[Johnny Brown]

I don't want to piss on anyone's chips here but there are two reasons why Nik's wall is unrepeated. First, its hard. Second, because its at a venue which isn't popular for good reasons. I don't know of anyone who has tried it seriously, simply because Rivelin is a one-trip-a-season-at-most kind of venue.

Basically, if you're making a rare trip to the peak go somewhere good. Yes there's every chance the hard classics will be in condition, if its cool. It might not be. Over the last ten years I've discovered you can get good grit conditions anytime of year, it can be great in July and boiling in February. All that changes are the odds of it happening.

[TomP]

I hear what your saying. I quite like quiet esoteric venues though and it's got me intruiged now.

I've found that conditions can be a fickle old game too. I tend to keep climbing on grit in the summer and done some hard stuff then. Since last week, which I thought was the advent of a spectacular summer, it's got fuckin freezing again. I was really happy that I could go out and not freeze my arse off but then disappointed that I hadn't treid some of the hard classics out of Yorks which are on my list. I'm hoping for a cold but dry day next Sunday then.

Good effort on the Joker JB

[uptown]

I don't want to piss on anyone's chips here but there are four reasons why Nik's wall is unrepeated. First, its hard. Second, because its at a venue which isn't popular for no good reasons. I don't know of anyone who has tried it seriously, simply because Rivelin is a one-trip-a-season-at-most kind of venue.

Basically, if you're making a rare trip to the peak go somewhere good. Yes there's every chance the hard classics will be in condition, if its cool. It might not be. Over the last ten years I've discovered you can get good grit conditions anytime of year, it can be great in July and boiling in February. All that changes are the odds of it happening.

three - it's a style of bloddering that people lack the necessary skills for (with a few exceptions - JB included)
four - people keep pissing on those chips for no good reason - isn't it harder to be positive than negative nowadays?

When I was a local I climbed at Rivelin often throughout its season and enjoyed every day - there are some fantastic routes too Tom though I appreciate you're scared of heights....

[Johnny Brown]

I've climbed at Rivelin a lot and enjoyed every session too. But I don't kid myself its a great bouldering venue. I hate to appear negative, but lots of good climbers have had brief goes on Nik's Wall. None have bothered going back, because neither the venue nor the line are particularly inspiring. Nik himself admits it was climbed during a period when he was obsessed with Rivelin quarries. I'm not sure that particular obsession strikes folk very often. Until it does its going to remain overlooked.

[dave]

i understand the carlisle slapper has had some time on nik's wall this winter. the fact its not been done reeks of it being harder than 8a I recon.

rivelin is a good, and very useful venue. i did cheeks when it was snowing, and everywhere else was a writeoff. awesome routes/soloing too.

[nik at work]

I think if your looking for a venue with pretty reliable conditions, short walk-in and a handful of mid seven-ish problem then it's as good a venue as anywhere else.
I concede the point that people may not be SYKED and RAD to make multiple visits to try the same problem over and over again. But surely this is a common feature of all harder problems?
Is the line inspiring? Well for me it was or I wouldn't have invested the enormous amount of time in it that I did. But I like the aesthetic of blank walls with nothingy holds on them, however I can see how people might consider it lineless. After all it isn't a striking arete. Horses for courses and all that.
However I'd still say that it could do with a repeat and the grade confirmed (or adjusted), something that I'd say for all unrepeated hard-ish problems. This is why I keep mentioning it and pointing willing victims at it.

I hope you manage to pay the problem a visit (or several) Tom, and good luck.

[TomP]

I agree with you Nik. I think a blank looking problem can be as impressive as a good "line". "How the fuck did he get up that" sorta thing. I thought that when I first saw pebble wall at the cliff all those years ago. Then watching Streaky Desroy piss it and thought, wow that's inspiring. People may walk past it but once they realise it's been climbed, attitudes change

[SA Chris]

I thought that when I first saw pebble wall at the cliff all those years ago. Then watching Streaky Desroy piss it and thought, wow that's inspiring.

Funnily enough I saw (and thought) exactly the same thing when I first went to Almscliff back in '97 (man). From this I can deduce either a) we were there on the same day or b) Streaky used to spend a lot of time bouldering at Almscliff. I know where my money would be.

[TomP]

I think I know too. I didn't know what an "Almscliff" was in 1997 

[GCW]

Every time I go to the Cliff I climb like a Turd on wheels. 

Coincidence?  I think not 

[Will Hunt]

Check it, yo! Our pal Sam cleaned the holds on DWR recently. It would be nice to see some more of this:

http://samjleach.blogspot.com/2009/04/mgo2.html

Before


After



Sorry if you can't see the pictures, they're from Facebook.

[GCW]

Very nice.

Give it 2 weeks and he can do it all over again

[Stubbs]

When was this?  I must say I didn't notice on wednesday, so i assume either its already got back to its usual state, or it was after then?  I seem to remember a story of someone trying to clean the Styan with a jetwash, only for it to return to its equlibrium state in a couple of weeks.

Tick marks do have their uses: blind and slappy holds, not uber jugs right in front of your face at the sitting start.

They're probably mine from trying to cheat with my feet on crap (but fun and hard) eliminate traverses although I thought I brushed them off 

[tomtom]

DWR area has been looking bad in the last couple of weeks - its because its not rained for a few weeks (so not recieved its natural jet wash!)... I normally think the holds under the roof are not so unsightly, because you cant really see them - but all the holds on the front were very well chalked up earlier in the week.
I used a few tick marks on dreamland last week to figure/point out what my feet were doing - and then hosed then off (as best I could) with my water bottle. A group bumbling up birds nest crack etc.. did look at me like I was some sort of weirdo!!

[GCW]

A group bumbling up birds nest crack did look at me like I was some sort of weirdo!!

So they knew you then?

[andy_e]

I think sam did this on wednesday or thursday, it looks much better from the photos but i've not been up there to see for myself. i've brushed loads of ticks off there in the past but they keep reappearing! it's not even blind!

[uptown]

I can't believe I had the crag to myself tonight. Such good nick: a cool breeze and about 10 degrees.  DWRLH finally conquered.

I've done a few things recently that folk might be interested in -

Blackhead 7b ish : this has probably been dismissed by many as morpho, yet I can now confirm the quality of the powerful bulging highball and assure you that I'm not too tall, and my span ain't great either.
Fractal 7a+ ish : again I thought this was going to be impossible for someone my size but a move to the cusp up and left gains the top, eliminating the need to make the big reach straight up as per Tom.
The nose lefthand sitter 7b+ ish : sit start on the left of the arete. A tough and technical sequence gains the classic pocket eliminator.

[TomP]

Good effort UTG! That's a fine stint at the cliff.

Amazing you did Blackhead as I think I was fully stretched. Did your fett come off. The break is pretty poor. Fantastic problem actually.

What's the nose LH sitter?

[uptown]

Amazing you did Blackhead as I think I was fully stretched. Did your feet come off. The break is pretty poor. Fantastic problem actually.

What's the nose LH sitter?

I'm made up with Blackhead 'cos I imagined it would've been impossible for me, yet no - feet stay on, got it fairly relaxed really. Did it twice as it was so good and I wanted the vid. Funny how there's so much at the Cliff that people just don't entertain, through lack of information / imagination. One of my arguments for folk to be forward about 'big-ups' yet we're all tarred by the......
 
The nose lefthand sitter is great - I'll show it you next time you're out. It's an obvious line, great moves, nice grade, [invites retroclaimants and mockery as if I'm telling you all this to prove my masculinity......] so not worth shouting about really, must've been climbed before as it's at a popular crag, only 7b+, etc etc.
 
Out tonight if you're up for it?