Original photo taken by Sansom of Herford at the top of the great flake on the first ascent of Central Buttress in 1914
Some
two years ago, Herford and I, in an inquisitive spirit, climbed up a
grassy scoop leading out of Moss Ghyll on to the Central Buttress. We
did not seriously believe that we should find a new climb on this
rock face, for it appears to be singularly unbroken and almost
vertical for over two hundred feet. It was, however, an unknown
region, and as such appealed to us.
The
scoop was not very difficult and we were soon looking around a corner
at the top along a narrow grassy ledge which apparently extended
right across the face to Botterill's Slab. The rocks fell away very
steeply below and a sheer smooth wall rose up to a great height
above: its regularity was interrupted at one point, it is true, by an
enormous rock flake which tapered out to nothing 70 feet higher. For
some obscure reason this ledge suggested vague possibilities, which
we did not fully appreciate at the time. The Great Flake looked quite
hopeless as a means of ascent and we dismissed the idea at once and
concentrated our attention on the Moss Ghyll side of the buttress,
which was broken up by right-angled corners running upwards from west
to east at a uniform angle of 65°.
The nearest of these corners
stopped us in less than 30 feet, but we determined to try the next.
It appeared difficult of access from this ledge: accordingly a
descent to the Ghyll, and an awkward traverse from the top of the
next pitch was effected. I climbed up this groove with some
difficulty until the slab on the left almost gave out and upward
progress seemed scarcely feasible; the groove immediately on my right
continued upwards for a considerable distance, but the traverse into
it appeared too difficult and I returned to Herford. We thereupon
decided to give up the attempt and climb Pisgah Buttress instead. We
did so, with searching eyes on the rock face which had so
successfully repulsed us, and I for one returned to Wastdale with the
opinion that Central Buttress would not go.
That
day's work was not, however, wasted, for it led indirectly to the
discovery of the Girdle Traverse, inasmuch as it apparently
demonstrated the possibility of reaching Botterill's Slab from Moss
Ghyll and thus over-coming the most serious obstacle to the
expedition. Some three months later Herford made the second ascent of
Botterill's Slab, and a few days afterwards the Girdle Traverse was
completed. My belief, that the ledge on the Central Buttress actually
joined the Slab, was founded on insufficient data, and the credit for
the discovery of a feasible connection between the two is due to
H.B.Gibson.
Consideration
of other climbs, which led up apparently impossible but actually
feasible rocks, impressed on us the necessity of not judging by
appearances, but of trying all places, however impossible or
impracticable they looked. The proverb "Better is the sight of
the eyes than the wandering of the desire" is inimical to those
desirous of finding new routes on a much-explored rock-face. We
accordingly assured one another that, as we had not actually
attempted the ascent of the "Great Flake," there was still
a chance of finding a feasible route up the Central Buttress.
It
was not until June, 1913, that we had an opportunity of putting this
theory into practice on the Central Buttress. It is however one thing
to talk lightheartedly of trying to climb a narrow 40 foot crack, of
which the top overhangs the bottom some 12 feet, and quite another
thing to stand at its foot prepared to do so. The crack proper
started some 30 feet above our grass ledge (the Oval) and obviously
could be reached without great difficulty. I ascended about 25 feet
and found myself below a large bulge in the side of the flake; I
could have got over this bulge, but the sight of the crack above was
too much for me, and Herford took my place and climbed to the foot of
the crack. He also decided that to attempt to force it, without
knowledge as to what lay above, would be unjustifiable.
GS Sansom
I
was abroad all that summer, but Herford and Jeffcoat spent a
profitable afternoon in exploration from above. From the top of
Keswick Brothers Climb—below the variation finish—they traversed
out on to the face of the Central Buttress, first downwards some 30
feet, and then horizontally to the right for about the same distance
to a large flat rock, "The Cannon," which is a conspicuous
feature in the profile view of the face. From this point they
descended a narrow shattered ridge for 40 feet to a good belay on an
exposed platform known as Jeffcoat's Ledge, and a further descent of
12 feet gave access to a shelf of rock some 3 feet wide approximally,
narrowing gradually down to 18 inches and supporting various large
rock flakes in a state of doubtful equilibrium. Distally the ledge
was concealed by a rather larger detached flake some 10 feet high and
barely 3 inches wide at the top.
Herford traversed out on the ledge,
climbed on to this detached mass, walked along it and climbed down
the opposite side. He now realized that he was on the top of the
Great Flake, which formed the left retaining wall of the crack we had
tried to climb from below. The flake narrowed down to a knife-edge,
so thin and fretted that it was actually perforated in some places.
Crawling carefully along it to the end, Herford descended the
overhanging crack, whilst Jeffcoat paid out rope from the belay.
Unfortunately the rope jammed during the descent and Herford had very
great difficulty in getting down. He considered, however, that the
crack was just climbable, and wrote me to that effect. Thus ended
what is probably one of the most remarkable and bold explorations
ever carried out in the district, and it is to' be greatly regretted
that Jeffcoat, who had lent such valuable assistance, was unable to
join us in the actual ascent of the climb.
On
April 19th of this year Herford, Gibson, Holland and myself repaired
to Scafell for the attempt. Herford and Gibson ascended Keswick
Brothers Climb and traversed out on to the Central Buttress, whilst
Holland and I climbed direct from Rake's Progress to "The Oval."
Gibson lowered me a rope down the crack and after removing my boots I
attempted the ascent. As far as the bulge, above-mentioned, the
climbing was comparatively simple, but from this point to a large
jammed stone 20 feet higher it was extremely difficult, as the crack
is practically holdless and just too wide to permit a secure arm
wedge. Two fairly good footholds permit of a position of comparative
comfort just below the jammed stone and I noted, as Herford had
suggested, that it was possible to thread a rope there. The stone
itself afforded quite a good hand-hold, but the crack above overhung
to such a shocking extent that the ascent of the remaining 12 feet
proved excessively difficult. My arms gave out long before the top
was reached and a very considerable amount of pulling from Gibson was
required before I joined him. Herford then tried the ascent on a rope
and just succeeded in getting up without assistance. We thereupon
decided to attempt the ascent in the orthodox manner, and preparatory
thereto descended by Broad Stand and rejoined Holland on the Oval.
Our
plan of attack was to climb up the crack and thread a loop behind the
jammed stone, and I undertook to do this if Herford would lead the
upper part, which he was quite prepared to do. My first procedure was
to soak two feet of the end of a rope in wet moss, to render it stiff
and facilitate the threading. I then attempted the ascent, but six
feet below the jammed stone found my position too precarious to be
pleasant and called to Herford for a shoulder. He came up without the
least hesitation and standing on the bulge at the foot of the crack,
steadied my feet on small holds until I attained a safer position and
was able to climb up to the chockstone. The stiff rope threaded very
easily, and making a double loop I ran my own rope through it for the
descent, which was, under those conditions, quite safe.
After
a brief rest Herford tied on to the threaded rope and speedily
reached the level of the chockstone. He made a splendid effort to
climb the upper part, but his strength gave out and he returned for a
rest. A second equally fine effort was also unsuccessful, and he
climbed down to the Oval. I then made one attempt, but soon abandoned
it, and we unanimously agreed to postpone the ascent till the morrow,
leaving the threaded rope in situ . As Holland had already spent
seven hours on the Oval we decided to waste no more time, and
accordingly descended via the traverse into Moss Ghyll.
The
next day we climbed to The Oval direct from the Progress and one
member ascended to the chockstone to renew the loop, which showed
signs of wear from the previous day's use. We decided that combined
tactics would be necessary, and accordingly ran a second rope through
the loop. Herford tied on one rope and I on the other, whilst Gibson
and Holland manipulated the respective ropes. I followed Herford
closely up the crack and hung on to the loop whilst he used my
shoulders as foot-holds. Directly he vacated them I climbed three
feet higher and hung by my hands from the top of the chockstone,
whilst he again employed me as foot-holds, which are most sorely
needed at this point, for the crack is practically holdless and
overhangs about 20°.
Bill Peascod nearing the V Ledge on Central Buttress:Original photo-Bill Birkett
A minute or two of severe struggling and he
reached the top—to the great joy of all members of the party. Herford thoughtfully hung a short loop over the tip of the flake to
assist us in the ascent, but even then we required much help from
above, and it was with a sense of great relief that we found
ourselves on the crest of the flake. Murray, who had been observing
us from the recess with some interest, was delighted with an
invitation to join the party, so we lowered him a rope down the crack
and induced him to remove the threaded loop on the way up.
We
were well satisfied with the day's work, but not with the climb,
inasmuch as it left 150 feet of the Central Buttress still unclimbed.
Two days later, therefore, we set out, greatly regretting Gibson's
absence from the party, to explore the upper part of the face.Fifty
feet above the top of the Great Flake on the Central Buttress is an
irregular V shaped grass ledge, from the western end of which springs
a wide chimney, which is the lower section of a conspicuous
Bayonet-Shaped Crack, running up to the very top of the crags. The
upper section of this crack was, we knew, easy; the lower portion
looked very unpleasant, but we hoped to avoid it by climbing the
steep face on the left.
With Holland and Slater belaying us, we
climbed down steep rocks to the V shaped ledge 100 feet below, and
from there were able to look down a remarkably smooth and almost
vertical wall to the top of the Great Flake, 50 feet lower. The wall
was broken at one point by a right-angled arete which, in spite of
the fact that it overhung slightly, possessed sufficiently good holds
to permit of a comfortable descent of 25 feet. From its foot a
wonderfully exposed traverse across the almost vertical face on the
left enabled us to pass behind a large detached pinnacle and climb
slightly downwards to the shattered ridge against the foot of which
the Great Flake abuts.
Much
elated at this discovery we climbed back to Holland and Slater, and
the three of us at once descended the easy rocks to the "Cannon."
Belayed from this point I led across the traverse and up to the V
ledge. Herford then took the lead, Holland going second. Now the way
by which we had descended necessitated an extremely difficult hand
traverse, on bad holds, in an exposed situation, and we therefore
cast about for a better route. Herford first tried the Bayonet-Shaped
Crack, but it looked repulsively difficult and he abandoned it in
favour of a most exhilarating traverse across its foot, on to the
vertical wall beyond, and upwards across the latter for 30 feet to a
steep slab, which he followed, for another 25 feet, to a good belay
at the top of the lower section of the crack. We soon joined him here
and climbed easily up the left wall of the upper portion of the
Bayonet-Shaped Crack to the top of the Crags.
Footnote
Footnote
The Central Buttress climb as a whole
is extremely interesting and the situations absolutely unique. As
regards difficulty: The direct ascent to the Oval from Rake's
Progress is decidedly difficult and entails an 80 foot run out. The
Flake Crack is unfortunately excessively severe and requires very
careful management to render its ascent safe. The traverses and
ascents on the upper wall are extraordinarily exposed, but not unduly
severe, and the climbing is exceedingly enjoyable. The climb is
certainly the longest in the district.
Scafell:Original painting/image Julian Cooper
GS Sansom: First published in the Fell& Rock Journal 1914
