[ianabbot]

What a brilliant thread this is; it’s uplifting and inspiring reading everyone’s highlights. I really enjoyed the year - lots of memorable days on the boulders, some alone and others shared with my two sons, with the usual mix of achievement and laughable ineptitude.

Top Boulders:

Gold Dance 7A. One of Gaz M’s discoveries up in Strathconon. Perfect, grit-like schist boulders in a lovely tranquil spot. Frustratingly poor finger lock in thin crack for left hand, right slap up patchy arête and a precarious balance to the top. What a lovely start to 2019.

Excitement in the Boys 6C+, Farr Boulder. This took me ages – looks like a jug ladder up the arête, but actually a bit of a puzzle. Plenty of barn-door pirouetting before it eventually stuck.

Hook and Go 6C+, Loch Buie. At the end of a brilliant trip to Mull, done with minutes to spare before we left for the ferry – highly recommended.

FAs:

I’d never developed anything until 2019, but it’s been a revelation. Time intensive, hard work and endless slogging across bogs in wellies tracking down likely looking boulders, most of which turn out to be useless – what’s not to like?

New Gold Dream 6A, Gold Dance Boulders. Balancy arête which isn’t a classic but kick-started my interest in cleaning new problems, so holds fond memories.

Touching from a Distance 6C? Inchbae. Lovely granite arête with holdless rounded top. Not really sure how hard this is – I found it utterly desperate, but granite mantel aficionados might find it a path.

As yet un-named 6A, Strathnairn. New discovery a few weeks back. Impressive overhanging gneiss block which looks implausible at this grade. Juggy flake leading to an exciting match on a patchy lip hold, with pad balanced on tree stump below for added interest.

Spankings:

The Big Lebowski 7A, Ruthven. I just cannot do this. I know the beta and I’ve seen it demonstrated dozens of times. The more I try it the better I get at perfecting how not to do it. Nightmare.

Hanging Arete 6A+, Torridon. Either I’m doing this wrong or I’m even more incompetent than I thought. I have a horrible feeling it’s the latter. Can’t get anywhere near it.

Everything at Fionnphort, Mull. Boiling hot day with much retreating from highball scariness.

[SA Chris]

Not heard of Gold Dance, sounds cool, any pics?

[GazM]

Not heard of Gold Dance, sounds cool, any pics?

Ask and you shall receive!
http://flic.kr/p/23NdJSN
FA vid starts at 2.40 here:

Glad it was memorable Ian!

[ianabbot]

Blimey, that was quick - thanks Gaz!

[GazM]

I'm walking around the house with a sleeping 5 week old strapped to me so not got much else to do!

[SA Chris]

Thanks Gaz, and congrats.

I discovered a lot of boulders on the coast round Muchalls walking around with a little one strapped to me.

[Johnny Brown]

West Side Story Still can’t quite believe I did it! Was buzzing for days after this. Had been a proj from years previous that I hadn’t touched for a while as I didn’t see the point. Was on 4 day weeks in Jan and one Friday it seemed like the best option despite still being v cold. Didn’t do it but tried some different beta and nearly got set up on sidepull 3... went home and spoke to Mia about her sequence, found out she used a different foot for the Egyptian. Luckily The following weekend had good Cons and with new beta matched 3rd Sidey. Spent all day trying to drop left hand back down to crimp and then to do the move to the break. Saying I’d leave soon. Right at the end of the day under the watchful eye of Nige it all clicked and I staticed to the crimp below the break and got into the upper section only to fall! Was mega happy anyway and despite calls to traverse in and practice the top I managed to calm my nerves and despatch next go. My first 7B+. Mega!

I've always considered it 7C since the pebble broke, particularly for the short.

[Will Hunt]

This has not been a vintage year for climbing it seems. I've had some nice days out and done some nice climbs but nothing particularly difficult, which isn't everything but is definitely something. I normally get some bouldering tick in the early season before new year but terrible weather and a new baby have thwarted that somewhat.

It has been really nice to take our little girl to the Lab and their kid's room. She's really enjoyed it and it'll be nice to take her to some crags over the summer when it warms up a bit. She now has a little brother and it's going to be lovely to see who he turns out to be.

Bouldering

South West Overhang (7B) - Pex Hill
3rd session in 6 years. The conditions were finally there. My happiness at doing it was far beyond anything that a one move eliminate should warrant.

The Alternative Circuit - Shipley Glen
I didn't finish this but it was great. 50 problems along the edge with a mix of everything from bum scraping traverses to highball chicken wing offwidthing.

Bull Rider (7A) - Attermire
I had to fight like crazy to get up this. A brilliant set of moves. An amazing piece of rock at the grade (harder than 7A imo).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzbsdknDIsw/?igshid=1ct1vf0jo764s

Hard Reign Direct (7B) - Back Bowden
Have wanted to do this for years. Tried it years and years ago, then again not too long ago, and was nearly disappointed again.

Syrett's Saunter Right-hand (7B/+?) - Caley
This was probably the biggest yyfy of the year. Again, something I'd wanted to do for years (first tried it in 2007/8 when it was about V5 and had loads more pebbles). I feel like this is about 7B+ in its current state, but that could just have been the conditions. It culminates in a long reach to a pebble sprag and you have to stay cool and not tense up to do the final shuffle up. Slab whispering brilliance - was totally made up to do it.

Millstone Grit (7B) - Shipley Glen
Basic wall crimping at its finest.


Highballs

Crouching the Mahogany (E5/Font ?) and Callerhues in general.
Great day out with the world's best climber. Amazing crag. Amazing day out.

Dead Babies (E5/Font ?) - Eastby
Dead good. Eyes on stalks on the top pebbles, hoping they wouldn't snap. It's not over till you've topped out.

Highballs at Slipstones
All the ones we did. Killer, Space Plucks etc. It was a gorgeous day out in fab company.


Sport

Fairly slim pickings here. Plenty of mileage but more for guidebook checking and not so much satisfying harder stuff.

Hoodoo Guru (7b) - Troller's Gill
Decent. I think this is the last sub 7c thing I had to do on the main wall.

Jocasta (7b) - Stony Bank
Gorgeous rock on easy ground up to a stiff move to the chain.

Illywacker (7c) - Hollywood Bowl
I had already upgraded this in the guidebook. Honest! Had absolutely no expectation of doing it then seemed to breeze through the first section to the crux just below the chain. Just about made it and wobbled the rope into the chain to tick my (sort of) first 7c.


Trad

Scavenger (HVS) - Gogarth
Very memorable. First route on Main Cliff with one of me bezzies. Placed all the quickdraws and most of my rack. Found the crux was getting onto the sloping belay ledge so had to improv a draw from a sling to protect it.

Venus (HVS) - Crummackdale
Sublime, thoughtful smear shuffling. Actually quite spooky at times. The near death choss loosening at the end was particularly memorable.

Recessed Slab (HVS) - Attermire
Bold smearing up immaculate rock leads to gear and the hilarious horticultural exit.

The Glass Slipper (E2) - Rylstone
A leg breaker solo high on the crag. The summer sun was setting and the rock burned a deep red. Each crystal in the rock was glittering like a prism. One of the most surreal and beautiful climbing experiences of my life.

Time For Tea (E3) - Millstone
Another one off the long, long list of how-have-I-not-done-that-yet routes. It did not disappoint.


Best FAs

Mussel Shoals (7A) - Marloes Sands
A good'un on an obscure beach in Pembrokeshire.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B08EhWtD383/?igshid=hwue0fqy9xly

Evermore (6B+) - Carncliff Top South
A gorgeous little arete on perfect rock on a sea of bilberries. Nice.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzBvjSMjl_N/?igshid=td94m95q97uv


Disappointments

Sloping Beauty
I was so looking forward to this. In boss connies it's a path, sharp as hell, and the climbing isn't that good.

Titfield Thunderbolt
Had been wanting to get round to it for an age. It transpires the crux is pulling off the ground and the top leap is a complete path.


Downgrades

Now we're talking. The mightiest numbers that toppled before my puny limbs.

Titfield Thunderbolt. 7B+ to 7A.
Colt 45. 7C to soft 7A.
Big Fish. 7B (given 7C in some places I think!) to 6C+.
The Groove (Caley). 7A to 6B+.
Losing My Edge. 7C to 7A+ (TBF you do need a bit of lank)


Spankings
A list that could easily be longer than the best ofs. It felt like I spent most of the year plumbing the depths of my own shitness.

Space Race
In my defence, I wasn't feeling particularly well but I really did perform awfully on this.

Silver Buttons
An easy, long route in Langcliffe Quarry. You can climb the wall almost anywhere at about 6a+ but it's kind of concave shaped and a fall from anywhere might leave you with bashed ankles. I got nicely off route and had to claw my way back to a bolt - which was completely rusty. I put a draw in it and tried to pull up the rope but didn't think I could do it without falling off. Gingerly grabbed the draw. Shambles!

Layby Arete
Got through the crux and was poised on the arete looking at the finish break. I still dropped it and split in the process. NNFN.

Karma of Trees
I could have been really close to this or a million miles off - I've no idea. I was hitting the hold every time but never in quite the right place. I eventually had to stop trying when it put an enormous rubber flapper in the sole of my shoe.

Stu's Roof Left
First go of the day I cruised through it then dropped the easy top when I failed to get my feet in the right position. Shambles shambles fucking shambles! Haven't tried it in earnest since.

Happy Days
I mean, we did it, but not without much effort (and suspected/real cracked rib for my partner when I spannered off and kicked him in the chest)

N Wales trad trip
Bad head space got the best of me and I gibbered up everything for no particular reason.

South Cave Traverse
I made such a hash of it that Jim was actually laughing by the time I got to the end.

[Duncan campbell]

West Side Story Still can’t quite believe I did it! Was buzzing for days after this. Had been a proj from years previous that I hadn’t touched for a while as I didn’t see the point. Was on 4 day weeks in Jan and one Friday it seemed like the best option despite still being v cold. Didn’t do it but tried some different beta and nearly got set up on sidepull 3... went home and spoke to Mia about her sequence, found out she used a different foot for the Egyptian. Luckily The following weekend had good Cons and with new beta matched 3rd Sidey. Spent all day trying to drop left hand back down to crimp and then to do the move to the break. Saying I’d leave soon. Right at the end of the day under the watchful eye of Nige it all clicked and I staticed to the crimp below the break and got into the upper section only to fall! Was mega happy anyway and despite calls to traverse in and practice the top I managed to calm my nerves and despatch next go. My first 7B+. Mega!

I've always considered it 7C since the pebble broke, particularly for the short.

And from the King of West Side himself! A few people have said this to me (Nige, Jonboy) As I have no experience in these things I continued to take the lower tick as I didn’t want to get too big for me boots! 

[dunnyg]

I spent most of my time bouldering this year, with a euro (easy) bolt clipping trip in the summer, and some adventurous easy trad in Morocco in January. A couple of work trips away meant I didn't get as much done as I would want, but I have got a new psyche for bouldering, generated by trying as many new problems as possible and trying to go to new crags when I can!

Bouldering

The flakes, Earl
Tried to warm up on it on my own and couldn't even pull on. Went to warm up on some easies, came back with some other people and sent it after a few falls. From impossible to doable in a few hours, awesome feeling, given how generally grim it was to be outside on the various earl trips this year.

McNab/Pure gold, Lord's seat
Big pad team went up the moors! Called in at the brownie factory by the parking. Managed to get McNab in a few goes with plenty of beta, just felt ace climbing it, boss moves, ace place, all after failing on the 6B next to it. I then proceeded to gibber up pure gold (E1 highball), which has been an outstanding route on the 3 star ticklist to yorkshire grit heaven for a while, which I chickened out of many moons ago. Good day with good people!

Con-air, Blackstone
Day out with the boss at a crag local to childhood home. Hadn't bouldered there before and had just bought the guide to the darkside. Was not disappointed ( think we met the author at the crag?). So many good problems, but this was one of the most fun. Definitely a gift at the grade, but when the move is that fun it doesn't matter! Honourable mention to blackstone slab, hueco arete, the lushering etc. etc.

Sport

Various, Mont Dauphin (Briancon)
Didn't climb anything harder than 6b+ here, but mega. Getting pumped out of my tiny mind above bolts, on some steep fun conglomerate, which was hard to read when not chalked up. Stuff I hadn't done for ages and struggle with mentally. Had some amazing mental battles pulling through as my fingers slowly uncurled and my arms exploded. On a mega chill holiday with the boss, who was making strong progress in the grade department. Could climb this rock on bolts forever. If anyone knows any similar crags in the world...... (even got to see that jim guy who did that mega hard route at malham, didn't manage to get him to sign my guidebook for footwork though, sorry!)

French kiss direct, stony bank (7a-)
The hardest (grade) I ticked this year, only 7a (and likely soft at that according to our favourite downgrader), but flashed on a randoms top rope, expecting it to be harder, rested 20 mins and ticked it. Some slightly techy moves, up to a reasonable rest, and a boulder problem finish. The randoms were falling off the boulder, making it look nails, but lime bouldering meant it felt pretty piss. Made me think I should try harder on sport some day. Nice friendly new local(ish) crag. Made me psyched to live in yoooooorkshiiiiire, more than a lifetime of climbing here I recon....

Unknown, trois rivieres
No topo, rocked up to the crag, picked a line that looked doable, it was a vertical/slighty overhanging route with big moves between big holes, proper euro lime technical bucket pulling. Absolutely ace. Think we sat in the river in the afternoon as it was 30+ degrees. Lovely part of the world. Felt 6a-6c, was proper psyched to onsight. Ace trip, even managed 2 days in font on the way back (inluding a 7A tick in the summer!), which the other half enjoyed and agreed to a return trip in the future  .

Trad

Limited trad ticks this year, but highlights include

Gillercombe buttress/corvus
Done over a weekend at the end of the summer with the boss, been on the list forever, both felt like good little adventures, low stress, high fun (and I showed how unfit I was)

Endurance, sergent crag slabs
Mates stag do, big crew at the crag, annoyed some people as we were too in-experienced to be there on a bank holiday. Ace. Cruisy nice climbing, which was pleasantly suprising. Good people, good place, even a bit of rain. Golden days innit.

Rabbit paw wall, Caley
On the list for y e a r s. Did it on my own, was awesome. Shame you can only get that buzz off a route once in a lifetime. Line. Moves. Interesting but secure. Glad I saved it for a while. This is why I climb!

New stuff!

Unnamed climb in Morocco, (VD?)
Did a new route up a ridge opposite Amzkhssan Wall in the Tafraout region. Trip with the boss, after having to bail on an identical trip the year before due to requiring urgent surgery which ruined my climbing for a few months. Climbing in the shade, not far from the road in a quiet rural village, not sure on how we were going to descend, or if we would get up it. Followed an obvious line for 3/4 pitches up an arete which turned into a ridge, the other side of which was overhanging and fairly un-descendable. We continued up the ridge for another couple of rope lengths, starting to worry about descent.... When we got to the small summit, there was a scrambly path, down past a small house perched on the top of this hill! Awesome relief! Trainers on and a friendly walk back to the road. Nice climbing, solid rock and good adventure feeling. Still need to write it up!

Did a few other things, but nothing of note, mostly just to wind Will up when I was supposed to be checkin guidebook lines, not adding new ones.

Top spankings
The one everyone reads for:
Eve, shepherds crag
Got on this with the boss, got a bit run out on the traverse left and threw a wobbler, plished bullshit, shit gear, breaking my legs on an overclimbed wank VS etc. etc., chuntering to my mate on the route next door. Promptly found a good cam and got on with it. Had a right mare on it.

Underhand extension
Decided I was going to do it, repeated underhand from a move in first session, haven't managed to get through it again in the next 3 I tried it. I blame my hip flexibility. and my technique. and my weakness. Stole all my cliff and projecting psyche. boooooo.

Donkey serenades (s), lower eagle crag, Tafraout
Went off route, fucked myself over with rope drag. Ended up doing significantly harder moves with a 20+ meter run out in a fairly wild feeling place. It was extremely intense for a few minutes, involved loud swearing and yarding as hard as I could on the rope in anger. Sorted myself out  after a few minutes, but the climb totally wasn't worth it! Generally found that in Tafrout, lots of really cool situations, but the climbing itself was pretty meh. The opposite of Baildon bank.

Handy andy's
Can't do it. desperate. should go. doesn't go. Maybe this year?

Lessons
Do more trad or you get scared, do more sport or you get pumped in europe, and if you go bouldering a lot you get better.

[205Chris]

My 2019 best of is not far short of my entire tick list for the year. Our son arrived in May and since then parenting and the general rubbish weather in the last few months has limited my ability to get out. Didn’t tie into a rope once this year.

Best Boulders

Low Rider - 7C+

I’ve dabbled with Low Rider over the years whenever I’ve been at that part of Stanage (which isn’t very often given the walk in). A few years ago I got to the point where I had a great sequence to get to the jug and a great sequence from the jug to the top. The annoying problem was that I couldn’t bump my right foot toe hook along the arete which was the missing link between the two sequences.

Last winter seemed equally rubbish to this year in terms of weather so scratching around for dry rock over the Christmas break I noticed someone had logged Low Rider and figured it must be dry. I persuaded Andy to head up with me where we found Low Rider was indeed dry. We also found baltic conditions and a howling wind that threatened to blow our mats across the moor. Having made the trek up I at least decided to get stuck into my nemesis move and found that although low percentage I was managing to make the move stick.

We bailed soon afterwards and were nearly blown off our feet by the wind on the way down. My knees certainly took a few days to recover but I was enthused enough to believe it might now be on the cards.

It took 3 more visits to seal the deal, including one where I twice got through to the jug but powered out on the up moves. On the day itself we’d started out at Gardoms where I felt decidedly rusty warming up on G-Thang but a quick tick of Pit Fighter reassured me I might be climbing OK. Given that temps were warming up I figured Low Rider could be a good call. Once again I persuaded Andy to head up there (and started doubting myself on the walk up due to the wind picking up). There were a few false starts before finally sealing the deal, the icing on the cake being Andy ticking Chip Shop Brawl straight afterwards.

HMS Daring - 7B+
 
No expectations, just a day out at Birchen. There are bold star problems and there are bold star problems. This is definitely in the second category. A great problem and one where every time someone went up they unlocked a bit more of the sequence. Just a great day out with some mates.

Goose Creature - 7B+

Originally tried this a few years ago but couldn’t touch the weird mantel move at the end. Driving out and the North peak was covered in clag I thought this might be one of the few things dry and it was. Still couldn’t do the mantel but luckily the finishing move also goes dynamically off a right hand side pull and a right foot smear. Climbed like this it’s the Eclipse of the Peak District.


Hannibal - 7C

Climbed before but repeated the day before my Wife was admitted to be induced. Made me feel I could still pull hard despite impending Fatherhood.

Best Boulders (not in the Peak District)

Optimus Prime, Kyloe Out - 7B+

Ticked during a family holiday to Northumberland and probably my first outside boulder since becoming a Dad.

Font

The week we went to Font the weather was the worst we’ve known it in 10 years of going. One dry day and the only thing of note I climbed was Samarkand (7a+). First abroad trip with the boy which wasn’t as stressful as it might have been. Pound for pound probably the most expensive problem I’ve ever done.

New things

One Eyed Man - 7C+

Reverse of Blind Ali into Submergence. Really surprised no one had bothered with this before.

Scoop de Grass - 7A

Couldn’t touch Scoop de Grace but found this thing in a gully just up and right, a scant consolation prize. A fun day out shooting the breeze with UKB’s own UFCK.

Biggest Spanking

Back Street Mime Artist

Not really a true spanking as I got to within the last two moves twice only for the weather to get crap and warm before I could seal the deal. One for this year.

[cheque]

I often start reading these Best Of posts feeling smug about not having kids to hold me back... that feeling fades when the inevitable list of climbs harder than I’ve ever done starts.  Good effort dads.

With hindsight it would have been easier if people mentioned if they hadn’t climbed Dream of White Horses in 2019  weird how there’s often one particular HVS that loads of people have done.

[andy popp]

weird how there’s often one particular HVS that loads of people have done.

I've often thought that VS-HVS are probably the perfect grades.

[Fiend]

VS is where UK climbing gets good, HVS is where it gets great. Beyond that it tails off a bit.

[BAndy]

Dammit I spent ages typing, then lost the lot! Here we go again.

Top UK boulder problems

True Git 7B, Burbage West. Couldn't touch it previously. Brought back to earth shortly afterwards when I failed to repeat Breakfast (I had to go back a couple of days later to salvage my honour/massage my ego).

Colossal Velocity 7A, Rolling Gate. YYFY. Absolutely incredible. Safe but terrifying.

Code Orange 7B+, Crookstones/Hellifield. Who says that lowballs can't be brilliant?

Little Pig 7C, Burbage South. Could barely touch the moves previously. Took three tries this time. Another great lowball.

Special mentions go to Pit Fighter and Gritstone Treaty at Gardom's and Mark of the Beaks at Curbar.

Top UK trad

Stormbringer E3 6a, Gardom's. Bailed from the mantel a few years back. No problems this time but the rest of it felt hard! I didn't use a side runner in Cave Crack so it felt more like E4.

Stanleyville E4 5c, Stanage. It was nice to actually succeed on a John Allen E4! I realised that indoor climbing had ruined my life when I told my second that the crux was just like an Irn Bru problem at the Works.

Central Buttress E1 5a, Scafell. Classic. It was just warm enough and the route was just dry enough. Props to my climbing partner for his misty lead of the crux pitch.

Central Pillar E2 5b, Esk Buttress. Magic.

Other stuff

The usual winter trip to Skye with my dad. It was a crap winter but we had fun.

A big day out at Stanage with five leads (including Goodbye Toulouse, The Dangler and Tippler Direct), five seconds (I was so knackered I nearly fell off Desperation after two moves) and five solos to finish.

Soloing Gargoyle Flake at Bamford (I can't believe I hadn't done it before) and hanging off one arm on the top jug like a twat.

Top spankings

Falling off Mental Peace at Stanage. What a noob.

Failing on Ontos at Bamford. I blame conditions.

Brad's Wall at Stanton Moor. At least I managed some of the moves this time.

[Hugh]

Great thread. Had a surprisingly productive year despite moving to the other end of the country and changing jobs.

Managed to tie in once, so nothing to note there. Must sort this over the next year.

Top boulders:

Freshly Squeezed, Biblins Cave (7B+) - three years of trying, beta refinement, interesting falls and split tips, then it finally came together on my very last session before leaving Bristol. I'd resigned myself to not managing it having dropped the very last move first go of the session and then feeling out of beans. One last go with no real expectations and then suddenly found myself slapping satisyingly into the finish. Still pretty chuffed with this as it's long and fingery so very much not my style, but pleasingly subtle for a limestone problem. Unlike some things, it really didn't feel easy when I did it and had to fight all the way.

A Northern Soul, Hepburn (7A+) - one of the best problems I've ever done, in a session. Such great movement with a bit of excitement at the top. Quads were fucked for a week afterwards from all the lobs I took from the top.

Zippy's Traverse (7B) - thuggy slopers, right up my street. First 7B in a session on a trip with my eldest. Mint.

Top spankings:

Llangattock project, Lonely Boulder - long, thuggy and sloping, should have suited me perfectly, but only ever managed in two halves. Got some fitness but then couldn't get the conditions or time before I left the South West.

Hard, Hepburn (6B) - spent ages trying to work this out before sacking it off to go and try A Northern Soul. Not sure why this sticks in my head more than any of the other numerous problems I've failed to get anywhere on, but it seemed particularly frustrating.

The Boss, Shaftoe (7B) - smugly rocked up to this thinking this would go pretty fast. Oh dear. Total spanking, and a lesson in not getting on stuff just for the grade.

Lots of easy stuff I've puntered off the top of over the last year.

[andy_e]

Has Minidigit made it onto anyone's list this year?

[Alex-the-Alex]

Not yet, but it should be in the downgrade thread. its probably better than Karma too

[User deactivated]

Top 3 in Wales

Caseg Groove 8A - Fantastic boulder, great solo day doing this and Sway On, two good ones off the list.

Will 8A - here because of the quality of the boulder rather than my experience doing it.

Compact Culture 8B - Love Sheep pen so something was always going to make the list.


Top 3 in the Lakes

Shieldmaiden 8A - Great day out with friends on a nice boulder.

Theia 8A - One of my favourite days out of the year I think, didn't actually enjoy the climb much but its better than Collision Course and that's the only other thing I did on the day.

Fat Lady 8A+ - Basically choss but man did I enjoy this day, end of January absolutely baltic, a walk up to the crag above the Bowder to catch some sun before tottering back down to do it. My 10th 8 grade boulder of the month which opened my eyes to what I may be able to get done in 2019.


Top 3 In the Peak

Ru's Traverse 8A - Really enjoyed my days at Griff's in the summer, nice quiet crag and lots to plug away at.

Tsunami 8A - Days out with the young lad can be hard sometimes but you wouldn't change it for the world, the best.

Fat Lip 8B - here cause I didn't do much else in the peak.


Top FAs

Two from the cave early on in the year.

The Incredible Sulk 8B - An old Pete Robins project climbing up Ferrino down Rocka along the arch and up left wall high, only I wasn't man enough to go up left wall high and stayed low. Robins is still king although he never made it across the arch on this one.

The Hatchlink 8b+ - My best cave addition, the first breach starting in the middle and going through the middle. Done in Feb and my last time in the cave.


Top Spankings

Injuries - a bad finger injury in spring slowed me down quite a bit.

Weather - By the time i got back in shape the year seemed to end very abruptly due to it.

Little Women nuff said.

But mostly just life, hoping for a brighter 2020.

[TobyD]

VS is where UK climbing gets good, HVS is where it gets great. Beyond that it tails off a bit.

  There's definitely some truth in that.

[Johnny Brown]

Top three boulder problems UK
Full-time, Jackson Tor. Good problem in a good little venue that saved a shitty day.
Small Brown Direct. Used to do easy back in the day, bit of a frightener now.
Layby arete, Slipstones. Also used to be on the circuit but many years have passed. A great finish to a desperate attempt to get one dry day out of the xmas break.

Top three routes UK
Prophecy of Drowning, Pabbay. So lucky to get a perfect week on Pabbay, just a magical experience on many levels. People call this the best route in Britain, and I can’t really argue. Make sure you do it sometime.
The Nuance, Nesscliffe. Managed a clean onsight of this, very good climbing and possibly E6. A bit of rock with huge personal significance so very satisfying.
Damocles, Stoney
Full-blown steep pumpy heart-in-mouth chossaneering twenty minutes from home on a Wednesday night.

Top sport route, UK
Nothing Lasts Forever, Gordale. First day sport climbing this year involved a decent-in-retrospect flash go on Cave Route RH (often called the best sport route in Britain, god help us if it is), went back to finish it, met a big wet streak, tried this instead. First go seemed baffling, but pulled it together next go in a way that made me feel surprisingly competent.

Other great days out, UK
Celestial Twins trad. Did most of the routes here on a scorching hot September day. Lovely spot, steep and pockety, my anti-style.
Curbar circuit. Boulder and highball circuit on my tod on a lovely autumn day. Tonic for the soul.
Paddling Pabbay - took a couple of kayaks and had a rest day paddling the south coast. Magic.

Top three anything abroad. Didn’t climb abroad and am feeling increasingly uncomfortable about doing so. Hopefully solar/H powered vans will be a thing before I take early semi-retirement.
Did go skiing for my Dad’s 70th. Nice to still be competent and progressing on a board despite this being only my second trip this millennium (see above).  Last day realised a long term dream of going split-boarding - great day out but feels like the tech still has some way to go.

Top spankings. The. Fucking. Weather. At least Sheffield’s Autumn 2019 has been officially confirmed as the wettest and dullest since records began 150 years back. So it wasn’t just me. But another shitty data point in a generally bleak outlook for the planet. Looking increasingly clear that Kingsnorth was right and it’s too late. We won’t pull together to fight climate change, we’ll pull apart and fight for the scraps. Difficult to see the point in anything tbh.

VS is where UK climbing gets good, HVS is where it gets great.

Agreed.

Beyond that it tails off a bit.

Nah. Get competent at E2/3 and truly it's the keys to the kingdom. BIG adventure awaits.

[Coops_13]

Splitting into two parts from before and after my move to Colorado:

Best Boulders UK + Macedonia

- pr0nic 7A+, Dabinica, Prilep
Amazing arete line, pretty high and quite tricky for me (couldn't use easier lanky beta). From 1:58 in this video:


- Desert Island Arete 7A+, Earl Crag
Cannot believe I hadn't been to Earl before this year, what an amazing place...

- Andy Brown's Wall 7B, Earl Crag
What a satisfying move. Brilliant end to my time in the UK. Video here:


Best Boulders US
Pretty much every boulder I did in the Alpine should make this list, but I picked three

- Fer Irie V6, Lincoln Lake
Such a good line on this classic. Loved every day I spent at Lincoln Lake, such an amazing venue.


- Love Matters 7B+, Guanella Pass
So lucky to have an alpine venue I can go to after work. This took two sessions and marked a return to pretty much full strength after my first injury of the year (and before the second...). Americans say V8/9, strong argument for font grading system...


- Skipper D V8, Upper Chaos Canyon
What a boulder, amazing sequence of moves with a crux to a really cool pinch feature.


Top Spankings

- Injuries
Two major injuries in 2019 frustratingly stopped play:
 - My move to the US meant I wasn't climbing much before I arrived. Like a kid in a sweetshop my intensity went from low to max as I got out lots and I gained my most serious pulley injury of my career. A concerted rehab programme got me back to full strength in a few months

 - After three months of Alpine bouldering having recovered from injury #1 I received a bizarre wrist injury caused by playing volleyball with work. No acute incident makes this even more frustrating. It seems to improve then randomly get worse. Haven't climbed since early September...

- Turning Point V8, Flatirons
Didn't realise the approach for this was 30 mins so arrived pretty dehydrated in the dry heat. Calf cramped every time I got to the crux with my heel up. Should have done this easily...

- Lincoln Lake walk-out
Parking is at 12000ft, lake is at 11000ft with boulders spread between. Easy walk in and super steep trudge out which is a killer. Maybe I should make an aim to do the walk-out without stopping more than 10 times this year...

[SA Chris]

Loved my time living in the Rockies, would have loved to get more climbing done, but snow sports was always the easy draw card, and lack of transport and motivated drivers made it tricky to get much done.

[GazM]

Is there anywhere you haven't lived Chris?!

[SA Chris]

Only UK, SA and 2 winters in Colorado?