[205Chris]

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.

Is this the same route that Airlie Andersen had a foul mouthed tirade on while climbing with Aid Burgess for a BBC2 show?

[Doylo]

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.

Is this the same route that Airlie Andersen had a foul mouthed tirade on while climbing with Aid Burgess for a BBC2 show?

Oh yeah remember that, might even have it on VHS.

[Johnny Brown]

Barry Sheene Font 7c, Gardoms - possible at 5'10"

Any advance on 5' 8"?

[a dense loner]

When you stop walking like Liam Gallagher you're taller than 5ft 8

[Johnny Brown]

True. I'm almost 5' 8.5".

[Paul B]

Is this the same route that Airlie Andersen had a foul mouthed tirade on while climbing with Aid Burgess for a BBC2 show?

I don't know, but I'd love to watch it if so. Airlie was featured in another hilarious story I was told the other day re: a one day push on Zodiac.

[Johnny Brown]

Is this the same route that Airlie Anderson had a foul mouthed tirade on

Pretty sure it is yeah, well worth digging out.

[Paul B]

Her most infamous media appearance was on the TV series The Face. First she accused the legendary macho mountaineer Al Burgess of being a ‘wuss’ (for only ever having taken a single leader fall) during a beer-fuelled interchange in the pub, then proceeded to swear profusely when she found herself out of her depth in Utah on Moses Towers’ Primrose Dihedrals (E4). It provided some of the most memorable TV climbing footage of recent years!

Source.

[205Chris]

Is this the same route that Airlie Andersen had a foul mouthed tirade on while climbing with Aid Burgess for a BBC2 show?

I don't know, but I'd love to watch it if so. Airlie was featured in another hilarious story I was told the other day re: a one day push on Zodiac.

Just trawled my old VHS collection and it appears I have this along with the accompanying book! Unfortunately I haven't got a way of transferring it onto DVD / interweb but can lend you the VHS if you want?

Quote from the book:

With as much self doubt as she could muster, and with the help of every swearword related to male and female anatomy, sado-masochism and the sexual encouters of deviants, Airlie arrived at the top of the second pitch

[moose]

Not a bad year in retrospect (maybe, just, maybe, life isn't shit).  Main focus was consolidating my relatively recent embracing of the dark art of red-pointing.  Capped by a late rediscovery of the delights of things diminutive and grit-stone.

Top Routes - Home
A potted history of highlights:
- the "Kilnsey campaign": seeing off Comedy from last year (really pleased with that as it's my anti-style); then The Ashes (sweating and shaking my way to the belay was a near out-of-body experience, every move from the last clip was a throw more in hope than expectation), finishing with Lapin (my favourite sequence all year: an extreme bit of flagging to make an oddly scarey clip, followed by a sweet pivot and rock-over).
- Serious Young Toads - bit of a watershed for my approach, a succession of poor holds with no rests, made me realise that I'll only ever climb harder if I move faster and faff and worry a bit less.
- New Dawn - done as a quick consolation after a weeks of failing elsewhere... God knows why I hadn't tried it earlier: brilliant route.
- Phantom Zone - although any route from Chapel would be worthy of inclusion - such a good crag for F7s.

Top Routes - abroad
Didn't really work anything on my two trips, just lots of on-sighting / half-session projects.  The routes that stuck in the mind more than the rest were:
- Black Moon and L'homme a l'Envers in Antalya - the on-sight of the latter being possibly my longest, most draining sport route experience ever - scorchio heat, my glacial climbing style, and a south-facing tufa wrestling epic - not a good combo!
- Guill-at (Margalef) and Xerinola and Aye Mamita (both Siurana Valley).

Bouldering
 - Highlight for me was getting around to visiting Anston.  Not so much the problems themselves, more the experience of going somewhere unfamiliar, walking down wooded paths clutching a photocopied magazine article, peering anxiously through trees for chalk-dabbed rock.  Favourite problems probably Alpha and Beretta
- On grit, no big projects but was happy to polish off some unfinished business over this festive period - namely, the low level eliminate of the South Cave Traverse at 'cliff, No Red Tape Traverse at Brimham, and Who Are We If Not Moon at Baildon.  Nowt desperate (or nice, come to think of it) but all problems that had thwarted me in younger, stronger days.

Spankings
-  Rain'f'in'dogs....... went from being a conveniently dry training route to an obsession.  Highlight / lowlight was my foot slipping whilst I near statically reached for the belay.  If I don't manage to get my route-fitness back to pre-winter levels, my gravestone epitaph will read "I touched the krab".
- Man With a Gun ..... thought I was in with a chance of an end of season RP then tore a finger tip off on the start.  Not sure if I will be back in the Spring - can't quite decide which side of the satisfying / horrible borderline it lies on (and so technical and involved I would effectively have to start working out the sequence again from scratch).

[Pantontino]

Bit of a weird year, dogged by various injuries (ring pulley, torn bicep, strange 'twanged fingers', old forefinger knuckle injury returned intermittantly and then a knackered knee). Too injured to boulder during Jan – April period, but could manage winter climbing. Luckily we had one of the best seasons ever, with amazing conditions, especially late on running into April. Once the snow melted I didn’t really tie on much after that (Rhoscolyn, Ormes and a bit of new routing); spent my time mostly researching the new NWB guide. So lots of mileage, interspersed with bouts of FA obsession.

Best routes
Route II with new direct finish (Glyder Fach) – a deeply memorable experience that will stick me forever. Really atmospheric day, no visibility, ostensibly a second ascent, but following our noses and picking off an amazing new finish. Full on heavy duty conditions; crag was buried in snow. No-one else around apart from some other mates further along the crag lost in their own adventures. We couldn’t see them but occasionally when the wind dropped there voices would drift across. Main pitch was incredible; I recall topping it out in a state of disbelief. A long trip up the never ending exit ridge left us on top in the dark in a blizzard. Stumbled about the summit boulder field then marched out missing the descent route and had to keep going until we could find a way down (tracks in the snow disappearing fast as the blizzard took hold). All very epic. Eventually got back to the road miles from the car – more marching, then finally managed to hitch a lift.

Grey Ghost, second ascent of an excellent VI 6 put up on Glyder Fawr by Mr Harrison a few days earlier. A real 'grab it while you can' moment. I lead the techy mixed pitch then Chummer dealt with the thin, bold ice pitch (just enough ice to make it possible). Once again, heavy duty conditions – thought we were going to get avalanched on the way down.

Colin’s Gully and Mask of Death in Cwm Silyn. Last day of the season and managed to grab two stunning ice routes. My torn bicep was pretty bad at this point so these felt quite challenging. http://news.v12outdoor.com/2013/04/08/mask-of-death-vvi-56/

Seconded a mate on an amazing new E5/6 thing on a crag x. One of the most perfect rock climbs I’ve ever had the pleasure of climbing. I tried a similar line to the right but didn’t have the right sized cam. Crag then got wet and we never went back – must return this year.

Gambit Climb, a super classic multipitch severe on Clogwyn y Ddysgl with my wife and son. I’d soloed it before but it was great to go back. Beautiful day and just at the right level of difficulty for the team (who all coped splendidly).

Slanting Buttress Ridge on Lliwedd – soloed this on a long hot summer’s day then finished with a loop of the Snowdon Horseshoe round to Crib Goch, followed by an ice cold beer in Llanberis on the way home (pub was full of lots of old friends which made it hard to leave!). One of those days when everything just falls into place.

Bouldering
Phil’s Roof, Craig y Castell – big diagonal 25 move 6B on immaculate tremadog dolerite. Guidebook research work is occasionally quite wonderful. This sits in the scree below the crag – go and do it if you are ever passing.

Finally sussed out Fachwen and realised its true charm. Some great problems here, admittedly dotted about the place. For example: The Ramp sds up at the left side of Lion Rock for example is a brilliant 6C+ish thing.

Various 7A+ and 7B links on the Gwynant roadbloc. Can’t believe I dismissed this all those years ago – it’s ace! http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/upload/members/Gwynant%20RoadblocV6.pdf http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=663

Didn’t climb outside of Wales much this year but did enjoy Slim Shady low start at Shaftoe – been going to Shaftoe for years (as it’s within striking distance of my mam’s house) but never walked in from the main road, so had missed this. Great problem and right up my street. Also dabbled a bit in North Devon while on holiday – always good to see new areas.

FAs
Lunar Block – developed this new dolerite block in the Ogwen Valley in the spring. I was really weak and injured when I started but slowly crept back, picking off incrementally harder lines as I went. Finished with a superb trio of FAs: a 7A, a 7A+ and a 7B. Very satisfying. http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=666


Cwm y Foel – top quality dolerite boulder field below Cnicht first developed by Huffy back in the mid noughties. Fantastic day up here climbing various excellent new problems. Amazing 8A/+ish project if anybody fancies a go and doesn’t mind a big walk in.

Cwm Glas Bach, Llanberis Pass – spent a lot of time here researching for the guide, then inevitably sussing out and doing several excellent FAs. Handrails of Crib Goch 7A+ was such an obvious challenge – very pleased to crack it first. http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=672 Cockney man Witch 7A+ - was an extremely absorbing traverse – 30m long and with a super tenuous crux section. Felt like doing a route. http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=682 Hardest thing I did in this period was an intense 7Bish line following a curving crack line – I haven’t reported this (or a few other things) yet as there is still some major unfinished business here.

Started to get involved with Porth Nefoedd towards the very end of the year. Some really exciting developments down here, including an as yet unreported 8A (obviously not by me) which I have a film of the FA. Here's a pic of an impressive new 7A+ done by Owen Hayward in December:



Spanked on
Didn’t try seiging anything, stayed checking or trying more do-able stuff so had lots of success and not much failure. A couple of face slaps though:
Secret Fachwen traverse project – quite a few sessions working this out. So close but no cigar. The one day I could have done it I was driven away by midgies! – looking forward to trying it again in the next sustained dry period.
Nicorette – new Cwm Glas Bach 6C+ done by Ray Wood. I just can’t do it, I’m not sure I ever will…

All in all, an interesting year, despite the annoying injuries. Be good to stay injury free in 2014 and travel a bit more.

PS Glad to see a few folk bigging up Higginson Scar at Porth Ysgo. I did this a few days ago for the first time in about ten years and was (once again) blown away by how good it is.

[SA Chris]

HS is probaby the most memorable prob from my day there. I loved Porth Ysgo, shame it's so bloody far.

[Pantontino]

Such a sweet (and at first, unlikely) bit of movement when you shift left into the scoop.

I guess it would be better if it wasn't (typically) about an hour's drive from my house - but then again the remoteness delivers that special Lleyn immunity to rainfall.

[SA Chris]

Hour from your house - that's back doorstep by comparison! Some people don't know they're born etc.

[Luke Owens]

Such a sweet (and at first, unlikely) bit of movement when you shift left into the scoop.

I guess it would be better if it wasn't (typically) about an hour's drive from my house - but then again the remoteness delivers that special Lleyn immunity to rainfall.

I'm contemplating Ysgo this Saturday. Si, you're lucky only being an hour away! It's 2 hours 20 mins from Wrexham...

[Pantontino]

Hour from your house - that's back doorstep by comparison! Some people don't know they're born etc.

 

I remember once when I was in America and this bloke was describing his local crag to me - I asked him how far it was from his house and he said 4 hours drive!

[Pantontino]

Such a sweet (and at first, unlikely) bit of movement when you shift left into the scoop.

I guess it would be better if it wasn't (typically) about an hour's drive from my house - but then again the remoteness delivers that special Lleyn immunity to rainfall.

I'm contemplating Ysgo this Saturday. Si, you're lucky only being an hour away! It's 2 hours 20 mins from Wrexham...

Saturday looks like a nice day down there (especially for photographs). Not much wind but at least it'll be cold. Better conditions on Sunday though (windy and turning overcast).

Hopefully I'll be down that way on one of these days (and possibly tomorrow).

[Duma]

Barry Sheene Font 7c, Gardoms - possible at 5'10"

Any advance on 5' 8"?

Any tips/tricks? I'm prob half an inch taller than you and could only just tickle the hold at full extension of the undercuts. I suppose it did feel like it may be possible, but wanted to get more stuff done that day

[Johnny Brown]

I can't remember, tried it a few times last weekend with no joy, using a slight drop knee on the right leg. I do remember getting very frustrated with it back when I did it. Getting the hold isn't too bad, matching it is grim. Far inferior to the the original for the short.

[dave]

Keep banging that drum.

[tomtom]

Keep banging that drum.

Is that a little drum I keep hearing?

[Bonjoy]

A continuation of 2012 trends really. Became even more of a developer hermit, did even less sport climbing and didn’t get a rope out once for tradding. I’d love to have done some trad but it seems hard to get partners for sub big-numbers classic pottering these days. Oh yeah and turned 40 and become even more of a grumpy old man (see above).

UK Bouldering
Haven’t got much classic local amenable stuff left to try these days and spent much more time doing or trying new things. So don’t have a huge selection to choose from.
 Jason’s Roof – Crookrise. World class. I remember biviing under it in its pre-ascent, unchalked state. Wonder if I had a dream about going back there more than twenty years later and having a cracking time on an insanely windy day with some top blokes.
 The Knife – Stanton-in-the-Woods. Proof that small boulder problems can be as amazing as big ones. Had always dismissed it as a crappy tall man’s pull-off-the-ground-and-quickly-slap job (a la The Joker via the campus beta), but after a lot of effort managed to figure a lovely tenuous static sequence. Very satisfying.
 Blackfoot – Rowsley Wood. Thought I’d bagged me a classy new 7c prow. Turns out Dan Warren beat me to it by five years. Lots of crimping and heels, very eatswood.
UK Trad
Didn’t get a rope on for this at all in 2013, but did do some DWS and snowballing
 Shine On – A lovely bit of climbing, all the nicer for having a soft landing
 Nefertiti – On my own in the rain on the last possible snowball day. Grey skies, wet holds - felt like the circus was packing up and leaving town. Moody.
 Hornier than Thou – Great boiling hot long weekend in prep for Mallorca. Did a selection of the classics, all great but this one probably was the most fun if a bit lowball.
UK Sport
Did next to bugger all.
 Body Machine Direct – Tor. Felt the need to re-climb the route in its treeless state.
 Rub-a-dub-dub – The Diamond. First visit to the Diamond. Could this be the best route at the grade in the UK? Then tried Non-tidal Screamer, another superb route, but proper old school terror!
 Bloodsports – Mayfair Wall. Have always loved Mayfair Wall.
Foreign routes
 Banditto – A great intro to trickier DWS stuff. Still hadn’t fallen in at this point so adrenaline was high on the slap at the top.
Foreign bouldering
Did some nice problems in Brittany in the Kerlouan area, but don’t know what most of them were due to the topo being unfathomable. Enjoyed the shrimping even more than the climbing though to be honest.
Bouldering FA
This accounted for most of 2013 so I’m having double my quota.
 Panopticon – Howshaw. Took a lot of walking and thinking, mostly on my tod to find a way across this beast of a roof. One of my proudest finds. Good to see and hear about other folk getting up there and enjoying it.
 Broke Beak Mountain – Howshaw. Super steep beasting on proper holds. Very un-grit.
 Green Lipped Muscle – Cratcliffe. No doubt destined to never see any attention as it is A bloody desperate, B a traverse, C wet much of the time. Crying shame as the crux section is a deviously sublime game on the nicest of holds Cratcliffe has to offer. Very grit.
 Mother Goosed – Mother Cap Quarry. Had great fun revamping this dishevelled local venue. I really rate the circuit here and was pleased with this find.
 Any of the probs - The Loafstone. Another decent local mini circuit I’d been meaning to clean up for ages. Seems to be moderately popular now. Great place for a picnic with the kids in the spring when the Bluebells are out.
 Dad’s Arete_A Belly Full of Brad Berries – Endcliff – Bit of a one prob venue but near Stanton so no great detour. Short, overhanging, 7b+, fontesque, slippery, sharp, arete, bon.

Spankings
 Nemesis – For at least the third time in a decade I put in a session or two on this only to be thwarted by the whole crag crapping out for the season. Aptly named.
 Ejector Seat – Yep I’m still rubbish at dynos. At least it pushed me into some proper DWS lobbing.
 The Fly – Always waste at least an hour on it every time I’m at Crookrise.

Rarest and least likely to ever be repeated climb of 2013:
 The Legend of the Peanut – Bull Stones – Worth one star but really not worth the huge walk in with pads. Had trudged in with Gritlad on the strength of some  photos I’d found on google. Sadly the feature was not as good as it had looked and there was literally nothing else of merit at the crag.

[Doylo]

Rub-a-dub-dub – The Diamond. First visit to the Diamond. Could this be the best route at the grade in the UK?
 

Can't think of a better one!

[Andy B]

Barry Sheene Font 7c, Gardoms - possible at 5'10"

Any advance on 5' 8"?

Yep, 5' 8" span.

Any tips/tricks?

I bridged across, getting loads of weight on my right foot, to make sure my left (undercutting) arm was directly under the crimp, deadpointed to the crimp (leave matching space) to give me full extension, and as I pulled it into a crimp my feet came off. Put one foot back on, then I found matching OK, and once you have the Sloper to the right it's over. Unless you're Steve Royle, then the crux topout is still to come.

[Johnny Brown]

as I pulled it into a crimp my feet came off

Wow, you know how to train then Duma! Open hand a shit edge and then pull it into a crimp. Footless.