I managed to see off my project at Ilkley this afternoon. I've mentioned this a few times on here so thought I should post up about it.
It's essentially a low left start to Bernie the Bolt, linking the problem Awkward Classic straight into the bulk of BtB. The climbing is superb, very sustained and varied, with a burly 6 move intro on undercuts followed immediately by a shouldery 4 move sequence on gastons and high feet, with the crux being very near the top, albeit you finish with a lovely few easier moves on good holds at a good height. I know it's a link up but it's a great highball line in my opinion, climbing the faint groove beneath the obvious flakes at which BtB and Three More Reps converge. Genuine 3 stars.
I know BtB has been done from a sitter before, at least by Jon Freeman, and although he said he can't remember what he did he reckoned it didn't add too much to BtB, so I believe he'll have gone from the obvious right hand sitter on two big undercuts (I.e. where Classic Calf starts).
Does anyone know if this version has been done before? Although I can find no reference to it anywhere, and have asked around a fair bit, it could easily have been done back in the day by JD in-between bicep curls whilst on his circuit.
If it hasn't, and tbh even if it has really, it needs a name so I'd like to propose "The Golden Shot", I.e. the game show which featured the phrase "Bernie, the Bolt please!".
Grade wise I think it might be 8A but it's hard to know. I had 5 sessions in February and was getting near the top, but didn't have the shoulders for the crux. I then picked up a wrist injury which put me back quite a bit, but once that was fixed I've spent the last 3 months training for it specifically, and having made some nice gains I managed to get it done quickly now (for me.... 2nd go, 2nd session this season).
Fun bit of trivia, assuming the UKC grade of 7C for BtB is correct (which I think it is personally) it was one of the very first in the UK when it was done by Rob Gawthorpe in c. 1985, obviously pre-pads. Pretty impressive given how high the crux is!
I've been dead keen on the Calf this year, it offers some fantastic climbing. Yes you have to put up with tourists staring at you, and I arrived once to find a full primary school year group stood under it shouting at goodness knows what, but these things are perfectly tolerable for such an immense boulder. Deserves more attention if you ask me.
Lastly, why on earth is it known as the back of the Calf? It's clearly the front!
It's essentially a low left start to Bernie the Bolt, linking the problem Awkward Classic straight into the bulk of BtB. The climbing is superb, very sustained and varied, with a burly 6 move intro on undercuts followed immediately by a shouldery 4 move sequence on gastons and high feet, with the crux being very near the top, albeit you finish with a lovely few easier moves on good holds at a good height. I know it's a link up but it's a great highball line in my opinion, climbing the faint groove beneath the obvious flakes at which BtB and Three More Reps converge. Genuine 3 stars.
I know BtB has been done from a sitter before, at least by Jon Freeman, and although he said he can't remember what he did he reckoned it didn't add too much to BtB, so I believe he'll have gone from the obvious right hand sitter on two big undercuts (I.e. where Classic Calf starts).
Does anyone know if this version has been done before? Although I can find no reference to it anywhere, and have asked around a fair bit, it could easily have been done back in the day by JD in-between bicep curls whilst on his circuit.
If it hasn't, and tbh even if it has really, it needs a name so I'd like to propose "The Golden Shot", I.e. the game show which featured the phrase "Bernie, the Bolt please!".
Grade wise I think it might be 8A but it's hard to know. I had 5 sessions in February and was getting near the top, but didn't have the shoulders for the crux. I then picked up a wrist injury which put me back quite a bit, but once that was fixed I've spent the last 3 months training for it specifically, and having made some nice gains I managed to get it done quickly now (for me.... 2nd go, 2nd session this season).
Fun bit of trivia, assuming the UKC grade of 7C for BtB is correct (which I think it is personally) it was one of the very first in the UK when it was done by Rob Gawthorpe in c. 1985, obviously pre-pads. Pretty impressive given how high the crux is!
I've been dead keen on the Calf this year, it offers some fantastic climbing. Yes you have to put up with tourists staring at you, and I arrived once to find a full primary school year group stood under it shouting at goodness knows what, but these things are perfectly tolerable for such an immense boulder. Deserves more attention if you ask me.
Lastly, why on earth is it known as the back of the Calf? It's clearly the front!
