The week that was...

This week has been very special and truly inspiring.
I went to Malham and was fortunate enough to climb alongside the worlds best sportclimber Adam Ondra and the UKs best sportclimber Steve McClure. What other pastimes can afford that calibre of company in their respective theatres? I'll never share a Beauchief green with Tiger Woods, that's for sure.
Everyone was friendly. Everyone was encouraging and everyone enjoyed their climbing. Faces I knew like Sam and Lu, new friends in Jules and Andy. Toby crushed GBH, I got The Oak, my first confirmed 8b.
Climbing really is a great sport - remember that we're incredibly lucky in what we do and go forth with a smile like mine.

My winter training is beginning to pay off:

2010

I guess 2010 was a pretty good year in reacquainting myself with the finer art of bolt-clipping. I really enjoyed the challenges and achieved several of my goals. I'm not sure whether to try the remainder of my dirty dozen list in 2011, or whether to set new targets. The velveteen rabbit was the "very hard project" that I listed so there are only 5 left to do now:

Statement of Youth 8a Lower Pen Trwyn
Soft option 8a Kilnsey
Zoolook 8a Malham
Revelations 8b Raven tor
Magnetic fields 8b Malham

I'm sure I'll do soft option at some stage when it's dry yet the others pose partner problems. If anyone needs a belay on any of these this year then let me know.

The velveteen rabbit.

I've been heading to Trollers gill pretty regularly now since late 2009. Since my first visit I recognised its quality, potential and unique ambience. A secluded gorge reached by a pleasant walk under the magnificent backdrop of the Barden fell gritstone outcrops. The Rockfax guide talks of an isolated setting and spaced bolts and the YMC guide warns of dead rabbits and car thieves.
The isolated setting is one of its main appeals - you're likely to see plenty of ramblers yet other climbers are rare, a refreshing break from the throngs that Malham and Kilnsey attract. The bolts are now all new - a mixture of stainless through bolts and resins at comfortable spacings, thanks to the Yorkshire bolt fund. The flora and fauna isn't restricted to dead rabbits either, and we've never had a problem with car security from the Parcevall hall access.
One thing that is little advertised is Trollers' novel geology and geography. Large lumps of gritstone adorn the dry valley beneath the main face and one route in particular steps from a gritstone block directly onto the limestone wall. The hill behind the main crag has such a slight hydrological volume that the 'sponge' store has little water capacity and hence the rock can be dry for most of the year whilst other crags are seeping.

I worked quickly through the existing routes in 2009 and 2010, and enjoyed most of them but particular mention should be made to the following:
The Jim grin - Yorkshires best 7a.
The Barguest - Another fine 7a, now unfortunately missing its 'surprise'.
Haslam - A pumpy and fingery 7b/+.
Spent Youth - A short powerful and fun 7b/+.
Smouldering globules of lust - An awful name but great route at 7b+/c.

None of the routes there are too long and so they're well suited to a boulderers style - after my first scoping trip I enlisted the help of Nik to plug some obvious quality gaps, and as of this week we've almost finished the job, giving plenty for the previously unrepresented eighth grade climber to go at:
The tinderbox - A fingery and bouldery crux. ** 7c+
Moddey Dhoo - Link velveteen to Angel heart. ** 8a+
Wabbit and lamb - the counter diagonal from Angel heart to velveteen. ** 8a+
Angel heart - harder and better since the jug in the bulge 'fell off'. ** 7c+
Kick my habit - a direct up the cold turkey wall. ** 7b+/c

But pride of place has to go to The velveteen rabbit, arguably my best new route to date. It's taken plenty of work and produced many failures. A technical lower wall warms you up for a brutally powerful crux. I was originally trying this in a 'one inch punch' style by holding a half pad edge and a disappointing sloper and flicking into a flake instinctively, though the percentages were against me and I resorted to a butch full span from undercut to undercut for redpoint success. It took 6 goes on Monday, and finally went in the pouring rain, with run-off beginning to soak the finishing holds. This is redpoint number 5.



Two projects remain, one I bolted just right of The tinderbox that I should complete soon, and one that James Ibbertson bolted but has yet to get fully involved with. Hopefully the new routes will encourage folk to sample the delights of Trollers as a reliable alternative to the usual Yorkshire honeypots. If anyone needs a tour just let me know.

Yes we can.

Missed me?
Winter's been a bit thin on the ground for climbing as the new arrival to the Uptown household has prevented such opportunity and indeed much sleep. I did meet Nik to start the sport-climbing season recently however, and despite a cold wind managed a couple of routes including a fun new one.
I've also had a few sessions up at the roof, and I've added plenty of new bits and bobs to what is now one of the better high grade bouldering spots in Yorkshire. Sunday was no different to usual - perfect conditions and a quiet crag, only Mark to share a bit of banter, beta and encouragement with. Two new 7c+ problems for me and a classic new 8b for him. I've almost got a feature film worth of footage now!
Hoping for a good year.

The flatlands.

Recently I've been working in the Dutch flatlands on a mini-eden.



A colleague went for a run one night and randomly stumbled across a park. Running through this he randomly stumbled across a font escapee - the only free rock in the entire country.
I was made up, after-graft fun could be had away from the bar:



It seems that it's rained continuously since I went out to earn $$$, so much so that all the sport crags in Yorkshire are now wet.
I'm going to re-invent myself as a boulderer again. A trip to Nidderdale and a brief first glance at St. Bees reminded me how unstrong I am, but how much fun remains to be had. I did a reflection circuit and a new filler in at the roof (borderline, 6b/c) and some breezy seasalts on the coast - favourites being undercooke and swinger sds. If only it wasn't so far!

You not me.

It's all about you, not me.
Yesterdays 'you' was Andy Farnell, legend of 'Psyche', beta provider extraordinaire and all round nice chap. He drove to Kilnsey from Liverpool to encourage me up Grooved arete, missing the chance for a shared drive out to the Peak with Holger and Dave. I owe him one. His belief rubbed off and success came quickly - early enough to contemplate a lunchtime walk to the Tennants and a pint of IPA. We managed to resist the Copper Dragon lure for a couple more routes and then retired to the beer garden to discuss our recent conquest.

Andy climbed Grooved arete on Sunday after a four year campaign. In that time he's given up and started climbing again and has had another child. His resolve and drive has been incredible, I can only guess at how many times he's climbed the 8a section up to the 'jug' at two-thirds height, only to fail on the hard red-point crux above. It's so nice to share in his final jubilation, and it's easy to see where his dogged determination came from, for Grooved arete is arguably a perfect British sport-route. It may be diminutive in stature compared to other Kilnsey classics, yet it climbs perfectly - a true PE test. A tough low technical crux is followed by flowing locks up the groove on just sufficient holds. If you land the 'jug' then composure needs to come quick, for you're just a couple of flicks from easier ground, the belay and success. 8b for climbers, 8a+ for trainers, you can decide, but the inevitable grade debate takes nothing away from the 30 or so pure movements necessary to CRUSH.
Just like Raindogs, this route should be on every trainee sport-climbers to-do list. I'm half way there now - 6 more toughies to go. It's amazing how much fun and friendship can be gained from scrawling 12 names on a piece of paper, and just going out climbing. Here's a poor video of Dan Walker (pre-8c beast) breezing up the groovy arete last year. Enjoy.

8b8b8b.

Back in April I decided it was time to change discipline, I'd thrashed my way along some of my winter bouldering goals and needed to start getting fitter for the sport season. About three months in and I'm starting to flow. Back in April I was looking toward a goal of three 8b's this year. I ticked A smarter martyr by May, and have been 'looking' out for other possible 8b challenges since then. I think I've now found them. The dirty dozen names Revelations and Magnetic fields as targets, yet I've decided to keep the DD separate for this number-challenge. I therefore have a new mini-list of 3 8b's to conquer this season:

The Yorkshire ripper @ Kilnsey.
Love amongst the butterflies @ Cheedale cornice.
Austrian oak @ Malham.

Yesterday I opened another DD account at Kilnsey. It's arguably the most productive session I've had sport-climbing, and I have to thank Toby (Creamtime) for that. His beta set me up for flashed ascents of zero option, and soft-zero option. I think I'll try flashing the full soft option next, and I can't wait to get stuck into my project there, although I'm not relishing the potentially massive falls on offer, as it's too hard to clip any bolts once committed to the long and sustained crux of the route.