Once you’ve completed your fill of hiking you’re bound to hear of ‘scrambles’, it could be from someone you’re talking to in the pub, while hiking, or even online. But whats scrambling? Well, the chances are you’ve already scrambled during the really steep parts of your hikes.
Put simply, scrambling is a term used to describe when you use your hands when walking up steep and often rocky terrain. It’s often regarded as the middle ground between walking and rock climbing, with the higher grades of scrambling blurring the lines of climbing.
In this guide, I’ll give you a quick introduction to whats scrambling at each of the three grades, a few examples per grade, and some top tips for you to live by.
Whats scrambling? Grade 1
Most grade one scrambles tend to be relatively easy, but be prepared to use both of your hands and your feet at parts of your climb. You can expect there to be some really exposed and thrilling sections, but you won’t need any ropes or climbing equipment.
Even if you’re like me (terrified of heights), if you can get over the exposure you’ll be rewarded with pumping adrenaline and some truly incredible panoramic views that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to access.
Being on the low end of the UK scrambling grades scale, there’s a pretty plentiful range of options in each of the UKs mountain ranges. In Snowdonia, you have the infamous Crib Goch or Tryfan, in the Lake District there is Striding Edge and Sharp Edge just to name a few.
If it’s your first scramble, don’t stress too much, although you will be exposed it is well within your ability. Just take your time, plan a route as you’re moving, wear sturdy boots with ankle support and a windproof jacket (it can get really chilly when it’s windy).
Whats scrambling? Grade 2
As you can probably guess, the higher the number, the more technical the scramble will be. This doesn’t mean that you’re not capable of grade two scrambling though, but you should really get a solid grasp of grade 1 before you give this a shot.
Once you get to grade 2 though, the line between scrambling and rock climbing starts to get a lot more blurred. You’re much more likely to need some sort of protective gear; at a minimum, you’re going to want to have a helmet to protect your noggin.
Most people will start to venture into the realm of ropes and harnesses once they get into the territory of grade 2 scrambles—and rightly so. There is a common misconception that scrambling is the safer of the two compared to rock climbing, the reality is that it can often be more dangerous because people underestimate the dangers and climb without equipment.
One such example of a grade 2 scramble is the Idwal Slabs on Glyder Fawr in Snowdonia. When you stare up at the sheer rock face, it’s really hard to believe that it isn’t a rock climb. For this reason, I recommend that you take a scrambling course or get some experience rock climbing before giving grade 2 a go.
Whats scrambling? Grade 3
Grade 3 scrambles are when the line between rock climbing gets blurred even further; it would probably be quite difficult to do this level without at least some experience of climbing. Parts of grade 3 scrambles are really quite technical and often appear in climbing guides as ‘moderate level’. Because of this, you really shouldn’t give this a go unless you’re confident and you have a lot of experience with both of the previous grades.
You will need to have the full suite of protective equipment to attempt the more technical sections of grade 3 scrambles safely. I would recommend you have a good quality helmet, ropes, harness and a trusted friend who is also experienced.
If you do brave the climb though, a grade 3 scramble can be an intensely rewarding experience that you will remember for many years to come.
There’s a plethora of grade 3 scrambles in the UK, but the two most famous are Pinnacle Ridge in the Lake District and Cullin Ridge on the Isle of Skye.
Five golden rules of scrambling
- Dress for the weather- parts of all scrambling grades can be incredibly exposed to the wind and elements. You really want to layer effectively and have some windproof outer layers with you.
- Plan your route- Often mountains will have a multiple different grades depending on the route you take. Most of the time it’s really easy to stray between them if you get lost, solid GPS apps like AllTrails will stop you getting lost and keep you safe.
- Sturdy boots with ankle support- Comfortable boots with good grip and support are an absolute must on the mountain.
- Test your handholds and foot placements before you commit- Some handholds look almost purpose built and rock solid, until you put your weight on them and they break.
- Take your time- Scrambling isn’t a race, quite the opposite in fact. If you take your time you’ll have more of a chance to soak in the views and you’ll be less likely to make a mistake.
