of rope is clipped through each anchor point and brought back to the harness where it is clipped into a locking karabiner using a clove hitch for each. The clove hitch is a preferred method due to its ease of adjustment. But a figure of eight or overhand knot will also work, just take more time! See figure 9.

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Fig 9: Using the rope to connect to anchors. This is often a great choice.

Many of us use half ropes to climb with and figure 10 shows a method of belaying with these. In this example we use one of the half ropes to attach to the anchors and we make a master-point between these. This allows us to give a direct belay using a device such as the DMM Pivot.

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Fig 10: Direct belay using half ropes

When using the rope to equalise anchors, it is still possible to incorporate the larks foot or clove hitch master-point and this is shown in figure 11. Again, the advantage being an easier to release system as hitches don’t become ‘welded’ together in the same way a loaded knot will.

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Fig 11: Direct belay using the DMM Pivot and larks foot to equalise the anchors

There have been a wide variety of examples shown here, all of them work and are safe if used correctly and appropriately. Choosing which system to use when and why can be tricky and that isn’t an area we are going to discuss fully in this post, but will offer a simplified view of how I often make decisions about anchor attachment:

1) Block leading / 1 climber does all the leading - in this case I find it more efficient to create equalised anchors using a sling or multiple slings. This tends to mean quicker, more efficient changeovers at each stance. This method generally uses less karabiners too.

2) Alternate leading - I tend to employ the rope whenever alternate leading as in this case it will be slightly more efficient than taking the time to unravel a sling. As the rope is dynamic, adding this to the belay can help reduce the forces on any protection in the event of a fall.

Efficiency is an important part of anchor building, although trying to be fast and forsaking safety is not to be recommended. So these techniques should be practiced well in advance of any bigger mountain routes where time could be a factor. Seeing climbing teams spend 10 even 15 minutes at belay stances is actually not that uncommon. On a 3 pitch climb with a straightforward descent that timescale is perfectly fine, pleasant in fact. Translate it onto a 15 pitch route with an intricate and rocky descent with some abseils and we see where problems may arise. 15 stances x 15 minutes = take a torch and sleeping bag!

RRP - as with anything, getting better, more efficient, happier, and slicker, all takes time and practice. Think RRP - Regular Relevant Practice
Or even better add another R with RRRP - Recent Regular Relevant Practice

If unsure about anchor and belay systems and you’re keen to learn more about this or any other climbing related skill, or are feeling in need of some RRP please do get in touch. We would be very happy to put together a skills course focused on your climbing needs.

Thanks for reading.

Mark

Disclaimer: Anchors are a climbers lifeline and vitally important. Building and attaching safely to either trad or sport anchors can be achieved in many different ways and the most appropriate method will vary depending on what anchors are being used, the route, the climbers, and a multitude of other factors. Whilst all the techniques described above are safe if used appropriately, there will be times they could be deemed to be unsafe if used in the wrong setting. This blog post isn’t intended to be a ‘how to’ guide, it has been written to provide some insight into the various methods.
If in doubt, consider booking onto a course. We'd be delighted to arrange a bespoke course to include any topics covered here.