100 Stars at Stanage - pureINSPIRED

pureINSPIRED is a concept that we are working on that gets the Pure Outdoor team out and about, doing exciting things and showcasing the reason why we exist - to share our adventures. After writing out our set of values, we realised that we were all here for one reason. To get out and enjoy the outdoors and to share them with our customers. We're making a special attempt to get out and do something significant every month and share the adventures with you

Some times adventures happen at work...

"Tomorrow, the office is closed. We're bagging 100 stars on Stanage"

These are the words that become silent justification for my two young children being harassed towards a nursery run well ahead of anything that vaguely resembles our normal routine. As I wave them down the drive a guilt driven subconscious kicks in... "Are those pyjamas or trous...

"We're bagging 100 stars on Stanage"

Stood at the far end of Stanage. The Sun, like the kids is non compliant. The slab of rock above us is cold, clammy with a twinge of green. I'm staring at the first 5 routes and 10 stars. The team is roped up, camera set and notional warmups completed. (We can't be seen to take this too seriously)

Pinion

Ariel

Green streak

Prospero

Crab crawl...

Adrenaline mixed with the childlike giddiness that comes from having truanted the office sees our roped party of three in possession of the first 10 stars within 40 minutes. Our start is as clear in the mind as the finish would later become. We swing the lead in blocks of 10 stars, we make running like movements between crags. The routes merge into buttresses, the buttresses into guidebook areas. These in turn merge to become the entire Queen herself - Stanage.

Stanage End

Surgeons Saunter

Crow Chin

High Neb

Broken Buttress...


The day that began with a UKC route list descends into three friends doing great and engaging routes together. The routes all have prior significance, memories, struggles and epics. We discover the routes first shared with loved ones, Our first or worst gritstone epics, first whiffs of contorted flatulence experienced by now reluctant wives. Daily normality is soon restored as mutual mirth gives way to full character assassination. Gav brings it on himself as he takes us off piste again on his signature journey into the esoteric.

"We're bagging 100 stars on Stanage."

My long engrained skill with basic addition has gone. It's 50 more to go or so I'm told, "Oh why did I run from home to the crag". The passage of routes flow thanks to the mileage that a gritstone climbers career requires. There is no bad hold or sequence anywhere. These are just glorious, elegant moves on every upward inch of the routes we encounter. Wall end slab and Fairy steps delight with exposed traverses Paradise wall and Hell crack gift with glorious jams Heaven and Amazon enchant with strong confident lay-backing. Martello and Mississippi buttresses pull skywards with an air of adventure.

"We're bagging 100 stars on Stanage."

As the mid September day begins to draw to a close and rain laden clouds creep in from over the lingering hulk of Kinder we start strategising. We scheme and calculate the quickest path to collecting the final stars. The ace up our sleeve is the area we have somehow made it to - Stanage Popular. The abundance of 2 and 3 star routes that we each have hardwired into our minds and muscles from years of post work sessions means that this should be in the bag! The second wind kicks in. True to form, Guy ruins any chance of this being purely metaphorical.

Gargoyle Buttress

Black Hawk Hell Crack

Holly bush Crack

Black Hawk Left

Flying buttress

Castle Chimney

We end on Manchester Buttress. 45 routes done - an ill conceived call of "let's make it a round 50" causes profanities to pervade the final moves of the climb, summit and the descent.

Curry and beer wins.

But not before considerable time is spent on counting and checking our final star count. At one point plans are made to come back out to get what we think is a missing star. Thankfully beer realigns our senses and numeracy as a recount settles the magic 100. We're done.

"That WAS an adventure! Pure Outdoor climbed 100 stars on Stanage! What are we doing next month?"

Are the kids still speaking to me?

Check our our Instagram profile and 'Story Highlights' for a full overview of the day!

Author

Written by Pure Outdoor Staff Member - Oli