The Rock Climbing Thread

Looking mega there @Spin I really miss my Finales that we’re that colour! Had the orange ones for a few years, and they just don’t look quite as good.  I think that they’re just about dead though now, they were hopeless indoors today, feet would stay on anything in them.

Maybe an stw day at a crag is in order over them warmer months?

Edit: Very impressive the level at which some folks on here have/still climb!

The infamous first pitch of The Scoop on Harris shortly before I got my arse kicked on it.

Ian Vincent

I’ve just remembered  he was on here as ianv  *sigh*  🙁

Tuboflard, have a scramble down to the platform. You can  have a little traverse around under Demo Route and solo back up Staircase. The grip on that rock is impressive. Seen seals there a few times plus occasionally the blowhole works, quite spectacular getting kin drenched mid route. I hope the beer’s improved in the Old Success.

Very impressive the level at which some folks on here have/still climb!

Indeed. The pics and reputations of both The Diamond and Sron Ulladale are making me wibbly, although I very much enjoyed soloing the Devil’s Slide on one occasion. Spin’s photo of Fallout Corner looks like my sort of grade these days 😆

“infamous first pitch of The Scoop on Harris shortly before I got my arse kicked on it.”

Chicken man’s photos are at risk of having the same effect as Spin’s on the ice thread 🤩

We are in the presence of greatness!

Blimey. Makes me feel utterly inadequate. Which is nothing new TBH.

Talking of being in the presence of greatness, I thought I was pretty handy back in the day (Font 7c, F8a) but got shown my arse by Ian V and John Dunne many a time. Watching JD solo Wellington Crack at Ilkley as a warm up completely blew my mind as an exercise is controlled climbing. And Ian doing laps on the likes of Raindogs and putting a rope on Austrian Oak and Magnetic Fields for me at Malham was incredible to watch.

I’m sat looking at the Old Success Inn now @BillMC, we’re booked in for dinner on Thursday so I’m hoping the same.

My 90’s hard rock fu was lacking there. Er yeah The Scoop on Sron Uladail.. jeezlouise!!!

But what did Chickenman ever do on Stanage? 🤪🤣

My bouldering claim to fame is Shauna Coxsey asked me to try out some problems she set on the Olympic wall in the Sheffield Hanger. They were dead easy but through nerves of being watched I fumbled an early move so she made it even easier. I was more than a bit embarrassed.

Also big Ron (Ron Fawcett) talked me through my first wasp at the Works.

Used to boulder loads but lost my nerve after falling off Stanage and it’s taken about two years to get back into it bit I’ve lost all my strength.

John Dunne on The Groove at Malham, very neat footwork for a big guy.

The Rainbow of Recalcitrance, Welsh slate

I used to climb more than I currently do, in fact I worked in the industry for 25 years and had the pleasure over the years of working with and climbing with various amazing people. Probably my biggest name drop / claim to fame was a trip to Kalymnos with JB Tribout, Fred Nicole and Chris Sharma, and I even make a (brief, non-climbing) appearance in the Chris Sharma film “King Lines”. Unfortunately I don’t possess even a fraction of their talent, they’re amazing to watch though.

Went to Onyx climbing wall, Blackburn for a couple of hours last night as mentioned. I’m waaay out of practice so my arm muscles are letting me know about it this morning. It’s a nice, friendly little place so I’d recommend it to any locals. https://www.onyxclimbing.co.uk/

I did a few 4’s and 5’s and then a 6A with a scary mantle before it rained.  Good enough for me, happy with that.

The Rainbow is very impressive and scary.  I did the E2/3 to the L back in the day , and tried Poetry Pink , which is the cleaner line in the photo, I got beyond the second bolt (they’re a long way up) but my mind gave up round about the rainbow.

Another Depot climber here. Either Armley, but more recently Big Depo as a mtb friend has time once a week to climb round the kids, and we both prefer not falling off bouldering walls. Did a 6a+ last night which I am chuffed with (my pb in 22 years of on-and-off climbing is a 6b).

Timely thread – I used to climb a lot in my 20s up to about E1. My full group of friends chucked it when our mate fell off an E2 in the Lakes and snapped his leg into many bits. Horrible experience!

Been getting back into bouldering the past year at TCA in Glasgow and been really enjoying it again. It’s funny how the movement comes back to you after 10 years. I have even bought a pad so hoping to get some outdoor stuff done whenever the rain stops…

I’m still at the stage of life that many on the thread are reminiscing over. I get outside for trad with a club 2 evenings a week and as many weekends as possible. This summer I’m hoping to establish myself properly as a HVS climber (mainly needing to improve at assessing and trusting gear). Next winter I’d like to train in a more focussed manner with a goal of getting towards onsighting 7a whilst I still have the free time required for that

Edit – that said it’s not just about performance for me. I’m probably most excited this summer about getting out on some of the classic lakes vDiffs with my partner

Onsight 7a was always my general performance goal bitd. Onsight 7a meant enough fitness for me for about (obvs variable!) E4s with a small margin.  Also enough fitness for dws up to 6c. I had to make sure I was consistently onsighting 7a on rock to then solo Freeborn Man with a grade in hand. I didn’t fancy the splashdown from the crux at the top!

So hope you get to 7a onsight!

@rsl1 could’ve written that myself!

I would’ve ticked HVS and probably E1 last summer if it wasn’t for the fact that I was getting married!

7a insight was a way off mind! Still is! 6b+ is something of a ceiling that I need to break.

I dont climb.  But i do chat to Steve McClure and Neil Gresham quite often.  Both absolute gents and Neil has the enthusiasm of a 10 year old kid having eaten 10 x packets of haribo.

This thread is basically me taking on the occasional trail centre black feature talking to folks who’ve completed in red bull rampage…

Nice to see folk posting.

I’m looking to head off somewhere Thursday to Sunday but the weather is looking pretty poor. Might end up North York Moors way.

Anyone else got climbing plans for this week?

Usual weekly indoor session with my regular climbing partner tomorrow evening.  I am itching to get back on some trad though!

Inspired by Chickenman a few from back in the day. What do you recognise?

Controlled Burning?
Bowden Doors
SRD?
Devils Slide/ Satan’s Slip

Love DWS. Been a while since I’ve done any. Who fancies a trip to Malle?

If you want a good 7a DWS then….

Controlled Burning?

Bowden Doors

SRD?

Devils Slide/ Satan’s Slip

Pretty good.

CB fell down about a month after that photo. The FA account in Extreme Rock talks of a hand crack above the roof, I had my whole arm in it.

Bowden yes, x2.

Good guess on SRD but it’s not.

And yes, Devil’s Slide. My mate had been to Lundy before and he said to put chalk bag and shoes in hand luggage then run along the island to do that while the boat was being unloaded then whatever else happened with the weather then at least you’d done it!

I recognise Lundy (not that I’ve done it) and the fifth one down, but can’t remember the route name ffs

fifth one down, but can’t remember the route name ffs

Main Wall at Bowden Doors.

Second pic minus one buttress on the Ben superb route!

Second pic minus one buttress on the Ben superb route!

Correct on both counts.  😄

Spin’s pics:

2nd one -1 Buttress on the Ben?

6th one Freak Out in the Coe?

7th one Brutally Handsome at Bowden?

8th one, it looks familiar…

2nd one -1 Buttress on the Ben?

6th one Freak Out in the Coe?

7th one Brutally Handsome at Bowden?

8th one, it looks familiar…

Yes

Yes

Yes

Blundecral on Meadow Face, Arran.

. An S shaped crack on Arran, that isn’t the S pitch!

This thread is making me sad. Haven’t climbed since the Queen’s Jubilee where I fell off at millstone, fractured my spine and wrist and got carted off by Edale MR.  Want to get back to it, but can’t, took up MTB instead as it safer…

took up MTB instead as it safer…

Really?

So far…

I did buy the guide book just for the description and pictures of the scoop when it came out.

There you go hon…

Dr Evil in cruise mode, just as well…

Hi all, this is timely, someone may be able to help advise me…

Long story short, I climbed years ago before our daughter was born, then stopped. FFWD ~30 years,  have now been going to climbing walls with her for a couple of years, as she was keen to try it.

I used to lead climb at Swanage a lot, and would like to try some easy lead stuff with her. Looking on RockFax, the lower ledges at Dancing Ledge appear to offer some easy grade lead climbs, in a not too threatening environment. (ie, not Boulder Ruckle). Any suggestions of other areas offering easy access low grade climbing appreciated.

Would this seem to be a reasonable proposition to people, or am I being stupid and going to die? Rose tinted glasses and all that.

I am painfully aware of the dangers of climbing – a friend of ours suffered serious head injuries in the Peak District after taking a dive off a climb.

Cheers.

Seriously excited. Off to Stanage this afternoon.

My first and probably only big wall aid route. Too much faff and too far away for me now.