[Hoseyb]

A good year where a lot of long term projects and ambitions got put to bed. In terms of actual hard work, I don't think I was any fitter or stronger, but I tried hard. Also I felt the blood sweat and tears of previous years have cultivated this year's successes. A pretty good harvest.

Saying all of that, I haven't tied on a rope outdoors except to brush highballs so these are bouldering lists.

Top 3 repeats

George's Crack
Ogwen
Several sessions, several years. Stopped trying to get flexible, got technical, got grizzly.
Black country crack
Parc Dudley
3rd go. 1st of second session, first where the top was actually dry.
Maneater
Talfarach
1st proper go. Really enjoyed this offwidth, a goldilocks bloc that never feels like it's going to kill you, but doesn't roll over either.

Top Three FA's

Tosheroon
Benllech
Again this ascent was definitely built on the bones of previous flailings with a bit of red mist thrown in. An anachronistic challenge that may never see another suitor, but at least if it's always wet the only conditions that matter is whether you can feel your hands?
40ft of horizontal squirming 8ft off the deck.
The Shard
Cwmfynnon
Several years of building the courage to try this highball, then being overconfident last year and spannering myself off the top. The subsequent gaffa tape cast and hobbling my gear out the wilderness. Friends support and help portering the ample paddage required to get me trying again. A good mental journey.
Barcode Punk
Porth Howel
Something I've tinkered with in an area I've tinkered with for many many years. Something clicked this year and I unlocked the crux for the first time. Then started a war of attrition that was thrown into cease fire by the rising pebble levels.
I bought a rake.

Top 3 Spankings

Trying to exit Porth nefoedd directly from nefoedd wide boy

Nefoedd wide boy

Both tape gloves actually ripping off my hands on a previous Tosheroon attempt

[User deactivated.]

Dawid's Eliminate, Hueco Boulder, Nearcliffe Woods
Such a lovely bit of rock, shame there's not more of it.
Probably the hardest thing I did this year but still way easier than it's given grade for me. A surprisingly quiet day in the woods doing this and White Rabbit SS, and massively satisfying to find ways through moves that initially felt beyond me. Also did it on that last, battered but best go of the day.

I can't think of another boulder quite like the left hand side of the Hueco, it has such interesting holds, but Elysium is worth a look in if you want more impeccable lime. It felt similar in difficulty to me, perhaps marginally harder. The block just to the left of it is pretty good too with some easier problems.

[tomrainbow]

Sounds like some fun routes you and Ged have put up at Potato Head Tom, psyched for a dabble when Im next down that way.

Cool, always keen to show off the latest offerings.

[SA Chris]

Funny old year.

Started the year full of hope, new job after redundancy, but then lockdown and school closing again and back to home schooling which was just grim midwinter. This time round I stuck to the rules which only said don't leave Aberdeenshire so;

top 3 descents;

1) Morven - wanted to do this on skis for ages, but rarely snow low enough. Did it it on a lovely day, a bit windy at the top, but great snow on the south side, and fun traverse round to the front with mountain hares breaking cover all around.

2) Pannanich Hill & Craig Vallich the weekend after the mega dump it was clear the hairdryer was getting turned on and it was all going to shit, so me and mate headed up Deeside with a few spots in mind, the main issue though was that snowploughs had left 6 foot piles of snow in any available layby or parking place, so we ended up parking in Ballater town centre, and walking over the Dee Bridge to pick up trails through forest. Felt very continental. Snow cover great, and perfect turns in places, but blowing a hoolie on the tops, making stashing skins a bit of a challenge (if you've ever been slapped in the face by a damp sticky ski skin you'll know what I mean)

3)Cairn Mon Earn With the unusual amount of snow, a couple of mates decided to do a headtorch raid on a local hill. We all took boards and hiked through the woods to the top, breaking trail through knee deep drifts in places. From the top the phone line cut through the trees leads straight down to the parking, and the snow was perfect for the top 2/3 but a bit sticky on the boggy ground lower down, cue much comedy wipe outs an rolling about. Fantastic memorable evening.

Top 3 existing problems;

Two Peaches Boltsheugh -  Yes, it's an eliminate, but in the right conditions with the right beta it took me 3 sessions to get it done  (I did it first session but using wrong holds, second session the top was too wet).

Golden Brown SS I did the crouch start back in November last year, but never got the sit. I went for a solo session and managed to work out the beta and do the crux, but a damp hold near the top made me bottle / slither off and avoid the the scary top out. Went back 2 weeks later with spotter and better conditions and did it. Then surprised myself by doing it again this month in spite of not a lot of climbing.

Crimp Another eliminate at Boltsheugh, one big move in another out. Strangely satisfying.

Top 3 new problems

Spotted 2 new* bouldering spots on a kayak trip with a mate one morning, which was pretty much the focus of most my climbing over the summer.

Pick of the dozen or so new probs are probably

Swelterweight 6B  (or so) burly start under roof to tricky mantel and airy top

Right Uppercut 6B (or so) sitter under roof and steep pulls onto shelf followed by committing but easy topout

Undercard 6C / 7A (or so) full low traverse of the crag with one power section and one fingery section at the end to a hard rock around to finish.

oh yeah, top spankings

Other place I spotted; nice looking wall with some shallow pockets on the left side, and some nice crimps on the right. Can't get my ass of the ground on either of them! Might get some strength up and weight down and give it another try now conditions are cooler.

Never tied on, never left Scotland so not much else climbing wise.

Other highlights -

Finally getting 50km Ultra done - managed in spite of ankle being pretty bad before race and hip flexor injury since.

Getting enthused for some hillwalking this year, and managed 14 Munros, distances up to 18km (unintentional). They have always seemed to enjoy the days out.

Did some lovely SUPing in East Lothian when we had a week of great weather there. It's a beautiful area with some amazing coast.

Changing jobs. Gave it a good year but the 40 hour working week and 5 days a week commute was just a bit too much. Hopefully can settle into this one for a stretch.

[RobK]

That said, I'm dead pleased with how I've managed to juggle things this year. This might sound like a brag but it's not meant to, I'd really like it to be helpful to someone, and these feel like big wins which is what this thread is all about!

Solid year Bradders! And don't apologise. From someone who is approaching that stage, it's nice to hear a note of optimism in amongst the wave of 'your life is going to end'.

[BrutusTheBear]

Shadows, 8A, Pentire- some debate about this and the FA, nevertheless awesome little problem on a steep arete/prow.

I feel I should speak up for my buddy here... There's not really anything to debate about this though is there? Mikey C got there before you and Andy Haley repeated before you albeit starting from lower holds than yourself.  (I saw the video footage of both their ascents months before your claim).

[Ged]

Sounds like some fun routes you and Ged have put up at Potato Head Tom, psyched for a dabble when Im next down that way.

Cool, always keen to show off the latest offerings.

I'm quietly confident you'll think the new routes are amongst the best in Europe. Safe to say Tom?

[Fiend]

I think all of us here assumed that the best sport routes in Europe would be on South Devon conglomerate 

[Ged]

A wise assumption.

[Ged]

A lean year climbing wise, but a few peaches

Bouldering: did hardly any apart from failing on Devon sent, but did alexis' Cider Press direct at hopes nose, which i think is the hardest sequence I've ever done. Took a lot of sessions and a freezing cold January day to execute 4 moves.

New routes: Gnocchi on Devons Door (8a+ maybe) was an absolute peach, and had great fun working it with Tom during the brilliant conditions in March and April. Brilliant sustained climbing, about 27 moves from knee bar to top, fell off the very top a couple of times. Would love to see someone else on it and let me know if I'm deluded on grade and quality. Poitin was also great, 7c and just excellent climbing. Bolted and worked mainly on my own during a fairly tricky period of my life, and this really helped.

Other sport routes: really enjoyed doing Tom's routes at nudey cliff in the spring to get fit for the potato head project. 5 of the best low 7's around.  Also really enjoyed lord of the fries at potato, one of the best there.

That was about it for climbing.

Running: enjoyed getting out in Pembroke in the summer early mornings while the family slept, and then a brilliant few big runs along the exmoor coast. Never explored this area before and was blown away by it. Reasonable time in the dartmoor volcano race, and then family stuff and illness put paid to any more.

Life: came to terms with not being able to do loads of climbing over the next few years whilst kids are little. But realised as long as I can at least run regularly, I'm fine. Also realised I need to work a lot less.

[iain]

I can't think of another boulder quite like the left hand side of the Hueco, it has such interesting holds, but Elysium is worth a look in if you want more impeccable lime. It felt similar in difficulty to me, perhaps marginally harder. The block just to the left of it is pretty good too with some easier problems.

Cheers Liam, added to the list of things from here that I need to go have a look at.


I really like conglomerate   

[BillyTheMountain]

Top 4 boulder problems: 

Hermit Arete SS 7B, St. Anchorites Rock.
Since my regular Devon trips started, I had wanted to find the perculiar lump of shist named the Hermit rock because it’s so close to my girlfriend’s family home. Ten minutes off classic narrow lanes deposits you parallel to the Southwest coastal path on a rather unmanaged section of it, given the many brambles (two pads is a nightmare through the plentiful stiles!) The ‘path’ up to boulder was completely overgrown and I started to question myself as a) it was midsummer and I’d already run out of water and b) it’s a Ted Kingsnorth first ascent, the keeper of the crimp. I pressed on, using my pad to surf jump the top of the shoulder-high thorn bushes, and made it to my own private summit. Luckily for me, I found an easier sequence (perhaps Ted was in holiday mode) and I got to climb the whole boulder. I scratched my way out and walked back to the van along the busy coastal path. I finished the day by driving to my favourite Devon crag (Torbryan) and doing some classics with a local mate.

Re. Hermits arete, nice one. I went for a look once combined with a run along the coast. I bottled it without a pad, imagine crawling through those brambles with a broken ankle! What's the easier sequence?

I've got a beta vid here:


Didn't feel too bad this way, although I never know if I'm getting stronger or if things are soft.

[36chambers]

- Kindergarten Wall, Caley; I was there for a session on Ben's but it just wasn't happening, so had a go on this. One of those fun experiences you often get with highballs where you just get closer and closer til you do it. The successful go was proper heart in mouth stuff, popping dynamically to the pocket and just sticking it, before having to rapidly calm down for the top which was less of a path than I'd have liked, sans spotter, at the time!

I'm glad that my cleaning was worthwhile. All that carpet pulling and I couldn't even touch the problem in the end...

[Bradders]

- Kindergarten Wall, Caley; I was there for a session on Ben's but it just wasn't happening, so had a go on this. One of those fun experiences you often get with highballs where you just get closer and closer til you do it. The successful go was proper heart in mouth stuff, popping dynamically to the pocket and just sticking it, before having to rapidly calm down for the top which was less of a path than I'd have liked, sans spotter, at the time!

I'm glad that my cleaning was worthwhile. All that carpet pulling and I couldn't even touch the problem in the end...

Hell yeah, gracias amigo.

Definitely easier the taller you are. Even I had to go dynamically and I'm a giant according to Fiend 

I'd love to do Freak Technique but the start is absolutely nails!

[teestub]

Have you done Wainwright’s Wobble? Would love to do that one.

Ibbo was at his peak grit bouldering prowess when he did Freak Technique so the grade may be a little off!

[SA Chris]

But realised as long as I can at least run regularly, I'm fine.

This is true, but beware the slippery slope!

[Ged]

But realised as long as I can at least run regularly, I'm fine.

This is true, but beware the slippery slope!

Where does it lead?!

[36chambers]

Thin year in terms of quality, but there was a lockdown and then I got carried away with sport climbing.

Top 3 grit
- Ron’s Reach 6B, Caley. After years of looking at it, I finally threw a rope down it and gave it the good scrub that it deserves. Such a brilliant climb. Like a bigger, better, and harder Otley Wall.
- The Arete f6B+, Caley. The leaning, and surprisingly tall, arete just down from Ben’s Groove. Spent a lot of lockdown filling in the gaps on the easier stuff that I’ve neglected, and it was great pottering about with no real agenda. Enjoyed figuring this one out, whilst trying not to simply strength my way through it.   
- Dead Baron 8A, Shipley Glen. Was never too bothered by the look of this, but figured out a sweet lil sequence that makes the climbing very enjoyable. I need more hard grit, that doesn’t split tips, in my life.

Top 3 non grit
- Texas Hold Em' 7B+, Trowbarrow. First technical knee bar I’ve ever done/tried and I felt like I was big Jimmy Webb crushing some American V15. Every move felt desperate in isolation, but then I did it fine first RP . Great to do some novel moves.
- Jerry’s Roof (tourist) 7B+, The Pass. Been snowed/rained off this 3 times in the past 7(?) years, so it’s nice to actually get on it without the clouds racing down the mountains. Big thanks to Yetix for the beets, who knows how long it would have taken me to figure it out myself for the nth time.
- Saturn 7A+, Milestone Buttress Boulders. Having gazed upon this and the other high aretes previously, it was great to end the day here (alongside Ross Barker ) and get the heart going a little. Not half as wild as I was expecting, but that’s often the case.

Top 3 sport
- Raindogs 8a. The only sport route I’ve ever wanted to do... mainly because for the longest time it was the only non-wad one I could name, and because I’d like the idea of doing something in the middle of Malham, a place I fondly remember visiting as a kind. Anyway, as expected it was terrifying at first, but once I started RPing I started to enjoy falling off, and was actually happy to slap the chain and take the full ride. Although, thankfully that only happened the once.
- Subculture 8a. Was originally avoiding this because Will Hunt's done it. But it ended up being by far the least intimidating of the harder problems around that area and my partner was keen for WYSIWYG. It's also pretty good.
- Comedy 7c. Went up once at the start of my sport season and found it terrifying. Came back a few months later, armed with a short clip stick, and managed it second go. Progress.

Top 3 trad (since I actually did some)
Central Climb VS, Almscliff. First trad route in years. Forgot how much faff it is. Malham and Kilnsey did not prepare me for this, absolutely boxed.
Crackaroo S, Brimham. First climb of our Dirty Dozen off width day and it was great fun realising that I had absolutely no idea how to generate upwards movement.
- Desperation Crack HVS, Brimham. Our 4th climb of the Dirty Dozen? Seconded TTT up it, which was great to watch, and by this point I had a vague idea about what I was doing.

Top 3 FAs
Proud Mary 7B. A small hanging prow that was looking rather unlikely until I discovered you can do the entire thing off a hidden toe hook, whilst letting the other leg flail around. From looking impossible to being sat on top with a big smile on face within 30 minutes.
A Fistful of Heather 6C. Low start still to go.
Flake Arete 6B. Probably a First Recorded Ascent.

Top 3 spankings
Allakazam 6c, Kilnsey. Think this was the first route I tried at Kilnsey, got scared, rested on a rusty peg, probably off route, thought I was going to die. Absolute shambles. 
Vicious Streak 7C+, Caley. Moves felt easy, but then I obliterated my knuckles firing off it. A month, and many plasters, later came back and did the exact same thing, but worse, again. fml. 
The Drey 7C, Caley. Fell off the top first go, pulled on and proceeded to slice my entire fingertip off. Right in the middle of bon con one March :’(. All that careful skin managed undone in a split second. Pun intended.

[36chambers]

Have you done Wainwright’s Wobble? Would love to do that one.

Another one I cleaned up but couldn't do. Could never quite reach the sloper and I don't think I went back after someone pushed me to it and I realised the hard part still wasn't over.

[SA Chris]

But realised as long as I can at least run regularly, I'm fine.

This is true, but beware the slippery slope!

Where does it lead?!

Marathon ? Ultra? Neglecting climbing for convenience?  After not running for nearly 30 years I just enjoy a) the ease of not fretting about conditions and just putting on running gear and going regardless of weather. b) the linearity of more effort = better result, unlike the numerous variables of improving at climbing at my age.   

[Bradders]

Have you done Wainwright’s Wobble? Would love to do that one.

Ibbo was at his peak grit bouldering prowess when he did Freak Technique so the grade may be a little off!

No, was there when Turnbull was trying it and he's the only person I know of who's done it apart from Ibbo obviously. Sure he muttered something about "at least 7C".

[spidermonkey09]

Great reading these, keep em coming!

This has been a decent year for me. I managed a good chunk of both sport and trad climbing, did some harder routes but never felt like I was properly sieging them, and managed not to get too stressed about it whilst I was doing it.

Sport

Malham routes

As has been the case the last few years I spent a lot of time here.

Austrian Oak - I had a brilliant time trying this in the spring. Felt like I was close quite quickly and then fell off near the end for ages. Eventually managed it third go of the day feeling utterly broken; no idea how. Glad I didn't try this a few years ago as I wouldn't have got anywhere.

Vogue - this would be considered better than Baboo if it was given 8a I think (which it is!). Great tufas to a really hard crux sequence. The left wall delivers again.

The Great Escape - I'd had my eye on this for several years and it was as good as I'd hoped. It was also pleasing to feel way stronger on the Cry Freedom middle crux than I had last autumn which made it feel immediately more feasible. I spent a few sessions falling off the top in sweaty conditions before doing it as soon as it got crisp, on one of those amazing redpoints where everything just feels easy. Just as well as it was wet a week later and never dried back.

Elsewhere

Urgent Action - made heavy weather of this but got there in the end. It really is so good - a mixture of Rodellar jugs and Yorkshire technicality. Continued my theme of binning it at the top for ages before doing it. Good to try hard at Kilnsey as its a crag that really challenges me.

Cave Route Left Hand - immediately after doing Urgent it got really hot so I went to Gordale over the weekend. I felt utterly awful on the Saturday, could barely bolt to bolt it and couldn't touch the crux. The next day I sorted the crux, got through it and wobbled to the chain. I have absolutely no idea how I didn't fall off in the top crack; I was already castigating myself for fucking up the sequence before realising I was still on!

Lost In Thought & Lost In Time - really impressed with this, quick hit before going for a swim in Stainforth Force, which has to be one of the best spots in the Dales.

North Wales Trad
Did a lot of trad climbing this year so decided to be generous and double up.

Right Wall - I fell off this years ago and a return was overdue. Josh flawlessly onsighted it before I got horrifically pumped, missed a crucial cam placement and was convinced I was about to take the ride again! Fortunately I nailed a few crimps and made it to the girdle, where I recovered, called in Josh's beta for the top and finished the job. Far from perfect style but having already fallen off it I don't care; I've wanted to do it for years.

The Troach - loved this on a freezing windy day up at Cloggy. Comedy protection for much of it but steady climbing. I love that modern gear hasn't really tamed it.

Oxine - fuck me this was incredible. Surely one of the best VS' in the UK? Glory jugs up a gently overhanging wall for 25m - couldn't believe how good it was.

Pembroke Trad

Just Another Day/ Scorch The Earth - one of many great routes in a roasting week in Pembroke. This one felt good as I felt totally in control the whole way, had time to work things out and enjoy it.

Sinecure - perfection. Incut holds, good gear, elegant moves. I loved Barcud, great to go there for the first time. Swimming off the rocks at the base completed the day.

Snozwanger - an early start to beat the sun on our last day in Pembroke. I thought this was a brilliant route but really enjoyed belaying Sophie up it as her first clean E1 second as she had to really graft for it. The high point was nearly knocking herself out removing a wire, which hit her right in the eye. Shouting 'I can't see!' and understandably distressed I could see an epic incoming, but she sorted herself out and finished it off. A good route to finish the trip on (the eye was fine!).

Grit Bouldering

I found choosing these really hard as I've done a lot of grit bouldering this year.

Goosecreature - on the way to Shining Cliff through heavy snow it started coming down again and I resigned myself to a snowy walk. Parked up the bottom (the hill was an icy deathtrap) and wandered up the road and through the woods to the problem. Astonishingly it was dry and by then had also stopped snowing. I cut back through the woods to the van, skidded up the icy road to the parking and got the pads under it. Came together pretty fast in the mint conditions but I kept dropping the top move. I was running out of skin fast and kept missing the pads as I fell off but caught the final crimp just as it was getting dark. The van just about made it out of its icy tomb and i freewheeled back down the hill praying I wouldn't need to brake sharply. Perfect grit day.

Mallard Sit - the stand is good enough but the sit made it even better. Brilliant moves on perfect rock, nobody else there and a frisson of adrenaline from dodging the farmer and walking around the pheasant pens.

Andy Browns Wall - last go best go; a real bonus at the end of the day after failing to stick the top move for an hour.

Lime Bouldering

Down & Out - a great day at Sprotborough with Matt, Guy and the Sheffield gang. This was really satisfying as I had to do a different sequence to the lanky strong folk but a drop knee got my onto the headwall. Above a sea of pads and vocal support I just about made it to the top. Great problem.

Neds Problem - lovely and flowy in good conditions; the moves on this are so good. Good to only live an hour from Trowbarrow now.

Fine Beta - objectively not very good but I enjoyed a run of sessions at Anstons and on mag lime in general and this marked the end of them. A sachet of that isotonic goo got me over the line.

Big Days Out
Strans Gill and Crook Gill - on Will Hunt's recommendation my partner and I braved the waterfalls on a hot day. Absolutely brilliant and highly recommended!

Western Walls - a brilliant day in Range West. The walk over to the crag is stunning, through wildflower meadows, a beach and a river crossing. The crag itself is just ridiculous- everything looks E5 but is actually Severe! Every route we did was great. As good as the Wired guide suggests it is.

Gambit Climb, Reade's Route, Crib Goch - a brutal walk up the hill to the base of Gambit Climb which was in heavy fog wasn't a great start, but the climbing was amazing and once we got above the clag it got better and better. Wandered over to Reade's Route which was absolutely wild and involved a ridiculously exposed step off a detached pinnacle (not HVD...) before finishing by descending Crib Goch and back to the car.

Spankings

eatswood Traverse - sunk a lot of sessions into this in the early part of the year and got one move from the end but couldn't finish it. Got really frustrated with the persistent condensation and the crag also gave me a savage splinter in my thumb which took months to work itself out of my hand! To top it off the access situation has worsened so who knows if I will ever get this finished!

Parker Sit - my lankier, stronger friends did this rapidly before I failed on it all day in warm conditions. Eventually sorted a sequence only to be out of beans. C'est la vie.

Pretty Girls Make Graves - fresh from knocking off a few E5s Josh and I thought it was worth a go. I barely made it to the pocket and couldn't touch the headwall. We were both so knackered by the end we drove home 2 days earlier than planned!On the plus side the ground up is still on...

Life

After being stuck in Leicester for 18 months it was a massive relief to move back up North in the spring, and to top it off managed to complete on our house purchase before Christmas. With any luck I won't have to deal with lettings agents, estate agent or solicitors again for several years. I also started a PhD and quit my old job so overall not too bad on the life front!

[User deactivated.]

I'll take eatswood trav off my list then as a very unfit boulderer... i would have expected you to path it (fitness)! Although I've only been to have a look at it when Bradley was wet and haven't actually pulled on. Did you milk the knee?

I do like the look of the highball stumble stop repeat nearby! Shame about the access problems.

[IanP]

After a year like 2021 (and 2020!) this thread is even  more pysche inducing than normal so thought I sould my contribution.

Strange year for me in that should have had plenty of opportunity to climb but coronavirus, family stuff and some irritating virus type illnesses (not covid afaik) during the latter part of summer reduced what I got done.  However did manage to get enough good days out to make me look forwards to next year.

Top 2 boulder problems

Actually did a bit of bouldering this year as covid restrictions lifted - stayed local and enjoyed a bit of time at the Wiltons, not the best venue in the world but the style (and the friendly grades!) suited me.

Pigs on the Hoof 7A+, Wilton 2. Traverse that is probably nearer to 7a+ tbh, but good techy moves and a view variations for extra interest.
Slipstream sit 7B, Wilton 2.  In a bit of dank pit put good moves mixing strenuous and balancy.. Did the stand and then spent an interesting hour or so putting the sit together.  Overgraded but I guess worth 7A which would make it my first outside for a few years.

Top 3 sport routes

Ten Year Fog 7c, Devils Gorge.  Relatively early season, unusually good conditions for the Gorge helped this go down quite quickly.  Powerful lower crux followed by some pumpy climbing on the upper wall to a finishing move that's probably the wildest I've done on a route dynoing to the very top of the crag.

Hell's Angle 7b, Lorry Park Quarry.  Consolation after I found I just couldn't pull on the weird small crimps on Good Time Emporium.  Maybe not the best route in the world but good lower wall and went direct via some funky moves on a sloping ledge which ended up easier than they first appear (my partner chose the cop out rh variant  ). 

Cave Route Righthand 7b+, Gordale.  One on my list of classic 7b+s I inexplicably haven't done.  Been twice in previous decades but failed each time on the steep, pumpy but weirdly balancy climbing high up.  Spent 2 days in only really hot week of the year and went down 1st rp on second day.  Great route and good scenes at the crag - I love Gordale, just wish there was more routes there.

Top 1 belay

Climbed quite a bit with my daughter Amy this summer who had a really good late summer/autumn.  Finished on an indifferent late October weekday when we made a touch and go decision to go back to Deep Rake where she'd been working My Body is a Stemple.  She warmed up putting the gear in and then went for it, cruised the lower crux section, rested for ages in the break then held it together on the steeper upper section, despite a close thing with footwork mistake, for her first 7b.  Don't think I've ever felt so invested in a belay!

Top 3 spankings

Quite a few choices here 

Lost in Thought and Time 7b+, Attermire.  Not so much a route spanking, had a decent redpoint attempt getting high up on the headwall and really enjoyed it, one to go back for.  Unfortunately the day didn't end so well with poor communication about stripping / changing gear on the route leading to me trying to sort stuff out at the bottom of the crag in a typical clumsy fashion and falling over landing on my knees.  Initial thoughts that I was OK changed as the blood ran down my left leg - fortunately someone had plenty of first kit and managed to patch me up.  Got home and went to A&E where a 4 hour wait meant I decide to do some self repair which worked out in the end except for a bit of scarring.

Dominatrix 7c, Kilnsey.  First time at Kilnsey in a few years and at a time during late summer when I seemed to be suffering from some ongoing virus fatigue.  Spanking doesn't quite describe how badly I failed on the steepness and flat holds of Dominatrix, I said to someone at the crag that for me if that was 7c then CRR was about 7a+!

Free and Easy 7a+, Malham.  Took Amy to Malham for the first time in September, she had a good day getting close on Bolt Revolt, my Malham game was miles off.  Had to redpoint Free and Easy and finally got it second go.  Positive scenes at the crag and somebody said I looked really smooth on the rp, which would have been nice if hadn't climbed it about 50 times in the 00s when I was a regular at Malham and used it as my warm up!

[DAVETHOMAS90]

Some great blogs/logs here.

Thin year in terms of quality, but there was a lockdown and then I got carried away with sport climbing.

- Raindogs 8a.

- Subculture 8a.

- Comedy 7c.

Progress.

That's pretty impressive. You certainly did get carried away   

Great reading these, keep em coming!

This has been a decent year for me. I managed a good chunk of both sport and trad climbing

Gambit Climb, Reade's Route, Crib Goch - a brutal walk up the hill to the base of Gambit Climb which was in heavy fog wasn't a great start, but the climbing was amazing and once we got above the clag it got better and better. Wandered over to Reade's Route which was absolutely wild and involved a ridiculously exposed step off a detached pinnacle (not HVD...) before finishing by descending Crib Goch and back to the car.

What a rich year you've had Spiders 

Just picking out one of your entries.
It's a great expedition to start with Main Wall on Cyrn Las. I think I carried on round the rest of the Horse Shoe the other way IIRC. A great day out.

At the risk of going cross-thread I love the efficiency :

2 x 8A
10 x ≥7C
side splits

There's a lot of depth in that  I'll go for a sitting straddle to handstand.
Perhaps you should add "Don't drop my bike"!  Happy riding for 2022.

And from TomTom (from 2021):

8A

Maybe you should get that tattooed on your left buttock TomTom