Nutcracker

Bruno and Matt the German headed off to their crag, and Sarah, me, Jen and Dave the Kiwi headed towards Manure Pile. Sarah and I had our sights set for the ultraclassic 5.8 'Nutcracker'. Bruno and Jen had done it the other day, declaring it 'straightforward' (as any E5/F8a climber should, when climbing 12 grades below their top). Paul had told me that he'd had a go as a warm-up a few years ago finding it challenging for the grade. First pitch was a 60m sketchy layback, and it certainly stretched me - I was very happy to swing the corner to easy ground. Sarah came up slightly disappointed having had to take some tension to remove a stuck piece. She led through the 5.4 pich above. Third pitch started with an airy step right and then a 5.7 thin hands crack with some laybacking thrown in. Nice. Fourth pitch felt like the crux, with two roofs and some exposed friction padding. The length of the pitch forced a hanging belay where it was not intended, as I only had 12 draws and I'd spent most of my cams. Sarah came up and led through the remaining 5.4 and reestablished the belay in its correct position. Last pitch is supposedly the crux, an 'exposed' mantle with 'bad fall potential'. We both found it rather straight-forward. Not really much of a mantle, and OK gear and not very exposed. The rest of the route was glorious, run-out friction and chicken heads to the top. Yet another route of spectacular quality, hard enough to be interesting, but never desperate, probably UK HVS 5b or so.