Holiday Boulders

I love new climbs... theres something really nice about finding a path up something thats never been done before. I was lucky enough a few years ago to stumble on a big block in Glendalough, the Hidden Groove, and blitz it of it's easier problems. Although nothing too hard, they were really nice and still attract a few boulders. This Christmas while out for a rest day's walk Caroline's little brother and i were playing the "spot me some big rocks to climb on" game and Hugh pointed out this:

I nipped across the river and took a look. Straight away the Awesome and Huge groove got me excited and before i knew it i had decided to spend the following day on a solo scrubbing and sending mission - i firured i could get 3 or 4 problems outa this bloc!

Within a few hours i had picked out and brushed 9 problems! and began to climb, aiming for the easier ones first as Sean and Kev Marnane were on there way and i wanted a spot and more pads for the higher ones! The 3rd problem i tried i underestimated... turned out to be a beautiful beast! Technical, steep, powerful. I eventually sent it after what felt like over an hour of trying moves, brushing more holds, chalking, brushing, pulling .... eventually the most lucky slap and throw for the break held and i could top out happy. Felt hard for me but i gave it 7b... half expecting it to be repeated and downgraded soon.... time will tell. I named it "Hugh" after the little man who pointed me at the rocks in the first place :)

Duncan on "Dolittle"

Kev being shut down by the modern classic SS Arete (Font 4)

Starting move of "Hugh"

The original (well only so far) crux method - right toe-hook, left heel-hook

Sean's video of "In the Moon" Font 5+

Motivation

Getting my head round the fact that it’s alright to fail has been a long process. Learning to climb in Ireland is a unique experience and has left me (and maybe others) with some issues I needed to come to terms with before actually starting to climb near my limit (which I still don’t think I have done yet). Basically I always aimed to walk to the base of a route – rack up – and lead it onsight. Sometimes that worked and I’d be chuffed – sometimes I’d wimp out, get pumped, fall or rest on gear. If the latter happened I’d usually pull myself together and frigg my way to the top before my second would follow and we’d move on to another route, returning to the route a few weeks, months or years later to try and tidy up the loose end. The moves were never practiced or honed beyond the bare minimum it took to be able to pass them for the first time, whack in a wire above and continue to the top! Through sheer volume of miles on rock, this approach got me to the point where I had a string of E5’s and a few E6’s onsight under my belt – and every one was a cherished moment of luck and timing and I felt like I was climbing at my limit on each one. No bolts in Ireland meant that I approached sports climbing in the same mindset. No wonder clean 7a’s were such an achievement!

In 2007 I got seriously motivated to try and push myself on sports and set the target of redpointing an 8a. My previous best was 7b+ I think…. Maybe one or two dodgey 7c’s. It was only after I began to work something that I realised just how little time I had ever spent working moves on routes in the past! I tried an 8a – it felt impossible… impassable! I had to pull through whole sections of apparently holdless rock using the draws before eventually getting to the top, a pumped and useless wreck. Smack down! A few days later I returned to the crag to do a neighbouring E5 but after doing it and abseiling down the face the impossible 8a caught my eye again… it’s spell had been broken, it was familiar, I wanted to try it again,,,, just to get a second opinion. This time I managed all the moves but one! Such progress! Wow! 2 more visits and I had redpointed something that I genuinely thought was impossible – I was amazed! And I felt I could climb harder! On a trad parallel, earlier this year I began looking for a line that I could try and work before leading – something harder than E6. I picked Yukon II at Nesscliffe and E7 6b that just doesn’t stop till you top out – easiest move is probably 5c/6a and it was safe(ish). Same scenario again… first try felt desperate. Couldn’t imagine getting to a point of being able to lead it. Next visit I strung it together in two overlapping halves. Next visit I lead it as a warm-up with one fall. A few weeks later without planning it I lead it clean without any need for re-familiarising myself with it’s holds – I just knew I could! Then the summer of work and wet day’s off and doing nothing was followed by a winter of bouldering indoors and outside – all of a sudden I am thinking about Gritstone. The internet is full of reports of visiting Americans cleaning up all the grit testpieces. Compared against the prospect of bouldering on freezing cold crimps – big fat grit slopers just win every time! I’ve had one day out on them and have given in to my selfish impulses and given some time to what I want to do – try some classic E8’s and E7’s on a rope instead of onsighting a load of easier grade stuff (what is expected by my Irish trad beginnings). Surprising myself by linking 2 6c tech routes really quickly and man; the moves were sweet! Like bouldering on a rope but really, really good bouldering! Slopers, tension, gymnastic, dynamic…. Beautiful!

And now this… before christmas I read the following on Dave MacLeod’s blog:

“Committing yourself to climbing a route you cannot touch at present is a special experience that can change your life. Sure you, can dismiss this potential for an adventure because ‘it’s not an onsight’ or whatever you like. Some people will do this because they respond differently to the stimulus climbing gives, others because they are actually frightened they do not have the commitment but won’t admit this to themselves and others because they don’t follow the two rules of this type of adventure.The two rules are1. The chosen challenge has to be genuinely impossible at the time of choosing. If it’s too easy, it will leave you cold. Need numbers? Add four grades to your onsight level.2. Committing yourself means committing yourself. Not trying it and seeing how you get on. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for quitting when it’s the correct conditions for doing so (see The Dip by S. Godin for advice on this), but most people just quit because they gave up. To underline this, feeling like you might not be able to do it is a necessary part of the plan, not the reason to abandon it. You must do the route, whatever it takes (bar cheating).”

He managed to re-confirm what I am beginning to feel myself. Everything I’ve tried so far (with the exception of the 8b at Dinbren, which I love and will need to invest some serious time into) has come together really quickly. So now I’m gonna bite the bullet and try and project something proper hard (for me at least). Going by Dave’s guideline of adding 4 grades onto your onsight means I should be looking at the E9 or E10 routes… Hmmm! By a coincidence I did find myself looking at a couple in Curbar the other week. “The Zone” E9 looks Awesome! As does “Knockin on heavens door” and obviously theres “Soul Doubt”, “Parthian shot” and “New Statesman” which I’ve always wanted to try ever since watching Neil Bently lead it in Hard Grit! Back home theres the Awesome work by Ricky to inspire… Tolerance, Divided Years, MushroomBoyz, Crystal Methods and the Complete Scream. In Dublin theres Ron’s Indecent Assault in Dalkey. Knowing how much easier routes feel after some invested time I’d like to try Ron’s again and see if it becomes feasible all of a sudden.
Anyway, I’m totally psyched to just try lots of hard routes and become a top-roping bastard for a while (well of anything E7 or harder…

While home for Christmas I managed an incredible 5 days out in Glendalough and one in the Mournes. I got to see what is the nicest piece of climbing I think I’ve ever seen come together in the form of “Leftism” on Big Jane. I tried all the moves but being fat and weak couldn’t link them… but they’re brilliant! It’s got me really psyched for bouldering! I want to apply the same project approach to something and beautiful as the climbing on that bloc… I just have to find something

Anyways, ramble over.... Happy New Year and heres to 2009… an awesome year ahead!

NOT DEAD YET!

Moved to Llangollen - nearest 8b sports route is 5 mins from my flat, i can hear the river, see the hills and the castle and smell the rock from my room!

Been climbing indoors regularly for the first time in 5 years? Feels good!

Had my first day out on Grit - toproped Kaluza Klein, E7 6c at Robin Hood's Stride and End of the Affair E8 6c at Curbar - both in the Peak District, both Dawes routes and both from Hard Grit - and both were surprisingly easy to figure out and work - managed around 6 clean, slack topropes on both routes before the meager winter daylight faded and we had to leave - Now they've been in my mind a few days i'm ready for the leads... With all the media hype about E8's and 9's being ground-up'ed lately it's easy to forget the seriousness of these routes and the difficulty! That day on grit was eye opening for me and also inspirational - i know i would have never been able to even hold the holds a few months ago - never mind consider leading these routes! I'm mega psyched!!!! For training, bouldering, hard trad headpoints.... the lot! Respect to Eddie B. and Ricky B. for their leads of End of the Affair b.t.w! Legends! hope mine goes as smoothly :)

Got a fingerboard

Sculpted my first ever climbing hold that is gonna be moulded and made in north wales the other day while off work sick... sweet sloper action!

Neal is off in Thai land - about to start his send fest no doubt - Good - it'll keep me psyched throught the winter :)

Will post more and more regularly again - promise :)

Summer 2008

Well i'll call it a summer - despite the weather! :)

I've been working non stop to scrape funds together basicially... nuff said.

No holidays, not much climbing - non really. Bits of training .... just managed to keep my head above 40 miles pre week throughout the summer with the occasional week above the 70 mile mark. No climbing indoors. A steady ammount of hanging.

I've been working at Freelance Climbing instruction with groups out in Llangollen and also got my hand into leading Gorge walking groups and White Water Rafting Sessions - All great fun so it's not nearly as bad as it might sound.

Work wise - I got my first set of GCSE results during the summer and the schools poor run of performance in Maths has taken a turn for the better - with a department consisting of two, Tim the Head of the department and Me, we jumped the percentage of pupils achieving between a C and A grade from a Regional low the year before of just 14% to a new regional high of 52% !! So i must be doing something right :)

Got out on rock a few times - it was often wet - and managed a steady bit of mileage on some 7b's and 7c's but made no real progress on the 8b - Well, i got on it twice - now finding the lower section harder, but made huge progress on the top, crux move after watching Nico tryng it way back. Oh, and i'm climbing sans-tape.... the finger feels ok :)

Last night i went climbing indoors and had alot of fun. I failed patheticially on routes by the end of the night that i should be able to cruise! I mean 6b's by the end of the session but instead of feeling like topping myself off the nearest bridge i'm kinda excited. I know i've gotten Way stronger and fitter than before and that i can pull harder off smaller edges now than ever....it's just that i've done literally NO mileage in ages. I'm hoping to see and report back on a steep improvement curve.

Thats all for now Folks.... hopefully more to come

Nico sends 8c trad crack

Check this out!

Dave Sends Echo Wall, E12?

Just check this out!

And a serious Well done to Dave From me... his blog is the best source of honnest grit and determination, following his trail of hard work and progress, on the web.

Way harder than E11 or any other route he's done?!?! Harder than 8c solo or 9a redpoint? on really crap gear? On a mountain crag? The route's already got legend status... I'm guessing there won't be a que of people wanting to repeat it anytime soon :)

British Fell Championships

A few weeks back Caroline decided to enter into the Fell championships despite not really managing to get into the groove of training at all this year really (Mainly due to a few lingering illness').
Heres some profiles and pictures of the event - 3 words - short and Sharp!

Caroline finished 9th Senior Lady despite a fall on the descent - got us back training on the fells with a vengance

Visual catchup

Still playing catchup with the last months activity... i'll just plough on redardless :)

I got sick - think it was my first case of the flu! Knocked me for 6! but every cloud has it's silver lining - i found the ultimate cure... look above. Yes, thats right.... lemsip max, plenty of honey, jameson and boiling water! Hmmmmmmm
We decorated the kitchen...

I went to a Welsh medium residential outdoor centre for two days where some of my year 7 pupils were staying for a week doing all sorts of activities - climbing, high-ropes, sailing, rafting hiking etc... On the day i arrived to help out i was asked to accompany a group walking up a hill. Half way in a kid trips up and breaks her ankle - turned out i was the most experienced of the instructors present and they had no plan in place for a situation like this. Luckily i threw my mountain leader First aid kit in my pack before heading off (Don't normally). Managed to strap it up as best as possible then arrange for a jeep to get as close as it could to our position. Despite the centre staff trying all manner of assisted hoping, group lifts etc... nothing worked due to the uneven terrain and the kid was in pain. So i ended up carrying her on my back the 3/4 mile to the jeep. Killed me!The Kid was heavier than me! Good deed for the day done and in the bag :)

Past it's sell by date - Eye Candy 003

Right - i know this is getting old so heres the last few pics from the week off - Jean Lou asked if he could take some shots of me going for my first E7 ... heres what came out Ignore the crap ropework... was more concerned with staying on!
Again, not lookin the most steady... Placing the definition of Mental protection - the smallest Black Diamond Cam - placed in a flared sandstone mini-crack. I tested this on abseil and it ripped straight out...pointless!
Ready for launch - all set up on the smears and tiny edges before the crux dyno for a rounded break - i hadn't got this move first go on a toprope ever before, so without any warmup i was all too aware i was gonna fly off at this point. Ripping the crap Cam and (hopefully) stopping above the ground providing the old Peg below me held
I caught it! Now pumped and with the prospect of making it the climbing keeps comming - the groove tapers, getting narrower and narrower, every move feels at least Brittish Tech 6a...

The climbing style changes into something more like face climbing before...
the groove totally tapers out and theres a sequence of Monos on poorish footholds before you reach the top break (Ha, ha! Break! On lead, right below the top and about 10 ft higher than this picture, with no more gear, a handhold ripped off while i was about to top out sending me into one of those wavey armed barndoors!! i just managed to hold on!)

At last!

I've been having broadband issues at home and YouTube is blocked at work so it's taken me this long to finally upload my naff first attempt to string together some of the footage from our fun week - The vid is from one wet day in Pembroke - Lots of Wet holds from the nights rain but the sun came out so we went onsighting! Typically all the best climbs were not caught on film! and i didn't stick in any of the footage from working the Big Issue as none of us got on lead before the rain came... Enjoy and be kind - my first attempt at editing!

Eye Candy 002

Wider bridging above the crux but still nothing like a hold in sight
Nico belaying sean (in my hat) on his oh so almost successful 1st redpoint attempt. Just look at this position, Palming, hangjam-chickenwing, kneebaring, smearing, chimney-ing, face smear!!

Me belaying Nico - taking a deep breath before throwing himself into the groove for his last redpoint attempt!Me starting up Yukon II, E7 6b - damp sandstone! A great feature but not many holds - or trustworthy gear placements!

Eye Candy 001

Some buildering around Chester - Under the bridge, the fist jam traverse

Sean starting up pitch 3 of the Quarryman (E8 7a) with me filming and Nico spotting

Me getting into the groove - we all took turns working this pitch before going for the redpoint - i think i counted 3 holds on this pitch!

A typical, chicken-winging, knee-baring, palming, smearing, chimney manoeuvre from this pitch! Physical!!