[Doylo]

But only after he'd travelled the world flashing the hardest routes and burnt everyone off!

[comPiler]

Old Shizzle
12 April 2011, 7:09 pm

Tony gave me a load of old mags as he's moving house.  I love old mags and anything to do with climbing history and how things have evolved.  There are gems of information that most people would never know like Neil Carson went from climbing 8a to doing Cry Freedom 8b+ in a massive leap! I keep seeing Liquid Ambar written up as a stamina route!  This just goes to show that the hard routes back then involved bouldery moves and were short and nasty.  These days LA would be regarded as a boulder problem.  Under 30 metres is short!  And of course these days you may find a Font 8b+ on a 50 metre route!  Zippy wrote a good article in OTE 18 about state of the art routes.  Cry Freedom was Britains first 8c but Mark Leach did it with a duff sequence which JB Tribout eliminated on the 2nd ascent.  Agincourt has five 7a moves in a row!  There was an interesting piece in high about a old project above La Plage in Buoux that Ben Moon checked out.  It was originally Marc le Menestrel's project but he only managed 70% of the moves.  Moony took measurements and impressions of the crux holds with string and foil and when he returned home his sponsor Bendcrete helped him build a replica of the roof section so Moony could train on it.  Sounds like this route was a 9 and i don't think theres a 9 at Buoux so i'm guessing its still a project.  Would be cool if someone finished off such an old project.  Come on Ondra get yourself to Buoux!

Source: Doylo's blog

[Pantontino]

I remember that Buoux project replica - it was upstairs in the board room at Bendcrete in Stalybridge when I worked there in the early 90s. No-one could even move on it. I recall it was a big move to a rubbish sloping dish and another big move off that. Seemed crazy at the time.

[grimer]

I used to sleep under it, watching Paul Ingham's black and white telly.

[gme]

It was claimed as a 9a/9a+ by a polish guy a few years later to much derision. This ended up being one of those he did it / no he didn't type arguments that you get a lot now on the internet and those in the no camp were put down as jealous because some unknown had come and done something they couldn't.

The guy (cant remember his name) much later admitted that he hadn't done it yet this only got a slight mention in the media at the time.

Eventually the truth gets out.

Amazing route that i am surprised no one has done as it was deemed possible by Ben although very futuristic.

[grimer]

It was called Chantier.

[gme]

by the powers of google.

"I well remember the news that Juray Recka clamed to have climbed “Chantier”, Ben Moon’s mega-project in Buoux. Juray Recka had no convincing evidence to prove the ascent and the missing track record eroded his credibility. Thanks to the powerful leadership of Ben Moon, the public never approved this fake."

[Jaspersharpe]

It climbs the wide grey streak through the bulge to the right of this photo. I'm surprised that nobody's (or rather Ondra hasn't) climbed it yet as it's basically the centrepiece of the crag. It would be extremely bouldery by today's standards as you say Doylo but it's not as if these sort of things aren't getting done (by Su Pollard if no one else).

[mrjonathanr]

It was called Chantier.

Very appropriate. un chantier = building site; en chantier = works in progress ie project. Still deserves its name, evidently.

[Ru]

Is Chantier the same as the Bombe Bleu project on the plage?

These old projects still have a weird aura around them that I don't feel for the newer stuff.

Plus, is that model still at Bendcrete?

[gme]

Thats the one. Off the very left edge of the plage.

I suspect that its not been done due to lack of interest rather than it being impossible .

I guess the fact that it was left in its original state, rather than improved as a lot of the routes at Buoux, means that the people who have tried it did think it was possible.

[Doylo]

The old stuff has more of an aura cos sport climbing was still relatively new then.I bet if it was in the north of Spain it would have been done!

[Falling Down]

Plus, is that model still at Bendcrete?

Nope, not on the boards in the training room.    Paul might have the bits somewhere though...

[mrjonathanr]

Buoux was called le laboratoire for a reason. Anyway, the whole blooming place has got an aura, you can never forget the impact of clambering over those blocks to see Bout du Monde for the first time. Have you looked up at that hu-uge wall behind Les Seguins? That would provide some amazing routes. Pierre will never let it be climbed on though, not even by his son-in-law, it'll have to remain the stuff of dreams.

errh..that was meant to be a reply to the post above but one.

[grimer]

Your emotions were getting the better of you there Jon

[mrjonathanr]

Well yes
 I've fallen to sleep a number of times on the terrace under that wall, and listened to Anthoine talk about the possible lines so you'll have to forgive me. It would be the finest part of the entire crag (if you can climb at that level, obviously).

[gme]

Ahh jumpers for goal posts and all that.

I took my 4 year old son upto bout de monde for a sentimental look at the routes years after stopping climbing and nearly shed a tear (it was a fly i tell you). The thing i remember the most was the smell (and not of shit) if you bottled it and let me smell it now it would take me back there.

I dont have any experiance of the new climbing mecca of Spain but do people have the same attachments and appreciation of history to these places as i had to Buoux in the 80s and 90s and Doylo obviously has for the ormes, or is it just the soleless persuit of numbers it appears.

[grimer]

I've fallen to sleep a number of times on the terrace under that wall, and listened to Anthoine talk about the possible lines so you'll have to forgive me.

I used to sleep under it Ben Moon's model of the route in the Bendcrete workshop, watching Paul Ingham's black and white telly.

 I think you've lived a nicer life than me.

[Jaspersharpe]

It would be the finest part of the entire crag (if you can climb at that level, obviously).

True.

[Paul B]

but do people have the same attachments and appreciation of history to these places as i had to Buoux in the 80s and 90s and Doylo obviously has for the ormes, or is it just the soleless persuit of numbers it appears.

I'm a cynic but I'd have to say it appears that way to me, I had trouble asking people the names of routes, all I got in return was the number  Its not that unsurprsing when you consider many routes have more than one lower-off.

I have to say I was stunned at how quiet Buoux was compared to most of the other Euro crags. It really is a stunning place.

(the above was a great read)

[mrjonathanr]

I've fallen to sleep .. under that wall

I used to sleep .. in the Bendcrete workshop

 I think you've lived a nicer life than me.

Yeah, you're a Dickensian urchin and I'm a troubadour... Nice one Grimer!

[comPiler]

Sandstone of the South
16 April 2011, 8:11 am

I'm currently working down in Kent on a old skool windmill.  Tim the boss was keen to get some pics of Southern Sandstone so we went to check it out one afternoon.  We walked up to the entrance of High Rocks where we were met by this:

This was followed by lots of laughter from the lads and lots of cursing from Tim as he was paying!  Back to the van he said and we headed to Bowles.  Luckily it was the hottest day of the year and Bowles was in the sun which was perfect for Limestone.  We dicked about a bit doing a bit of soloing and some quite nice boulder problems up to font 6c.  Bob Elliot rolling back the years:

It was hot and sweaty but a laugh. We only had one little flat bouldering pad which didn't inspire pascal as he tried to ground up this 6c roof with a potential uncontrolled fall:

The crux involved lunging to some jams at the lip.  Must have been tricky as he didn't do it  Back to the car our grand leader commanded and we headed back to High Rocks.  This time he forked out and in we went.  The fun began on a ace 6a arete that would be a highball with decent paddage.  Pascal went first, bit hesitant on the top.  Pete had let us know how straightforward the top was from the comfort of the ground.  Little Bob shot up it only to come unstuck on the top, all of a sudden it looked quite high and the drop off not to appealing! He had to get dragged over the top in the end.  Then up steps big daddy bear Peter Hurley, not climbing for 5 months wasn't going to stop this guy and he shoots up it barefoot.  He hits the same place as Bob but surprisingly his toes don't work too well on the final smear and he starts to panic.  Pete has got a back full of metal after hitting the ground from a long way up in Cheedale a few years and capers like this are not recommended.  It seems his legendary stamina of 10 years ago has dried up, funny that!  He looks down, the fear in his face is evident as the consequences of a nasty fall flash through all our minds.  Bob runs to the top but doesn't hit the ascent path first go.  Petes got nothing left and down he comes, collapsing as his 12.5 stone mass hits the ground.  He lies there for a while with a worried look on his face but all is ok.  Pascal then drops the top of the Honeycomb wall to the left, he's having a shocker. Then we move down the crag and engage in some traditional top roping with waist belays and no harnesses:

A couple of routes are done then its my turn to provide the entertainment.  I set off up a 5c hand jamming crack called Coronation Crack.  I soon remember that i can't hand jam (memories of climbing The File using the holds on the face flash through my mind).  I try to jam but soon realise i can't do it and revert to heel hooks and powerful laybacking.  Soon enough i'm off much to the hilarity of everyone.  My spirits are soon raised as Pascal drops a damp 6a crack and mauls his hands in the process:

I walk down to look at Chimaera, nice feature, then return just in time to see Pascal dropping the top of the classic Krait Arete,he's flipping boxed and everyone is cracking up. Shocking day!



Source: Doylo's blog

[comPiler]

Ormesmen of the Week-Andy Pollitt, Prestatyn Conquerer
17 April 2011, 9:59 am

Andy grew up in Prestatyn and began climbing with his teacher Andy Boorman.  Andy takes up the early story:

When he was 14 and just started climbing he used to work for a cake delivery company.  Sell-by dates had just been invented - this was great for Andy: all out-of-date cakes came his way! Perhaps that explains his legendary stamina or possibly it's all those hours he spent on the brick-edges of the original Prestatyn Climbing Wall in the late 1970s?

Andy's first two real rock climbs were with myself on a school trip to Craig y Forwyn on 20th June 1978. He seconded Y Chimney H.V. Diff and a pleasant Severe called Softly, Softly. A few weeks later he was taking leader falls on Scalar VS!

In April 1981 Andy P joined a strong team for a trip to Buoux and the Verdon Gorge. There will be a star prize for the blog reader who can identify all the climbers (some well known, some well weak) in the group photo which was taken by Pete Bailey!

Great routes were climbed on that trip, but not without incident: ask Pete Bailey to recount his tale of the Verdon Gorge Luna Bong abseil, where they discovered that the rope Chris Lyon had sold Andy as a 150 feet length turned out to be only 40 metres, or around 130 feet. Pete arrived in space 3 metres out from and 3 metres above the first abseil tree, 250 metres minimum above the deck, to find  that only one of the ropes reached (no knots in the ends). Andy was perched in the tree:

"How did you get there?" Pete enquired.  "I jumped" said Andy!

Witnesses still have a clear vision of Pete and Andy's shrunken faces sporting manic protruding eyes as they rolled into camp late evening after an ascent of the 320 metre off-width Voie Ula on a very hot day with a very small water-bottle.

These were some of the experiences that formed Andy's early years and gave him the confidence and vision to realise that routes such as Mayfair could go free and that Chain Gang could be climbed as a trad E5 up an unlikely looking wall on a bitter November day in 1982.

Andy Pollitt is a true, talented and very special Ormesman!!

Andy also sent through a pic of Andy P on Midnight Blues in December 1980.  I can think of nothing worse than hanging on a belay on the Little Orme in December:

As Andy started to progress through the grades in the 80s he to leave his mark on the Ormes and bagged some classic routes on many of the crags.  The history in Andy's own 1987 guide chronicles some of the great ascents and epics. Andy produced two guidebooks, the first one coming out in 1981.  This brought many climbers to the area in search of new lines.  Andy's legacy of routes is fantastic.  Wall of Evening Light was re equipped last year so get on it in August people!  Night Glue has become one of the mega classics in the area and Over the Moon is testament to Andy's ability as it is now regarded as the hardest 8a on LPT.  Someone once told me that the top crack was originally protected by wires and so the jams felt a bit better as often fingers were sitting on the wires.  Don't know if its true or not.  One of the greatest Ormesmen ever!

Source: Doylo's blog

[grimer]

There was a great article in High one time by Andy Pollitt about the summer he had had. Really amazing - repeats and first ascents on North Stack, routes on LPT, jumping off Pigeon's Cave, first ascents at Raven Tor, Malham. God he did so much it seemed.

Can't remember what the article was called. Can anyone remember it?

[Teaboy]

I remember the article, there were no climbing pictures with it just a potrait of AP looking cool (as always). I can't remeber what it was called, I thought it was named after a route but can't think which one. Sorry that is no help at all but while I'm here I'd just like to say how much I'm enjoying the Ormesman series, nice one Doylo