The Awesome Stanage Edge and Winnets Pass, Peak District, June 2019

This was a typical Friday night to Sunday climbing and scrambling weekend that James and I have begun to semi-regularly achieve. My aim here was to complete an E1 grade lead climb at the popular end of the ridge as well as attempt to tick off a number of classic routes that are in abundance here. I was already coming down with a chest infection that soon after led to a hospital stay with Pneumonia so I'm going to let myself off missing my objective on this occasion. Sadly I don't think I'll get another opportunity to achieve my goal this year as the next trip is already planned around doing a multi-pitch climb in north wales, probably Tryfan.

We both got plenty of video footage but on poor quality copies of go-pros. Not worthy of uploading but good for a personal record of the trip. Saturdays Climbing was made up of the following climbs; Byne's Route HS 4a; Devil's Chimney VD; Hell Crack VS 4c (top roped); Heaven Crack VD and Lethe VS 4c (top roped). It had only been a month since we were last here on what was a great day notching up some classic climbs so this was a disappointing follow up, sadly I just didn't have the energy or strength to nail it like I would of liked.

James admiring Stanage Popular End

Sunday was about ticking off a couple of classic Scrambles in the awesome Winnets Pass, we did both Elbow Ridge and the Matterhorn as well as taking in Mam Tor and its views of the old A625 that succumb to landslides and is now shut.

We started with a roadside breakfast out of a tin and learnt how to open a can without a can opener, to the expense of James fork. There is something strangely satisfying in cooking up a meal or a brew from a Trangia.

The scrambling was great fun, I definitely felt exposed but the quality of the rock and the great weather gave me plenty of confidence. The scramble has inspired me to invest in some approach shoes, trainers do give flexibility and enable you to dig your toes into smaller gaps and holds or just allow you to feel he full strength of what your standing on unlike a walking boot, but I'd like the confidence of some extra grip and security next time.

It was a good day out with good weather and an enjoyable level of scrambling.