Not climbing this one. It was around here and I'd spent an hour practicing some of the RCI set pieces on the ground. My two fellow climbers were getting a bit tired and over cautious leading other routes.
I suggested rigging a top (top) rope for some harder climbs they wanted to have a go at but neither particularly keen to lead.
It took a while to rig. The gear was actually back and below where I'd be sitting which was rather baffling to begin with.
But I took my time rigging and had a friend (who has been out with Sam Leary before) check over and let me chat through what I was doing.
My first thoughts were to sit as if I'd come up the climb. I rigged the rigging rope so that it attached to my belay loop of my harness and I belayed normally from the top for the first climb. However, this demonstrated to me why being independent from the system in such cases can be useful...
I thought about an italian hitch, but given the anchors were below this wasn't feasible.
After the first friend climbed I re-arranged the rig to a bunny ears so that I could sit separately from the belay plate for the second person to climb it.
This proved slightly better though it did mean that I left the session with more questions than confidence...
However, I was able to re-rig quickly to arrange the rope so that the chaps could do the climb next door (a VS I think).
But the gear was still below and behind me, the rigging rope right on the rock and the belay position quite uncomfortable.
Total 3 hours.
Outcome - went for a day with Sam Leary with some questions! Loathing of grit increased!
Area :
Peak District Grit: Birchen, Chatsworth and Gardoms Edges
This Area includes the Edges east of Baslow, namely Birchen, Chatsworth and Gardoms Edges, and nearby minor crags such as Dobbs Edge.
