Enjoy! Hopefully the weather holds out. 2 day migraine wiped out my climbing plans this week.....I 'might' climb tonight indoors. Got a 70th birthday party tomorrow for my Dad to prep for though.
Some of the pics on here are a nudge to get out of a bouldering rut. I get out a couple of times a week indoors or outdoors (if it ever stops raining). But rarely tie on and then mostly on easier sport.
Climbing used to be my main hobby before kids, packed in for maybe 15 years and back at it as a regular now. 60 this year and fitness quite a bit harder to gain than in 20s and 30s! Managed to get back to pretty much my former bouldering highpoint... 7A used to be pretty good and now feels like entry level for wallbred youngsters! And heelhooks had barely been invented. Second vote for Onyx - great old school wall for people that want to get better for outdoors (not much jumpy/skippy stuff) and Grey Power on Facebook.
@blisterman1962 I have seen school and outdoor ed groups there before. Not sure what is there though and they are very short. Subliminal is the usual lower grade trad crag there but it's ab in. Or Hedbury for some low grade sport? Not great though but like Battleship Back Cliff at Portland they are rare easy angled routes.
You have the pool at Dancing Ledge too if that sways it. Ideal if it's a scorcher.
Ha, reckon I did controlled burning on lundy at the same time as @Spin. I remember thinking that the guide book writer must have pretty bloody fat hands! As a result the last 1/3 of the route was a bit run out as I didn't have any cams that big.....
Just back from a week in Langdale, pretty much a washout, but managed to get around most of the chapel stile boulder circuit between showers and got my 6yo daughter up some rather damp scrambles and she did her first proper climb in a sit harness at stickle barn crag.
My climbing claim to fame is having been used as a crash mat by Jerry Moffat on 3 separate occasions (Stanage, Kyloe in and Ailfroide) in the same year. Colossal bell end though.
Climbed at Wharncliffe for the first time the other night, quite strange being there without my bike! Felt quite different in style to other gritstone crags
Earnsheugh today and Pass of Ballater yesterday.
Spin, as you are more up to date than me, how are you or your climbing partner getting on with the BD Vision helmet in the pics? Thinking about getting a Vision MIPS but no handy climbing shops near me so will be an internet purchase. Have had 2 petzl meteors before but it looks like the world has moved on now. The meteors were ok and one did save my head in an impact so I am convinced of the benefits of lightweight helmets, but they always felt a little perched on top.
Thanks.
It's my partner with The BD helmet so I don't really know. Haven't heard him complaining though.
No complaints is good!
Also, Spin is making a good case for the dry side of Scotland there. Looks good!
Went to Onyx wall at Blackburn again and took my son in law who hasn't really done much climbing. He loved it and was a natural so I got some vicarious pleasure from his enthusiasm. The visit also reminded me of the limitations of my rapidly degenerating aged body. I'm pretty broken and sore today.
Hopefully the weather will improve seen and we can have a play outdoors soon. Nothing to the level of some folk on here but maybe Cadshaw Rocks.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/cadshaw_rocks-1106/
Anyone else heading out this weekend? Probably going on Sunday, maybe Creag Dubh or Dirc Mhor.
Travelling and probably busy this weekend so been climbing as much as poss this week. Afterwork bouldering a wonderful thing.
I have a BD Vision. Upgrade from a Petzl Elios I think. It's a big improvement , but I think that's down to shape so I think it's impossible to say it's better or worse than say a Meteor without trying them on
Those magnetic Petzl helmet straps feel like a work of genius in the shop but on the hill in winter they feel like they were purposely designed to thwart you.
Got 2 days free so hoping to climb both days in the peak, but Dave isn't as far through the kidsgrowingupandleavinghome phase as me so can't go.
If anyone fancies a day revisiting the Stanage classics then shout.
Heading up to the Yorkshire Dales (near Bainbridge) next month. Are there any good beginner - intermediate bouldering spots people would recommend?
We'll be a mix of V2-V6 indoor boulderers but no experience on gritstone so the more lower grades the better.
Dirc Mhor?
Brave man, its windy and freezing even on a roasting hot day!
Brave man, its windy and freezing even on a roasting hot day!
Yeah, we got blasted out of it a few years back!
Yorkshire Dales (near Bainbridge) next month. Are there any good beginner – intermediate bouldering spots people would recommend?
There will be some esoterica closer to hand but I'd head straight to slipstones and sypeland
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/slipstones-1519
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/rad/view.aspx?id=496
There will be some esoterica closer to hand but I’d head straight to slipstones and sypeland
I've loved my visits to Sypeland but wouldn't recommend it for beginners, a lot of it is pretty high and scrittly.
Definitely recommend Slipstones though. Just leave your ego behind, particularly if it's warm!
@Kamakazie Bit of a mission getting there but I really enjoyed my day at Water Crag. Also check out the other stuff on Unknown Stones.
https://unknownstones.com/water-crag/
loved my visits to Sypeland but wouldn’t recommend it for beginners
to be honest it's years since I've bouldered there (been past a few times on nidderdale mtb loops) and last time there were massive snow drifts which took away a bit of jeopardy. There is easy stuff there, in a be prepared to fight traditional grit hvs kind of way. So yeah, might be a bit of an awakening for the wall bred amongst us... 🙂
Brimham is always my recommendation for bouldering. The carpark boulders are superb.
Brimham is always my recommendation for bouldering. The carpark boulders are superb
I had a magic day in October soloing around at Brimham. It was a crisp, blue sky day with virtually no one around. Among other things I soloed Birch Tree Wall which had been on my ticklist for 30+ years. Not all lifetime ticks are big numbers!
Brimham wouldn't be my first choice for a solo fest, lots of slightly precarious stuff. But then BTW probably no safer on the lead.
I think Slipstones, mentioned above, was a memorable day. The office in York was flooded so I got my only paid day off at that job and we went climbing in the sun. Was dead chuffed to do 36 routes in a day. Oh the naivety of youth.
Brown Beck, near Slipstones is also worth a visit.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/healaugh_crag_willas-1091/
Bit of a walk-in (or a cycle up) up from the road in Swaledale, and not one for a windy or chilly day.
But it has the kind of grade spread you'd be after, and is a fantastic location.
I always found Brimham an intimidating place to solo easy grades. Something to do with the quite sandy nature of the gritstone which made me not trust my feet on it.
Nice spot Healaugh, been a few times. I remember a big slabby boulder in front of the crag that was particularly good.
Thanks john - Slipstones was one of those I'd found but online information for a lot of Bouldering is a bit poor.
Is it the sort of place we could turn up and eye up routes or do I need to get one of the guides?
Edit: Thanks for the others as well - I'll take a look.
@kamakazie The 27 Crags App is worth a look. It's a bit hit and miss and some popular crags are behind paywall but Slipstones is on there with quite a lot of topos.
I would always look to UKC for access issues and any other sensitivities. Eg There is a restricted access note on Slipstones
Is it the sort of place we could turn up and eye up routes or do I need to get one of the guides
Have you got the Rockfax app? There's a bit of the Slipstones bouldering on that. But yes, you could probably just tool up and work stuff out. The right end is best for bouldering. There are parking issues but the BMC signs explain what to do.
Ramshaw for me yesterday, couldn’t commit to the thing I wanted to try so made do with some scrappy crumbs from the bouldering table. Nice day after the relentless showers. Quick trip to Wolf Edge to finish something I ran out of skin on last time I was there. There was a stressed looking lamb nearby so parked it and moved away. Couple of nice repeats. Tired after a long day, in a way that younger me wouldn’t have been!
Decent day at Gruinard yesterday. This was the highlight: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/lochan_dubh_crag-18095/the_silk_road-66515#overview
Ramshaw for me yesterday
I never got on with that place
ran out of skin
Due to the above. See also that awful leaning block at Higgar Tor.
Two cracking days yesterday and today. Soloing about in the sun at Reiff yesterday with the odd nap on the mat then trad at Shiegra today.
Needs must...
Needs must indeed. My nearest wall is 35mins away, nearest crag is 2hrs. And for that reason we are going to build a garden woody. Well a summer build project for my son really. Going to be a based on a moonboard but thinking I can make it variable angle, 25 and 40 degrees. Probably mostly used at 40 I think. All timber from the local timber yard/ builders merchant and then the 2016 moonboard holds set I think. No lights.
I've not been out since Feb half term! Exam season for the kids now so planning on getting out after. But I am weak and injury prone so thinking regular board sessions + antagonist somethings... might help with both. Also it's a bit of fun given that there are already 142,000 problems already logged on the 2016 set.
"Did you see the climbers? They look grubby and very tired!"
Overheard in the CalMac waiting room in Castlebay after returning (grubby and tired) from a week on Pabbay.
I get a touch of imposter syndrome poking my nose into this thread so had a similar feeling of doubt that my climbing skills were up to scratch when joining a wee team heading out from Barra on the Boy James last week.
Stunning conditions for a few days got me into the swing of things before wind and swell built up a bit. Committing sea cliff abseils are always a little intimidating so mellow seas and passing porpoise feeding in tide races made for a bit more of a chilled mood for the climbing than I know that the Atlantic can throw at the cliffs.
My total lack of climbing fitness due to injury/life stuff getting in the way was a bit frustrating, but the rock was amazing, the crew an absolutely sound bunch of folk and the island itself a totally refreshing place to be. Inspiring to see folk getting onto some astonishing and improbable looking routes too.
Incredible wildlife including minke whale, dolphin, porpoise and grey seals, skua, snipe, corncrake, terns, gannets and sea eagles to name a few. Not many cliff nesting birds at all which was a bonus for the climbing. Bioluminescence in the sea during a midnight dip was a mind blowing surprise – I thought it only happened in warmer waters, but it turns out that it's just more likely that folk go nightswimming without the prerequisite amount of alcohol advised for Hebridean seas.
I'll hopefully be posting in here more frequently as I've realised that need some proper climbing mileage to make the most of such amazing places and really wish I could have done more before this trip.
Bàgh Bàn
Grey Cossack
Spooky Pillar
The Great Arch (not somewhere I ventured, but I'd love to return for The Priest or Prophecy of Drowning some day)
taking my son and his mate to the local climbing wall tomorrow for a spot of bouldering to see how they take to it.
my climbing shoes have seen better days. any recommendations. sportiva tarantulace seem pretty good value from go-outdoors and I could pick some up later but some reviews of them seem a little dismissive...
I wore through my pair in no time at all @jam-bo I was a total beginner at that point though. They're very comfy, and not very good if your climbing harder than very low grades imo. I like La Sportiva Finales, they're quite expensive these days though.
I was bouldering indoors today at the depot in Manchester, just haven't had the weather to climb outside at all recently 😕
Am getting back into it after a long break. Indoors only currently but nice to know I can still climb reasonably. Hoping to get up to the peaks in the summer and aiming for font next year
I've been taking my nephew recently, dusted off my chalk bag and the belt is a bit tighter.
I'll buy a new harness and encourage him off the boulder mats.
Just before I stopped climbing I picked up some dragon cams. Does anyone retape the dyneema?
I get a touch of imposter syndrome poking my nose into this thread
Imposter syndrome, the actual state of you. I got a nosebleed just looking at those photos. That's incredible.
any recommendations.
Go to a climbing shop, try on lots.
Just before I stopped climbing I picked up some dragon cams. Does anyone retape the dyneema?
I have retaped my friends.
Not really sure I needed to but they were easy enough. Trouble is I did them a few years ago and have still not used them outside
Just before I stopped climbing I picked up some dragon cams. Does anyone retape the dyneema?
Think DMM will resling Dragons. Otherwise you could cut off the slings and replace with Dyneema cord tied off with a triple fisherman's. Knot is a little bulky but does the trick.
Just picked up a set of tarantulas from go-outdoors. For £65 they’ll do for now and will be better than a mouldy 20yr old set of 5:10 ascents.
If the fit is OK then Tarantulas aren't terrible, especially when they've softened up a bit. There's a bloke local to me who climbs routes and boulders a lot harder than he should in a pair (8a and 7B in them)
Seem ok, got blue feet now…
Nice !!! And nice when you do the training, and climb well and solidly after :-). That's what I'd like to do as well, but I've flashed a bunch of 6b's the last few days so maybe.....
And nice when you do the training, and climb well and solidly after :-). That’s what I’d like to do as well, but I’ve flashed a bunch of 6b’s the last few days so maybe…..
I've been using the crimpd app to structure training and it really seems to be working for me.
Last week Blackstone bouldering, got a couple of things done (details of World's softest 6B available on request) and a few things to go back to. So much good stuff up there - I'm on upwards of 130 boulder problems and still plenty to go at. Bumped into a psyched bunch cleaning and checking for the next Lancs definitive guide. Good stuff. Also had a look at a couple of more local projects and still felt miles off. Hard to train for tiny crimps indoors - they'd be too scared of injuries to set them! Another fruitless exercise on some N Wales limestone at Ruthin. Must Get Stronger.
Organised a sneaky flight to Marseilles with my son to revisit some of my favourite areas. Flight was late landing so we had a rushed 70 minute spree at Sisteron. Creat climbing, shit photo.
Then got fully shouted up by the Gite man for phoning him and saying we wouldn't arrive till 11
Ailefroide slabs in the sun today. Did a wee multi pitch in the sun
then fled to Fissure d' which was also in the bloody sun. Messed about in the easy stuff at the bottom.
Where some halfwits had their babies at the bottom of the cliff... 12 climbers scattered about , all wearing helmets, including the parents of the babies. The bloody cliff is getting on for a thousand feet high and covered in slime and stuff where stuffs been falling during the recent storms, and they've got a 7 month old playing at the foot of the crag WTAF.
Just signed up for a 5 day trad leading/multipitch course in two weeks. 4 days on Dartmoor in my backyard and a day on the sea cliffs down in Cornwall,
Ailefroide slabs in the sun today
How are things looking there? Sounds like the area got pretty hammered in those storms.
We're off rafting today, so I'll hopefully tell you later. A bit scared TBH as the bloke said it was too high for kayaks gonflable.
The main road up the valley is diverted due to the bank getting washed away. And the path to Fissure d' is diverted as part of it washed away. There's a lot of debris a long way above the river. Not noticed any difference on the climbs, apart from the fact that the Cascade is too high to climb that lovely easy multi pitch route.
Have a good one! Great part of the world..... but have also had dodgy crag practice going on there before. I remember working a route there and with no warning/shout loose rocks and an ab rope appears and the descending team seemed annoyed at me that I could possibly be on a route that coincided with their descent. Awesome place, somehow attracts entitled idiots. Campsite seemed full of naked blokes too for some reason.
Got any plans for Buoux? That was my favourite crag near Marseille bitd.
photo upload appears to be broken…
First time I've looked in this thread, some great photos that remind me of a previous life.
I stopped climbing 16 years ago in 2008, my last route was The Old Man of Hoy. A superb day out, the climbing is a bit poor but it's all about the position and adventure.
It got very blowy at the end, difficult to forget looking through the final crack to see the white horses on the sea, then sitting on the top in a weird calm before realising we had to get back down.
A great day to finish on but I've never missed it once
Just back from 10 days in Wales staying at Dolgam campsite. Climbed every day for 10 days and visited 15 new (to me) crags. Bloody brilliant!
Olympic Bouldering semis on Discovery+ right now. Can't help thinking they shouldn't have held this outdoors in Paris in August.
@martinhutch was/is the coverage decent? As the BBC showed half then just cut to pin pong or something else I'd rather not have watched given the choice. I don't mind paying for things if the channel actually shows what I want to see.
Olympic Bouldering semis on Discovery+ right now. Can’t help thinking they shouldn’t have held this outdoors in Paris in August.
Should be down at Fontainebleau.
Should be down at Fontainebleau.
Not in August!
toby1Full Member
@martinhutch was/is the coverage decent?
Sorry, didn't spot this, had to miss the final too as I was driving to Cornwall at short notice...
I gave up expecting the BBC to put any of it on, paid for the Disco+ sub and their coverage was great. Shauna Coxsey co-commentating, the only issue was the French TV feed cutting to anyone remotely French just as someone else was trying to top out.
Good comp in the end, setting was spot on - they even found some to give Janja a hard time.
Yes, good coverage on Disco+ with Matt Groom and Shauna Coxsey on commentary. Felt nice and familiar, like IFSC coverage. Setting was very good. I think the setting team should feel pretty happy with their work.
Stunning pics as ever @Spin.
Finishing my MSc dissertation, a month with a bad back followed by COVID have seen me climb twice in about 2 months ?
Really need to do something other than type, but not got the energy to go to the wall tonight. I did do aone of the classic rock routes on Tryfan a couple of weeks back.
just need to bite the bullet and buy a trad rack…
I have a bunch of maybe 6 or 8 quickdraws that I'm realistically never going to use again. They're old but they've been used like twice, indoors, before I decided that leading really isn't for me and stuck them in the bottom of my climbing bag. I'd part with them for a modest fee or postage + a charity donation, if they're of any interest?
just need to bite the bullet and buy a trad rack…
No need to buy the whole shebang at once. I'm starting to think that the noble art of nut placing is falling out of fashion so there's nothing wrong with climbing for a bit without cams or on a limited selection of cams.