My girlfriend loves to climb and to boulder; she’s got me into it recently. I love my bike (like you guys do); and she’s pretty keen.

It sounds stupid, but I’d love to be able to put my rock shoes (maybe even a short rope and a harness) in my rucksack and to use bikes to go exploring or to get to some good sport climbing or bouldering. I’m not gonna carry a full trad rack around with me (nor would I know how to use it), but the rest seems reasonable.

I can’t be the first to have this idea; anyone with any experience whatsoever?

I live in wales at the moment, but I’d be interested to hear of anything uk wide; peaks, for example?

Me and a mate used to use bikes to get into routes where suitable, Amphitheatre buttress being one of the most memorable, ride in on flat pedals with approach shoes/boots, with easier trad routes like that we’d only take a few slings and maybe 5 wires. Wear your climbing lid on the bike too. I’ve also used my mtb to get up to the glyn for a spot of ice climbing in winter, though I was soloing so didn’t need ropes or a rack. Riding in plastics boots is entertaining on technical snow covered descents. For bouldering maybe you could rig a mat between 2 bikes as a sail!
We always wanted to have a crack at some big alpine climbs in this manner, I can imagine riding up the Mer de Glacé to the Grandes Jorasses would be entertaining (sporting a pair of Wiggo mutton chops just to really please all the French guides).
Do it, it beats walking in.

It would be pretty special, though with longer routes you’d have to be careful to put your bike somewhere safe.

Any ideas of UK trail routes that intersect with good sport climbing areas?

I could take a small bouldering mat solo imo.

When I lived on the edge of Dartmoor, used to go riding between Tors, stopping to boulder on the Tors. Would go when it is fairly dry, makes some of the more direct riding lines rideable rather than axle deep pushing.

I did a great last min random solo trip a few summers ago, tent and bike in van, bouldering gear (w/o mat) and a rigid singlespeed (light). Rode around the Peak edges most of the afternoon, stopping and trying a few easy routes and boulders, sometimes lugging the bike up the route down and carrying on to another area, did this until dark. Had a beer on top of a Stanage boulder at sunset ) Got up and did it again around dawn. Great trip, even if my climbing skills are minimal.

Done similar trips on CX bikes, 2 of us with ropes and racks. Recommended.

Shame 5.10’s are so bulky 😀

One of the mountain bike magazines recently did a coastel ride around Arbroath. I know there is some sea cliff sport climbing around there but I don’t know how good it is.

athgray – Member
One of the mountain bike magazines recently did a coastel ride around Arbroath. I know there is some sea cliff sport climbing around there but I don’t know how good it is.
POSTED 52 SECONDS AGO # REPORT-POST

Fat bikes + deep water soloing = nicheimplusion!

I’ve done a fair bit with a rope, rack and bivy gear.

Dartmoor is a good place to start as you can get away with a 25m single rope and you can link the crags up more or less legally – if that bothers you.

Northumberland is also good and the North York moors offer some good bouldering at obscure outcrops that are rarely visited.

They sort of dovetail nicely – ride bike, put a brew on, sort rack, climb route and then ride off to next crag. Repeat until it’s time to bivy. Reality strikes when for the first time ever you realise mountain biking is hard on the arms and hands. That easy severe becomes a full on arm pump and you fingers peel off, of the top out. Ouch! (Thanks very much Geordie guide book writer).

I have a kit list somewhere if you are interested?

Hth
Marko

I can’t be the first to have this idea;

Nope

It’s a great idea. Take her to Font! Big big forest with lots of paths and more bouldering than you can do in a life time.

The trick would be navigation between crags, but suspect that a map and follow nose will suffice.

I started bouldering indoors in January as I now live in London with less access to mountains, I love doing both but back at work means both get done less than I like, do the climbing grades have slipped and the cycling is slower. For me, the issue is time. Time is a luxury these days.