[JohnM]

Has Nazgul's gone up to 7C?  I thought I saw it given 7B in a video somewhere.  Also you've had a do on the sitter to 36 Chambers haven't you?  I was just wondering what your sequence was?  I had a go the other day and came up with a pretty steady sequence apart from the last move into the stand crossing over to the sharp right hand crimp from a poor sidepull which I found pretty hard!

[Doylo]

I'm pretty sure Nazguls gets 7c in my youtube clip.Mule gave it 7b+ originally but even he says it was prob 7c+ the way he did the crux with feet on smears. It seemed pretty stiff to me,certainly another league to special k. The low start to ride the wild smurf has a great sequence at 7c+ also. I havent done 36 chambers sit but I ve worked it with this sequence-backhand big tufa with right up to left hand pinch hold with left right heel behind tufa.I get a shitty intermediate with right then hard move to the Sharp starting hold of the stand then work your feet out left and rock into the other starting hold on the stand.Danny did it with a right back foot on the tufa instead of my heel.quite an impressive span for dan.awesome problem and surely 8a.That's made me keen to go back now!

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Orme Beaches
20 February 2012, 11:13 am

I stayed local this weekend and headed down to some beachside bouldering on the Greatest Orme.  Me and Gav went down to West Shore on Saturday.  It was good to go down in bouldering season, it gets the sun all day so can be a bit hot in summer.  After a nice warm up circuit we parked the pads under one of Mules new classics.  I Am the Walrus is a very cool overhanging arete and was given 7b+ by the dog.  When you first walk above it it just looks like a greasy little problem.  Gav was dismissive! A bit of chalk and a close up look and it soon reveals itself as a mini classic with brilliant moves and holds.  The crux is matching a amazing slopey rail at the lip and we soon had it done to here.  A bit of Foster body positioning magic reduced the crux to a stable move and it was game on.  I managed to dispatch and Gav got to the crux but forgot his own beta.  He doesn't get out much so his lack of session fitness prevented him finishing it which was a shame:

There are probably a dozen or so worthwhile problems down here but i guess people will keep away until it's all documented in the guide.  I'm certainly looking forward to see how some beasts get on on Mules problem The Spray which looks a serious boulder problem.  Yesterday i headed down to Pigeons beach boulders with Mr P and Neil Dyer.  I hadn't been there for many years and wanted to check out an old Paul Higginson problem that was in the guide as 7b+.  From memory it was very cool but i never heard of anyone ever doing it.  I pulled up outside the Cave but luckily i managed not to peer in and i had my crucifix to hand to keep away the evil Cave sprits.  I'm doing quite well resisting its charms.  Down Pigeons things were a bit damp to start with but it soon dried out.  I warmed up and started to try and work out Higg's fossil overhang.  The problem blasts straight up a steep wall from a sitter.  There are many possible sequences and holds so i spent absolutely ages trying many different methods.  Dyer joined me and worked out his own sequence which consisted of two big moves at the end:

He managed to despatch it and i eventually figured out a direct crimpy method avoiding the two slopey pinches in the middle but alas it was too late as the wad had been shot from the shaft.  I would say it's one of the best problems on the Orme, it really is very good.  Nodder (who had just ticked Halfway House, effort) later told me that Katzy had flashed it years ago and downgraded it.  This is a great effort considering how many holds there are to choose from.  I think 7c is fair though.  Neil went round to do a classic looking 7a+ on one of the other boulders.  Mr P and I prepared ourselves for the inevitable flash but 7 goes later and he still hadn't topped out.  We'd never seen this before, he normally flashes most things up to 7b+! So perhaps a bit of a sandbag that one, very classic though.  Even more shocking news though is that he has started training.  This could have repercussions on a global scale.  Later i put a picture of the 7c on Facebook and Paul Higginson commented that he couldn't remember what he called it.  Ducko suggested Fourteen Years Later and he decided to go with that.  Such a good problem certainly deserves a name.  Some footage:



Source: Doylo's blog

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New Cave Links
1 March 2012, 10:12 am

A couple of hard new links have been done in Parisellas.  Dave 'king of kneebars' Noden has got to grips with the knees on Trigger Cut and armed with a Five Ten kneepad has been climbing into it from all over the place.  Broken Heart into TC is a link that i put some time into.  On one mutant go i got into the shothole but was powered out to the max.  It's not a king line but the climbing is quality.  Nodder reckoned soft 8a+ for him.  Ben Bransby has climbed Bonnatrocity (Rockatrocity into Bonnie).  Liam Desroy managed RA into Clyde a few years ago so this is another obvious stepping stone to cave completeness.  The grade is 8b, nice one Ben.  

I've just returned from a bit of a road trip to far flung corners on this fair isle (well not quite!).  The Mule turned 30 so i went to his party in Sheffield. It was a good, someone got set on fire. Standard really.  I went to check out Mick Adam's limestone venue Anston Stones near the M1.  I went with Pascal and Neil J Inspector Mawson.  The boys gave me the tour, i was impressed.  Good limestone with some very nice looking problems.  I did a 7b called Alpha and started trying Black Crow, a 7c+ that i had been immediately drawn too.  I got it in two and started redpointing.  I could of done it a couple of goes but wasn't clinical enough on the crux.  I hate that, there's no reason in the world why you can't grab the hold apart from your own mental resilience.  A fat Ondra would have crushed it no problem!  One hold became too painful and that was that.  I messed about on some other stuff and watched everyone lapping Dark Art (8a).

Dark Art 8a

Resonate 7c

Black Crow

The next day despite minimal sleep i headed to Stanage (shock horror!).  I lived in Sheffield for 4 years but never really got to grips with the grit.  The pebbles/ smear scene ain't my scene!  The one thing i've always wanted to do though is Brad Pit.  This is surely the most iconic boulder problem in the UK.  When i started climbing i used to watch Hard Grit quite a bit and remember reading about it in OTE.  When i lived in Sheff it was still a bit of a hallowed tick and consequently i didn't put any effort into it.  However the aura has been broken slightly as it gets done all the time now and is regarded as 7c.  No reason not to get involved then.  I headed to Brass Monkeys first but felt a bit timid on my own so went to the Pit.  It literally took me 20 minutes to get my heel on (note to self, felxibility is now awful).  I did the first move a few times but my heel kept ripping.  I need to try it with another shoe i think.  Rich Sharpe and Micky P came to help me.  I haven't really seen Micky since we were holed up in a Swiss chalet in 2008.  It's been great hearing about him going from strength to strength and flying the flag abroad.  I packed it in and set off home, i checked to see if anyone was trying Brass Monkeys and sure enough there were some hombres giving it a whirl.  On previous attempts i could never hold the swing with the crimp but that damn useful thing the internet had revealed another method and it was fine like this, 7b+ max.  After a rest i headed up to Newcastle to see family.  I had a spare few hours and wanted to try The Yorkshireman so headed to Kyloe In.  On picking up 2 strapped together pads i pulled something in my arm.  Hmm not a good sign.  Anyway it was the hottest day of the year and the wood has condensed.  I went to Bowden climbed about a bit, got stuck into V Crimps but couldn't hold the cut loose from the start.  Lovely day and great crag, take a guide next time.  I popped into the Bowderstone on the way home but felt beat before i'd even pulled on.  I did Slapstick and Picnic and messed about on some harder stuff and that was that.  I'd love to come here when i'm going well some day.

I feel pretty beat up now mentally and physically, i'm going to take more rest.  Bouldering season has been really fun and i've done some really nice problems.  I have been getting a bit frustrated of late as its dawned on me that i can't hit top form at 12 stone.  I know theres a beast in there, it's just he's concealed under 12 pounds of sweaty blubber.  I need to stick to the plan though and save the weight loss for routes season. It'll all be worth it!

Source: Doylo's blog

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Fluke Day
4 March 2012, 8:29 pm

Today i had one of those surprising days that come around every once and a while in rock climbing.  I'd been feeling shit since those days in the Peak. Heavy, tired and tweaky, like a big sack of battered spuds.  After a few rest days i headed down Pigeons with Mr P, Jack the Ratt and Bob the Hitman i've got a 8 and a half incher Hickish.  I wanted to do Fourteen Years Later but the tide was coming in so we messed about at the other end of the beach.  After trying a project we got stuck into an excellent boulder developed by the scousers a few years ago.  There is a really good 7a and 7a+ with really nice holds, well worth going down for. I'd strained my forearm pulling on in the Cave on a jug and was feeling pretty shoddy in general.

Jack on In the Mix 7a:

Today i ended up in the Cave on a social and thought i'd give the place a shot.  I've been saving it for beastlier times but i was intrigued to play about on a few of my projects.  I did some moves on Pilgrim and then pulled on a few moves into Lou Ferrino and got right through the hard moves on Broken Heart.  Blimey that felt steady i thought i might go from the start! So i did and got to my highpoint from last September, slapping the finger jug after the undercut.  Surprising mutant days like this have happened before and they are normally a one off but boy it felt good slapping through those roofs.  Trigger Cut was easy first go and that was that.  I might be shit next time, i might not but it gives me hope that i might get a tick in there this year.  Pete nearly did Clyde with a typical heel hook manouvre that not many people could do.  The Hick was trying Pilgrim, Sparky Left Wall High, Katzy was playing on Directors.  Its mint in there at the moment, perfect temps and dry, go get it!

Source: Doylo's blog

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Routes Season!?
9 March 2012, 12:53 pm

There has been some early season action going down on LPT.  Spring is almost with us and luckily for us in Wales we don't need to wait til June for the crags to dry out.  Most of them are good to go!  Caff did Walking Mussel the other day, he'd had a look at it once or twice before but got it quicksharp on redpoint.  I went down yesterday to join in the fun.  My main goal for the year is to go up a sport grade.  I did Melanchollie 8b back in 2004, then bouldered for a few years and struggled to do any more tricky routes.  Essentially i had punched above my weight and took advantage of being a skinny strong fingered youth.  My all round sport climbing has improved in recent years and after i did my 8b in Dyserth last year i realised that i needed to raise the bar this year.  There aren't too many 8b+'s to choose from in North Wales.  Wild Youth/Youthanasia and Walking Mussel down LPT.  I still think the Brute is 8b+ even though i just wasn't fit enough during those 2 years.  And that's about it really!  Walking Mussel is the obvious candidate for me.  It's on LPT so easy to get belayers, is a great route and more bouldery than fitness.  The beasts say it's soft for the grade so thats a bonus too.  I've had a quick look at it before and so knew what to expect.  The start is a cool Font 7a+ through a bulge which is followed by massive jugs.  Then it's easy up to the main crux in the middle.  The crux is reaching into a high undercut off a bony pinch and then matching the undercut is also tricky.  The route then finishes up the finger crack of Over The Moon (this will probably be the crux for me!).  First go up i didn't make much impression on it.  I wasn't expecting to have much joy on the bony pinch as i wasn't convinced about my current finger strength. I couldn't even begin to do the standard dropknee method for the crux.  I came down and belayed Caff.  Caff has chosen Liquid Ambar as his next Orme project and so was keen to open his account on it.  He was looking good on it sorting out the beta for most of the tricky bits.  Interestingly he found the bit after the crux quite hard as he couldn't use the footholds that us taller climbers use.  I'm sure he'll figure out some Caff trickery for it.  I'm interested to see his progress on the route.  I still find it criminal how little attention it's got over the years.  Caff said tongue in cheek that if it takes him 10 days or less he'll call it 8c and 8c+ if it takes longer.  I had another blast at WM and it all came together this time.  I shunned the drop knee and kept straight on with right on the right.  I was tickling the undercut and the match wasn't too bad either.  Game on, bonza!  It should be fine once i unstrap Rik Waller from my back.  It certainly seems very easy for 8b+ but i'm sure it'll be a bitch to put together.  Tommy is working Pas de Deux (99% 8a+).  Emma was trying Over The Moon direct and Calum was on Mussel Beach.  Let the season commence!

Source: Doylo's blog

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Scorcio
25 March 2012, 9:05 pm

The last few weeks my foot was forced off the pedal by work in London.  Of course i could have gone to a wall down there but i didn't know the way and i didn't want to spend my days hard earned wages!  Two weeks shouldn't actually have too much affect strength wise and indeed i was ok in the Cave first day back.  I've got 3 problems in there i really want to do and Broken Trigger is first up i think. It's a bit shorter than The Wire and Pilgrim and a good first choice as i'm not very fit.  I'd gotten to the move to the crimp on Trigger Cut from the start a few times but it felt like a tricky move on the link.  A few people have done TC recently with Nodder's kneebar for this move.  I thought i couldn't do it originally but it is actually bomber and a big help on the link (don't ask what grade TC is now!!).  Just need a good day on it now!  Pete R was trying Pilgrimage, it's an obvious project for him in there as he's done most things.  He's got an alternative sequence for the classic undercut move (which seems to be redundant these days!) and just needs to build up fitness on it.  We then headed round to Pill Box as Pete wanted to try Katzy's unrepeated 8b route Corinthian Groove.  It was his 5th day on it, he tried it 4 times last autumn, he reckons it could be the hardest 8b on the lime.  Well they normally don't take him that long.  I did Foolish Ghoulish, the 7b that Corinthian finishes up and got royally pumped.  It's going to be a long road to get some stam!  The route is brilliant, one of the best of its grade i've done on the Orme.  Pete had no joy on the 8b and that was that.  The next day i headed into the pass with Mr P, Floppy Chris and Gav for something a bit different.  It was really hot, crazily so for March.  We warmed up on the Pac Man boulders and then headed into the woods to try this.  It is indeed a very nice problem but it felt too hot for the slopes.  Chris and Gav tried a project to the right:

Pete having a quick go on Clutch 7c+:



Source: Doylo's blog

[JohnM]

Has Corinthian Groove had a repeat yet?  Donnelly has been on it recently and says he got on ok.  Good to see my problem getting some attention recently!  You do need cool conditions though to pull on.

[Adam Lincoln]

Has Corinthian Groove had a repeat yet? 

I could do the crux move on it ok, but found next move hard. Though Doyle might remember better. That sound right?

[Doylo]

Nope 9 years old and unrepeated! Katzy the sport beast!    Ye Pete finds the next move the hardest too Sausage but i find the move to the crimp the crux. It depends on how you like the footholds i think. Danny Cattell fell off after reaching Foulish Ghoulish once or maybe even twice a few years ago. Total and utter punter!

[Doylo]

Has Corinthian Groove had a repeat yet?  Donnelly has been on it recently and says he got on ok.  Good to see my problem getting some attention recently!  You do need cool conditions though to pull on.

Prisoner of the Sun is great but not one for 22 degree heat 

[Monolith]

Matt had a good first session on it last week. Seems to be suited to his style and stature. Got some good quality footage too which needs an edit in time.

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Mywn
30 March 2012, 5:20 pm



I went to Pantymywn after work on Tuesday night and was surprised to see the Under the Bridge wall in great condition.  A couple of dry winters coupled with the cleaning efforts of Lee P, Jamie and John have sorted it out.  Everyone must have looked at the bouldering potential of this wall but it's always been so greasy and moist it's never really taken off (barring Under the Bridge, Danny's excellent 7b+).  Also the fence has been completely dismantled and there are now a couple of problems that were previously obscured by it.  There is quite a bit to do on there with sit starts, link ups and not to mention some great up lines.  Lee Proctor has done a new mini route called La Porte de l'Enfer.  He did a right hand boulder problem to get to the first bolts but a more direct, quicker and easier start has since been found which shifts the grade from 7c to 7b+.  I had a valiant flash attempt but Lee's sequence on the headwall was meant for 6ft 6 peeps and i didn't have the necessary beans to work out a different way.  I sussed the moves and got it next go.  It is a very fun little route with excellent moves throughout. I also did a potential new problem on the right hand side of the wall.  It featured a crimpy start to a big move to a juggy horn.  I latched jump after several goes and almost the obvious sit start from the left.  The problem is about 7a and maybe a + or just  hard for the grade from the sitter.  If someone wants a potential 8a FA then the right to left traverse of the wall into Under the Bridge would be very spicey.  It was packed round the corner at the main bouldering cave with Team Wrexham having it large.  There has been a fire under the left hand side and Panty's down has got a bit harder.  Also the block used for the sitters in the hole is wobbling a bit.

Source: Doylo's blog

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Orme Love
5 April 2012, 5:53 pm

It was 22 degrees a week or two ago, today it was 4 degrees. What a topsy turvy country we live in!  I've been spending a lot of time down the Orme (mainly in the Cave) and it's been great.  Obviously i quite like the Orme so going there a lot is no hardship.  I've had 2 more sessions on Walking Mussel.  I've been up it about 6 times now and i'm dead chuffed with my progress.  I find the two crux moves ok, going into the undercut and matching it but i've yet to do them from the awkward moves below.  I think those two moves really fit me and i've got perfect feet positions sorted.  I went down with Adam Jeeworth today, it was too cold really.  Jee had a good onsight burn of Over The Moon Direct but was thwrawted by cold fingers.  He found it too cold to redpoint it too but he's keen for a return when he gets back from his big holiday to Europe.  Walking Mussel revolves around a crimpy pinch.  There is a lot of stress on my index finger and today it felt pretty threatening.  I wasn't sure how i was going to find the first bulge but it was fine, about font 7a/+.  The climbing is easy up to the middle bulge so i could get to the crux move from the ground now.  I just need a few percent more on the pinch.  Some 3 finger deadhanging needed methinks!  I've been loving the Cave this last few weeks too.  I've been trying Nodder's new link Broken Trigger and have got to the shothole twice only to power out.  The only thing stopping me from getting there most goes is the 2nd kneebar to get the undercut.  Most goes i don't place it right and can't do the move so it's quite frustrating! I'm off to Sheff now to catch up with my old mucker Irish Si and do some climbing.  I'm pretty to keen to do a bit more grit after watching Life on Hold, a great new bouldering film with some impressive ascents and insight into the new wave of highballing thats been going on in recent times.  Good work chaps!

Source: Doylo's blog

[Monolith]

Good shout on the wall traverse into UTB. Always thought about that but was always piss wet in various sections. A little foray I had was right of Under The Bridge. There's a very small crimp you make a long span to and some super gymnasic positioning required for a pop to the shothole. The vision being that the old bolted project line above could then be climbed. It'd be pretty tough I'm sure but you should take a look D.

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Back to the Dull
13 April 2012, 10:08 am

I've got 2 new routes lined up for this year.  I bolted both of them last year but didn't get chance to put much effort into them.  One of them is a link up in the Main Cave at Llanddulas.  I love going up to Dulas, there are no tidal or access considerations, it's a nice spot and it feels like a second home away from the Orme.  I've seiged a new route in the main cave for the past two years and both routes were really fulfilling.  The climbing is really funky and 3D, there's not much like it in North Wales.  Last year i was up there with Ben Heason and he spotted the potential for linking up the two roof routes via an unclimbed horizontal section which looked like it might just have enough holds.  One of the last things i did on a rope was to stick four bolts in the new section.  I had a quick play with Pete R one day and was keen to return with fresh endeavour come the new year.  I've been doing quite a bit in Parisellas recently and as i was feeling quite good in there i thought it was a good time to get back on the Dulas proj and try and work out the new section.  I went up with Mules yesterday and clipsticked straight up to the start of the new climbing.  I'd already done the first hard move last year but this time it felt pretty tough.  I just about managed it and let Mule have a go, he thought it was pretty hard too.  A bit disgruntled that the move didn't feel easier i pushed on hoping to crack the next moves.  In the middle of the roof is a lovely slopey pod, getting it was the move that i'd struggled on but moving off it felt equally tricky, and then so did the next section.  I had to remind myself that the first sessions on Temple and the Last Crusade were equally fruitless but then i just don't think there is as much potential for easier beta on this section of the roof.  It's not just that the middle section is so tricky.  You have to do 9 steep moves on the Last Crusade to get into it and when you reach Temple you have the redpoint crux of that to contend with.  It's a meaty, inspiring piece of climbing.  My best case scenario was that it would weigh in at soft 8b+ and i could complete it in time for the guide.  After trying it again it feels significantly more meaty than any 8b+ i've been on.  I tried Darwin Dixit in Margalef a few years ago, this is 8b+ (used to be 8c) and is also a roof.  On this route every hold is a jug, they're just spaced apart.  I think the Dulas thing might be 8c, i'm definitely not giving it away though, it's pretty inspiring and i live for inspiration.  

Me and Mule finished off with some mileage.  We're both so unfit, oh to be a stam jock.  Mule was going to go up Tony Stud but noticed that someone has nicked the hanger off the one expansion bolt on the route.  It really does make me despair how rock climbers would steal shitty little bits of metal off a rock climb.  It's also been happening in Dyserth and Penmaenhead. If i ever see someone nicking insitu protection i'm going to steal there address from their wallet, go to their house and drive a iron stake up their wifes arse.  Cunts!

Source: Doylo's blog

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Walking Muss, Day 4
16 April 2012, 3:27 pm

Yesterday conditions were prime downstairs.  The crag was packed with sport chuffers, it felt like the first proper weekend of the season.  Fatty bum bum, man of the moment Alex Barrows had come over to try Walking Mussel and was on it again as we got down there.  It was good to try it with someone else but it got quite tiresome having to constantly remind him that he was in Wales not Spain every time he complained about the moves being hard.  It was worth him coming though as he told me to put 4 fingers on the crux hold instead of 3.  The rock was so mint, i felt the best yet on the moves despite a poor warm up in the Cave.  Second go up i just climbed from the floor and got to my crux which felt good.  It was crunch time, however if i wanted to do this route i couldn't hide anymore, i had to try THE CRACK!!! So i pulled up the clipstick and tape and got involved.  I had a vague sequence from last year but it felt too hard, eventually i worked out you have to stand on the smears instead of the jug and it started to come together.  I very much doubt any of the previous ascentionists (Moon, Carson, Robins, Caff, Bransby, Dyer) fell off the crack but for me it is pretty much guaranteed.  I'm going to need a fair few beans left to top out and it's only April and i've only done 7 routes!  Serious stamina training needed!  On the positive side the crack will only get easier the more you do it and at least it's the kind of thing you can fight on.  Boy will i be fighting.  

W Muss:

Keith topping out on Battle of the Parasites 7c+:

I was in Vegas today so i popped up to Waterfall for a look.  I spent so many days there last year it was nice to be back.  I wish someone would go and try the hard one! I want an opinion.  Part of the cracked break on Meatsville Arizona has parted company with the crag but i think think it makes much difference

Source: Doylo's blog

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Louis Hamer
23 April 2012, 10:48 am

The Hamer bros were back on the Orme on Friday after a couple of year absence.  The boy's used to be regulars as Sam was at Bangor uni.  Ed did most things up to Font 8a+ on the Orme and Sam did lots of the routes including the tough 8b Melanchollie.  Anyway Ed busted out Louis Armstrong, the 'short' 8b of Parisellas.  This is obviously impressive but the time he did it in is the big news.  This has been managed in a couple of days before by world class monsters Ty Landman, Micky Page and Nacho Sanchez (can't remember how long it took Malc, think slightly longer).  I know Ty got in in 2 when he was beasting everything.  I think it might have been 3 days for Micky??  Anyway bearing in mind that Ed had only been on it for 20 minutes 2 years ago this could be the quickest ascent and shows he can mingle with the top dogs.  Consolodation seems to be Ed's approach to progression.  He's been knocking on 8a+ boulder problems and 8b+ routes for years but if you've witnessed his beastliness you will know that this is only the begining.  Sam ticked off the classic Masterclass 8a.  Caff did Masterplan last week utilising a very very dirty hold to overcome the reachy crux.  He got it 2nd RP.I've had 2 more days on Walking Mussel,on Tuesday i finally got my head round the crack.  It's actually ok when you figure out the feet and after cursing it on the previous session i now think it's a pretty cool finish to the route.  The key for me was to stand on a smear instead of the obvious jug.  I almost linked from the crux to the lower off but i made a mistake after the hard bit on the crack.  I wasn't too pumped and it gave me the confidence to start redpoints.  On Saturday the crack was wet but i had two goes from the ground anyway.  The 2nd go i tickled the undercut, hopefully i'll get the hold soon and then who knows how high i'll get.  I'm struggling with having decent rests between goes becuase its still pretty cold and my fingers just cool down.  This is bad news, i shouldn't be pulling on the crux pinch with cold fingers, it's dangerous.  Hopefully it'll warm up soon.  My form feels a bit confusing at the moment.  I'm climbing pretty well in the Cave and on WM but i wouldn't say i feel anything special.  I haven't had that light springy feeling for ages, i guess it suggest's theres more to come.  Not a bad place to be i'd say.Pete checking out The Big Crunch:

Source: Doylo's blog

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Colddddddddddddddd
29 April 2012, 2:20 pm

I've just got in from the Cave.  It was freezing, wet and windy like a true winter day and i couldn't get going at all.  Caff was keen to hit LPT this morning and said he'd be in the Cave at 8.30 but when the forecast is that bad i struggle to be as optimistic as Caff.  With talk of misplaced jet streams and cold predictions for May it doesn't feel like sport season despite everyone's efforts to get out there.  I've had a couple more sessions on Walking Mussel but the temps really aren't helping with it being a bouldery route.  For me it's imperative to have warm fingers on the crux pinch but obviously when you're climbing with someone else and they need a decent go on their route it's very easy to cool down.  I need to go at least every 20 minutes so i either need to employ my own personal belayer or climb with someone else who is also redpointing.  When it hits 10 degrees i usually abandon sport climbing for the year but because it's April i'm trying to get on with it.  The first session was quite good and i really should have done the crux on the last go.  Last Friday i went to Malham with Pete and Owen.  They were keen for Obsession and i thought i'd try and tick it too but i felt awful warming up.  I sketched up Rose Coronary, a very shortlived 7a and then we headed up to the upper tier.  There was a bit of a queue for Obsession so i got on Toadall Recall, a route i had tried a few times over the years.  It's better to fail on a 8a than a 7b+ i figured!  Despite it being soft 8a i'd always struggled so i was surprised to fall just after the crux first redpoint.  I knew i only had one more go.  I find those routes so hard on the skin, they don't cut they bruise and it's soon too painful.  Anyway i got through all the hard climbing next go but completely powered out and had to hang there and hope i'd get something back.  I did and clawed my way to the top, a real fight but nice to get something done.  Pete ticked Obsession which was his objective and another 7b+ for his pyramid.  The tides are good but i'm working so won't be able to get down, balls!

Source: Doylo's blog

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Awesome Mawsome
6 May 2012, 10:01 am

Awesome Inspector Mawson took a break from trying Rainshadow on Thursday and visited LPT to have a whirl on Walking Mussel.  The Inspector is a very good climber.   He's always been a stamina jock but he has got significant power gains from his training over winter.  I thought he'd have a good chance of getting it in a session.  It's not a very complicated route so if you're going well you've got every chance of doing it quickly. Anyway to cut a short story short he pissed it making perhaps the quickest ascent.  The fact that he found the bottom bulge the hardest indicates how easy he found the crux.  He said it was a bit similar to the crux of Rainshadow but that is font 7c+ as opposed to 7b+ on WM.  It came as no surprise to me that he thought it was a gift for 8b+.  It could be 8b though i would have thought one of the other guys would have downgraded it.      I went back down to LPT yesterday after an enforced 9 day break from it.  It definitely feels like a breach of human rights having to work when the tide is out.  I was paranoid about feeling worse on it after the loss of momentum.  I've not been doing any hardcore climbing or training in the meantime either.  It was still too cold but i suspect folk are tired of me complaining about this so i'll pipe down.  I had 4/5 redpoints and on the last one made the breakthrough and grabbed the undercut.  I didn't quite wiggle into it well enough and fell off the match but i was happy.  I'm having a bit of a different experience on this route.  Normally after this many days on something this seeds of stress and frustration start to sprout.  I feel none of this though, i just enjoy every go and feel dead relaxed.  I think it's partly to do with the nature of the route and partly because my redpointing head feels good this year.  I'm sure this will change if i fall off the crack for ten days though.   Emma and Jim were trying Youthanasia.  I've been going to LPT since the 90s and literally apart from Pete on Wild Youth and i think Keith Sharples once i've never seen anyone try it.  This is really bizarre and criminal really.  It looks brilliant!  Pete said the top moves were some of the best on the crag.  I guess Melanchollie is most people's preferred choice.  I'd love to give it a go sometime.   Jordan Buys has been in Wales over the weekend.  I've always admired Jordan's enthusiasm.  He just wants to go everywhere and climb everything, no matter how esoteric.  He's another one who is doing good things on Rainshadow, good to see the boys trying to step it up.  He went to Dyserth Waterfall yesterday and had a go on The Hole Truth, my route from last year.  I sent him a message to get his verdict and he replied: "dirty, reachy and sharp but i liked it".  My sentiments exactly i thought, this route is meat.  He's keen to go back to finish it and Madness Reigns 8a.

Source: Doylo's blog

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Triple Crown Quest
16 May 2012, 10:30 am

The Mayfair Wall triple crown consists of the three grade 8 routes: Masterplan, Masterclass and Oyster.  Mayfair is a classic Welsh wall stooped in history with some of the best sport routes in the region.  The triple crown is a good challenge as all three routes are completely different in style.  Oyster is a short burly crack put up by Jerry Moffatt is 1983 and graded E4 6b!!! It gets 8a now, surely one of the biggest sandbags ever!  I had a quick go a month ago and couldn't do the original shoulder press, such a hard move.  I managed to work another sequence though so it should go.  Masterclass is another Moffatt route from 1983 and was 7c+ for years.  It used to get a fair few ascents back in the day when people used to train on brick edges.  These days it doesn't get much attention is generally regarded as being nails.  The start is nasty and sharp and the crux is unlikely and technical.  It is quite cool in that it makes you do moves that seem inprobable.  I guess it's a bit like slate in that respect.  I've always got shutdown on it before but can do the moves now.  At the start of the climb there is a big hollow flake which would likely slice through your rope if it came off on lead.  I'm going to pull it off, i don't think it will affect the climb that much and i don't care as it definitely has the potential to kill someone!  Masterplan is the newbie of the trio, it was put up by a handsome visionary in 2009.  It definitely has the nicest climbing of the trio and is more modern/bouldery (and hence more popular than the other two).  Difficulty wise there is not much between Masterplan and Masterclass (probably the difference between hard 8a and soft 8a+).  As far as i know only Pete Robins and Neil Dyer have done all three. I spent my 30th birthday belaying Robins and my route The Hole Truth at Dyserth.  I was intrigued to see how he'd find it as i'd never seen anyone else on it.  I had worried that someone might be able to handjam up the hole and sure enough Pete did.  It was hard getting into the jam though and he couldn't release it when he got to the lip.  He spent ages messing about with it and causing himself pain.  For me the really hard bit was getting into the Hole but Pete was steady on this and could go straight into the good part (Jordan said he could do this too).  I guess thats the difference between 8b bouldering strength and 7c strength.  Luckily for me he found the end tricky though and found the toehook to be quite low percentage.  He was too boxed by the time he had it worked so will have to go back.  It must be my hardest FA as he's done all the others 2nd go.  Jordan turned up after we'd left and bagged the 2nd ascent on his second session, nice one la.   I was down LPT yesterday thinking to myself what a strange pastime redpointing is.  You go to the same place time after time, and just do exactly the same thing then go home and come back and do it again.  Climbing up big cliffs seems to make sense but redpointing seems like a strange way to spend your life. Big up to Tommy who ended his seige on Pas de Deux!

Source: Doylo's blog

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Bye Winter?
22 May 2012, 8:59 pm

I really hope so, yes i will soon complain about the grease and the condensation but fuck it at least i won't be freezing my nuts off! I sat in the car today with the windows up and just baked like a crisp.  God it was nice! I did some Mayfair wall descaling the other day. The big flake on the start on Masterclass came off with virtually no effort.  I could have done it with my hands.  Very scary to think of all the people who have hung off it over the years.  It came off in one piece and is now wedged in the ground.  I don't think it will affect the route much, there's quite a good foothold there now: probably 20 inches by 20 I also levered the big flake left of Contusion off in the name of crag safety. To repay me if someone could upgrade Masterplan to 8b+ i'd be much obliged. I haven't been on Walking Mussel for a week.  I'm at the stage where i could get the undercut well next go and top out or i could fall off for another ten days.  It's hard to improve on it really, improving means doing it.  But then i might still fall off the dreaded crack!  I'm in the midst of some viral affliction so have been taking it easy.  I did a few routes at Penmaenhead yesterday, the sun really was too good to resist.  I climbed on Expresseway Wall which i hadn't been back to since we developed it. I did my old kings hardest FA, The Quarrywomen (6c).  I was quite impressed, good quality and a good lead from Mikey.  It really is a little gem that crag.  It is good stone and rock and there's loads to go at.  Easy sport climbing in Wales pisses all over the Peak and Yorkshire for quality from what i've seen.  Today i met up with Ben Bransby who was keen to check out Dulas. I was only 5 minutes late but the impatient git was doing some dodgy self belay manouvres up Ralarwdins: He told me he'd done Bat Route last week so obviously a man on form.  I replaced the hanger that some cunt had nicked of Tony Stud and we headed up to the main cave.  The place was a shit tip, some dickhead youths had been having a Carlsberg and Nik Nak orgy.  Messy little twats. I bagged it up and took it when we left.  Ben was keen for Last Crusade, he got most the way across the roof on the flash but was stopped by the sequency finish.  I set off up Tony's atmospheric caving experience, Lord Nibbler.  This route climbs up the gulley right of Last Crusade goes past that routes belay and up the wall to the finish of Zoidberg.  Despite its modest grade i was a bit gripped as much of it involved back and footing between the two walls.  Anyway it was great, a great experience for a 6b.  People should do it more.  I'm still glad i didn't finish Crusade up there though.  Ben fell off the end on his next two goes.  Despite my illness i got on my link up project.  I'd been quite disheartened walking away from it last time.  Every move on the new section felt nails! The beauty of these roofs though is that there is nearly always some hidden trickery.  You've just got to put the time in and suss it out.  I made good progress this time and at the end i was in the position where i could basically do all the hand moves but one but with a few feet manouvres still to sort out.  There's two moves where my feet are so spanned after doing a big move left i can't release them without swinging off.  I think/hope that i'll be able to sort this with some of my Parisellas accessories.  The new section is only 7 hand moves but it's probably 8a condensed into 7 moves at a guess?  The route is still a pipedream at the moment but it doesn't seem quite as far fetched after today.  Inspiring and daunting in equal measure but so fuckin meaty you just gotta keep going.  Ben got The Last Crusade on his 4th redpoint in the end.  I think on his last go he could start to hear Pete Robins taunts in his head so realised he had to pull it out.  Soon all the holds will be dry as will pigeons and t shirt in bed will be no more! yeee    The longest clipstick at Waterfall:  

Source: Doylo's blog

[Fiend]

That is a mighty rod indeed!

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The mighty stick of elders...
That took some clipping!

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Wobbly Box Hold
2 June 2012, 9:25 am

Just a heads up to anyone who is planning to head to the Pill Box in the next few days.  I've taken the wobbly hold off (lower hold on start of Whisky Bitch/The Greek) and will be gluing it back on soon.  The hold had become incresingly wobbly to the point where i was worried that someone might pull it off whilst climbing.  Chances are the pieces would have been lost or the hold could have obliterated.  So i made the decision to take it off in control to give it the best chance of a long and stable future.  The good news is it is stable underneath so i should be able to stick it back together no bother.  Well that's if i can remember which bit goes where!

Source: Doylo's blog