[Iesu]

leeds is flippin tiny by any measure surely? Admittedly there are more and more tossers about, but that's probably just and "age" thing - watching all the trendy young students marching in with their fixy bikes and skinny jeans.....

c.700k population, you can walk across the "city" centre in about 10 minutes!

I'd guess that the only way it could be considered london-like is the conurbation effect of the surrounding area.

cleckhuddersfax anyone?

hit me with some FACTS

[Stubbs]

I think TT may be getting at the cultural side, rather then the population side, i.e it's not all satanic mills, flat caps and whippets any more.  There's posh restaurants, posh bars (if you want 'em) and more general kultur that apparently you only used t find in the capital.

A back of the packet calculation indicates that I'd have to buy about 55 pints of beer to make up for the fuel to get to Otley....

[tomtom]

A back of the packet calculation indicates that I'd have to buy about 55 pints of beer to make up for the fuel to get to Otley....

would work out about right once a week?

[tommytwotone]

If you're over that way The Eagle   is a very nice pub with excellent beer and food, a little more pricey though.

The Yorkshire Grey (junction of Gray's Inn and Theobald Rds) is decent for lunch as well. Was training up there myself a few years back and we had lunch there once.

[Iesu]

I think TT may be getting at the cultural side, rather then the population side, i.e it's not all satanic mills, flat caps and whippets any more.  There's posh restaurants, posh bars (if you want 'em) and more general kultur that apparently you only used t find in the capital.

A back of the packet calculation indicates that I'd have to buy about 55 pints of beer to make up for the fuel to get to Otley....

you'd have to stop in Wakey for some Kultur on your trip up to leeds

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-13483212

[Rocksteady]

The Yorkshire Grey (junction of Gray's Inn and Theobald Rds) is decent for lunch as well. Was training up there myself a few years back and we had lunch there once.
[/quote]

But don't mistake it for The Griffin across the road.
Although that is better if you like a cheap lapdance with your sandwiches...  (non-specific dancing smiley doesn't quite hit the right note).

[krolis]

Personally I abhor London and resent it when work send me there. Not for any of the reasons the above monarchist states but because...

a) people aren't that friendly in general, they tend to be busy getting on with their own lives getting to where they want to be.

b) its a looong way to decent climbing or more generally areas of outstanding natural beauty.

... and the clincher for me...

c) is Fucking expensive! London weighting allowances are a Fucking joker and should be at least for times larger. Beer at close to £5/pint is taking the piss.

I think it really feels expensive if You do not know how to spell four correctly;D and what is with that generally endorsed concept of friendliness in people?? just get on with Your life The good thing about London is that it is closer than anywhere north of it to the best rock- Font and real rock of the continental Europe, given choice rather this than Grit

[Stubbs]

Yeah font, perfect for popping out to after work from London 

[SA Chris]

The good thing about London is that it is closer than anywhere north of it to the best rock- Font and real rock of the continental Europe, given choice rather this than Grit

Just go on trying to convince yourself that.

[tomtom]

Yeah font, perfect for popping out to after work from London 

As its become increasingly difficult to get permission to land my helicopter near Plantation (apparently the noise offends some people) I've found the font option far easier when popping out of an evening after work... The light evenings make it so much easier too (flying at night is so tiresome..)...

[AdamD]

Well I went to High rocks yesterday and made it there in 1hour, possibly less! Which means I'm about as close as I am to rock as I was in Blackpool, so it's like home but with sandy rock 

It does seem sandstone climbing is unusual though! A very different style to what I'm used to

[Stubbs]

unusual is a very polite way of putting it, well done!

[mloskot]

It does seem sandstone climbing is unusual though! A very different style to what I'm used to

Some people say, once you learn climbing the Southern Sandstone properly, you can climb any type of rock well.
Recently, Johnny Dawes has been hanging around High Rocks. It's always pleasure and good lesson watching him climbing.

[AdamD]

I actually bumped into Johnny Dawes there, he was climbing a few routes. I saw his new route as well, it looks very very very hard 

[Ben Read]

Guidebook now due out around the 7th June,slight delay at the printers, allthough it may take a while for it to get out to all the shops in the area.
High Rocks as suggested before is definitely your best bet if you looking at problems in the 7 range allthough most crags such as Eridge and Bowles have enough to play on as well!

Johnny has indeed been down on the rocks recently and has added atleast one new line, to the left of Tiley lamp crack, its a bit of an eliminate as it uses holds from another route but he has graded it Eng 7A, not too sure if it is quite that from the short goes that I have had on it but a proper repeat will be the judge of that (hopefully soon!). Painful pocket pulling though and very footworky!

Enjoy!

[underground]

Personally I abhor London and resent it when work send me there. Not for any of the reasons the above monarchist states but because...

a) people aren't that friendly in general, they tend to be busy getting on with their own lives getting to where they want to be.

b) its a looong way to decent climbing or more generally areas of outstanding natural beauty.

... and the clincher for me...

c) is Fucking expensive! London weighting allowances are a Fucking joker and should be at least for times larger. Beer at close to £5/pint is taking the piss.

I do wonder sometimes slackers. When was the last time work sent you to London?

1. Sheffield is full of cunts and not that friendly in general, if you take time to talk to people, often they respond rather than treat you like a weirdo - but I've always found the same in London, and often, people there have moved away so are not so parochial

2. Whenever I'm in London for work I accept the fact that I'm not likely to be nipping to Wasdale for a few hours cragging after the office. I don't blame London for being where it is.

3. Have an evening's piss up at All Bar One on Leopold Street and then wonder.... my father in law's pub in Forest Gate don't sell beer for a fiver because no-one could afford it.

Oh and then actually go to London with an open mind and the ability to come back when you want - it's a brilliant place if you don't go with preconception and prejudice

[slackline]

Was last in London for work some time last year, one day, no free time (see more below).

2. Whenever I'm in London for work I accept the fact that I'm not likely to be nipping to Wasdale for a few hours cragging after the office. I don't blame London for being where it is.

Usually being sent to London for work precludes me from going out to the Peak as I normally would after work on the same day, which is why I don't like having to go there.

3. Have an evening's piss up at All Bar One on Leopold Street and then wonder.... my father in law's pub in Forest Gate don't sell beer for a fiver because no-one could afford it.

I try and avoid the place at all costs for that very reason.

Oh and then actually go to London with an open mind and the ability to come back when you want - it's a brilliant place if you don't go with preconception and prejudice

Being there for work usually precludes seeing any of the city, next trip on Tuesday the course starts at 09:30 so having to leave Sheffield at 06:30 and likely back around >21:30 (no time off in lieu either  ) so little opportunity to go and see the city and its wonders (at best I might get a chance to nip to one of the pubs Stubbs has suggested).

As for leaving when you want, just don't get on a train you don't have a valid ticket for, it'll cost you twice as much as the +£100 it cost to get a return ticket in the first place.

Yes it is a rather jaded view, but thats because I only go there when I have to.  On a weekend, given the choice, I'd rather head westwards to the Peak, North Wales, or up to the Lakes for the weekend, if I want a city break I'll go further afield to the continent.

[Iesu]

i'm with slackers.

I'll post my answer to the "olympics.. bothered" thread here while i'm at it: NO!

@ Stubbs, when's good for you to show me round the sights of E. London then? I'm next free in July i think.

[Lund]

Slackers, I guess the first problem I have with what you're saying is that you're not really describing London as people who live here actually know it.  You're describing the most touristy toss-piece bits in the middle where nobody in there right mind goes unless they're tourists or whatever.

As to the rest... I must admit to having something of a sensitive spot here.  I'm sick and fucking tired of people like my brother's girlfriend banging on about what a fucking shithole London is, how everyone up north is so friendly, yada yada yada.

It turns out that
a. she's never fucking been!
b. she doesn't appreciate the irony in saying how friendly northerners are, while at the same time being a northerner and freely slagging off somebody's home to their face.

Yes, she's stupid.

But she's not the only one - and the more I here it, the more I find the attitude irritating.  Most importantly, it's impossible to deal with - very passive aggressive.  I mean, losing my rag and shouting at her so she runs off and cries on fucking christmas day doesn't make me very convincing as a nice guy does it?  Maybe it's because I'm a yorkshireman.  (Yes, yet more irony - southern softy = not very friendly, northern bastard = nice chap WTF.)

As I said.  I'm getting sensitive about it.

[Stubbs]

Sounds like you need to do some relaxing yoga Lund

Iesu, I'll show you around the east end, eels, pearly royalty and all!

[slackline]

Lund : Yes I noted that it was a jaded view based on having to visit for work and refer you to what I wrote earlier in the thread....

I'm sure if I spent some time living in a particular area, engendering friendships and getting to know an area and the people within it I might have a different opinion (my opinions of Perth, Oz changed from first impressions upon arrival through the year that I stayed there).

There are no doubt places I like that others don't.

[Footwork]

I grew up in London before moving to Leeds for Uni. Luckily we were able to go to the pyrenees and Wales for most of our holidays and I can't really say i'm a city kid. I prefer being up in Leeds, the dales are great and so is the climbing. Whenever i'm back in London it's back to the mile end wall to keep in shape.

London can be amazing at times, especially down by the river at dawn/dusk. Before coming to Leeds I worked as a bicycle courier in London. This was I think the first time i really appreciated London, it's a great place to get lost in. I agree with Lund, people are very friendly in London at times and It's not fair to associate the place with single visits where you most often get ripped off and see nothing of the real London.

[mr__j5]

I lived and worked in London for 7 years and I'd never go back.

Yes, there are some nice places to explore and see, but generally it's a shit hole. But then I did live in Neasden.

I don't talk to strangers so have no comment on whether they are more friendly there than any where else.

[chriss]

I work in London & spend most of my time driving from site to site the only thing I find c**t ish is the driving, as in zero tolerance & aggression from others on the road.

By the way how are you getting on down the SS? Hope you are finding the locals friendly enough.

[mloskot]

the only thing I find c**t ish is the driving, as in zero tolerance & aggression from others on the road.

I kind of agree, but it's more annoyance than aggression here. At least, I haven't seen any drivers getting off car and fighting on street here in London (I cycle every day and drive nearly every weekend). But, I have experienced such situations elsewhere.

By the way how are you getting on down the SS?

You mean which way to drive?

Hope you are finding the locals friendly enough.

I am, though not sure what you mean enough ;-)