1

chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by webbo on Today at 07:19:54 pm »

Surely not. Were Bleausards really climbing sit-starts on obscure boulders in obscure areas in the late 70s?

Of only tangential relevance, but people obsessing over weird bits of rock is older than you might think.
Gremlin's Wall, E4 6b, Ilkley Rocky Valley, unstarred. Climb Flake Climb but boldly venture up the wall (about 3m tall) right of the final flake. FA Roy Heilds 1953.

A very significant lead by a local expert who spent the summer bivouacking in The Valley. Probably the hardest on gritstone anywhere at the time, it was dismissed by many who thought it impossible for the day and was omitted in the 1961 guidebook until its rediscovery by Al Manson in 1977.

Maybe Heilds was the Gaskins of his day? I've gone up to lead it and been pretty sure I'd do it but didn't think the risk of hitting my ankles on the ledge you climb above was worth the 0-star reward. Did it with a rope above after and it's very obvious what you have to do and not massively hard, so could be top end 6a/low end 6b. Regardless, very impressive for the early 1950s! It's really uninspiring but obviously Heilds could see that it would go and couldn't get the idea out of his head.

I think this is pure bollocks given the guy was using aid on VS’s I spent time belaying Al Manson when he was trying this and it took him numerous sessions to do it. He was absolutely staggered when he heard the retro claim. If some one like Austin, Jimmy Fullalove or Eric Lilley had claimed it maybe but Ron Hields was a VS punter.

2

chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by mrjonathanr on Today at 06:48:52 pm »

Bit of an open offer based on some conversations elsewhere, but if anyone has any digital material you think is of interest (pics of a cool FA, vids of interesting repeats, guidebook draft material etc.) I'd be happy to sort out some long term storage via climbing-history.org.

If you'd be happy making it public that'd obviously be cool, but if you just want somewhere safe for it and want to keep it private I'd be happy to help with that too.

Just drop me a DM.

Sent you a link

3

music, art and culture / Re: The right to counter-protest

« Last post by mrjonathanr on Today at 06:43:08 pm »

I'm sure that people are aware that London has become a less safe place for Jews, generally. I was almost destroyed in the Edgware Road yesterday (which is at the Marble Arch end of Oxford St) as I left synagogue yesterday. Like GF I would have been easy to identify, kippah and tallit bag, no camera crew just a wife and sister.

That’s grim, sorry to read this.

4

power club / Re: Power Club 749 15-21 April 2024

« Last post by Will Hunt on Today at 06:27:58 pm »

Also, my first time I've been to Bradford since about the same time. Driving through will only give a superficial impression but it did not look in good shape  .

Bradford has some diamonds in the rough (science and media museum, theatre, brilliant curry/Persian restaurants etc). Sadly the diamond:rough ratio isn't great. I think its biggest problem is Leeds, which it converges with at Pudsey, which has better infrastructure and attracts all the investment.

5

music, art and culture / Re: The right to counter-protest

« Last post by jwi on Today at 06:05:37 pm »

very late to the party, but are you guys debating weather it is a good idea to have separate entries for the manchester united and liverpool ultras berfore the match, and to let the police enforce the separation? It is.

6

chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by Will Hunt on Today at 05:58:28 pm »

Surely not. Were Bleausards really climbing sit-starts on obscure boulders in obscure areas in the late 70s?

Of only tangential relevance, but people obsessing over weird bits of rock is older than you might think.
Gremlin's Wall, E4 6b, Ilkley Rocky Valley, unstarred. Climb Flake Climb but boldly venture up the wall (about 3m tall) right of the final flake. FA Roy Heilds 1953.

A very significant lead by a local expert who spent the summer bivouacking in The Valley. Probably the hardest on gritstone anywhere at the time, it was dismissed by many who thought it impossible for the day and was omitted in the 1961 guidebook until its rediscovery by Al Manson in 1977.

Maybe Heilds was the Gaskins of his day? I've gone up to lead it and been pretty sure I'd do it but didn't think the risk of hitting my ankles on the ledge you climb above was worth the 0-star reward. Did it with a rope above after and it's very obvious what you have to do and not massively hard, so could be top end 6a/low end 6b. Regardless, very impressive for the early 1950s! It's really uninspiring but obviously Heilds could see that it would go and couldn't get the idea out of his head.

7

power club / Re: Power Club 749 15-21 April 2024

« Last post by Duma on Today at 05:57:08 pm »

Happy birthday Shark! And enjoy your trip!

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chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by Tom de Gay on Today at 05:30:14 pm »

Surely not. Were Bleausards really climbing sit-starts on obscure boulders in obscure areas in the late 70s?

The plus grades were a later addition to the scale (not sure when, early 80s?), hence there being not very many 6C+, 6B+ etc. So I guess the first 7B+ would probably have been a 7B or C originally.

Edit: also, I don't think the first ascensionist was active until the late 80s

9

power club / Re: Power Club 749 15-21 April 2024

« Last post by shark on Today at 03:58:01 pm »

M

T. Tor. Tin Of with Andy C. Didn’t redpoint it this time but had a decent session and found out I could do the old way on the crux again and then also figured out a better foot sequence and body position

W

T Back with Ben S. Good connies and rock drier. First go got warmed up on the bottom section. Second go got thru to high on headwall on redpoint and only came off because my hand slipped off a large sidehold. Third go redpointed it. Fourth go on TR got through crux again but got sidehold badly and slipped off trying to pull through to shake

F

S. Malham. 60th birthday 😱 Great day with Tommy and Seb - joined by Duncan, Matthew and Sharon. Fell off Consenting but then redpointed it. Retro flashed Free and Even Easier. Had three tie ins on the starting section of the Oak but couldn’t do a move. Seb wasn’t much better. Tommy did much better despite having given up climbing a couple of years ago. Super evening bash in the village hall.

S.

Now in Kalymnos for 10 days

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for sale / wanted / Re: UKB Freecycle

« Last post by mr chaz on Today at 03:13:19 pm »

What a pitch 

I'll be first to say, no thanks!