[spidermonkey09]

Right then...thanks all for the psych thus far.

Boulder problems

Desert Island Arete, Earl Crag, 7a+ : easily the best problem of the year. Gritstone perfection.

Underhand, Almscliff, 7b+ : my entry exam into harder bouldering. Amazing, technical climbing that feels so easy when you sort it out. Did the extension the same day but was more psyched with this.

The warm up circuit at Earl: the best collection of problems below 6a in the country for my money.

Boulder problems abroad

One trip to font over Easter.

Fissure Contractuelle, JA Martin, f4: just an amazing slab and crack.
Dalle Zoulou, 6a: right next to it and better if anything.
Kilo de Buerre, 95.2: high and juggy, brilliant.


Trad

Central Buttress, Scafell, E1: surely the best trad route in England? Devious and engaging all the way. Bone dry in the evening sun of the may heatwave with great friends. Superb.

Adrenaline Rush, E5, Caley: bit controversial this as it had a lot of pads under it but I still maintain its not a boulder problem. Intended to throw a rope down it but it was clean on arrival so had a go onsight. The feeling of moving well on grit high above the ground is so good.

Valkyrie, Froggatt, HVS: one from this weekend. Fell off it years ago and did it fine this time. Perfect conditions, brilliant climbing, requires a range of skills. Pretty solid at HVS!

Sport. Easy one this...

Zoolook, Malham, 8a: unfinished business from last autumn. Made progress every session and systematically worked specific weaknesses. Felt like a real step up from Raindogs in 2017.

Supercool, Gordale, 8a+: see Power Club entries as nauseum. 16 sessions required but got there in the end, just beating the weather. Bonus of being the first one in the Yorkshire Triple Crown. The most emotional I've ever been finishing a route.

Predator, Malham, 8b: the epitomy of an end of season bonus. Intended to put the hard work in before a spring redpoint campaign but just snuck in under the crossbar. Suited me down to the ground and experienced the best 'in the zone' feeling I've ever had on the RP go.

Honourable mention to New Dawn which I maintain is the best sport route in the country.

Routes Abroad

Changement de Look, 7b+, Ceuse: the definition of sandbag (nearer 7c+!) But so good. Good to do an Edlinger classic.

Blocage Violent, 7b+, Ceuse: ultimate endurance test. Eventually got up it on the penultimate day of the trip.

L'escamarla, 7c+, Siurana: perhaps the best route in Siurana bar Kale Borroka?

Spankings

Ceuse, the warmups at Cascade. Polished, minging shit. Got a total seeing to and had lunch in the sun instead.

Trust, Guisecliff: thought I would do this quickly and it took me to the cleaners. That'll learn me.

Gato Lerdo, Siurana: thought all of El Pati was a bit grim but couldn't touch this with a barge pole. Desperate move through the overlap forced swift retreat.

Been a good one for me. I never thought the sport climbing would go as well as it has. The benefits of being disciplined and methodical when training paying off. Loved the whole season so psyched to do it all again next year!

[TobyD]

Top UK sport
Let the tripe increase 7c felt like a real step forward post injury as it's a very bouldery 7c which I'd tried and not done pre injury. Great crux sequence too, typically peak.
Ring of fire 7c+ a new post injury grade and a really fun route, half of which suited me and half of which didn't.
Appetite 7a+. Probably about the three hundredth time I'd done it, but definitely the (psychologically) hardest and the first since it almost killed me. Easily as good as climbing 8b.

European sport
Le Premices de la Chicoree, la croix 7c onsight: 6th day on, last day of the trip. Set off assuming I'd barely be able to dog it I was so tired, but never really felt like I'd blow it.
Segul lluitan 7b chulilla, onsight. A simply fantastic route, on a lovely sunny day in march.
Manhattan Baghdad 7c couyrac. Another long great route, varied and interesting climbing up a steep arete.

Top spankings
Los incredulos chulilla
Flix flax terradetts
L'adrecador terradetts.

Great year in many ways. Thanks for the days out Marc, Andy, Tom, Nick and everyone else I've climbed with this year

[jwi]

Manhattan Baghdad 7c couyrac. Another long great route, varied and interesting climbing up a steep arete.

A really great route, and the best route of the sector with quite some margin.

[Ally Smith]

Top boulder problems, UK
Rockatrocity, 7C. Something that I avoided for years after hurting my ring finger on it. I deliberately did some 3-finger crimp fingerboarding; then did it in a session
Popcorn Party, 7A. Highlight of visiting Porth Ysgo for the 1st time on my stag weekend.
The Wire, 8A+ (only 8A with my sequence) - found some very satisfying micro beta to make it work for a lanky tw@

Top boulder problems, abroad

Top trad routes, UK

Top sport routes, UK
The Pirate, 8c, FA, Kilnsey. Suited me perfectly and an awesome RP campaign where each session rewarded me with a new highpoint.
The Spider, 8a, Cheedale. Fun roof thugging without a crimp in sight.
Mad at the Sun, 7c, The Gap. Awesome to tick a route The Pickford had first raved about whilst at uni together 18 years ago!

Top sport routes, abroad
Both from a cold "beast from the east" week in Margalef in Feb.
ATP L3, 8a, Masruidoms. A big fight to climb this in a cloud with water running out of some of the tufas.
Chachi qui chapi, 7a, Margalef. Last route before airport on the only warm day of the week.

Top Spankings
The Joker, 8A, Plantation - got really close in a session - even letting go of the jug for fear of taking the massive swing. Then coudn't get near the top again.
Escalafrios, 7c+, Margalef. (Even the top 7b section felt nails and required 2x RPs)
&
Sátiva patática, 8a Margalef. So weak on middle-2 pockets!

[Steve R]

*navel gazing alert*
Not the best climbing year for me in terms of achievements and ticks despite having ample time and opportunity to really go for it.  I got a lot out of the climbing I did but a high frequency and huge amplitude in my motivation cycle meant I never got much momentum or form together.  On or near the peaks of syke maxima, climbing and training felt profoundly fulfilling and totally worthwhile.  Whilst down in the nihilistic troughs of syke minima, desire to improve and striving to perform well seemed about as worthwhile as my 9 year old self wanting to improve his scalextric lap times.   I think/hope I’ve disentangled what’s going on here sufficiently so I can be more consistent in my approach and mindset this year.  Thus avoiding long spells of downtime and generally, though it’s hard to quantify, get ‘more’ of the great stuff available through climbing.
* stop *

Down to business:

Blokproblems

shocked to discover I've barely ticked any problems outside this year.  Some good sessions putting together problems on my board (between finger niggles) is the best I can do here.

sport

La Cuca 8a, El Chorro.  Pretty good route that I found pretty tough.  Memorable as it was one of those rare and lucky redpoints where a sequence of unlikely consecutive upward falls find you struggling to believe you’re still on but elated that you are.

Les nouvelles plantations du Christ 7c+, Tarn.  Great route in an amazing place. Tarn has to be some version of sport climbing paradise apart from that brutal (and seemingly unavoidable) caterpillar rash!

Os Court 7b+, Buoux.  Red-line lashing up drilled 2 finger pockets on a cool steep wall, boiling hot, uncertain outcome,  negligible style – fantastic, guilty pleasure satisfaction.

Trad and dws

A couple of brilliant summer trips to Pembroke provide obvious highlights here.

Get some in, Ships that pass in the night, Star wars and a couple of those E4s on the castle were all in that trad goldilocks zone of hard enough to be really memorable and require plenty of focus but easy enough that a margin of safety and a sense of control is maintained.

soloing above big evening tides in Stennis ford - overexposed, etc. and Mother Carey’s – one eyed man were great experiences.

New stuff

Nothing to declare - first time for a number of years I think.  I did spectate/film/help figure out moves on a couple of good new problems a mate found and did – tenuous proxy half-ticks then.

Top spanking

I had some idea what I was in for when I was persueded to do Deygo E3 on Red walls at gogarth.  The reality was worse and I found myself distinctly lacking in skills set and desire on my lead of pitch 2.  Handed over the lead as quickly as I could having made a token ½ a move or so away from the belay.  No intention of rectifying this weakness with loose rock adventure style ‘climbing’ any time soon.

All the best for 2019

[36chambers]

Definitely my best year yet in terms of quality. Apologises if it's a bit long, I could have easily added more.

Top 8 in UK
Toejam and Earl 7C, double toehook reach around madness. Great moves on a brilliant boulder.
Impropa Opera sit 7C+, almost bagged it in a session after doing the stand and Grand. Board climbing is best and it's great to climb that style outside.
Wavelength 7B+, I love bouncy-barn-doory moves, I also love it when you can feel something coming together after each subsequent go.
Corridors of Power 7C+, somehow managed to drag myself up this at the end of a long weekend in Wales.
Born Lippy 7C/+, not necessarily the best climbing, but I eyed it up ages ago as something I'd like to do one day and now I've done it.
Yorkshireman 7B+, similar to Wavelength, after my first go I knew it was a done deal. Just got closer and closer till it went. Love that feeling.
Dark Art 8A, could never get anything out of the right heel on the starting RH hold previously. However, this year something clicked and after doing the move in isolated, I managed the full thing from the start two goes later.
Sweet Dreams 7C+, bit dabby, but I do like dem moves.

Top 8 Abroad
Grampians
The Quickening 7C, committing af cut loose hold catch glory. Too scary to try the move in isolation, thank god it went first go from the start.
The Departed 7C+, 30 board climbing on perfect slopers.
Bakelite Concept 7C+, beautiful holds and possibly the hardest heel hook I've ever done.
Copperhead 7A+, 15 degree overhang, vague arete, highball on perfect holds.

Flock and Castle Hill
Pythagoras 7B, high techy wall with slopey landing.
Monster Society of Evil 7C, hard board moves into a freestyled awkward mantle. It’s not that high but felt very exposed for some reason. Took a while to gather my wits afterwards.
Nasal Slip 6B, highball no hand slab padding on polished limestone. Eyeing it up all week and finally tried it on the last day. Was almost blown off it was so windy. Very satisfying.

Font
La Balance 7C, a stupidly hot October trip finally yielded okay conditions on the last day and I managed to finish this off quickly. 

Top spankings
Various not too serious injuries. Sprain my thumb which meant I couldn't write for 3 weeks, I then strained both my hamstrings and couldn't really heelhook or cross my legs properly for 4 months. Somehow ended up with 6 tweaky fingers at once over summer, and now I'm currently nursing a strained side (possibly my lat) which has meant no steep climbing and no pain free sneezing for 4 weeks now.

[IanP]

Early 2018 the missus gave me to permission to jack in a job I really wasn’t enjoying and have a few months off this summer.  While other things in life (mainly ill parent related) meant I ended up spending most of the time sport climbing in the UK the brilliant weather and some great partners (including my daughter who is now a fully committed climber) gave me a great summer and for the first year in a long time I actually needed to think about which routes to include in this list! Have enjoyed writing it down so please excuse the waffle.

Top sport routes (UK)

The Perfect Mirage 8a, Gordale
Project for the previous couple of years and my second 8a 9 years after the first.  Despite some rattly holds on the lower section I think this a great route, sustained climbing to a hard to work rest then excellent crux section on great rock in a brilliant position.  No nasty holds or desperate moves made it a perfect 8a for me, just as good and a bit harder than Defcon 3 imo.   Thanks to Andy F who almost bailed because his car died but instead got the train out to Warrington on Sunday morning to provide the rp belay and managed to fit in a celebratory pint before I dropped him back off at the station, 

L’Obsession 7c+, Malham
After a great spring/early summer I hit my regular mid year dip during August but some shorter peak routes seemed to get the finger strength back up and I got this real long term project done in September.  Tremendous route which I’ve tried on an off for 20 years getting close but never seeming to get back at the right time to finish it off.  Despite some fickle condition (why does the sun always seem to shine at Malham when the forecast says mostly cloudy!) got through the desperate start crux, shook out, then pretty smoothly up the groove and held it together when the pump arrived near the top. 

Super Duper Dupont 7c, Chapel Head Scar
Only 2 sessions, which is pretty quick for me on a 7c, team tick with Steve.  For me absolutely one of the best of its grade in the country, tremendous varied climbing all the way.

Top trad routes (UK)

Parkers Eliminate HVS, Hobson Moor
Don’t really trad climb any more (and have soloed this many time previously) but did this with the daughter on a quick morning hit in between A level revision and great to see her second it cleanly on lovely day as only her second route on grit.

Top sport routes (abroad)

Shere Baghera 7c, Camarasa
Logical link up of Shere Khan into Baghera at supposed 7c.  Put the gear in and then went up to check the sequences, got through the lower crux and then just kept going.  Probably very soft for the grade but great route with 35m of steep climbing on generally good holds.

La ryobi va da dir prou 7b+,  L’Obaga del Falco
Having trashed a tip failing on my project the day before I decided to tape the fingers and try this fierce looking overhanging crack instead.  Didn’t disappoint, providing a great battle with laybacking, jams, powerful crux and a big move to jugs to finish.
 
Malagueña Salerosa 7a+, Culampe 4, Margalef   
Last day of spring trip, feeling pretty tired and had just repeated the 6c+/7a to its right with a bit of a battle.  Mate put the clips in on the way down so I decided to have a very speculative os go and completely surprised myself by committing to about 4 mono moves in row for a very satisfying way to end the trip.

Top spankings   

Cave Route Left Hand 7c+, Gordale
Great line, enjoyed the initial crack then got to the crux!  Lots of beta from below meant I felt like I might find a way through the powerful undercuts but then pulled up to find what I was going for – a horrible pocket (for my sausage like fingers) where I needed a jug! Above that more great climbing but don’t think it will ever happen for me. 

Eraser Head/Route of all Evil 7a+, Chapel Head Scar
Mileage day before trip to Spain (ha!).  Direct on route of all evil which I nearly onsighted in the 90s, went for the retro onsight and was miles off and then fell off on the first redpoint, managed to pull it out for second rp but was done for the day.  While I’m rp’ing as well (or even better) as I ever have my onsighting on technical UK limestone is miles away from what it was. 

Best belays

Cattle Mutilation Expedition 6c, Masson Lees
My daughter Amy started climbing (indoors) autumn 2017 and was quickly hooked.  Despite lacking a bit of confidence she got into outdoor sport climbing this summer, mainly top roping at first.  Had a few trips to Masson Lees where she did her first lead (6a on the red walls) and then wanted to try something harder.  Got the moves and sequences sorted on this and started to think about a rp.  On the day she had a quick top rope and said she wanted to get on the lead to try the clips, got through the initial hard moves and then committed totally at the top to get the successful redpoint.  She was buzzing and I was totally proud dad!  And she was old enough for us to stop for a celebratory pint on the way back.

Supercool 8a+, Gordale
Great to belay Steve on this, his total anti-style route. He nearly got it early on after getting through the second crux by surprise and then falling off the final wall which he hadn’t worked then had 2 more sessions where conditions and other factors conspired against him.  Just when you think it might start to become a mental game he pulled it out to end a great early summer of climbing at Gordale for both of us. 

[Will Hunt]

A long post here, but it is the best thread of the year.

It’s been a good year for climbing. The best change has been that after doing my first proper summer of sport climbing with a redpointing approach (instead of simply onsighting/ground-upping), I developed a much improved approach to working boulder problems and climbing in general. I’ve discovered the joy of practicing multiple sections of difficult moves in isolation and then putting them together into a smooth “redpoint” effort. I have no idea if I’m stronger than I’ve ever been but I definitely feel like I’m better than I’ve ever been.

Top boulder problems

Red Baron Roof (7C+), Shipley Glen
I’ve sprayed enough about this, but with good reason. I went at it too hard a couple of seasons ago and put in lots of sessions of effort. With an improved approach it went down over 4 sessions. Feels great to still be able to get better and do a first of the grade after beginning parenthood, when received wisdom would tell you that it’s a managed decline from there.

The Green Traverse (7A), Shipley Glen
See note above about linking difficult sections into each other. This felt nails – a step above any of the sport climbs I did over the summer. Doing it from the very bottom of the boulder definitely adds something. 6B+/6C into 6C+ into 6C with no significant rests.

The Gemenid Trail (7A+), The Satellite Boulder
YYFY. Have wanted to do it for years but kept stupidly dropping the top. Felt easy this time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BocVhlwjHrG

Sounds and Silences (6B+), Dalehead Rocks
Brilliant bit of slab climbing that keeps coming at you to the top. There’s not really anything to hold onto up there so there’s nowhere to hide – just you and the smears.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=319905

Honourable mentions to:
Alpha (7B), Anston Stones
Successor State (6B+), Brimham


Top trad routes/solos UK

Moria (E2), Baildon Bank
Ballsed it up early in the season by leaving myself without the right size cam for the top, which I didn’t fancy doing while pumped and above choss gear. Came back later on and swarmed up it.

Debauchery (E1), High Tor
Not a route that is as good as they say, but still a very good route.

Western Front (E3), Almscliff
5th go over about 10 years. I find this really, really hard! Done on a hot summer’s evening while England was having a penalty shoot-out with Colombia during the World Cup. I arrived at the niche on Great Western with eyes on stalks and completely ruined arms. Rested and then gibbered along the 5 Star Finish hoping that I didn’t drop it. As I pulled over the top, the cheers and screams of elation from the nearby farm confirmed that it was a victory after the best of five.


Top three sport routes UK

On the Road (6c), Lorry Park Quarry
Absolutely incredible climbing – fascinating. The best corner climb I’ve ever done. I think the approach to the crag is/was up for sale as development land. If you haven’t done this yet, get yourself down there and do it before access is compromised.

Everything at Trow Gill (Hardcore Ecstasy (7b), Trowgerbirge Wall (7b/+), Bush of Ghosts (7a+), Pursuit of Excellence (7b/+), Brush with a Goat (7a))
I had three trips to the crag over the Long Hot Summer of 2018. They were all brilliant, even the one where the 4th person in our group forgot their harness and we had to keep swapping partners. I did a bunch of routes on the dark wall and I loved each and every one of them. Each one felt like a gift snatched from the lichen and seepage that hangs around in other years. Thanks to those who put the effort in to brush the place up.

Haslam (7b/+), Troller’s Gill

Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ (7b/+), Yew Cogar


Top three days at the crag
Days at the crag which did not yield any particularly mind-blowing climbs but which were, in and of themselves, great days out at the crag.

Kyloe-In
Great craic all round and everyone stuck to the script. Nathaniel tried hard and was delighted to have done 2 moves in succession, despite not getting up anything; Ben didn’t know when to stop and move onto a different problem resulting in near injury; Bojan REALLY REALLY didn’t know when to stop, or rest, or how to climb dynamically; Lucy screamed her head off while dropping onto the pads from about 3 feet in the air; Sam looked weak on the crimps; Huw was an utter fucking shambles in almost every respect; and I was flawless in every way. It really was the perfect day out.

Gimmer
Booked the day off work and bombed up to the Lakes with the “Northern Alan Partridge” himself, Sam Marks. We climbed Intern, Springbank, and Equus shambolically before coming back to the bags at the end of the day. I tried to explain to Sam exactly why this had been such a memorable, stolen day on golden-lit rock; but he’s a student with his whole life ahead of him so he simply didn’t get it.

Langdale Enchainment
My brother was not long off the plane from Singapore. He’s not climbed outdoors before, and last climbed indoors circa 15-20 years ago. I forced him into the car and drove to Langdale where he screamed “this is barbaric!” as I bundled him into my tiny mountain tent. He had a choice between warmth and comfort and he chose warmth (i.e. the down sleeping bag on the crap roll mat) and thus didn’t sleep a wink. We awoke to freezing cold winds on a foreboding October morning and went for a fry up in the NDG before enchaining two routes on two crags to get to Pavey Ark. We started up the Rake and, near the end, I pointed out Gwynne’s Chimney which had been the intended objective had we not been running out of time. He demanded that we do it. I decided to lead it on a single half rope to save ropework time and set off. Freezing cold, a waterfall of water running down my sleeves, walking boots groping uselessly at polished smears, running it out knowing that the chances of an inexperienced belayer holding a fall with cold hands and a single skinny rope were slim: with the exception of Western Front this was definitely the hardest I’ve had to try on a trad route this year.


Top three new routes/problems put up

Ours is a Great Wild Country (6B), Little Simon’s Seat
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnOhyxljI2W/

A Time of Gifts (6C+), Crag A



Top Spankings

Compulsion Crack (VS/E9), Caley
I did it, but fucking hell...

[teestub]

  Whilst down in the nihilistic troughs of syke minima, desire to improve and striving to perform well seemed about as worthwhile as my 9 year old self wanting to improve his scalextric lap times. 

Does it make me a nihilist if I think that this is an entirely accurate comparison? There's nothing intrinsically better about climbing and training for climbing than becoming a scalextic wad, it just happens to be something that my meat computer finds to be fulfilling!

[Steve R]

  Whilst down in the nihilistic troughs of syke minima, desire to improve and striving to perform well seemed about as worthwhile as my 9 year old self wanting to improve his scalextric lap times. 

Does it make me a nihilist if I think that this is an entirely accurate comparison? There's nothing intrinsically better about climbing and training for climbing than becoming a scalextic wad, it just happens to be something that my meat computer finds to be fulfilling!

Maybe, probably, yes?  I see your point.  I didn't write the bit you quoted well though so some misinterpretation might've been possible.  I meant looking back from now, scalextric seems pointless despite at the time it being important.  Unfortunately, at times, wanting to improve at climbing felt sort of on a par. 

And I'm likely getting out of my philosophical depth rapidly here but I'd have thought it's easy to argue that there're aspects to something like climbing and applying effort to get better at it that do make it intrinsically of more value than something like scalextric or computer games.   Might be biased though...

[remus]

Top boulder problem, UK

Ben's Roof, the tor. Classic! Managed to sneak in a surprise send early in the year when the rest of the crag was seeping. Great conditions in between the damp patches and nice to be able to climb at the tor without the usual crowds.

Top five DWS, UK + croatia

The Vanishing. Highlight of the year and potentially my entire climbing life. Like a 20m roof orgasm. Hard to put in to words quite how good it is.

Fathoms. Can't believe I hadn't done this before, what a squeaky clean line.

Blue Planet. Fell off it late in the late afternoon then came back for it on my own the next morning. Bit of a butt clencher at the top, not helped by jelly fish all over the place.

Waterland, Penally East. Got lucky on the flash in very uninspiring conditions. Proper pant filling heel hook action at 15m etched indellibly in to my memory.

Pocket line off some beach in Croatia. Pure fun in the sun, and some outrageously cool climbing to boot. Couldn't find it in any guides and would love to think it was a first ascent, but it looked suspiciously clean.

Top three trad routes/solos UK

Try to Remember, cheddar gorge. Broke a hold and fell 2/3rds of the way down the crag when some gear popped. Good to get it finished off when my heart had calmed down a little.

Antiworlds, Lundy. Spent a couple of hours cleaning bird shit off the bottom pitch, totally worth it.

The Cullinan, Lundy. Oof, what a line! Commitment completely rewarded on this one.

Top four sport routes UK

Thormen's Moth. Those pockets, what's not to love!

Midguard Serpent. Totally under rated line in the thormen's moth cave. Great excuse to strap on an excess of knee rubber and monkey around in the roof. Clipping the chains hanging from a single foot lock above the anchor topped it off nicely.

Call of Nature. Turned in to a bit of an extended mission while trying it in poor conditions then went very quickly when it cooled down. Great little midweek morning session with a friend who then ticked his first 7c shortly afterwards.

Roof Warrior. Got back from a trip and knocked this out pretty quickly which was pretty satisfying. Such cool moves on the headwall.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Jenjavi, Paklenica gorge, Croatia. Excellent multi-pitch fun with my girlfriend including obligatory case of running out of water and getting lost on the walk down.

Sagitta, Omis, Croatia. Sunk loads of time in to it and was on the verge of giving it up before managing to scrape my way through the crux. Despite the slightly protracted siege it was good scenes hanging around at the bottom of a scatty crag next to the road in the summer sun, felt like being back at the tor except better for your tan.

The Flow, frankenjura. Fucking amazing mono move at the top, fell off that single move at least 10 times before finally sticking it. Felt hard too, but all the better for it as you feel a proper hero jamming your finger in that mono and yarding through to victory.

Top one new DWS put up

Spring Waltz, Long Quarry Point. Amazed it hadn't been done before, lovely little line coming out of the blue planet cave with some really nice climbing. Hard enough to be interesting and a little shallow to keep it a bit spicey.

Top Spankings

Most things at the cornice. Felt like I tried everything and did nothing. More commitment needed.

Most things on portland.

Hard bouldering.

[joel182]

Maybe, probably, yes?  I see your point.  I didn't write the bit you quoted well though so some misinterpretation might've been possible.  I meant looking back from now, scalextric seems pointless despite at the time it being important.  Unfortunately, at times, wanting to improve at climbing felt sort of on a par. 

And I'm likely getting out of my philosophical depth rapidly here but I'd have thought it's easy to argue that there're aspects to something like climbing and applying effort to get better at it that do make it intrinsically of more value than something like scalextric or computer games.   Might be biased though...

In my lighter moments I tend to think it's great that climbing and scaletrix are both as valuable as each other, in the darker ones I think they are both just as pointless.

[Fiend]

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. 

The most inspiring thing I'll read on this thread no doubt

[Bradders]

Another long ramble, thanks everyone for posting and for all the psych. 

No trips abroad for me but I did manage to explore a little more of what the UK has to offer, and found it to be brilliant if difficult to get good conditions (who knew?!).

Top 5 Yorkshire

-- Chiasmata (Almscliff); lifetime tick. Great to do it same day as a mate I'd been trying it with and a brilliant experience getting closer and closer until finally it went. I was also very pleased that I managed to keep it together mentally after dropping it with my fingers practically on the jug. Had a trademark massive rest then boshed it out.

-- Ebola (Anston Stones); aspired to do this since first visiting Anston. I'd had multiple sessions without managing a single move, then after a solid month of climbing on the board I had a session where I got really close, then did it the following week. I'm always intrigued to hear people say they found it a lot easier than Resonate as for me it was the complete opposite, Ebola felt miles harder.

-- Vicious Streak (Caley); a total battle for me. Constant split tips and a race against time with the cold conditions lasting just long enough for me to see it off. Really struggled mentally seeing others apparently ease up it, which is a daft but easy trap to fall into and something I've hopefully learned from.

-- Frank (Ilkley Rocky Valley); couldn't touch it about a year prior whilst going really well and doing a handful of others around the same level. Brilliant to come back in October in fairly warm cons and do it over two sessions. Amazing satisfying move jumping to the jug and holding the swing.

-- Flayed Alive (Flaystones); birthday tick mid-heatwave, but also whilst totally burnt out from projecting. This has an incredible, unique and brutally satisfying sequence and should be on everyone's dry spell spring/summer to-do list.

Honourable mentions for Underpants (Earl Crag), Crack A No-go (Ash Head), Polar Haze (Ilkley Rocky Valley), Baby Spice (Ilkley), Troll Arete (Fairies Chest) and Razor (Crookrise).


Top 5 Rest of UK

-- Starshot Sit (Harter Gold Boulders); probably my favourite day out in 2018. Great team, perfect weather and what a flipping venue!! This is probably the best boulder problem I've ever done. I'd had a massive wobbler topping out Son of Kong (honourable mention; fantastic line!) earlier in the day, but managed to execute a near perfect 'watch everyone else sussing it out to get all the beta then burn them off with the flash' effort on the stand start (sorry guys  ) and then pulled the sit out of the bag quickly.

-- Knight Rider (Carrock Fell); I'd always thought this looked like a lip traverse but it climbs much more like a rising arete with some superb moves. Very pleased to get it done in a session on a perfect day, on what was surely my last possible go having dropped the finish a couple of times.

-- AWOL Apprentice (Tintagel); another brilliant day out, one of the few this year with my (non-climber) partner. Had a lovely morning exploring the castle then dragged her down to this astonishing boulder in the afternoon and was very chuffed to get this done on the quick. Finished off the day with a delicious pizza watching the sunset over the coast.

-- Carnage (Hartland); well worth classic status, in a stunning location by the sea. An honourable mention should also go to all the problems in The Trench over the other side of the beach, as I had a wonderful session there too.

-- Grand Opera (Bowderstone); three weekends in a row doing the 5 hour round trip up to the Stone resulted in ticking off this, Impropa, Ears, Inaudible and a couple of the extensions to both Inaudible and Picnic, something I was really pleased with having received quite a shut down on two previous visits. Grand is probably the line of the Stone and I found it tough, so I was glad to get it done and I loved the vibe of the place with loads of friendly folk getting stuck in.


Top 5 Spankings

-- Ribtickler (Goyden); six sessions in late spring/early summer. Got stupid close as the temps rose higher and higher. Made a couple of bad decisions driving up after work to try it when the sun was on it, having to wait for it to drop behind the hill at which point I had time for just a couple of goes before the midges arrived. Even stayed locally for a night with family and snuck out early morning for a session, despite being knackered from a long walk the day before. Ended up totally burnt out and with a finger injury.

-- Lager Lager Lager (Earl Crag); on my spankings list in 2017. Another three sessions in 2018, dropping the penultimate move I don't know how many times. I did at least manage The Flakes this year but it was little comfort.

-- Iron Man (Trowbarrow); very close in spring after my Bowderstone campaign had left me with a good base of power but not quite enough fitness. Dropped the crux move many times over a couple of sessions and then it got too hot. Back on it in Autumn and hadn't gone backwards but still no tick.

-- Scotland; went up for a long weekend in late May (again, mid-heatwave) with 5 problems in mind (Precious, Turbinal Nose, Apocalypse Now, Cruachan stand and Jenny's Bay). Tried 4 of them and got completely spanked, including managing to drop Apocalypse Now having done the hard bit. Much worse, my dog and I got attacked by innumerable ticks at Mini Magic Wood such that I had nightmares about them for days afterwards. Very, very keen to go back in cooler temps though, as the problems were all amazing and it's a beautiful part of the world.

-- The Lash (Birk Gill); three sessions spent dropping the crux move most goes before someone pointed out I was going for the hold completely wrong. I'd even been down it on a rope twice previously and just hadn't spotted the correct method. Can't wait to get back on it.

[Wood FT]

I love this thread as I'd stopped logging online this year and it made me get my book out and reminisce. I started the year with a long van trip with my girlfriend and it proved to be everything I had hoped for. It left me sated all through winter where I've been predominantly climbing indoors. The itch has returned though.

Top three sport routes UK
That was the river 7b+, Chee Cornice - Got a few good ticks here over summer but this stood out, very good climbing on a route I'd put off for ages.
Threadbare 7c+, Torbryan - A route I'd 'sacked' many times that marked the end of my Devon stay. 
Pursuit of Excellence 7b+, Trow Gill -  Great walk to a great crag and a slimy swim: perfect.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Makach Walou 7c+, Ceuse - with 3 climbing days, and after the obligatory pants down fails on the 'easy' classics, I was happy to blast my way up this perfect bulge. Took some crowd-pleasing whippers, as ever.
Planete Groove 7c+, Gorges Du Tarn - Tough one between this and Les Nouvelles.. but I preferred the climbing on this ever so slightly more, an absolutely stunning prow of rock in a quiet part of the already tranquil Tarn.
Rahan 7b+, Calames - A glued-up piece of $@£% but an amazing experience finding the flow and flashing it. Ariege test piece.

Top DWS
Pink Slit 6c, Berry Head - When you shuffle under the pink block on the Rainbow Bridge traverse make sure to look up, there's a chimney, you get in it and end up spat onto the most amazing rock all the way up the headwall to the top. Thank you Tom Rainbow!
Verdon Dreaming 7b Berry Head - Fingertip-slippin'-flash yyfy!
Topology 7a, Lydstep - A type-1 fun dws journey jumping across zawns and squeezing through holes. You feel really lucky to have the chance to do this stuff. Deep Play.

Top Spankings
Minotaur E5, Huntsman's Leap. Nearly died. Reckless and unlucky and did I say reckless? A mind in pieces that I'll have to piece back together slowly.
Short-roping Shark I think I would've got a spanking if I was in range. Sorry Simon. Glad I filmed it though as it became my favourite video of the year (go see Doylo's instagram if you haven't already. NSFW)
St.Leger everything I tried.

[user deactivated]

How did you nearly die on the Minotaur dude?

[Wood FT]

How did you nearly die on the Minotaur dude?

Short story: Gear ripped, the rock around a thread broke, a wire unclipped from its quickdraw, gear pulled out. Fell a large distance down the crag upside down onto the last piece of any use, which thankfully held. You make your own luck and I made several mistakes that reduced my chances, felt (and feel) quite guilty about it. The long story is more pub-fodder than thread worthy.

[kingholmesy]

The Urge (XS, 5c) @ Trewethet.  Proper north Cornwall esoterica. ...  This should not be on every trad climber’s to do list. 

The most inspiring thing I'll read on this thread no doubt

It shouldn’t be on every trad climber’s to do list, but it should be on your’s Fiend!

The first pitch is straight-forward enough (albeit perma-damp).  The second pitch is fab - the crux is tip-toeing rightwards along the slopey, sandy lip of an overhang, with little for your hands, a good way above your gear and with your heart firmly in your mouth, before then romping through more overhangs above.

[i_a_coops]

Boulders
Choreography, Biblins pushing the definition of bouldering at 50 moves but it didn't involve a rope. Also my only FA I think
Some unnamed 6c to the left of Mermaid at Burbage bridge. Perfect movement

Uk sport:
Airshow, Shipwreck
The Medium, Llanberis - first climbing trip away with my partner <3, complete with sleeping in the skate tunnels, car breakdown and epic midge attack. Got kinda nervous on lead as I'd only just taught them to belay!
Galactica, highly overlooked route - utterly brilliant
The Raven, Minchin Hole - piss wet, probably the most pumped I got all year. Amazing place

Uk trad
Madness, the E5/XS 5c girdle of Sanctuary Wall. Some overhanging rubble, some super exposed ledge walking and then an entire pitch of super overhanging hero climbing, like a board covered in finger jugs.
Preposterous tales, Pembroke. No explanation needed!

DWS
Isostacy, Pembroke - didn't know it was a route, went for it, realised there was a reef underneath it, got scared, had to cut loose on wet pockets, didn't let go :D


Spankings
Point blank - gave up trying to GU it, toproped it clean then punted it. More than once. Crag consensus was 7c but didn't feel like that to me!
Babylone, Tarn: nearly onsighted despite wet holds and 100% humidity. Then failed to redpoint it. Many times.
Picos Pardos. Got my ass kicked.

[cheque]

The Medium, Llanberis - first climbing trip away with my partner <3, complete with sleeping in the skate tunnels, car breakdown and epic midge attack. Got kinda nervous on lead as I'd only just taught them to belay!

To be perfectly honest I don't think midges would hold a fall anyway.

[Nan]

Bouldering
Something in font can't remember name or crag

Trad
Some e6 on stanage

Sport
Haven't done any

[andy popp]

What a great bunch of lists! I love the variety, not just between the different lists but within a lot of the individual lists - people getting out there and doing (and enjoying) the full range of amazing things that climbing offers, not least in the UK itself.

I all but stopped climbing in 2018, something that I never thought would happen. I managed to boulder relatively regularly in 2017 but this dwindled to a mere handful of times in 2018, with a very long gap of nothing in the middle. I need to find a way to change that in 2019.

[kingholmesy]

Uk trad
Madness, the E5/XS 5c girdle of Sanctuary Wall. Some overhanging rubble, some super exposed ledge walking and then an entire pitch of super overhanging hero climbing, like a board covered in finger jugs.

Waddage - this has been on my to do list for ages.

Would it be fair to surmise that the climbing isn't too hard, but that you need to be able to deal with the rock and situations?  Presumably you still need to be reasonably fit if it is overhanging a lot of the time?

Also, how easy is it to get to the start of the route?  I'm not quite sure what the approach is?

[andy popp]

Uk trad
Madness, the E5/XS 5c girdle of Sanctuary Wall. Some overhanging rubble, some super exposed ledge walking and then an entire pitch of super overhanging hero climbing, like a board covered in finger jugs.

Waddage - this has been on my to do list for ages.

Would it be fair to surmise that the climbing isn't too hard, but that you need to be able to deal with the rock and situations? 

If I can put it this way, I don't think it really needs an "XS" grade - E5 is sufficient. Can't comment on the other issues as its been far too long.

[i_a_coops]

It's three pitches in the guide, pitch 1 is the intimidating ledge walking and pitch 2 is shared with an XS. It's overhanging on mega jiggy blocks, probably UK 4c or 5a but some of the blocks move! Following that pitch is worse than leading it as there's a buttress to swing into. I followed it and had a proper moment when the block I was hanging off started moving and making a grinding noise, I did an emergency double dyno for the next block which fortunately turned out to be more solid..... Hence  the XS overtones! Pitch 3 has a surprisingly bouldery crux, fitness is useful if you want to back up the in situ gear but since it's a traverse high on an overhanging wall I don't think you really need to back everything up as you'd just swing into space even if a piece blew.. French 7a felt about right? Like a euro jug haul with a couple of jugs replaced by super positive crimps.