[SA Chris]

It's that time of year to crow about your triumphs and weep about your failures

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 Spankings

Here's a link to last year's containing links to older ones

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=25227.0

[Will Hunt]

Bah! It's not over yet!
 

[Fiend]

Top 3 trad routes Wales:
The Long Run, Gogarth
Byzantium, Craig Doris
Crimson Cruiser, Moelwyns

Top 3 trad routes elsewhere:
Ayatollah, Creag Dubh
Finesse, St Loy
Silver Shadow, Carn Vellan

Top 3 sport routes:
G'Day Arete, Dinorwic Quarries
Impact Zone, Dinorwic Quarries
Map of the Problematique, Penmaenbach Quarry
 
Top 3 routes abroad:
Narrenweg, Pfalz
Die Unvollendete, Pfalz
Reibekuchen, Pfalz

Top 3 boulder problems Northumberland:
Iceberg, Hepburn
Smooth Wall, Rothley
Cave Central LH, Bowden

Top 3 boulder problems elsewhere:
Apprentice Wall, Galloway
Muir's Masterpiece, Torridon
Gillercombe in general.

Top 3 new routes:
Whillans Crack, The Rhinnogs
The Bilberry Hunter, The Rhinnogs
Word Of Pain, The Rhinnogs

Top 3 spankings:
The ones where it involved a burly lock around a roof.
The ones where conditions were too warm and greasy.
The ones where I was doing fine and a foot slipped.

[Duncan campbell]

Top 3 trad routes Wales:
The Long Run, Gogarth
Byzantium, Craig Doris
Crimson Cruiser, Moelwyns

Ooooh Nice one would love to do all of those. How was Long Run? (without giving me too much beta)

[SA Chris]

Top three boulder probs, UK - I'm going to make these established ones.

Low Break 6c at Boltsheugh - done before, but great climbing

Assorted probs at Brimham
 
Top three boulder probs, abroad -

nothing never climbed outside UK

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Only done one - the Dagger in Creag Etchachan. Great climbing, long approach, snatched from a wet summer.

Top three sport routes UK

Good day at Legaston

Death is the Hunter 6b+
Bomber 6a+
Sweet Revenge 6a+

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

nothing never climbed outside UK

Top three new route/prob put up

Had a really productive year but best are probably;

Double Tap Variation 6b(ish) Yellow Wall, Clochindare Bay
Arab Spring 6a(ish) Oasis Crag
Triangulation 6a(ish) Oasis Crag

Top Spankings

No Remorse - Legaston. Got away with bouldering fitness on all routes until I got on this one and got so pumped I couldn't move
Driller Killer - Legaston. Bouldery so should have got away with it, but was blown after trying NR and it was getting warm and greasy on that buttress, so lobbed off a couple of times before calling it a day.

[cheque]

It's not yet that time of year to crow about your triumphs and weep about your failures

We need something to look forward to in the first week of January.

[SA Chris]

It's not yet that time of year to crow about your triumphs and weep about your failures

We need something to look forward to in the first week of January.

Well you can stick a fork in me, I'm done!

[Fiend]

How was Long Run? (without giving me too much beta)

From YYFY:

...one of the best climbing experiences of my life. Not the hardest route I've done recently, but it was everything I hoped it would be, utterly engrossing and thrilling

I didn't find it that hard, mostly because the route suited me perfectly - just off vertical, continously tricky but positive moves in between good rests, with fiddly but adequate gear. Conditions were perfect and it was unchalked until the end where someone had done The Clown.

I just loved it, it was like being in a dream where everything is exactly how it's supposed to be, with the climb and my climbing. And yes, there WAS a seal watching. No seal, no Gogarth tick.

Serious? Well there is clearly bomber gear at 8m and then again at 30m.... In between it requires some hunting and fiddling and occasionally running it out. Not too serious if you get it right.

P.S. Forgot to mention that it was pretty interesting for me to get on something that I hadn't really considered before. Most inspirations I have for years or decades (CC I wanted to do since the photo in the old crimson-spined Tremadog guide!)....The Long Run I had been inspired by for a mere week, which added to the mystery I guess.

[Duncan campbell]

Ahh must have missed that.

Brilliant! Sounds amazing and having recently got a bit psyched for it it sounds amazing (I bet I have a right mare on it now) however I do love that style of bold vert(ish) wall climbing.

Well psyched for this now!

Good effort!

[Fiend]

Thanks

It is definitely "that style".

Incidentally the Spicy Vujon curry house in Bangor makes a good celebration afterwards (and after Byzantium too).

[Fultonius]

I know you are all winding down for the holidays, but I have a lot of uni work to do and these threads keep sucking me in.   

Top 3 Boulder Problems Abroad
Not been bouldering much this year, and none in the UK, but thought that since this is UKB I thought it best to start here.
1. Goldrake 6C at Val di Mello.  Really chuffed to get it 2nd go in pretty warm conditions.
2. Some 7B thing at Citta dei Sassi the day after bouldering with Nibs, 3rd go. Not a classic problem, but nice to get it quickly.
3. Getting very close to the 7C (name I can't remember with Nibs). If I had more time I reckon it would have gone.

Top three boulder probs, UK
None. *Almost* managed to boulder in the peak when I was down for the rugby world cup in Leeds...but failed to get out of bed early enough.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
1.Fuhrer at Creak Dubh. A route I dismissed a few years ago as "the realm of the unhinged". Went fine and kicked off a good weekend of E4 tickage.
2.Ayatollah and First Offence at Creagh Dubh (the aforementioned E4 tickage.) Ayatollah in particular went very well. Great moves, which I read well and felt confident on. Happy.
3. Sapphires at Creag an Fithich. First route in the Sheigra area, will be back.
Top three sport routes UK
None
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Oooh, difficult one. Might have to expand this a bit.
Alpine: 1. Dru Couloir Direct. F*cking get in!   Mind blowing and a real culmination of my 4 winters in Chamonix.
2. Scotch on the Rocks. Great to get embroiled in a  classic Stevie Haston testpiece.
3. Brandler Hasse. Very, very happy to have scraped together enough rock climbing fitness to get this done in good style. Was a close call as I couldn't really climb much in the spring due to a pulley tweak.

Sport - lot's of fun, obscure routes in the Tyrol, Slovakia & Slovenia with the GF on our van travels. On the last climbing day before meeting my mate Andy to do the BH I got a 7a+/b 35m sport route called (1) Bicycle Race  on the onsight. A good boost since it was around 10* overhanging, vaguely following a crack.
(2) the Huge flake crack on the Sasso Remenno in Val di Mello. Only Fr6c but pretty runout and very fun.
(3)Multipitch with gf in Val D'Aosta - Pà Ramuer e i Suoi Pargoli at Albard Di Bard. Great fun.

Top three new route/prob put up
Meh. Couple of scrappy boulder problems in Albard di Bard
E5 that turned out not be new.
Top Spankings
1.Lady Charlotte at Upper Cave Dunkeld. Been wanting to do this E5 for years - felt ready but did it with some random guy who spent half the time on belay on his phone or talking, so got uber pumped and failed.
2. The Clearences in Glencoe. Old, old school Ed Grindley E3!! Aid route. Freed by Cubby at E4 and quite  astern test. Conditions failure.  Long winded bloggy blog here: http://scottishclimbers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-clearences.html
3. Banana Groove E4 (E5?) Nevis. Piss wet and steep and hard and....

[Muenchener]

Top one boulder probs, Frankenjura
Did a 6B+ in proper butch ‘jura style with heel hooks ‘n’ all, nary a crimpy slab for miles around. Quite proud of myself for this. 
Am close to success on a 6C project at Kochel too. Modest grades by the general standard around here I know, but progress is progress.

Top three sport routes Greater Bavaria
Edelbitter 7a Konstein: excellent route, climbing highlight of the year. Three days, seven goes; shark will laugh if I call it a “project”
Gonzalier 7a Arco: was a good start to the year
Koung 6c+ Frankenjura. A rarity for the ‘jura: non-thuggy technical face climbing, generously bolted.

Top one sport routes UK (nearly)
Incapacity Benefit 7a+ WCJ Cornice. Made good progress in a day on this, felt like one more non-rainy day would have sealed the deal. Great crag.


Top one routes alpine rock
Kirchl Express, kaisergebirge. Not particularly hard but a long day out and a reconnaissance for the Dülfer

Top three new route/prob put up
 

Top Spankings
Nails, Staden Moor. Nails. Have done this before a couple of times years ago and found it hard; found it too hard this year.
König Löwenherz, Buchstein, Gesäuse. Ran away mentally shattered after two pitches of Gesäuse “6a”

[SA Chris]

I think it should be "in home country" from now on rather than "UK" to accommodate all our non-UK posters?

[Muenchener]

Fair enough. I reserve the right to use the borders of early mediaeval Bavaria rather that newfangled "Germany" malarkey

[ashtond6]

wooo thanks for the thread, ridiculously bored at work...... I'm putting down routes I had the most fun on, rather than necessarily the best rock or moves:

Top three boulder probs, UK
Banana Reverse 7A
The Chiseller OS 6B
Strawberries 6B - love hate thing

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Circuit Breaker V3 (or 5.11b???)
Yabo Roof V3 (V4)
Can't decide between False Up 20 5.9/V0 & Plumbers Crack V0/5.9!

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Trout E6
Lunge E3
East Face Vivian Quarry E3
(Close 4th, Harvey Procters Spanking Slap - amazing devious line, with fantastic & very varied climbing)

Top three sport routes UK
Persistence of Vision 7a+
Crustacean 7a+/b
White Gold 7a

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Triple Direct 5.10 C2
Virginia 5.8 A3
Rubicon  5.10d E3

Top Spankings
ALL bouldering in USA
Longridge
Forest Rock!

[tomtom]

This has been a weird year for me.. rather than focus on two or three hard problems I've done 38 new problems between 7A and 7B+... so its more top areas rather than problems... still..

Top Three Boulder Problems UK
Jericho Road 7B I had a very pleasant summer at CragX (thanks to Haydn for showing me the ropes) and plugged away at JR - before giving up for a bit and then sending it when I didn't really expect to.

Bodgers Delight 7B A reverse traverse at Helsby. Two or three very hard moves (for me) and a couple of unique body positions/moves. Its a shuffle - but one that I enjoyed getting done.

Dove Lowe (the Crag) A lonely mini Almscliff (in aspect) set on the Lancs Moors... some lovely climbing on some great moorland gritstone. I've always enjoyed being there - despite being rained off twice, eaten by midges once, and thinking I was going to die by being struck by lightening another time

Woodwell also deserves a mention - had some great sessions there this summer - finally broke into the 7s there consistently, and Conies, And I even enjoyed spending time in Lancs Quarries!

Top Three Spankings
Hanks Wall 7A+ My Brownstones nemesis... I have got so close so many times... bah.

Zippys Traverse 7A (CragX) Spent a fair bit of time trying this in between flailing around on JR and whilst I have all the moves, all overlapping - there is no cigar.... 

Brad Pit 7C I can't get my heel up properly whilst keeping my lower foot in a sensible place. It just feels wrong. I hate it. I never want to see it again.

[petejh]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Didn't touch a boulder all year. Did 1-4-7 and 1-5-7 on the mill campus board - honorary boulder tick.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
nada

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Wasn't a year for trad but,
Bone People (Gideon Quarry). Had wanted to do this for a while, decemnt (not best in the pass but still...) and it reminded me that I spent multiple days bolting a mega-classic overhanging arete newie on this wall a few year ago which I need to go and finish because it really will be one of the best in the pass!
Shouting Stage - enjoyed climbing this esoteric route which I 're-equipped' (i.e. stripped 3/4 of the old fixed gear out of). No-where near classic but it was a quiet year.
Flying Buttress (Cromlech)-The Wrinkle (Carreg Wasted)-Californai Arete (Slate). One of the most pleasant evenings this year was climbing these three for the first time on a muggy autumn evening by myself.

Top three sport routes UK
The Oak. What I trained for. A satisfying feeling getting periodised training right at the first try, feeling a noticeable peak, and using it to make the send feel easy, as it should.
The Desolation of Smaug. Really enjoyable climbing in the late evening sun, salvaged from a rain-filled day. Impressive workmanship by its creator!

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Amelie at Rodeller
Then misfortune struck..

Top three new routes/probs put up
Shine On (The Diamond). While attention focused on the Gresham Media Machine^TM, stellar new route after stellar new route was being put up on the Diamond, almost as if new 3-star independent 35-50m grade 8s were going out of fashion (6 newies = or > 8a and 35m?) And not a facebook call-to-arms in sight.
Wide Asleep (Clogwyn Du). Perfect day all round. Doesn't get much better than that for onsight first ascent experiences.
The Charlatan (Clogwyn Du). Line I'd been failing to try for years, another class route on this little turbo adventure cliff.
 
Top Spankings
Second half of 2015.

[Doylo]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Didn't touch a boulder all year.

Didn't you seige the Gop at one point?

While attention focused on the Gresham Media Machine^TM, stellar new route after stellar new route was being put up on the Diamond, almost as if new 3-star independent 35-50m grade 8s were going out of fashion (6 newies = or > 8a and 35m?) And not a facebook call-to-arms in sight.

You obviously aren't Facebook friends with Dave Redpath 

[nai]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Mothership Reconnection, Thorn. This would be quality anywhere, luckily it's on a remote moor in a quiet backwater so isn't totally trashed.
Burnt Heather, Thorn.  A lovely grit feature also not getting trashed.
Parker, Shipley Glen.  Red Baron has the stature and status but doesn't climb as nicely as it looks, hiding in it's shadow is this lovely deadpoint off an arete and smears to a distant sloper.

Top two boulder probs, abroad
Mise Au Poing, Rocher St Germain. Scary, sketchy, highball slab shenanigans. A footslip at the top, about 7m?, had me touching cloth.
Coleur Feu, JA Martin.  Gutted to find the assis wet but didn't disappoint from standing.

Top three trad routes UK
Only did 3 quick trad sessions, a route from each:
Boulevard. First trad for 9 months, one warmup then did this.  Was sure I'd blown it but just scraped through.
Bubbles Wall.  Seemed decent nick at first but the backs of breaks and holds all damp, couldn't give up on the Onsight though.  Spent ages on it and nearly slipped off grovelling out.
Pygmies Walk Tall. Worth the star and upgrade in the new guide, really fun.

Top one sport route UK
Roof Warrior. Hadn't been on the radar until I got injured and needed a route with minimal crimping.  First 8a, YYFY, etc.

Top Spankings
Chewed up and spat out by Why Me? again, a move closer at least and the upgrade makes me feel better about failure.
Endurance training - buggered if I could get it right, have brought in an expert

Top Nemeses slayed
Big Zipper. Probably put more time into this over the years than Roof Warrior, still took two sessions this year and was a proper fight at the top.
Free and Even Easier - fell off the last moves 4 times in a day with a heavy cold about 18 years ago and hadn't been on it since. Retro flashed on my birthday before being schooled by Raindogs.

[JohnM]

Top three boulder probs, UK
It seems I didn't do much bouldering at all this year so wasn't hard to pick the top three.  I think I bouldered three times, once at Bonehill, once on the Cromlech roadside and once at Craig y Longridge.
The Wave - Bonehill
The Rippled Wall - Bonehill
Snatch - Bonehill

Top three boulder probs, abroad
N/A

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
I didn't do much trad this year.  Last year I went to Swanage quite a bit.  This year the only time I went to do trad we got attacked by seagulls on every route we tried.  I tried to get into DWS and had one good session and then the sea was massive every weekend for 3 weekends in a row.

The Bludgeon - Shepherds - Surprisingly wild for an E1.

Freeborn Man - Swanage - Was scared of doing this for years.  Was easy when I finally committed but still a great experience.  Have done it a few times since quickly going down as I have been walking past - so much fun!

New Dimensions - Castell y Gwynt - A really nice outing.  The top turned into a real unexpected fight as the rock had fully condensed and I could barely hold on!

Top three sport routes UK
Air Show - Ship Wreck Cove - Some of the best sport climb out there if you get it in condition. 

Herbie - Malham - Really enjoyed this one after failing on it back in the day.

Statement - LPT - Tried this on and off over the years so was good to finally finish it off.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Humildes Pa Casa - Oliana - Some of the best tufa wrestling out there!

Fish Eye - Oliana - Not as good as Humildes but my main objective of the trip and I was happy that all the training over the winter paid off.

Debout Les Morts - Kalymnos - Amazing climbing and positions whatever the grade is.

Top three new routes/probs put up

N/A

Top Spankings
Energy Vampire - Malham.  I find this route painful and hard in equal measure.

Masterclass - Pen Trwyn.  Can't remember if I tried this year but if I did I probably got shut down.

[petejh]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Didn't touch a boulder all year.

Didn't you seige the Gop at one point?

While attention focused on the Gresham Media Machine^TM, stellar new route after stellar new route was being put up on the Diamond, almost as if new 3-star independent 35-50m grade 8s were going out of fashion (6 newies = or > 8a and 35m?) And not a facebook call-to-arms in sight.

You obviously aren't Facebook friends with Dave Redpath 

3 days at the Gop was just the end of my power phase before redpointing. Sent those 7Bs - forgot about them, should've flashed them, and then worked Push the Button. Keen to go back to that if my arms ever return.

I'm not virtual friends with anyone.

[lagerstarfish]

I think I managed the whole of 2015 without going on the lime

I didn't do much climbing, but at least... yeah... it doesn't mean much

[Richie Crouch]

Top three boulder probs, UK

1. Louis Armstrong, Parisellas cave: this took an immense amount of perseverance and going backwards several times before it all clicked and went down in a low expectation after work session. It was a great mental breakthrough knowing what is possible and it didn't feel at the absolute limit, just very hard, so hopefully there is room for improvement and something slightly harder in the future!

2. Mr Fantastic, Jerry's roof: although it felt a fair bit easier than when I first tried it years ago, it was still immensely satisfying grovelling over that lip completely out of breath and sketching like a punt!

3. Lightweight, Rhiw Goch: not the most glorious line but a wonderful 2 mover and a good session doing badgers first try too.

Top three boulder probs, abroad

1. El Varano, Albaraccin: a great striking prow with a semi dodgy landing and great Spanny moves with heels and toe hooks, most enjoyable!

2. La Piscine, Gros Sablons: an easy highball that felt fully committing and exhilarating, great to do and I'd love to return to try and tick off the whole black highball circuit there one day.

3. Figure de proue, Elephant: another not so hard but good techy/mental challenge. Good to climb it with super bunched, non lank beta.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

1. The File, Higgar Tor: First experience of proper jamming and it was sans warmup onsight. It felt the living end for 4c(V0?!)And took every last ounce of energy not to fall off! A true full body pump for my puny legs and arms.

2. Excalibur, Lawrencefield: a good adventure with some interesting moves that were duly avoided and overtechniqued!

3. MeringueL lawrencefield: I only did 3 trad routes under duress this year, so this is a distantly poor 3rd

Top two new route/prob put up

1. 60 All Out!, Talfarach: I somehow found a gap in the crag that hadn't had the full Hayward treatment, so stepped in to add a good burly sitter into some great tic tac shuffling on poor sloping holds to a good obvious top out. It was named in celebration after watching that rather memorable Ashes session before we headed down the coast!

2. Arnold is número uno, tremerchion: My esteemed cockney friend Matt had done a bizarre mono stack finish half way up an obvious line on the far right of trem, so I snuck in and added a nice fingery finish to the obvious high ledge where the rock ends and vegetation begins.

Top Spankings

1. Tried to link hatchatrocity into Louis Armstrong for 2 sessions and realised I need to get a lot fitter/stronger!

2. Tried Last Stand and didn't manage the move for 3 sessions in July/Aug and sacked off the cave for the rest of the year!

3. Tried Pools of Bethesda after work for a good 3-4 sessions and didn't stick the porthole move despite trying at least 3 methods.

Just realised I only left Wales for a whole year to go to Albaraccin and Font. Not 1 day of Grit choss logged!

[Hoseyb]

Weird year. I started trying to sort out my bodies failings,  and I'm still trying at the end. However I'm possibly the most positive I've been about it all year so let's see how it goes.
Very little text book climbing this year, but two flipping awesome patios built. Therefore,  Neverfall and Tumbleweed should make the boulder list. The Baron in Twll Mawr was a bittersweet journey, but the first pitch was worth it all. Top scootering this year too, melting through the back tyre on the Llugwy road, and locking the back wheel on a wet Marchlyn day were particularly invigorating.  As was trying to dws at shale city. Plenty to smile about anyway.   

[Fiend]

1. The File, Higgar Tor: First experience of proper jamming and it was sans warmup onsight. It felt the living end for 4c(V0?!)And took every last ounce of energy not to fall off! A true full body pump for my puny legs and arms.

Fantastic stuff, that is what any dedicated boulderer's experience of The File should be like