[Bonjoy]

Have fleshed the bare list out a bit.


Brad's Wall - StantonI find the final throw to the slopey top inordinately hard, in part due to my cod-hands (Dupytren's Contracture), My Buddy the Apple - RowtorSo made up to climb this. Had looked at it before Ben did it and thought it would make a very good 8b one day! It is amazing how you can climb through horizontal terrain on total none holds. Pure gritstone magic. Everyone climbing around the grade should have this on their list and Great White - Curbar Had always felt miles away from doing this. One little tweak to a sequence can make all the diffence. One of the season's best days out
Beresina - CuvierEarly start after travel mayhem and no sleep. Got it second go, thanks to the power of much caffeine, Noir Desir - RempartHad always fluffed the last move, so well pleased to finish it off and Eclipse - Cul du ChienStatic. Check me!
Priapism - Blue Scar, Balas - Kilnsey and Powerplay - Yew CogarOnly one week trad climbing all year, but a damn good one.
Pistol Fingers - Long Tor QuarryThis and the Boltest(one of the peaks best at 7c) are class and well worth going to LTQ for., Soft Option - KilnseyThe reputation as a sandbag is well deserved! and GBH - MalhamSo much for the early season quick stamina boost, it took me ages!
Nuit de TempsUndercut mono mmmmm, Les Couilles au Cul 52m 7b+ with runouts up to 7m, exciting!and Le Tresor du ZebraOne of the best 7a+s i've done anywhere, all Gorges Du Tarn
Forest Casual - Black GardenFor the leafy gent. Johnny Brown was sporting a strong look, yessir!, Pistol Fingers - Long Tor Quarry and Fearful Orange - Gardom's
 Only an extension of an existing highball, but one of the best things i've ever found I reckon

[The Sausage]

would love to wad jonboy for those font ticks. he managed 4 7c's while the rest of us were whinging about the rain. eclipse was done in 100% humidity. ok, actual rain. fight on black is total piss if you're tall-ish. you can miss the first move out. is there a "goals for '07 thread" or do i have to start one..?

[JR]

"tied of piece of flint "  LOL!

I had a bit of hassle with the national trust because basically they're closed in winter and won't let you through.  Ian gave some really helpful advice though, (in my experience famous climbers come over much better via email in general, though I've been to his talks and he just comes over well through all mediums).  The NT said no to me so I said no to them. 

fair play.  probably just depends who you get on the other side of the phone tbh.

I know someone from Bristol who's possibly got contacts at Oxford.  I never did organise a varsity competition - they didn't sound up for it. To be honest I was fucking up the club enough as it was without having to deal with all that `quarter blue' status bull shit.  Plus, who would set problems?  Unlike SCUIBL, we couldn't have afforded Zippy.  But Foot and Mouth was on, so hey.

come on paz, climbing  must be worth at least half blue status.  It aint tiddlywinks or owt...

thread hijack over

[Somebody's Fool]

Top three bouldering exploits in the UK would be; Brass Monkey at Stanage because it took lot of effort, West Side Story because it drew a line under 6 years of exasperation and doubt and finally The Gritstone Treaty.  I was going to put Spare Rib in but remembered about 'The Treaty' just in time.  Fookin' Superb.

Top three abroad:  The middle sitter to Gargantoit at Gorge de Houx was highlight of my best ever font trip. Golden Eye at Magic Grades. I didn't know what onsighting at ones limit was until I saw a dense loner slapping his way to glory. It also went some way to easing the pain of me not being able to repeat the things on the Bruno Block that I did the year before.
I want to put Kalorienmonster at Magic Grades in as well even though my high point wasn't the top, but very close to. Is this allowed?
Hardly did any routes but stand out ones are Great Shark Hunt, Swinging Nineties and Rumble in the Jungle.  All of a Dorset DWS flava.
Put up one problem at the start of the year.  Be Somebody or be Somebody's Fool at Curbar.  7a+ and only ever so slightly eliminate.  Get to it.

[Bonjoy]

Sausage - There's a winter 06/07 bouldering specific ticklist thread, so I reckon there is still room for an all round 07 one.

Somebody - Forgot about the Treaty, could well have gone on my list too.

[Somebody's Fool]

Somebody - Forgot about the Treaty, should well have gone on my list too.

That's right.

[Bonjoy]

 That reminds me, you forgot to mention the mighty Stenobloc in your new probs list!

[SA Chris]

Seeing mine are pretty obscure, I will indulge you with piccies.

•   Top three boulder probs, UK
This one at Back Bowden


Holds Harmless SS at Clova



SS to eliminate funny thing with shallow pockets, Old Portlethen Boulder



•   Top three boulder probs, abroad
This one at Canon (Le Bossu?)

This one at Isatis

This one at Rocklands

•   Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Talisman, Cairngorms
Route II, Diabaig
Birthday Treat, Clashrodney
•   Top three sport routes UK
None, didn't clip a bolt here last year. Going to try and change that this year.
•   Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Staircase, Table Mountain (still awesome after all these years)
Couple of clip ups at Silvermine Cape Town
•   Top three new route/prob put up
Holds Harmless SS, Glen Clova as above.
Funny Thing with Shallow Pockets, Old Portlethen (probably FA?)
Traverse at Cedarberg



I'm adding a top three non climbing "routes"

A route down the untracked snow (calling it powder would be unfair) on the back side of Praz de Lys on 3rd Jan; me my lass and my bruv.
The route from Beacon Isle to Robberg and back by Sea kayak in South Africa. Dolphins to the left of me, seals to the right.
The route down the front of a great wave at Stonehaven on a Thursday evening in October. After a summer of waiting, what is now my local break finally delivered, under a gorgeous vivid red sunset. 

[Fiend]

I've just realised that having visited Castle Inn Quarry, The Cornice, The Gallery, The Gap, Horseshoe, Smalldale, and somewhat unwillingly several crags at Portland, I've done a fair bit of UK sport climbing (in proportion to it's lack of quality) this year. So to pick some arbitrarily top routes:

Route 2, Castle Inn Quarry
Trad Free World, Portland
Mr Love Pants, Smalldale

[Jim]

home: shit & blind date, both long term projects sent 06
away: clin d'oil, first 7th grade flash in the forest (I know its a soft touch!) and foo fighter sent with much finger pain due to sore skin. good to tick another 7c in magic grades (soft touch again I know!!!)

whats the rest about?  ???

[Eddies]

My top three boulder probs in UK...Well Staffordshire:

S+M, s/s with the left-hand exit @ Newstones
Stall arete @ Gib Torr
Staffordshire Flyer @ Doxeys Pool

And all within about 2.5 miles of each other!
 

[Richie Crouch]

Top 3 UK Bouldering: Screaming Slave RH - Woodwell; Joe's Arete - Roaches; Fast Cars - Porth Ysgo

Top 3 UK Trad: Sifta's quid inside route (feet first!) - Roaches; Commander Energy - Roaches; Teaser - Holyhead mountain

Didn't get anything done abroad or sport wise :S

Top 32* FA: Make it snappy - Frodsham; GALTS undercuts eliminate - Woodwell;

[Somebody's Fool]

Sifta's quid inside route (feet first!) - Roaches;

That sounds terrifying.  I'm struggling to comprehend how you'd go about a feet first ascent.

[Johnny Brown]

Sifta's quid inside route (feet first!)

Crikey.

[moose]

Seeing mine are pretty obscure, I will indulge you with piccies.

•   Top three boulder probs, UK
This one at Back Bowden

Where at Back Bowden is that, does it correspond to one of the guide problems?  How difficult is it? 

Despite often being in the area, and it having reputation as the crag to visit in wet and windy weather I have only bouldered once at Back Bowden (and that's only if you can call pissing around on the Hazelrigg Wall before leaving for "front" Bowden bouldering).  I realise that I should have given it more of a go (rather than retreating to the Sunderland Wall) but the mojo for a return has always been strangely lacking.  Perhaps, in true puerile-ticker's style, because the only problem there anyone has ever recommended is the Pockets Traverse and that's far too hard for a punter like me (there are the starts to a few trad routes I guess, but I would prefer to save those for onsight leads... although there's little chance of that happeniing anytime soon).

[r-man]

Been a good year - what with moving to Sheffield and coming back to climbing after a year off. Have been to lots of new places, climbed lots of new things and met lots of new people. Enjoyed being almost exclusively an outdoor climber during the grit season (the stuff of dreams for a boulderer once confined to Norwich). Enjoyed the lime and the many chilled sessions at the cemetery boulder/pub. Enjoyed going to font for the first time (and verily, it was heaven). Recently, it has rained too much, but the Works has opened, so hey...

    * Top three boulder probs, UK

Deliverance - discovering that the high smear really does work, and throwing in a gleeful victory lap. Usually I love to dyno, but this is such a brilliant move that I don't ever want to leap past the best bit. Climbed in the half hour of dry weather snatched from the rain, just as dusk settled in, and after my second of three hitched lifts that day, questing for dry rock.

Right Hand Hank - after having three goes every night for a week, finally cruising to the top in the dark and being very happy about it. Fingery, balancy, technical - it really is very good.

Dan's Leaping Problem - during a warm day at Burbage South, giving up on friction, and having lots of fun. Have posted about this problem before, but it really is great. On the pointy boulder below the tank, on the downward face, stand on the right hand ledge and bound to the left (no hands) via a smaller intermediate. Harder than it looks - maybe 7a+. If you are at Burbage South, try it!

    * Top three boulder probs, abroad

Having only climbed abroad for a week, I haven't done that many. But racing around font trying to do as many 7's as possible (not that many) was brilliant fun. Of those, Impasse du Hasard at Cuisiniere was the best, with Hyperplomb and Epee the runner ups.

    * Top three new route/prob put up

Only did two last year. Still so many projects in lancs that I'm not strong enough for. But the two I did were both good -

He's so Derick - Laurencefield - 7a+ - (say it out loud and chortle/wince). Good fun.

Lifeline sitstart - Brownstones - 7a+ - Was surprised how good this was, as I'd previously dismissed it. Straight up from fat undercuts into pockets and the sidepull. Tricky and fingery, another nice addition to the Brownstones circuit.

[Bonjoy]

He's so Derick - Laurencefield - 7a+ - (say it out loud and chortle/wince). Good fun.

Oh I see. At first I thought it must be Derrick May related ryhming slang

[SA Chris]

Where at Back Bowden is that, does it correspond to one of the guide problems?  How difficult is it? 
 

It's on the left side of the furthest left of the bouders in front of the scary slab. It's normally a bit damp underfoot, but OK with a big pad. It's not hard, probably about V1 (dunno about Northumberland Grade or exact location, not got guide handy, can check tonight) but moves are fantastic and rock is immaculate. The runnel thing just left is good value too (quality thumb sprags) and theres a nice eliminate inbetween.

That group of boulders probably has a half dozen or so good probs, including a lovely arete, but the rest is not so great. We only went after getting blown off our feet at Bowden Doors.

[moose]

cheers, not the all-weather project I was hoping for but always nice to get a recommendation.  I suspect that my initial thoughts re Back Bowden were correct: best saved for that hardcore who enjoy (and can actually do) eliminates on V10ish traverses.  Not that I really need any new projects for the list.  I would be best off just committing myself to the existing ones - just a little matter of beta, motivation, and perhaps somehow obtaining something resembling basic upperbody strength!   

[Stubbs]

cheers, not the all-weather project I was hoping for but always nice to get a recommendation.  I suspect that my initial thoughts re Back Bowden were correct: best saved for that hardcore who enjoy (and can actually do) eliminates on V10ish traverses.  Not that I really need any new projects for the list.  I would be best off just committing myself to the existing ones - just a little matter of beta, motivation, and perhaps somehow obtaining something resembling basic upperbody strength!   

The problems through the roof that you mentioned as the start of routes before are really pretty good (and reachy too), but I guess if you're getting all ethical and want to save them, then that's fair enough!

[dave]

all those E1 soloy routes with 5c problem roof starts at back bowden are brilliant, and if you want proper bouldering there are a couple of excellent problems over left of pockets traverse. the roof coes into a sort of corner at the back, theres a coupld of problems close together finishing at the same set of jugs on the lip. One seems to go to a crescent shaped undercut then out to the jugs via a nubbin (i not done this) and the one just left kinda starts on jugs, big foot-off move into a good backhand flake in the roof, some toehooking in the aforementioned crescent undercut of the previous problem to matck this good hold, then finish with some footlessing to the jugs. one of the best problems i've ever done quite honestly. and that's saying something cos i;ve climbed a bell hagg a bit.

[SA Chris]

if you climb at moderate grades, I reckon it's best for a few hours of paly, either as an end of day job, a summer evening or if you beat the retreat from BowDoors.

[moose]

Cheers SA Chris and dave - I have come to the conclusion that my proud ethical stance (read: laziness) should come to an end the next time the weather's a bit wet!  I really ought to visit new ground and am a little embarassed at my generally increasing willingness to decamp to the wall at the slightest excuse (besides I'm a lot better at roof-work than I was at my previous visit).  

Three reasonably enjoyable festive  sessions spent under Brimham's Joker's Wall and Ilkley's Calf showed me what can be done in even the grottiest of weather.  That said, I still feel destroyed from the steepness and godawful holds of those places!  And, I have had some truly miserable, lonely days determinedly sticking out shit conditions essentially to justify the time spent travelling.  

Hey ho... off-topic, but now I've finally done Slapstick Arete I don't suppose you (or anyone else) have got any cunning tips for:

- the LHS horn problem at Caley (other than be really strong and dynamic - is there some crafty heel-hook or sequence that I couldn't see?).
- Ben's Groove at Caley
- Layby arete, Slipstones (the dedicated beta thread for that dried up)
- frankly any hard-won killer beta that might make the difference for V7/8ish stuff .

[moose]

if you climb at moderate grades

who do you think you are, intimating that I'm MODERATE.  I'm shit I'll have you know!

[andy_e]

- the LHS horn problem at Caley (other than be really strong and dynamic - is there some crafty heel-hook or sequence that I couldn't see?).

I remember getting a toe-hook somewhere on it that stops you swinging madly... can't quite remember exactly... not that I did it of course!