Upcoming climbing trip to the UK

This upcoming month from May 9th-22nd, I'll be in England visiting family and just kind of exploring the countryside. I'd like to get on a couple of climbs while I'm over there and

I've been looking at the Old man of Hoy sea stack. Just looking for something exciting and adventurous without being too difficult. Mostly because I'm bringing my lady friend and she's real new to climbing even though I'm a fairly experienced climber. Just seeing if there's anyone that's climbed in the UK a lot and can maybe make some recommendations. Especially if you can name just one or two fun climbs so I can just bring the gear that I need. I'm dreading hauling a whole rack and ropes and etc. etc. onto the airplane.

Thanks!
James

While I have climbed in the UK on a number of occasions, I have never been up to Hoy. However, from what I do know I don't think it is a reasonable goal for a 2 week trip, unless that becomes the primary focus of your visit. Just getting up there from England is a bit of an epic journey, and then getting onto and then off of the stack is a pretty complex adventure in itself in addition to climbing the thing (especially with a partner who is "real new to climbing")---then there is the very real possibility of being totally shut down by the weather.

Since there are very good climbing opportunities in many more accessible parts of the country, I'd suggest that you try to visit several areas in the more central region. Where are you flying into? Where does the "family" that you will be visiting live? Are there any particular 'non-climbing' places that you hope to visit? Will you be renting a car or relying on public transport? With this information I--and others, could make some more specific suggestions. If, as most do, you are flying into London--it is a great city, but not really close to any of the really good climbing centers. However an approximately 4 hour ride will take you to the Peak District (Sheffield is the main city on the Eastern side)with many great gritstone and limestone crags as well as gorgeous English countryside close by. Another couple of hours (north or northwest) can get you to North Wales or the Lake District, or going the other direction, west, will take you to Cornwall's seacliffs. All of the above---and many other places--will give you plenty of options to sample British climbing and as well as seeing the countryside.

Thanks for the fast reply Alan. I'll make notes of all those places you mentioned and try and look up more details. I can definitely swing you a few more details to give you a better picture. We'll be flying into Manchester and from there traveling to my relatives place on Headington in Oxford. We do indeed plan to rent a car so we can go explore for ourselves. The countryside is where we hope to spend most of our time, exploring little towns and mountains. We'll probably just buy a bivy or small tent in case we just want to stop somewhere.

I hadn't looked into the Peak District yet but that sounds like a place I'll want to get more details on.We're really interested in doing one or two ridge hikes. We're especially keen on something like Striding Edge in Helvellyn or Nantlle Ridge in Snowdonia. My partner is very interested in doing a multi day loop hike of some description which I think would be great I just haven't the foggiest of where to start. Our original plan was to spend the whole trip just hiking around Skye honestly.

Climbing is something I really enjoy and I want to get more into the alpine or mountaineering style. So I was hoping to find a route/hike that let us explore while we were on our vacation. Basically we want to feel like we're bad-ass explorers but not actually be in much danger.

That's helpful information. You are flying into Manchester--on the western side of the Peak (I'm more familiar with the Eastern Edges), but also within reasonable striking distance of North Wales and, a bit further, the Lake District, but then driving away from there further from good climbing into Oxfordshire. So, depending on the amount of time you intend to spend with your family it may be best to plan the climbing/adventure part of your trip as a 'block' either at the beginning or end of the trip (though it is possible to travel from the Oxford area to the Peak for day or, better, 2-day--excursions). The Peak District itself is mostly 'moorland'--plateaus rather than mountainous with short gritstone 'edges' on many of the plateau rims and limestone crags in the valleys. While there is plenty of good climbing on the limestone (though not nearly the quality nor quantity of the similar rock in continental Europe), it is the gritstone that is really unique to English climbing. The climbs are short--often very short, but pack a lot in. Also it has the advantage of having a great mixture of anything from very easy routes to very difficult ones to very bold ones all in very close proximity to each other--so great for both you and your girlfriend. There are also many treks in the moorland--some can be multi-day. The terrain is far from alpine but can still be very challenging, especially if the weather is bad--an all-too-common event there.

Both North Wales and the Lake District are more mountainous with many opportunities for ridge hikes and multi-day excursions, as well as loads of cragging opportunities--again both quite accessible from Manchester. There is also a vast amount of the sort of adventure you are looking for in Scotland, including Skye (and much of it more accessible than Hoy), but it is that much further from Manchester and even more so from Oxfordshire.

There is a vast amount written (both on line and in print--my preference) about British climbing and trekking including a surfeit of guidebooks to all the areas I've mentioned, so you should find no shortage of material as you continue your research. The only problem will be that you will find so much of interest that you will probably end up just as uncertain of where to go as you were at the beginning---2 weeks is just a start!!!!

My suggestion, if you have the flexibility, is to give your self a few days--4 or 5 at least, in North Wales at either the start or finish of your trip for a more sustained adventure, but get in a visit or 2 to the grit while you are visiting in Oxford.

Oh, one other thing. It does take quite a while (if ever) to get used to driving on the 'wrong' side of the road (the "roundabouts"--rotaries are particularly dreadful)so give yourself plenty of time to get used to it and assume that all drives will take you longer than the locals will tell you.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip.

Take a look at the Cuillin Ridge on Skye. Great walking/scrambling. And I agree that Hoy is not particularly realistic, although it is a very cool idea. I'm also partial to the Lake District: good crags and good hill walks (although none of the best scrambling in the Lakes compares to Skye). If your itinerary takes you to Scotland, there is excellent walking and climbing pretty much everywhere. Fort William makes a good base.

Good luck and have fun.

Wow, thanks for the details guys it's really making it a lot easier to figure out where to focus. Do you have any specific in-print book suggestions? Something that could maybe touch on all of these types of topics? I think you're right in the regard to how we'll spend our time. A longer trip at the beginning and then day trips out during the rest of the time we spend there.

I'd really like to make my way up to Scotland, it seems like it's exactly what I'm imagining. Cuillin Ridge on Skye looked really incredible but I wasn't sure if it would be too difficult for us. That's definitely what I had in mind though, do folks do a running belay or something along those lines for this type of trekking? The pictures I see online have people wearing full climbing attire at least. I was thinking about picking up a light (<9mm) alpine rope while I'm over there for that sort of situation. The biggest outdoors store I see over there is Go Outdoors and they seem to have those ropes and tents.

I'm nervous about the driving but I'm sure I'll be able to kick my brain over to the British way after a few hours. So my real question is this: should I bring my whole trad rack, or should we just pack harnesses and other basic gear? You mentioned that the gritstone climbs are worth having a look at but are things over there often bolted or trad or tr?

Thanks for all the advice!

Sorry for not responding earlier but I've been away from my computer overnight. Let me start with your last sentence. "...are things over there often bolted or trad or tr?" This question makes me think that you need to do a bit more reading about British climbing!!!! British ethics are often very strict, and nowhere more so than on the gritstone---the climbing there is totally trad (bolts and even pitons are not "on"). It is definitely possible to TR on the grit--and is often done (anchors are often tricky to set up), though definitely looked down upon (my English friend was very disapproving when I wanted to try to TR something harder than either of us were up for leading and that is a very common attitude). In general sport climbing (or any use of bolts)is limited to certain rock types (most commonly limestone)and even there only in certain specified areas or crags. For instance, only some of the limestone crags in the Peak District have sport climbs and most of these are 'hard' crags--those with easier sport climbs tend to be chossy (ugly, dirty, and loose) quarries. Similar 'rules' are in play across the country. So if you hope to do much in the way of climbing I'd bring along a varied trad rack. For ridge scrambles then harnesses,light rope, etc and a small rack should be sufficient.

As far as guidebooks, there are plenty for all areas. I really can't recommend any for Scotland but go on-line to any of a number of climbing stores and they'll usually have a good selection to choose from. For North Wales, North Wales Rock is a very good selective guide to the whole region and is, I believe, still available. The Peak District also has many competing guidebooks so it is hard to suggest any specific one. I know that Rockfax publish 2 good selective books-Peak Gritstone East and West, but there are others (the British Mountaineering Council--BMC--publish a series of wonderful gritstone guidebooks that contain more historical and general information than the Rockfax books, so are a great reference source, but as comprehensive books there are more of them so not as helpful if you plan on visiting different crags. In the past they had a selective book--On Peak Rock, which, if it is still available, would be a good book to get). I'm pretty sure that there is a selective guide that focuses on easier climbs (for your girlfriend) but I don't recall the name. If you do go to the gritstone, Stanage Edge (Peak Gritstone East) is the largest and, arguably, the most classic gritstone crag, so is a good one to visit. Outside in Heathersage is a great climbing stone (with a huge guidebook selection) located pretty close to Stanage--and many other of the Edges. It is accessible on-line.

If you do go to Skye--or elsewhere in the Scottish mountains, I'd give yourself a full day for driving each way from Oxford or even Manchester, so it would probably be best if you can give yourselves a full week for that excursion. Also, I've never done the Cullin Ridge--looks great, so can't speak from personal experience, but from what I've heard and read, it is very long with significant sections of very exposed 'scrambling'--usually done unroped, so you should consider how your girlfriend, with limited climbing experience, will do on that type of terrain. The actual roped pitches aren't that hard in themselves, but the 'whole package' is a big objective. Even if that seems to be too big an objective, there are plenty of less serious hikes/scrambles in Scotland (or the Lakes, Wales, etc) that will be fine, beautiful, and very satisfying.