Best of 2024

[Duma]

Great to see Shark not completely MIA!

 

[highrepute]

so I literally had to grab her arm and pull her across to the next hold whilst she left go with the other hand. She was worried I was going to let go and ditch her in the sea, I was worried she would pull me off my perch – exciting for us both!

Great stuff! So much trust!

One of many great problems on a couple of good days at Huslan

I also had a great afternoon there in the summer. Ideal holiday venue.

@Simon Lee has your username changed? Great write-up. Sounds like a great year in climbing

 

[JamieG]

Bonkers Conkers, 7A, Pule Hill - an R-man special. There are many things I liked about this problem - heading up there a day with lovely winter weather and shitty queasy digestion and finding enough psyche to do the stand, returning in equally lovely weather for the SDS, the rock quality, the exposed position that still only needs a single small pad... But the highlight is that having watched Robin's video, we use all the same holds and do almost every move differently - a technical treasure.

Spoiler: video

Looks good. Nice work Fiend.

Always wondered if there was more bouldering at Pule but it’s been years since I went up there. Has there been some activity? And is it documented anywhere?

 

[cheque]

@Simon Lee has your username changed? Great write-up. Sounds like a great year in climbing

Anyone who changed their username seems to have gone back to what they originally had when they joined up. I guess whatever process displayed the new names instead of the original was specific to the previous forum software.

 

[Fiend]

I also had a great afternoon there in the summer. Ideal holiday venue.

It is indeed! A chilled, easy spot and loads to go at.

Looks good. Nice work Fiend.

Always wondered if there was more bouldering at Pule but it’s been years since I went up there. Has there been some activity? And is it documented anywhere?

Cheers. Yes there's quite a lot now, r-man and friends. Will be in a likely North West Peak -ish area guide in the future. Along with Pots And Pans I hope. You could ask robin for any more info....

 

[JamieG]

Cheers Fiend. I’ve sent him a message.

 

[chrisbrooke]

Great write up. Especially, gritstone megamix for breakfast. Inspiring stuff for those of us with kids.

Thanks. I've had some of my best sessions as early morning efforts in the Spring/early Summer. You get the place to yourself, decent connies (sometimes) and zero guilt.

 

[SA Chris]

Good effort. I keep meaning to do it, as it's light here by about 4:30 in the summer and I am often awake anyway. Cool and sunny in the morning here on the eat coast too, and climbing in walking distance of the house, so no waking up family wit the car. Then I remember I'm a lazy fucker.

 

[i_a_coops]

I love this thread.

Non climbing
Got married in January. Would write more soppy stuff here but my partner reads UKB and would die of embarrassment.

I’m still hilariously far from fluent in Greek, but taking it as a major win that I can now communicate with my partner’s gran. Sometimes. (Progress not perfection.)

Feel like I’ve made a decent start of switching jobs and getting into circus rigging work, after eye trouble forced me to stop doing anything screen based in 2023.

Trad (Pembroke)

Killer White E6 6b


Didn’t spot a key hold on the onsight attempt, and ended up basically back on the ground. Next go I got through the crux move only to find out that the true crux is actually not pumping out or shitting your pants while you desperately fiddle in some absolutely tiny gear looking at a possible groundfall (in retrospect you'd probably be ok as long as your belayer was paying attention but I was really scared). Angus Kille told me last year that he never goes on sighting without the green dragonfly - at the time I thought he was being a bit ridiculous but after this I’m a convert!

Class of ’86 E5 6b

Pure type 1 fun. Technical crux was probably pissing into the sea from the hanging belay without letting go of the rope.

Beat Surrender E5 6b

Pure type 2 fun. Imagine it would be more type 1 if it was in good nick, but it sounds like this one’s prone to being thoroughly greased up. Went absolutely terminal, blood and elbows all over the place. Nearly passed out clawing my way over the top of the crag. More of this please.

Sport OS/flash (all in Leonidio)

Zeybreak 7c/+

Wanted to do this one since seeing the amazing photo of Sacha Amma looking absolutely casual in a rest back and footing between 2 tufas. I had a mare trying to get a clip in (one of the bolts is in a very non-onsight friendly place) and got to that rest boxed, stressed and having a massive whooping cough attack. Felt full value 7c+ to me, would love to do it again with working lungs as I suspect it might be a bit easier.

Patata Negra 8a

First 8a flash. Had such good beta I felt like I was redpointing.

Chuck Notis Extension 2 8a
First 8a onsight, my lungs were kinder to me on this one than Zeybreakl and I felt absolutely unstoppable for 50m. Maybe soft but it felt good!

Boulder

New Cala Barques 7A, Tenda. My only FA of 2024 despite spending a lot of time trying projects. A boulder seemingly made out of red Mallorca pocket limestone. Not my most inspired name but whatever. Sit start with a funky knee then some basic pocket pulling.


Too Drunk 7A, Roaches. Absolutely beautiful movement. Thought it was nails for the grade at first but once I’d sorted out all the tricks and done a few laps, it felt totally effortless.

Heathen Chemistry (stand start) 7A+/B, Forest Rock

Not a full problem I guess but I think the sit has broken…. and it’s the only other boulder I sent this year. For some reason I didn’t think the knee method would work for me so took a lot of big falls before I tried the sensible beta and did it. First vaguely highball feeling thing in a long time so psyched about that. Keen to get back on the full thing at some point (surely it’s at least 8A now?)

Spankings

Simultaneous whooping cough and pneumonia, caught at an event I was organising. So bad it’s put me off organising and dancing. Bed-bound for over a month, not ideal for the bank balance when you’re self employed.

Van engine. It spent more time at the mechanic than not. Some cowboys near Bristol couldn’t work out what was up with it and basically kept it hostage for months, about the only work they actually did on it was replacing the timing chain, which then snapped a couple of months later writing off the whole engine. It’s now got a new engine (basically a new everything at this point) and is still spewing black smoke. The mechanic says this is normal and should clear up but I’m not sure I believe that. Also not ideal for the bank balance!

Trad projects. Was almost ready to get on lead on a steep hard safe thing, then I ripped a hold off and could no longer do the crux move, so I switched focus to a much scarier vert project. This revolved around some really tweaky front 2 crimps which I promptly injured both middle finger A2s on. Went back to the first project and worked out a new sequence but was far too injured to try and link it. Took about 6 months for the fingers to recover.

Project psyche
Don't want to pose too much about the trad projects - wouldn't surprise me if at least one of them gets nabbed but I'd selfishly like to give myself a chance of getting some FAs.
For boulders though LOOK AT THIS THING I FOUND
View attachment 20240924_181017_1_1 (1).mp4
Lifetime boulder project right there, probably 8A from stand, 8B from a sit on the boulder down and left (last photo shows the vibe of this - high intensity cranking on monos and 2 finger pockets to get into the stand), and something ridiculous for a lower sit in the bottom right of the first picture. This year I finally worked out a sequence on the technical crux of the stand start (video) with a giant flying toehook and high-belief kneescum. From where I drop off it's *just* a fingery 7B+ or so to top it out. Can't wait to go back!

This was actually the first boulder I found in the area but I didn't try it for a couple of years as the landing needed work and, um, I thought it looked too easy to be worth bothering with . Turns out that low down, while the pockets are good they're all pointing in the wrong direction to be able to take weight through the feet, and high up it's a lot less featured than it looks from the ground....

 

[Wil]

I didn't do a huge amount of climbing in 2024, but what I did get done was good.

Top 3 Trips

Picos de Europa
This had been on my list for years. In fact, I think aged around 18 I cut the topo out of a magazine and put it in a folder somewhere for future reference. We got really lucky with the weather by the sounds of it, with 4 days on Naranjo des Bulnes, a couple of them were misty, one was quite windy, but it didn't rain and the wind wasn't enough to stop play. We started by climbing Scorpio in the mist, which was a good introduction going halfway up the right edge of the west face. Then we got on the Rabada Navarro, which went well overall, despite my inept attempt at the second pitch. It felt fine, if insecure, to second, but this kind of slippy, slightly pumpy, climbing always gets me if I'm not fully fit and I was glad to be able to hand over the reigns and follow it instead. We made good time on the route, which has some fun traverses and the strange abseil/swing/walk in the middle. It's historic and interesting, but a little wandering.

We then did the Murciana 78 route, which is about the same standard, but much more direct and a little less trad overall. I thought it was a much better route, there are loads of cool pitches and it's only slightly spoiled by an awkward aid ladder on p3, and a single baffling move on p4. Guidebooks disagreed a lot on the grade of this pitch, with one claiming V+ A0 I think. I thought p3 was about 7a until the bolt ladder, and pretty slippy and pumpy. I suspect people pull on gear much sooner. p4 was perhaps 6c with one pull on a bolt.


Arran
Arran really isn't very far from home for me, it's just over an hour to the ferry and viable to leave early Saturday morning and get 2 days climbing and back Sunday night. Doesn't take much longer than getting up to Fort William.
We did a couple of the classics on a busy and hot crag in early May.


Riglos
A last minute invite meant that I wasn't remotely match fit for something like this, but we had a great trip. I climbed every day for 5 days and did some big routes, even if I did get a minor spanking on some. Beers in the sunshine and catching up with friends was great. I wasn't up for Fiesta, and didn't have a willing partner (unless I climbed as a 3) so I might return, but I felt like I had the Riglos experience at least. The vultures are very cool.


Life

Having a dog was initially a lot more stressful than I'd anticipated, but he's great and now a good hill buddy. He's pretty well trained, and I think the remaining factors are things he will grow out of in the next 12 months. Everyone in town knows him by now and he's very good natured. Once he passed 12 months I started taking him on bigger days out and running. He's been up a few Munros, including in winter, and is happily running 10km twice a week even with hills thrown in.


I got a job that I actually wanted. I asked in 2023 for advice here because I was banging my head against the wall trying to get a foot in the door. I had loads of good personal experience, but was constantly knocked back for not having commercial experience, and it was getting me down. Rockfax gave me a couple of months work, and a fortuitous conversation when I was doing some work for the SMT gave me some great things to talk about in an interview, and got me a job. It's only a temporary contract, but hopefully it will get extended.

I ran my first ultra, and actually put enough training in for it too. Only a 30 miler through the Ochils, but close to home and nice terrain, and a very quiet event with only around 60 people running my course. It went well, but I could have been better tactically, I overcooked it on one of the earlier hills and was fighting cramp for the second half, but it thankfully never got too bad, and eased off later on. The best part for me was doing some long training runs in the hills on my own, and not feeling totally ragged after running 20 miles, which is a new experience. More of this.

Spankings

... almost forgot
DIY - I got most of the way through our patio, but then work got too busy. I found the whole thing more stress and hassle than it was worth. Maybe I'll look at it with pride in the future when it's finished? My neighbour gave me a load of help, which was lovely of him, but it also created an odd dynamic where I had to be quite firm with him about how it was going to be done, including stopping him when he showed up in my garden with a digger and got to work without asking me!

I never quite got my mojo climbing this year. I was nervy in the Picos, even on the sport climbing we did before heading into the hills. I think it's just a lack of mileage, but taking some falls again and learning to try hard on sport routes this spring would be good, and will hopefully get me over the hurdle.

 

[spidermonkey09]

Great dog! What breed is he?

 

[Wil]

Great dog! What breed is he?

He's a mix of Border Collie, Alsatian, Labrador and Komondor. In temperament he seems to take mostly after the Komondor.

 

[Fiend]

Breed = SCRUFFO

 

[Thomnomnom]

Bit late in contributing but as others have said this is an ever-inspiring thread. A bit of a strange year in climbing for me as more or less everything I did went in one or two sessions, and I'm normally someone who loves a seige. The end result is that there weren't too many memorable moments associated with big efforts, although many excellent boulders were climbed.

Top 3 in Scotland

Beagers and Choosers 7A, Gleann Beag
In early March, I cycled into Gleann Beag with Ted — a 20km mountain bike approach plus a short walk. It's probably the best undeveloped jumble in Scotland, certainly the best I know about, but also the toughest approach by absolute miles. This was the first problem to be climbed, and it's an absolute banger of a prow with some fat quartz pinches with a great sequence — joint FA with Ted but technically he did it first so I'll put it in the repeats. For quality and adventure bouldering in combination, this is one of the best in the country. Ted gave me the ebike for the way out otherwise I'd still be there!

Vid:

Tsurugi 7B+, Duntelchaig
I had tried and failed to climb this several times over the years, and it had grown a bit of a reputation in my mind. This was compounded by Pete's powerful bat-inspired first ascent and Ted's super casual flash some years back. I tried it without expectation with thin skin in the spring and realised I could do it, but really felt like I had to seize the moment or it might pass. It's techy and sharp, and after a short painful battle, inching ever closer and learning the subtleties of the moves I got up it.

Pete's epic FA vid is worth a watch.

Komorebi SS 7B, Loch Ness Boulders
One good thing about this year's climbing, having just moved to Inverness, is that a lot of what I did was either a first ascent or someone else's new thing. The Loch Ness Boulder was uncovered this year by Jamie Skelton, a trad climber scandalously outdoing all the boulderers in quality boulder development. Komorebi sit is just a pretty perfect boulder, a couple tough pulls on small edges into a brill flowy 6C, finishing at a nice height. Top quality and a great find from Jamie.

Vid.

Top 3 Abroad (Ireland)
Another reason for it being an odd year was a lack of trips abroad, and two weeks in Ireland in May was my only trip beyond mainland UK. That said, it was so worth getting off the beaten track and getting to climb on lesser traveled boulders in beautiful and wild locations. Honorable mention here for Bradders' Sit in Killarney National Park which is also great and I wouldn't have even made the trip without Nick's pics and info to inspire me.

Rebel Wall 7B+, Glenmalure, Wicklow
I was so impressed by the climbing in Wicklow but my day at Glendalough was absolutely boiling. I was a bit luckier in Glenmalure but it was still a real slog up the hill to find this. It's a steep wall of perfect granite, just hard enough to place the single sesh ascent in doubt and I didn't quite have enough pads to be comfortable on my own. Great fun!

The Roof SS 7C, Gap of Dunloe, Kerry
The Kerry sandstone is superbly featured and unlike any sandstone I've climbed on elsewhere. I did the intimidating stand start to this on my first day in Kerry and was pretty inspired to come back and climb the sit, which adds some kneebars and burl. One downside of my trip to Ireland was access issues and I had several run ins with unfriendly farmers, plus there is a generally bad vibe around access with "private land, no hillwalking" signs up all over Kerry. Very unscottish. The Roof is at the Gap of Dunloe and I'm pretty confident climbing is allowed there, but nevertheless just after I dropped the last hard move of this a jaunting car driver yelled at me from the road that I was on private land and was to clear off. I began packing up as he trotted off with his pony before having one more self-entitlted right-to-roam-fueled attempt and got it done.

100 Watta 7B, Derryrush, Galway
The Chief boulder features on the back cover of the bouldering guide to Ireland — a huge chunk of erratic granite, isolated in the bog overlooked by Connemarra National Park. It's a long drive in on forestry track roads (and given my previous run ins, a vague uncertainty about my right to be there), and then a short walk through the bog to get there. I did the walk in three times, once with a pad, again to get the rope so as to be able to scrub the highball top, and a third time to get more pads. The whole process was quite like doing a first ascent, and I even broke a hold trying the top on a rope, which would have been pretty bad without the rope. It felt in doubt the whole time: a bit too high, and seemed a bit too hard or cryptic with no video beta. Eventually I learned that the most marginal arete pinch could be paired with a good left foot, allowing a snatch for a decent edge, and I was pleased to get it done as my last boulder for the trip.

Top Unfinished Business
While the things I climbed went quickly, the things I didn't, didn't.

Bullworker, Brin
I had five or six sessions on this in spring and every one was a joy, watching Brin come to life over the course of the season. Such a tricky boulder for me, requiring unfeasibly (for Scotland) low humidity to do the crux. I got closer and closer without ever really believing I would do it — unfortunately conditions and injuries conspired against me in the autumn and I never got properly stuck back in, but I'm in no rush with this one.

The Cursed Prow, NW
I won't say too much about this as I think it's crass to half-share information about unfinished projects — it's not a closed project, but I am invested enough in it to want to do it myself! It's total choss anyway, but a brilliant line in a great setting and over another five or six sessions in the summer I slowly crumbled the holds into a workable sequence before injuries and conditions (them again) curtailed the season. It stays dry in the rain and yet I've been several times and found it seeping or condensed, and it represents a considerable logistical challenge as it probably needs 4 - 6 pads and would be sensible to have a spot.

 

[RobK]

Komorebi SS 7B, Loch Ness Boulders

This has gone straight on the wishlist, looks mega.

 

[SA Chris]

The whole boulder looks amazing. What a find.

 

[GazM]

Bit late in contributing but as others have said this is an ever-inspiring thread. A bit of a strange year in climbing for me as more or less everything I did went in one or two sessions, and I'm normally someone who loves a seige. The end result is that there weren't too many memorable moments associated with big efforts, although many excellent boulders were climbed.

Top 3 in Scotland

Beagers and Choosers 7A, Gleann Beag
In early March, I cycled into Gleann Beag with Ted — a 20km mountain bike approach plus a short walk. It's probably the best undeveloped jumble in Scotland, certainly the best I know about, but also the toughest approach by absolute miles. This was the first problem to be climbed, and it's an absolute banger of a prow with some fat quartz pinches with a great sequence — joint FA with Ted but technically he did it first so I'll put it in the repeats. For quality and adventure bouldering in combination, this is one of the best in the country. Ted gave me the ebike for the way out otherwise I'd still be there!

Vid:

Tsurugi 7B+, Duntelchaig
I had tried and failed to climb this several times over the years, and it had grown a bit of a reputation in my mind. This was compounded by Pete's powerful bat-inspired first ascent and Ted's super casual flash some years back. I tried it without expectation with thin skin in the spring and realised I could do it, but really felt like I had to seize the moment or it might pass. It's techy and sharp, and after a short painful battle, inching ever closer and learning the subtleties of the moves I got up it.

Pete's epic FA vid is worth a watch.

Komorebi SS 7B, Loch Ness Boulders
One good thing about this year's climbing, having just moved to Inverness, is that a lot of what I did was either a first ascent or someone else's new thing. The Loch Ness Boulder was uncovered this year by Jamie Skelton, a trad climber scandalously outdoing all the boulderers in quality boulder development. Komorebi sit is just a pretty perfect boulder, a couple tough pulls on small edges into a brill flowy 6C, finishing at a nice height. Top quality and a great find from Jamie.

Vid.

Top 3 Abroad (Ireland)
Another reason for it being an odd year was a lack of trips abroad, and two weeks in Ireland in May was my only trip beyond mainland UK. That said, it was so worth getting off the beaten track and getting to climb on lesser traveled boulders in beautiful and wild locations. Honorable mention here for Bradders' Sit in Killarney National Park which is also great and I wouldn't have even made the trip without Nick's pics and info to inspire me.

Rebel Wall 7B+, Glenmalure, Wicklow
I was so impressed by the climbing in Wicklow but my day at Glendalough was absolutely boiling. I was a bit luckier in Glenmalure but it was still a real slog up the hill to find this. It's a steep wall of perfect granite, just hard enough to place the single sesh ascent in doubt and I didn't quite have enough pads to be comfortable on my own. Great fun!

The Roof SS 7C, Gap of Dunloe, Kerry
The Kerry sandstone is superbly featured and unlike any sandstone I've climbed on elsewhere. I did the intimidating stand start to this on my first day in Kerry and was pretty inspired to come back and climb the sit, which adds some kneebars and burl. One downside of my trip to Ireland was access issues and I had several run ins with unfriendly farmers, plus there is a generally bad vibe around access with "private land, no hillwalking" signs up all over Kerry. Very unscottish. The Roof is at the Gap of Dunloe and I'm pretty confident climbing is allowed there, but nevertheless just after I dropped the last hard move of this a jaunting car driver yelled at me from the road that I was on private land and was to clear off. I began packing up as he trotted off with his pony before having one more self-entitlted right-to-roam-fueled attempt and got it done.

100 Watta 7B, Derryrush, Galway
The Chief boulder features on the back cover of the bouldering guide to Ireland — a huge chunk of erratic granite, isolated in the bog overlooked by Connemarra National Park. It's a long drive in on forestry track roads (and given my previous run ins, a vague uncertainty about my right to be there), and then a short walk through the bog to get there. I did the walk in three times, once with a pad, again to get the rope so as to be able to scrub the highball top, and a third time to get more pads. The whole process was quite like doing a first ascent, and I even broke a hold trying the top on a rope, which would have been pretty bad without the rope. It felt in doubt the whole time: a bit too high, and seemed a bit too hard or cryptic with no video beta. Eventually I learned that the most marginal arete pinch could be paired with a good left foot, allowing a snatch for a decent edge, and I was pleased to get it done as my last boulder for the trip.

Top Unfinished Business
While the things I climbed went quickly, the things I didn't, didn't.

Bullworker, Brin
I had five or six sessions on this in spring and every one was a joy, watching Brin come to life over the course of the season. Such a tricky boulder for me, requiring unfeasibly (for Scotland) low humidity to do the crux. I got closer and closer without ever really believing I would do it — unfortunately conditions and injuries conspired against me in the autumn and I never got properly stuck back in, but I'm in no rush with this one.

The Cursed Prow, NW
I won't say too much about this as I think it's crass to half-share information about unfinished projects — it's not a closed project, but I am invested enough in it to want to do it myself! It's total choss anyway, but a brilliant line in a great setting and over another five or six sessions in the summer I slowly crumbled the holds into a workable sequence before injuries and conditions (them again) curtailed the season. It stays dry in the rain and yet I've been several times and found it seeping or condensed, and it represents a considerable logistical challenge as it probably needs 4 - 6 pads and would be sensible to have a spot.

Inspiring stuff Thom. Some great stuff still coming out of the glens!

 

[jwi]

Chuck Notis Extension 2 8a
First 8a onsight, my lungs were kinder to me on this one than Zeybreakl and I felt absolutely unstoppable for 50m. Maybe soft but it felt good!

Nice! I was so tired by the time I arrived at the second anchor that I couldn't contemplate continuing. But also amazed that you haven't onsighted 8a before? Must be lack of interest?

I thought p3 was about 7a until the bolt ladder, and pretty slippy and pumpy. I suspect people pull on gear much sooner. p4 was perhaps 6c with one pull on a bolt.

I thought the same. About 7a to the bolt ladder, and about 7b up until the redpoint crux. About 7a/+ for pitch 4? Great route eh! A bit easier than RN as an "alpine" climb (=pulling on gear when needed). Very sparsely protected on top iirc, and I was worried about a team far below us in dying light, so I drew a big fuck-off arrow with chalk to indicate the direction of a far away bolt on one of the top-slabs. Later that night three very tired and smelly climbers rushed me to give me a hug.

 

[andy popp]

As many others have said, always the best thread of the year. It must have taken me a couple of hours to read it all over a couple of sessions. Thanks to everyone for the great efforts that have gone into putting these entries together - writing the stories, adding the photos and videos. What a trip!

I'm struck by the incredible variety of stuff that you UKB-ers get up to, individually and collectively. There's just about everything imaginable represented here. What a wonderful world of opportunities we live in!

It's nice to see lots of old friends in the routes etc. that people have climbed this year (Hello Murciana 78, long time no see!). I'm sorry I don't have anything to contribute (again) but not too sad. More good memories than anything else.

 

[Wil]

Very sparsely protected on top iirc

Yes, I'd forgotten that. It's quite hard to see where the route goes at that stage, And there are a couple of decoy bolts. Luckily it's on good rock at a fairly easy angle though.