Pete Whittaker climbs E10 7a Headless Horseman Arête, Sleepy Hollow

Step into a bleak Staffordshire winter day as Pete Whittaker tackles Headless Horseman Arête at Sleepy Hollow on The Roaches’ gritstone—an audacious, long-standing project that had resisted attempts from many of the best. Sharing the opening and finish with Logical Progression but striking straight up the improbable blunt arête and nose, this short film captures the moment E10 arrives on Staffordshire grit, sealed by a desperate, bold, uncompromising lead. This is worth watching for its raw sense of consequence: the precision, composure, and commitment required when the moves are hard, the gear is earned, and hesitation has a price. It’s a bite-sized hit of trad climbing history and mentality—an ascent defined as much by nerve and conditions as by strength—made even more compelling by the film’s “only copy” feel, like you’re witnessing a rare document of a landmark gritstone breakthrough.

teamBMC · 6:13

In December 2013 Pete Whittaker climbed the last great unclimbed line on Staffordshire Gritstone. The Headless Horseman Arête project had been tried by all the greats before finally falling in a desperate, bold and uncompromising lead on a shabby winter day. It shares the start and end of 'Logical Progression', but tackles the direct and obvious long-standing challenge; the improbable blunt arête and nose. E10 arrives at Staffordshire gritstone, making it the hardest route in the area. Read the interview: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/pete-whittaker-on-headless-horseman-arete-the-interview-and-exclusive-video Originally hosted on BMC TV and now uploaded to YouTube. We're sorry about the audio, but this is the only copy we could now find to upload of this historic ascent. #climbing We're the BMC. Climb walls, rock, hills, ice or mountains? Join us. https://www.thebmc.co.uk/join