langcliffe
Well-known member
I see that Mike Wooding has published details of his newly bolted route down Rat Hole, Gaping Gill in the latest Descent.
I accompanied Mike on a trip down Rat Hole in July, and I can strongly recommend the route to anyone who enjoys SRT. It's one of the best routes in the Dales. The positions are superb; the rock scenery is what you would expect for the Gaping Gill main shaft complex; all the rebelays are located at decent ledges, and all the deviations are sensible. It features a pendulum manoeuvre on a fixed rope over the full depth of the GG rift; an excellent 50m pitch descent of the Mousehole shaft, and an interesting descent through the roof of the Main Chamber. Although it cannot match the daylight scenery of the top pitch of Dihedral, IMHO its other features make it a better route.
I would be interested to hear of other people's opinions.
I accompanied Mike on a trip down Rat Hole in July, and I can strongly recommend the route to anyone who enjoys SRT. It's one of the best routes in the Dales. The positions are superb; the rock scenery is what you would expect for the Gaping Gill main shaft complex; all the rebelays are located at decent ledges, and all the deviations are sensible. It features a pendulum manoeuvre on a fixed rope over the full depth of the GG rift; an excellent 50m pitch descent of the Mousehole shaft, and an interesting descent through the roof of the Main Chamber. Although it cannot match the daylight scenery of the top pitch of Dihedral, IMHO its other features make it a better route.
I would be interested to hear of other people's opinions.