[SA Chris]

True. Roaches seem to get worse weather. Take decent rain gear regardless James. Even if it is pissing down you can go for a walk and recon mission to check out spots for future reference.

[JamesD]

Weather forecast still looking kinda crap

Might get a little bit of bouldering in on Friday if we're lucky 

[lagerstarfish]

Looks like it will be windy too. Burbage South boulders dry off pretty quick in a decent wind.

[SA Chris]

So you got some bouldering done then? Psyched?

[JamesD]

So you got some bouldering done then? Psyched?

Mega psyched  Just wish I had more time out there before the weather turned shit, especially at The Roaches, got like 1 and a half problems done before it started chucking it down

Did a few at Burbage though which was great, but not as many as I liked, it seems to take a lot longer to figure out problems outdoors what with the lack of coloured holds an all 
But yeah, I am mega psyched for the next session, now me and the missus just need to get over this horrible flu/cold shit we seem to have got and we'll be back on it.
I think we are going to pay The Southern Sandstone a visit next seeing as it is less than an hour away, strangely we never ended up visiting Caley, ah well!
But it was worth it just to check out The Roaches, that place is flipping awesome, and we will definitely be back!

[JamesD]

Might as well post this here as well:

Wow what a weekend, we went straight to The Roaches in the end, went up the wrong hill by accident, had a nice hike but lost 2 hours in between this, finding out we went the wrong way, and then having to go back the right way.
So we got there and it was amazing, including the weather.....for all of an hour, then it rained dammit!
Was really gutted as the place looked amazing, the problems looked amazing, it was absolutely stunning, so we had a good walk around, and checked out the boulders for future reference, definitely going to go back for another visit, this time hopefully in better weather.
Then today we went to Burbage South boulders, not quite as impressed with the quality of the problems, or the scenery, it was ok....but if I was going to go back anywhere it would be The Roaches, now that place is awesome!
It went quite well, however we got rained off after a couple of hours  so then went to the climbing works in Sheffield, also amazing! So all in all a great weekend despite shitty weather in parts, thanks for all the advice everyone.

I should also add, that my missus did her first decent looking overhang on a V1, and her first Dyno, I was so proud 
Plus we both did a shitload of the blue problems at the works (after Burbage got rained off) which was great, these felt around V1/V2 from our experience, but I stand corrected if I am wrong?

[SA Chris]

Good Stuff. The SS has some good bits, just be prepared for general sandiness of holds, and it not being as god as grit. Worth making a day trip of it though. Being based in the SE, it's no distance to Font for you though!! Either take a ferry or http://www.boulderbus.co.uk/

[i.munro]

.... and it not being as god as grit.

matter of opinion there!

More seriously, I would say that there's not much I would recommend to anyone  on SS below about uk5c simply because the good easier stuff has been trashed by careless climbers not cleaning their feet, climbing when it's damp  etc.
There's currently some excellent stuff at & beyond this grade but you better hurry I don't think it's going to last.

NB on Mon  Bowles was soaking! I've never seen it in such bad condition even in mid-winter.

[Plattsy]

Glad you enjoyed your first venture outdoors James.

Then today we went to Burbage South boulders, not quite as impressed with the quality of the problems, or the scenery, it was ok....

Sorry to hear this. I would suggest giving it another go especially if you base yourself in Sheffield for forthcoming trips. Some good problems there with good landings.

Plus we both did a shitload of the blue problems at the works (after Burbage got rained off) which was great, these felt around V1/V2 from our experience, but I stand corrected if I am wrong?

You wanna be looking at the Black circuit for that sort of grade.

[JamesD]

Grading wise from easiest to hardest does it go:

Green
Blue
Black
Green & Purple
?

[lagerstarfish]

The colours and grades of the circuits at The Works change. At the moment they are like this.
God knows what these V1/V2 things are that you mention? Some sort of flying bomb from 1945?

[JamesD]

Ah ha, no wonder we managed to do loads of those blue ones!
I did one black one, my right elbow wasn't feeling too great afterwards though, in a way I am glad I have the flu/cold/manflu (whatever it is) this week as its forcing me to take a much needed week-week and half off, hopefully that'll be enough for my slightly tweaked elbow to sort itself out, seeing as its been irritating me for nearly a month now.

[i.munro]

God knows what these V1/V2 things are that you mention? Some sort of flying bomb from 1945?

So that's why this grading system is used in London (& nowhere else or so Jas assures me) it's a tribute to the spirit of the Blitz.

[webbo]

God knows what these V1/V2 things are that you mention? Some sort of flying bomb from 1945?

So that's why this grading system is used in London (& nowhere else or so Jas assures me) it's a tribute to the spirit of the Blitz.

its generally used in areas of cultrural excellance such as leeds and hull.

[i.munro]

FWIW  Doodlebug 1/2 in London does indeed feel to me round about Fb3-4.

[JamesD]

Yeah I think you are right, we went by this guide: http://www.rockfax.com/publications/bgrades.html

Some of the Outdoor stuff that was "supposedly" within the same kind of grades we had been doing indoors felt a lot harder than it should have done, but that may well also have been because it was our first time on Rock.
Either way, I think I want to be doing Doodlebug 3's and 4's In London before I go outdoors again, just so I don't look like a total muppet next time, I think it's doable for the summer

[i.munro]

I've seen that table as well.
Trouble is I can't tell you whether the table's wrong or the system is being wrongly implemented in London because I don't climb anywhere on rock that uses this system.


Converting in my head from  ArchV to Fb goes vaguely like this

V0-3 , 3-4
V4    . 5 - 5+
V5    , 6a -c+
V6    , 7a
V7    , 7a+ - ?
V8-11   too hard

[lagerstarfish]

I like "Doodlebug" as a name for a grading system 

[tomtom]

Some of the Outdoor stuff that was "supposedly" within the same kind of grades we had been doing indoors felt a lot harder than it should have done, but that may well also have been because it was our first time on Rock.

Another explanation is that many problems on grit are quite knacky... in that there is a certain way which makes it quite a bit easier than how you may do it first time... the grade is for the way once you know how to do it!

One of the biggest differences between wall bouldering and grit (IMHO) is that there is no obvious (ish) way of doing a problem (e.g. a line of pink holds) so often at first its a bit befuddling how to do a problem. Thats one of the parts I really like - figuring out how it can be done - and with grit theres often many different (often subtly different) ways of doing it.

[Paul B]

Easier grit problems = slabs with non holds
Easy indoor problems = buckets ahoy

Completely different.

[SA Chris]

Either way, I think I want to be doing Doodlebug 3's and 4's In London before I go outdoors again, just so I don't look like a total muppet next time, I think it's doable for the summer

Even if you are doing 3s and 4s it may not make doing problems on rock any easier. The most effective way (IMO) to get better on rock is mileage on rock. Plus I don't think you should concern yourself with looking like a muppet, that's more down to attitude than ability, and you seem to have the attitiude right.

[Plattsy]

@JamesD
After the next week or so until mid June I'll have a load of time free so if you're up Sheffield way in that time I'd be happy to show you round Burbizzle South boulders or meet up somewhere else and both look like Muppets with attitude. 

NSFW  :

[webbo]

Yeah I think you are right, we went by this guide: http://www.rockfax.com/publications/bgrades.html

Some of the Outdoor stuff that was "supposedly" within the same kind of grades we had been doing indoors felt a lot harder than it should have done, but that may well also have been because it was our first time on Rock.
Either way, I think I want to be doing Doodlebug 3's and 4's In London before I go outdoors again, just so I don't look like a total muppet next time, I think it's doable for the summer

you weren't the guy at burbage south with bleeding fingers by any chance.

[JamesD]

@JamesD
After the next week or so until mid June I'll have a load of time free so if you're up Sheffield way in that time I'd be happy to show you round Burbizzle South boulders or meet up somewhere else and both look like Muppets with attitude. 

NSFW  :

Sounds good mate, I think given that this Flu has really thrown me out this week I doubt i'll be up for another all day outdoor session until near the end of the month/early May, if the weather is good I think The Roaches seems to be a more appealing option, but Burbage seems to dry out really easily, either way I don't mind too much, will be well up for it then, muppets with attitude, now that'd make a great t-shirt...hell yeah 

P.S.
 
Webbo, that wasn't me, unless you count one pathetically small cut on one of my knuckles as bleeding fingers, I was around on Saturday with the missus, big guy, big red bouldering mat, you can't miss me!

[webbo]

i wasn't there but a mate was mentioned bumping in to a guy who was on his first outside session with a big mat and lots of blood.