[205Chris]

Couldn't see the usual 'Best of' thread anywhere so may as well make a start.

What were the climbing highlights of last year for everyone? Doesn't have to be the hardest, but what stands out for you looking back at 2011?

The usual categories are below. 3 problems / routes in each category or N/A if it's not your thing.

I'll kick off when I've looked back through my diary!

Top three boulder probs, UK
Top three boulder probs, abroad
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Top three sport routes UK
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Top three new route/prob put up
Top Spanking's

[Duma]

UK :
Beauty 6C+ (Stanage)
Classic arete 5+ (Carn Brea)
Right Arete assis 5 (Carn Brea)
Abroad :
Barricades 7A (111, Font)
Puree de Noisettes 7B+ (Beorlots, Font)
Ange Naif 7B+ (95.2, Font)

[205Chris]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Not the greatest year in terms of bouldering achievements given how little I got out due to the weather but:
T-Crack
Presence of Absence
Flatworld.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Two trips to Font this year so a few to pick from:
Pensees Cachees - My foot slipped with my hand over the top and despite 3 frenchies shouting 'Allez' at the top of their voices I dropped it. Went back on the last day of the trip and ticked it first go after a bizarre warm up routine.
Big Jim - Fantastic highball
Onde de Choc - Quality arete.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Slim pickings as I don't do a huge amount of trad but did have a trip to the Wye Valley so:
Whitt at Symonds Yat - Never got round to ticking this when I lived there so good to go back and do it. Awesome views.
Piggy Malone (Symonds Yat) - Only a one star route but it was short, steep and just like climbing at Cheedale giving me my hardest trad lead to date.
Laughing Cavaliers (Shorn Cliff) - 100ft of quality limestone climbing followed by listening to the stories of a 73 year old climbing legend while I belayed my mate on his next route.

Top three sport routes UK
Powerplant - Hardest physical and mental battle to date. 2 months of effort and over 10 belayers. Did the route and got back to the car park just in time for an ice cream. Bonus.
The Sea is a Brown Paper Bag - After a ridiculous number of visits thinking it would be a relatively quick tick I finally did it towards the end of the limestone season.
The Boltest - I have no idea how I did this. I felt piss weak and could barely do the moves on a top rope. Somehow pulled it out the bag on redpoint leading to another climber remarking "I have no idea how you did that as you looked rubbish on it last go"

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
An Easter Siurana trip gives:
Bistec de Biceps - Short, bouldery and playing to my strengths.
Filomatic - A limestone arete with very grit like moves. Great stuff.
Pizza de Pinya - First 7a flash abroad and a great route.

Top three new route/prob put up
Lots in my garage. None are particularly relevant in the grand scheme of things.

Top Spankings
Shit @ Higgar (although put that to bed as the first tick of 2012!)
My Apple (Rowtor)
Kudos (for yet another year!)

[leeroy]

boulder problems uk
west side story
picnic sarcastic
underhand

boulder problems abroad
carlo il magnifico, best thing i did in cresciano, no other trips

top three trad
power of the dark side, amazing climbing and of great personal significance
one chromosone missing, amazingly good esoterica
cream, simply stunning good holds when you want them

Top three sport uk
esmerunga, mental battle, first real experience of redpointing
max-a-million, great dyno
laughing at the rain, climbed in a monsoon and it felt easy, very surreal

new routes
feathers, my only significant fa yet, lovely e5 arete in dartmoor. like piece of mind at the roaches.
some grubby bouldering in the quarry that cannot be named/doesnt deserve one.

Top spankings
Flatworld, its 7c FFS.
Thumbelina at inas today, rare that i cant get anywhere on font 7a with tonnes of beta.
triangle wall at burbage s, another 7a that feels 8a.


 

[shark]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Nothing stands out though Hamper Hang (from the jug) was the best

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Annual Font trip was good at Easter with La Fissure de droite at Rocher d'Avon on the last day standing out.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Pass as in zilch not Llanberis. Do intend to get back into tradding this year - working on the High Tor script for the guide has stirred my loins

Top three sport routes UK
Baboo-baboo at Malham. Tried this on and off for years using a duff sequence. A special route.
Toys for the Boys at Chee Dale. Amazing rock with technical wall climbing - again an outstanding project from the previous year
In and Out of Body Experience. Nice to do Body Machine again and top it off crossing the spectacular roof above. A good addition by the Zipmeister which went quickly for once.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Spoilt for choice in this category
Although I only dogged it I thought Turbulence 7b+ at Cantobre was mega
Eventually got my head around DWSing in Mallorca in the summer and out of a batch of amazing 7a's Transversal done as the last route route of the trip stood out as the bestest
Priapos at the Grande Grotte at Kalymnos was the route of the year - ridiculously overhanging with tufa hugging rests   

Top three new route/prob put up
Got one on the go at the tor - should go quickly next this year, touch wood

Top Spankings
Airbus at Gorg Blau, Mallorca. Looked like my perfect route - a long wall climb given 3 stars. Didnt even make it to the bail out krab. And chipped. 7b my arse. Thanks Rockfax.
Anger Management (Rage) at the tor. Put 12+ days into this and didnt even get close. 8a my arse.
Cantobre in general. I could tell as I approached the crag that I was in for a  A relentless overhanging pocketed wall where faggotry is no help. 

[fatdoc]

havnt trawled for the ridiculous aims of mine 12 months ago...

bit of a weird one, i totally shagged a tendon on my board 1st week in jan 2011... even with a late easter I got to font for my week long holiday en famille totally no trained, in any way. the weather was scorching. I had  a great time, just did 20 to 40 blues a day... incl. my first ever tick of a whole circuit in a day effort.

for the first year in 5 since restarting  climbing i havnt climbed a new to me font 7a this year. this saddens me.

I have however not got hospitalised from MTB all year, hit some lines I though i never would, have *got it* with double jumps, helped build some wkd trails and crucially have  realised i need to work less.... so spend more time at home / see my kids in daylight /  progress my sporting aims whilst i have the time left to fulfil them.

as a close friend said to me this week

" we dont know how long we have left"

My aims foe 2012 reflect this.

 

[Hoseyb]

Wasn't going to reply this year as climbing has almost been totally replaced by nappies, broken sleep, and Ben and Hollies little Kingdom.
However, I did sneak out a bit, and rather than get depressed , here are the best bits/ what I got done:

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Bardsley Ripple high tide start
Zukator - Grasper connection
German School girls

Top three sport routes UK
Guano on sight, Llandulas
Crazy train, Llanberis Slate
Pump Action, Llandulas

Top three new routes /probs put up
Its not the Years, Its the Mileage, Highball V6 Nant peris
The Science of the Sword, Micro V6, on the erratic above Llanberis campsite
Tales of the Golden Monkey, E2 in Twll Mawr

Top Spanking's
Big Thursday
Moose's Project
The Beast Project

Now I write it down its not so shite..

[Plattsy]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Problems above the traverses - Rubicon (thanks for the beta 2T)
A Bigger Prize - Rubicon
Dog Sit - Burbage South Boulders

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Blinky Bill - Sissy
Easy low roof thing - Sandy Bay
The Overhang - Lindfield

[Johnny Brown]

Top three boulder probs, UK
The Pride, Lion Rock, Churnet definitely stands out. Amazing uber-highball, done on my birthday with a good crew- cheers guys.
L'angle parfait, Millstone. Subsequent arguments over the line aside, this was one of the problem-solving highlights of my life. A strong team, totally shut down for a two hours, then a lightbulb moment and three goes later its done. Really bizarre footwork. And Ryan didn't do it.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Too much choice here... stag do in March was the best font trip I've had - again, thanks to the crew. Good times. 
Calamity Jane, 7b+, Rocher D'Avon. Bigger, harder and ten times better than Super Prestat. A must do - would be a celebrated old school E5 6c in the UK.
Hotline, 7c, Reine Crete, Nord. Sussed a weaklings way here a couple of years back, very satisfying to have it work.
Irreversible, 7c, Manoury. Totally destroyed on the last day of the trip, somehow dragged up this amazing prow by team psyche. Ten minutes later three cranes flew overhead.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
The Cow, Gogarth. Great mini-tirp to North Wales tradding this summer - why don't we do that more often? The first pitch of The Cow was just a thrutch, the second is just incredible. A series of irreversible moves leading into an ever more ludicrous position - blew my mind, amazing... yorks grit guide authors - THAT is a 4 star pitch.
London Wall, Millstone. At last I gained enough fitness to consider setting off on this. Fully deserving of the hype - will be going back for more I reckon, should be more fun if I don't spend an hour over 'making sure I don't blow it'..
Atomic Hotrod, Dinas Cromlech. Only seconded this, but the ever growing reality of succeeding where my leader had so comprehensively failed turned it into a greater experience.

Top three sport routes UK
Succubus, Cornice. Actually good fun, varied climbing. Not like the Cornice at all, even finishes with an exposed teetery slab.
The Sea is a Brown Paper bag, Two-tier. Quite a good route,and it didn't turn into a siege.
Indecent Exposure (direct) A shit route, but I got up it - probably the only proper stamina route I've ever managed. Why it gets any stars is beyond me though. I even had to look the name up for this, my brain has blanked it.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Top three new route/prob put up
Vaguely remember doing one? Bueller?

Top Spanking's
Body Machine, Tor. Fittest I've ever been, and still MILES away from this. It would help if I liked it.
Pirouette Cacaouette, 7c, Mare aux Corneilles Should have done this quick, but had that horrible font experience of feeling it slipping away - just as you suss the move your elbows go, your biceps give up... and you won't be coming back for years, argghhh......

[dave]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Hurricane - Curbar
Tetris - Clouds
Paint It Black - BWD

Top three boulder probs, abroad
None - apart from some no-name pottering in Burren

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Flying Buttress Direct - solo. Never done it before. Regardez fucking moi.

Top three sport routes UK
Sturgeon - Embwankment

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Sirens, Stoned and Marchanded Crack at Der Burren.

Top three new route/prob put up
Monochrome - Burbage North. A future classic already in the present. Has anyone been and done this yet?

Top Spankings
Mossatrocity - fucking piece of shit screwed my knee for months.
The Boltest - LTQ - only tried it once but fuck me this is crazily hard for 7c or whatever grade it is.
Wall Of Fossils - Burren. I was only seconding it, but I don't remember feeling so fucking pumped and knackered for years. And its not even fucking vertical. Had to have a moment to myself when I got to the top. Spreyer you're a legend.

[Eddies]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Tetris (one of the best lines on grit, done with my fav climbing buddies)
West Side Story (Another uber classic line. I did this in under a dozen tries on my first session and strapped on my nut-sack and topped it out)
Paint it Black (one of the best lines on lime, done on last day of summer as planned)

Top three trad routes/soloes UK (Got to be from my first DWS trip)
Crab Party
Octopuss Weed
Spittle 'n' Spume

Top three sport routes UK (I only did 3 sort routes this year!)
Arachonothera Direct - Cheedale - 6b+
The Cairn - Harpur Hill - 7a
Too Old To Be Bold - Rubicon - 7c

Top Spanking's
Most of the sport climbs I tried 

[chillax]

Going to say home instead of UK, as Ireland is not part of the UK and this is highly important to some people....

Top three boulder probs, Home
Highball slopey traverse on Echo Rock in the Polldoo Glen, Donegal
L.D.F, The Scalp, Dublin
Tony's Arete, Lough Dan, Wicklow (highball and a bit scary, well pleased to get it in a couple of goes)

Top three trad routes, Home
Jolly Rodger, Fair Head
Spillikin Ridge, Glendalough
Hurricane, Fair Head

Top route, abroad
Regular NW Face, Half Dome

Top three new routes/problems
The Gift, E1/2, Gola
Bloodline, XS, Aranmore
Slot Machine, 6C, Wicklow Head

Top spankings
The Burren. Kicked my arse for yet another year, and threw a right strop (and a shoe) on Lucy. Grrrr, must do better.
Luggala. Utter fail.
Incredibly soft 5.10a hand crack in Tuolumne. Utter, dire, dismal, whinging, 10 feet off the ground failure.

[r-man]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Spent my time in the UK developing quarries, only did a few established problems
Fridge Hugger, 7B+, Blackstone Edge...Good fun with a team, a rare occasion at the moment. Nice to return after several years and figure out a technical solution, and triumph despite ever worsening mist.
Voodoo People, 7B, Warton...First outing in the uk after getting back from Oz. Nothing special about the problem, memorable mostly because I managed to get heatstroke and throw up. In the UK. After spending an Australian summer bouldering in the gramps.
Innominate, 6B+, Wilton...Great highball to the break. A nice English summer spent exploring the Wiltons and discovering much more than I expected.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Between Fear and Desire, 7C+, Arapiles...3 months of dirtbag living. waking up to blue skies, lazy mornings, evening campfires and a feeling of freedom.
The Impossible Problem, 7B+?, Arapiles...Learned about this negelected 80's gem from a Nati local. Lowball, but two of the best holds in Arapiles.
Annagramma, 7C, Grampians...Nice moves, but mostly just great to climb in such an incredible cave. Australian summer time, not prime climbing conditions, but after 4 months of chugging and 4 weeks of farm work, I'm psyched!

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Top three sport routes UK

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Tidal Wave, 7B+, Ton Sai...First day, first hardish route, nearly flashed. Turns out sport climbing is going to be fun!
Cream of Tom Yum Kai, 8A, Ton Sai, Thailand...Last hour of light, shaking out on a jug before the final traverse, watching the waves crash onto the beach in a tropical paradise, thinking "this is flippin' awesome".
Phet Maak Maak, 7C+, Ton Sai...Top route, probably the best I did, big moves all the way up. Great holiday, great food, surprised to find getting on a rope not too much of a shock to the system. (Though after three weeks my clipping is still a regular 5 minute fumble.)

Top three new route/prob put up
Drop Your Weapons, 7C, Curbar...Had a few sessions on this over a year ago, then finally finished it off this autumn. Incorporates one of the wierdest and best moves I've done on grit. Pleased that it all came together - often with new lines either the vision or the ability is found wanting, but this time I was lucky.
The Boss, 7B, Arapiles...If there's no way out of the cave, then finish on a different boulder...Resulted in a swing kick press finish. "Wrap your laughing gear round that and smile backwards."
Purple Feel, 7B/Sex in the Woods, 7A, Wiltons...Smearing on friction-low quarried grit, technical and tenuous. Happy times bouldering on my tod.

Top Spankings
Sleepy Hollow, Grampians...One week left till GAACS (girlfriend arrives and climbing stops). Stop farting around on easy stuff and try something hard. Two sessions - all moves sussed. Three sessions - climbed in three sections. Four sessions - bollocks to this, its hard, the walk in is a pain in the heat, I'm fed up. Back to farting around on easy stuff...

[dobbin]

2011 was the year of the mega week for me, so my top three UK boulders are easy to remember :

Top three boulder probs, UK
Trigger Cut - Parisella's cave
Zoo York - caley
Low Rider - stanage

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Went to font for two hours. Burnt some germans off on a 6b. Brilliant.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Didn't do any.

Top three sport routes UK
Without a shadow of a doubt the favourite was Roof Warrior at the cheedale cornice. Brilliant.
Also cry of despair at the same place. I liked this one so much I went searching for people who needed the clips putting in it, so I could do it again.
Culloden, down the road from the Tor. Power of climbing tick.

Top three new route/prob put up
That one on the depot board i didnt think I would be able to do.

Top Spankings
Mecca. Inability to operate effectively above a bolt definately impeding progress.
The last move on seans roof. Its fucking desperate, even with a massive rope dab!

[Richie Crouch]

Top three boulder probs, UK
1. In Life, Parisella's (a proper siege!)
2. Suavito, Gardom's South (proper class)
3. Lateral Mindset, St Bees (looks improbable, nice free running meets climbing style)

Top three boulder probs, abroad
1. Octopussy, Magic Wood (Wanted to try this for years)
2. Fourmis Rouges, Cuvier Rempart (Thought I'd never get that right foot up for the top!)
3. Cote de Seshuan, Magic Wood (Superb climbing with a great finish)

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
1. Gnat Attack, Bus Stop Quarry - think thats the only route. Very enjoyable

Top three sport routes UK
I did a couple 6c's in Bus Stop Quarry which aren't worth remembering!

Top three new route/prob put up
1. Rainbow Underpants 7Aish, Chew Valley
2. Angry Pants 7Bish, Chew Valley
(although may have both been done before?)

Top Spanking's
1. Pilgrim, Parisella's - 4-5 sessions failing after getting through matching the glued on flake on R.A.
2. Cross Therapy, Elephantitus - dropped last move ~10 times in 2 sessions
3. XXXX, Bowderstone -  dropped lip about ~10 times in 2 sessions
4. Massive Attack, Magic Wood - still can't stick first move after 30+ attempts

Plenty more spankings but those are the main ones which need closure this year! 

[Stabbsy]

Top 3 boulder problems, UK
Not much of note, but Whisky Galore at Brimham and DIY at Stanage were memorable.

Top 3 boulder problems, abroad
Didn't get to Font this year...

Top 3 trad routes, UK
Crimson Cruiser, E4/5, Moelwyns - been on the ticklist for nearly 15 years, ever since I got the old Tremadog guide with this as the back cover photo.
Get Some In, E5, St. Govans - another one I've wanted to do for years.
The Rasp, E2, Higgar

Top 3 sport routes, UK
Not many new things of note, but finally ticked I Ain't No Sponsored Hero (F7c) at Kilnsey after a lot of effort and enjoyed some of the cleaned up things at Trollers Gill.

Top 3 routes, abroad
Rahan Fils de Crao, 7b+, Baume Rousse - awesome swinging around on buckets until the last crimp...
Madre Salvaje, 7c, El Chorro - been saving this for a flash attempt for a few years and somehow managed to battle my way to the top.
Styv Kuling, 7a+, Vindon - was well impressed with the variety of the sport climbing in Sweden, but this was the pick of the routes; technical then steep and juggy, with an airy traverse to finish.

[nai]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Glass Hour - Unique and beautiful.
Jerry's Arete/The Kid/Dry Wit In a Wet Country - not a single problem I know but a class day out when the groove was greased.
Toto - Dumby - goes from feeling nails to ok with a bit of working out but that last teeter across the slab can never feel easy

Top three boulder probs, abroad
La Forge - having tried it previously with friends and a few pads, early one morning got lost among the boulders and ended up here, decided to have a look and sailed through the bottom about 3rd go, felt miles up above a lone pad which was maybe a little far right.  What's above - stick or twist? A couple of Spaniards come around the corner, slide the mat over and throw their arms up. Only one way to go now and I claw my way up. Thanks, merci, gracias, got there eventually.
Duroxmanie - arrive dismayed to find a multinational team beneath it, I was after solitude. 10 minutes later battling with the top I'm quite relieved for their support, and pads.
Printemps du Martin (J.A.Martin) - last problem of the last day, not the best, not the hardest and very unfont-like but it rounded off a good afternoon and a great holiday with an old mate and our families.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Elegy & Rasp - a couple that I really should have done years and years ago but would probably have backed off the former and fallen off the latter.
Flying Buttress & Spiral Stairs - a couple I'd been saving for old age, hmm, probably the only dry things in the pass on the day, a great day out with my oldest still-climbing mate.
Russet Groove - a stop off on the way home from Scotland, dragged the family away from the coast to have a picnic at Bowden.  It was the only thing I completed but it was worth the upset.

Top three sport routes UK
Flowstone Shuffle - A55. Driven here on a damp day, early season & lacking fitness it turned into a bit of a scrap, a proper gem you wouldn't expect in such a location.
Cry of Despair - turned into a bit of an epic battle with partners, the Cornice's fickle conditions and my lack of fitness, only four sessions when I totted them up but spread over 10 weeks. It eventually went on the last available day before going on holiday, fourth redpoint of the day having only managed two decent attempts per day previously.

Top Spanking's
tried Armistice Day on a couple of occasions but keep getting slapped down
Burbage South edge mocks me every time I go
so does the Tor
and the Cave
and the Cliff....

[Stubbs]

Top three boulder probs, UK
- Rock Atrocity, The Cave - First tried about 4 years ago, nothing better than the feeling of progress, micro beta provided by the Turnip.
- Prime Time SS, Kyloe - Amazing climbing in a great setting, in a completely deserted county on the day of the royal wedding.
- Inaudible Vaudeville, The Stone. Jerry Classic, in the rain, on my own; training on a board paid off.

Pretty happy with this list considering I've been in London for the past two years, and don't often get the chance to get out on rocks. I guess I chose to climb on problems that were most like plastic pulling...

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Haven't been off our fair isle this year.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
- A day climbing severes at Tremadog was the only trad I did, very enjoyable it was too!
- A couple of chilly days at Stair Hole in August were my introduction to DWS. The easy stuff was amazing; the harder stuff very intimidating on your own.  Will be returning for more.

Top three sport routes UK
Yew Terrace is the only sport route I did.  It was good, the walk out was not, but the beer and company made up for it!

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
See above.

Top three new route/prob put up
N?A

Top Spankings
- Malc's Arete, Torridon.  I won't say that our trip to Torridon was solely inspired by this problem, but it mainly was.  Spanked royally by big move to the top, and with only two days of dry weather in the week we were there.  Taught me a lot about trying hard stuff on holiday, and about when to stop concentrating on the goal and enjoy the climbing and the setting instead. (I wouldn't argue with 7C for this, maybe it feels easier if you're tall).
- The Flakes, Earl.  Returned after several years away from this expecting it to go down quick.  Still totally shut down by the big move out left. What a punter.

[Doylo]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Another year of hardly any bouldering. Keen to do lots in the 2nd half of winter if it ever stops raining!
36 Chambers 7c, Tremeirchion. Best limestone 7c i've done.
Grasswind 7c, Craftnant. Looks ace and climbs ace.
Belpig 7c, Orme. Is a really cool problem but on the list cos i never thought i'd do it!

Top three boulder probs, abroad
One can dream.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
One less than Richie Crouch, pretty shameful.

Top three sport routes UK
Hard decision did 3 times more routes than most years.

Never Get Out of the Boat 8a, The Diamond. One of the best 8as in the UK, amazing climbing,sustained with a amazing redpoint crux at the end.
The Waiting Game 8a, The Diamond. Really unique little route and line and was memorable due to the (silly but amazing) beta i employed on the crux.
Release The Hounds 7c, Craigiau Gigfran. Once again a unique line for the area and just a bit special really. Hopefully it'll get lots of ascents next year.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
A man can dream

Top three new route/prob put up
Was the year of crag development for me and did 24 new routes in total so plenty of choice.
The Last Crusade 8a+, Llanddulas. Just loved the process of spying the line, checking out the end on a rope then getting the ladder up there to bolt it. Days hanging there working it out and it was a great route to boot. Extra spice at the end with ground clearance made it even more memorable.
The Madness Reigns 8a, Dyserth Waterfall. Probably went to this crag more than any other. Thought the crux sequence on this was immense.
The Hole Truth 8b, Dyserth Waterfall. Short and nasty but thats why i got so inspired by it.  The brutalness and lack of options beta wise made it feel unlikely for a while but they always come together eventually. Can't wait for Pete Robins to downgrade it!

Top Spankings
Bored of the Lies 7b+, Cheedale Cornice. Wasn't climbing very well back then but just wasn't fit enough for this, fell off the last moves a few times. Never do well at this crag!
Grand Canyon 7b+, Pantymwyn. Always saved this for a flash go, got there also in shit mode and got a terminal flash pump trying to warm up on it. Didn't get it that session and only just the next session. Brilliant route though, feels more like a Yorkshire route.
Coronation Crack 5c, High Rocks. Had a fun day on S sandstone with the boys whilst working in Kent. Lots of spanking went on but my best moment was sliding out of this hand jam crack whilst trying to layback and heel hook my way up it. Watch out Wideboyz!

[Fiend]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Clash Arete V7, Clashfarquar
The Razor's Edge V6, Ruthven Boulder
Powerhouse V6, Loch Sloy

Top three boulder probs, abroad
N/A

Top three six trad routes/soloes UK
Arial E3 5c, Loch Maree
Cirrhosis E4 6a, South Cove
Gillette E3 5c, Simonside
Simon Says E2 5c, Mid Clyth
The Man From Del Monte E3 6a, Portobello
Rat Race E4 6a, Dunkeld

Top three sport routes UK
Stone Of Destiny F6c+, The Camel
Toss F6c+, Creag Nan Luch
Faithless F6c+, Weem

Top three six nine routes abroad (any genre)
En Liten Bit Granit 7-, Bohuslan
Afterburner 6+, Bohuslan
Hostsonaten 6+, Bohuslan
Kerbside Warrior E3 6a, Malta
Stormin Norman E3 5b, Malta
More Gas Than Bass E3 5c, Malta
Garanon F6c, La Pedriza
Banana Split F6b+, La Pedriza
El Blues Del Esclavo F6c, Patones

Top three new route/prob put up
N/A

Top six Spankings
The vile cunting shit weather in Scotland.
The vile cunting shit weather in Scotland.
The vile cunting shit weather in Scotland.
Pedriza undergrading.
Health and fitness issues.
The vile cunting shit weather in Scotland.

[Grubes]

Top three boulder probs, UK
The bulge - Rubicon first 6A+ flash
Morrills Wall - Almscliff got it really fast great moves
Triangle problem - holmfirth finally finished off after 18 month battle

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Brown's eliminate First E2
none others really stand out

Top three sport routes UK
Flowstone shuffle - what a route got it first go on my second trip there my first 6b+
The cakewalk (castle inn quarry) - Good route but also my first 6b+ onsight 2 hours after redpointing my first 6b+
The Deceptive Dyke - just because it was my first experience of slate

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Blade Runner Arabe el chorro - brilliant route (get one star in rock fax ...)
Face of flake Arabe el chorro - another good route underated in Rockfax
Mongroni Free Los cotos el chorro - nice last move after cool climbing between decent rests

Top three new route/prob put up
I climbed a one new route that I thought was shit but subsquent ascents have suggested is worth a star. Revolution Action a bolted pillar at new mills torr.

Top Spanking's
Mr bluesky dropped it on the last hard move 4/5 times went back and got a pulley on my first proper attempt.
pedestal crack its piss easy but been spat off 3 or 4 times on two visits
crescent arete bottled it and been spat off high up a couple of times.

[Rocksteady]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Didn't do much bouldering this year but enjoyed
Hinge/Henge Connection and the Tiny Slab at Stanage, Diversion at Portland.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Did no trad worth mentioning this year. Something to fix for next year.

Top three sport routes UK
Had a good year at this.
Quality Control was my first UK 7a, enjoyed it a lot
Rubicon - immensely enjoyed the moves and line of this
Raw Deal at Cheddar, soft but really good fun

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Verglas at St Llorenc de Montgai
Spanglish at Santa Linya (Futbalin) though probably should be in Spankings too
Sin tarjeta de presentación at Pena Roja / Lliber

Top three new route/prob put up N/A

Top Spankings
Spanglish at Santa Linya - fell about 5 times on the last move after 25m
The X Files at Taddington - comprehensively spanked and scared on a 6b!
Prophets of Rage at Dancing Ledge - so close to this when conditions changed and it greased up. Gave me several months of injured shoulder to prove how much it spanked me.

[Nigel]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Careless Torque, a few days into 2011.
China In Your Hands - the only other problem I did this year, again early Jan. Broke ankle same day falling off Superbloc, basically stopped any sort of proper climbing all year. Still fucked now.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
None.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
None. Seconded a lot of the Chee Tor harder routes though, such as Autobahn, Snapdragon, Apocalypse, and Ceramic Extension.

Top three sport routes UK
Cosmopolitan 7b+
The Sea Is A Brown Paper Bag 7b+
Minos 7c+
These were the only new routes that I led, I was too injured/scared for most of the year. I did a fair bit of toproping though, I was pretty pleased to toprope Powerplant the non-kneebar way, and flash Stone The Loach.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
None.

Top three new route/prob put up
None.

Top Spankings
Superbloc, although to be fair I reckon I'd have got it if I hadn't broken my ankle. Definitely my worst year ever, really dreadful.

[jimmykay]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Rock Atrocity, Simple Simon - After been shut down on both problems time and time again. Having held the last hold on Rock Atrocity for 30seconds flailing around trying to match and failing to do so. After slapping the last hold on Simple Simon twice and flying down the hill over my spotters. I thought they were never going to go. However, after being spanked on sport I had a bouldering resurgence and managed to tick off both of these problems, equally significant to me.
Ultimate Retro Party - After pulling on the lip once to suss the moves, I cracked this out 2nd go. I couldn't believe how is easy it felt. It was one of those days where you just know how to climb.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Le Toit de Cul De Chien - Well what an amazing route. Never been to Font before and this was just something else. Amazing.
Cortomaltese - Another crazy good problem and my first ever tick in the Forest. The start of an amazing week.
El Poussah - The end of an amazing week. Didn't think I'd have enough left in me on the last day after spending 7 days on the rock and with blood oozing out of 3 tips. Bit down one last time and I was on top of that boulder. Everything needed to work at the same time, Left heel can't pop, right toe has to catch in the roof, right hand can't pop off the sloper and then catch the left hand perfectly, Boom. Love it.


Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Thumbelina - I'll sneak this in here because there is no room in the bouldering section. Absolutely stunning bit of rock. Mega, Mega. I'll never forget how scared I was when I was actually on the ledge. Haha, I was so gripped putting the harness on to abseil back down. Fine climbing and even mantle-ing. What a wetter.

Top three sport routes UK
Bullworker, Brean - Racked up the quickdraws and just went. Amazing.
Dyperspace, Dinbren so so so much fun. So many ways to do it. The way I chose was to upside down toehook the block before matching my feet. None of this dyno/campus stylee everyone else does.
England's Dreaming, Portland - Really cool. Best route of a really good weekend just chalking off a load of mileage on 7a/+'s. The bit of rock that this is on though is really really good.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Bichaca, Desplomilandia Oh wow. Amazing setting. Amazing overhanging rock. Perfect holds. All I knew was that the crux was just over half height. I racked my quickdraws with the intention of working it. Got to halfheight and thought fuck it, I'm just going to go for it. Managed to get it first go by the skin of my teeth. Great acheivement.
Little Brown Baby, Frontales What can more can you say than pure climbing fun?
Tapas, Loja Capped a great trip off. Good burly moves on steep pocketed rock.



Top Spanking's
Rock Atrocity I hate it, I love it, I hate it, I love it. Got it in the end but fuck me was it hard work. This killed my psyche on so many trips to the cave.
Elite Syncopations had it in the bag, my first 8a. Then slipped off the easy finishing jugs with my foot somehow behind the rope. Just to rub insult into my wounds inverted and trashed my back against the rock. Probably deserved it. The next visit my mate pulled a crucial hold off for the sequence I was using so I got pissed and started bouldering again....
Hall of Mirrors. I was climbing so well at the time and this frigging 7c was killing me. I should have had it second go when I fucked up at the top and then spent about 8 goes fucking up the crux. Couldn't believe, should have been a walk in the park. Only 7c I've never completed. I still need to get back down. Bloody routes...

Great year.

[Fiend]

Poor Nige hope it heals properly in the end.