It was a glorious day on Sunday for the meet to Gimmer, so good in fact that several of the gentlemen present saw fit to bare their legs – rather a frightening sight, especially with the battle scars displayed by our offwidth enthusiast. Undeterred by this unseemly display of ghostly white flesh, the party of 9 huffed and puffed their way up to the crag and made no improvement on the recommended approach time of 1 hour (back in the day the guide suggested 50 minutes but I guess guidebook writers are getting older too).
4 teams formed up and variously attacked the Lower North-West Face, the West Face, the South-East Face and the (mis-named) Main Wall, with ascents of Asterisk (MVS), D Route (S), Introduction (MVS), Ash Tree Slabs (VD), Main Wall Climb (VD) and Prelude (D). However, the piece de reistance was a remarkable venture that observers suggested took in parts of Bracket & Slab, Remembrance, Gimmer Chimney and quite possibly Chimney Buttress (feel free to offer a grade for this rather protracted outing) and concluded with a fell walk that included a section of the main New Dungeon Ghyll – Pike o’ Stickle path while on the way back to the gearing-up point, and all done in rock shoes – surely a first and worthy of a meet report in its own right.
So, with a collection of now, pink legs and many sore feet, the happy crew descended in dribs and drabs to Great Langdale and made their weary way home, heads full of the joys of climbing on Gimmer – surely in the top 3 Lakeland crags on any climber’s list.
Andy Barton says
Nice one John, Brian and I had a little more luck route finding on Tuesday night to restore our confidence.
Andy Barton says
View from the supposed Bracket and Slab
PhilM says
My legs are still pink now!
Steve Wilson says
A excellent day out. I have added some pictures which Shirley took.