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Best of 2018 (Read 21519 times)

cheque

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Best of 2018
December 31, 2018, 11:28:28 am
Here it is; guaranteed to psyche us all up for the new year, best thread on UKB, the Best of the year thread.

Share your glorious victories and sunset-tinged recollections, remember that it was actually a great year and that January was actually ages ago, realise that intermittent posters are actually dark horse beasts and decide that 2019 will be even better.  :2thumbsup:

I’m obliged to start it off by quoting the sacred text:

“Wad or punter, VDiff or E9 it doesn't matter, just list your highlights in the usual categories or make up your own.”

Top three boulder problems, UK
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Top three sport routes UK
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Top three new routes/prolems put up
Top Spankings

The previous lists:
Best of 2006
Best of 2007
Best of 2008
Best of 2009
Best of 2010
Best of 2011
Best of 2012
Best of 2013
Best of 2014
Best of 2015
Best of 2016
Best of 2017

Fiend

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#1 Re: Best of 2018
December 31, 2018, 04:22:25 pm
Bloquês:
The Nadser, Kyloe - nice slab
Put A Sock In it, Torridon - big ledge for feet, smears for hands
Minidigit, Brimham - it's got smaller handholds than The Nadser!

Ill Trad:
Wyatt Earp, Reiff - got me out of a sore-tummied grump
Absent Friends, Chee Tor - lowest point of the year when ticking the walk-in would have been an achievement, and I somehow managed this okay
Doctor Livingstone I Exhume, Treaddur Bay - end of a mediocre drizzle-dodging trip in Wales but reminded me how proper inspiration always works

Recovery Trad:
Sidewinder, Glen Lednock - felt great and very much myself on this
Whoremistress, Glen Clova - just brilliant, even celebrated with a shandy afterwards
Necromancer / Prehistoric Monster, Earnsheugh - back to my previous highpoints

Sport:
King Prawn, Telpyn Point - didn't expect to make it and just kept crimping as the crimps got smaller, ace
Blockiness, Shipwreck Cove - unexpectedly just really good
Practically Everything, Chosstleberg - not even sure why I liked this so much but I did

Foreign Muck:
Flammende Herzen, Klosterfels, Pfalz - last route of a typically great trip, fierce to start, wild to finish
Langer Amenweg, Spirkelbacher Rauhbergpfeiler, Pfalz - more wildness on a super-varied and lovely climb
Intensivstation, Dahner Kuckuckfels, Pfalz - intense indeed, some fierce climbing, I could pick anything at Pfalz tho as it is just so fucking ace.

Nu Stuff:
Shadow Of Intent, Portobello - 20 years overdue and well worth the effort, a solid addition
Indoor Storm, Glen Lednock - a surprising find with classic "committing moves above bomber gear"
Echo Box, Glen Lednock - another surprising find and well worthwhile

Off-topic:
Learning to make Quake maps.
170kg motherfucking deadlift.
Laughing at myself on film.

Spankings:
Chronic post-viral ibs of the upper digestive tract.
Depression during spring / summer due to the above.
Acute tennis elbow starting December.

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#2 Re: Best of 2018
December 31, 2018, 05:19:57 pm
Good list fiend. And wishing you good gut and head health in the next 12. Also, pfalz is a cool place to climb, eh? Those towers in the forests are something else and did you go to the one which is accessed thru a WW2 cemetery?

Blocks
-The Spine, Robin Hoods, 4+. Easy, scary and long overdue.
-Captain Hook, Plantation, 7B. When this went down I remember thinking that good things would happen in 2018.
-Kudos, Rubicon, 7B retroflash. One of those “wow did that really happen?” moments. That was back in May and I was going really well. It was during the same session that my mrs fell off the top hold of Miller’s Tale 6B+ and we couldn’t believe what had just happened. A week later one of the holds fell off and she’s not troubled the top since. Still, it was a heck of a moment and in this life moments are all we got.
-Advanced Training, Beginners, 7C/+. Have I gone on about this one enough yet? Nope...? Well let me say one last time how much I wanted it and how hard I worked to get back in the saddle, juggle all the life distractions and general crapness of it all to put some hard sessions into the board while watching Netflix, to give up biscuits (sometimes for days at a time), trawl over all the beta available online and in person and, hardest of all to keep the psyche going through injury and perma-damp. Plus, anyone who knew me a few years ago wouldn’t imagine I would be troubling something which this sort of grade. Eventually it fell to some “new old” foot beta that genuinely felt to reduce it to 7A+. My thanks once more to all my many supporters on it and my only regret is that I cuddled Si afterwards when he probably just expected a manly handshake.

Foreign Muck
I don’t get out much so I’m taking
-Picnic Sarcastic, The Bowderstone, 7A+. This mega classic on the asteroid of power (thanks grimmer) had been an inspiration for a couple of years at least. Glad to get it done and repeating it this coming summer is worth a couple of good hard pulls on the fingerboard.
-Granger Mouse, Grange campsite, 7A. This is a cool little problem and the sit is a future target.

tRad
Mantelpiece crack, Stanage Pop, Diff. My four year old’s first trad climb.
Mods on Windgather. Also with the four year old. She gets her head for heights from her mother. So much prouder of her getting up these than of anything I’ve done TBH.

Spankings
Crying in fear while 6 foot off the ground on the well protected Paradise Wall, Plantation, HS. Shit crag I hope it falls down.

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#3 Re: Best of 2018
December 31, 2018, 06:16:16 pm
I can’t spell, so here’s so some motion instead.

Top three UK boulders:

The Lash, Slipstones. Brilliant boulder by young Buck

Little women, Kentmere. Another biggy off the list. Cool to do something you aspired to do when you where a kid.

Lanny Bassham. Rylstone. Utterly amazing and walked from my door.

Top three boulders aboard.

Hourglass, Vastervik Sweden. What a line. Glad I had just enough span

Ammagamma, Gramps, Aus. Honeymoon tick, great line, let down slightly by lie down start and minging pocket.

Weapon omega, Flock Hill, one of the best, so dam good! Must return.

Top three routes.

Not done many, all at Giggleswick, best been Kleptomania.

Top three trad.

Failed, really wanted to get back up to Wasdale.

Top three FA’s

Chimp paradox, Lanny right project, great line which I built a land. (Should of named it Home front)

Last stand of a free man, Kilnsey boulder link up but was is good!

Controlled, another link up at Kilnsey.

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#4 Re: Best of 2018
December 31, 2018, 07:35:17 pm
That’s some year there Dan! Effort   :strongbench:

I’m having to look up yours and fiends tick list to find out how hard the bloody things are. Is it ok to put grades or is clandestine spray more appropriate?

I only climbed trad routes this year - how many am I allowed? 3? Or can there be sub categories? Like most scared I’ve been or worst performance on a lowly grade.

cheque

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#5 Re: Best of 2018
December 31, 2018, 08:27:24 pm
No rules Dan, write what you like.  :thumbsup:

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#6 Re: Best of 2018
December 31, 2018, 10:32:29 pm
A meagre year climbing-wise, but two I really enjoyed were:

The West Face (E5, 6a) @ Bosi’s Great Zawn.  I abb’ed in intending to do something else but it was dry & chalked, and looked too good not to try it, despite knowing I was out of shape and would surely fall off.  I did, more than once, but it’s a stonking line & it was good just to have got up it.  This should be on every trad climber’s to do list.

The Urge (XS, 5c) @ Trewethet.  Proper north Cornwall esoterica.  Only the third ascent, made all the better by being watched & egged on by local hero & second ascentionist, Stu Bradbury.  This should not be on every trad climber’s to do list.  ;)

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#7 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 04:27:04 am
Quite a meagre year for me on paper too climbing wise, although I made some good progression in general life, and I'm feeling way stronger and more motivated than this time last year!

Of the things I did do:

Top three boulder problems, UK

1. Liquid Sunshine, 7B+. First 7B+ for me, and the grade highlight, although I had much more fun on days failing Fighting Torque and climbing Force Majeure!

2. Force Majeure. Guidebook 7B, but I think 7A+ regardless of height. Really good problem and not just for Portland.

3. The Terrace Right-hand, 7A. I actually only did three problems over 7A, but this marked a post exams return to form.

Top three sport routes UK

Only did two, Wolfgang Forever, 7a and Appleturnoverload, 7a+. Far less than the year before!

Top Spankings

Fighting Torque, 8a. Spent 5 sessions on this during November/December. Very close to doing it, have now done in two good overlapping halves. Touched the hold on last hard move. I've taken inverted falls on it, I have scars on my arm from it (got skin caught in quickdraw), I've punched myself square in the face coming off the undercuts and I had to rework my sequence after ripping off the crux hold. Really enjoying the process, can't wait to get back on it this year. Brilliant route, and increasingly fun to climb as the sequence unlocks.

Very low quality beta video here:


No trips abroad climbing, went to Italy on honeymoon and Fiji for a wedding over Christmas!

Highlight of the year was getting married, but also passed both parts of the primary FRCA exam, so that's a major career hurdle over with. First part was my excuse for being so weak in the first half of the year, but it was obviously a bad one as I climbed Liquid Sunshine 3 days after I passed the second part. No more excuses this year... (unless wife accidentally pregnant or something like that...)

Really psyched for the new year, so much I want to do!

Andy F

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#8 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 11:24:20 am
Bouldering: Dry wit in a wet country. Bloody brilliant.
Perrins SS. Best flash of the year, chuffed.
Popcorn Party. Mega classic.

Sport: Unleashing the Wild Physique. A battle to get over the lastmoveitus, but well worth it.
King Arthritus. Bouldery fun
The Main Motor Mile. Bloody burly for the grade.

Spankings: Prime Evil. Will I ever get this done :shrug:
T Crack. One day. Possibly.

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#9 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 12:07:52 pm
Always find it motivating reading what others have been up to over the year!

Best trad
- Torro and King Kong E2, Carn Dearg Ben Nevis. Had always wanted to experience the Ben in the summer, instead of the usual winter sufferfest. Finally did and it didn't disappoint. Walked in to the CIC hut at 2am after driving from work, woke up to perfect weather and dry rock for two days. A leisurely 10 minute stroll up to the crag after bacon and eggs to do brilliant long routes. Didn't manage to get on Titan's Wall as the last day was a wash-out, three dry days was perhaps too much to expect!
- Face Value E4, Fairhead. Hard to climb a bad route here though isn't it!
- Spillikin Ridge E3, Glendalough. Thought this was just bloody brilliant, what a position, what perfect rock!

Best Boulder
Hardly bouldered in 2018, perhaps Millenium Drive has killed my love!
- Stop Feeding It, 7A+, Fairhead. Just ace.

Best Sport
Barely sport climbed except new routes.. but honorary mention to 'Tu va rira Henri' at Les Vuardes in the Arve, for the incredible venue more than the route. What a cliff! The abseils in felt scary and I'm not normally bothered. Just scraped it in and topped out before darkness. Very keen to return here and get on the long 7s on the amazing big face to the right.


Best new routes
- Perfect World 7b, Arran. It really is!
- The Italian, and Ancona 7b+, Arran. Can't rave about this venue enough, so I won't. Four more bolted ready to go back for.
- Sterrenstof, 7c+, Garron Point. Love this crag, this climbs well with a cool thin crux.
- Unnamed, 7a, Kinbane Head. Fun steep pumpy blob pulling above the sea, like being on the some of the Ormes crags!
- Theatre of the Mind, IX 9, Clogwyn Du. Just great, as all new routes on this cliff are. Thin, pumpy, transfers to a hanging ice pillar, just brilliant. Dave showing his class.
- Broadmoor, VII 8, Clogwyn Grochan. Think this is an old Fowler route which was done with an aid/rest points on the crux. The 'beast from the East' turned Clogwyn Grochan into an amazing winter crag with steep icy mixed lines in the drainage lines. This turned out to mega fun rocky mixed with a big pillar of WI4 ice at the top. Climbed in a raging hoolie. Abb off a tree and down to the road, going from feeling like you're climbing in a patagonia storm to nant peris beer and fire in 10 minutes.
- Rich Vein, M9+, Clogwyn Mannod. My DT crag in the Crafnant is developing into a really good venue, and one of the only places in n.Wales where you can climb outdoors in the dry every day of the winter!


Top Spankings
 - Millennium Drive, Pillbox Wall. This thing... I feel like Sisyphus endlessly getting to the same point and returning to the start. Does a harder 7c(+.. please..) exist?
- Trying to equip a new face at Garron Point without the right gear.. involved soloing up alpine death choss to reach the top and then stupidly abseiling with ropes that weren't long enough.. not having gear for anchors.. chopping ends to leave.. abbing off threaded loose choss.. dropping from end of rope.. etc. Imagined myself dying in a farmer's field. The wall wasn't as good as I hoped either.
-  Walking/stumbling around new growth coniferous at Mall Hill (Wicklow) bouldering circuit in summer getting attacked by midges as it dawned on me that the forest had grown since the guidebook was written. 'The best granite in Wicklow' pronounces the guidebook. I didn't find anything worth climbing among the trees.
- N.Face of the Dru. The usual approach takes 2-3 hrs downhill from the top of the Grand Montets lift. Except the lift caught fire. So we tried the old uphill approach from Montenvers. Except the old approach ladders aren't there anymore. That approach now takes 7 hrs of uphill slog. Finally reached the bivvy boulder below the face in darkness and froze all night because I'd 'gone light' by not taking anything warm that would enable me to sleep. Was not fully recovered from a bad sinus infection that had me in the doctors a few days previous and was still taking corticosteroids and antibiotics in the bivvy. Next morning simply didn't have the energy to climb the route and make it down safely. Luckily for me the route was coated in verglass after a storm and was unclimbable in summer conditions. Walked out, like a zombie with barely any ATP to spare by the end, for another 7hrs.


Looking forward to 2019!
« Last Edit: January 01, 2019, 12:17:48 pm by petejh »

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#10 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 12:32:06 pm
Top three boulder problems, UK
Fat Lip - that heel is horrible and frustrating, and rips my shoes apart in a few sessions. Fortunately the second heel can be turned into a knee. Standard.
Jason's Roof - If all grit were like this I'd climb more grit.
Stuey 5 Bellies/Too Fluffy - Damn right, one of my top 3 is a board problem, and actually two board problems. But they're on that board and they felt like a new level of strength and power in a basic way for me, which is pleasing.

Top three boulder problems, abroad
Holidays were for routes, not boulders…

Top three trad routes/solos UK
Huh what?

Top three sport routes UK
Mortal Immortal - a roadside boulder-route hybrid but really rather good climbing.
Dreadnought - very happy to get the 2nd ascent of this, only 19 odd years after the first! A top notch Cornice year, hopefully next year will be the same!
Premonition - a cracker through the big Kilnsey roof. Very good route, deserves more attention.

Top three four routes abroad (any genre)
Le Feu Occulte (Verdon) - 45m of pump, 25-ish knee bars, totally amazing
Donkey Kong Extension (Leonidio) - everything I want from hard onsighting... jugs, thug, pump, knees, judging how long you can hang upside down for before the lactic acid makes your brain stop working, and some powerful pulling on the top crux. This is what I train for.
Et dieu crea la flame (Verdon) - the bottom part was a bit wet and meh, but the upper half is the most immaculate tufa pumping you can find, all in a cave half way up the gorge with no crowds. Smashing.
Seree limite (Verdon) - Awesome multipitch day out with Ella on our honeymoon :)


Top three new routes/problems put up
Lambriknee - dumb but fun Griffs linkup. Plus those that don't like knees (or have short shins) will find it hard which always makes me happy ;)
The Anatomy Act - a nice direct finish to 32 down the Cornice.

Top Spankings
Lambo (Griffs) - fell off the last move a few times like a punt. Then it got hot. Then I never went back.. unfinished business for next year

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#11 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 01:57:41 pm
Top 3 boulder problems UK.

Tight Hole, Roche Abbey. I enjoyed my first visit to this buttress as there's quite a lot to go at and the problems are a few moves long.
Hockstack and two broken toothbrushes. Carrock Fell. I failed miserably on this a couple of years ago and given it's a big lanky deadpoint and it still felt hard, I reckon 7B+ is fairer! Did this time in perfect, windy conditions in April following the Anniversary Waltz fell race the day before. Top weekend.
Harvey Oswald, Ogwen. Wedding anniversary weekend in June. Pleased to flash this

Top 3 boulder problems abroad.

R've Gauche and Barricades. Two aretes of the same boulder. Just classic Font working out the moves with my old mate, Davros. Great fun.
Le Cadeau. Sam flashed it, I did it second go. Perfect conditions in August in Font, with the wind blowing. Another esoteric gem.
36.15 Power. My only 7C this year. I'd decided to do mileage in Font, so this was one of the few harder things I tried.

Top 3 trad routes/solos UK.

Snail Crack, Lawrencefield. My eldest son's first proper trad route.

That was it on the trad front : (

Top 3 sport routes UK.

Excalibur, Moat Buttress. Second sport evening of the year I was pleased to on-sight this.
Cruisin' for a Bruisin', Yew Cogar. At the start of the week Ed and I were talking about Cloggy/Scafell. Then that storm blew in on 27 July and I had visions of sunken eyed, down-jacket clad folk milling around at the base of Kilnsey. But I suggested Yew Cogar as I'd always wanted to go and although the conditions were 'challenging', I managed to sprint up this with very numb fingers.
Vorsprung Durch Tecknik, Yew Cogar. Ed put the clips in and worked it, I had a flash go then did it a couple of goes later. My only full day route climbing all year, so well pleased.

Top 3 routes abroad.
..actually this was pretty much a full day. Did a handful of routes at Guignoterie in France on a 'holiday' from Font. Old Skool limestone pockets. Tough.

Top 3 new routes/problems.
Nope.

Top spankings
L'Etrave et sucre, Beauvais. A bit warm, a bit too long to work out the trick with the right heel. I so want to do this problem.
A 7a at Guignoterie. Can't think when I last fell off a 7a.
Pump up the Powerband. A couple of sessions in the spring, then a bit of a concerted effort (by that I mean 3 or 4 sessions) in September. Had the lock, didn't have enough power and underlying power endurance. Did some good training for the latter in October, then the weather got ming, the clocks went back and I couldn't face the Tor. Never managed to reach high point of a few years ago.

Top 3 fell races
Arenig Fawr, Aniversary Waltz, Kinder Trog. Didn't end up racing that much this year, partly as I was injured in the spring so climbed. Then it was really hot. Managed a mini breakthrough in my running in October "consistency is the key to success, not single isolated suffer fests". Pleased to finish the year on 1000 miles.


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#12 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 04:37:04 pm
Ok so a strange year for me, but in the end a good one I think.

Low point of the year- irreparably fragging my wrist in February doing ‘one last problem’ on an otherwise perfect day at the Sheep Pen

High point- irreparably fragging my wrist and giving up all things training and ‘f goal ‘ related and after a bit of soul searching heading back to my climbing roots.

Top grand days out:

Wilton 1 with Jonny- doing crag classics Supercrack (e35c) White Slabs Blunt (e35c) and Max (e35c). White slabs blunt is a bit to scary (as my 2 yr old would say)

Beeston with Ben- lovely sunny day with a cooling breeze. Great routes including Catharsis (e35c quite tough) Go budgie (e56a or 7a+ on threads) and Black grub (e35c)

Scimitar ridge with Jonny and Pippin who found her crag paws at last. Troy (e15b) and Killerkranky (e56b soft). Blowing a gale everywhere but here a sunny afternoon and no one around.

Top trips

Only one this year- a few days spent on Tremadog in May with Ben. The hottest, wettest,humid, midge infested trip I’ve ever had there. Pretty much greased / rained of everything but had a great time eating Solero’s and fish n chips. Route highlights include Falcon e15b and Wasp e25c and Viper e36b. Wasp I rate as one of the best routes I’ve done mega leaning slot / hand crack followed by a long technical corner pitch. E3 of anyone’s money.

This year I did a bit of headpointing of routes I’ve always looked at but they’ve either been to hard , to dirty or to hard and dirty. Top 3 is tricky, here’s a selection.

Dharma- e76c. A Dawes classic I first looked at about 15 yrs ago. Near my limit on technical wall climbing a fair way out from pegs

Master of Reality -e66c. Shameless redpoint. Sort of disappointing line on the bottom wall but that last move is mega

All systems go - e6/7 6c. I thought I was cleaning scarab haha. 2 sessions cleaning and another to do it. French 7c with miserable rp’s. Great sustained climbing.

Laguna Sunrise e6 6c- an unsung Nadin gem surely. That unprotected rockover on Appaloosa is a bit heart in mouth.

So I also had a few other favourites either done onsight or ground up. Top 3 routes in this category.

Stroll on (the grochan) e35c - Seemed at the limit of my endurance onsight. What a route! E4 at least.

Cones and Currents e5 6b - I love nesscliffe, usually so quiet. I fell of the crux first go after spending a surprisingly pumpy 20 mins trying to thread the hole 🙄

Snap Dragon e5 6b- chee Tor. Fell off this about 10 yrs ago and managed to climb it at the end of a long hot day. After a couple of falls of course!

Finally top spankings.

Finger licker e4 5c (tremadog)- grease, midges, rain, terminal pump, shit I’ve blown it!!!

El guide direct e35c (cwm something) climbed it but why was it so fucking terrifying?

The one that got away - flight of ideas e6 7a (Stanage) toproped cleanly on a freezing day. Felt about font 7a+ (looking forward to getting back on it)

And finally an honorary mention of nearly completing my Rivelin campaign with John Allen’s ‘Only human’ a tough e5 6c on the needle and ‘Big Al’ another tough e5 6c to the left of Plague. Only about 3 routes left to do on the edge!

Peace out ✌️

nai

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#13 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 04:42:17 pm
Sport
Coming Up for Air - 7c in a session  :o
Thought it might be a fluke/soft/etc but then a week later:
Little Boots - TOR 7c in a session  :o :o
Rala Rwdins - Looking forward to a day of trad but it was clagged out at Tremadog then higher up then landed here. I didn't want to be there, partner didn't want to be there. After a few mediocre warmups was sceptical that there was a *** banger around but it turned out to be brilliant. Even better that it started raining as I lowered off so we could leave. Back to a by-now glorious Pass where I had a great evening bouldering.

Trad
Resurrection - long term goal.  Nearly blew it pumped and super scared at the top. Memorable.  Lifetime tick.
Stroll On - nice bonus tick the following day, much more relaxed affair.

Cornice
Powerplant - long term goal no 2 and another lifetime tick two weeks after doing Resurrection.
Naive & Sentimental - one of the first ascents this year century?  Such a good finishing sequence, technical, powerful, insecure, awesome
Zippy's Direct Finish - looked so straighforward lowering off from N&SL but actually techy and tenuous, far more deserving of the stars than the original cop-out

Boulders
PNC - MCQ - simply because the first time I tried it I was totally out of form and couldn't do a single move then pissed it in no time a few weeks later and went home to train afterwards.
The Sweep, Godrevy - great feature only accessible at low tide with fickle connies. Faffing around by family meant the window was already closing by the time I got down there, had to check the water level between attempts and got my feet wet on the walk wade out

   

Bombshell - Milestone Buttress - burly. Almost fell for the picture in the guide but sussed the right beta and managed it.

New
Padawan - Anston. First and only, bit of a link but it does have about three independent moves. The tall may find it harder which always makes me happy





Spankings/Near Misses
Flaky Wall - Gah, I looked up at the jug from the top of the groove and knew that was it. Then fell off making that move :slap:

36C sit into Flag of Iron - Tremerchion.  Popped in on the way back from N. Wales after climbing at Milestone in the morning. Fifth day on so already tired, did FOI from a stand then managed it from the 36c sit to the last hold three times but couldn't remember how to make the match.

Bovine - utter twat, just could not do the move to the ear, rest of it was fine.  Knew I should have walked away and gone back in Spring but kept going at it til it broke me. Torn hamstring and finished season, still an issue four months later.



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#14 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 05:13:10 pm
Wow Nai, a great year! I found stroll on so much harder than resurrection. Who knows why?!

On a different note the day I did resurrection, John Arran wandered up to an otherwise deserted crag and soloed left wall, memory lane? A wet looking right wall and then down climbed the direct finish to left wall. Put him bumbag back on and mooched off!

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#15 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 05:25:04 pm
Wow Nai, a great year! I found stroll on so much harder than resurrection. Who knows why?!

On a different note the day I did resurrection, John Arran wandered up to an otherwise deserted crag and soloed left wall, memory lane? A wet looking right wall and then down climbed the direct finish to left wall. Put his bumbag back on and mooched off!

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#16 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 05:34:59 pm
Top boulder problems, UK
Devon Sent 7C+ Bovey Woods. Pretty much made my year this, think it was 7 sessions at least, and I'd basically given up on it in the spring of 2016. Went first session back on it this year, but still had to try really hard. So chuffed to have got one of the best problems in the south.
Study in Scarlet 7B Llangattock. Great afternoon on a great little boulder, great view, and new spot to me within an hour of home.
Gritstone Megamix 7a Birchens. Had done it before but still awesome.

Top boulder problems, abroad
U boot 6C magic. Not a very productive trip to Switzerland, but had a really good day doing a bunch of 6's in the sunshine, this one's classic for good reason.
Haka 7A+ font. Long weekend was pretty damp overall, but this bit of great un font like thuggery was good to tick off, having failed a few years ago.

Top trad routes, UK
All from several ace weekends in Pembroke, was nice to get back into a little bit of trad.
The Butcher E3. Ace position and committing move on the arete.
Clean Hand Blues Band E2. Lovely bit of variety.
Cool for Cats E1. Even better than Manzoku I think.

Top sport routes, UK
Sweet Tufa 8a Cheddar. Really happy to get this, often wet and untypical climbing for Cheddar.
Supertramp 7a Tirpentrws. Best route of a slightly ridiculous challenge to tick the crag in a day. The climbing isn't amazing, but it's a lovely spot and we had a great day with Ro doing her project too.

Top sport routes, abroad
All from a great trip to Rodellar in September.
Pince Sans Rire 7b+ What a route, everything I was hoping for from Spanish tufa pulling. Fell by last bolt on the flash, was still a really good fight to get it next go.
Maria Ponte el Arnes 7b+. Route next to Pince... Almost as amazing, same great positions, but I managed to flash this one, second flash of this grade, the day after my first.
Tomar Castanazo 7a+. Could have been any of the routes I did that day, just felt like I had such good flow, never close to falling all day.

Top Spankings
Pretty much everything at magic. Poor choices of stuff to work on, not in shape for a bouldering trip, etc etc.

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#17 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 05:41:13 pm
Top boulder problems, UK
Devon Sent 7C+ Bovey Woods. Pretty much made my year this, think it was 7 sessions at least, and I'd basically given up on it in the spring of 2016. Went first session back on it this year, but still had to try really hard. So chuffed to have got one of the best problems in the south.

Long long term goal of mine. Is it as sharp as everyone says? Or just typical Dartmoor?

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#18 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 05:57:00 pm
Typical Dartmoor I'd say. Nether edge is worse. That said, putting a rope down it would definitely help save time and skin, I certainly had to cut short a few sessions.

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#19 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 06:56:38 pm
I love this thread.  Always inspiring and humbling to see what you've all been up to. It's been a funny old year for my climbing, totally ignoring routes and focusing on bouldering while we've been finding our way as new parents. Here's my highlights, adding a Scottish flavour to the thread.

Top three boulder problems, UKScotland
Red Handed 7A, Reiff in The Woods – The king line at one of the UK's most scenic venues was a long held ambition.
https://flic.kr/p/2cwMs5A
The Universal (stand start) 7B, Applecross – Another long held ambition that went down much quicker than expected.  Need to go back to add the sit start for the full tick.
Slot Machine 7A, Torridon – One of those pleasing ones that had felt desperate in previous years but went down in a session this year.  Nice to get a bit high too.

Top three boulder problems, abroadNot in Scotland
Graviton 7A, Roch aux Sabots – On a stag do on the red hot May bank holiday.  Slipped out early for the cool temps while everyone was still asleep and managed this.   
Trust 7A, The Roaches – Every few years we spend Christmas at the in-laws in Staffordshire so I get a festive day pass for a rare bit of grit.  I'd tried and failed on Trust the last time we'd been down for Xmas (2015?) so it was lovely to get it done on Christmas Eve this year.
Hard Arete 7A+, The Roaches – Totally unexpected.  Got handed the beta by the locals so it was kind of cheating, but it topped off the Christmas Eve session, and the year's climbing, very nicely.

Top three trad routes/solos UK
Not been that sort of a year...

Top three sport routes UK
Concentrated on bouldering this year, but I think I did a couple of repeats of The Warm Up 7b at Am Fasgadh.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Definately not been that sort of a year

Top three new routes/problems put up
If Not Now 7B, Strathrusdale – A long held ambition since finding this boulder in 2011. 
Awake But Always Dreaming 6C, Rogie Falls – Surprisingly good highball about 15 minutes from home.
Real Fool's Gold 6C+, Strathconon – The best line on a boulder that emerged from recent forest felling not far from home.

Top Spankings
Potential Seven 7B, Torridon – Four sessions in 2018.  I thought it would go down pretty fast but I think I'm learning I'm shit at this style.  Back again tomorrow...

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#20 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 07:36:27 pm
Wow Nai, a great year! I found stroll on so much harder than resurrection. Who knows why?!

Cheers Dan, like the look of yours too. Quite keen (again) on doing more trad this year.  Master of Reality looks amazing but perhaps a bit more runout than I'd like.

Should really have done Resurrection and Stroll On the other way around, definitely would have liked a few more than three trad pitches (one the Flaky fail) as preperraion but I was in position with a willing partner so might not have had another chance if I'd backed out.

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#21 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 08:37:11 pm
Great thread  :)

Top three boulder problems, UK:
Outstanding 6A+ Ruthven - amazing location in the highlands, 45 degrees on buckets
Yew tree traverse 7A+/7c
Definitive 5.12 left hand 7A+ - all on ringlocks and thin hands, ace!

Top three boulder problems, abroad
N/A bouldering is training for routes to me...

Top three trad routes/solos UK
Desolation Angels E5 / 7a - really a sport route, great way to explore the crag
This year's model E5 / 6B - highball boulder problem really, lucid experience in the dark, after work, felt miles away from anywhere or anyone
Fingerlicker E4 at Tremadog even though I fell off and ripped a flapper at the top

Top three sport routes UK
Excalibur 7b+
Fuck your gods 7a - great onsight experience of controlling pump
Supercrack 7a - best 7a in the peak?

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Congrio 7c - loved the variety and the gritstone rockover whilst pumped
Nueva dimensión 7a+ - La Cabrera -trad finger crack into boulder problem
Diedro Azul 7a La Pedriza - boulder problem into beautiful blue and orange granite corner

Top Spankings
Almost a hold 6C+ - what?!
Back Wall Traverse, Hobson Moor 6B - cannot. touch. it.

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#22 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 08:45:33 pm
It’s not easy to write about 2018, a year almost entirely consumed by the two hardest things I’ve ever done: finishing my seacliff film and surviving/ recovering from/ dealing with the aftermath of a near-fatal accident, with just a short sport climbing trip seperating the end of one and the start of the other.

At some point before I was flown home from Spain I’d had the last of the tubes taken out of me and been fitted with a back brace- one of the many advantages of this was that if I needed to be moved to another bit of the hospital I could be lifted into a wheelchair and transported facing forward rather than rolled around in bed looking at the ceiling.

The first time this happened I was absolutely stunned to learn that there was a floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the corridor I’d been in for a week, looking out at a classic Costa Blanca scene- a beautiful mountain ridge with a limestone cliff extending partway across it. It was mid afternoon and the light was amazing. 

The porter saw my reaction and as he waited for the lift to arrive he turned me towards the window. I just sat weeping with the joy of seeing the world I loved again, the confusion of realising how close it had been the whole time and the fear that I might never be able to interact with it in the same way again. It’s this mix of shock, elation and fear that characterised the rest of the year for me and the crag environment has been not just the inspiration for my mental and physical recovery, but I’m delighted to be able to say that it’s been the location of it too.

Anyway, categories of one as I’ve barely been climbing. Chronological order too.

Best boulder problem

Joe’s Direct, 5+, Froggatt I only went climbing in the UK once before my trip and it was a warmish muddy one with ashtond6 after I’d spent the previous day doing DIY. If I’d have known it would be my last ever bouldering session I’d have at least had a rest day beforehand! This was the only decent problem I did amongst lots of failure. I suppose it’s a good one to finish with as I’ve always enjoyed it and have long prided myself on doing it first go every time I visit the crag, with or without mats. I think I took a few tries this time though. :lol:

Biggest spanking

Basically my whole Spain trip I dragged The Seaside kicking and screaming into a finished state and headed off to Spain just over 24 hours later, very pleased with myself, fit from lots of indoor training and psyched to see friends and make new ones and climb with nothing weighing on my mind. Whilst it was a lovely holiday, I felt mentally burnt-out every day at the crag, felt weirdly out of control driving the hire car, climbing felt hard, I had to force myself to make moves above bolts and climbed no harder than 6b, dogging some even easier routes. Then I made an inexplicably basic ropework error and decked out from 25 metres, landing on the left side of my arse at around 50mph. If that’s not a spanking I don’t know what is.

Best sport route

Parle, 6a+, Toix Sea Cliffs Wild Gogarth-with-bolts business. Despite what I just wrote, this was a fantastic day all round.

Best hillwalk  :look:

Three Peaks of Yorkshire Did this with my girlfriend in July. We’d meant to do it for years but neither of us had been quite bothered enough to make it happen. In hospital we agreed we’d do it this year. Well, I was deadly serious but I was on a lot of drugs then and I think Rache may have just been humouring me, but 4 months later we really did it. It took 13 hours despite perfect sunny ‘n’ breezy conditions, I used my crutch for every step of the way and a lot of it was firmly in the “type 2 fun” category but I will never forget the feeling of achievement- it was like doing a big multi pitch where every pitch is at your limit and you seriously consider bailing at every belay but you somehow pull it all off. Towards the end I thought “this is amazing! I’m still just about keeping up with Rache” and it suddenly dawned on me that she’d been dawdling along to let me keep pace the whole day. That kind of summarised most of my year- when you’re fit & independent you’ve no idea whether people you know would help you if you needed it. I really fucking needed it this year and everyone came through. :hug:

Best trad route

Hollybush Gully Right, VDiff, Stanage Plantation Exactly six months after my accident. What a crag- there is always something you can find that you haven’t done before and it turns out this is also one of the edge’s earliest routes. I’d have soloed it in less than a minute before but in this case it was at my limit and as satisfying as any route I’ve ever done.

Fucking hell. :'(  ;) Thanks for everything this year guys. Hopefully I’ll be writing a far less emotional best of 2019.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2019, 08:58:36 pm by cheque »

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#23 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 08:55:49 pm
 :clap2: Mike
All on the up now!
Was thinking of our Birchen day today!

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#24 Re: Best of 2018
January 01, 2019, 10:13:05 pm
I'm totally in agreement with everyone who has said this thread is a yearly highlight, it's always brilliant and inspiring to see what people have been up to.

A somewhat curtailed year climbing wise after becoming a father in June, but training at home has continued where possible and we are in a place where I can get out again more regularly now.

Top three UK boulders:
Flick of the Wrist, Tan y Grisiau - A Welsh classic with great movement, especially the move off the pinch. Potentially one of those rare problems easier for the shorter of stature?

Paint it Black, Blackwell Dale - First day back on rock, 3 months after our daughter was born. Was happy to do this in a session showing that the snatched hours in the garage on the fingerboard were worthwhile. I think it's the best lime boulder problem I've done, but that may be more about the timing than the quality.

Not For Weasels, Mytholm Steeps - Innocuous looking problem, but a great sequence using an unlikely looking sloper.


Top three boulders aboard:
Only one trip abroad this year to Vastervik, which I can heartily recommend as a destination. We got lucky with the weather I think, but the climbing was brilliant and the town itself a great hub with everything you need.

Golden Path Sit - Brilliant accuracy move to get into the stand, felt miles off then found the right movement and managed not to drop the slopey top. Will probably get downgraded in the future, but currently my hardest climb abroad.
Dillerium - Great sequence on slopey crimps on bullet granite, highly recommended.
King's Speech - Amazing highball wall at an out the way boulder (not that we saw many other climbers in Vastervik anyway).

Top UK Route:
Ring of Steal, Mamores - I think this gets Grade I so that counts as a route right? Very long day out in February for two unfit boulders, high winds, lots of loose snow, cornices, and I stabbed myself in the knee with a crampon, fairly standard Scottish day out I think.




 

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