[Falling Down]

Just to say how brilliant this thread is. Such a pleasure to read.  Thanks for sharing folks, and whilst it’s difficult to hear of the challenges that life throws our way, it’s good to see some open hearted sharing and supportive responses.

I did go climbing this year. A day at Back Bowden with Gav and was pleased to find that some of the old shuffle magic is still there, even if the fingers and shoulders aren’t.

Other stuff:

Lots of swimming up at the Hampstead ponds. First time I’ve done a winter season and I’m loving it.  It’s a bit like going for a bouldering session, albeit shorter but still out amongst the birds, trees and the water. Very nourishing.  Been running quite a bit this year too and seem to have regained the base fitness I had for years.

Got my UKCP psychotherapy accreditation alongside a Distinction for my research MA, and am now back at the school I trained at as a facilitator and academic marker which is pretty cool, very interesting and fun too.

My “day-job” work has been good this year and W’s wine shop business is doing great. I’m really proud of her.

Made some new friends this year, which is fab and rare once we get into our fifties.

Read loads of great books, listened to good music, cooked nice food, had a fantastic holiday in Galicia with W in the Summer and immediately rebooked the air BnB to go back this August.

Wishing you all a healthy and fulfilling new year.

[carlisle slapper]

Been enjoying reading this thread so did some writing too;

This was a big house cleaning year for me. I finally got off my arse post kids and did some more regular “training”. This was initially kickstarted with a 7 day forced fast over 2022 betwixtmas due to a bug. But I gradually got myself back on the rails good and proper throughout the year and added in some prehab exercises and some solid couch training. As a result I seem to have cleared up a lot of bugbears from 2018 onwards and its been great fun but I feel like was also just a bit too casual for some of them over those years.

Best new boulders UK:

AfroMan project Eskdale: I love Eskdale in winter and after reading Graham Suttons smoke across the fell this year it adds another depth to the area as much of the novel is set around the modernization of west lakes from farming to mining and smelting (amazingly its stayed that way since 1700). This was a locally famous proj and I had a few sunny sessions over there and got to drive the Calder Moor road quite a bit whilst it was “closed” due to Ice which added some fun to the drive whilst taking in some old fatboy slim tunes. The day I climbed the line it drizzled all the way there until I was almost at Eskdale, took a lot of faith in seabreeze effect to keep going. Its got some really odd face climbing and one of the best winter boulder positions in the lakes. Great fun and well worth putting the back out for years ago when I squatted the big block out of the way on the landing. Slight sequence adjustment on the day got the win. Sitter will be hard.

Ship Proj: This was great fun, really enjoyed doing it with the sequence I found, loved the feeling of getting the final pebble and whipping over to the top crimp, definitely the weirdest most hip position dependent climbing I’ve done. Majestic position again and snow capped hills always make things feel more special. Hoping to find some more hard slabs in 2024.

Christianbury: Lower Limbs and The Scoop. Almost did lower limbs the day Nicky C did bombadil but we all stopped to donate pads and spot the main event plus it was muggy and a bit midge so not super fun connies. I ended up doing it next session. I’ve been trying lower limbs and the scoop on and off for 4 years now and both felt fine this year in the end with a slight adjustments to foot or knee pressure points. Both are brilliant problems and that group of 4 problems in a 30ft square radius is IMO a long way above anywhere else in the country when you add quality + difficulty + independent problems together. A good personal goal achieved to get them all done, just need to clean the next lot up now, but might head elsewhere for a bit.

A sense of Porpoise Fairhead: The return of the Fallen boulder always amazes me due to the Fairhead boulder billiards landscape. Id have loved to have seen it before it fell down the hill, but will just have to make do with the stories from Rob and Ricky. Nowadays its well settled. In 2016 I walked round the front and saw the barrel and arête with some of the best rock there but no landing, I’ve built the landing up a lot over the years as did Rob and what’s cool is how the grass and brambles keep growing out over it so now much of it looks natural. The prow on this has bugged me since I figured out a sequence in 2021, this year I felt stronger and got super close my old way only to figure out a better sequence and do it fast, did nearly tear my gristly old hamstring off though. Top out was super commiting as the ledge ends and the brambles don’t look inviting. Topped out in the sun, sat for a minute and watched Shark wilting out the offwidth on a freezing looking Raglan Road with a frustrated cry drifting down in the wind (didn’t see you after this but enjoyed your UKC entry). All in all a lovely week dossing at Seans farm and seeing some great people. Gutted not to do a route this year though.


Sticking the toehook deadpoint to sloper move on Range Anxiety at Dove Glendhu was a sweet feeling and its defo one of the best on sandstone.

Did plenty else but those stand out.

Routes: only really did one proper trad route “Delayed Attack” on Binnian Shuas but had a great day out there with two some old grouches. enjoyed Chatting with Cubby about the old county days and watching the other two get flash pumped and pull holds off the Chosstress (wasnt impressed by the rock there by Scottish standards). Loved Eavesdropping in the CIC hut too and Cubbys impression of the stereotype clientele there.

Abroad: only went to font for the easter crush: Had a much better trip this year as my right arm was working again. Favourite evening was when I got to run around a bit on my own as it’s a rarity in font nowadays and the family was happy in the Gite. Managed to flash the real J’Osai Fine and Dans les bois eternals on the warm up. Finally did Kick Me up (longest font proj at 4 sessions over the years. Topped that out (maybe a first) went over to Ouest for the first time (wow) managed to flash Da capo with 1 pad and then did Ouest Coast just as darkness set in. Quality evening with blue skies and a light breeze and only one chap at west who was on the phone most of the time, started to feel a bit like the old me there.

Leaping Stone with a full team was great fun. Was nice to climb with Niky a bit and see his deserved honeypot effect as its not often someone drives 1600 miles to climb in the arse end of nowhere.

Had some good days out with Aidan spotting him on some inspiring hard stuff.

Nice to be heading into 2024 with an almost clean slate (two things got away) Want to try and explore the lakes more this year if I can find the psyche and also get back to my old hard problems again on the 55. I’m going to try and fight what I always do which is have a few sessions in the lakes at the start of the year and then sack it off and climb on sandstone. I got put off the lakes by the covid crowds but I do love all the different valleys in different seasons.

[remus]

Quality write up, sounds a satisfying year of getting back on form.

AfroMan project Eskdale: I love Eskdale in winter and after reading Graham Suttons smoke across the fell this year it adds another depth to the area as much of the novel is set around the modernization of west lakes from farming to mining and smelting (amazingly its stayed that way since 1700). This was a locally famous proj and I had a few sunny sessions over there and got to drive the Calder Moor road quite a bit whilst it was “closed” due to Ice which added some fun to the drive whilst taking in some old fatboy slim tunes. The day I climbed the line it drizzled all the way there until I was almost at Eskdale, took a lot of faith in seabreeze effect to keep going. Its got some really odd face climbing and one of the best winter boulder positions in the lakes. Great fun and well worth putting the back out for years ago when I squatted the big block out of the way on the landing. Slight sequence adjustment on the day got the win. Sitter will be hard.

I assume this is the big blank-looking gap that's down as a project on the Afro boulder in Greg's guide? Funny you mention about driving through the drizzle, I went for the first time this year and had a very similar experience, driving through the rain all the way there only to arrive to crisp blue skies. Bangin.

[accynez]

Went to climb one of the Avens down there with Accy Nez about 92…went to the end and used the camp to try and sleep…Not sure i would have the mental capacity to go through that squeeze anymore as you are basically in the stream with moving boulders…

Good effort going in there…Biggest prize in the Dales under there….

It doesn't go on for very long, but it takes a few hours to get there including a fair bit of crawling dragging a bag of rope behind you.
The squeeze is a tunnel down through boulders for 3m or so just off vertical, the tightest bit at the bottom, where you can fit your legs through, but they immediately hit a horizontal floor so have to bend them in front of you at 90 degrees ish. The space for your feet is foot size. You then shimmy forwards to get flat out and can then flat out crawl out for a bit, and eventually end at a pitch. Getting in is hard work. Getting out looks harder! I was getting wedged with my thigh pushing against one side and my arse against the other. I got a good bruise.

May I be the first to say, "fuck that"?

Aye that was an interesting day out! A full day in fact as we were down there for 24 hours on that trip. We had a right struggle getting through the Nemisis boulder choke which had been a doddle the year before.

[andy moles]

Late entry following an off-grid spell over New Year...

Slightly curtailed climbing year for me. Went to Antarctica in October and have yet to do any climbing here. Still holding out hope of climbing something, maybe even something new, just because, but most of the rock is biscuits and opportunities are rare. Had a finger injury during the summer which restrained things a bit. Also didn't get away sport climbing and did so little sport (and none that I did do was very memorable) that I'm going to leave that out.

Top 3 boulders

Vapour Trail 6C, Torridon
The highlight of one of those golden winter days in Torridon. Not too hard but I've rarely climbed something this high so decisively, it felt good.

Pagan Uillean 7A+, Glen Nevis
Quick hit on a whim one day as I was passing Fort William, wonderful twisty slippery kneebar action.

Jerry's Roof 7C, Llanberis
Avoided for years because it's too roadside and too popular and the rock is ugly, but actually of a style that's right up my street and it is great, and the hardest thing I've bouldered for a while. Buzzing and surprised to top it out.

Top 3 new problems

The Fisherman and Me 7A, Ogwen
More than an hour uphill walk, guaranteeing that no one will ever do this, but I had a lovely time up there with the cwm (almost) to myself, on the best kind of North Wales rock.

Bad Bitches 7A, Llanberis
OK cheating, I didn't make the first ascent of this, but I found it and shared it and it's very pretty (and quite a lot less than an hour uphill)

Jerry's Roof Arete sit start proper 7A+/B, Llanberis
Sort of cheating again because I only added one move. This has only recently become possible due to erosion at the back of the roof, but the bum-on-ground sit makes it a much more complete problem. Underrated.

Top 5 routes

The Rising Son E8, Llanberis
Really peak experience, could hardly have designed a better challenge for my climbing tastes and skillset (including locating it ten minutes from my front door).

The Groove E4, Eigg
Not the best route in the world but memorable. On approach the entire miles-long face appears to be made of grooves. The approach pitch is about the sketchiest grass I've led. Everything booms. But the climbing is good, the island setting is lovely, there are eagles.

Kilt Rock traxion spree
Didn't do much challenging on-sight climbing this year. Sometimes top-roping is just more fun, especially somewhere like Kilt Rock, where all the lines are perfectly straight, right next to each other for minimal rope faff, long and sustained and brilliant, and of a style where you can just get stuck in and do some proper climbing with minimal pissing about.

Esprit de Clocher 6c+, Petit Clocher du Portalet
Absolutely brilliant thing, recently cleaned and with various fixed gear removed, up the front face of the Petit Clocher. Quality golden granite and sustained crack pitches, basically my fave.

Sale Athée 6c+, Aiguille du Moine
More of that kind of thing. Pitch six (I think) might be the best hand crack I've done in Europe.

Top 3 new routes

Bury the Bright Edge E6, Ogwen
A properly steep route up an overlooked little crag. Climbing in the top half is absolutely brilliant and go-ey, took a nice whipper on my first attempt. Almost certainly destined for dirt and obscurity, but who cares.

Les Mains Sales E5, Ogwen
All about the crux mantle - one of those things I haven't really done since I climbed on grit more often several years ago, where you put your foot by your ear, heave, get a tiny pebble and keep heaving.

Yacht Rock E2, Muck
A contender for the best route on an OK crag - actually it would be quite a good crag if it was a grit edge or something near a city, but when it's an hour walk from the harbour on a small island.

Enjoyed reading all the other contributions, have a good 2024 everyone!

[erm, sam]

Throwback to page 3

The Essence, 7B+, Torridon. A lifetime goal realised. Absolute king line in one of my favourite places in the world.

-thanks for posting this GazM, looks sick!  I hadn't heard about it. I can add it to my dream "one day I'll go and do Malcs Arete" trip.

[andy moles]

The Essence, 7B+, Torridon. A lifetime goal realised. Absolute king line in one of my favourite places in the world.

Also a personal highlight for me on this thread, didn't know you'd done The Essence Gaz. Brilliant. How many sessions?

[SA Chris]

Throwback to page 3

The Essence, 7B+, Torridon. A lifetime goal realised. Absolute king line in one of my favourite places in the world.

-thanks for posting this GazM, looks sick!  I hadn't heard about it. I can add it to my dream "one day I'll go and do Malcs Arete" trip.

Even if you don't do those two probs, there is a ton of fantastic bouldering on my favourite rock in the UK.

[SA Chris]

Year of ups and downs....

Bouldering

Good

Bouldering on the granite boulders on the beautiful Magnetic Island near Townsville was definitely a highlight. Too hot to do anything hard, but a sublime location. Would love to explore more, there is just tons of rock.

Developing bouldering at Johnsheugh South.. I've climbed on the conditions proof Plan D crag for years, but never really looked at the wave cut platform below. So far it's yielded over half a dozen reasonably independent lines from about 5 to 6C? And some eliminates can push the grades up a bit. And for a tidal spot the conditions are surprisingly reliable.

Bad

Once again failed to do the problem i wanted to do at Johnsheugh North. North facing, tidal, and sheltered, I was there on my own and managed to get through the fingery crux direct start, but dropped off rather than facing the committing rockover onto a smear at the highball finish without pads or spotters, thinking I would be back soon to get it done, but the window never happened. This time next year Rodney..... 

Climbing

Actually clipped some bolts this year too, and the weren't in UK. OK, it was a few easy routes at Sa Mola de Felanitx in Mallorca, but still good fun. Shame the mosquitos were relentless.

Had a couple of great fun DWS sessions at Murrayheugh last summer, it's a great venue for introducing people to it and there is a lot more fun stuff there than has been written up. And a great spot for cliff jumping too, some big jumps over very deep water.

After much hesitation, Kyle is now leading confidently indoors. Belaying your offspring is mega stressful. Cerys decided she wanted a piece of the action too, and has also given it a bash and done Ok, much dropping rope when clipping, even more stressful.

Even led some routes at the wall, forgotten it's actually good fun.

Other Stuff

Not surfed much this year, but the sessions I've had have been brilliant. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm a slow, weak, unfit old man now, and will take the longboard out most of the time, and generally have a brilliant time on it, especially in Aberdeen's generally mushy waves.

Skiing. Last trip to Les Gets before my aunt and uncle sold their place. Great time, but hard to see it go after 20 years of the most amazing memories. Right for them to do at their age, just have to accept time moves on.

Life. Dealing with the death of a good mate, my brother and my dad in the same year has been a bit shitty, along with dealing with my own health issues. I've immersed myself in bouldering sessions a few times as an escape from it. Glad to have it in my life.

[GazM]

The Essence, 7B+, Torridon. A lifetime goal realised. Absolute king line in one of my favourite places in the world.

Also a personal highlight for me on this thread, didn't know you'd done The Essence Gaz. Brilliant. How many sessions?

Thanks Andy and Sam. It is a belter.
It was 4 sessions in total, which was a very pleasant surprise. I'm used to far more protracted seiges!

[jshaw]

Late to the party w this:

Good year, fixed my shoulder in early May just in time for a trip to Fontainebleau then had a good run of form in Autumn.

Top days /climbs:

The Arete, Gillercombe: a lot had to align to finish this off and made climbing it especially rewarding.

Clash of the Titans, St Bees: this has thwarted me a couple of times so I was surprised to find myself on top of the boulder on a muggy, overcast June day...St Bees is a special place.

Circuiting at Sirvaag, Norway: weather aligned with location on a non-climbing trip. Only had a duvet in a bag for a pad and one pair of boots between us. Lovely rock and climbing in a great location. Really fun day.

Special mention: Le Chalis, Restant du long rocher. Climbed this just before dark with the forest alive with the sound of maybugs. Maybe my new favourite climb in Fontainebleau.

[Gus]

Whooooaaaaaa. Bit late to the party on this, it's nearly February!
Still, I've enjoyed reading everyone else's so much that I feel like it's worth chipping in, just in case people get as much pleasure as I have from it all.

As per last year, climbing was on the back burner again, but even more so to make way for work and training specialist skills for work - mainly horse riding and swimming, amongst others. Happily i count myself very very lucky to enjoy my job and training for it as much as climbing. Which for those of you that know me is really saying something!!!!!

Anyway, awaaaaaaaaaay we gooooo!

Top 3 UK Trad

“Recurring Nightmare” E5 6b. Burbage South
What a weird little route! Its tiny really but the grip factor on it is something else, maybe to do with the scrittly insecure nature of the climbing combined with the sticking out shelf of rock at the bottom, and an awful final lurch that feels super committing. As ever as much about the day and the people there than the actual route. Awesome to catch up with and spend time with Dan Hoyle and Paul Smith who are amazing inspiring instructors, and especially ace to see Dan smash in “Nosferatu” like a rat up a drainpipe!!!



“Left Unconquerable” E1 5b, Stanage.
Again another fantastic day out, and this time getting paid for it!! A day of instructing a lovely bunch of keen and competent climbers from the University of East Anglia with Charlie Mackie and Dan Hoyle again.
We’d watched people succeed and fail on the Unconquerables all day, so it would have been rude not to get them done when the work ended. Followed by obligatory pint and ranting scenes afterwards. Doesn’t feel like work the days are like that!

“West Wing” E2 5c, Trewavas.
Cool little venue on the headland of the Lizard Peninsula. The crux of this route was the E1 5c groove that it starts up! Absolutely nails, especially in the heat with poor tiny gear and very insecure reachy climbing despite the E2 roof section being right up my street. Made especially memorable by seeing a huge dolphin or whale fully breach out to sea multiple times whilst belaying Vicks up!

Top 3 UK Boulders

“The Ultimate Gritstone Experience” 6c, Froggatt.
A Glaring omission from my grit CV!! Following the amazing Climbing Works party/ weekend sesh, and as standard, I was ill as sin! However by the weekend I’d just managed to recover enough for a walk to this, a smash up it, then a rapid retreat for a pint and a pie at the Grouse. Pukka recovery tekkers!

Stanage Plantation circuit with Si and Jackie Moore!
We were psyched to host these good friends when they came over for a seriously fun joint Birthday do for some very good old skool climbing friends, and luckily the weather played ball for a cracking scene taking them on a trip down memory lane around the plantation. It had been 15 years since they’d been on the grit!!! A couple of plays on Deliverance had me and Si tickling the top, but with no pressure we were able to contentedly walk away which felt quite zen!

“Cock o’ the Rock” 7c/7a? Stanage
Again, really only on here as it was the most memorable problem from a day out with friends doing old and new problems and just having a great scene! That sloper is a thing of Beauty!

Top 3 UK Sport
“Quatermass and the Pit” 7b+, Deep Rake
Costa Del Deep Rake!!! What a funny little venue, but when it’s not super busy, it’s really enjoyable! Found this quite tough as I was weighing in heavy and hadn’t been climbing. Managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat just before the end of the day. Good scenes!

“Mechanoids” 7a? Blacknor Far South.
I always like checking out a new venue, especially when they’re good and there’s loads to go at! I’d been trying to get here for a while but my guidebook's really old and there’s been a landslide, so struggled to know how to get to it. Luckily we got some local knowledge and had a great couple of days here despite the boiling sun! Was a bit shocked and stunned how tough this is! The crux is like a spicy gritstone sequence, except its on boiling hot limestone with only about 5 percent of the friction. Felt like a good worthy challenge!

“The Bad Seeds” 7b, Coastguard Cliffs
Keep Portland Weird! As the saying goes…
I flippin’ love Portland. Both as a place and as a climbing venue. It’s the gift that keeps on giving and the more time I spend there, the more I discover. There’s some great secret places and things to do on the Island!
This route’s an absolute corker, with a hard bouldery start, steady climbing and a fantastic technical crack for it’s crux that’s no pushover at the grade. Another perfect challenge for that particular day/ moment in time in terms of how much / how little you’ve been climbing. I really like it when that timing comes together as it often makes routes that might have been not memorable especially so!

Top 3 Foreign Sport
“Thetida” 7c, Kalymnos
A-N-other waddage Kalymnos 7c. Pretty pokey I thought and really good and airy with a tekkers thin finish that's very droppable. I’m still in love with Kalymnos, and a bit like Portland, even after all this time and loads of visits I always find something new about the local scene and people that’s properly magic!

“Pomponpidoux” 7b, Kalymnos
Sometimes you just want to have a fight with a route and see where your head's at. I’ve done this years ago when it was first put up when I was super fit, but this time was seriously unfit so just offered myself up for a battle and was basically redlining from the second bolt all the way to the chains, but somehow managed to fight on through. One of those experiences where you think you know what feeling pumped is like, but then it begins and you realise its a million times worse and harder to manage than you ever remembered! Really funny!

“Katergo” 7b, Kalymnos.
Memorable for seeing Vicks smash it with no fuss, in a bit of a return to climbing form after work and general life stuff meaning that she’d spent time away from it. All in all a mega trip with great friends!

Top 3 Jobs/ Work
Wild first person / POV action film.
Absolutely crackers, carnage packed production all filmed in first person perspective. Ended up doing all sorts on this, including fighting, high falls, getting shot a million times, having a gun fight on HMS Belfast and crashing a car. Probably the wildest day was getting kicked out of a moving van, then getting run over, then pulling the driver out of the car, punching him and throwing him on the floor, then stealing his car, then doing a 180 handbrake turn and following the van. All in one take! Stressful but amazing!

Live Stunt show and PR event in Leeds city centre.
Again another pretty wild one, this time to promote a video game company.
This involved two hours of amazing makeup to turn me into a very convincing zombie and taking a huge hit from an American football player over…. And over… and over… and over again. Was definitely “Walking it off the next day”
Also had the bonus tick of getting set on fire by a dragon. As you do….

Stunt Team training
I had the amazing opportunity to do a week of training with the stunt team on what is by far my favourite show on TV. It’s the most violent thing on TV (set in London.. hint hint..) so I’m hoping to get the call to work on it!
The training included everything from Kickboxing, Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Filipino Escrima, to military and firearms drills, all led by some of the most talented people around. I was in Heaven!!




Right then, that's yer lot folks!

Special big up to everyone who's posted about their challenges and low points. Very brave I think but also a reminder that life's tough sometimes and not just the highlights/ livin yer best life that people put on instagram/ social media or even this thread.
That said it's a good reminder to celebrate, share and enjoy the good bits! Life really is too short so might as well make the most of it!

If anyone's still lingering and hasn't posted, and is thinking of it... please do! There's no better thread on the internet I don't think for that warm fuzzy feeling and turbo psycyhe!

Peace out ministers!
Awooooogaaaaa!