The velveteen rabbit.

I've been heading to Trollers gill pretty regularly now since late 2009. Since my first visit I recognised its quality, potential and unique ambience. A secluded gorge reached by a pleasant walk under the magnificent backdrop of the Barden fell gritstone outcrops. The Rockfax guide talks of an isolated setting and spaced bolts and the YMC guide warns of dead rabbits and car thieves.
The isolated setting is one of its main appeals - you're likely to see plenty of ramblers yet other climbers are rare, a refreshing break from the throngs that Malham and Kilnsey attract. The bolts are now all new - a mixture of stainless through bolts and resins at comfortable spacings, thanks to the Yorkshire bolt fund. The flora and fauna isn't restricted to dead rabbits either, and we've never had a problem with car security from the Parcevall hall access.
One thing that is little advertised is Trollers' novel geology and geography. Large lumps of gritstone adorn the dry valley beneath the main face and one route in particular steps from a gritstone block directly onto the limestone wall. The hill behind the main crag has such a slight hydrological volume that the 'sponge' store has little water capacity and hence the rock can be dry for most of the year whilst other crags are seeping.

I worked quickly through the existing routes in 2009 and 2010, and enjoyed most of them but particular mention should be made to the following:
The Jim grin - Yorkshires best 7a.
The Barguest - Another fine 7a, now unfortunately missing its 'surprise'.
Haslam - A pumpy and fingery 7b/+.
Spent Youth - A short powerful and fun 7b/+.
Smouldering globules of lust - An awful name but great route at 7b+/c.

None of the routes there are too long and so they're well suited to a boulderers style - after my first scoping trip I enlisted the help of Nik to plug some obvious quality gaps, and as of this week we've almost finished the job, giving plenty for the previously unrepresented eighth grade climber to go at:
The tinderbox - A fingery and bouldery crux. ** 7c+
Moddey Dhoo - Link velveteen to Angel heart. ** 8a+
Wabbit and lamb - the counter diagonal from Angel heart to velveteen. ** 8a+
Angel heart - harder and better since the jug in the bulge 'fell off'. ** 7c+
Kick my habit - a direct up the cold turkey wall. ** 7b+/c

But pride of place has to go to The velveteen rabbit, arguably my best new route to date. It's taken plenty of work and produced many failures. A technical lower wall warms you up for a brutally powerful crux. I was originally trying this in a 'one inch punch' style by holding a half pad edge and a disappointing sloper and flicking into a flake instinctively, though the percentages were against me and I resorted to a butch full span from undercut to undercut for redpoint success. It took 6 goes on Monday, and finally went in the pouring rain, with run-off beginning to soak the finishing holds. This is redpoint number 5.



Two projects remain, one I bolted just right of The tinderbox that I should complete soon, and one that James Ibbertson bolted but has yet to get fully involved with. Hopefully the new routes will encourage folk to sample the delights of Trollers as a reliable alternative to the usual Yorkshire honeypots. If anyone needs a tour just let me know.