Over the last month I've been beavering away at the white (grey) stuff and although it felt quite brutal to begin with, in comparison with trying to levitate on gritstone slopers all winter, it has now started to pay off with a decent summit.
On Monday evening I managed to grab the finishing hold of Primitive Notion 8a+ at Kilnsey and make the fourth ascent of the bloc after such notables as Dunningdinho, Back Two (whose foot beta, I hope has improved since joining Scarpa :) and the boy Jones.
Although you always feel a little awkward bouldering at Kilnsey, the variety of moves/holds and rock quality on PN more than make up for bouldering at such an esteemed routing crag. I'd even go so far as to say it was one of the 'best' limestone blocs in this fair isle. Footage will feature in the extras section of 'This is Yorkshire' and no doubt DT will crush the fifth this week.
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Thursday, 2 May 2013
End of the Season
As the grit season is now drawing to a close, I've been casting around for a few summer projects and even dabbling in a little early limestone. Having said that though, I managed to piece together the first half of Ullola 8b at Caley. The initial slopes to half way are rather good and around 8a/8a+ for the link. The second half was unpleasant, snappy and very hard...not something I'll go back to! Hopefully the young bucks will get involved.
Pottering around in the Peak and at Longridge and climbing a few 7c/7c+ blocs has been good fun and I now have few projects to keep me occupied over the summer and next winter. I'm also reasonably close to a hard lime proj in the Shire which I'm really keen to get linked over the next couple of weeks.
Keep ya eyes peeled for 'This is Yorkshire', the trailer has been well received even with my close up!
Pottering around in the Peak and at Longridge and climbing a few 7c/7c+ blocs has been good fun and I now have few projects to keep me occupied over the summer and next winter. I'm also reasonably close to a hard lime proj in the Shire which I'm really keen to get linked over the next couple of weeks.
Keep ya eyes peeled for 'This is Yorkshire', the trailer has been well received even with my close up!
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
Monday, 8 April 2013
North of the Wall
Just got back from a long week in the County with Ceri, Woody, Tim and the Duchess. Great time all round, perfect little 'bothy' holiday cottage, good food and great company. We climbed every day as the weather was so good...Bowdens, Kyloes and Redheugh etc and ate lots of the Duchess' flapjack. Tim managed to scalp a couple of 7c's and a 7b+ and I did a couple of 7c+ blocs, in between getting agonisingly close on Working Class 8a+ at Bowden. Really keen to get back there soon.
Now back in the Shire I have another week of Easter holidays so I hope the weather holds and I can get back out on the grit. Spent today at Caley and brushed up a project as well as supporting DT with his repeat of High Fidelty 8b. It was good to return the spot after my attempts on Rhythm and brought back a few memories. What a line and truly brutal gritstone climbing. Brilliant Dan. Well done.
Now back in the Shire I have another week of Easter holidays so I hope the weather holds and I can get back out on the grit. Spent today at Caley and brushed up a project as well as supporting DT with his repeat of High Fidelty 8b. It was good to return the spot after my attempts on Rhythm and brought back a few memories. What a line and truly brutal gritstone climbing. Brilliant Dan. Well done.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Rhythm
Last week I managed to make the fourth ascent of Rhythm 8b at Flasby Fell. Although just outside the medals, joining Dunning, Clifford and Varian on the role call was brilliant. It's easy to forget that Steve scooped this almost ten years ago and even though it is one of the most aesthetic 'hard' problems on grit its only had four ascents since then!
Coincidentally just after Steve had opened the problem I had been over in the Shire with Ray and Simon from North Wales and we headed up to do some pictures with Steve. Although I would never have admitted it at the time, especially to Steve, he'd made a terrific ascent of a stunning problem and along with High Fidelity 8b at Caley, taken bouldering standards in Yorkshire into a new league.
Although Steve's sequence was probably near his estimated 8b+, I agree with Dan V that 'low' (if there is such a thing!) 8b is about right. TC was obviously too strong for his own good!
Although rather dismaying considering my own efforts on Rhythm, 'Back Two' Varian unleashed a one day Beastmaker blitzkrieg on his third ascent last year, his footage did really help unlock a 'do able' sequence, although mine took a little longer! Finally, big thanks to DT for keeping me keen and motivating me. Nice one...keep ya eyes peeled for his 'edit'.
It's all been going off in the Shire over the last couple of months with Jordan and Dave Jones both getting repeats of High Fidelity and the 'old fox' Dunning thoroughly embraced his Frank Lampard years and nailed a third ascent of my problem 'Chabal' 8a+ at Gorple. Great efforts.
Coincidentally just after Steve had opened the problem I had been over in the Shire with Ray and Simon from North Wales and we headed up to do some pictures with Steve. Although I would never have admitted it at the time, especially to Steve, he'd made a terrific ascent of a stunning problem and along with High Fidelity 8b at Caley, taken bouldering standards in Yorkshire into a new league.
Although Steve's sequence was probably near his estimated 8b+, I agree with Dan V that 'low' (if there is such a thing!) 8b is about right. TC was obviously too strong for his own good!
Although rather dismaying considering my own efforts on Rhythm, 'Back Two' Varian unleashed a one day Beastmaker blitzkrieg on his third ascent last year, his footage did really help unlock a 'do able' sequence, although mine took a little longer! Finally, big thanks to DT for keeping me keen and motivating me. Nice one...keep ya eyes peeled for his 'edit'.
It's all been going off in the Shire over the last couple of months with Jordan and Dave Jones both getting repeats of High Fidelity and the 'old fox' Dunning thoroughly embraced his Frank Lampard years and nailed a third ascent of my problem 'Chabal' 8a+ at Gorple. Great efforts.
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Monday, 18 March 2013
The Fat Lady Sings!
Over the last month I've been climbing outside regularly, albeit in between snow showers, but I've been really enjoying it and making progress on some new grit projects. I hope the weather plays ball over the next couple of weeks and I can finish a few things off.
We ventured over to the Bowderstone last weekend for a bit of a change and some early Spring steel sharpening...although it was a bit damp the team took a few scalps and I managed a second ascent of the Ladder Face 'classic' Fat Lady 8b (although an 'eliminate', it climbs really rather well and it don't feel like it), put up by Dan Varian in September last year. I seemed to unlock her charms fairly quickly but needless to say it nearly turned epic in the end!
After much deliberating we have had to bin our trip to Rocklands this summer, what with jobs, DIY projects and various other problems it didn't seem like a good plan...hopefully Bishop at Christmas for a couple of weeks though...keen.
Must finish with a pat on the back for Alex Barrows after his second ascent of 'Pilgrimage' aka 'The Big Link' in Parisella's Cave. Brilliant. Having watched a video of Alex's successful redpoint and having the experience of my own rather mediocre dabblings, it seems obvious that route style links with sport grades and the use of knee pads (and endless core endurance!) will be the future 'norm' in the Cave and this seems like a totally positive way to go. I think we should be a little quicker to give whole hearted plaudits in future...great effort.
We ventured over to the Bowderstone last weekend for a bit of a change and some early Spring steel sharpening...although it was a bit damp the team took a few scalps and I managed a second ascent of the Ladder Face 'classic' Fat Lady 8b (although an 'eliminate', it climbs really rather well and it don't feel like it), put up by Dan Varian in September last year. I seemed to unlock her charms fairly quickly but needless to say it nearly turned epic in the end!
After much deliberating we have had to bin our trip to Rocklands this summer, what with jobs, DIY projects and various other problems it didn't seem like a good plan...hopefully Bishop at Christmas for a couple of weeks though...keen.
Must finish with a pat on the back for Alex Barrows after his second ascent of 'Pilgrimage' aka 'The Big Link' in Parisella's Cave. Brilliant. Having watched a video of Alex's successful redpoint and having the experience of my own rather mediocre dabblings, it seems obvious that route style links with sport grades and the use of knee pads (and endless core endurance!) will be the future 'norm' in the Cave and this seems like a totally positive way to go. I think we should be a little quicker to give whole hearted plaudits in future...great effort.
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