M1

This was the route that made me change my mind about what should be done with old in-situ pegs and bolts. If the route were as described and all the in-situ gear was of a reasonable standard then it would be an excellent E2 but with the in-situ gear in its current (well summer 2000) state its a fearful experience!
Without 'like for like' replacement routes like this will just not get climbed!
As for what grade it should be at the moment - perhaps E2 if you can solo E2!
Roger Whetton - 10/Feb/02

Apologies if this is the wrong place for this.....

I have not done the route, but the 'like for like' idea makes sense to me on crucial gear that makes a route the grade it is. Once popular routes are now falling into a state where no one wants to climb them because they are dirty, as well as being overly scary due to the poor state of much insitu gear in the Peak. I'm sure many of these routes would see more traffic, and thus be cleaner/better if the in situ gear was up to scratch on them - or this could just be the fact that few people want to climb peak limestone, Classic E1's, E2's and E3's I find are frequently dirty, with cobwebs and dirt in the gear slots.
ChrisC - 24/Jun/02

Don't understand the above comments. The route is very adequately protected by nuts and cams. The old bolt at the start is next to bomber nuts, the top peg is in reasonable nick and is close to good gear (July 2003).
Graham Hoey - 28/Jul/03

No probs about the gear it is fine with a normal rack. Climbing is excellent.
Philip Smith - 24/Feb/04

I'll second these comments. Eminently protectable with a rack of wires and friends that can back up the admitedly old peg/ bolt where necessary. The perceived lack of popularity of peak limestone trad is nothing to do with insitu gear. Far wider forces are at work here eg. the bouldering resurgence.
ted - 23/Aug/04

Intended to climb M1 today, I didnt read these comments, so this is my 'impartial view'. M1 is a deathtrap waiting to happen. I set off towards the initial bulge, which is a completely hanging block that should be levered off. The route requires you to pull through this - if it came off it would land on the belayer, giving us a repeat of what happened on Darius recently which is seemingly much more solid. Its obvious on inspection that bits of it are coming off all the time, but pretty soon I reckon about 2 tons will be off. The bolt protecting this move is among the worst I've ever seen. In fact the whole of the Left Wing appears to be seeing very little traffic with brambled paths and grass tugging scrambles. It needs in-situ gear replacing and some rock removing, then I might return one day. M1 - here be dragons.
Jon Leighton - 13/Jul/06

Repeated M1 on the 24th June 2008. Well Protected, easy to back the pegs up. (the bolt is not needed with a great crack for wires) Didnt notice any loose blocks on the starting section. Great route which needs 3 stars. The path was a bit overgrown but the route was clean. Get on it!!
Ian - 25/Jun/08

the belay on top did however involve a bench 15 meters back... all part on the fun!!
Ian - 25/Jun/08

absolutely brilliant route, better climbed as a single pitch as the in-situ belay gear is rubbish which makes a safe belay complicated, but be sparing with mid size cams as the routev will eat a lot of them.
Edwardthatcher - 08/Aug/09

Gear is fine. Insitu gear is rubbish but not needed at all as it is easy to back up. (Although I did clip it anyway).

The creaky flake high up is also easy to back up.

Struggled to reach the bench for the belay at the top with 50m ropes..
Andrew Janezko - 23/Jul/11

did this a couope of weeks before Andy and agree with his comments. This route is well-protected withotu any fixed gear and is not particualrly loose (there is one loose flake but you dont need it as a hold and there is other gear to back it up).

There is a sign for the belay which is pretty solid and closer than the bench...
Simon de Haas - 02/Aug/11