UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => shootin' the shit => Topic started by: cheque on December 31, 2018, 11:28:28 am
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Here it is; guaranteed to psyche us all up for the new year, best thread on UKB, the Best of the year thread.
Share your glorious victories and sunset-tinged recollections, remember that it was actually a great year and that January was actually ages ago, realise that intermittent posters are actually dark horse beasts and decide that 2019 will be even better. :2thumbsup:
I’m obliged to start it off by quoting the sacred text:
“Wad or punter, VDiff or E9 it doesn't matter, just list your highlights in the usual categories or make up your own.”
Top three boulder problems, UK
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Top three sport routes UK
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Top three new routes/prolems put up
Top Spankings
The previous lists:
Best of 2006 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,6675.0.html)
Best of 2007 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,8400)
Best of 2008 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10682)
Best of 2009 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,13196)
Best of 2010 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,16693)
Best of 2011 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,19254)
Best of 2012 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,21364)
Best of 2013 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23468.0)
Best of 2014 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,25227.0.html)
Best of 2015 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26618.0.html)
Best of 2016 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,27717.0.html)
Best of 2017 (https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,28587.0.html)
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Bloquês:
The Nadser, Kyloe - nice slab
Put A Sock In it, Torridon - big ledge for feet, smears for hands
Minidigit, Brimham - it's got smaller handholds than The Nadser!
Ill Trad:
Wyatt Earp, Reiff - got me out of a sore-tummied grump
Absent Friends, Chee Tor - lowest point of the year when ticking the walk-in would have been an achievement, and I somehow managed this okay
Doctor Livingstone I Exhume, Treaddur Bay - end of a mediocre drizzle-dodging trip in Wales but reminded me how proper inspiration always works
Recovery Trad:
Sidewinder, Glen Lednock - felt great and very much myself on this
Whoremistress, Glen Clova - just brilliant, even celebrated with a shandy afterwards
Necromancer / Prehistoric Monster, Earnsheugh - back to my previous highpoints
Sport:
King Prawn, Telpyn Point - didn't expect to make it and just kept crimping as the crimps got smaller, ace
Blockiness, Shipwreck Cove - unexpectedly just really good
Practically Everything, Chosstleberg - not even sure why I liked this so much but I did
Foreign Muck:
Flammende Herzen, Klosterfels, Pfalz - last route of a typically great trip, fierce to start, wild to finish
Langer Amenweg, Spirkelbacher Rauhbergpfeiler, Pfalz - more wildness on a super-varied and lovely climb
Intensivstation, Dahner Kuckuckfels, Pfalz - intense indeed, some fierce climbing, I could pick anything at Pfalz tho as it is just so fucking ace.
Nu Stuff:
Shadow Of Intent, Portobello - 20 years overdue and well worth the effort, a solid addition
Indoor Storm, Glen Lednock - a surprising find with classic "committing moves above bomber gear"
Echo Box, Glen Lednock - another surprising find and well worthwhile
Off-topic:
Learning to make Quake maps.
170kg motherfucking deadlift.
Laughing at myself on film.
Spankings:
Chronic post-viral ibs of the upper digestive tract.
Depression during spring / summer due to the above.
Acute tennis elbow starting December.
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Good list fiend. And wishing you good gut and head health in the next 12. Also, pfalz is a cool place to climb, eh? Those towers in the forests are something else and did you go to the one which is accessed thru a WW2 cemetery?
Blocks
-The Spine, Robin Hoods, 4+. Easy, scary and long overdue.
-Captain Hook, Plantation, 7B. When this went down I remember thinking that good things would happen in 2018.
-Kudos, Rubicon, 7B retroflash. One of those “wow did that really happen?” moments. That was back in May and I was going really well. It was during the same session that my mrs fell off the top hold of Miller’s Tale 6B+ and we couldn’t believe what had just happened. A week later one of the holds fell off and she’s not troubled the top since. Still, it was a heck of a moment and in this life moments are all we got.
-Advanced Training, Beginners, 7C/+. Have I gone on about this one enough yet? Nope...? Well let me say one last time how much I wanted it and how hard I worked to get back in the saddle, juggle all the life distractions and general crapness of it all to put some hard sessions into the board while watching Netflix, to give up biscuits (sometimes for days at a time), trawl over all the beta available online and in person and, hardest of all to keep the psyche going through injury and perma-damp. Plus, anyone who knew me a few years ago wouldn’t imagine I would be troubling something which this sort of grade. Eventually it fell to some “new old” foot beta that genuinely felt to reduce it to 7A+. My thanks once more to all my many supporters on it and my only regret is that I cuddled Si afterwards when he probably just expected a manly handshake.
Foreign Muck
I don’t get out much so I’m taking
-Picnic Sarcastic, The Bowderstone, 7A+. This mega classic on the asteroid of power (thanks grimmer) had been an inspiration for a couple of years at least. Glad to get it done and repeating it this coming summer is worth a couple of good hard pulls on the fingerboard.
-Granger Mouse, Grange campsite, 7A. This is a cool little problem and the sit is a future target.
tRad
Mantelpiece crack, Stanage Pop, Diff. My four year old’s first trad climb.
Mods on Windgather. Also with the four year old. She gets her head for heights from her mother. So much prouder of her getting up these than of anything I’ve done TBH.
Spankings
Crying in fear while 6 foot off the ground on the well protected Paradise Wall, Plantation, HS. Shit crag I hope it falls down.
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I can’t spell, so here’s so some motion instead. https://youtu.be/bZ7akJCfN5o
Top three UK boulders:
The Lash, Slipstones. Brilliant boulder by young Buck
Little women, Kentmere. Another biggy off the list. Cool to do something you aspired to do when you where a kid.
Lanny Bassham. Rylstone. Utterly amazing and walked from my door.
Top three boulders aboard.
Hourglass, Vastervik Sweden. What a line. Glad I had just enough span
Ammagamma, Gramps, Aus. Honeymoon tick, great line, let down slightly by lie down start and minging pocket.
Weapon omega, Flock Hill, one of the best, so dam good! Must return.
Top three routes.
Not done many, all at Giggleswick, best been Kleptomania.
Top three trad.
Failed, really wanted to get back up to Wasdale.
Top three FA’s
Chimp paradox, Lanny right project, great line which I built a land. (Should of named it Home front)
Last stand of a free man, Kilnsey boulder link up but was is good!
Controlled, another link up at Kilnsey.
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That’s some year there Dan! Effort :strongbench:
I’m having to look up yours and fiends tick list to find out how hard the bloody things are. Is it ok to put grades or is clandestine spray more appropriate?
I only climbed trad routes this year - how many am I allowed? 3? Or can there be sub categories? Like most scared I’ve been or worst performance on a lowly grade.
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No rules Dan, write what you like. :thumbsup:
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A meagre year climbing-wise, but two I really enjoyed were:
The West Face (E5, 6a) @ Bosi’s Great Zawn. I abb’ed in intending to do something else but it was dry & chalked, and looked too good not to try it, despite knowing I was out of shape and would surely fall off. I did, more than once, but it’s a stonking line & it was good just to have got up it. This should be on every trad climber’s to do list.
The Urge (XS, 5c) @ Trewethet. Proper north Cornwall esoterica. Only the third ascent, made all the better by being watched & egged on by local hero & second ascentionist, Stu Bradbury. This should not be on every trad climber’s to do list. ;)
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Quite a meagre year for me on paper too climbing wise, although I made some good progression in general life, and I'm feeling way stronger and more motivated than this time last year!
Of the things I did do:
Top three boulder problems, UK
1. Liquid Sunshine, 7B+. First 7B+ for me, and the grade highlight, although I had much more fun on days failing Fighting Torque and climbing Force Majeure!
https://youtu.be/iqwZrW1eDK8
2. Force Majeure. Guidebook 7B, but I think 7A+ regardless of height. Really good problem and not just for Portland.
https://youtu.be/2ZyZ9XTOw6c
3. The Terrace Right-hand, 7A. I actually only did three problems over 7A, but this marked a post exams return to form.
Top three sport routes UK
Only did two, Wolfgang Forever, 7a and Appleturnoverload, 7a+. Far less than the year before!
Top Spankings
Fighting Torque, 8a. Spent 5 sessions on this during November/December. Very close to doing it, have now done in two good overlapping halves. Touched the hold on last hard move. I've taken inverted falls on it, I have scars on my arm from it (got skin caught in quickdraw), I've punched myself square in the face coming off the undercuts and I had to rework my sequence after ripping off the crux hold. Really enjoying the process, can't wait to get back on it this year. Brilliant route, and increasingly fun to climb as the sequence unlocks.
Very low quality beta video here:
https://youtu.be/FTy6DfbmZ0w
No trips abroad climbing, went to Italy on honeymoon and Fiji for a wedding over Christmas!
Highlight of the year was getting married, but also passed both parts of the primary FRCA exam, so that's a major career hurdle over with. First part was my excuse for being so weak in the first half of the year, but it was obviously a bad one as I climbed Liquid Sunshine 3 days after I passed the second part. No more excuses this year... (unless wife accidentally pregnant or something like that...)
Really psyched for the new year, so much I want to do!
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Bouldering: Dry wit in a wet country. Bloody brilliant.
Perrins SS. Best flash of the year, chuffed.
Popcorn Party. Mega classic.
Sport: Unleashing the Wild Physique. A battle to get over the lastmoveitus, but well worth it.
King Arthritus. Bouldery fun
The Main Motor Mile. Bloody burly for the grade.
Spankings: Prime Evil. Will I ever get this done :shrug:
T Crack. One day. Possibly.
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Always find it motivating reading what others have been up to over the year!
Best trad
- Torro and King Kong E2, Carn Dearg Ben Nevis. Had always wanted to experience the Ben in the summer, instead of the usual winter sufferfest. Finally did and it didn't disappoint. Walked in to the CIC hut at 2am after driving from work, woke up to perfect weather and dry rock for two days. A leisurely 10 minute stroll up to the crag after bacon and eggs to do brilliant long routes. Didn't manage to get on Titan's Wall as the last day was a wash-out, three dry days was perhaps too much to expect!
- Face Value E4, Fairhead. Hard to climb a bad route here though isn't it!
- Spillikin Ridge E3, Glendalough. Thought this was just bloody brilliant, what a position, what perfect rock!
Best Boulder
Hardly bouldered in 2018, perhaps Millenium Drive has killed my love!
- Stop Feeding It, 7A+, Fairhead. Just ace.
Best Sport
Barely sport climbed except new routes.. but honorary mention to 'Tu va rira Henri' at Les Vuardes in the Arve, for the incredible venue more than the route. What a cliff! The abseils in felt scary and I'm not normally bothered. Just scraped it in and topped out before darkness. Very keen to return here and get on the long 7s on the amazing big face to the right.
Best new routes
- Perfect World 7b, Arran. It really is!
- The Italian, and Ancona 7b+, Arran. Can't rave about this venue enough, so I won't. Four more bolted ready to go back for.
- Sterrenstof, 7c+, Garron Point. Love this crag, this climbs well with a cool thin crux.
- Unnamed, 7a, Kinbane Head. Fun steep pumpy blob pulling above the sea, like being on the some of the Ormes crags!
- Theatre of the Mind, IX 9, Clogwyn Du. Just great, as all new routes on this cliff are. Thin, pumpy, transfers to a hanging ice pillar, just brilliant. Dave showing his class.
- Broadmoor, VII 8, Clogwyn Grochan. Think this is an old Fowler route which was done with an aid/rest points on the crux. The 'beast from the East' turned Clogwyn Grochan into an amazing winter crag with steep icy mixed lines in the drainage lines. This turned out to mega fun rocky mixed with a big pillar of WI4 ice at the top. Climbed in a raging hoolie. Abb off a tree and down to the road, going from feeling like you're climbing in a patagonia storm to nant peris beer and fire in 10 minutes.
- Rich Vein, M9+, Clogwyn Mannod. My DT crag in the Crafnant is developing into a really good venue, and one of the only places in n.Wales where you can climb outdoors in the dry every day of the winter!
Top Spankings
- Millennium Drive, Pillbox Wall. This thing... I feel like Sisyphus endlessly getting to the same point and returning to the start. Does a harder 7c(+.. please..) exist?
- Trying to equip a new face at Garron Point without the right gear.. involved soloing up alpine death choss to reach the top and then stupidly abseiling with ropes that weren't long enough.. not having gear for anchors.. chopping ends to leave.. abbing off threaded loose choss.. dropping from end of rope.. etc. Imagined myself dying in a farmer's field. The wall wasn't as good as I hoped either.
- Walking/stumbling around new growth coniferous at Mall Hill (Wicklow) bouldering circuit in summer getting attacked by midges as it dawned on me that the forest had grown since the guidebook was written. 'The best granite in Wicklow' pronounces the guidebook. I didn't find anything worth climbing among the trees.
- N.Face of the Dru. The usual approach takes 2-3 hrs downhill from the top of the Grand Montets lift. Except the lift caught fire. So we tried the old uphill approach from Montenvers. Except the old approach ladders aren't there anymore. That approach now takes 7 hrs of uphill slog. Finally reached the bivvy boulder below the face in darkness and froze all night because I'd 'gone light' by not taking anything warm that would enable me to sleep. Was not fully recovered from a bad sinus infection that had me in the doctors a few days previous and was still taking corticosteroids and antibiotics in the bivvy. Next morning simply didn't have the energy to climb the route and make it down safely. Luckily for me the route was coated in verglass after a storm and was unclimbable in summer conditions. Walked out, like a zombie with barely any ATP to spare by the end, for another 7hrs.
Looking forward to 2019!
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Top three boulder problems, UK
Fat Lip - that heel is horrible and frustrating, and rips my shoes apart in a few sessions. Fortunately the second heel can be turned into a knee. Standard.
Jason's Roof - If all grit were like this I'd climb more grit.
Stuey 5 Bellies/Too Fluffy - Damn right, one of my top 3 is a board problem, and actually two board problems. But they're on that board and they felt like a new level of strength and power in a basic way for me, which is pleasing.
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Holidays were for routes, not boulders…
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Huh what?
Top three sport routes UK
Mortal Immortal - a roadside boulder-route hybrid but really rather good climbing.
Dreadnought - very happy to get the 2nd ascent of this, only 19 odd years after the first! A top notch Cornice year, hopefully next year will be the same!
Premonition - a cracker through the big Kilnsey roof. Very good route, deserves more attention.
Top three four routes abroad (any genre)
Le Feu Occulte (Verdon) - 45m of pump, 25-ish knee bars, totally amazing
Donkey Kong Extension (Leonidio) - everything I want from hard onsighting... jugs, thug, pump, knees, judging how long you can hang upside down for before the lactic acid makes your brain stop working, and some powerful pulling on the top crux. This is what I train for.
Et dieu crea la flame (Verdon) - the bottom part was a bit wet and meh, but the upper half is the most immaculate tufa pumping you can find, all in a cave half way up the gorge with no crowds. Smashing.
Seree limite (Verdon) - Awesome multipitch day out with Ella on our honeymoon :)
Top three new routes/problems put up
Lambriknee - dumb but fun Griffs linkup. Plus those that don't like knees (or have short shins) will find it hard which always makes me happy ;)
The Anatomy Act - a nice direct finish to 32 down the Cornice.
Top Spankings
Lambo (Griffs) - fell off the last move a few times like a punt. Then it got hot. Then I never went back.. unfinished business for next year
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Top 3 boulder problems UK.
Tight Hole, Roche Abbey. I enjoyed my first visit to this buttress as there's quite a lot to go at and the problems are a few moves long.
Hockstack and two broken toothbrushes. Carrock Fell. I failed miserably on this a couple of years ago and given it's a big lanky deadpoint and it still felt hard, I reckon 7B+ is fairer! Did this time in perfect, windy conditions in April following the Anniversary Waltz fell race the day before. Top weekend.
Harvey Oswald, Ogwen. Wedding anniversary weekend in June. Pleased to flash this
Top 3 boulder problems abroad.
R've Gauche and Barricades. Two aretes of the same boulder. Just classic Font working out the moves with my old mate, Davros. Great fun.
Le Cadeau. Sam flashed it, I did it second go. Perfect conditions in August in Font, with the wind blowing. Another esoteric gem.
36.15 Power. My only 7C this year. I'd decided to do mileage in Font, so this was one of the few harder things I tried.
Top 3 trad routes/solos UK.
Snail Crack, Lawrencefield. My eldest son's first proper trad route.
That was it on the trad front : (
Top 3 sport routes UK.
Excalibur, Moat Buttress. Second sport evening of the year I was pleased to on-sight this.
Cruisin' for a Bruisin', Yew Cogar. At the start of the week Ed and I were talking about Cloggy/Scafell. Then that storm blew in on 27 July and I had visions of sunken eyed, down-jacket clad folk milling around at the base of Kilnsey. But I suggested Yew Cogar as I'd always wanted to go and although the conditions were 'challenging', I managed to sprint up this with very numb fingers.
Vorsprung Durch Tecknik, Yew Cogar. Ed put the clips in and worked it, I had a flash go then did it a couple of goes later. My only full day route climbing all year, so well pleased.
Top 3 routes abroad.
..actually this was pretty much a full day. Did a handful of routes at Guignoterie in France on a 'holiday' from Font. Old Skool limestone pockets. Tough.
Top 3 new routes/problems.
Nope.
Top spankings
L'Etrave et sucre, Beauvais. A bit warm, a bit too long to work out the trick with the right heel. I so want to do this problem.
A 7a at Guignoterie. Can't think when I last fell off a 7a.
Pump up the Powerband. A couple of sessions in the spring, then a bit of a concerted effort (by that I mean 3 or 4 sessions) in September. Had the lock, didn't have enough power and underlying power endurance. Did some good training for the latter in October, then the weather got ming, the clocks went back and I couldn't face the Tor. Never managed to reach high point of a few years ago.
Top 3 fell races
Arenig Fawr, Aniversary Waltz, Kinder Trog. Didn't end up racing that much this year, partly as I was injured in the spring so climbed. Then it was really hot. Managed a mini breakthrough in my running in October "consistency is the key to success, not single isolated suffer fests". Pleased to finish the year on 1000 miles.
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Ok so a strange year for me, but in the end a good one I think.
Low point of the year- irreparably fragging my wrist in February doing ‘one last problem’ on an otherwise perfect day at the Sheep Pen
High point- irreparably fragging my wrist and giving up all things training and ‘f goal ‘ related and after a bit of soul searching heading back to my climbing roots.
Top grand days out:
Wilton 1 with Jonny- doing crag classics Supercrack (e35c) White Slabs Blunt (e35c) and Max (e35c). White slabs blunt is a bit to scary (as my 2 yr old would say)
Beeston with Ben- lovely sunny day with a cooling breeze. Great routes including Catharsis (e35c quite tough) Go budgie (e56a or 7a+ on threads) and Black grub (e35c)
Scimitar ridge with Jonny and Pippin who found her crag paws at last. Troy (e15b) and Killerkranky (e56b soft). Blowing a gale everywhere but here a sunny afternoon and no one around.
Top trips
Only one this year- a few days spent on Tremadog in May with Ben. The hottest, wettest,humid, midge infested trip I’ve ever had there. Pretty much greased / rained of everything but had a great time eating Solero’s and fish n chips. Route highlights include Falcon e15b and Wasp e25c and Viper e36b. Wasp I rate as one of the best routes I’ve done mega leaning slot / hand crack followed by a long technical corner pitch. E3 of anyone’s money.
This year I did a bit of headpointing of routes I’ve always looked at but they’ve either been to hard , to dirty or to hard and dirty. Top 3 is tricky, here’s a selection.
Dharma- e76c. A Dawes classic I first looked at about 15 yrs ago. Near my limit on technical wall climbing a fair way out from pegs
Master of Reality -e66c. Shameless redpoint. Sort of disappointing line on the bottom wall but that last move is mega
All systems go - e6/7 6c. I thought I was cleaning scarab haha. 2 sessions cleaning and another to do it. French 7c with miserable rp’s. Great sustained climbing.
Laguna Sunrise e6 6c- an unsung Nadin gem surely. That unprotected rockover on Appaloosa is a bit heart in mouth.
So I also had a few other favourites either done onsight or ground up. Top 3 routes in this category.
Stroll on (the grochan) e35c - Seemed at the limit of my endurance onsight. What a route! E4 at least.
Cones and Currents e5 6b - I love nesscliffe, usually so quiet. I fell of the crux first go after spending a surprisingly pumpy 20 mins trying to thread the hole 🙄
Snap Dragon e5 6b- chee Tor. Fell off this about 10 yrs ago and managed to climb it at the end of a long hot day. After a couple of falls of course!
Finally top spankings.
Finger licker e4 5c (tremadog)- grease, midges, rain, terminal pump, shit I’ve blown it!!!
El guide direct e35c (cwm something) climbed it but why was it so fucking terrifying?
The one that got away - flight of ideas e6 7a (Stanage) toproped cleanly on a freezing day. Felt about font 7a+ (looking forward to getting back on it)
And finally an honorary mention of nearly completing my Rivelin campaign with John Allen’s ‘Only human’ a tough e5 6c on the needle and ‘Big Al’ another tough e5 6c to the left of Plague. Only about 3 routes left to do on the edge!
Peace out ✌️
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Sport
Coming Up for Air - 7c in a session :o
Thought it might be a fluke/soft/etc but then a week later:
Little Boots - TOR 7c in a session :o :o
Rala Rwdins - Looking forward to a day of trad but it was clagged out at Tremadog then higher up then landed here. I didn't want to be there, partner didn't want to be there. After a few mediocre warmups was sceptical that there was a *** banger around but it turned out to be brilliant. Even better that it started raining as I lowered off so we could leave. Back to a by-now glorious Pass where I had a great evening bouldering.
Trad
Resurrection - long term goal. Nearly blew it pumped and super scared at the top. Memorable. Lifetime tick.
Stroll On - nice bonus tick the following day, much more relaxed affair.
Cornice
Powerplant - long term goal no 2 and another lifetime tick two weeks after doing Resurrection.
Naive & Sentimental - one of the first ascents this year century? Such a good finishing sequence, technical, powerful, insecure, awesome
Zippy's Direct Finish - looked so straighforward lowering off from N&SL but actually techy and tenuous, far more deserving of the stars than the original cop-out
Boulders
PNC - MCQ - simply because the first time I tried it I was totally out of form and couldn't do a single move then pissed it in no time a few weeks later and went home to train afterwards.
The Sweep, Godrevy - great feature only accessible at low tide with fickle connies. Faffing around by family meant the window was already closing by the time I got down there, had to check the water level between attempts and got my feet wet on the walk wade out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RsutFedhiM
Bombshell - Milestone Buttress - burly. Almost fell for the picture in the guide but sussed the right beta and managed it.
New
Padawan - Anston. First and only, bit of a link but it does have about three independent moves. The tall may find it harder which always makes me happy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJuTwBFN-2o
Spankings/Near Misses
Flaky Wall - Gah, I looked up at the jug from the top of the groove and knew that was it. Then fell off making that move :slap:
36C sit into Flag of Iron - Tremerchion. Popped in on the way back from N. Wales after climbing at Milestone in the morning. Fifth day on so already tired, did FOI from a stand then managed it from the 36c sit to the last hold three times but couldn't remember how to make the match.
Bovine - utter twat, just could not do the move to the ear, rest of it was fine. Knew I should have walked away and gone back in Spring but kept going at it til it broke me. Torn hamstring and finished season, still an issue four months later.
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Wow Nai, a great year! I found stroll on so much harder than resurrection. Who knows why?!
On a different note the day I did resurrection, John Arran wandered up to an otherwise deserted crag and soloed left wall, memory lane? A wet looking right wall and then down climbed the direct finish to left wall. Put him bumbag back on and mooched off!
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Wow Nai, a great year! I found stroll on so much harder than resurrection. Who knows why?!
On a different note the day I did resurrection, John Arran wandered up to an otherwise deserted crag and soloed left wall, memory lane? A wet looking right wall and then down climbed the direct finish to left wall. Put his bumbag back on and mooched off!
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Top boulder problems, UK
Devon Sent 7C+ Bovey Woods. Pretty much made my year this, think it was 7 sessions at least, and I'd basically given up on it in the spring of 2016. Went first session back on it this year, but still had to try really hard. So chuffed to have got one of the best problems in the south.
Study in Scarlet 7B Llangattock. Great afternoon on a great little boulder, great view, and new spot to me within an hour of home.
Gritstone Megamix 7a Birchens. Had done it before but still awesome.
Top boulder problems, abroad
U boot 6C magic. Not a very productive trip to Switzerland, but had a really good day doing a bunch of 6's in the sunshine, this one's classic for good reason.
Haka 7A+ font. Long weekend was pretty damp overall, but this bit of great un font like thuggery was good to tick off, having failed a few years ago.
Top trad routes, UK
All from several ace weekends in Pembroke, was nice to get back into a little bit of trad.
The Butcher E3. Ace position and committing move on the arete.
Clean Hand Blues Band E2. Lovely bit of variety.
Cool for Cats E1. Even better than Manzoku I think.
Top sport routes, UK
Sweet Tufa 8a Cheddar. Really happy to get this, often wet and untypical climbing for Cheddar.
Supertramp 7a Tirpentrws. Best route of a slightly ridiculous challenge to tick the crag in a day. The climbing isn't amazing, but it's a lovely spot and we had a great day with Ro doing her project too.
Top sport routes, abroad
All from a great trip to Rodellar in September.
Pince Sans Rire 7b+ What a route, everything I was hoping for from Spanish tufa pulling. Fell by last bolt on the flash, was still a really good fight to get it next go.
Maria Ponte el Arnes 7b+. Route next to Pince... Almost as amazing, same great positions, but I managed to flash this one, second flash of this grade, the day after my first.
Tomar Castanazo 7a+. Could have been any of the routes I did that day, just felt like I had such good flow, never close to falling all day.
Top Spankings
Pretty much everything at magic. Poor choices of stuff to work on, not in shape for a bouldering trip, etc etc.
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Top boulder problems, UK
Devon Sent 7C+ Bovey Woods. Pretty much made my year this, think it was 7 sessions at least, and I'd basically given up on it in the spring of 2016. Went first session back on it this year, but still had to try really hard. So chuffed to have got one of the best problems in the south.
Long long term goal of mine. Is it as sharp as everyone says? Or just typical Dartmoor?
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Typical Dartmoor I'd say. Nether edge is worse. That said, putting a rope down it would definitely help save time and skin, I certainly had to cut short a few sessions.
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I love this thread. Always inspiring and humbling to see what you've all been up to. It's been a funny old year for my climbing, totally ignoring routes and focusing on bouldering while we've been finding our way as new parents. Here's my highlights, adding a Scottish flavour to the thread.
Top three boulder problems, UKScotland
Red Handed 7A, Reiff in The Woods – The king line at one of the UK's most scenic venues was a long held ambition.
https://flic.kr/p/2cwMs5A
The Universal (stand start) 7B, Applecross – Another long held ambition that went down much quicker than expected. Need to go back to add the sit start for the full tick.
Slot Machine 7A, Torridon – One of those pleasing ones that had felt desperate in previous years but went down in a session this year. Nice to get a bit high too.
Top three boulder problems, abroadNot in Scotland
Graviton 7A, Roch aux Sabots – On a stag do on the red hot May bank holiday. Slipped out early for the cool temps while everyone was still asleep and managed this.
Trust 7A, The Roaches – Every few years we spend Christmas at the in-laws in Staffordshire so I get a festive day pass for a rare bit of grit. I'd tried and failed on Trust the last time we'd been down for Xmas (2015?) so it was lovely to get it done on Christmas Eve this year.
Hard Arete 7A+, The Roaches – Totally unexpected. Got handed the beta by the locals so it was kind of cheating, but it topped off the Christmas Eve session, and the year's climbing, very nicely.
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Not been that sort of a year...
Top three sport routes UK
Concentrated on bouldering this year, but I think I did a couple of repeats of The Warm Up 7b at Am Fasgadh.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Definately not been that sort of a year
Top three new routes/problems put up
If Not Now 7B, Strathrusdale – A long held ambition since finding this boulder in 2011.
Awake But Always Dreaming 6C, Rogie Falls – Surprisingly good highball about 15 minutes from home.
Real Fool's Gold 6C+, Strathconon – The best line on a boulder that emerged from recent forest felling not far from home.
Top Spankings
Potential Seven 7B, Torridon – Four sessions in 2018. I thought it would go down pretty fast but I think I'm learning I'm shit at this style. Back again tomorrow...
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Wow Nai, a great year! I found stroll on so much harder than resurrection. Who knows why?!
Cheers Dan, like the look of yours too. Quite keen (again) on doing more trad this year. Master of Reality looks amazing but perhaps a bit more runout than I'd like.
Should really have done Resurrection and Stroll On the other way around, definitely would have liked a few more than three trad pitches (one the Flaky fail) as preperraion but I was in position with a willing partner so might not have had another chance if I'd backed out.
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Great thread :)
Top three boulder problems, UK:
Outstanding 6A+ Ruthven - amazing location in the highlands, 45 degrees on buckets
Yew tree traverse 7A+/7c
Definitive 5.12 left hand 7A+ - all on ringlocks and thin hands, ace!
Top three boulder problems, abroad
N/A bouldering is training for routes to me...
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Desolation Angels E5 / 7a - really a sport route, great way to explore the crag
This year's model E5 / 6B - highball boulder problem really, lucid experience in the dark, after work, felt miles away from anywhere or anyone
Fingerlicker E4 at Tremadog even though I fell off and ripped a flapper at the top
Top three sport routes UK
Excalibur 7b+
Fuck your gods 7a - great onsight experience of controlling pump
Supercrack 7a - best 7a in the peak?
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Congrio 7c - loved the variety and the gritstone rockover whilst pumped
Nueva dimensión 7a+ - La Cabrera -trad finger crack into boulder problem
Diedro Azul 7a La Pedriza - boulder problem into beautiful blue and orange granite corner
Top Spankings
Almost a hold 6C+ - what?!
Back Wall Traverse, Hobson Moor 6B - cannot. touch. it.
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It’s not easy to write about 2018, a year almost entirely consumed by the two hardest things I’ve ever done: finishing my seacliff film and surviving/ recovering from/ dealing with the aftermath of a near-fatal accident, with just a short sport climbing trip seperating the end of one and the start of the other.
At some point before I was flown home from Spain I’d had the last of the tubes taken out of me and been fitted with a back brace- one of the many advantages of this was that if I needed to be moved to another bit of the hospital I could be lifted into a wheelchair and transported facing forward rather than rolled around in bed looking at the ceiling.
The first time this happened I was absolutely stunned to learn that there was a floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the corridor I’d been in for a week, looking out at a classic Costa Blanca scene- a beautiful mountain ridge (https://www.marinasalud.es/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fachada-carretera_web.jpg?x87506) with a limestone cliff extending partway across it. It was mid afternoon and the light was amazing.
The porter saw my reaction and as he waited for the lift to arrive he turned me towards the window. I just sat weeping with the joy of seeing the world I loved again, the confusion of realising how close it had been the whole time and the fear that I might never be able to interact with it in the same way again. It’s this mix of shock, elation and fear that characterised the rest of the year for me and the crag environment has been not just the inspiration for my mental and physical recovery, but I’m delighted to be able to say that it’s been the location of it too.
Anyway, categories of one as I’ve barely been climbing. Chronological order too.
Best boulder problem
Joe’s Direct, 5+, Froggatt I only went climbing in the UK once before my trip and it was a warmish muddy one with ashtond6 after I’d spent the previous day doing DIY. If I’d have known it would be my last ever bouldering session I’d have at least had a rest day beforehand! This was the only decent problem I did amongst lots of failure. I suppose it’s a good one to finish with as I’ve always enjoyed it and have long prided myself on doing it first go every time I visit the crag, with or without mats. I think I took a few tries this time though. :lol:
Biggest spanking
Basically my whole Spain trip I dragged The Seaside kicking and screaming into a finished state and headed off to Spain just over 24 hours later, very pleased with myself, fit from lots of indoor training and psyched to see friends and make new ones and climb with nothing weighing on my mind. Whilst it was a lovely holiday, I felt mentally burnt-out every day at the crag, felt weirdly out of control driving the hire car, climbing felt hard, I had to force myself to make moves above bolts and climbed no harder than 6b, dogging some even easier routes. Then I made an inexplicably basic ropework error and decked out from 25 metres, landing on the left side of my arse at around 50mph. If that’s not a spanking I don’t know what is.
Best sport route
Parle, 6a+, Toix Sea Cliffs Wild Gogarth-with-bolts business. Despite what I just wrote, this was a fantastic day all round.
Best hillwalk :look:
Three Peaks of Yorkshire Did this with my girlfriend in July. We’d meant to do it for years but neither of us had been quite bothered enough to make it happen. In hospital we agreed we’d do it this year. Well, I was deadly serious but I was on a lot of drugs then and I think Rache may have just been humouring me, but 4 months later we really did it. It took 13 hours despite perfect sunny ‘n’ breezy conditions, I used my crutch for every step of the way and a lot of it was firmly in the “type 2 fun” category but I will never forget the feeling of achievement- it was like doing a big multi pitch where every pitch is at your limit and you seriously consider bailing at every belay but you somehow pull it all off. Towards the end I thought “this is amazing! I’m still just about keeping up with Rache” and it suddenly dawned on me that she’d been dawdling along to let me keep pace the whole day. That kind of summarised most of my year- when you’re fit & independent you’ve no idea whether people you know would help you if you needed it. I really fucking needed it this year and everyone came through. :hug:
Best trad route
Hollybush Gully Right, VDiff, Stanage Plantation Exactly six months after my accident. What a crag- there is always something you can find that you haven’t done before and it turns out this is also one of the edge’s earliest routes. I’d have soloed it in less than a minute before but in this case it was at my limit and as satisfying as any route I’ve ever done.
Fucking hell. :'( ;) Thanks for everything this year guys. Hopefully I’ll be writing a far less emotional best of 2019.
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:clap2: Mike
All on the up now!
Was thinking of our Birchen day today!
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I'm totally in agreement with everyone who has said this thread is a yearly highlight, it's always brilliant and inspiring to see what people have been up to.
A somewhat curtailed year climbing wise after becoming a father in June, but training at home has continued where possible and we are in a place where I can get out again more regularly now.
Top three UK boulders:
Flick of the Wrist, Tan y Grisiau - A Welsh classic with great movement, especially the move off the pinch. Potentially one of those rare problems easier for the shorter of stature?
Paint it Black, Blackwell Dale - First day back on rock, 3 months after our daughter was born. Was happy to do this in a session showing that the snatched hours in the garage on the fingerboard were worthwhile. I think it's the best lime boulder problem I've done, but that may be more about the timing than the quality.
Not For Weasels, Mytholm Steeps - Innocuous looking problem, but a great sequence using an unlikely looking sloper.
Top three boulders aboard:
Only one trip abroad this year to Vastervik, which I can heartily recommend as a destination. We got lucky with the weather I think, but the climbing was brilliant and the town itself a great hub with everything you need.
Golden Path Sit - Brilliant accuracy move to get into the stand, felt miles off then found the right movement and managed not to drop the slopey top. Will probably get downgraded in the future, but currently my hardest climb abroad.
Dillerium - Great sequence on slopey crimps on bullet granite, highly recommended.
King's Speech - Amazing highball wall at an out the way boulder (not that we saw many other climbers in Vastervik anyway).
Top UK Route:
Ring of Steal, Mamores - I think this gets Grade I so that counts as a route right? Very long day out in February for two unfit boulders, high winds, lots of loose snow, cornices, and I stabbed myself in the knee with a crampon, fairly standard Scottish day out I think.
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Right then...thanks all for the psych thus far.
Boulder problems
Desert Island Arete, Earl Crag, 7a+ : easily the best problem of the year. Gritstone perfection.
Underhand, Almscliff, 7b+ : my entry exam into harder bouldering. Amazing, technical climbing that feels so easy when you sort it out. Did the extension the same day but was more psyched with this.
The warm up circuit at Earl: the best collection of problems below 6a in the country for my money.
Boulder problems abroad
One trip to font over Easter.
Fissure Contractuelle, JA Martin, f4: just an amazing slab and crack.
Dalle Zoulou, 6a: right next to it and better if anything.
Kilo de Buerre, 95.2: high and juggy, brilliant.
Trad
Central Buttress, Scafell, E1: surely the best trad route in England? Devious and engaging all the way. Bone dry in the evening sun of the may heatwave with great friends. Superb.
Adrenaline Rush, E5, Caley: bit controversial this as it had a lot of pads under it but I still maintain its not a boulder problem. Intended to throw a rope down it but it was clean on arrival so had a go onsight. The feeling of moving well on grit high above the ground is so good.
Valkyrie, Froggatt, HVS: one from this weekend. Fell off it years ago and did it fine this time. Perfect conditions, brilliant climbing, requires a range of skills. Pretty solid at HVS!
Sport. Easy one this...
Zoolook, Malham, 8a: unfinished business from last autumn. Made progress every session and systematically worked specific weaknesses. Felt like a real step up from Raindogs in 2017.
Supercool, Gordale, 8a+: see Power Club entries as nauseum. 16 sessions required but got there in the end, just beating the weather. Bonus of being the first one in the Yorkshire Triple Crown. The most emotional I've ever been finishing a route.
Predator, Malham, 8b: the epitomy of an end of season bonus. Intended to put the hard work in before a spring redpoint campaign but just snuck in under the crossbar. Suited me down to the ground and experienced the best 'in the zone' feeling I've ever had on the RP go.
Honourable mention to New Dawn which I maintain is the best sport route in the country.
Routes Abroad
Changement de Look, 7b+, Ceuse: the definition of sandbag (nearer 7c+!) But so good. Good to do an Edlinger classic.
Blocage Violent, 7b+, Ceuse: ultimate endurance test. Eventually got up it on the penultimate day of the trip.
L'escamarla, 7c+, Siurana: perhaps the best route in Siurana bar Kale Borroka?
Spankings
Ceuse, the warmups at Cascade. Polished, minging shit. Got a total seeing to and had lunch in the sun instead.
Trust, Guisecliff: thought I would do this quickly and it took me to the cleaners. That'll learn me.
Gato Lerdo, Siurana: thought all of El Pati was a bit grim but couldn't touch this with a barge pole. Desperate move through the overlap forced swift retreat.
Been a good one for me. I never thought the sport climbing would go as well as it has. The benefits of being disciplined and methodical when training paying off. Loved the whole season so psyched to do it all again next year!
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Top UK sport
Let the tripe increase 7c felt like a real step forward post injury as it's a very bouldery 7c which I'd tried and not done pre injury. Great crux sequence too, typically peak.
Ring of fire 7c+ a new post injury grade and a really fun route, half of which suited me and half of which didn't.
Appetite 7a+. Probably about the three hundredth time I'd done it, but definitely the (psychologically) hardest and the first since it almost killed me. Easily as good as climbing 8b.
European sport
Le Premices de la Chicoree, la croix 7c onsight: 6th day on, last day of the trip. Set off assuming I'd barely be able to dog it I was so tired, but never really felt like I'd blow it.
Segul lluitan 7b chulilla, onsight. A simply fantastic route, on a lovely sunny day in march.
Manhattan Baghdad 7c couyrac. Another long great route, varied and interesting climbing up a steep arete.
Top spankings
Los incredulos chulilla
Flix flax terradetts
L'adrecador terradetts.
Great year in many ways. Thanks for the days out Marc, Andy, Tom, Nick and everyone else I've climbed with this year
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Manhattan Baghdad 7c couyrac. Another long great route, varied and interesting climbing up a steep arete.
A really great route, and the best route of the sector with quite some margin.
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Top boulder problems, UK
Rockatrocity, 7C. Something that I avoided for years after hurting my ring finger on it. I deliberately did some 3-finger crimp fingerboarding; then did it in a session :)
Popcorn Party, 7A. Highlight of visiting Porth Ysgo for the 1st time on my stag weekend.
The Wire, 8A+ (only 8A with my sequence) - found some very satisfying micro beta to make it work for a lanky tw@
Top boulder problems, abroad
Top trad routes, UK
Top sport routes, UK
The Pirate, 8c, FA, Kilnsey. Suited me perfectly and an awesome RP campaign where each session rewarded me with a new highpoint.
The Spider, 8a, Cheedale. Fun roof thugging without a crimp in sight.
Mad at the Sun, 7c, The Gap. Awesome to tick a route The Pickford had first raved about whilst at uni together 18 years ago!
Top sport routes, abroad
Both from a cold "beast from the east" week in Margalef in Feb.
ATP L3, 8a, Masruidoms. A big fight to climb this in a cloud with water running out of some of the tufas.
Chachi qui chapi, 7a, Margalef. Last route before airport on the only warm day of the week.
Top Spankings
The Joker, 8A, Plantation - got really close in a session - even letting go of the jug for fear of taking the massive swing. Then coudn't get near the top again.
Escalafrios, 7c+, Margalef. (Even the top 7b section felt nails and required 2x RPs)
&
Sátiva patática, 8a Margalef. So weak on middle-2 pockets!
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*navel gazing alert*
Not the best climbing year for me in terms of achievements and ticks despite having ample time and opportunity to really go for it. I got a lot out of the climbing I did but a high frequency and huge amplitude in my motivation cycle meant I never got much momentum or form together. On or near the peaks of syke maxima, climbing and training felt profoundly fulfilling and totally worthwhile. Whilst down in the nihilistic troughs of syke minima, desire to improve and striving to perform well seemed about as worthwhile as my 9 year old self wanting to improve his scalextric lap times. I think/hope I’ve disentangled what’s going on here sufficiently so I can be more consistent in my approach and mindset this year. Thus avoiding long spells of downtime and generally, though it’s hard to quantify, get ‘more’ of the great stuff available through climbing.
* stop *
Down to business:
Blokproblems
shocked to discover I've barely ticked any problems outside this year. Some good sessions putting together problems on my board (between finger niggles) is the best I can do here.
sport
La Cuca 8a, El Chorro. Pretty good route that I found pretty tough. Memorable as it was one of those rare and lucky redpoints where a sequence of unlikely consecutive upward falls find you struggling to believe you’re still on but elated that you are.
Les nouvelles plantations du Christ 7c+, Tarn. Great route in an amazing place. Tarn has to be some version of sport climbing paradise apart from that brutal (and seemingly unavoidable) caterpillar rash!
Os Court 7b+, Buoux. Red-line lashing up drilled 2 finger pockets on a cool steep wall, boiling hot, uncertain outcome, negligible style – fantastic, guilty pleasure satisfaction.
Trad and dws
A couple of brilliant summer trips to Pembroke provide obvious highlights here.
Get some in, Ships that pass in the night, Star wars and a couple of those E4s on the castle were all in that trad goldilocks zone of hard enough to be really memorable and require plenty of focus but easy enough that a margin of safety and a sense of control is maintained.
soloing above big evening tides in Stennis ford - overexposed, etc. and Mother Carey’s – one eyed man were great experiences.
New stuff
Nothing to declare - first time for a number of years I think. I did spectate/film/help figure out moves on a couple of good new problems a mate found and did – tenuous proxy half-ticks then.
Top spanking
I had some idea what I was in for when I was persueded to do Deygo E3 on Red walls at gogarth. The reality was worse and I found myself distinctly lacking in skills set and desire on my lead of pitch 2. Handed over the lead as quickly as I could having made a token ½ a move or so away from the belay. No intention of rectifying this weakness with loose rock adventure style ‘climbing’ any time soon.
All the best for 2019
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Definitely my best year yet in terms of quality. Apologises if it's a bit long, I could have easily added more.
Top 8 in UK
Toejam and Earl 7C, double toehook reach around madness. Great moves on a brilliant boulder.
Impropa Opera sit 7C+, almost bagged it in a session after doing the stand and Grand. Board climbing is best and it's great to climb that style outside.
Wavelength 7B+, I love bouncy-barn-doory moves, I also love it when you can feel something coming together after each subsequent go.
Corridors of Power 7C+, somehow managed to drag myself up this at the end of a long weekend in Wales.
Born Lippy 7C/+, not necessarily the best climbing, but I eyed it up ages ago as something I'd like to do one day and now I've done it.
Yorkshireman 7B+, similar to Wavelength, after my first go I knew it was a done deal. Just got closer and closer till it went. Love that feeling.
Dark Art 8A, could never get anything out of the right heel on the starting RH hold previously. However, this year something clicked and after doing the move in isolated, I managed the full thing from the start two goes later.
Sweet Dreams 7C+, bit dabby, but I do like dem moves.
Top 8 Abroad
Grampians
The Quickening 7C, committing af cut loose hold catch glory. Too scary to try the move in isolation, thank god it went first go from the start.
The Departed 7C+, 30 board climbing on perfect slopers.
Bakelite Concept 7C+, beautiful holds and possibly the hardest heel hook I've ever done.
Copperhead 7A+, 15 degree overhang, vague arete, highball on perfect holds.
Flock and Castle Hill
Pythagoras 7B, high techy wall with slopey landing.
Monster Society of Evil 7C, hard board moves into a freestyled awkward mantle. It’s not that high but felt very exposed for some reason. Took a while to gather my wits afterwards.
Nasal Slip 6B, highball no hand slab padding on polished limestone. Eyeing it up all week and finally tried it on the last day. Was almost blown off it was so windy. Very satisfying.
Font
La Balance 7C, a stupidly hot October trip finally yielded okay conditions on the last day and I managed to finish this off quickly.
Top spankings
Various not too serious injuries. Sprain my thumb which meant I couldn't write for 3 weeks, I then strained both my hamstrings and couldn't really heelhook or cross my legs properly for 4 months. Somehow ended up with 6 tweaky fingers at once over summer, and now I'm currently nursing a strained side (possibly my lat) which has meant no steep climbing and no pain free sneezing for 4 weeks now. :strongbench:
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Early 2018 the missus gave me to permission to jack in a job I really wasn’t enjoying and have a few months off this summer. While other things in life (mainly ill parent related) meant I ended up spending most of the time sport climbing in the UK the brilliant weather and some great partners (including my daughter who is now a fully committed climber) gave me a great summer and for the first year in a long time I actually needed to think about which routes to include in this list! Have enjoyed writing it down so please excuse the waffle.
Top sport routes (UK)
The Perfect Mirage 8a, Gordale
Project for the previous couple of years and my second 8a 9 years after the first. Despite some rattly holds on the lower section I think this a great route, sustained climbing to a hard to work rest then excellent crux section on great rock in a brilliant position. No nasty holds or desperate moves made it a perfect 8a for me, just as good and a bit harder than Defcon 3 imo. Thanks to Andy F who almost bailed because his car died but instead got the train out to Warrington on Sunday morning to provide the rp belay and managed to fit in a celebratory pint before I dropped him back off at the station,
L’Obsession 7c+, Malham
After a great spring/early summer I hit my regular mid year dip during August but some shorter peak routes seemed to get the finger strength back up and I got this real long term project done in September. Tremendous route which I’ve tried on an off for 20 years getting close but never seeming to get back at the right time to finish it off. Despite some fickle condition (why does the sun always seem to shine at Malham when the forecast says mostly cloudy!) got through the desperate start crux, shook out, then pretty smoothly up the groove and held it together when the pump arrived near the top.
Super Duper Dupont 7c, Chapel Head Scar
Only 2 sessions, which is pretty quick for me on a 7c, team tick with Steve. For me absolutely one of the best of its grade in the country, tremendous varied climbing all the way.
Top trad routes (UK)
Parkers Eliminate HVS, Hobson Moor
Don’t really trad climb any more (and have soloed this many time previously) but did this with the daughter on a quick morning hit in between A level revision and great to see her second it cleanly on lovely day as only her second route on grit.
Top sport routes (abroad)
Shere Baghera 7c, Camarasa
Logical link up of Shere Khan into Baghera at supposed 7c. Put the gear in and then went up to check the sequences, got through the lower crux and then just kept going. Probably very soft for the grade but great route with 35m of steep climbing on generally good holds.
La ryobi va da dir prou 7b+, L’Obaga del Falco
Having trashed a tip failing on my project the day before I decided to tape the fingers and try this fierce looking overhanging crack instead. Didn’t disappoint, providing a great battle with laybacking, jams, powerful crux and a big move to jugs to finish.
Malagueña Salerosa 7a+, Culampe 4, Margalef
Last day of spring trip, feeling pretty tired and had just repeated the 6c+/7a to its right with a bit of a battle. Mate put the clips in on the way down so I decided to have a very speculative os go and completely surprised myself by committing to about 4 mono moves in row for a very satisfying way to end the trip.
Top spankings
Cave Route Left Hand 7c+, Gordale
Great line, enjoyed the initial crack then got to the crux! Lots of beta from below meant I felt like I might find a way through the powerful undercuts but then pulled up to find what I was going for – a horrible pocket (for my sausage like fingers) where I needed a jug! Above that more great climbing but don’t think it will ever happen for me.
Eraser Head/Route of all Evil 7a+, Chapel Head Scar
Mileage day before trip to Spain (ha!). Direct on route of all evil which I nearly onsighted in the 90s, went for the retro onsight and was miles off and then fell off on the first redpoint, managed to pull it out for second rp but was done for the day. While I’m rp’ing as well (or even better) as I ever have my onsighting on technical UK limestone is miles away from what it was.
Best belays
Cattle Mutilation Expedition 6c, Masson Lees
My daughter Amy started climbing (indoors) autumn 2017 and was quickly hooked. Despite lacking a bit of confidence she got into outdoor sport climbing this summer, mainly top roping at first. Had a few trips to Masson Lees where she did her first lead (6a on the red walls) and then wanted to try something harder. Got the moves and sequences sorted on this and started to think about a rp. On the day she had a quick top rope and said she wanted to get on the lead to try the clips, got through the initial hard moves and then committed totally at the top to get the successful redpoint. She was buzzing and I was totally proud dad! And she was old enough for us to stop for a celebratory pint on the way back.
Supercool 8a+, Gordale
Great to belay Steve on this, his total anti-style route. He nearly got it early on after getting through the second crux by surprise and then falling off the final wall which he hadn’t worked then had 2 more sessions where conditions and other factors conspired against him. Just when you think it might start to become a mental game he pulled it out to end a great early summer of climbing at Gordale for both of us.
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A long post here, but it is the best thread of the year.
It’s been a good year for climbing. The best change has been that after doing my first proper summer of sport climbing with a redpointing approach (instead of simply onsighting/ground-upping), I developed a much improved approach to working boulder problems and climbing in general. I’ve discovered the joy of practicing multiple sections of difficult moves in isolation and then putting them together into a smooth “redpoint” effort. I have no idea if I’m stronger than I’ve ever been but I definitely feel like I’m better than I’ve ever been.
Top boulder problems
Red Baron Roof (7C+), Shipley Glen
I’ve sprayed enough about this, but with good reason. I went at it too hard a couple of seasons ago and put in lots of sessions of effort. With an improved approach it went down over 4 sessions. Feels great to still be able to get better and do a first of the grade after beginning parenthood, when received wisdom would tell you that it’s a managed decline from there.
The Green Traverse (7A), Shipley Glen
See note above about linking difficult sections into each other. This felt nails – a step above any of the sport climbs I did over the summer. Doing it from the very bottom of the boulder definitely adds something. 6B+/6C into 6C+ into 6C with no significant rests.
The Gemenid Trail (7A+), The Satellite Boulder
YYFY. Have wanted to do it for years but kept stupidly dropping the top. Felt easy this time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BocVhlwjHrG
Sounds and Silences (6B+), Dalehead Rocks
Brilliant bit of slab climbing that keeps coming at you to the top. There’s not really anything to hold onto up there so there’s nowhere to hide – just you and the smears.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=319905
Honourable mentions to:
Alpha (7B), Anston Stones
Successor State (6B+), Brimham
Top trad routes/solos UK
Moria (E2), Baildon Bank
Ballsed it up early in the season by leaving myself without the right size cam for the top, which I didn’t fancy doing while pumped and above choss gear. Came back later on and swarmed up it.
Debauchery (E1), High Tor
Not a route that is as good as they say, but still a very good route.
Western Front (E3), Almscliff
5th go over about 10 years. I find this really, really hard! Done on a hot summer’s evening while England was having a penalty shoot-out with Colombia during the World Cup. I arrived at the niche on Great Western with eyes on stalks and completely ruined arms. Rested and then gibbered along the 5 Star Finish hoping that I didn’t drop it. As I pulled over the top, the cheers and screams of elation from the nearby farm confirmed that it was a victory after the best of five.
Top three sport routes UK
On the Road (6c), Lorry Park Quarry
Absolutely incredible climbing – fascinating. The best corner climb I’ve ever done. I think the approach to the crag is/was up for sale as development land. If you haven’t done this yet, get yourself down there and do it before access is compromised.
Everything at Trow Gill (Hardcore Ecstasy (7b), Trowgerbirge Wall (7b/+), Bush of Ghosts (7a+), Pursuit of Excellence (7b/+), Brush with a Goat (7a))
I had three trips to the crag over the Long Hot Summer of 2018. They were all brilliant, even the one where the 4th person in our group forgot their harness and we had to keep swapping partners. I did a bunch of routes on the dark wall and I loved each and every one of them. Each one felt like a gift snatched from the lichen and seepage that hangs around in other years. Thanks to those who put the effort in to brush the place up.
Haslam (7b/+), Troller’s Gill
Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ (7b/+), Yew Cogar
Top three days at the crag
Days at the crag which did not yield any particularly mind-blowing climbs but which were, in and of themselves, great days out at the crag.
Kyloe-In
Great craic all round and everyone stuck to the script. Nathaniel tried hard and was delighted to have done 2 moves in succession, despite not getting up anything; Ben didn’t know when to stop and move onto a different problem resulting in near injury; Bojan REALLY REALLY didn’t know when to stop, or rest, or how to climb dynamically; Lucy screamed her head off while dropping onto the pads from about 3 feet in the air; Sam looked weak on the crimps; Huw was an utter fucking shambles in almost every respect; and I was flawless in every way. It really was the perfect day out.
Gimmer
Booked the day off work and bombed up to the Lakes with the “Northern Alan Partridge” himself, Sam Marks. We climbed Intern, Springbank, and Equus shambolically before coming back to the bags at the end of the day. I tried to explain to Sam exactly why this had been such a memorable, stolen day on golden-lit rock; but he’s a student with his whole life ahead of him so he simply didn’t get it.
Langdale Enchainment
My brother was not long off the plane from Singapore. He’s not climbed outdoors before, and last climbed indoors circa 15-20 years ago. I forced him into the car and drove to Langdale where he screamed “this is barbaric!” as I bundled him into my tiny mountain tent. He had a choice between warmth and comfort and he chose warmth (i.e. the down sleeping bag on the crap roll mat) and thus didn’t sleep a wink. We awoke to freezing cold winds on a foreboding October morning and went for a fry up in the NDG before enchaining two routes on two crags to get to Pavey Ark. We started up the Rake and, near the end, I pointed out Gwynne’s Chimney which had been the intended objective had we not been running out of time. He demanded that we do it. I decided to lead it on a single half rope to save ropework time and set off. Freezing cold, a waterfall of water running down my sleeves, walking boots groping uselessly at polished smears, running it out knowing that the chances of an inexperienced belayer holding a fall with cold hands and a single skinny rope were slim: with the exception of Western Front this was definitely the hardest I’ve had to try on a trad route this year.
Top three new routes/problems put up
Ours is a Great Wild Country (6B), Little Simon’s Seat
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnOhyxljI2W/
A Time of Gifts (6C+), Crag A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WWkus5jhps
Top Spankings
Compulsion Crack (VS/E9), Caley
I did it, but fucking hell...
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Whilst down in the nihilistic troughs of syke minima, desire to improve and striving to perform well seemed about as worthwhile as my 9 year old self wanting to improve his scalextric lap times.
Does it make me a nihilist if I think that this is an entirely accurate comparison? There's nothing intrinsically better about climbing and training for climbing than becoming a scalextic wad, it just happens to be something that my meat computer finds to be fulfilling!
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Whilst down in the nihilistic troughs of syke minima, desire to improve and striving to perform well seemed about as worthwhile as my 9 year old self wanting to improve his scalextric lap times.
Does it make me a nihilist if I think that this is an entirely accurate comparison? There's nothing intrinsically better about climbing and training for climbing than becoming a scalextic wad, it just happens to be something that my meat computer finds to be fulfilling!
Maybe, probably, yes? I see your point. I didn't write the bit you quoted well though so some misinterpretation might've been possible. I meant looking back from now, scalextric seems pointless despite at the time it being important. Unfortunately, at times, wanting to improve at climbing felt sort of on a par.
And I'm likely getting out of my philosophical depth rapidly here but I'd have thought it's easy to argue that there're aspects to something like climbing and applying effort to get better at it that do make it intrinsically of more value than something like scalextric or computer games. Might be biased though...
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Top boulder problem, UK
Ben's Roof, the tor. Classic! Managed to sneak in a surprise send early in the year when the rest of the crag was seeping. Great conditions in between the damp patches and nice to be able to climb at the tor without the usual crowds.
Top five DWS, UK + croatia
The Vanishing. Highlight of the year and potentially my entire climbing life. Like a 20m roof orgasm. Hard to put in to words quite how good it is.
Fathoms. Can't believe I hadn't done this before, what a squeaky clean line.
Blue Planet. Fell off it late in the late afternoon then came back for it on my own the next morning. Bit of a butt clencher at the top, not helped by jelly fish all over the place.
Waterland, Penally East. Got lucky on the flash in very uninspiring conditions. Proper pant filling heel hook action at 15m etched indellibly in to my memory.
Pocket line off some beach in Croatia. Pure fun in the sun, and some outrageously cool climbing to boot. Couldn't find it in any guides and would love to think it was a first ascent, but it looked suspiciously clean.
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Try to Remember, cheddar gorge. Broke a hold and fell 2/3rds of the way down the crag when some gear popped. Good to get it finished off when my heart had calmed down a little.
Antiworlds, Lundy. Spent a couple of hours cleaning bird shit off the bottom pitch, totally worth it.
The Cullinan, Lundy. Oof, what a line! Commitment completely rewarded on this one.
Top four sport routes UK
Thormen's Moth. Those pockets, what's not to love!
Midguard Serpent. Totally under rated line in the thormen's moth cave. Great excuse to strap on an excess of knee rubber and monkey around in the roof. Clipping the chains hanging from a single foot lock above the anchor topped it off nicely.
Call of Nature. Turned in to a bit of an extended mission while trying it in poor conditions then went very quickly when it cooled down. Great little midweek morning session with a friend who then ticked his first 7c shortly afterwards.
Roof Warrior. Got back from a trip and knocked this out pretty quickly which was pretty satisfying. Such cool moves on the headwall.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Jenjavi, Paklenica gorge, Croatia. Excellent multi-pitch fun with my girlfriend including obligatory case of running out of water and getting lost on the walk down.
Sagitta, Omis, Croatia. Sunk loads of time in to it and was on the verge of giving it up before managing to scrape my way through the crux. Despite the slightly protracted siege it was good scenes hanging around at the bottom of a scatty crag next to the road in the summer sun, felt like being back at the tor except better for your tan.
The Flow, frankenjura. Fucking amazing mono move at the top, fell off that single move at least 10 times before finally sticking it. Felt hard too, but all the better for it as you feel a proper hero jamming your finger in that mono and yarding through to victory.
Top one new DWS put up
Spring Waltz, Long Quarry Point. Amazed it hadn't been done before, lovely little line coming out of the blue planet cave with some really nice climbing. Hard enough to be interesting and a little shallow to keep it a bit spicey.
Top Spankings
Most things at the cornice. Felt like I tried everything and did nothing. More commitment needed.
Most things on portland.
Hard bouldering.
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Maybe, probably, yes? I see your point. I didn't write the bit you quoted well though so some misinterpretation might've been possible. I meant looking back from now, scalextric seems pointless despite at the time it being important. Unfortunately, at times, wanting to improve at climbing felt sort of on a par.
And I'm likely getting out of my philosophical depth rapidly here but I'd have thought it's easy to argue that there're aspects to something like climbing and applying effort to get better at it that do make it intrinsically of more value than something like scalextric or computer games. Might be biased though...
In my lighter moments I tend to think it's great that climbing and scaletrix are both as valuable as each other, in the darker ones I think they are both just as pointless.
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The Urge (XS, 5c) @ Trewethet. Proper north Cornwall esoterica. Only the third ascent, made all the better by being watched & egged on by local hero & second ascentionist, Stu Bradbury. This should not be on every trad climber’s to do list. ;)
The most inspiring thing I'll read on this thread no doubt :)
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Another long ramble, thanks everyone for posting and for all the psych. :thumbsup:
No trips abroad for me but I did manage to explore a little more of what the UK has to offer, and found it to be brilliant if difficult to get good conditions (who knew?!).
Top 5 Yorkshire
-- Chiasmata (Almscliff); lifetime tick. Great to do it same day as a mate I'd been trying it with and a brilliant experience getting closer and closer until finally it went. I was also very pleased that I managed to keep it together mentally after dropping it with my fingers practically on the jug. Had a trademark massive rest then boshed it out.
-- Ebola (Anston Stones); aspired to do this since first visiting Anston. I'd had multiple sessions without managing a single move, then after a solid month of climbing on the board I had a session where I got really close, then did it the following week. I'm always intrigued to hear people say they found it a lot easier than Resonate as for me it was the complete opposite, Ebola felt miles harder.
-- Vicious Streak (Caley); a total battle for me. Constant split tips and a race against time with the cold conditions lasting just long enough for me to see it off. Really struggled mentally seeing others apparently ease up it, which is a daft but easy trap to fall into and something I've hopefully learned from.
-- Frank (Ilkley Rocky Valley); couldn't touch it about a year prior whilst going really well and doing a handful of others around the same level. Brilliant to come back in October in fairly warm cons and do it over two sessions. Amazing satisfying move jumping to the jug and holding the swing.
-- Flayed Alive (Flaystones); birthday tick mid-heatwave, but also whilst totally burnt out from projecting. This has an incredible, unique and brutally satisfying sequence and should be on everyone's dry spell spring/summer to-do list.
Honourable mentions for Underpants (Earl Crag), Crack A No-go (Ash Head), Polar Haze (Ilkley Rocky Valley), Baby Spice (Ilkley), Troll Arete (Fairies Chest) and Razor (Crookrise).
Top 5 Rest of UK
-- Starshot Sit (Harter Gold Boulders); probably my favourite day out in 2018. Great team, perfect weather and what a flipping venue!! This is probably the best boulder problem I've ever done. I'd had a massive wobbler topping out Son of Kong (honourable mention; fantastic line!) earlier in the day, but managed to execute a near perfect 'watch everyone else sussing it out to get all the beta then burn them off with the flash' effort on the stand start (sorry guys :tease:) and then pulled the sit out of the bag quickly.
-- Knight Rider (Carrock Fell); I'd always thought this looked like a lip traverse but it climbs much more like a rising arete with some superb moves. Very pleased to get it done in a session on a perfect day, on what was surely my last possible go having dropped the finish a couple of times.
-- AWOL Apprentice (Tintagel); another brilliant day out, one of the few this year with my (non-climber) partner. Had a lovely morning exploring the castle then dragged her down to this astonishing boulder in the afternoon and was very chuffed to get this done on the quick. Finished off the day with a delicious pizza watching the sunset over the coast.
-- Carnage (Hartland); well worth classic status, in a stunning location by the sea. An honourable mention should also go to all the problems in The Trench over the other side of the beach, as I had a wonderful session there too.
-- Grand Opera (Bowderstone); three weekends in a row doing the 5 hour round trip up to the Stone resulted in ticking off this, Impropa, Ears, Inaudible and a couple of the extensions to both Inaudible and Picnic, something I was really pleased with having received quite a shut down on two previous visits. Grand is probably the line of the Stone and I found it tough, so I was glad to get it done and I loved the vibe of the place with loads of friendly folk getting stuck in.
Top 5 Spankings
-- Ribtickler (Goyden); six sessions in late spring/early summer. Got stupid close as the temps rose higher and higher. Made a couple of bad decisions driving up after work to try it when the sun was on it, having to wait for it to drop behind the hill at which point I had time for just a couple of goes before the midges arrived. Even stayed locally for a night with family and snuck out early morning for a session, despite being knackered from a long walk the day before. Ended up totally burnt out and with a finger injury.
-- Lager Lager Lager (Earl Crag); on my spankings list in 2017. Another three sessions in 2018, dropping the penultimate move I don't know how many times. I did at least manage The Flakes this year but it was little comfort.
-- Iron Man (Trowbarrow); very close in spring after my Bowderstone campaign had left me with a good base of power but not quite enough fitness. Dropped the crux move many times over a couple of sessions and then it got too hot. Back on it in Autumn and hadn't gone backwards but still no tick.
-- Scotland; went up for a long weekend in late May (again, mid-heatwave) with 5 problems in mind (Precious, Turbinal Nose, Apocalypse Now, Cruachan stand and Jenny's Bay). Tried 4 of them and got completely spanked, including managing to drop Apocalypse Now having done the hard bit. Much worse, my dog and I got attacked by innumerable ticks at Mini Magic Wood such that I had nightmares about them for days afterwards. Very, very keen to go back in cooler temps though, as the problems were all amazing and it's a beautiful part of the world.
-- The Lash (Birk Gill); three sessions spent dropping the crux move most goes before someone pointed out I was going for the hold completely wrong. I'd even been down it on a rope twice previously and just hadn't spotted the correct method. Can't wait to get back on it.
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I love this thread as I'd stopped logging online this year and it made me get my book out and reminisce. I started the year with a long van trip with my girlfriend and it proved to be everything I had hoped for. It left me sated all through winter where I've been predominantly climbing indoors. The itch has returned though.
Top three sport routes UK
That was the river 7b+, Chee Cornice - Got a few good ticks here over summer but this stood out, very good climbing on a route I'd put off for ages.
Threadbare 7c+, Torbryan - A route I'd 'sacked' many times that marked the end of my Devon stay.
Pursuit of Excellence 7b+, Trow Gill - Great walk to a great crag and a slimy swim: perfect.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Makach Walou 7c+, Ceuse - with 3 climbing days, and after the obligatory pants down fails on the 'easy' classics, I was happy to blast my way up this perfect bulge. Took some crowd-pleasing whippers, as ever.
Planete Groove 7c+, Gorges Du Tarn - Tough one between this and Les Nouvelles.. but I preferred the climbing on this ever so slightly more, an absolutely stunning prow of rock in a quiet part of the already tranquil Tarn.
Rahan 7b+, Calames - A glued-up piece of $@£% but an amazing experience finding the flow and flashing it. Ariege test piece.
Top DWS
Pink Slit 6c, Berry Head - When you shuffle under the pink block on the Rainbow Bridge traverse make sure to look up, there's a chimney, you get in it and end up spat onto the most amazing rock all the way up the headwall to the top. Thank you Tom Rainbow!
Verdon Dreaming 7b Berry Head - Fingertip-slippin'-flash yyfy!
Topology 7a, Lydstep - A type-1 fun dws journey jumping across zawns and squeezing through holes. You feel really lucky to have the chance to do this stuff. Deep Play.
Top Spankings
Minotaur E5, Huntsman's Leap. Nearly died. Reckless and unlucky and did I say reckless? A mind in pieces that I'll have to piece back together slowly.
Short-roping Shark I think I would've got a spanking if I was in range. Sorry Simon. Glad I filmed it though as it became my favourite video of the year (go see Doylo's instagram if you haven't already. NSFW)
St.Leger everything I tried.
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How did you nearly die on the Minotaur dude?
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How did you nearly die on the Minotaur dude?
Short story: Gear ripped, the rock around a thread broke, a wire unclipped from its quickdraw, gear pulled out. Fell a large distance down the crag upside down onto the last piece of any use, which thankfully held. You make your own luck and I made several mistakes that reduced my chances, felt (and feel) quite guilty about it. The long story is more pub-fodder than thread worthy.
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The Urge (XS, 5c) @ Trewethet. Proper north Cornwall esoterica. ... This should not be on every trad climber’s to do list. ;)
The most inspiring thing I'll read on this thread no doubt :)
It shouldn’t be on every trad climber’s to do list, but it should be on your’s Fiend!
The first pitch is straight-forward enough (albeit perma-damp). The second pitch is fab - the crux is tip-toeing rightwards along the slopey, sandy lip of an overhang, with little for your hands, a good way above your gear and with your heart firmly in your mouth, before then romping through more overhangs above.
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Boulders
Choreography, Biblins pushing the definition of bouldering at 50 moves but it didn't involve a rope. Also my only FA I think
Some unnamed 6c to the left of Mermaid at Burbage bridge. Perfect movement
Uk sport:
Airshow, Shipwreck
The Medium, Llanberis - first climbing trip away with my partner <3, complete with sleeping in the skate tunnels, car breakdown and epic midge attack. Got kinda nervous on lead as I'd only just taught them to belay!
Galactica, highly overlooked route - utterly brilliant
The Raven, Minchin Hole - piss wet, probably the most pumped I got all year. Amazing place
Uk trad
Madness, the E5/XS 5c girdle of Sanctuary Wall. Some overhanging rubble, some super exposed ledge walking and then an entire pitch of super overhanging hero climbing, like a board covered in finger jugs.
Preposterous tales, Pembroke. No explanation needed!
DWS
Isostacy, Pembroke - didn't know it was a route, went for it, realised there was a reef underneath it, got scared, had to cut loose on wet pockets, didn't let go :D
Spankings
Point blank - gave up trying to GU it, toproped it clean then punted it. More than once. Crag consensus was 7c but didn't feel like that to me!
Babylone, Tarn: nearly onsighted despite wet holds and 100% humidity. Then failed to redpoint it. Many times.
Picos Pardos. Got my ass kicked.
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The Medium, Llanberis - first climbing trip away with my partner <3, complete with sleeping in the skate tunnels, car breakdown and epic midge attack. Got kinda nervous on lead as I'd only just taught them to belay!
To be perfectly honest I don't think midges would hold a fall anyway.
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Bouldering
Something in font can't remember name or crag
Trad
Some e6 on stanage
Sport
Haven't done any
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What a great bunch of lists! I love the variety, not just between the different lists but within a lot of the individual lists - people getting out there and doing (and enjoying) the full range of amazing things that climbing offers, not least in the UK itself.
I all but stopped climbing in 2018, something that I never thought would happen. I managed to boulder relatively regularly in 2017 but this dwindled to a mere handful of times in 2018, with a very long gap of nothing in the middle. I need to find a way to change that in 2019.
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Uk trad
Madness, the E5/XS 5c girdle of Sanctuary Wall. Some overhanging rubble, some super exposed ledge walking and then an entire pitch of super overhanging hero climbing, like a board covered in finger jugs.
Waddage - this has been on my to do list for ages.
Would it be fair to surmise that the climbing isn't too hard, but that you need to be able to deal with the rock and situations? Presumably you still need to be reasonably fit if it is overhanging a lot of the time?
Also, how easy is it to get to the start of the route? I'm not quite sure what the approach is?
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Uk trad
Madness, the E5/XS 5c girdle of Sanctuary Wall. Some overhanging rubble, some super exposed ledge walking and then an entire pitch of super overhanging hero climbing, like a board covered in finger jugs.
Waddage - this has been on my to do list for ages.
Would it be fair to surmise that the climbing isn't too hard, but that you need to be able to deal with the rock and situations?
If I can put it this way, I don't think it really needs an "XS" grade - E5 is sufficient. Can't comment on the other issues as its been far too long.
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It's three pitches in the guide, pitch 1 is the intimidating ledge walking and pitch 2 is shared with an XS. It's overhanging on mega jiggy blocks, probably UK 4c or 5a but some of the blocks move! Following that pitch is worse than leading it as there's a buttress to swing into. I followed it and had a proper moment when the block I was hanging off started moving and making a grinding noise, I did an emergency double dyno for the next block which fortunately turned out to be more solid..... Hence the XS overtones! Pitch 3 has a surprisingly bouldery crux, fitness is useful if you want to back up the in situ gear but since it's a traverse high on an overhanging wall I don't think you really need to back everything up as you'd just swing into space even if a piece blew.. French 7a felt about right? Like a euro jug haul with a couple of jugs replaced by super positive crimps.
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Getting to the start of the route is quite fun, we did the sea level traverse from lqp then scrambled up. The initial belay is well fiddly, took a while to excavate any useful cracks!
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I didn’t really succeed at very much this year, so this is 100% Spankings...
Quietus - Was aiming to cruise this as I wanted to try the RH and then Old Friends. Nearly two hours later, with bloody knuckles, numb feet and a severely battered ego, I abbed down to rescue the gear. I retrospectively discovered Andy Kirkpatrick’s thoughts on the subject - https://andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view_stories/q_is_for_quietus (https://andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view_stories/q_is_for_quietus) - which I’m quite surprised none of the onlookers quoted to me, as I replicated it almost entirely. Apart from saying it’s a rubbish route. Anyway, it was a deeply traumatic and depressing experience, and I need to return for another go asap to make the nightmares stop.
Rubicon - The previous evening, climbing with Duncan for the first time. I thought this was going to involve a stylish cruise to the top, chatting about the orchestra pit at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. It turned into a pathetic battle which grew more desperate as it got darker and darker. Duncan hurt his shoulder, I couldn’t figure out his Pongoose clipstick. The audience watched with growing impatience. I somehow got to the top eventually. Again, a terrible experience which needs addressing with a more professional attempt.
First Corner (S 4b) - Having enjoyed a day happily shunting some of the harder things at Subliminal a few weeks before, I was planning to spend this particiular evening cruising some low Es. (There is a trend developing here...) It was cloudy and quite windy. We abbed in and, on arrival at the bottom, discovered everything was sea-sprayed and greasy. Never mind, we can pop up the severe and scoot down to Hedbury for some sport routes. By the time I’d hauled my quivering, terrified frame over the top I had properly vowed to drive straight back home and eBay all my gear. Swanage shits me up a bit anyway, but with the polished stuff wet I found it absolutely fucking terrifying. It was like someone had arranged a series of various enamelled bathroom fixtures in a vertical line - a bath, then a sink, a bidet, another bath, then a urinal - and then sprayed them with water and anchovy-infused olive oil. As far as returning is concerned, I’m less sure about this one.
I also got spanked on various boulders I tried - Chip Shop Brawl, Patience, Killing Joke - but thankfully no-one else had to witness those displays of ineptitude.
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Rubicon - The previous evening, climbing with Duncan for the first time. I thought this was going to involve a stylish cruise to the top, chatting about the orchestra pit at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. It turned into a pathetic battle which grew more desperate as it got darker and darker. Duncan hurt his shoulder, I couldn’t figure out his Pongoose clipstick. The audience watched with growing impatience. I somehow got to the top eventually. Again, a terrible experience which needs addressing with a more professional attempt.
I'm pretty certain that Rubicon is the route which tore the last of the stitches from my hernia operation, requiring not only another operation and a private one at that, but forcing me to postpone a masters degree from Sept 2018 to Sept 2019. So over three grand, getting cut open, a fortnight feeling shit afterwards, two months off climbing and a year's delay in my life plans. Consider yourself lucky! ;)
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FWIW I've been climbing E2 for 20 years and solidly/reliably for the last 10, and I've still put off doing Quietus ;)
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Bit of a poor year for climbing as the need to shit every 5 minutes somewhat limited my ability to be at crags pulling hard , bit disappointing given the weather we had over the summer, but did have a few highlights:
Trad
Easy day out at Rhoscolyn in a tshirt weather in November with the lady. 3 star routes in tshirt in november. Ace. Left my shoes but recovered them next day after freezing my tits off on idwall.
Day out with will at slipstones. Climbed like a tool but good to be out and did a few problems id wussed out of on previous trips.
Winter
Managed to get up both cliviger gorge and gordale whilst frozen. Never thought I would get up gordale. Magic! Met on old acquaintance at the top of gordale which was nice too.
Sport
Fell off a 6a at swannage last week. Doesnt sound like an achievement but going for it above a bolt was ace. Falling off felt pretty liberating. Psyched to keep this up! And preferably fall off something harder.
Bouldering
No days of note, but a good trip to northumberland including dropping the last hold of jocks and geordies repeatedly, winding up Will in the process will stay with me.
Spankings
Tried bee line at ilkley and had to rapidly down aid from the crux as my guts were not doing their job. Went to a first birthday party and ate party rings from a washibg line to cheer myself up. Comical in hindsight but frustrating at the time.
Hopefully this year my guts will let me elevate myself from punterdom and I will have to find another excuse.
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How did you nearly die on the Minotaur dude?
Short story: Gear ripped, the rock around a thread broke, a wire unclipped from its quickdraw, gear pulled out. Fell a large distance down the crag upside down onto the last piece of any use, which thankfully held. You make your own luck and I made several mistakes that reduced my chances, felt (and feel) quite guilty about it. The long story is more pub-fodder than thread worthy.
Wow that’s mega. Can’t be as bad as the time I took an ex girlfriend climbing in the dolomites and got us both struck by lighting. I felt pretty bad about that but then the electricity seemed to cheer me up somehow
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How did you nearly die on the Minotaur dude?
Short story: Gear ripped, the rock around a thread broke, a wire unclipped from its quickdraw, gear pulled out. Fell a large distance down the crag upside down onto the last piece of any use, which thankfully held. You make your own luck and I made several mistakes that reduced my chances, felt (and feel) quite guilty about it. The long story is more pub-fodder than thread worthy.
Wow that’s mega. Can’t be as bad as the time I took an ex girlfriend climbing in the dolomites and got us both struck by lighting. I felt pretty bad about that but then the electricity seemed to cheer me up somehow
Blimey
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Am I the only one who's loving readings about the spankings the most?!
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When it's the classic case of mega-strong boulderers getting crushed by easy grit classics / cracks, then definitely yes, it's life-affirming.
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When it's the classic case of mega-strong boulderers getting crushed by easy grit classics / cracks, then definitely yes, it's life-affirming.
How about weak, lank dependant aging climbers getting crushed by easy grit classics / cracks? 😂
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Almost as good, although the ageing bit could imply enough wisdom to put it all in perspective, rather than bewildered outrage as to how The File can feel so hard for Font 2+ climbing....
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Big year for my this one. Climbed both my hardest boulders and routes, Graduated from Uni in June and went on a big 4 month euro trip and then my first climbing trip to America in November.
Top 3 boulder problems, UK
I properly committed to training over the winter so hit an amazing run of form in the spring and ticked a number of problems off the list, here’s a few of them.
Zoo York 8A – Caley: A problem that I never thought I would do but after a winter on my loft board did it first session of the season.
Queen Kong 7C+/8A - Queens Crag: After being really close at the start of 2017 ever managed to get back up to the county. Was nice to go back up this spring and dispatch it with minimal fuss.
Cashmere Cat 7c+ - Sour Milk Ghyll: Simply the best in the lakes. Two of my favourite things, slab and highball
Honourable mentions:
Grand Opera Sit 8A – Bowderstone: After flashing the stand the sit seemed like an obvious challenge. After literally 100 goes at the first move and falling off matching twice it was quite a battle.
Ben's Groove Sit 7C+ - Caley: Pure class, just beat the beast from the east.
Chiasmata 8A – Almscliff: Best at the cliff
Starshot Sit 7C – Harter Fell: Last problem of a mega big day out in the hills.
Top boulder problems, abroad
2 snowy weeks in Font in Feb and 5 weeks in Swiss/Austria in June at the start of a big road trip again leaves plenty to choose from.
Astronautenfieber 8A – Magic Wood: The one line that made me want to go back to Magic. Although I was slightly disappointed by the state of Magic Wood this year this boulder is truly outstanding.
Imothep 8A – Font: Might throw it out there and say it’s the best problem I've ever done! Perfect font slopers and compression, surreal topping out in the dark after 4 days desperately trying to keep boulderers clear of snow.
Pirouette Cacaouette 7C – Font: Classic font esoterica, would have been nice to flash it but that might have been annoying after spending so long trying to find it.
Suworow 7B+ - Gotthard Pass: I remember seeing this boulder when in Gotthard 5 years ago so was nice the stop off on the way back from Swiss and climb in a lovely alpine setting.
Baby Lama 7C – Silvretta: Essentially a board problem with an amazing view, 3 big moves up a 45 degree wall. Was pleased to sneak in with a flash.
Jacks Broken Heart 8A+ - Magic Wood: Up there with my hardest ascents to date.
Top trad routes UK
Very little trad climbing this year, had a couple of days at Malham with my Dad which were ace. Best routes being:
Midnight Cowboy E3 5c, Swift Attack E3 5c, Sundance Wall E2 5c, Wombat E2 5c, Carnage E2 5b
Top sport routes UK
Only did 2 sport routes at home this year but boy were they good’uns
Supercool 8a+ - Gordale: Old school technical endurance climbing, found it tough straight off a spring of just boulders. If my car hadn’t broken down just before I was supposed to head to Swiss I might not have gone and finished it off.
Raining Bats and Dogs 8c – Malham: Yes it is technically a link up but it’s a bloody good one. Really enjoyed the process on this one battling away with Mina until I started getting close with time running out. Couldn’t have cut it much closer doing it the day before heading to America.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Natilik 6b, E2ish – Ceuse: Way round the corner away from the hordes of sport climbers was one the most enjoyable multi pitch routes I’ve done. A fantastic last day in Ceuse taking Gwyneth up here first trad route and the stresses of the rest of the climbing, the 4th pitch across the roof will take some beating.
Weekend Warriors 8b+ - La Hermida: A 50m marathon of tufas out of the hugs Cueva Carcalosa utilising I think 26 kneebars and the redpoint crux at the last bolt. Had a great laugh at the crag with Andy on his project a couple of route right, thankfully we both sent on consecutive days just in time for an epic 2 weeks surfing in Galicia.
Encore 8a+ - Ceuse: A great tick for my confidence after struggling elsewhere, always a pleasure to climb the full height of the crag and top out.
No Redemption 8a – Red River Gorge: One of my favourites from the Red probably because it’s more like a UK route so is nice change from steep climbing. A vert route revolving around a boulder on small crimps.
AK-47 7c+ - La Hermida: A meandering maze of tufas big and small up the main wall at Rumenes. A rare day where I actually climbed well onsight.
Darkness Falls 7c – Red River Gorge: A great varied pitch through a series of roofs and a completely random find at a crag I’d never heard off for Neil and Tanya’s last day and didn’t expect to flash it after watching Neil have a hard time.
Top three new problems put up
Very little in the way of new problems this year. Finished off developing Crag A and picked off a couple in the spring but was mainly psyched on repeating stuff instead.
Coreshot 7c – Crag A: The roof on the far left buttress, had originally eyed it up as an arête but instead climbed with a wacky sequence straight through the roof flipping some undercuts and heading to the lip feet first which made it even more rewarding to figure out.
Emotional Rescue 7b+ - Crag A: A pumpy extension the the original arete I’d done and the last of the major lines I was bothered about doing there.
Straight 25 7a – Plantation Crack: This one was just fun. Good tip off from my Dad
Top Spankings
Lanny Bassham 8A+ - Rylstone: Put I think 12 sessions in to this over February and March. Fell repeatedly from the last few moves for probably 5 sessions and couldn’t beat the warming spring temps.
Unjustified 8b+ - Malham: This was top of my list after getting close in Autumn 2017, put considerable effort in during April and May and again got really close but never managed to seal the deal.
Murciana 78 7c+ - Naranjo de Bulnes: Maybe not a spanking but definitely a bit of an epic. The bottom 6 pitches were amazing on bullet hard limestone with 7c+ sport climbing and massively runout 6a’s. The top half was a lot more adventurous up big chossy corner systems taking a lot longer that hope. To top it off I pulled a huge block off on pitch 11 and completely destroyed one of the ropes and it doesn’t bear thinking about what would have happened if it had gone near Andy on the belay. Lots of rappels later with one rope half the length it could have been turned into a bit of an epic and doing the last few in the dark we were exhausted and then had to bivi a second night that we hadn’t planned as we didn’t fancy the 3 hour walk out at 10:30pm. Definetly keen to go back to completely free it. Guy :whistle:.
Transworld Depravity 8b+ - Red River Gorge: Got close early on in the trip, then the cold and snow came and couldn’t try it properly and in the last week conditions went to shit. So felt a bit robbed not being able to give to my best effort due to the weather.
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Thanks Andy P & Coops - I’ll aim to get on it in the summer if I get a bit of fitness going.
And yes - always good to hear the comical spankings. No schadenfreude on my part - just good to hear the sort of epics I reckon most of us can identify with.
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Am I the only one who's loving readings about the spankings the most?!
No. I now feel guilty that I didn't embellish my failures more. My most galling was training for a route in Spain only to show up and discover someone had torn the best hold off the crux.
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Amazed to see Murciana 78 mentioned again. Is it properly bolted now? We did it on shitty old golos from the aid ascent..
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Amazed to see Murciana 78 mentioned again. Is it properly bolted now? We did it on shitty old golos from the aid ascent..
The Golos are replaced with shiny 12 mm bolts, giving it a bizarre feel (mostly trad/no gear with a shit ton of bolts on the crux – where most people just go A0).
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Amazed to see Murciana 78 mentioned again. Is it properly bolted now? We did it on shitty old golos from the aid ascent..
The Golos are replaced with shiny 12 mm bolts, giving it a bizarre feel (mostly trad/no gear with a shit ton of bolts on the crux – where most people just go A0).
The first 2 pitches were trad, the 7c+ and 7a+ (3&4) were bolt ladders for aiding. All the rest were a mix of old pegs and tat and limited gear. All the bolts are nice shiny bolts too which is useful for if you have to bail.
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Great hearing about everyone's year - always a good read!
No worthy trad or sport this year because I discovered summer bouldering.
Best Yorkshire Bouldering
- The Fly 7B Crookrise. I used to think only wads could climb this. Proper grit slab climbing.
- Sweet Dream Sit 7C+ Ilkley. Nice to finish the full line and frustrating most the way.
- Pinky 7A+ Brimham. Hardest problem on the bloc, until you do it...
- Clubber Lang 7B? Ilkley. I can't dyno so this felt like an achievement.
- Lager Lager Lager 7C Earl. Almost did it first session. Was so pysched I went back the next day but soon realised I didn't have the skin for it. So very on and off.
- Razor 7C Crookrise. Great Line, high and dynamic.
Best non Yorkshire bouldering
- Grand Opera 7C Bowderstone. Dropped the top so many times. Loved working this ground up and a fitting finale to discovering the Bowderstone, completing the entry level straight ups.
- Corridors of Power 7C+ Cwm Glas Bach. Best problem of the year. Go do it.
- Left Wall Traverse 7B Parisella. The classic shuffle and took me a while to link it.
- Wherever I Lay My Hat 7B+ Gallt Yr Ogof. Day after Ewan and Halla's wedding. Very cool moves and a stoning knee bar. Tichols joined wearing flipflops and spent the afternoon trying not to throw up.
- Alta 7C Fontainebleau. Revenge tick on an insanely hot font trip. It was not pretty climbing.
- Crouching Tiger 7B+ Kyloe in. Beat Will to it at his own game.
Spankings
- Ben's Sit 7C+ Caley. I was so close but ran out of time, beaten by weather and spring. It's not even that hard...
- Jess' Roof 7C Almscliff. I can't do this. Sporadic sessions spread over 5 years.
- Launch Control 7C Kilnsey. 3 sessions and barely close.
- Sideliner 8A Crookrise. Everyone finds the step through toe hook moves piss and I can't touch them even in isolation. The rest is fine! One of those where it just doesn't compute (see Jess' Roof).
- Bernie The Bolt and Three More Reps 7B+ Ilkley. We had a skirmish on these and get shut down before the big flake. Very cool climbing and exciting as you keep getting higher but stumped by what you do next.
- Most of my grit projects. I just couldn't get any over the line. Maybe spread myself too thinly.
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Best 3 Multipitch
✕ L'artisan du huitième jour 7b+/c, Aiglun. Not in free. My climbing partner had decided to ski for 8 weeks straight before coming down to Cote d'Azur, so Troutherapie was out of question. L'artisan proved adventure enough. We started in fog, with a forcast calling for thunderstorms in the afternoon. It took us forever to find the start (we didn't have a topo, because that's for noobs). It took us forever to climb, because it overhangs 50m in 250m, it was partly wet, and well ... skiing is not good training for climbing. Topped out in a thunderstorm – I never been so miserably wet outside of a sail boat. Amazing though. Have recruited very strong partner for Troutherapie.
✕ Il Giochi di Prestigio, 7b, Verdon. Fantastic route on the mighty Frimes. Also wet on the crux, so not totally free.
✓ ✓ Rivière d'argent, 6b+, Verdon. I've never done this before, but did it once with each of my partners for the trip (a couple with an infant.) It is that good
Best 3 sport routes locally
✓ Voleur du Feu 7b, Roc d'Anglars. I don't fall that often on 7b, especially when I really try. Fell quite resolutely on this, and it felt hard even on the redpoint. Well worth doing though. Might be the best route on the crag.
✓ Phénomène de rejet, 8a, Roc d'Anglars. Quite sure that this is one of the better 8a around Saint-Antonin. Well steep with a very cool finish, requiring quite a bit of strength endurance to not be rejected.
✓ Bad Attitude (L1), 8a+, Super Manjoc. The classic easy 8a+ around Toulouse, but well worth doing.
Best 3 sport routes abroad
✓ Frigg 8a, Flatanger. More or less the only route I topped during my week in Flatanger. My second onsight of a guide-book 8a, and while I don't suffer no delusion that this is actually 8a, it was quite a bit harder than the 7c+s I did in Leonidio. Nevertheless, I had to fight hard on the top, after the crux, and was red-lining a few moves in a row. The first pitch (7b+) went well and was my 99th onsight of a 7b+ or harder, so I was already quite happy with that. Thanks HaeMeS for the draws!
✓ Man of Steel 8a+/b, Margalef. Good fun. Twenty-three moves to a very good rest. Then Twenty-three moves of resistance climbing to easier terrain on top. Fun fact: Victor bolted this sector (Taverna) during a difficult separation, and was in a very bad mood, thus the bolting is quite Gorges-du-Tarn-esque.
✓ Pais de monos 8a+, Margalef. As someone said: "you name it, we climb it!" Lots of monos, unsurprisingly. A very cool crux with a first move that seems unlikely until you actually try it. I was hanging on the draw forever thinking that I would never do it. Just three hard moves, the rest is significantly easier but quite nice. I was terrified on the top though. Very proud of doing this in three days as I had an infection and was eating penicillin at the time, and had only energy for one try a day.
Best 2 spankings
✕ Xarop de Basto 7c+, Bruixes/Terradets. I thought I "almost" onsighted this in 2011 (not really as I fell on the crux move on the first part, and the 2nd part after the rest is not super easy). Did try it again when I was in reasonable shape a few years ago.
This year I was in great shape when I tried it. First I tried an Alzheimer's flash and fell on the last move before the rest (of course, as that is the crux move). The next try I promptly fell at the 4th bolt, then two more times on the crux move. After a day of rest I resolutely dogged it, finding the very best sequences. After that I finally managed to do the crux. Rested forever on the big jugs, and was quite confident I would do the rest even though it was very wet on the top. Alas! that was not to be. Fell off the top sloper.
Two days later I did two other 8as in a single day lower down of the crag, Bon Viatge and Millennium, especially the latter (that was also wet on the crux slab) must be at least half a grade easier for me than Xarop. Oh well, next year maybe?
My Catalan leaves much to be desired of. Does Xarop de Basto translate to Syrup of 'That's Enough!' (I've heard Catalan parents tell their children 'Basta!' in a context where I'd say 'That's enough!')
✕ No War, More Love 8b?, Super Manjoc. (8b+ according to both Dufraisse and Belhaj). Fell 8 times between the 2nd to last and last draw (where it should be totally over). A friend of mine fell 30 times on the very last move before doing it. Got very close just as the season closed and I got epididymitis
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I almost couldn’t be bothered this year but then I’ve posted every year since 2006 so got to keep going. Didn’t do loads due to first year of fatherhood and failing a lot on one problem but I made loads of physical gains from so much training. The most consistently strong I’ve been. Didn’t really do any routes, just two I’d done before on Mayfair wall.
top 5 boulders
Zeno, Cloggy 7C. Good team day out, took longer that it should and a bit sharp but a great bit of wall with a mega jump to a bucket at the end. Didn’t even find the walk too bad.
In For the Race 7C. Gangles new Orme classic roof climb. Cool when a quality new problem just pops up on your doorstep.
Heavyweight 8A. Not a classic but a good performance on way home from work 5th day on and definitely fairly tricky. Got a minging crimp on it but is fine with tape.
The Arbiter 7C+. Another new classic, this one from Ducko. Bit of an epic day out. Felt sick halfway up the hill and fainted and face planted. Hadn’t been out for weeks and it was sunny so there was no way I was going down. Felt pretty wonky but carried on up. At the top it was horrendously windy but we persevered. Luckily every move fitted me well I could sketch up it. Then flashed Huffys Wall, a good 7b. One of the best 7c+ in hills But the approach is horrific. Few days later everything went pair shaped and ended up in A n E. Spent next few weeks laid up with concussion and deaf in one ear. Pretty nasty experience.
Flick of The Wrist 7C+ - nemesis that had taunted me for years as couldn’t really hold the wide pinch. More annoying as everyone else in the world seemed to find it fine. Definitely one of the best.
Top spankings
Most things on the Caseg boulder. Stoned Temple in the Pass, fingers just slip off the holds. Push the Button Low at the Gop.
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A good but strange year climbing wise. A trip to Taghia in March was almost curtailed due to family problems which affected my head for much of the rest of the year. I had no appetite for being scared at all this year, but despite that I got a lot of great routes in.
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Suspense, E4 5c, Stennis Ford
I finally did Mysteries a few weeks before this. Suspense was much more engaging, it was one of a few routes I felt really absorbed in, got a bit pumped on P1 but held it together and P2 was great fun.
Spectrum, E2 5c, Clogwyn Y Grochan
A great day on the Grochan, ticking SS Special, First Amendment and Hangover. This was the pick of them for me, the second pitch has a great crux.
Stanage VS Challenge
Completed before Cheque's premiere of "The Seaside". It was harder than we expected and we were almost late.
Top three sport routes UK
Egyptian Bizarre, 7a+, The Cornice
Only because it was newly bolted and the only thing I hadn't already done that was in reach. I was please to flash the top part, doesn't happen often down Cheedale for me!
Whose Line is It Anyway, 7a+, The Cornice
I love this route. I did it a few years back. Almost got it first go of the day this time, then did it on the next attempt, but climbed really badly and fell off as I clipped the chains.
Hanging By a Thread, 6c, Witches Point
Best of the grade I've done in South Wales. Didn't make it back to Witches, but hope to this summer.
Top three two routes abroad
Only one trip abroad, but it was to Taghia which is an incredible place. We were scuppered by the weather being very cold and windy the first week, the second week was better.
Au Nom de la Reforme, 6c
12 pitches of steady fun wearing all of our clothes.
Baraka, 6c (7b free)
We both pulled on bolts on the crux pitch, but the rest of the climbing was great. We climbed the full route to the summit and it make a fantastic finish to the trip.
Top Spankings
Too many to choose from this year.
L'Axe du Mal, 7c+, Taghia
Despite being spanked this was the highlight of the trip for me. We knew we'd need to pull on some bolts, but after 10 big pitches of sustained climbing our fingertips were shredded and we realised we were going to need to pull on a lot of bolts and descend in the early hours so we bailed. The pitches we did were the best 7a climbing I've done, every pitch a classic. If this had been a day in Spain it would have ranked as one of the best days ever, so not a bad spanking really. Notes for next time: Bivvy at the base of the route and try it earlier in the trip.
Preposterous Tales, Bosherston Head
We tried this twice due to dodgy weather. On the first we were running out of daylight and I got freaked out getting into the cave proper. On the second I led the pitch deeper into the cave and it was completely drenched. I made some good progress before reaching a point where I was simply too scared to continue and soaking wet. Wet, slippy rock totally freaks me out to an unreasonable degree. Might go back in the dry though.
Tangerine Dream, E4 6a, St Govan's
I'm sure many have been spanked by this. What should be straightforward but pumpy turned me to jelly about halfway up. Couldn't keep my head together when I was pumped.
Pacemaker, E5 6a, Lower Sharpnose
Had a great weekend in North Cornwall, then returned a few weeks later to try this feeling really psyched. When it came to it I was weirdly nervous, got uncontrollably pumped and just lost the will to fight. One for the spring.
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YES! The best thread on UKB for me. Inspiring to read about everyone’s year! So far you at no.1 spot, Cheque! Also impressive how much hard bouldering you lot do!
I had for sure one of if not the best year of rock climbing to date. Therefore I’m going to have to create a few of my own categories... we will start with my 3 month trip to Australia... apologies in advance...
Tasmania Top 3
1. The Totem Pole - 25/7b - wow! Just amazing. Climbed on my third day in the country, third day on, so I wasn’t on top form and consequently fell off the top pitch a couple of times. But what an adventure. We made the call in the morning that maybe it would be our best chance to do it, reasoning that doing it any style was better than waiting and not getting it done. I was in charge of sorting everything being the stronger, more competent climber, but Kate was great throughout. Got soaked swinging across to the base and a savage flash-pump on p.1, which I o/s-ed by the skin of my teeth! Such wild climbing that would be amazing in a shitty urban quarry. After I just had to stop and take a long look at it as I may well never see it again. Tyrolese is quality too.
Met a hero of mine Paul Pritchard before and after, finding out that our ascent was a week before the 20th anniversary of his accident. What a gent, let us crash at his house which was so generous.
2) Talk is Cheap - 24/7a - Wild abseil in which are fully committing as you pull the ropes multiple times to get to the bottom. Once again, I led these and most of the hard climbing but to fairly steady for the grade. With Pabbay/Mingulay-sequel rock (except not quite as good)
3) After Midnight -24/7a+ - great climbing up a massive 50m arete! Was cold and so nearly sacked it before this but so glad I didn’t as it’s just so good.
Arapiles Top 3
1) Trojan - 25/E5 6b - Gus went for the o/s and blew it low down but somehow I ended up getting past his high point and pushing through to the top on my flash/onsight go. If you had told me I’d do thatone day the last time I was at Arapiles I’d have said you were mad. Proper classic. Expected it to be a redpoint/ground up siege affair.
2) Despatched - 24/E5 6a - totally wild. Found it tough all the way and then was back and forth for ages trying to find a way through the final traverse. Brilliantly exposed with some big lob potential at one or two points. It started raining after this so we rigged “the big swing” from the belay for a bit of a giggle.
3) Birdman of Alcatraz - 23/E4 6a - wanted to do this ever since I first visited Araps as a fledgling climber. Did at the end of a big day and found the crux tricky! Slick feet keeps you on your toes to the end!
Grampians Top 3
1) Serpentine -29/8a - Probably the best of the year, in my all time top 10 easily. Going up first and putting the gear in felt totally wild. I really struggled with the initial roof and didn’t make any good links which was worrying. On our third day Gus did it in two, then despatched it the day after. Suddenly it all just clicked and I hit the “flow state”. Felt like I had enough in the tank to do the roof again and then just floated up it, from half height I thought it was in the bag but tried not to get over excited. What a route! Certainly one of the most amazing bits of climbing I’ve ever done. Meeting HB (the first ascentionist) was mega too, he was so psyched we were enjoying his routes!
2) Genesis Direct -24(25)/E5 6b - wanted to do this all trip and with a dying car (the 1hr journey from the Victoria Range to the crag took us 6hrs!) we made it one of the last weeks. I was feeling mentally tired by this point but got psyched for this. The groove on the normal route was very tricky and I had heard was harder than anything on the direct. Not so if you are a shortie it seems! I also only took one carrot plate and so the hard 6b crux for me was protected by a carrot with a wire looped over it. Was on this for ever, unable to reach the next normal but still small crimp. In the end closed my eyes, felt around and pulled on some concept holds, stood on a tiny foothold. Thought it would be over but after slightly easier but still sustained slab, there was an awkward overhang to pull through which just blew my mind. I mantelled onto the small ledge above it going totally crazy having given so much. One of my proudest onsights to date.
3) Monkey Puzzle -28/7c+ - not something I really thought much about before going out but felt great to get this done as it’s not my style being very steep and powerful. But is just such a cool climb it elevates itself into this list above Archimedes.
This is just a snapshot of what I did in Oz. I climbed so many good routes out there that it is a place that will stay with me for a long time. If anyone needs any info on the climbing out ther feel free to send me a message.
Top 3 UK trad
This is going to be hard!
1) End Game - E5 6a - Fair Head. Wanted to go to The Burren on my Ireland trip as I’d already been to “the Head” but as others in the team felt the other way and some had never been we headed North first. Dodgy weather meant the Raithlin Wall was the only option and the slightly grey weather made me feel less inclined to go for any of the E6s. With this being a 3 star E5 I’d never heard of anyone doing I thought it might be good and a good adventure. It shares the same belay as an E2 so we did p1 of that and then I abbed it to check it was clean and that there was gear. I found some gear and there looked to be holds though having never abbed anything before I did a shit job. It basically felt very onsight at times and I lost my shit a little when I finally made it to a cluster of small, shallow RPs that were the last bits for a way. Somehow pulled myself together and got through it. Brilliant climbing up an Arete (!) and grooves. The book description is vague but I’ve put a good one on UKC. One of a few E5s I did this year that felt more like E6 than the E6s I did...
2)Cockblock - E5 6b - A spicy little number! Have wanted to try this for a while but found myself at the crag on a cripplingly hot day. I was so psyched I tried anyway, nearly doing it on my 4th Ground-up go, taking the ride from the last hard move. I was psyched and returned a couple of weeks later, doing it second go of the day.
3) The Cumbrian -E5 6b - Just a great day all round on this. 4 of us headed up on an absolutely stunning day. Anna and I waited at the bottom of the crag for it to come into the shade and then pootled up the initial easy pitches. Having a score to settle, Anna went first, cruising to glory. My turn, Anna abbed and stripped the pitch and suddenly I felt the pressure to perform having climbed a couple of easy pitches and then sat around for a while. Luckily I didn’t find it too bad though it certainly warrants E5. I bought Anna up and we walked down to the bags which with the bone dry, lush lakes grass under my bare feet was just lovely.
Esk is such a magical place with no evidence of human activity (buildings/roads/walls) as far as the eye can see even from the top. Get yersens up there!
Honourable mentions
The Skull - cyrn las - led every hard pitch. So good! Linked first two which made it feel chunky! Top one is unreal!
Trilogy - great to do such a classic Lakes route.
Reproduction - first E6 although it’s soft admittedly
Grey Dawn - tough burren testpiece - knocking on for E6 according to more experienced mates...
Top 3 UK sport
Slim year of U.K. sport for me this year partially as the weather was so good for trad climbing but also because I didn’t feel strong/fit enough to do what I wanted
1) Star Spangled Banner -7b+ - great weekend down in cheddar with a good mate when I was in a bit of a bad place mentally. Very happy to flash the bottom with some good beta and o/s the top.
2) SkyScrape - 7b+ - more cheddar goodness.
3) Quiet Flight Direct - 7a+ - really nice Crimpd wall climb at Kilnsey, a crag which usually rebuffs me with its horrible undercut starts!
Top 3 UK Boulder
A slightly less shit year of bouldering for me this year, but not amazing nonetheless. Though bad connies are as much to blame as anything I think.
1) Scrapheap Challenge - 7A - great problem for those dank, shitty days and in a novel location!
2) Well Brown - 7A - fun problem and a rare burnoff of mr N. Lee. Keen for more sessions on Darkthrone...
3) Some routes are smaller than others - 6C - great mileage day in the Pass. Was knackered by the time we did this and had a bit of a scary moment powering out on the top of this!
Top 3 boulders abroad
1) Attention Chef d’ouevre - 7A - just brilliant. Perfect height, really cool climbing.
2) Egoiste - 7A - Not my style but felt good to get this done quickly and then proceed to give the others helpful and unhelpful advice.
3) Science Friction - 6A- punted the flash as I put my foot on a red herring foothold I thought I had seen some other songs use. Cruised it second go with some sneaky use of thumbs.
Top spankings
1) Grand Canyon - tried the day after my first cockblock session. It was wet, I was knackered, and I proceeded to do very badly on it
2) Fine Time - might be in the good book, but it’s a load of shite. Ben had a go, I had a go and then Ben did it. I’ve ticked it off in extreme rock because I’ll never be back for it.
3) Autumn/winter weather nowt new
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Woah, Duncan. I’m actually pretty jealous of that oz trip. What an amazing year and bunch of climbs. Good effort. The top pitch of totem pole is tough huh!
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But Doylo, what were your top videos made? Personally, I like the one where you laugh at the Little Cunt for being slow and then collapse in a heap, and I like the one you made of Ondra on the Oak and Shark on some hard thing.
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But Doylo, what were your top videos made? Personally, I like the one where you laugh at the Little Cunt for being slow and then collapse in a heap, and I like the one you made of Ondra on the Oak and Shark on some hard thing.
I quite like the Cloggy/Redhead mash up too.
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+1 cloggy boulder was brilliant, have another wad point
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This is just a snapshot of what I did in Oz. I climbed so many good routes out there that it is a place that will stay with me for a long time. If anyone needs any info on the climbing out ther feel free to send me a message.
A lot I recognise in there and some great memories from a few years ago! Despatched is a strong contender for the best pitch at araps I reckon, and Tasmania is just brilliant. Never gets old when people mention the totem pole and you can just casually mention you've done it!
Good effort on Serpentine. I can't wait to do that when I go back in a few years. Taipan the best crag in the world for me. HB one of the nicest blokes in climbing!
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Yeah I noticed your Username in the Logbooks on a lot of the routes I did.
Despatched is very good, yes! Don’t know if you did Trojan but that is also very good!
I’m sure you’ll walk up Serpentine
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Awesome thread, chock full of pure waddage as per usual! Who’s not posted yet? Get it done!!
Just realised I missed out 2017 so might even post that on the old thread too, seeing as I’m stuck indoors suffering with New Year plague!!
2018 was a seriously primo year, I made some pretty hefty choices, jacking in a great, well paid job at The North Face to do some of the trips I’ve always dreamed about, and its been great trying to remember some of the highlights for this, so here goes…….
Best UK Boulders
“Syretts Roof” 7a, Almscliff: Done before but took me a few goes to commit and was a great reminder of how much of a tenacious little F•••er you are when you’re younger and you’ve not done something before and really want it. The first time I did this was with one really crap pad and I was climbing nowhere near as well as I am now, I remember it feeling path, it didn’t second time round!
“Mallard” and “Snellen” 7b at Stanton Lees is it called?: A lovely spot with an ace crew. The rock formations here are awesome and reminded me of going to Robin Hood’s Stride for the first time, and why I love the peak so much. pure magic! Snellen was was satisfyingly tough!!
Best UK Trad
“The Raven” E5 6a, Pabbay: Blimey, this could put you off Outer Hebrudean E5’s for life, especially when it’s as greasy and damp as sin!! (Luckily all the others are complete path!!)
Had to fight a searing flash pump on this. This was the second “dream trip” of the year that I would never have been able to do whilst still at work and it was flipping awesome, with a team of 12 nutters with the islands to ourselves, with amazingly no rain! (that sea was seriously cold though!) Me and my randomly assigned climbing partner Alex, who was a legend had an amazing time running around and getting 100 E-points, although on the last morning we were still 2 short so had to leg it to the nearest crag and knock out a very wet E2 that would have been better to DWS to be honest, especially considering I nearly fell in the soup off the first moves (which I was secretly hoping would happen as it would have been so funny/ pathetic) and Alex had to bob and weave a ralphing Fulmar!
“Cool Moon” E6 6c, Curbar: Great to put an old nemesis to bed, that starting move is sooooooo hard for non-lanksters! Did it with the side runners as it was basically dark but don’t think I’ll be going back for the sake of an E-point as it was really good fun! As Tom my belayer said as I finished off the upper moves “Excellent Behaviour”!!
“Tales of Yankee Power” E5 6a, High Tor: Basically a really bad sequence on the HVS, but great moves and climbing with a seriously thought provoking runout! Great to see Vicky cruise up on 2nd after me!
Best UK Sport/ DWS
“Spacewalk” 7b, The Promenade: Bit of a nice surprise in the midst of some slightly same-ey bolt clipping and a great, steep greasy struggle with that flash pump rearing its lactic head again! Highly recommended and only a nip around the corner from some of the UK’s best DWS such as……
“Privateer” 7b/E6 6b, Connor Cove: Woooohooo this was absolutely mega, and like all the best DWS’s forced a big splashdown right from the very top on the first go. There really is nothing like that feeling of larning through the air for slightly too long, only to be caught by the nice soft soup! #getinthesea
“Clone Wars” 7b, Hodge Close Quarry: Well well well, the Lake District has a DWS scene! Massive big up to Gresh for developing this venue (and the loan of his boat!) and what a summer to do it! This is the harder of the two “7b’s” and although it feels sketchy and that you’re climbing over/ towards a ledge, its actually so deceptively steep that you’re fine. The whole “access the routes by boat” admin here which you initially think will be a right peck, is actually totally fine and fun as there’s no tide or waves, so its really easy with a basic cheap boat! A grand day out!!!
Best 3 Routes Abroad:
“La Moule Geante” 7b, Seynes: What a way to start 2018! After an outrageously seshy and hedonistic “Gite Rave” in Fontainebleau (with the first tune of 2018 being “Shoenberg” by marmion from The Real Think of course” a week in the South of France with an ace chilled crew was just the ticket and really reminded me of how great and relaxing it is down there!
“Blocage Violent” 7b++++++, Ceuse: Does it get much better than this (or harder for 7b+???) My first trip to Ceuse with Andi T was for a whole week! with our training consisting of some traversing in The Churnet Valley. Needless to say I was well short of the minerals for this bad boy that trip. This time around, I had 3 full weeks so thought it would be a formality, however Ceuse is never that straightforward and on my first effort I gained a bad pocket pulling forearm injury (not ideal in Ceuse!)
so this had to be left alone until the end of the trip (and when I’d learned to use my weak as sin front 2 fingers instead of middle 2!!)
When I did it for the first time it was everything an ascent should be, i.e.. I don’t think I’ve ever been as pumped, from about 1/4 of the way up all the way to the chains, just pissing myself at how pumped and shambles I was. Absolute magic!!
Makach Walou” 7c+, Ceuse: This was special as it’s one of Vicky my girlfriend’s harder redpoints, so it was great to share the experience, although it felt a damn site more tame than Blocage!. Berlin Wall and Ceuse on the whole can be am odd, annoyingly serious place (I think maybe because everyone’s ego’s are taking a hit and there’s a bit of time pressure to get on routes due to available shade, queues etc). That said we found that if you just smile, talk to people, don’t take it seriously (and basically don’t be a knob) it can actually be really fun as well as meeting some cool cats!
Australia:
As per Duncan, I couldn’t really not put a few Ozzy extras in, so instead of foreign boulders, here’s some highlights from down under…
Best 3 Grampians routes:
Despite a serious amount of quality here, there’s 3 that really stand aloft:
“Serpentine” 29/8a? Taipan Wall: It’s quite a thing to be able to say “that’s THE best route I’ve ever done”, normally its “ONE OF the best” but Serpentine is just it! It’s got everything, including a mild terror factor that always keeps you on your toes, even when you’re cruising, and is just genuinely amazing! So psyched I got to experience this and I reckon I got even more out of Duncan’s ascent, right after me, than mine! Such good scenes followed by a 15metre victory whip and a celebratory party that night in Natimuk!
“Orinoco Flow” 25, E5/6? The Lost World: Recommended by none other than “HB” himself personally, aswell as Hazel Findlay who proclaimed it “the best trad route she’d ever done!!!!” we just had to go and do this one! I had to go and look at a photograph to check, but it is actually 45 degrees overhanging, on f**king trad gear!!!! So so good, and like all routes of impeccable quality, give you an unforgettable experience, including the sweatiest conditions of the trip, the most pumped I have ever been up to that point (this was pre Ceuse trip!!) and a massive insight whipper into space, leaving me totally destroyed and unable to go back up the route that day! Mega!
“Archimedes Principle” 25, E4/5 6b? : Yet again, I’d had this route hyped up to me ALOT! but it really did meet expectations. Unfortunately due to others at the crag that day (probably the only busy day at Eureka ever! doh!) we had to do it with the gear in, but it felt fully onsight and I was so fit by then that placing the gear would have been pretty steady I reckon. The climbing was incredible and unique, and once the definite crux was dispatched I had a huge grin on my chevy chase all the way to the top, which was still quite a distance!!
Best 3 Arapiles Routes:
It’s a bit harder to separate individual Arapiles routes, as they’re all so good and packed with experience and great memories, but I’ll have a go:
“The Undertaker” 25, E5 6c: Far from the best routes at Arapiles, but a great experience and an even bigger laugh, with me and Duncan sn**gering like schoolboys at our generally shambles efforts, which I think left a full crab of wires hanging from the route not once but twice!! The “Jug of disappointment” is so well named! The great thing about this route was that it really instilled in us a fun ethic of going onsight and ground up always, but then once that prize is gone, just get it done and move on, as there’s so much quality to do!
“Kachoong” 22, E1 5b: Yet another route that really lived up to the (considerable) hype, and made me wish I was climbing at that grade! So good and soooo fun! Although I’m not sure how much longer that flake will last. Gulp!
“Mind Arthritis” 27, 7c: This was a corker, sparingly protected by bolts and with some truly minging crux crimpers! It’s set in an awesome position, high on a ledge overlooking the rest of Arapiles and the campsite, oh and I’ve only just remembered the runout after the crux. I think me and Dunc reckoned it to be 20m!!?? Definitely not one you’d want to screw up!
Top Spankings
“K & S Special” E6 6a, Mingulay: Aaaaawww Maaaaaaan, I was so psyched for this, after watching Ben Silvestres solid efforts on it I got fired up for one o those flash attempts where you actually have no clue what to do. Nevertheless I was psyched and feeling OK. Sadly it wasn’t to be and I pulled a big hold off, ripped a load of gear and went flying. Waaaaa. After this point I completely lost my head and tip toed to the top hanging on not quite good enough gear with my tail between my legs!
“Herman Borg’s Basic Pulley Slippage” 7b+/c, S3! Connor Cove: Uuurgh! sketchy scenes trying this on my own. I abed down and checked out some hold as it’s pretty spicy and basically above the ledge at times. Had a few goes and dropped the last hold twice then sacked it in aid of self- preservation!
“Notorious BLG” E7/8/9 6c/7a? : Flippin eco! A terrifying insight into Vick’s brother Pete’s skills! Really dangerous and Really hard! The footage of Pete on the first ascent is outrageous!
“Any hard Sport Climbing”: I’ve done so much climbing this year, but absolutely no training, so there’s always a price to pay. Trying Predator and Austrian Oak after 2 months of basically trad climbing was a good example!
Hope that’s not too long and rambley for you guys!! Keep up the psyche and keep ‘em comin!!!!
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After a freakishly good trad year in 2017, when I did a huge number of dream routes in a single season that I thought would take me years, 2018 has always felt like a pretty poor follow-up. Training was inconsistent and patchy, and motivation always pretty up and down (especially when I got a few niggly injuries and couldn't really be arsed to do anything to try and fix them).
Maybe that's natural sometimes after a good run of form? Or just a case of me lacking stuff that properly inspired me, especially locally? (I definitely miss the times when I was younger and would be happy just climbing any old shit piece of rock and be psyched for it!).
Anyway, hopefully I can find stuff to get psyched for this year and keep motivated. This thread has been good for inspiration and thinking back on stuff I've done makes me think it wasn't such a disappointing year. So here goes...
BEST UK SPORT
Kestrel (7c+), Minchin Hole Just a great experience climbing in this unique narrow cleft on the Gower coast, and managing to stay dry as the rain poured down over the back of me. I love the weird hidden little places like this that climbing takes you to!
Helvetia (8b+), Shipwreck The only route I really got psyched to try and do all year, and actually trained for. Not sure if I was more pleased with doing the route or with learning a few new tricks in the process which could have helped with my climbing years ago (e.g. antihydral actually works. Like actually works. It's like fucking magic. Oh and repeaters - people always talked about them but I never got round to doing any...they actually work too!!)
Vennerne (7c+/8a), Shipwreck Had saved this for the last few years thinking it might be a good one to try and flash at some point in the future. Watched loads of people on it over the years so I had a good idea what to do at the crux but the top half was climbed mainly on the fly, and after doing Helvetia I felt totally relaxed and in the flow (I hate that bloody word). Climbing this and Helvetia on a day I was being paid to be at work also made it even more satisfying!
BEST UK TRAD
Lord of the Flies, Cromlech Almost wrote this off when we arrived to find a big wet streak all the way down the wall, but it dried off enough and I just couldn't hold myself back from trying it. Might have been the first ascent of the year as there was zero chalk and I was cleaning cobwebs and dirt/moss out of a lot of the pockets but that just made it even more satisfying and adventurous. Had the famous Fawcett quote going through my head the whole way. Girlfriend also really enjoyed seconding it which made it even more special and we watched the FA video afterwards to put it in context for her.
Pretty Girls Make Graves, Cwm Glas Bach I had absolutely no expectations of onsighting this when I set off but somehow managed to scrape my way up it pumped out of mind from the first piece of gear all the way to the top. A proper fight, but one that I'll remember for a long time.
My Piano, Nesscliffe A great weekend with loads of cool people at the crag, loads of psyche, and perfect conditions (after two aborted visits where rain stopped play this felt even sweeter). Perfect beta from Ramon meant I could flash this beautiful route. What a line!
**SPECIAL MENTION ALSO TO TWO AVON CLASSICS**
Bold as Love and Pink Ginsane Two more routes I've been saving for years to try and onsight. Both brilliant. Especially cool experience on Pink Ginsane climbing it in afternoon sunshine with the shadow following me up the wall.
BEST DWS
Soft Cell, Berry Head Just look at the rock! It's like a slice of Diablo brought back to Blightie.
Mark of the Beast, Lulworth Yarding around on jugs on a 45deg wall over turquoise water in the middle of a heat wave. Fucking cool way to spend a day!
Adrenochrome, Lulworth Scared myself on the first try up this by getting winded when I back slapped after missing the low dyno, which shook me up as it's really low to the water at that point. But gave myself a talking to and ended up having a great fun weekend going G/U with what seemed like the whole of Sheffield and Bristol. One annoying move in the middle where I kept falling lead me to compromise on ethics and I decided to come back and drop a rope down it. This turned out to be a waste of time as it's so steep I couldn't stay in to the rock and the bolts are in the wrong place to work the moves anyway, so that served me right!! (**The bolts should really be chopped to remove temptation to do what I did!**) Later in the year I went back with an ace Bristol crew and, despite nearly dropping a move very low down, battled my way up it by the skin of my teeth first try of the day. Also ended the day with a roast dinner which was waiting for me when I got home. Doesn't get much better than that!
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You’re always going to have ups and downs, but that doesn’t sound like too bad a year to me Ali!
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Top 3 Boulders UK
Careless Torque - Stanage - It's been said enough times, but I'll say it again. Potentially the best in the country.
Voyager - Burbage - Iconic.
The Ace - Stanage - Special purely because it was one of the first hard climbs I ever saw. And obviously, classic. Also did it in the same day as Careless.
Top 3 Boulders Abroad
Electroboogie - Magic Wood - Just amazing, powerful and damn that pinch is cool. Went from being barely able to do any individual moves on the first session, to suddenly flowing through the moves on the third.
Dark Sakai - Magic Wood - I love rubbish caves. Just find them great fun. I'd been spanked on this the year before and got really demotivated by not finishing it. So it was a good feeling to complete it.
Karma - Fontainebleau - Also Iconic. And a really good experience to work out the subtle moves and get the double send with Billy.
Top 3 New Boulders/Link Ups
Drug Fueled Wizardry Sit Start - Churnet - Often wondered if I could add a sit to the stand I put up last year. Turns out it works and is quite a cool board-esque problem.
Tyler's Relentless Onslaught - Forest Rock - Rubbish cave link ups give me a worrying amount of satisfaction. But this one was good, because I thought it was beyond me at the time.
Ascension of Evil - Forest Rock - When you run out of things at your local crag so start reversing traverses you can come up with some surprisingly hard new challenges for yourself.
Top Spankings
Fat Lip Sit - Raven Tor - 10 plus sessions on this and I feel like I should have done it several times over by now. No clue why I can't do it, I just fall off it. Over and over again...
Yoghurt Hypnotist - Rowtor - I did flash this, but I've never deserved a top less in my life, I spent what must have been nearly 5 minutes crawling my way through the top out, boxed out of my mind, elbows higher than is physically possible. Feeling like I was going to fall every few seconds. And I can't help but think my friends must have been having the time of their lives watching me make a total fool of myself.
Honourable Mentions
Riverbed - Magic Wood - In all fairness this should replace Dark Sakai on my top 3 abroad, but I love caves too much. Sent on a supposed rest day and was always something I didn't believe I could do.
Rainbow Rocket - Fontainebleau - One of those climbs I always dreamed of doing just because it looked so fun.
In Your Honour Sit Start - Ogwen - beautiful location. Awesome thin, technical, powerful climbing, can't ask for a lot more.
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Pretty much only bouldering this year so will focus on that:
Top three UK boulders
Underhand 7B+ Almscliff Nice to finish this off at the start of the year, probably the best problem I've done at the Cliff.
Picnic Sarcastic Direct Sit-start 7B+ Bowderstone Even better than the normal version, really nice moves.
Stand start in this video: https://vimeo.com/263761760
Figure of Eight 7B+ Tom's Roof Might get puntered for putting this on here but that last move is just so so good.
Last problem in video: https://vimeo.com/296302963
Top three boulders abroad
Supernova 7C Magic Wood Simply amazing. Perfect moves in my style with that magical feeling of effortless when it all came together.
https://vimeo.com/274547012
Blown Away 7B Magic Wood Such a good problem (and maybe 7B+). Had to fight quite hard to get this done.
Aeroline 7B Albarracin Really nice problem with lovely slopers.
From 04:10 here: https://vimeo.com/256281349
Top four others
WYSIWYG 7b+ Kilnsey Best sport route I did in the UK, my fitness was so bad it was a full-on sprint!
Empire of the Sun 7b Anstey's Cove Nice to put this to bed, felt straightforward when it went.
Colgao 7b Caimari, Mallorca Really nice climb of two contrasting sections. Great crimpy lower wall and burly upper tufa section.
Transexual 7b, Cala Barques Project line of the trip, really nice moves going across the width of the cave
Top spankings
T Crack 7B Cratcliffe Fell off the top several more times...
Malc's Arete 7B Torridon Such an amazing boulder and a shame I couldn't stick the top move. A lovely reason to come back however
La Guillotina 7A+ Albarracin This problem gave me a bruised heel which affected me for two-thirds of the year...
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I have done a fair bit o bouldering in the hills this year so I feel like I might have something to contribute. As a card carrying punter, naturally my full spankings list is long, so I have included the abridged version.
Top Welsh
Pie Shop 7C, the pass - A surprising torch lit new years eve ascent which I prefaced with "don't worry, I wont even be able to pull on and then we can go home" and managed to make fairly short work of it. A nice bit of validation for how much training I have done this year.
Homage Traverse 7B, Clogwyn y Bustach - I don't usually like long traverses, but this one was a delight. I also found it flatters you with good feet, making you feel like an endurance wad as you keep managing to pull on the miserable edges.
Incredible Shaking man SS 7A+/B, Ysgo - Absolutely superb and one of my favorites. Another tick on my lifetime list of "problems in Stick it that I might actually have a chance at".
Witches Knickers 7B+ (ish), the Pass - Not a classic, but a foot slip pulling on, voiding the flash, then quickly pulling on again and doing it was a totally unexpected and memorable ascent. Great moves too.
Caseg Arete 6A/B, Caseg Fraith - Possibly my favorite low grade problem in North Wales. There was some amount of cruel satisfaction had from watching a few capable friends get shut down on it and deem it totally impossible :guilty:
Top Not Welsh
Purely Belter 7C (or is it 8A? :-\ :whistle:), Shaftoe - I hit the lip on 4th try, then spent 40 minutes learning how to top out. Glorious day and lovely moves.
The Egg arete 6A+, Cratcliffe - best grit schooling money can buy and one of my favorite problems ever.
Jerry's Traverse 7B, Cratcliffe - walked round the corner and flashed after my lessons on the egg.
Things other than boulders
San Melas E3 5c, Roaches - First time I have placed gear in years, first fall on gear. Absolutely superb.
Flying Buttress Direct HVS 5b, Popular - I don't think I could enjoy a route as much as this one, glorious day, amazing few days on the grit.
Lockwoods Chimey Diff, Clogwyn y Bustach - NYE ascent, 8 man team, wet. Squeezing up the chimney at 12 am singing Auld Lang Syne with a few mates was memorable to say the least!
Spankings
Flick of the Wrist 7C+, Tany - Actually got very close to this t'other day, feeling stronger than I ever have on it. Last year though... this thing was a pest. Why has everyone pissed up this.
The Peapod E13 8a, Curbar - Had to learn how to back and forth, and shit myself with the effort. Got my hands over the ledge OS but was so utterly spent that I came off with much gnashing of teeth. So much fun and probably the hardest I have ever tried at anything ever.
New Noise 8A, Tany - Quite how a human being executes the first move I will never know. Holding the position after pulling on felt limit to me.
Badgers in the mist 7C, Rhiw Goch - After flashing White Rider and managing not to split a tip on Moria I was confident I could give this one a good crack. Felt absolutely desperate and way harder than anything I have done at the grade. What are you guys eating?!?
Fear of a Slopey planet 7A+, the Pass - maybe it was cos I was a tad hungover, maybe it was cos it was the end of the day, but never have I been completely shut down on a problem I thought I might have a chance at flashing. Priceless reality check.
Best climbing year so far with some cracking time spent in the hills. This year has already started strong too, with a couple of gorgeous days in Tany and Nant y Fedw.
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Thought I’d had a rubbish year, certainly a poor year for succeeding but actually managed some good days too.
Interestingly my best bouldering days were when I cruised things and my best sport days were when I had to fight hard.
Top 3 Boulder Problems
Clamper and Long Reach SDS at Shafto. Long Reach sitter looks rubbish but turns out to be really cool. Managed both on the same day after failing on them for years.
Minidigit best 6A in Yorkshire? Who’d have thought thumb sprag off a pebble would be required on a 6A. (same day also on-sighted Rachel’s box and repeated TFThunderbolt and Black Chipper Arête)
Top 3 Trad
Friday night; Titus – started at 9 after driving to lakes from Newcastle, managed to get another route in and still made last orders at Wainwrights before bivi under stars. The routes not bad either!
Saturday; Langdale enchainment of Bilberry Buttress, Mendes, North West Arête, Kiplin Groove, Capella and Golden Slipper. So many quality pitches, space walking on the top pitch of Kiplin Groove and running out the last pitch of Golden Slipper, no gear, aching feet, strong wind, stand out.
Sunday; Side Walk and Eliminate A on Dow Crag.
Even in a weekend of three star routes, Eliminate A stands out. Unbelievable route, great rock, absorbing climbing and OH MY GOD exposure not usually found outside the Dolomites. I’ll be heading back up to Dow this year.
Top 3 Sport Routes Abroad
Titus Blues 6b+, Immaculate intricate wall climbing, the only route I repeated during a two week trip to Kalymnos.
Kerveros 7a, 30m stamina routes are not normally my thing but the guide book description says Best 7a on Kaly and its probably not far wrong.
Eros 7b+, great bouldery moves, had to skip 4th bolt, could have been close to decking if id not made it then easier but cool tufa climbing to top. Still had to fight to top even with knee bar rest, mainly accumulation of numerous days on leaving arms empty.
Top 3 Sport Routes
Guided Muscle 7b, first RP of the year, though it would lead on to start of the season but had real mental battle this year with heights.
The Measure of Things 6c+, Big fight to on-sight this, great little crag when Kilnsey is busy, deserves more attention.
Moonchild 6c+, another big fight to on-sight this at the end of the day. Pumped from the first move but somehow got up.
Top 3 Spankings.
Top spanking was on the North Face Les Drus. Not sure what was worst, the grade IV chimney pitch, the aid climbing up waterfall groove after Fissure Lambert or the epic retreat the day after lighting strikes and snow at the bivi. It took a while to process this trip!
Winter 2018 Spanking, missed most of last winter bouldering season training for the Eiger attempt in March which we had to cancel due to conditions. Went to Margalef instead at Easter and it rained for a week. A WHOLE WEEK!
Sport spanking, something didn’t click with my sport climbing head this season and didn’t get any better no matter what I tried. Had meltdowns on Yosemite Wall, Sticky Wicket, Haslam, Montgronyeta (Margalef), Tufa King Pumped (Kalymnos), Anchovy Madonna. Not sure what was going on as in between these routes I generally functioned as normal and even went through some serious stuff in the Alps.
Not a vintage year but still some good stuff done.
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Badgers in the mist 7C, Rhiw Goch - After flashing White Rider and managing not to split a tip on Moria I was confident I could give this one a good crack. Felt absolutely desperate and way harder than anything I have done at the grade. What are you guys eating?!?
Have you tried the right hand up round the arête method? Miles less burly than left hand up and fine for 7c. I can’t do left hand up.
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2018: Its all been about the lime…
The grit season hasn’t been great in spring or autumn 18. Generally unreliable despite a couple of decent weeks when the beast from the east was blowing in. I managed some good problems in the Lancs Quarries and up at Blackstone edge, but I’m struggling to think of a new Peak 7 I did on Grit in 2018… OK – so I did Stall at Gibb Tor – which is nearly highlight number 1… but not quite.
So it was all about the lime… a hot dry summer coinciding with a slow work time of year for me meant a great season. But before it started properly – I was able to do Highlight problem #1 which was the start to Caviar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVavhyqJxmw
I’d spent quite a bit of time last summer working this – and it went quite quickly into the season. Low water levels (helped by the construction work for the HEP scheme) probably helped and it finally went. Very very happy. For me its quite a struggle from the ground up – deceptively overhanging, technical, core intensive there is no let up until you get the largeish finishing hold (and it’s a battle to hold that).
Fairly soon after that I had a few trips up to Woodwell – and managed to get Highlight #2 Rigpa (7B) and the sit (7B+) done. This for me was a quite an achievement as I’ve never been close to these – and better climbing (and a little stronger) led me to get up these. Really pleased at how to work out how to do them for myself and for my shape/size. Had some proper really close efforts then powering out and having to wait until the next session attempts here – so it was particularly sweet to get these – and at a beautiful spring time venue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyGtpTc7sTE
As summer came I was able to get away and spend quite a bit of time at Griffs and its (a) proximity to Manchester (its only 45-50 min rather than an hour to the grit) (b) near to the parking :D and (c) it’s a nice spot that’s in the shade for a good part of the day – made it a great place to go. I had a great summer there – met a good few people and enjoyed the quiet times and when there were a few more folk there. Bovine took a while to get done – thanks Ted for the dropped right knee method – and I was chuffed to manage to eek out my 30-40 second stamina to get Griffs > Bovine which is Highlight #3 or 2018. I really liked the moves on this – how it was right at the limit of what I could string together before it all fell apart. I had a couple of sessions before this send where it all felt so good, so in control before I slipped off something and it went wrong… often I could only really get 3-4 attempts before I was done in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63q30cWDKZg
Griffs also led me to Spanking #1 – Ovine. I don’t know whether I love or hate hanging that slopey crimpy edge and wondering if I’m going to fall off and maybe ream my hamstring (as Dolly and Nai know about) or sail effortlessly (ha!) upwards. Its fucking hard – its got to be harder than 7B – but there you go. Apparently you can pinch the slopey crimpy raily thing – but not if you are weak like me 😊
2018 was also the year I started going to to Anston quite a lot. Why I’ve never been before I don’t know…. But once you leave the paths, and learn to never touch the water in the streams it’s a great place. Got to thank Nai and Dolly & Plattsy for introducing me to its delights. I started on the bullet/ebola area and managed Fine Art, Colt, Blind Bat, Last Stand (nearly a highlight – cool moves). I also REALLY enjoyed (notable mention #1) ALL of Apprentice Wall. The Prow is superb – and I loved the cookie. I even did some sort of new link up (the Wookie) which I thought was 7A+ until a couple of other people tried it and thought it was 6C :D Great bit of rock Apprentice Wall – and I like being near the railway line (does anyone else count the trucks?) being able to hear the locals walking their trophy dogs (“NO TYSON”) yet knowing they were not going to come and bother you…
Anston was also scene of my biggest spanking of 2018. BetaBlocker 7A. “Its piss” said Nai “I did it in a couple of go’s – felt 6C”. “Easy that one” said Dolly. Could I get up it – could I fuck. 7A my arse. Now a tall person blaming height is not an easy excuse to pass off – but I seemed too tall to do it the short way (too bunched) and somehow not able to get my body into the right place to rock over the lip and upwards. Eventually – in November I managed to figure out a way of doing it – and having worked it in overlapping sections went of the send – and ended up twanging my knee (which is still giving me gyp)…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lmp76WH9BI
(I also failed miserably lots of times on Beretta – but we won’t mention that…. :D )
Weather and which crags I could get to etc.. all mean that Lime season really spanned from 25th Feb (Blind Bat) through to November (BetaFUCKINGBlocker failure)… which is most of the year really. But – I want to mention a couple of trips to Blackstone edge (one with 3T and a couple on my own) as I think it’s a great bouldering venue – often overlooked – with a concentration of great problems in all grades. Notable mention #2 goes to “The ladys not for Gurning” a 7B scrittle based mantle fest. Mention mantle to me and I normally turn the other way and find another crag/problem – but this one that I first tried because everything else was too damp or windy got under my skin and I LOVED it..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rAudQDNPMU
Trad/Sport – eh? 2018 was another year where I never tied on… I did use my harness though – for some weighted deadhangs 😊
Thanks 2018. Its been a good one - juggling childcare and climbing has been tricky - but its probably been my best year yet for climbing. Certainly on the lime.
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This thread is brilliant every year. Ive not done one before, but thought id add my print to the wall this time. Especially if were celebrating spankings. More Scottish seasoning too.
Small Rocks
Nipple Attack – Loch Buie. The best of the lot but one of the last before wanky tennis elbow set in. I think this boulder is all back to front in some topos leading to a bit of confusion, but whatever it is its amazing. Possibly the best problem I have ever climbed and ive climbed Minidigit.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140396518@N05/44969897005/in/dateposted-public/
Haven at Reiff in the woods. Its a well good place and this was an unexpected flash. Had a brew on the terrace with a nice couple after too. Good work on Red Handed Gaz that looks terrifying.
Something on the Brandy Stone.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140396518@N05/45934946564/in/dateposted-public/
Synapse Groove at Kishorn wins best 5+ problem ive done anywhere.
Struggling to think of other stand out ones I actually got up, but Hook and Go sit was great at Loch Buie, The Flood at Reiff in the Woods too, and Turnbull snr.’s arête – Range – at Plantation Crack was also 3 stars.
Big Rocks
Angel Face and Beinn Eighe in a bivvy – the perfect long weekend with superpsyched ukc blind date Tom. We almost fell out cos Toms a machine and I was barely bouldering fit, but it turned into a dream trip. Sumo and Angel face were the highlights. The second pitch of Angel Face is incredible.
Bloodlust Direct – Sheigra trip with Ollie including surf at Sandwood and swimming across to the Buchaille. Bloodlust was so much fun! Pure enjoyment hauling up on buckets above a rrrrraging sea.
The Pincer on Garbh Bheinn just pips any of the Barra routes. Its a mega line on a mega cliff and the moves up and into the groove section flow like water. Abbed to strip it after Nick got caught by the Scottish summer combo of cold and midges...
Nu Roots
Peatbog Faerie – the best of the three up the Kishorn Bog Wall.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140396518@N05/39795658834/in/dateposted-public/
Pyramid Scheme - Plantation Crack – a silly sit start to the lovely pyramid arête. The rock is so good around that area!
Pictnocline – Ardgour – More lush rock with some really nice stave like ripples going across the face.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140396518@N05/41924528272/in/dateposted-public/
Spankers
Loads – The Universal (again), Malcs (again), Big Fish, the whole of Earl Crag (Dyno Wall hurt the ego most), some unholy rotting sewerpipe at Sheigra, another thrashing on Lost in Thought Lost in Time. But the most enjoyable spanking was on Quality Street up Glen Nevis with Nick. That really was top quality.
Starting 2019 with some elbow rehab but hoping for bigger and better this year :weakbench:
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Is Dyno Wall the thing just right of Sloping Beauty?
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Minidigit on 3 lists? Almost ;)
Murph, sorry, didn't see your reply - thanks :) Yes Pfalz is ace, I love it, might aim to go back in Autumn to get to some bird-banned crags :)
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Badgers in the mist 7C, Rhiw Goch - After flashing White Rider and managing not to split a tip on Moria I was confident I could give this one a good crack. Felt absolutely desperate and way harder than anything I have done at the grade. What are you guys eating?!?
Have you tried the right hand up round the arête method? Miles less burly than left hand up and fine for 7c. I can’t do left hand up.
I couldn't get the body position to make that way work, so I sacked it in in favour of the left hand up (which I also felt miles off sticking). I think I am just a bit weak for it really!
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Is Dyno Wall the thing just right of Sloping Beauty?
No, i just looked that up. thats a 7B. This is the 5+ by handy andys. Really the mistake was thinking i could pop in to earl for my first time for an easy fix/quick few hours mileage on the way south. I wasnt prepared.. Someone pointed me to Warm Up Arete before i left though which made me feel better after. That was really nice.
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Oh, fuck me, I know which one you mean now. Yes. Nails!
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A late entry, have been out in Espana so here goes..
Top three boulder problems, UK
Mutton Busting 8A - Griff's Buttress, Blackwell Dale, Peak
Mint Sauce RH 8A - Griff's Buttress, Blackwell Dale, Peak
Candyman Sit 7C+ - Squirrel Buttress, Peak
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Nil
Top three trad routes/solos UK
Only had one day tradding this year:
The Cumbrian E5 6b - Esk Buttress, Lakes - stunning
Humdrum E3 5c - Esk Buttress, Lakes
Top three sport routes UK
Dalliance 8b+ - Kilnsey
Love Amongst the Butterflies 8b - The Cornice
The Fall 8a - Lammergeyer Buttress, Rubicon
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Just Do It 8c+ - Smith Rock
Time to Power 7b+ - Smith Rock
Catalyst 7b - Smith Rock
Top three new routes/prolems put up
Toadal Recall 2.0 8a+ - Rebooted version of the popular classic on Malham upper tier since the demise of the crucial resting flake. Don't know if anybody has done it since I did this in March? Climbs well
Top Spankings
Progress 8c+ - Kilnsey. Got bouted in the heat of summer but battered it down over many weeks and, finally stuck the RP crux before the wetness in September. Roll on next season!
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Another fun year on the rocks. Autumn spent falling off hard projects and never quite sticking any of them, but the first half of the year was peppered with great trips, classics, and some good FAs.
Around and About
The Big Woof, 7C+ - This was the big one this year, an awesome 15 move roof problem in the Lakes. Great tensiony and sequency moves on good rock in a top location. Dawid and I also developed a steep boulder with another 20 ish short power problems. Keeping details secret for now - will probably post vids/pics when Greg's new guidebook comes out - it's all in there.
Ratatouille, 7C - First trip to Crafnant, what an ace venue. Wanted to get on the Wonderwall boulder, but rain forced us under Rat Roof. By the time the rain had stopped, we had figured out an extension start which added some good climbing, if a bit lowball. Took a few tries to link, but worth it. Need to go back for all the Wonderwall problems...
https://youtu.be/v-kQu1sisic
St Bees trips - Two different trips, with different teams and different vibes. Yellow Desert Scream was about the only thing I did on a hot weekend, but well worth it. Later in the year, Clash of the Titans in a stolen evening session after storm, but with waves still raging. One of those problems that feels improbable until it isn't. The next day was an Arkle-led descent down Piers Gill. Bonkers, wet, very cold, very long. Restored climbing psyche by returning to St Bees the next day and climbing a few great 7Bs, best of which was The Arete (found a really satisfying static sequence).
Lancashire
Esoterrorist, 7B+ - Gave Mike the tour of a newly developed Calderdale spot. Highlight of a great day was doing the full sitter to this problem, which is brilliant. Great holds and great moves. Hopefully finish developing this area in 2019.
https://youtu.be/vhZEuYjbLEE
The Hurly Burly, 7B+ - Another area with more to come back for. Lancs regulars will recognise. Sadly it's rarely dry, but this was the best of the new problems. Unassuming, but involving. Undercuts and smears, lots of tension fighting.
https://youtu.be/nAeokrEojkw
William the Bear, 7B+ - A new one at Healey Nab. Spotted this over a decade ago, but the seepy nature of this boulder has thwarted attempts. This year things were different. Powerful fun.
https://youtu.be/GrrZf44hBtA
Space Ghetto, 7B - One from Ease Gill, a really unusual riverbed venue. Started developing this place after an internet tip off, then bumped into Sam Lawson who had started developing the same week. Luckily it seemed we had both focussed on different things. (Well done to Sam - he went on to develop loads more - most of the harder stuff at the crag is his). I thought this was really good - super smooth limestone compression to a real fight past the lip. The only decent hold is the final jug!
https://youtu.be/12OPEuxCcAQ
Thunder, 7B - A Brownstones highball and Mark Leach/Paul Pritchard special. I don't get down to Brownstones much these days, having done most things there yonks ago. But for this one I wanted loads of pads and spotters, which finally happened last year. Took a while to figure out the powerful start, then managed to keep it together, mostly (!) in control on tiny edges near the top. Exciting all the way to the top, and beyond!
Top Spankings
Tried a lot of hard projects at obscure places. Repeatedly. With all my made up grades in my head... There's a one move 7C+ pinch thing. There's an 8A lowball sloper traverse which I should try again now it's not summer. Quarried slopers though - not anything with actual friction. There's a really good 7B highball clampy arete at another moorland Calderdale spot which I've fallen off the top off - need to get back and finish, but friends with extra pads are required. There's a thing I've tried on a rope repeatedly, super thin and probably 8A+ (I wish it was a bit easier). There's the thing I've been sieging for years, that I can't even remember if I've sieged this year, but even if I didn't, I must have done. There's that thing with the mono undercling, just one move that keeps spitting me off. There's that other thing in the same place with the huge 7C move after a 7B start. So yeah. Lots of spankings.
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7C+
awesome
15 move
roof
tensiony
sequency
good rock
top location
This sounds amazing. Pleeeeaaase can I/we have some details?!
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Dolph's got some serious tension on the Esoterrorist :o
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:) Sorry Bradders, but I've kept it quiet since early last year, so only a few months now and all will be revealed. Keen to do my bit to help promote Greg's forthcoming masterpiece. It's not one of the quick hit crags, so you'll probably want to wait till later in the year anyway.
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Hyped for the Lakes guide too. Running out of loo-roll here at Fiend crib so the rockfax will save me having to head out to Asda.
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You big tease. Psyched!
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Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Just Do It 8c+ - Smith Rock
UKB awards 2018
Significant Repeat of the Year
goes to Ted Kingsnorth for Just Do It
Commitment of the Year
goes to Ted Kingsnorth for Just Do It
Sport Route (Abroad) of the Year
goes to Ted Kingsnorth for Just Do It
Siege for the Ages
goes to Ted Kingsnorth for Just Do It
Identifying What You Are Good At and Taking it To Its logical Conclusion Regardless of the Cost of the Year
goes to Ted Kingsnorth for Just Do It
Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Imagination
An occasional award acknowledging ascents that show a particular choice to do what no one else would think of, provide a talking point and just bloody well make life a bit more interesting for all of us.
goes to Ted Kingsnorth for Just Do It
Because lets face it if you or I had the means and / or the time would we spend it all repeatedly flying almost five thousand miles to try a route? No, we'd have bought a Porsche like every other sucker with no imagination.
Carbon Footprint of the Year
goes to Ted Kingsnorth for Just Do It
Maybe knock the travel on the head for a while now eh Ted?
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Maybe knock the travel on the head for a while now eh Ted?
:lol: :lol:
Enough seiges at Smith Rock for one lifetime :goodidea: :please:
In the current, ahem, climate, the impact of repeated flights cannot be ignored, will try to cut down on the impact! Spain and France have a lot going for them as climbing travel destinations!
https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx (https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx)
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UKB awards 2018
Do you know what, this is actually a really good idea for a thread of it's own as a place to offer recognition to regular contributors who you think have done something great that year. I mean, obviously you'd take the piss out of people so that it didn't get all sugary and horrible, but sometimes it's nice to be nice :kiss2: