Confessions of a (former) grit stone addict

I've spent the last decade or so climbing my way around these isles, but for one reason or another always gravitated towards the grit stone edges of the Peak District national park. There's a near mythical aura around these rocks where the first ascent lists stretching back a century reads like a who's who of UK climbing and mountaineering. The film 'Hard Grit' did its bit, too. Climbing on grit is different from any other rocktype found in the UK. Its predominantly rounded, neatly sculptured shapes require sublime friction-only footwork and open hand strength. Rough cracks splitting both horizontally and vertically demand jamming skills hard to acquire elsewhere. Although the edges rarely top 15m, routes are almost always bold, powerful or both. The Peak is the ultimate climber's playground.

Lately, I've climbed almost exclusively on lime stone. The trip to Sardinia last Easter was the catalyst. I never used to 'get' lime stone, being the antithesis of grit: lower friction, crimping edges rather than slopers, fewer cracks, typically steep, few natural lines. The few trips clipping bolts at Portland just reinforced my view that 'sport climbing is neither', and that lime stone is a tottering pile of loose rubble. I realise now that this blinkered view has hampered my development as a climber, but also led me to miss out on stacks of quality routes both here and abroad.

In Sardinia, with a group of climbers aeons ahead in terms of ability I started to rediscover the joy of climbing steep limestone, and the way that the sport ethic allows you to climb right up to your technical and physical limit without fearing for your life. Gritstone is largely a mind game, and E-points are almost without exception awarded for the boldness of the climb. This has made me happy to run it out where required, but also cemented a respect for the grade in my head leading to an unwillingness to gradually try harder, more demanding routes. Lime stone is different, even on trad gear. There is almost always gear opportunities, and E-points are more often than not awarded for the technical effort, rather than how likely you are to die.

I have a very skewed perception of the UK trad scale. It is the most useful grading system around, once you get used to its quirks. Foreign visitors usually sneer at it, failing as they do to appreciate its duality, aiming to capture both the physical and mental aspects of a climb. I learnt to understand it climbing on grit. For grit it makes so much sense. Even mild E-grades frequently mean big falls or even the deck if you fluff it. I subconciously expect this when climbing on lime stone, but it's just not the case. Topping out on lime stone routes of grades I'd never attempt on grit I end up feeling almost cheated (but in a good way, if that makes sense) - no adrenaline surge, no pounding heart due to fear, but just sustained, physical climbing. Of course, the trad scale allows, and is capable of representing, both E-for-bold and E-for-hard, but it is just that grit stone is the natural home for the former, and lime stone for the latter.

Last night Paul suggested I try 'Papillon' (E2 5b). The guide book made it out to be super-bold, but Paul assured me that this wasn't the case, and he was right. The soaring arete had stacks of gear on it up to the crux where the bomber gear was roughly in line with your ankles for the stretch to the jug and mantle to the top. Very nice.