[kingholmesy]

Top trad routes of the year for me were Pebble Mill at Burbage South (a long wished for solo done shortly before moving away from the grit) and Darkinbad the Brightdayler at Pentire Point (an iconic route with brilliant sustained climbing).

Didn't do much bouldering or sport climbing, but Piss and Empire of the Sun respectively were both good.

[Eddies]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Vitruvian Man @Trowbarrow 7C - Superb line.
DIY @ Stanage E3 6a / 6B - The perfect highball?
Touch @ Hen Cloud E6 6c / 7B+ - Watched my mate sketch up it, shat myself (damn him) then pulled myself together an ended up cruising it.
Top trad route
Wings Of Unreason @ The Roaches E4 6a -My first lead fall, no messing about second go. I really needed that fall!
Top three routes abroad (DWS)
Bisexual @ Cala Barques 7a - Three stars in anyones book surely?
Afroman @ Diablo 7b - Ok so I fell trying to match the last hold a couple of times, but its still my fav!
The Tortilla Traverse @ Cala Serena 7b - Fell from the optional 7b exit so had to swim 80m back to the start and climb back up the 14m dripping wet... EPIC!

[andy popp]

Its been a pretty good year. I've climbed more and better than in a while, and I've enjoyed it. I didn't get out of Cheshire much but that's OK, its been great to see the area getting yet more development. I'm looking forward to this year now.

I didn't tie on once, nor I did I climb outside the UK, so I've made up a couple of categories of my own:

Top three boulder problems outside Cheshire

And for my Next Trick (Thorn) - satisfying tick on a visit early in the year. First indication there was still something there.
New Rose (Farleton) - getting this very quickly convinced me more would be possible. And a great problem in a lovely place.
Higginson Scar (Porth Ysgo) - what a way to end the year. New Year's Eve, my first ever visit to Porth Ysgo, a surprise two hour window of golden sunshine, and climbing with my brother for the first time in years. And what a problem!

Top three boulder problems in Cheshire

Tweedledee (Harmers Wood) - this has always been wet since I first went to Harmers but this summer it dried. Turned out to give superb climbing, the best of the aretes at the crag. Possibly not done without top-rope before.
Kid Block (Harmers) - satisfying to nab an instant second ascent of the reinstated version of my own problem. And it climbs better now.
Alec's Arete (Runcorn Heath) - I didn't think I was going to get this but success really drew the year to an end. I think this could be 7B+ for me. Hardest tick of the year.

Top three new problems
Blasted Heath (Runcorn Heath) - I like the way the powerful locks on this steep wall are atypical for the area.
Ism and Schism (Stonehills Lane) - I enjoyed the development of this scruffy little urban crag. Sufferer's Slab is undoubtedly the better problem but Ism and Schism meant a bit more somehow, and not just because its harder.
The Midnight Bell (Harmers) - probably the highpoint of the year. Flawed but still rather magnificent.

Top three most esoteric new Cheshire problems
Nestling (Helsby Woods) - less than head height and climbed as a joke ... but the moves are actually quite nice.
Grand Canyon (Helsby Woods) - actually rather embarrassing.
The Sleep Over (Runcorn Heath) - sitter on a totally obscure lost piece of rock somewhere in Runcorn. But it climbs really well, I think.

Can't really say there were any total spankings, as in seiges. That said I was definitely defeated by Tomtom's Reign of Debris. True, I haven't done the sit to Alec's Arete yet either but it feels like I will and I've only had two quite brief sessions on it. We'll see, plenty of potential for an epic.

[csl]

Top three one boulder prob, UK

Virgin Traverse - Only really done one all year, but i did really enjoy it. Guess that shows me i need to get bouldering more!

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Great Wall - Cloggy
Zeppelin - Mother Scarys
Regent Street - Millstone - Just quality gritstone trad

Top three sport routes UK

Only managed 5 all year, so these are there by default.

WYSIWYG - maybe not the best route, but my hardest UK flash to date and a good fight.
Open Road
Smooth Torquer

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Vagabond - Ceuse - Great
Kekets Blue - Ceuse - Also great
100% Collegue - Ceuse - A good onsight cruise.

Top Spanking's

Privilege - Ceuse - Off right at the top at least 10 times.
Suicide Wall - Cratcliffe - from cruising E3 to falling off HVS via 3 months not trad climbing…
Hueco - Volx - I can't do tufas!

[Duma]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Sauvito
Gritstone Megamix
Tombstone (cheddar)
Top three boulder probs, abroad
not one of my most productive font trips, but L'Arrache Coeur was a standout moment that I'd wanted to do for years.
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
I don't really trad, so going to use this for snow/highball.
Shine On
Snowblind Mice (very much a boulder prob with snow, but great tenuous mantle)
Toltec Twostep - highlight of the year for me, long time aim, and done on a day when I also managed Alan Smith in about 30 min on the comeback from a finger injury.
Top three sport routes UK
not much sport, but I enjoyed
Valley of the Blind and
Circus Circus at cheddar, and
King George vs the Sufragettes at shipwreck cove was good too.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
none
Top three new route/prob put up
actually did one - Shoehorn at huntsham
Top Spanking's
not as such, but I stubbed a finger on Ames Low on the 1st June and it's still giving me gip now...
Top Three DWS
magical mystery tour
rainbow bridge
cavewoman

[Adam Lincoln]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Malcs arete - torridon
Born lippy - bowden
The crack - bowden

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Unleash the beast - ardmair
Edgehog - glen nevis
Neart nan Gaidgheil - ardmair

Top three sport routes UK
The tribeswoman - tunnel wall
Fated path - tunnel wall
Crescendo - orchestra cave

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Pren nota - siurana
Extratosférica - siurana
Ramadan - siurana (all being well tomorrow!)

[Footwork]

Top three boulder problems UK

-Melvynn Bragg, Ramshaw. Who knew blood could taste so sweet. Immense fun.
-Blockbuster, Caley. A classic and I finally burnt off Handyside!
-Not to be taken away, Stanage. Great line.

Top three trad routes UK

-Western Front, Almscliff. Best of the big 3.
-Time for tea, millstone. Always wanted to do this.
-Scar, Baildon. The start of getting back into E trad grades.

Top three sport routes

-Melody Nelson, Ceuse. I had to fight fucking hard to stay on the flash.
-Super Mickey, Ceuse. Was having a terrible time on the crux so just started screaming.
-Retour en Afrique, Ceuse. Some of the best fun i've had on a sport route.

Top spankings

-The bulb, Almsliff. I can't do the last move even though I can. Frustrating.
-Gigglin' crack, Brimham. Chewed up and spat out a lot. Also the undercut pull into the crack is nails.
-Seventh Aardvark, Malham. Don't know if I actually tried it this year, but I never did do it. I am shit.

[Gus]

Can't believe it's time for this thread again! Get in, what a year for lots of folf by the looks of things, good scenes!!!!

No bouldering trips abroad this year so a slightly tweaked, DWS focused list, it was that kinda year:

Top 3 Boulders UK:
"Art Nouveau" E6 6c/7a+ Roaches: The last major tick on my skyline quest, been missing this for years, was great to get it done on a day that included Wings of Unreason, and Nature Trail again which I'd reccommend to anybody! Smashed Art Nouveau in the day before being told I've got a knackered hip and probably should avoid doing that sorta thing. If I'd known about the hip I might not have done it!

"Crystal Voyager" E4 6c/ 7b/+ Nth cloud: Went to try this with full psyche but knowledge of my cod hip really got in the way mentally. Unfortunately had to go back with a rope and do some sequence inspection, but was still great to get it done, flippin awesome, unsung gem!

"Touch" E4 6c/ 7a+ Hen Cloud: Done with the quality west side crew of Eddies, Andi T and Aniseed Dave!! All the above represent what I love about bouldering, proud highball lines that take bottle as well as physical ability, so the cod hip can go f*ck itself as I'm not stopping for no one!

Top 3 DWS Abroad:
"Ejector Seat" 7c, Diablo: Yes yes yes!! At last! Seriously though this might never happen, a tough tick if you're not long and represents why "soup up" DWS is so special, you can't just say "take" and work the move, if you get it wrong its a 13 metres splashdown, rinse and repeat. Celebrated with 100 shots in 100 minutes, ouch! Done on my (if I do say so myself) epic awesome 2 weeks stag do!!!

"Superguapa" 8a, Cala Serena: Bit of a holiday grade tick but all good, not your usual Mallorca DWS fare, crimpy, techy and a bit scrittly. Like staffs grit above the sea!!

"Captain Black" 7a+, Cala Sa Nau: Quality new addition at a well known crag. No chalk, grease, and 3D tufa onsight weirdness and power shouts. That's what it's all about!

Top 3 UK DWS:
"Mark of The Beast" 7c, Lulworth: Phwoar!!!! What a route, soup up DWS is really the only way to experience this if you've got the minerals! Dropped the last move on the flash 2 years ago and, whilst a flash of this would have been a great prize, you kinda have to take that fall at least once. Smashed it in first go this time with a streng team (8 ascents in about half an hour) on my boiling hot birthday weekend!

"Once a Dogger" 7b+, Long Quarry Point: Another little known gem! High Quality, spicy bouldering above the soup. Not high but hard graft and you've got to want it and slap a bit!!!

"The Barrel Traverse" 7c, Berry Head: Another one of those wicked weekend missions. Tons of folk in the crew, loads of fun and this ticked at the end of the day. Wanted to do this ever since I saw Private Pennels styling across it some years ago!

Top 3 Trad Routes UK
"Power of the Darkside" E6/7/8 6b, Matlock Bank: Wow, imagine finding this line in a quarry just up the road from your house!!! Who cares what grade it is, get some pads under it and get it smashed in. Classy!

"Thumbelina" E6/7 6b, Inas Rock: I Can't big up Andi T enough for this amazing route. It's been on my list ever since I belayed/spotted him on the first ascent quite a long time ago know! My dodgy hip was really playing on my mind and holding me back but then I thought about how much I wanted to do this route and why, which gave me the necessary motivation. Flippin papped myself on the top mantle though, this aint no boulder problem! Eeeeek!

"The Driven Bow" E7 6c, Hen Cloud: Part 3 of my mission to repeat some very good friends' very good routes. This time Jon Read supplies the class. Knackered skin and split tips were proving a barrier, and I was struggling to justify a lead, with a heavily taped crucial finger, but again thoughts of how good it was and wanting to do it in props to the first ascentials gave me the psyche. This is another totally awesome route at a totally awesome crag, in a totally awesome county!

Top 3 Sport UK
"Release The Hounds" 7c/+, A55 crag?: This one's a bit special too! Got the full exeprience on thisfrom it not having much chalk on it and totally spent myself working a sequence (the best holds on it you basically can't use for your hands!) Ended up having one final "last go psyched" all or nothing attempt, and topped out wih slapping and embarrassingly loud power screams!!

"Why Me" 7c/+, Two Tier: Why me indeed, should be called "why not me?". Hard work this, but good when it all comes together. Was feeling strong when I did this which is always a nice feeling!

"This is The Sea", 7c+, Cornice: Another great power problem, with a wild, wild move on it. A bit worrying as when I came back a day or so later the bolt I'd been hanging on had a big chalk cross next to it and some cracks around it. Hope this got/gets sorted?

Top 3 Routes Abroad:
"Lactic Shock", 7c, Kalymnos: This was a really special experience, manly because, after alot of patience, teamwork, and coaching, my wife Sara was 100% confident belaying me, using a gri gri, and I was totally happy with her belaying. It let me give it 110% on the onsight, which ended in a big, safe fall a move or two from the finish, but was a great laugh. I was so spent I nearly couldn't redpoint it afterwards, but all's well that ends well!

"Gegoune", 7c, Galatiani, Kalymnos: Another big fight. This time for a successful flash ascent. Beta from Gaz Parry who I climbed with loads on this trip and learnt lots from. Loads of lactic acid, and a big smile at the chains!

"Marci Marc" 7c+, Odyssey: As polished and used as this route is, it's still pretty amazing. Done on my last redpoint 20 minuted before having to get a ferry/plane home. I love pressure!! A 2 day hangover from The North Face festival party didn't make things easy. Waddage!

Top Spankings:
Nothing to get depressed about but K3 at the cornice was definitely a close call, gutted. Never mind, fingers crossed for another cornice summer in 2014!!

Right sorry if I've rambled on. Everyone feel free to do the same, I love this thread and reading about other people's waddage!

Smash it in!

[Gus]

And Eddie, what about Art Nouveau as one of your top trad routes?? That was a streng effort!!!!!

[Eddies]

I thought id added it to the top of my bouldering list to be fair!
Mark Sharratt laughed in my face when I tried to claim the trad grade! Anyway, what does he know right?

Yes Art Nouveau was my fav line of the year, and your stag do was the best trip by far 

Gus a pat on your back this year mi ewd, you've had a streng year despite the cod hip 

[abarro81]

Top three boulder probs, UK
The Bulb - It's rather good, and I couldn't let Jacob burn me off now could I. Great day running around Almscliffe doing as many classics as possible.
Press Low Left - Got to have something from peak lime on there.
Final Curtain - Fun weekend in the Lakes driving around the lanes with the Todd Edwards essential mix blasting and clambering on the bowderstone with good mates and perfect weather. Late spring/early summer rules.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Went to Font. Got ill. Got rained on. Realised I was a sport climber not a boulderer.
Triple Axel - Wanted to do it since watching between the trees
Megalight
Pince-mi

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
I think I did a spot of grit soloing on a couple of days, other than that no tradding this year

Top three sport routes UK
Pilgrimage - Fuck the haters. The piece of climbing I'm most proud of in my life thus far.
Kaabah - Really enjoyed the couple of weeks I had putting this together. Felt solid on the successful go - it's hard, but it's not that hard... Good crew at the crag that day with plenty of sending. Celebrated with a fine dose of ice-cream from Calver sweetshop.
True North - What do you do when you're too weak to do the crux solidly with the normal beta? You invent some funky toe-hooking, hand-shuffling radness that makes you feel like a badass, and is WAY more cool than the normal method. The coolest toe hook sequence I've done with a rope on by miles.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Last of the Bohicans (RRG) - So close to onsighting. Pathetically egotistical mindset stopped me sending Ed up first, and probably would have flashed it if I had done. Stupid. Still, I love trying hard on long onsights and being engrossed in that mental space. Awesome experience.
Random 7b at Siurana - Last route of my Easter trip. The route itself was probably quite average, but I remember sitting threading the belay with the sun going down thinking just how awesome climbing is and just how awesome trips are. Seriously, I freaking love trips and I miss being on the road in my van so much!
Paradise Regained (RRG) - Great last day in 'the red'. Basically two brilliant 7c+/8as with a ledge in between where you can stop and shout abusive things in mock American accents at your new Yank friends. The top is half stuck-on choss, but is amazing, airy, fun choss. Climbed all day until my elbows wouldn't stop pointing skywards on the biggest of jugs. I LOVE TRIPS!!!!!

Top three new route/prob put up
N/A. I am a parasitic leech.

Top Spanking's
Evolution - Every time I pull on the second crux it feels like a 15 stone man in stilettos is stamping on my pulleys. Not that I can get through the first crux anyway.
Font - It swiftly became all too apparent that my ability to climb Fonty sandstone did not nearly match the arrogance of my expectations.

[Wil]

Top 3 Boulder problems
Didn't do a huge number
Jerry's Arete - Failed on this a few years ago, was good to put it to bed.
Dry Wit - Always fancied this.
Art of Japan

Top 3 (4) sport routes
I spent a lot of time sport climbing this year while ticking very little!
The Bloods and Bloodsports - pleased to flash one and get the other second go. Great climbing.
Tin Of - Not my favourite route by any stretch, but had sacked it off for the day when Shark suggested I leave the draws in for "one more go". It was hot and humid, I was tired. I had a disproportionately hard time on it, but nailed it by the skin of my teeth. A great experience.
Whose Line is it Anyway? Pleased to put this to bed too, in very humid conditions and just before the Cornice crapped out.

Top 3 trad routes
Unfair on quite a few routes here. I did hardly any bad trad routes all year, and loads of total classics. Best ones are the ones which were significant to me:
Great Wall - Actually took a whipper on the first pitch having not warmed up, but the second went like a dream.
Grand Plage - This has been on the list ever since I first saw a picture of it when I started climbing. The picture just looked like what I imagined climbing was. A great route, and one which I wasn't sure I'd do after rockfall made it harder.
Tough choice for the third one. I think the Asp has to take it, as another route I'd always wanted to do, but thought I'd have a hard time on. Best of all I was just out walking the dog and had put a harness and shoes in my bag on the offchance, and I bumped into some folk, borrow their gear and dispatched the route more easily than I expected!

Other highlights
DWS - only one route, Electric Blue. Didn't think I'd even get on it!
Snowball - Archangel, I'd totally written off ever doing it, thank God for snowdrifts.

Top spankings
Body Machine. Put a lot of time into this, made a lot of good progress then hit the wall. Had left it too late in the year to be able to train to get past the block. Hopefully as soon as it's dry in Spring it'll get done. Had a lot of fun trying it.
Ceramic - Got totally baffled by the crux section, climbed it totally wrong and took the ride. In my defence it was pretty dirty at Chee Tor this year.
I didn't try many harder trad route this year, and got up virtually everything else at least second go, which was good, but clearly not pushing myself as I could!
So last one is a boulder problem - Sean's Arete. I really feel I should be able to do this, and I keep making micro-progress. Maybe it'll just clock one day?

[GazM]

Well, possibly not the most inspirational list but I thought I'd include mine to add a little Scottishness to the goings on.

Top 3 Boulder problems
Lawrence's Crack 7A, Ardmair crag.  A much over-looked gem.
Birtram Dickson 6C+, Achnashellach. Funky shin-bar beta on a lovely block of sandstone hidden in the woods in the middle of no-where, where no-one else will probably ever go.
Worry Bomb 7A, Torridon.  Trademark Torridonion wall of crimpy reachiness on perfect sandstone.

Top 3 sport routes
The Shield 7b, Am Fasgadh. The aim for the winter sport season and great fun to be part of the psyched little North West highland scene.
Dale Dura Negra 7b, Chulilla.  Gotta love holiday redpointing.
'Ave it 7b, Moy Rock.  OK, so it's a grotty little route, but it's the local crag and it's got some good techy climbing.

Top 3 trad routes
Where Seagulls Dare E3, Pabbay.  This year trad has been pretty thin on the ground and I landed the big main pitch at a point when my confidence was pretty low.  45 metres of steep jugs later, miles above the sea, I was a happy bunny.
Prophecy of Drowning E2, Pabbay.  Lives up to it's reputation.
Pale Diedre E2, Beinn Eighe.  The only proper day in the mountains this year and a cracking long sustained pitch.

Top three new routes/problems

Show You're Working, 6C Torridon.  A nice leaning wall up the hill.  Cool to add to the growing list of quality in the glen.
Birtram Dickson 6C+, Achnashellach.  As above.
Gurt Lush 6B+, Achnashellach.  The same woodland block as Birtram Dickson, on the same day.  Snow on the hills, sun in the sky, a light breeze in the pines, sticky sandstone.  Paradise.

[willackers]

Top Four Boulder Problems Uk

Walk on By 7C+ - Great thin wall climbing, a proper Peak classic.

Fluide 7C - A perfect little boulder problem tucked away in the woods, an absolute gem.

Underworld 7C+ - A Yorkshire Moon classic, managed to send it very quickly in a session, well chuffed.

Curious Yellow 7C+ - Another Yorkshire Moon classic. I had tried this on a number of occasions and always found it impossible, the key to success was going out the night before and getting absolutely wankered. Nice to tick off one of last years Top Spankings!

Top Three Trad Routes UK

The Devil Is In The Details E7 7a (2nd ascent) - Great to get the 2nd ascent of this, a proper wild route 

Marrowbone Jelly E7 6c - A headpoint ascent above pads, great technical climbing, a Yorkshire classic.


Gaia E8 6c - Hard Grit - THE gritstone classic I'm glad I didn't go for the flash.


Top 3 Sport Routes UK

Grooved Arete 8a+ - One of the best at the grade!, I fell from the last bolt on my first redpoint and then kept falling in the same place over and over!, great feeling clipping the chains.

Caviar 8a+ - Gnarly Peak limestone at its best. A true Peak classic.

The Dangerous Brothers 8a - The only other UK sport I did, good little route if you like the crimp.

Top 3 Routes Abroad

Inesperance 7a+ - Immaculate rock, brilliant climbing, beautiful setting. Perfect.

Cent Patates 7b+ - My first ever route at Ceuse, managed to on sight it as a warm up in between showers.

Sous la griffe de lucifer 7a - My first proper big climb. 450m. You know you're high up when somebody base jumps past you. I remember looking up after 3 hours of climbing and thinking we haven't even made a dent on it. Topping it out in the full July sun without any water left. Such a good day.

Top 2 Routes/Probs Put Up

Hired Goons E8 6c - So happy to have got the FA of this. Needs a second ascent!


Will's Dyno 8A - One of the best and hardest dynos I have done. Very happy. Also needs a second ascent!


Top Spankings

Ceuse walk in 

Any hard sport route at Ceuse, I'm so unfit.

Looking back at 2013 it's been bloody great, I've not done loads of climbing compared to previous years but I have definitely done some more quality climbing. I hope everyone crushes their projects in 2014!

[James Malloch]

Top Three Boulder Problems Uk

Weedkiller Traverse - Managed it in a quick session, my first of the grade. Good psyche all around the crag!

Millers Tale - God this took forever (somehow?!)

Pete pinched my arse - A problem on our woodies, house psyche!

Top Three Trad Routes UK


Tried one, decked out. Mission unsuccessful.


Top 3 Sport Routes UK

Tufa King Hard - What a route!

Countdown - First good peak route I've done, really enjoyed it!

Seventh Aardvark - First of the grade and what a battle I had!

Top 3 Routes Abroad

100% Collegues (Ceuse) - Went bolt to bolt and got it second go. Never been so pumped in my life. Thank god you got a hands off rest before a balancy finish!

Welcome to the Circus (Chorro) - Bit of a siege on this but an amazing route!

Artisan (Pinos, Costa Blanca) - Flashed for a warm up. Absolute battle for me!


Top Spankings

Petit Illusions (Ceuse) - Fell off the finish on the onsight (current best is 6c+) and then couldn't get past the second bold on all the following attempts!

Mixed Feelings (Wales, somewhere) - Fell above the roof and ripped out my bomber (well, maybe not) gear and hit the deck. Luckily not badly injured. Followed by a drunken night in denbigh, hobbling around covered in cuts and blood!

Costa Blanca - Fell off the last (easy) move of too many routes!

Injuries - Wish they'd fuck off.

[tommytwotone]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Higginson's Scar, Porth Ysgo - so good I went right back round and did it again.
Not My Stile, Caley - a nemesis ticked off. Had to work out a different sequence to get to the top and then a sequence for the topout!
Fist Fight, Brimham - grim, dirty, offwidth udging...brilliant!

Top three boulder probs, abroad


Kim's Arete, Lindfield, Sydney - one of numerous top climbs done on a snatched day during a month long work trip out.
Scarface, Cuvier Rampart - just a lovely feature and great moves.
Laser - Cuvier Rampart - 'cos I'm a grade whore and it felt like 7a to me.

Top three trad routes/solos UK

Spent my summer on an offwidthing odyssey so:

Castle Crack, Brimham - psyched out of taking the sharp end, really struggled on the second...really want to go back for the lead.
Boterrill's Crack, Ilkley - done early in the morning on one of the hottest days of the summer. Great fun.
Overhanging Groove, Almscliff - last route of a post-work 12-star routes session, topped out as the sun set...even the lottery etc etc

Top three sport routes UK

Ha!

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

All the solos I did old-skool style above a Hilton Hotels hand towel at Lindfield. Great place.

Top three new route/prob put up

N/A

Top Spankings

Terrazza Crack, Stanage - thought I'd wander up and piss this. I was wrong.
Demon Wall Roof, Almscliff - brief moment of promise when the heel started working one day which I've never been able to repeat.
Northumberland. In general but particularly Kyloe-In-The Woods.

All the above achievements were very satisfactory, but pale in comparison to finding out in 2013 I'm going to be a Dad for the first time. One month to go at time of writing and counting!

[Will Hunt]

Top three six boulder probs, UK
C3PO - Roaches
Underhand - Almscliff
Ringpiece - Ilkley
The Storm - Stanage
Troll's Arete - Faerie's Chest
North West Overhang - Pex

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
The Sloth - Roaches.     Have wanted to do this for years. Its piss!
Fern Hill and Five Finger Exercise - Cratcliffe.     Classic! Whenever I climb an E2 it feels like a surprise for some reason.
The Alamo - Eavestone.     A great route at a spectacular crag.
The Superdirect - Dinas Mot.     Another big scalp. Glad I didn't get the hard pitch, thought it was very hard at the grade.
Vector - Bwlch y Moch.     Definitely the stand out route of 2013. Just awesome



Top three sport routes UK
Puddle Jumper, Hartley Hare, Consenting Adults - Malham.     My only day sport climbing this year.

Top three new route/prob put up
Bread and Dripping
The Dusty Windowsills
Exit Ophelia

Top Spanking's
Snowballing - Split tips quite early on in the session so got spat off just about everything.

[granticus]

Have re-found my enthusiasm for bouldering over the last 12 months so would seem appropriate to record my best of 2013.

Top three boulder probs, in Devon and Cornwall
Monster Tide Extenstion (aka Mike's Start) - Lynmouth, superb stuff worth seeking out http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,22118.msg417551.html#msg417551
Wet Bootie - Upton (Bude) - Really good quality, never did it back in the day when the roof was still there - shame the roof is buried now there's really nothing else there to get excited about.
Varmint - Duckpool (Bude) - Cool arete that's well out of the way, finally made the effort.

Top three boulder probs, abroad up country
The Nose - Burbage West -  a classic I had never tried until December 2013, funky toe hook!
Pete's Slab - Mynydd Dinas - really enjoyed this, very pleasant venue.
Scoop Dragon sit - Ogmore - day after my cousin's 40th at Port Talbot golf club (the only golf club I know of that dispenses with the first 18 holes!), hung over.. The Trench is ace!

Top three two new route/prob put up
Flesh and Blood Gods 7bish - Lynmouth West, a technical, slabby low traverse of the Giza block, will mean nothing to most on here but it's brilliant.
Midnight Marauders 7a+ - Lynmouth, lip traverse to hideous mantel, gym junkies will hate it!

Top Spanking's
Red Quinnie - Northcott - Still haven't done it and now, FFS, there's a block under the problem making it impossible, hopefully all these storm swells will shift it.
Jerry's Arete - RHS - Have always wanted to do it, had a one day chance ,the finger jam ate my southern softie finger and I sacked it.  Consolation was doing RZA Roof for the first time.

Congrats TTT

All of the above was achieved with child number 1 reaching the age of 3 in November and number 2 baking nicely to arrive 3 months (and a bit) from the time of writing.

[Grubes]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Flying Arete - almscliff, mainly because It was such a long battle just glad its over
Shortarse - Blackstones edge, Had written it off and given up on it for the day but went back for one more go and pulled it off. lovely move sit start with you heel above your head on a poor hold.
Crescent arete - Stanage, Icey cold on a snow balling day finally the moves made sense and I was at the top.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Summer Vacation, Squamish - only a V0 but bloody brilliant high ball. You don't notice through the steep jug pulling how high you are until you do a balancy but easy top out.
Fissure Morin, Bas Cuvier - So good I did it twice.
Ca dérape sec, Canche aux Merciers - Again did it twice because it was brilliant.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Red and Yellow and pink ... - Rainbow Slab, Second trad route of the year after not doing any bold trad in months felt amazing to be so high on the rainbow climbing there for the first time with no gear.
Loooning the tube - Australia, Great route. so happy to get this done.
The Thorn - Beeston, A brilliant route on probably the shitest day of the year for me.

Top three sport routes UK
Puddle jumper - Malham, As its my only uk 7 this year
Just realised how little sport I did this year.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Jam Sesion - Bruixes, First 7b RP6 taking great falls, I got it first red point on the third day.
The Butt Lite - The Cheif Squamish, Great moves in a fantastic situation amazing views, brilliant end to the day.
Zoe - Murrin Park squamish, Really nice warm up if the whole route was a difficult as a the start.

Top Spanking's
Hartley hare - malham, A few sessions on this but did something to my knee on this which has hurt since
Superfly - Cheif boulders squamish, Three sessions with good beta and just lost skin
Le surplomb du lepreaux - L'Elephant, After being confident of an easy 6A being so close last year. This year went much worse and left me lost and confused.

[cheque]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Beach Ball, Secret Garden.  Less than a week after my first 7A (see below) I headed back to this, pretty much the only other boulder problem I’d tried all winter. Conditions were baltically great but I sanded my skin away failing at the same point over and over. As it was going dark, the snow was properly starting and the crag had been deserted I stood miserably drinking a last cuppa but decided to have one last go before packing up. Sent the fucker.   

Gorilla Warfare, Curbar. A full-on siege with many visits, the last three of which had me heading to the pit certain I'd do it. Got way stronger climbing this.

Trackside, Curbar. In contrast to GW I'd had a few casual goes on this each time I'd been at the crag for years, making only a little progress each time. After a blustery December day on the crag circuit I tried it again as the sun set and made quantum leaps every go, culminating in a very satisfying result.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Easter Island, Dove Dale. This was a route I’d had on my list ever since I’d started climbing, but only this summer did I have the confidence to try it. For some reason I picked one of the hottest days of the year, when every possible way of trying the crux seemed greasily improbable. Only after I’d realised that my crap wire could actually be replaced with a bomber one of a different size did I sketch my way through it to romp up the rest in delight. My mate had a complete breakdown seconding it and ended up abandoning a cam in the top crack in order to get off the route ASAP. Total ascent time: >3 hours!

Night Riders, Pembroke  Range West. A fantastic 45m steep bridging corner that would be famous if it was in Range East. As we were gearing-up the guy who’d just led it gave me dire warnings about how loose it was so I climbed in complete fear of breaking massive bits off- turned out that only the top 5m is dodgy (so no different to anything else in Pembroke!) and he was just trying to scare me off so his mates could climb it.  With hindsight this just made it more enjoyable.

Bamford Wall, Bamford. Just a lovely solo on a nice walk late in September.

Top three sport routes UK
Quality Control, Chee Dale Two  Tier. A great route in my opinion. Great to find a good Peak lime route without crimps! Getting this on my second session made me realise that 7a wasn't a super-hard grade for me any more.

Rose Coronary, Malham. It took me 6 sessions over 18 months to get this- harder than Consenting in my opinion. On my first visit to Malham I was absolutely destroyed after dogging it once but on the day I did it I top-roped it clean to warm up and led it straight after.

Pocket Rocket, Masson Lees. It’s a pretty crap route but doing this second go was the point when I first got confidence for leading routes back. It was also the first evening climbing of that sweet dry spell in the summer.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Amarillo Sunset, North 40, Red Rover Gorge. Undisputedly the best 11 in the Red- a smooth, blank 15% overhanging wall punctuated by honeycomb-style sinker jugs. The twist is that hardly any of them work in the direction you expect so the chances of getting both pumped and wrong-handed are very high. It's goey. Add "sporting" bolt placement and exposure twice the length of the route for a breathtaking combination! Taking an 8-9m whip from the last hard move onsight just added to the satisfaction of cruising second go.

Manifest Destiny, The Solarium, Red River Gorge. First 7a in the US. The crux is a roof and it was cool to powerscream through it. I thought this was soft as I did it so quickly but my mate had a nightmare on it and opinion seems to be it's solid at the grade. 

Random Precision, The Gallery, Red River Gorge. The Gallery is my favourite crag over there- such amazing rock architecture and variety in styles of climbing, including this, one of only about five decent slabs (it's an 88 degree wall really...) in the entire area. I got on it in my smeary shoes at the end of a day and got spanked, came back with the right attitude and footwear and had a blast. Probably the hardest route of this type I've ever done.

Top Spankings
Archangel, Stanage. Tried to snowball this but simply couldn’t do it- . My deficiencies at the time in both laybacking and keeping my head together when moderately high up were cruelly highlighted by everyone else at the crag waltzing up it first go while I gibbered, shook and plummeted off from higher and higher up. Just as well I hadn't tried it without the snow...
 
Too Many Puppies, Left Flank, Red River Gorge. Such beautiful rock. I was so psyched to get up on the arête of this thing but it turned out that it was guarded by a fierce crimpy boulder problem start and I could barely get off the deck, let alone up to the meat of the route.

Reverence, Wallsend South, Portland. Couldn’t even top-rope this. Felt mentally hard!

[Fiend]

Top 3 6 boulder problems UK:
Gale Force, Laggan - amazing high arete
Brin Done Before, Brin - amazing highball roof
Le Toit Du Col Du Mouton, Glen Clova - amazing pure roof
Romancing The Stone, Reiff - amazing technical wall
Autumn Arete, Achray - excellent burly prow
Pyramid Lip, Glen Ogle - excellent graunchy lip

Top 3 sport routes UK:
Axe Grinder, Creag Nan Cadhag - fierce and rewarding
The One And Only, Brin Rock - full on slap above bolt
The Ticks Ate All The Midges, Moy Rock - steady good fun

Top 3 sport routes abroad:
DNA, Kalymnos - a rare limestone ambition, as fun as it looks
Calliope, Kalymnos - skin of teeth desperation
Studentweg, Pfalz - very cool varied climbing

Top 3 30* trad routes UK:
The Purr-Blind Doomster, Cambusbarron - the perfect challenge
Triode, Glen Nevis - beautiful slab climb
Colder Thank A Hooker's Heart, Creag Dubh - easy bold jug hauling
On The Beach, Glen Nevis - brilliant super-sketchy slab
The Final Solution, Creag Dubh - more great bold wall climbing
Lady Charlotte, Dunkeld - intense and very intricate
Neart Nan Gaidheal, Ardmair - perfect pumpfest
Nijinski, Auchinstarry - good line and complex climbing
The Prow, Cummingston - great fun roof
Wall Of Flame, Diabeg - stunning immaculate slab
Economy Drive, Cambusbarron - super-intense sustained wall
Bratach Uaine, Creag Dubh - wild crux and great runouts
Cocaine, Rosehearty - good burly power climb
Aesthetic Ape, Cummingston - excellent cruxy route
The Tube, Back Bowden - classic mini-adventure
Wally 2, Ratho - crisp bold wall climbing
Exasperated Escapologist, Ardmair - steady and delightful
Pettifar's Wall, Ratho - lovely slab moves
Dark Island, Orkney - awesome bold but steady rib
DIY, Stanage - superb technical solo
Hunky Dory, Roaches - perfectly balanced route
No Maybes, Orkney - great steep climbing
On The Rocks, Whisky Cliff - wild dyno crux
Old Fashioned Waltz, Rosehearty - excellent thin slab
The Essential, Rosehearty - more good power climbing
Deimos, Glenmarksie - intricate slab delights
Wally 1, Ratho - intense and excellent route
Rigormortis, Castle Rock - great varied pitch
Brave New World, Diabeg - amazing line, amazing climb
Bogie, Diabeg - underrated lovely slab

Top 3 trad routes abroad:
Breaking Strain, Morocco - brilliant line with a desperate fight
Infinity, Morocco - best pitch in the area with big wall above
Rotewand, Pfalz - long, varied and exciting, up a mighty wall

Top first ascent:
Multipitch Is For Fat Weak Cunts, Morocco -

Top 3 spankings:
Scoobie Dubh, Gruinard Bay - lunged for the wrong bit of the top because I'd decided not to check it out while walking off - NOOB
The Ivy League, Limekilns - wimped out of a 5a move to a hands off rest - WTF
Freakshow, Goat Crag - trusted guide description and got so pumped I couldn't see straight - NO CHANCE


Best year's climbing I've had. Less UK exploration, less mileage, more focus, more falling practice.


* - sorry, struggled to get it down to 30...

[nai]

Boulder problems UK
Boyager, Burbage North - good crack with a few folk, 2 sequences emerging for the tall & the short and 2 grades for the grounded and delusional.  Ended up 1-1 all round.
Triangle Wall, Burbage South - looks like it should be so easy, tried briefly many times without success but much frustration. Late one day, a quick look, tired but the gears whirred and the method became apparent. Had to go back another day but got it at last.
Low and Hard, Back Bowden - Last day of a week in the County, we meet folk for the first time and show interest in this.  "Totally nails" they tell us... "one move 7B..." "desperate..." "can't touch it".  Got the move fourth go and topped it out in about six. Look at me.

Boulder problems Abroad
Clin D'oeil - first day, sun shining, forecast dodgy for all week. Had a quick look and sussed most of it then took my turn to herd kids, Went back after Lunch, had just warmed up again only to be told we were about to leave (kids getting tired and bored), had one shot and had to make it count....
La Cle Droit (or something) 6am at Cuvier, men in suits walking around looking furtive, surprised to see me and disappearing quickly.  A topout about as atypical as they come, like dry humping, which seemed apt.
L'Oblique - had three short sessions previously trying the throw move and watching a succession of Brits dabbing the floor and/or the rock behind, wondering what the world has come to. Last day, mixed weather, tweaked sequence, closing in but it rains, then I do the throw but my mate's spot is a bit keen. Think that's it but manage to pull it out of the bag from somewhere.

Trad
Sergeyenna - First time at this particular Tor. I'll just warm up on this.... Oh dear, watch me here... here... and here...
Flakes Direct & Scoop Wall. - lead on same day and both awesome routes at a much maligned venue, had seconded SW 20 yrs previously but remembered nothing.
Ai No Corrida - snowball of course. Absolute quality though

Sport - bad year, nothing extraordinary springs to mind.

Spankings
while not really spankings having only had one quick go on each but disappointed not to finish Incredible Shaking Man (sit) and Headbanger after doing the disproportionally hard first move on both.
training - got it all wrong over summer chasing 8a and still paying for it now.

[SA Chris]

Not my most productive year!

Top three boulder probs, UK
Top three new route/prob put up

All in Clochindare Bay

Police Squid SS - 6b - wall left of Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Silence of the Clams - 6b - morpho sitter on boulder in south side of bay
Raging Pool - 6c - Great climbing up highball wave of rock. Didn't technically do FA, but found, cleaned and gave away to mate wjho was out with me that day.

(grades TBC, can't grade to save my life)!

[Paul B]

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
A toughie this year...

Primrose Dihedrals - We didn't have a 4x4 so we had to walk-in. The first day we walked in it was blazing hot. The second was fairly similar. About halfway up the route (after a good argument) jamming clicked for both of us and I don't think I can communicate just how much I enjoyed the upper pitches. Amazing, AND a parois tick too.

The Leaning Tower - You can only learn so much from reading books / the internet. This was proven on our first attempt at the tower that was basically a comedy of errors. We sorted all of that out and I f*cking loved being up there, pulling on gear.

Igor Unchained, CA Needles - Wow. We picked this as a warmup on our first day at the Needles and it set the tone for the quality of climbing we'd encounter for the entire week.

(an honourable mention goes to Sunset Strip in Squamish, a new route which we both found thoroughly enjoyable. The pitches are really good up until it meets Crap Crags. Find Jade was also very good. Too many other to mention).

Top three new route/prob put up
NA

Top Spanking's
Lurking Fear - Baked off the wall on round 1, round 2 someone ditched all of our fluids and round 3 the valley filled full of smoke. All enjoyment was slowly sapped out of the route by the aforementioned issues. We climbed the height of El Cap without actually climbing El Cap on this route. 

Reg. NW Face - Two shots at this, round 1 turned out to be memorial day which was a major error as it was a) heaving and b) ze germans were hauling the route with zero care. A LOT of rock came down, we bailed. Round 2, it'd been hot in Yosemite (the van was unbearable even at night) and thus we went up to half dome with less bivi gear than usual the night the weather turned. It was freezing and we spent possibly my most uncomfortable night yet at the base. We awoke at 5am to get cracking and uncoiling the rope Nat came rather too close to a large falling block. We bailed. 

Both of these still sting.

Top Omissions
Levitation 29 - it was just too hot in Red Rocks for anything S. Facing.

All in all (wedding etc.) a very good year.

[Kingy]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Shirley's Shining Temple Font 7c, Stanage - well worth seeking out
Ben's Wall Font 7c, Curbar - a long term project no longer in the future
Barry Sheene Font 7c, Gardoms - possible at 5'10"

Top three Snowball solos UK

Archangel E3 5b, Stanage - so easy once committed!
Shine On E7 6c, Stanage - boulder problem Font 7a+
Weather Report E6 6c, Stanage - so good did it 3 times

Top three sport routes UK

Mecca Extension 8c, Raven Tor - a lot of work
Idefix 8b, Malham - a multiyear project slain! Been trying on/ off since 2009
Bricktop 8b, Cheedale Cornice - who says its not worth trying 4th go?! Especially when the crag turns into a waterfall the next day and ends play for 2013

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

French Connection 5.13b, Smith Rock, Oregon - only crux and easier top bit of To Bolt or not to Be
Ramadan 8a+, Suirana - a nice fitness wake up call after Christmas indulgence
Darkness at Noon 5.13a, Smith Rock - my first 7c+ onsight, excellent. Go try it!