Bolts on Broad Stand

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Originally Posted by Man from Del Monte

vertigo is my biggest problem. last time I went from Scafell to Scafell Pike I went via Foxes tarn and down the gully which is obviously the long way round but I have never been up Lords Rake and was wondering what it is like

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I'm planning on using Foxes tarn and down the gully on my attempt. Having talked it through with a few people, and knowing how I am with awkward ground and precipitous drops, a few things became apparent;
i) trying to do Broad Stand, or even if it's wet, using the traverse path from Foxes Tarn, will quite possibly use up as much nervous energy as the energy I'll use climbing those few extra feet!
ii) Thoughts of what it would be like when I got to Broad Stand would dominate the first half of the day in my head...and my head needs to be focused on better things!
iii) As with any route choice in any race or indeed on the BG, once you've made up your mind and adjusted your schedule to suit, then decision made and get on with it!

Of course, if I miss out by 5 mins, I may change my mind on this!:o:(

So LR is not exposed it's just a steep scramble with a (probably quite small) danger of rock-fall? Whereas Broad Stand is exposed on one side - the side that you tend to fall off - by the sound of it?

I've only ever taken Fox's Chimney up to Scafell - good little route, I like it, just a hop down from mickledore.

Lord's rake is quite enclosed - hence risk of rockfall as you can't get out of the way.

There is a thread on here (probably last posted to last year) about BG route choices. There's a photo of the line to take when going via Foxes Tarn - you don't have to go down as far as the chimney/gulley that leads to the tarn.

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Originally Posted by Bob

you can traverse leftwards on a broad sloping terrace (known as West Wall Traverse) into Deep Gill above all the climbing in that gully and then easily to the summit area of Scafell.

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'Easily' depends on the person though - it's very steep earth at the exit, and if you're not used to such things it can be pretty frightening (I've known someone reverse the whole thing rather than do that exit!)

right thats it
forget the bolts
get rid of the ladders
sod Lords Rake
Bu**er Foxes Tarn
someone just get Stannah to fit a bloody chairlift for me

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Originally Posted by Pudgy

And black abseil rope gets used by the Army, who I've also seen chucking recruits up Broad Stand (although I don't think the instructors like using ropes, as they enjoy seeing their charges quiver)

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Have I not seen comment on this forum about an Army group attempting the BG in May ?
worth asking ?

Report on UK Climbing says bolts now removed.

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Originally Posted by Peter M

Report on UK Climbing says bolts now removed.

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Good.

Ive got a grinder i can take up there next week
Bolts indeed :mad:
whatever next.
Its not that difficult a scramble and if your not good on rock go round. Either that or get someone to rope it correctly.

There's an argument for saying that a rope-assisted ascent of Broad Stand (let alone bolts) is tantamount to an artificial BG round. Is that unfair? I'm not calling into doubt in any way previous BG successes using a rope, but couldn't some guidelines/rules be put down for the future? I'm using Lord's Rake on the 27th June (if I get that far).