conqueing fear: I got up Sharp Edge in lake district

[jawaka]

I used to walk often with my son on the fells. A couple of times about 15 and 10 years ago we'd been up to sharp Edge on Blencathra , but neither of us has a good head for heights and we have not got far before turning back. It's been one of those things that I always have felt disappointed at not doing. For my 60th my son booked me a surprise trip to the Lakes with a view to having another go whilst I was fit and able.
Some people can just swarm up it like mountain goats, but boy was I scared at times, that moment when you feel you are stuck when the next move seems impossible, but going back is as bad as going forwards . It feels desperately exposed and slipping is likely to lead to 100ft drop. And after the edge which is bad enough, the crag ahead to climb up looks only a bit less than vertical from the bottom. It is climbing too I never had less than 3 points of contact.
Terrific feeling to make it up there, overcoming the fear and not being beaten.
This youtube clip captures it well, gives me vertigo looking at it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEMpQzXROfg

The statistics helped, only 9 deaths since 1947 and not as many injuries as I'd expected.

[profpointy]

next time try Jack's Rake in Langdale - similar exposure,plus/minus half a notch and a lovely walk

[Cunobelin]

Well done, I used to enjoy Sharp Edge, and Blencathra is my favourite of all the Lake Mountains

Unfortunately an old argument with a tree and a now arthritic hip means I cannot raise my knees far enough to climb some of the steps on Sharp Edge

Still there are sufficient other ways up it to keep me amused.

[mrjemm]

One day... I struggle with fear also, and don't expect to manage Sharp Edge any time soon, so congratulations on your making it.

In the meantime, there are plenty of other options for my walking pleasure. Which for me won't include:

next time try Jack's Rake in Langdale - similar exposure,plus/minus half a notch and a lovely walk

I thought I recognised the name...

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/ ... ct/?ref=mr

IIRC I'd been walking nearby and seen helicopters about, and then read this a few days later. Don't agree with what they say about putting in signs though, but I guess it was an emotional response at the time.

A better link may be; http://www.walkingenglishman.com/lakes6.htm

Think I'll stick to walking for 'enjoyment' rather than 'challenging myself'.

[CliveyT]

well done, I know that fear all too well and never been able to beat it yet.

Snowdon horseshoe next?

[fausto copy]

Well done Jawaka.
I have to confess that I chickened out on that a few years back.
We got so far along and I was doing OK until we came to the bit of rock that meant literally climbing.
There was a chap with young son ahead and as I watched them tackle it, I knew I would freeze on it.
We retraced out steps and completed the climb of Blencathra via the easier route.
Two points:
1. I was a slightly alarmed at what confronted us, as the walk was describe in the guide book as a "family walk".
2. The day before, a woman had fallen off the edge, dropped some considerable distance, broke her leg and had to be rescued via helicopter!

My then 15-year-old son wasn't impressed by my lack of bravery but hopefully will one day realise that a bit of common sense counts for something.

[Elizabeth_S]

Striding edge on Helvellyn, I've done both Sharp edge (someone sat in the middle of the route and ate their lunch and forced us all to go around them including a large step up that I could barely make, with an audience watching my attempts, TOH strode off and left me) and Striding edge, but I enjoyed Eagle crag more, fantastic walk up, not so great route down (boring), Glaramara is good also, and I enjoyed the steep end of Mellbreak.

[Vantage]

Congratulations jawaka.
Looking at that youtube link, I think I'll stay in my saddle

[Neilo]

Well done
Sharp edge is a nice scramble, and Jack's rake.
I'm a faily experienced mountaineer and mountain leader. I think a lot of the danger on some scrambles like these is in the mind. Fear can be very debilitating, some people can get past it and some can't. It can cause some people in extreme cases to fall.
I go out regularly with a friend of mine, we've had some minor epics, some even our wives don't know about, like going off route and climbing down a V Diff rock climb unroped, meeting two roped climbers coming up, we had a laugh at that. But another time we were doing a scramble and his head went for some reason and he was absolutely terrified. I managed to get him down. He went up there no problem at a later date, but it just showed me how much of climbing or scrambling is in the head.

If you are not experienced at scrambling then a grade 1 scramble like Sharp edge or Jacks rake is a pretty daunting undertaking, but if you regularly scramble grade 3, then a grade 1 is pretty easy.
The first time I taversed Crib Goch on the Snowdon horseshoe I was, to put it bluntly, crapping myself, almost crawling along it. But now I can walk along the knife edge, weather permitting. I have more experience and more confidence in my ability now.
Confidence in the people you are with helps as well, If you are not very confident, and neither is the person or people you are with, then it rubs off on you and can lead to a downward spiral.

So again well done.

I would suggest you go and do it again. It will be easier, and I bet you will enjoy it more, then go do something else, you will have more confidence, and in no time you will be climbing E5

Neil

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I am no climber but me and mates were into fishing on the south devon coast so scambling was second nature, not wanting to chicken out when my mate went down a 200' cliff in the dark without lights
Coming up in the morning was worse as you could see the shearness of it.

I was going to mention snowdon and was beaten to it, me and a mate came that way after scambling up from one of the lochs (I know it's not lochs in wales ? or is it) it was misty but I can read contours on the map and the path is inches wide dropping sharply both sides.

The problem comes when there is no ground beneath you when I am putting up scafold on my house and you are ten foot up a pole with nothing under you, once the board is down it feels like on the ground.

I am not a heights person but always find myself climbing whats there.
On my roof doing inspection of flat roof I just don my overalls and tuck my trouser legs into my sock and lie on the roof and inch up backwards keeping max contact with roof for grip.
There's rock on dartmoor called cuckoo rock you have to jump on to its slope and imeadiately place all possible arms legs and body onto the face to get grip to climb to top to get what was once a letterbox stamp and book, I always found myself doing it even in the rain, chuck the box down and wait for my school freinds to sign and return back down then jump back off, missing the four feet gap either way puts you about 15' down onto rocks.

I would do it as a job but would want big bucks as I know most wont, but I am never happy till I am down again, once you put scafold up and have climbed the lader a few times it feels very normal but remember to keep three points of contact, the last time I did'nt I went to grab a pole and it was not there Luckily I went the right way and not the freefall way. You dont do that twice, you never plan a fall it just happens.

Well done !

[Cunobelin]

1. I was a slightly alarmed at what confronted us, as the walk was describe in the guide book as a "family walk".

Wainwright (rest his Soul) and the other guides are often optimistic about the "Family Walk"

We did Catbells after a break of many years, and the two rock outcrops that have been revealed by erosion are a fairly serious hazard for some

[phil parker]

Well done, I know the route well and sometimes it can be quite 'slimy' and hence slippy. I've done it many times in winter and if it's really cold and icy it's more simple than when it's just cold and wet.

There's a fine line between a difficult scramble and an easy rock climb, but a difficult scramble can be more precarious because of the lack of protection. Fear is a good thing - it's what helps to keep us alive!

[TonyR]

Just need to go back and do it on a bike now