[Orrincoley]

Top 3 UK
- Voyager Sit Start 8B+ at Burbage North.
Came back from injury unsure of my level or capabilities only to get it done in 5 sessions.
- Monk Life 8B+ at Kyloe in the Wood.
After a trio to Magic Wood I was psyched to just come and try every hard climb I could, drove up a day earlier than panned as the weather looked bad and put it down in just a few goes (had 2 prior sessions with a year or so between. ) It rained the rest of the trip. Winner.
- Dead and Bloated 8B at Llanberis Pass.
Had tried it the previous year and made a good link doing it in 2 parts, but thought it'd feel absolute limit on a send burn. This time around it went down in a few tries after revising the moves. Again it rained the rest of the trip!

Top 3 Abroad
- New Base Line 8B+ at Magic Wood.
Does much need saying about this? It's New Base Line.
- Ganymede Takeover 8A+ Flash at Brione.
Tried the entire trip in Brione to flash an 8A, but never managed it. Sods law the hardest thing I managed the whole trip was a flash though! Can't complain with that.
- Massive Attack 8A+ at Magic Wood.
Trash boulder, but very hard for me, tried loads over the years to get off the floor and could never budge an inch, so was good to smash it out quick to pass the time while friends where projecting.

Top 3 Put Up
- Limit Breaker 8B+ at Forest Rock.
Hardest thing I've ever hauled myself up, although it didn't feel it on the send. Quite the opposite in fact, seems to be a trend.
- Psych Club 7C+ at Magic Wood.
A direct sit start to the classic Valentines Day 7A+ as opposed to the better known low right start Fight Club 7C+ (shh!...) A bit dabby, but super unique climbing and super obvious line.
- Dream Catcher 8A at Churnet.
Classic project to the left of Simple Simon at Wright's Rock 2 simple moves to a huge dyno of a bad sloper. Might be 7C+ as if you're taller there's 2 better feet that you can use for the dyno and obviously dynos are easy if you're tall.
Also added a direct sit start which made it no harder or better.

Top 3 Highball's
- Superbloc 8A+ at Gardoms.
Wanted to do this as a winter project but managed it quickly with a really psyched crew of friends which got me pretty pumped up to send.
- County Ethics 7C+ at Back Bowden.
I really wanted to try this, but looked at it and couldn't tell what it'd be like and I only had 4 pads so decided to leave. But bumped into Mark Savage who told me the holds where all incut crimps so I decided to go back and risk it! Managed it 4 or 5 goes later!
- One Clear Moment of Insanity Sit Start 8A+ at Forest Rock.
A highball finish I added to a really good one Mike put up at the beginning of the year. Added about 4 or 5 big powerful moves to get you to an obvious finishing jug. Not hard on their own, maybe 6C? But tough after the rest of the climb.

Top 3 Link Up's
- Lost in the Moment 8B at Forest Rock.
Classic cave link up shenanigans, maybe even one of the hardest ones there.
- WADzilla 8B and Godzilla Sit 8B at Biblins Cave.
I guess technically link ups, but climb and feel like real good independent lines. Had good fun visiting this crag and working the main problems through the roof, will be back next year to try and finish the job!
- Thumbs into Dream Catcher 8A+ at Churnet.
Class powerful crimpy moves lead into a dyno finish. Was good fun working it, had more of a battle than expected which made it feel that much better when it went.

Top 3 Spankings
- Vecchio Leone 8B at Brione.
Too many sessions on this. Got shut down on it while on a trip to Brione, having got painfully close. Then made a day trip while in Magic Wood, and fell off going for jugs after having done all the hard climbing. Twice.
- Spaceship 8B+ at Biblins Cave.
With the pressure of the crag closing until May 2020 I was going at it hard, but injured my shoulder and had to stop trying. Which was annoying after I figured out some really good new beta.
- Unclimbed Link Up at Forest Rock.
More a lack of opportunity than a spanking. Conditions have ended up being awful this year in the cave making it hard to do this one. Which is frustrating because it'll probably be one of the hardest things I've done when it goes.


No doubt the best year I've ever had on rock, many highlights and hard to actually choose the best! Talk about a first world problem!

[yetix]

Top 3 UK
Rock Atrocity, first of the grade and spent aeons trying it. A bit of an epic really but felt I got a lot stronger for it than I would have done otherwise and this set me up for the rest of the year well


Paul O Grady SDS, just really enjoyed climbing this one, quality rock, quality view, quality movement, really fun.


Lizard King, probably the quickest I've done something of that difficulty in terms of time spent on a problem, took 2 extremely short sessions to go down, the first after successfully doing a few other things. Quality climbing helped too!

Top 3 Abroad
La Baleine in Petit Bois, wanted to do this for as long as I have been climbing. Didn't know if it would go down when I went as it was mid August and 27 degrees and my finger was in rubbish shape at this time! One of my favourites I've done at the grade for sure.

Minky in Rocklands, cool movement and something I could climb with a bust finger and in bad shape whilst in SA, was great fun!

Sunset Traverse in Rocklands, just really enjoyed it.

Top 3 spankings
Roof of a Baby Buddha, fell off the last dropable move (first move of the stand) maybe 10 times across 5 sessions.
Rock Atrocity from the wobbly block, fell off the last hold multiple times over multiple sessions. What's even worse is its a shit link up!
The Pinch Sheep's Pen, I just seem to be incapable of doing this one, I try it every time I go and seeem to get worse! Pretty sure last year I did it but dabbed so dropped off, this year I can't touch that move.

[Yossarian]

This was by far my post productive climbing season in 15 years, and I pretty much got back to my mid 20s high point. Glancing through my logbook, I didn’t actually do a huge amount of anything in particular (apart from shunting stuff at Bowles and Harrisons). When I got on sport routes I liked I seemed to make good progress, ditto grit trad. Bouldering was hampered by (probably) repeatedly trying things beyond my ability and / or failing to finish stuff.

UK boulders

Boot Boys Start / Tor - First visited the Tor after A-levels in 1995. Completely spanked by everything. Returned for the first time since then, with daughter, and got to the top of something - yay. She was (entirely unexpectedly) completely syked by the place and is really keen to visit as frequently as poss this year.

Fathers for Justice / Portland. Had been aiming for Who’s the Daddy, but this was quite a good consolation. Total nightmare getting pads into the hidden quarry via bramble jungle and scrambling.

Overseas boulders

Elucubration / Roche aux Sabots - having been spanked continually throughout our Font trip, I managed to redeem myself with a fairly quick ascent of this. Had to try extremely hard and then suddenly found myself at the top. Yay.

Passage à l'Acte / Roche aux Sabots. Did this on previous Font trip (early 2000s) and remembered it being tricky. Fuck me. They really make you work for the 5s in Font, don’t they...

Le Mur Badaboum / Roche aux Sabots. Ditto this 4. Daughter did this in amazing style and got a round of applause from some gnarled old locals.

UK Sport

Empire of the Sun / Anstey’s - What a route. Super fun from start to finish. My favourite style - tricky sections interspersed with sumptuous jugs. Found the start section to the first break repeatedly tricky. Nearly got it the first day but numerous goes refining sequence meant I got pretty fatigued. Came back with Duncan a few weeks later and got it first redpoint. First 7anything since 2003. Totally syked for Anstey’s in general and looking forward to trying Avenged, CS, etc.

Mayday / Torbryan - Hadn’t been to Torbryan before - what a little gem of a crag. Found this quite tricky, but it was fun unlocking it. Moved on to Barney Rubble which was also brilliant, but need a return trip to finish that off.

Queen Anne’s Men / Winspit - First visit and delighted to find some Dorset sport that doesn’t involve pulling on seashells. This (and the superb nearby Stone Mason) was really fun and I’m a bit disappointed that I’ve not made it back to try the 7s.

Overseas sport

None. Had a short Siurana trip pencilled in for October, but various life events meant this got cancelled.

UK Trad

The Asp / Stanage - Did this on a roasting May day with a kids squad dad who’d not done any trad before. Amazing how much this little route packs in. Fell off the lower section on my first go, then tried extremely hard on the second. Brilliant fun and first E3 for well over a decade.

The Sentinel / Burbage North - Had briefly tried this year ago. Absolutely glorious, and perfectly suited to the modern wall-bred meathead.

X-Ray / Stanage - One of a handful of routes I did with 8-year-old daughter on her first Peak trip / first trad climbs. She absolutely loved it. Need to figure out a plan for more of the same, possibly not involving me soloing up with a rope as this will probably end in disaster. And we need to try some harder things next time.

Spankings

Road Rage / Cheyne Wears - shunted this with the intention of returning for a quick RP. Did most of it in sections (except a bit near the top which I couldn’t quite figure out) but the prospect of doing it all in one go seemed fairly remote with the level of fitness I had at the time. Syked for a return trip as it’s very good and completely un-Portland.

Graviton / Roche aux Sabots - Two sessions in extremely hot conditions. Was using the high heel beta which worked for Czech guy I was initially trying it with. Should’ve looked it up on phone, as the low heel in the flake method looks much more my style. Hoping to return for a rematch before too long.

Swanage trad - Had a last minute random hookup day at Subluminal. Didn’t have a complete meltdown on a Severe like the previous time, but still found Spreadeagle quite terrifying. Every time I climb at Swanage I think I’m going to die / smash myself to pieces. Will persevere though, as there are lots of things I want to climb.

The Sheep / Burbage South. One of a number of things I tried on a trip in October, just before the weather turned bad. Tried and tried and tried and got nowhere. A similar thing happened on Help the Young, which I was intending to tick quite quickly. Ho hum...

[teestub]

First full year of fatherhood meant time was at a bit of a premium! Some great weekends in the Lakes, a week in Pembrokeshire and a brilliant trip to Leavenworth.

 
Top 3 UK
Sidekick, Bowderstone - Went about as well as projecting any boulder problem ever has. The weather and other commitments allowed for visits three weekends in a row, and I managed it on the first go of the third session. I think being shortly back from a 3 week climbing trip, so being relatively fit and confident on the rock, also came into play. Actually felt like I knew what I was doing for about 10 minutes.

The Nowist, Preseli - Went down to Pembs in September on a family holiday, expecting to climb on some chossy coastal stuff between hanging out on the beach and going for walks etc. I had never heard of the bouldering of the dolerite hillsides until checking out the UKC map for options before I headed down. Pleasantly surprised is an understatement; amazing quality rock in beautiful settings, often among relics of the pagan history of the area. Great location for a family holiday, and this was the icing on the cake.

Stella, Lad Stones - Lake District in the summer. I think I prefer late spring - early autumn to winter now, certainly easier to get the balance between family and climbing working!


Top 3 Abroad
Any of the starred V4's, Leavenworth - V4 appears to be the grade in Leavenworth, covering approximately 6a-7a from the ones we sampled. Hard to pick one, but Fridge Right, The Physical and The Rib were all 3* anywhere.

Lion's Den, Leavenworth - Archetypal compression prow problem, great sustained sequence on fine granite.

Thunderdome, Leavenworth - Put up a proper fight, think 3 sessions in the end but one move that I just couldn't make reliable. Great to be able to knuckle down a bit whilst on holiday and get a bit focused.


Top 3 Spankings
Early winter weather - This year seems to have been particularly bad, but I have also been short on chances to get out.

Practitioner, Leavenworth - Not really a spanking as such, did this in overlapping halves, but decided to not make the time to go back, as it would have meant more rest days and not trying other new things. At the time I did slightly regret this as it's an amazing boulder, but I enjoyed the other ones I did too.

Sideliner, Crookrise - My long term project at my most local crag, been trying it fairly regularly for several years, during which time I feel my climbing has improved substantially, but this one still eludes me. Decided to call it a day this year and spend my limited time trying other things.

[csl]

Top 3 days out

1. A weekend in Wales with my old uni pals in March, weather was grim but we went and did A Dream of White Horses with spray hitting us on the high start, great fun. Nice to be reminded that British sea cliff trad. is the thing I actually love doing the most - more of this in 2020 please.
2. A solo jaunt down to Portland in November where I did a few nice things including Force Majeure which I've wanted to try for ages.
3. Skipped a trip to Padstow for Rick Stein's fish and chips in favour of checking out Tintagel bouldering yesterday, was rewarded with a nice hour down there and did the classic Purple Haze, scary topping out with no pads underneath me.

[NaoB]

Top 3 boulders

Last Wolf, 7C, Humphrey Head - pleased to tick this in a session, also to get anything done in the middle of the July heatwave. Very cool little hidden boulder problem in a pretty location. Enjoyed the bbq after too!

Fridge Hugger, 7B/+, Blackstone Edge - I had tried this problem about a year earlier, got close and vowed to return. It took me a long time to make the effort to go, but I was rewarded with success and the satisfaction of a proper grit grovel.

The Pinch, 7A+, Sheep Pen - another satisfying send of a previous nemesis. Great problem in a stunning location.

Top 3 UK sport

Stolen, 8b, Kilnsey - went down relatively easily compared to my only other previous 8b tick.... Getting Cold Steal wired was the key, that's a tough 8a. Then having enough beans for the boulder problem above. I climbed this on a stinking hot day too, against the odds!

Statement of Youth, 8a, LPT - just a classic. We practically lived at LPT this summer, and I enjoyed ticking my way through the classic 8a's (Mussel Beach, Over the Moon Direct and Statement), feeling like holiday. SOY was the best, and that's saying something.

Defcon 3, 8a(??), Goredale Scar - supersoft for the grade, which of course massaged my ego.... I don't often climb 8's in a session, so was pleased to get this done 3rd go, and it felt effortless. I'm not kidding myself about the real grade, it's just nice to have magic days when you feel fit and it all comes together.

Top 3 sport abroad

Plastik Fantastik, 8a, Geyikbayırı - we had such a naff trip due to the weather, pretty much 9/10 routes in the area were unclimbable with seepage, but this gem of a route only had one wet section on it. I snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on this one, utilising lots of trickery like knee bars, toe hooks, heels above my head etc.

Reve de Papillon, 8a, Buoux - ahhh, so hard for me! Sent on the last possible attempt before catching our flight back home. This was a real battle, and also unfinished business from a previous trip a few years earlier. Boom.

Pinche Lupita, 7c+, Masriudoms - OK, maybe I'm only including this because it's fresh in my mind (climbed it yesterday, just sneaking into the list with a 31st Dec ascent). Anyway, it felt great to climb steep, pumpy, fun rock with a boulder crux right at the top, especially after a couple of months off sport climbing. And it was lovely weather.

Top 3 spankings

The Waiting Game, The Diamond - pathed this to the 'undroppable' jug at the end on my last redpoint of the day. Got the jug too far left, couldn't match hands, messed about and hung around footless for nearly a minute trying to sort it out, then succumbed to the diamond grease. Never got another chance to return, the season there is too short. One to look forward to next year.

Supercool, Goredale Scar - not really a spanking as such, it all came together very quickly and I got close on day 3, think it would've gone next session, but life and weather got in the way. Shoulda woulda coulda.

Austrian Oak, Malham - was top of my todo list for 2019, I didn't even get on it once!

[petejh]

Top Boulders
Can’t recall touching a single boulder all year. Enjoying some superb mid-7s on the Kilter board though.. who needs to go outside again when the moves inside are this good?

Top trad routes
Crimson Cruiser, E5. Craig y Clipiau. Hadn’t been back to this cliff for a long time since doing the VS-E1s in my first year or two of starting climbing. I’d wanted to do this since I started climbing and it didn’t disappoint.
Tom agus Mick, E4. Aran. I think the second pitch of this is possibly the best trad pitch I’ve climbed – position, rock, line, protection. Just brilliant perfection. Was also going to climb Habrich’s ‘Back to the Sun’, which also looks brilliant, but the weather had other ideas.
Lyme Cryme, E3. High Tor. Had never climbed on High Tor but feel like I know the routes from growing up reading about them. This didn’t disappoint, felt pretty goey for E3. Keen to go back for the some of the harder classics.
La Costa, 8 pitches. Les Vuardes. ‘6a’ haha. Felt hard E2ish. Led every pitch with a newbie to trad, multi-pitch and climbing.. Bloody hell, mildly traumatising type-2 experience, felt very alone and committed!
Dierde USBA, 10 pitches. Penon Ilfach. ‘5c’. Felt E1ish. Again led every pitch. Thought my four wires #s5-8 would be sufficient but felt pretty run-out and was very polished. Would have liked a couple of larger wires! Flip-flops not a good choice for the descent. Amazing face and keen to go back for the harder lines.
Have to add mention of 'The Great Corner' in Ersfjord, Senja, Norway. A world-class 200-300m long mixed/ice climb up, erm.. a great big corner. They don't come better.

Top sport routes
Slim pickings for memorable sport this year as didn’t really try anything.
Flors I Violes 6b+, Margalef. One of those times I didn’t want a route to end, just brilliant line, rock and position.
La Casa de los Tullidos, 7b+, Sella Wildside. Quick-hit visit, put the clips in then sent. Nice to be efficient and did well to climb it with numb fingers for the first half.
El Dorado, 6a+, Costa Blanca. What can you say.. looks brilliant. Is.

Top new routes
Didn't do loads this year but all were good quality and memorable for their own reasons.
1. Kylie Minogue, VII 7. 150 - 200m. Mount Kyle, Senja Island, Northern Norway. Like climbing on the Black Ladders in winter: very run-out with lots of moves/gear relying on frozen of turf. Reached the end of my pitch with my last piece a marginal bulldog in turf 15m below. A lot of the mixed climbing on Senja is hard to protect on compact Gneiss. Took fully 45mins to excavate a one wire belay. Two more good pitches above to an amazing top out on a knife-edge ridge overlooking the fjords.
2. Tunnel Vision, VII 7. 150m. Ersfjord, Senja Island, Northern Norway. So obvious, taking a rising rampline to a hanging ice feature. But apparently this cliff doesn’t come into condition that often? A superb mix of two rocky/turfy mixed pitches with a lovely WI5 pitch to finish.
3. Cyber Caff, 7c. Penmaen Bach Quarry. Name made me chuckle. Also very cool climbing up an interesting triple roof feature.
4. Vyleesi, 7b. Aran. I like it when route names fall into place. On the ‘Menhancer’ wall next to ‘Viasil Reloaded’, and I’d recently invested in the makers of this ‘female viagra’. Great climbing too!
5. Gardener’s World, 7a. Aran. Consolation for not sending my 8a proj.

Developing a new granite sport venue in N.Wales.. to be revealed this year. Not tons of routes but the rock is immaculate. 

Top Spankings
1. ‘The Line’, on the North Face of Breitnind. Senja, Norway. A beautiful 500m mixed line taking an obvious visual snaking line up the steepest part of the face. We hoped it would have gear: Breitnind is compact Gneiss and notoriously run-out –teams have resorted to using 100m ropes o nsome routes to be able to reach adequete belays, or simu-climb. Jeff Mercier compares it in commitment level to ‘No Siesta’ on the Grandes Jorasses.  Walked in for a recce then returned to try the route as a team of three. Took 2.5 hrs to climb one and a quarter pitches. Extremely bold, balancy tech 6 climbing with 15m runouts, like E5 5c on mixed. Glad I wasn’t leading that pitch. Abbed off pleased to all still be intact. Thoughts of returning for another go with 100m ropes..

2. My 8a proj on Aran. I bolted this two years ago and things have just never fallen right to actually give it a proper go. I’ve had two redpoint goes in total, both this year but was compromised either by stomach bug or lack of sleep. It’s not an exagerration to say it’s world-class quality, worth travelling across Ireland for. Should do it in the spring along with a few other good ones that I’ve put the prep into.

3. My E8 proj on the Little Orme. Or rather trying to get a belay for it! Hard thin moves, very conditions critical, on a difficult-to-get-to cliff. Finally put enough time into working out the moves this year, got to the point of being ready to try it and reasonably confident of success, spent 2 weeks in suspense not being able to persuade anyone to come out to belay. Conditions window closed. Gutted. Will have to wait until August next year.

Optimistic in 2020 for some fruits from my labours.

[cheque]

Had a great 2019, don't think I've ever enjoyed climbing as much as I did this year.

Top 1 sport

I went sport climbing four times this year, three times to Malham, contender for finest bolted crag in the UK, and once to Intake Quarry, contender for the worst, hence just one route

Consenting Adults, Malham
Pretty sure this was also in my Best of 2012...  went to Malham in March just to see how far off climbing this I was. Had a session on toprope and was amazed that I wasn't too far off. Secretly set myself the aim of redpointing it before the first anniversary of my accident. Two visits later I did it with one day to spare.  One of my proudest climbing achievements. Still can't believe I did it really.

Immediately after doing Consenting (as in, while I was still on the Catwalk) I was struck with a dread feeling of being perfectly-placed to become one of those people who has a very narrow sport-climbing focus, just gradually ticking harder routes at a tiny handful of UK crags to killl time between euro trips. Not a bad thing of course but not for me. I therefore dedicated the entire rest of the year to what could charitably be called "trad reacquaintance" and less charitably be classifed "flat-out puntering"...

Top 3 Trad, Peak

Fairy Nuff, VS, Standing Stones
One of a number of amazing days in the Chew with perfect Moorland grit connies (which are nowhere near as rare as most people think)- dry rock and approach, warm but not-too-warm sunshine and enough of a breeze to keep the midges off. Absolutely wild crux move on this thing and sheer quality the whole way. "You'd have to queue for that at Stanage" etc.

Chee Tor Girdle, Chee Tor
Many Peak lime climbers will have had the Chee Tor Girdle conversation. You have it between redpoints at the Cornice as you gaze idly across the river.

"Ever done Chee Tor Girdle?"
"No. Supposed to be good though."
"All the gear's threads, meant to be a clip-up, you just go across that break"
"Stays dry in the rain too, I bet you could do it even in the winter"

One of you then starts climbing and you forget all about it again. But if 2018 taught me anything it's to get stuff done while you still can. Fiend partnered me on this one and although I disappointed him by taking quite a long time (took us about 3:45...  )and getting really scared at the crux he was delighted when I arrived at the second belay and revealed that I'd just had to take a huge emergency dump at the first  and his slack-taking-in (you can only see or hear your partner for about 10% of the route- you're constantly going off round a corner) had prevented me from even covering it up  . We also climbed on Fiend's rack which had only about 50% of the slings needed to make it the advertised clip-up, 70% of the stuff I'd usually place and 100% more tiny hexes-on-wire than I've ever placed in my life. Mega fun, everyone should do it.

Bachelor's Climb, Hen Cloud
Possibly the best VS in the Peak. I tried this a few days after I'd done Consenting and it was one of the earliest indications that being able to redpoint a 12m limestone 7a is not a very good indicator of how well you'll do trying to onsight Joe Brown jamming thruthchery (I'm aware of how "other channel" all this is sounding by the way, apologies) with a big rack on. Went back with Erm, Sam, who I warned about how slow I was but who probably didn't expect to have to second in the dark, on a summer evening. Started raining partway through but there was no way I wasn't going to do it. Great how big the Hen Cloud routes feel- very keen to get back there in 2020.

Top 3 Trad, Not Peak

Main Wall, Cyrn Las
Absolutely mauled the walk-in to this then had to wait for my partner to finish vaping and staring into the middle distance after the team that arrived at the same time as me had allowed us to go first because "you look a lot stronger than us" They got their revenge by directing me at a fictional start on very snappy rock. After I'd wasted 30 minutes on that I found the right way and had a lot of fun leading every pitch of a route I've wanted to do since I first started climbing. 

Eliminate A, Dow Crag
Hardest multipitch I did all year. Such a weirdly balanced route- the protection is only there for the hard bits so every pitch would be VS on it's own, even the (hugely exposed) 4a one!

Creag Dhu Wall, Craig y Castell
Going back to Tremadog is another one of the things I got round to doing this year after meaning to for ages. Superb, isolated-feeling top pitch on this. No one around at all, sun starting to set as we climbed, excellent stuff.

Top Spankings

Flash Wall, Nether Tor, Kinder
Ironically named. I hate to be one of those people but there is no way that this is VS. After spending about 45 minutes in a freezing gale on the crux offwidth-thing at the top of the wall I found I couldn't evn top-rope the move. 

Crabbie's Crack, Five Clouds
First go was the same day I first tried Bachelor's Climb (see above), second time I ended up helpessly hanging from one hand (second time a stupidly placed jam, first from a freak jamming-glove-hooked-on-a-carabiner incident  ) - not cool and gave me a shoulder injury that cleared up but gave me referred golfer's elbow. Third time I did it but there's no way that needing three visits to tick a fucking VS is not a spanking. 

Sin, Stoney Middleton
I struggled with my head a lot this year. It was never going to be easy and I'm very pleased to say that I made excellent progress but it's not great when you're subjecting belayers to marathons, particularly when they're getting cold, not getting their routes done, having to counsel you and, in the case of my long-suffering girlfriend, are just as scared as you. Took ages cli mbing this bastard, got irrationalIy gripped and then bailed very near the top, only finding the jug I'd missed  when abbing to strip the gear in the dark. Not a great evening.

[Wil]

Top Spankings

Flash Wall, Nether Tor, Kinder
Ironically named. I hate to be one of those people but there is no way that this is VS. After spending about 45 minutes in a freezing gale on the crux offwidth-thing at the top of the wall I found I couldn't even top-rope the move. 

Nice one, it's good to direct the focus away from trying hard to just enjoying yourself in new places. This one reminded me that I had a spanking I should have added to my list - Just Fits at Carreg Y Barcud. My mate shot up it, I could fit inside the crack, but I had a hell of a time making any progress. It was getting dark, the runner he'd placed meant the rope wasn't really protecting me, not that I could really fall anywhere anyway. I had a moment of panic thinking of the newspaper headlines when I had to get winched out of the crack. I became convinced that even if I tried to slide back down I was going to end up permanently wedged. After a good talking to and my mate laughing at me I struggled through to the top. I insisted we went for Fish and Chips as compensation.

[spidermonkey09]

Great reading, I love this thread. First day back at work today so no better time...

Top 3 Boulders

- Demon Wall Roof Left Hand, 7C an utterly appalling, claggy day, but managed to tick this off. Certainly the hardest boulder problem I have climbed.

- Lay By Arete, 7B+ The following day on my first visit to Slipstones. The bouldering highpoint of the year, it all went downhill after that. What an incredible line and a magical crag, especially in the golden hour.

- Spinal Slab, 7A I don't know why this is so good, but it is. Looking forward to some days at Cratcliffe over the next few months.

Top 3 UK sport

- Bat Route, 8c Life goal. Even if I never top it, I couldn't complain. Still psyched months later.

- The Cement Garden, 7c, Gordale Really enjoyed this and sing its praises to anyone who will listen.

- Frankie Comes To Kilnsey, 7b+, Kilnsey Good to finally finish this off after getting spanked when I previously tried it. Intricate with some genuinely hard moves.

Top 3 sport abroad

- Macedonia, 7c+, Oliana Strong contender for the best route I did in Spain. Immaculate power endurance climbing on perfect rock. Way better than Mishi and a good example of 7c+ actually having some amazing underclimbed routes.

- Adios Pepito, 8a, Rodellar Great to do such a long pitch in the Piscineta. Would love to go back and try some of the others. A great learning experience on climbing that I don't have much experience of (kneebars and 45m long!), doing it the last go before the storm came in.

- Fleck, 7b, Collegats This whole wall is incredible but this was probably the best route there I did. 40m of vertical, technical climbing. Amazing, as was the tyrolean approach.

Top 3 trad

- The Black Streak, E1, Diabaig In one gigantic pitch, soloing the last few metres to the (naughty) belay. It doesn't get any better than this route, everything that is brilliant about UK trad in one. And what a location.

- The PiIlar, E2, Diabaig More of the same quality but a different style. Loads of small wires and some thought provoking spacey sections. Quality.

- Tophet Wall, HS, Great Gable Must be a contender for the best HS in England? Total quality from first move to last.

Top 3 spankings

- Rauxa, 7a+, Siurana Shambles. Climbed appallingly up to the final bolt before dropping it going to the chain. A tantrum ensued. Terrible route.

- No Limit, 7c+, Rodellar Very much beyond my limit on that style. One move at a time before the pump set in.

- Burly in Ribblesdale, 6c, Moughton Nab Had been feeling strong on the boulder of Bat Route at the time but couldn't touch this. Still haven't been back!

[GazM]

Love this thread. It's ace to feel the shared psyched despite how hugely varied everyone's adventures are.

Given the significant time constraints of young family life I'm pretty happy with how 2019 went. Mainly local stuff and only a few full days to get further away from home so kinda pales into insignificance compared to many, but that's the game for now. Only a couple that really stand out in each genre:

Top boulder problems:
The Universal Sit Start 7B+, Applecross. I set this as a target to do before baby#2 arrived in late November and just squeaked it in by lamp light on the last possible session. Sitting on top in the dark under the looming hills was pretty special.

A Northern Soul, 7A+, Hepburn. This was pretty much the soul reason I used up my one multi-day pass of the year, so pleased it paid off. Total quality.

Top sport routes:
Mactalla, 7b, Goat Crag. I'd done it a couple of times before but holds have broken and it's got harder. I didn't do any routes at all in 2018 so set this as a challenge to see if I could get back to where I was before parenthood. Such a good route in such an awesome place.

The Fear, 7b, Moy. This was the last route left for me at my local crag and it's a disgrace that it's taken me so long to get on. A thin techy wall then steep pebble wrestling. Really good, as far conglomerate goes. But felt particularly cool as you can almost see my house from the lower off.

Top trad:
I've all but given up trad climbing cos it takes sooo looong, which is a shame cos it's my preferred modus operandi.

The Birch, E2, Meig Crag. I spent an afternoon unearthing this forgotten route at this forgotten crag and its surprisingly good. The rise in quality local sport crags around Inverness has effectively consigned much of the local trad to the history books, but some of it is worth the cleaning it now needs.

Call of the Muezzin, E2, Carn Goraig.
A nice long, safe pitch on perfect gneiss high up on the crag looking into the Fisherfield hills. Isn't that what it's all about?

[mr chaz]

Agreed, I always selfishly look forward to this thread and then never contribute.

Best Boulders

Ossie's Bulge - Ramshaw

Not for the number or the line or anything like that, more what it signifies. This problem, along with the others I did this day around Ramshaw, added up to one of my most enjoyable days out climbing. All by myself, feeling unstoppable by the end, I felt like gritstone bouldering had finally clicked with me for the first time.


Lizard King - Llanberis

Another solo mission. This felt like a perfect execution. Had a very clear aim for the day, warmed up on the cromlech boulders, hiked up to Lizard King, was stood on top within about 30 minutes and 5 or 6 goes.


Flip Flops and Fronded Ferns - Ogwen

What a hidden treasure! Took ages to find, a fair amount of bushwacking, my brother fell down a 6 ft hole, then I flashed it and he couldn't pull his arse off the floor. Perfect.

Top Sport Routes

Dyperspace - Dinbren

Did a handful of sport climbs this year up at Dinbren, this being the best. What a fun sequence into some nice climbing above.

Top Spankings

Mirf's Roof - Churnet

Made it to the top out to have my ass handed to me and unable to get there again.


Lou Ferrino

Total nemesis 

[csl]

The Universal Sit Start 7B+, Applecross.

This looks amazing, now on the list for my trip in March!

[Footwork]

I didn't achieve my main aims this year (like even going sport climbing) but looking back it's been a good one (for bouldering at least!)

Top boulders

Jerry's Roof, Cromlech boulders - I have never see the pass so windy. Every waterfall was going backwards, not a single cyclist/ tourist and snow on the tops. Struggling to dead point the crux move. Tom turns up, say "this one's for you, Tom" and smash it out. "Shit I've just done Jerry's", I thought at the top.

Lay By Arete, Sliptones. Class and burnt off some strong people.

Pixie Tits Sit, Fairies chest - Really cool board move into the stand at one of my favourite places.

Jason's Roof, Crookrise - best tick of the year. Best roof in Yorkshire.

The Press, Rubicon - lime stone rite of passage and concrete proof of progression.

Resonate and Ebola, Anston Stone - I couldn't touch Resonate last year. This year I dominated it. Did Ebola (which is brilliant) on the quick too and people consider it hard.

The Punk, Clogwyn Y Tarw - just an awesome move on such a picturesque bloc. I love climbing in Wales.

Underworld, Earl - It's a raw Ben Moon classic. Non of this bull modern classic hidden gem *****

Underpants, Earl - I finally sussed the move. The last of the Earl Stick It ticks. Felt like I'd completed an Earl bouldering milestone.

Tetris, Five clouds - a weekend away with non-climbers and snuck away for a brief session. Everything gopping apart from this holy lump of gritstone. Girlfriend called to say i'd driven off with her walking shoes so had to rendevous at the half way point pub. Pushing the boundaries of "my gf will kill me borrowed time" I topped out with terrible beta and numb hands. Lunch and a pint in the pub feeling victorious.

Great White, Curbar - we thought this was Ben's Wall. Magical gritstone, sussing the movements little by little to unlock each next section. Tickled the pocket, tickled it some more and did it with the last of the skin. Perfect.

Top trad/ Highballs

Dead Babies, Eastby - Dave Pegg route. The perfect highball height that keeps coming at you.

A Dream of White Horses, Gogarth - a great adventure with great friends. "It's only dream of white horses if you can see the white horses" said Bert. I was against abseiling in...

Killer, Sliptones - one of the best highballs at the crag

Top spankings

Chiasmata, Almscliff - should have, could have etc. Definitely a mental block on this as it's not even that hard and the sessions are racking up. Need to just get it done.

Ribtickler, Goyden - had a wedding early afternoon so got up really early for a quick go. Ripped off the top hold on my best go, got smashed at the wedding and woke up with my finger joint totally fcked. It's still fcked.

36 Chambers - he's gotten quite good and it's getting harder to burn him off. Thank goodness I'm 6ft 8

[Duma]

The Universal Sit Start 7B+, Applecross.

This looks amazing, now on the list for my trip in March!

I just love the name as a concept, sounds like an r-man boulder, just a sit start, nothing else.

[GazM]

The Universal Sit Start 7B+, Applecross.

This looks amazing, now on the list for my trip in March!

I just love the name as a concept, sounds like an r-man boulder, just a sit start, nothing else.

Ha, it's anything but! The stand start is brilliant on it's own but the sit adds a bit. Poor quality vid here:
 http://flic.kr/p/2hCywdG

Torridon gets all the attention, which is understandable cos its great, but it tends to leave the Applocross area off people's radar which is a shame cos I reckon the rock is even better.

[Duma]

That does look amazing, nice one!

[nai]

Sport
Lost sport psyche and didn't do much so not a lot to go at, However, did one of the Peak's finest.
Tequila Mockingbird - absolutely awesome. Hidden in plain sight, should be more popular but somehow not, maybe it's the approach, the sparse bolting, the E grade or the lack of easy options?  But dry before the rest of the dale, less faff than Two Tier and no problem to work with a long stick.
Honourable mention for Never To Look Back - something a bit different for peak lime in a nice quiet spot despite not being  hidden away.

Trad
Zeus, Eye of Faith, Moyers buttress
Obviously should have done these in the 90s when I was starting out, did have a bit of a moment on Eye of Faith.

Peak lime
Ovine - Great problem done in unexpected circumstances.
Chiggers WIth Attitude - would be one of the Peak's finest if it wasn't wet most of the year and at one of the ficklest crags in the area. I had mint connies, an hour later it was apparently spooge.
Cave Problem - looked like it was going to the same way as previous attempts but had a moment of inspiration and suddenly had the crimp.  Almost scuppered by the weather, very pleased to get it a coupel of visits later.

Peak Grit
T Crack - didn't have the power for the campus move, pleasing to work out an alternative method
Domes - nails until it falls into place. Memorable luminous topout
The Captain - never heard of it until Dolly suggested it. Awesome hugging at a bargain price.

Non peak
The Pinch - Sheep Pen - just a beautifiul move in a beautiful spot
Klem's Bulge Original - Sheep Pen - if the guide had the standard version as 6C it wouldn't be so disappointing and I probably wouldn't have bothered with this. Actually a better move and much more like the grade.
Angel Deelite - Woodwell. Another lovely spot, perhaps memorable for the wrong reasons, trying to do it in an hour while the family had lunch.

Nemesis successes
36 Flags - previous visit had been on the way back from a 4day trip and I'd held the top hold six times but couldn't sort feet to make the match.  This time it was on the way, warmed up on it, worked out the match then did it. Quite a lot of hassle for one move really.
Bovine - I'd torn something in my knee on this the previous October, could still feel it tweaking in March, went for a speculative look after a morning at Rubicon, crag streaked with water but amazingly everything on this dry.  Would have been pleased just to do the move to the ear but managed the problem to great relief.
Stall - over a decade of being repelled by this, Plattsy's cluster crimp and a bit of effort did the trick in the end.

Close but.... fucking weather
Yoghurt Hypnotist - worked out the moves on the hard bit months ago, just needed Chip Shop Mantel top out to dry. Been back about six times, still waiting....
Hot Toddy - should have done it in half an hour but ripped a tip off, returned and did all the hard climbing but couldn't top out through the slime.
Bigger Splash Low and The Press - decent sessions in Spring, got a bit warm. Opted to await Autumn,get stronger and get back to it, and, well, Sure I'm stronger but still we wait for it to dry

Spankings
Every Peak 7C I tried. After doing Ovine I had a look at the low starts and got totally shutdown. Tried a few others at the grade but same outcome.  Made me realise I couldn't achieve at all disciplines simultaneously and I'd have to focus on developing the strength and power.

[Yoof]

Hardest:
High and Nightly Combines hard moves from my hardest FA with the rest of an old nemesis--strong hapiness value. Good to get to the point where I mostly don't drop LWH.
Caveman Low Right on my limit when I did it, keen to try again when I'm less injured and see if I can make it feel easier.
Joker Did it fast and thought I'd be on for the Ace with training, 8B is one of those life dreams so feeling like it was achievable felt awesome

Top lines
Manou Thought I'd be in with a chance of the flash but the first move gave me a tough time. Just the best line.
Gargantoit Assis (RH version) Pleased to get the flash on this after chatting with a French wildlife enthusiast about the history of the area. Bit of a long term dream line
Splatch Just fun. My short mate came up with a method where he fell out of some weird contortion into an iron cross off of both palms. Couldn't fit in the space but was fun trying

FAs
Very few FAs this year, seems most of my time was spent in the cave...
Annuity Adds a proper sit to a longish traverse I did the year before using some pretty bad holds. One of my top 3 FAs (quality wise)
Hustled Not that great really, but a fun move and nice to put something up that gets popular. Downgraded by all (to 7B+), but I'm lanky and have weak fingers so I'm taking 8A+ 
Like a Lamb in the Headlights Did a bit of trad after rescuing a sheep

Spankings
The Wire Tried hard and a lot for this, sacked off kneebars as I wanted the training value for other hard links, will hopefully get done this year...
Director's Cut Got to the final shothole first session trying the link, then just kept messing up joining trigger... Changing to a white anasazi for the right heel may actually be enough to get it done if I'm not too weak and fat now...
Will Thought I'd smash this as I did Cosmic Wheels and the first move of the sit as a part of a walk up Glyder Fach. Went back and straight up couldn't redo the crux move of Cosmic. Long walk in when you're not sure if you'll be able to touch the easier crux. Keen to try again though.

[tomtom]

Brilliant posts above...

No trad, no routes, no abroad - so a few more than three - in chronological order

Blind date F7B+
Been working this for several years on and off - and in January it finally payed off. One of those great later on in the day ascents when my hands were starting to uncurl from the lip.

Zippys Traverse, F7B
God - this already sounds like some sort of grit list, but.... being in good form early in the year - my best ever form - I started to revisit problems/areas I’d given up on from previous visits. Lagers showed me one slopey edge on Zippys - and all of a sudden it was game on. Well - about 5 sessions later (including scraping the snow off one time) and it went - kind of flukily!

Fridge Hugger SS F7B+, Blackstone
Glad to see NaomiB checking this problem - I was part inspired to go and look at this again by her insta vid of it where she used a very different way from Rman and GCW. In the end I used a completely different way In typical grit improvisation - I used a knee pad on my shin, so whilst hanging under a low roof, I could bring my left shin to the edge to stabilise myself to keep my RF on a really shitty smear on the underside of the roof - then get a tenuous push from this to pop my left toe onto the face. From then on its a wrestle - but alright. The toe onto the lip throw was super tenuous for me - and a real throw if the dice to start with. I did it once - then dropped the 5+ move to the top (RF wasn’t seated) and swore a lot. Then couldn’t get back to it for a week... And it went quickly.

The Shield F7B, Church Crag
Spent a good bit of time at Church this year - a 5 min detour from my Manc <> Hull commute. Rather than jump - I figured out a way of reaching round with the RH to a slopey edge - then snatching with the LH. Thought this was a super cool new way to do the problem - but others had had the same idea No matter - loved doing it this way. Little bit of power but lots of body position made it work. 

Shallow Grave F7A+, Trowbarrow.
Another long term project.. fairly weather proof - which helped.. went with some UKB community beta suggestions. Thanks

The Coil F7A+, Farleton
And another long term nemesis... Was pissing down when I went up this time... sat in the car - went for a tea - it stopped raining - went up and it was the only dry streak of rock there. Took an hour or so (getting very frustrated) then it went.

Special mentions to Sheep’s Pen that I visited for the first time and I found the easier Klems Bulge quite hard... The Pinch - so aesthetic - so frustrating. At Woodwell Oert road Angel Deelite - that I always thought meh - then loved doing it - just! I also did two of my spankings from 2018 at Anston (Beretta and Beta Blocker).

And segueing in nicely there Anston also gave me my two largest spankings...
Reservation and Nazgul LH. Reservation is really good - and I’ve dropped the final *not too hard* move twice. Nazgul I put in a lot of hours 10-20 visits - and feel close and miles away at the same time. I think its also a bit shit! But all that time put in..... And Chiggas with attitude.. as Nai says above - such a fickle crag..

Special ‘mention’ for the weather. Which has been really shit these last 2-3 months... I’ve problems I’ve worked that have nearly gone, but waiting for them to be dry.

I’ve had a really good year - done some great problems - and until the shit weather climbing better than I ever have outside. Made progress on other long standing sleeper projects (Press, Kudos) and come close on my first 7C since 2012... Also had some great times out with friends - and been good to finally meet Fiend in person :D More of the same please 2020.

[36chambers]

36 Chambers - he's gotten quite good and it's getting harder to burn him off. Thank goodness I'm 6ft 8

You bastard. That's why you're always suggesting reachy problems.

[haydn jones]

Psyched as ever reading how everyone's year has been. So without further ado:

Top sport:

Man with a Gun (7c+ on-sight) - Won't forget this one in a hurry, thought I was off so many times, proper on-sight putting the clips in, right on the limit of what felt possible for me.

Terrible thing - (7c+...Yeah right!) - Absolutely stunning sport climb on Gogarth with a terrifying mantle finish whilst your pumped! Felt in line with the 8a+s I was doing this year so don't expect a soft 7c+.

I did a load of other quick tick sport routes too but never managed to tick any of my projects so none of the other routes really stick in my memory but honorable mentions are: full tilt, Kali Yuga, collaboration, grooved arete

Top Boulders:

Black Hoe (8A) - Was psyched to unlock the new beta after it had broke, used to get 8A, then it broke and became harder, still gets 8A but its definitely not a soft one anymore! Top end!

Lambo (8A+) - my first 8A+ that's not more than 20 moves! At only 11 moves it packs it in this one. Would still be nice to do a sub 4 move 8A+, something like hooligan but that will need some serious pure finger strength improvements.

Nazguls traverse (7C) - My first 7C flash in the UK, done a few before but really they were all probably 7B+ or lower.

I can't think of any other boulders to name. I did over 70 7Cs and above this year and so many were 3 stars, I think the really thing that stands out in my mine were the weekends away to north wales when I went and cranked all weekend and got so many quality climbs done in such a condensed period of time. In two weekends I managed to get all of the following ticked: Be Ruthless Sit Start 7C, Thug Mentality Sit Start 7C, Huffy's Problem 7C, Pie Eyed 7C, Love Pie 7C+, Lotus 7C+, Flick of the Wrist 7C, Nazgul's Traverse 7C, Badgers in the Mist 7C, Barrel Traverse 7C, Tusk 7C, Manou 7C, Worzel Gunnage 7C+, Jerry's Roof 7C, Roof Of A Baby Buddha 7C+. I will always remember these two weekends!

Top trad:

Only route worth mentioning is A dream of white horses, mega fun day out.

Bad year for Trad.

Top First Ascents

Slap Happy 7C+ - Sit start to Born Slappy, great to find a hidden gem in the middle of the plantation, so far I know its had at least two repeats, Ben Bransby and Dom Bridgewood. Get on it people its ace!

Against the current (8c trav) - Absolutely psyched out of my mind to do this, hardest thing I did this year. So far no one has sussed a way to do the crux other than my way which I'm glad about because its really cool and hard!

Did a few other things but nothing that was any good.

Top Spankings

Pedigree Chum - had 4 sessions on this, fell off the last move then it got wet, walked in another 5 times over 3 months and it was wet each time, finally retrieved my stashed pads which were sodden through, so I got spanked by the weather hard this year.

Victor Hugo Bull fucking shit is this 8b, a few people who I know have done it are saying its 8b, surprisingly all of them climb a lot harder than 8b and I don't know anyone who has done it that climbs less that 8c. Sport 7c+ into what feels like a 7B+/C 5 move boulder, not sure how that adds up to 8b...more like hard 8b+!

Secret Project - I've had over 15 session on this now and I don't feel close, definitely 8c+ and there's and extension which adds a 7B+ boulder to the start! So psyched to have such a hard project local. Just wish you didn't need loads of pads to make it safe!

Peace out I'm off to Europe for 6 months now.
See ya later!

[Duncan campbell]

As always have really enjoyed reading through everyone’s lists and seeing how psyched they are on their best ticks!!

2019 wasn’t quite how I planned it for a few reasons, still had a great year and I’m probably overall happier, and this more chilled year has made me a bit more psyched for next year.

UK Bouldering

Most years previously my trad and sport climbing has been what I am proud of and my bouldering I have been ashamed of. Last year I have begun to address this and improved for the first time in a while. Still don’t feel as snappy as I remember feeling as a student though...

West Side Story Still can’t quite believe I did it! Was buzzing for days after this. Had been a proj from years previous that I hadn’t touched for a while as I didn’t see the point. Was on 4 day weeks in Jan and one Friday it seemed like the best option despite still being v cold. Didn’t do it but tried some different beta and nearly got set up on sidepull 3... went home and spoke to Mia about her sequence, found out she used a different foot for the Egyptian. Luckily The following weekend had good Cons and with new beta matched 3rd Sidey. Spent all day trying to drop left hand back down to crimp and then to do the move to the break. Saying I’d leave soon. Right at the end of the day under the watchful eye of Nige it all clicked and I staticed to the crimp below the break and got into the upper section only to fall! Was mega happy anyway and despite calls to traverse in and practice the top I managed to calm my nerves and despatch next go. My first 7B+. Mega!

Darkthrone 7B - Duke’s Seat

Had 4 sessions on this over the winter. First two I didn’t really make much headway but the third I watched mark20’s FA vid and implemented the funky toe-hook under the overlap, which made it feel better (though still desperate) Luckily Tony didn’t do it that day and we pencilled in another session. The weather kept looking mixed but we chanced it and it paid off, the go I got the sloper on the lip I managed to top it out despite seeing a lot of my mates still struggle once they got here. (Being short pays off!) Would recommend this to anyone who is looking for another classic peak highball 7B. It feels nails on first acquaintance but when you do it right does feel steadier.

Art of white Hat wearing

Have tried this a number of times over the years and always found it fairly easy up to the top move. Was chuffed to manage it by the skin of my teeth thanks to a slight change in the angle of my foot. Caught the top with two fingers on the arete of the groove! Great to put another long-term project to bed!

Bouldering abroad

Didn’t go abroad so here are a couple from Wales

Ultimate Warrior 7B(Max) Have wanted to this for a while and a bit of time off with the gf allowed for a couple of days in wales. Flashed the stand but thought the sit looked really hard. After a short while it all came together- an ace bit of technical crimping! My left knee still gives me gyp from
It though so be warned!

Harvey Oswald could never touch this when at uni and it’s really not my style - dynamic board style. Took me ages to get the jug and even flew off it a few times! Did it from the tourist start as it doesn’t specify where to start in the guide but then worried if cheated it. Went straight back down and started from those opposing gastons only to fly off the jug again! Had a load more goes but decided to call it as for me the top
Move is where the crux was for sure.

Trad Felt like an awful year of trad for me but considering I didn’t go away, spent the two months I would have been away converting a new van after my old one died two hours off the ferry to Spain, and then ended up on a job installing lights on bridges over the Thames that left me broken for 2 months and feeling seriously tired at weekends when I went climbing. I didn’t do too badly.

Tales of the Riverbank - E5 - Dovedale Been on the list for ages, first proper E5 of the year. Spent ages faffing around trying to get into the groove proper (peg is fucked and it’s fiddly to back it up with two small RPs, eventually placed a blind but good runner in the groove and then the climbing changes from wiggy to pumpy and well protected. Didn’t find placing gear as hard as the guide suggests but there is a section moving between grooves where I was in emergency climbing mode! Go do it!

The Devonian - E5 - sharpnose Ethically not perfect- I abbed it to check what size cam backs up the deceased top peg - gf was feeling a bit ill and we were on holiday, excuses excuses, etc. Glad I did as I could have placed the cam I saved at least once and had no other small cams on my harness when I got up there. If you have a double set of micro cams this route would feel less bold. Was ace figuring out the bottom which is more insecure and techy with the top being bolder but a bit more sporty. Nearly had a moment above last cam.

Space mountain- E5 - Craig y Forwyn been on the list for a while and a friend abbing and cleaning it gave me the kick up the arse to do it. Feels pretty bold on the crux as the thread that protects you is in a very thin bit of rock. Took a big rack or wires but it’s a bit of a thread clip up tbh (take wires and cams but you mainly place them to supplement threads). Sustained crimpy climbing with a fun cotoneasta cornice are the top!

U.K. Sport

Defcon 3 - gordale as Naomi says above its spurious at 8a but whatever the grade it’s such a fun bit of climbing! Felt very Euro to me and I surprised myself doing it 1st RP of my second session. Thought the top would be a heartbreaker but luckily managed to just not fall off!

Cave Route Left - 7c+ - Gordale have had the odd lone session on this over the years but always found it desperate. Went up it after doing Defcon and found it a bit easier then went back with a mate who convinced me to do the crux differently but didn’t get into the top crack, then came back with gf, went back to my old sequence and managed it! Ace day with Han doing her route too!

Zinc Oxide Mountain- 7b+ - Portland wanted to give this a good onsight go but by e time we had got to the crag and warmed up it was in the full baking sun. Still gave it a go and managed to get to the last hard sequence despite climbing into a red herring, getting mega pumped and climbing back out of it! In the end the final hard sequence caused me quite the trouble on the RP and I thankfully got it after some more falls!! Felt tough for 7b+ to me and in my home style of vert crimps.

Top girlfriend ticks

Last dog - 7B - Gordale Hannah gets scared leading so was great to watch her get up this feisty thing the same day I did cave left. Had celebratory dinner in the lister after

Tumble - Dow (on second) Was lovely doing this with Han. I didn’t give it the respect it deserved and felt quite chased up it. Then Han felt the exposure and got quite gripped seconding. She was all smiles at the top though!

Pacemaker - Sharpnose (on second) this was a brilliant thing to watch. Han, understandably, hates traverses and we picked this one as it seemed less traversey than the Devonian (it’s not). The first easy traverse wigged her out a little but she gave it the big guns on the more straight up hard bit, arriving at the last gear, which was directly below me, very pumped! I thought she was just going to lower off rather than traverse away from
Me to top out but she hadn’t quite realised and got committed. Was exciting urging her to grab the top as she’d have taken quite the pendulum had she taken the ride! So good.

Hannah getting her first paid piece of creative writing published

Rob of UKC got in touch to see if Hannah would like to write something for UKC’s crag notes series as they send each other writing bits and bobs. She put a good amount of effort in and was quite rightly very proud of it and very happy to see it being read and receiving nice comments. Shameless plug; https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/crag_notes_short_lasting_light-12450

I’m sure some of you have read it but if not and you like nice writing I’d highly recommend it.

So that’s all, once again a really nice year. Not as productive as previous ones but still did some brilliant stuff. Here’s to another decade of life and climbing!

[Duma]

Ultimate Warrior 7B(Max)

does this mean it's definitely no harder than 7B, or that it's top end 7B?

[SA Chris]

Trad

Did some routes at the Graip in the summer, can't remember which, done them all a few times, still a nice crag.

UK Sport

Nope. Led a route at the wall does that count?


UK Boulder / FA

a) Overthrown 6A. FA Murray Heugh bay. Great little find, and really cool moves.
b) Black Arete Crouch Start (to the good hold) 6C. Murray Heugh Bay Stu Adams got the FA, I managed shortly after. Be nice to add the sitter but will need a drought. topping this one out will be about E4, or need an enormous amount of pads.
c) Crossshore Drift 6C FA . Traverse of Ritchie Shore Buttress, from Start of Trig  to finish up Ritch Pickings. Improbable move on the crux, but beat Stu to this one. Need to extend into start of Ritchie Reach, one for 2020.

Abroad

Nope.

Races

London Marathon on the day of my 50th. Trained hard, tactically did everything perfectly, but hurting knee meant I ended up just outside or 4 hour target by 12 seconds.

Clova Half Marathon. In spite of illness the previous 2 weeks and not a lot of training had a superb day, and finished just outside of my half PB. Have now road run, mountain run, road biked, mountain biked, winter climbed, ski toured, bouldered and trad climbed in my favourite glen.

Top Spanking

Glen Ogle Ultra - doing too much while on holiday in Callander - bike with kids then long training runs left me knackered and ill, so my first ever DNS.

Yellow Wall linkup - Managed to do the second crux cleanly once, so knacky i have no idea what i do when i success and when i don't. Getting both cruxes done will be like rolling a 6 twice in a row. Quite despondent about ever doing this.

Aberdeen Half. Trained like fuck for this one, felt really good, but crippling unseasonably warm temps (mid 20s) just drained me.