Winter Gritstone Cragging

Over Christmas me and Brandon have been getting out on the Grit alot!, We have bikes and we have been getting up at 6-7ish to get to the crags earlier, which is pretty tireing!

I haven't done much hard stuff but I have nearly done West Side Story (Burbage West), I've had two small sessions and I'm on the last side pull, I just need to find the footholds and then pop for the pocket. Yesterday I did Breakfast at Burbage West which is Font7a, I got close on my first go but after that the last move kept spitting me off. I eventually found a sneaky side pull and did it first go with the side pull. Its a pretty funky problem.

I have decided that I am going to concentrate on West Side Story (Font7b+) and The Terrace (Font7c+). The Terrace which is at Burbage North looks like my style of climbing, big moves but not (too) reachy, slappy, powerful and really steep. I would really like to do both of these problems before I am 17 which is on the 29th January. And i just thought i would tell you that m friend is making a climbing film and we are going to try and film the sends of these problems, and many more! ( also including grit solos and bold grit routes, oh, and no headpoint just onsighting, onsight attempting, and ground up ascents)

Bouldering at Castle Hill

Font6a Slab at Castle Hill

Pictures

First Ascent of Coral Defence Systems - Font 5+

The temporary unnamed problem, about Font6a/6a+, I can't remember if i or my brother climbed it first.

First Ascent of The Silver Surfer

Possible first ascent, of The Silver Surfer, estimated Font7a

walking to the bouldering

Touronga Bouldering

In Touronga, where I am, is a short limestone crag with some neglectaed sport routes by the bouldering (short wall) is of good quality. I bouldered there yesterday and today, there are crimps, sloppy rails, pockets, pretty much everything. Today is was 'major' hot, like, nearly too hot. So we had to finish climbing early to go in the sea which had some huge waves which are pretty powerful. We made loads of boulder problems and the rock is pretty cool. We also did some deep water bouldering (wall traversing). Which was pretty intense. The boulders on the shore have amazing friction, i havn't done much on them but there is some good climbs. anyway, tomorow is my last full day.

Castle Hill

On the Saturday i went to the Roxx, which was pretty good but all the bouldering didn't really have proper problems so i had to just do eliminates. we ended up going to Castle Hill that evening as well, so i got to climb before ot got dark. Then the next day (Sunday) I climbed there as well. We got a bit shut down by the style of climbing, its completely different to anything i'd been on before, some of the footholds were that polished it would squeak loudly when you placed your foot on it. The handholds were also very polished, some of the problems were very highball, in the guide there were signs saying 'potential fatal fall', and this was for all grades. I climbed alot of the easy problems and just experienced it but didn't send anything hard. Amazing place but two sessions was not enough to get used to it enough to send the hard stuff, plus i just wanted climb on loads of the boulders. I'll post all the pictures probably when i get back. I'm in Tauranga at the moment, and i will probably be staying here for 2 nights. There is bouldering here, and i think there is some possible DWS. anyway gtg.

Walls + Castle Hill

The day after we went to The Airstrip we climbed at 'the wall' in Routaroua. The bouldering wasn't world class or anything, and the matting was a bit shady but it was still a session.

We are going to the climbing wall in Christchurch today, i think its called 'the roxx', but the next two days after that we will be sleeping in the Castle Hill village and climbing at Castle Hill for two days which will probably be the best climbing part of the holiday.

Boulderin in New Zealand No.2

I have managed to get on another pc...Yesterday me and Brandon went bouldering at The Airstrip, south of Hamilton on the North island.The rock is Limestone but has pretty good friction still, the rock has some weird formations and is mostly pinches. We warmed up on some easy boulders and then moved to Grot View Cave, which is a massive limestone cave, where most of the problems start at the back fo the roof and work out and up, i liked this style of climbing because it requires alot fo body tension. Me and Brandon flashed 'Du Hast' (V5/Font 6c+) which is a total pump fest around the inside roof of the cave, in a sort of circular motion. Me and Brandon then did 'Franks Better Half' (V6 Font7a). I gave it one go and found that our initial sequence was wrong, then Brandon tried it another way and got close, then on my 3rd go i sent it (Brandon got it on his second go). We tried the V7 link-up to this but didn't have enough time to do that, i got very close on that as well but time beat us..oh well. I might be going to the bouldering wall today in Routaroua, if not, then i will tomorrow. We are going to the hot mud baths in a minute so goodbye people...i'll blog again when i can :)

New Zealand Bouldering

Hey guys, it's took a while for me to get on a pc but I've eventually got on one... It has took 5 days for me to get any climbing in since i set of for New Zealand. It took a 24hr flight to get here and then we was jet lagged ect.

I went to Ti Point yesterday on the North Island above Auckland. It is a climbing venue for sport/trad routes and has no developed bouldering. It is coastal and the bouldering is right next to an amazing beach and clear blue water. I will put pictures up soon and topos of the problems. I have put up problems from V2-v6/7. I'll just give an overview of what i have done...I have not named them yet but i will soon, i put up 6/7 problems. The hardest being Font7a/7a+, it features very power full and flexible moves on sloppers and nice crimps, i don't have any names for them yet but when i get all the picture topos on the pc i'll give them all proper names and grades. The rock is limestone and can be sharp and snappy in places, some of it needs brushing and some boulders have loads of shells stuck to the bottom. It's pretty awesome bouldering on a hot day next to amazing water and beaches. The scenery is just amazing and there is so much potential for new climbs.

Tomorrow in going to AirStrip bouldering near Waitamo Caves to boulder for the day... I don't have much time left on this pc so i'll have to stop there...pictures soon.

Rab junior bouldering series

Rab bouldering Series - I'm going to New Zealand

Yesterday me and my brother entered the Rab junior bouldering series, round 1, at The Edge in Sheffield. I went with a clear mind and was looking for a bit of fun. I found it pretty hard to climb whilst under pressure and i am not too sure whether i like it or not? It feels weird when you are on a hard problem, and there are loads of people watching you, most of them wanting you to fall off so you loose points. It was fun and i will finish the rounds but i hope i get used to climbing under pressure because the problems where good but it doesn't feel to good climbing under pressure. Anyway it was pretty fun, except for the dreaded jamming crack! i had never jammed before in my life, and then suddenly i have 3 go's to complete this V6 jamming crack, well i didn't do it and it lost me some points...i dont like jamming. In the end i came 2nd place, beaten by one point by my twin brother Brandon, who came 1st. It was very close. We both got free chalk bags which was nice, i got a blue Rab small chalk bucket thing. There is a picture above of me climbing in the comp.

I am going to New Zealand Tomorrow! which i hope is going to be awesome, i will be updating my blog when i am over there with pictures and stuff. Oh, and by the way most of my new pictures will be taken by my older brother Callum.

Sunset at Higgar Tor - Taken by Dan Lane

Warming up at Burbage South

Me on Impossible Slab - V7

Me on Huggy Sit-Start V2/V3, taken by Dan Lane

Grit Outing with Sunset Soloing, plus Parthian Shot...

Finally i got the chance to get out on the Grit, i am going to New Zealand in just over a weekso i have had to save my money, but we met up with Chris Weedon who took us ou for the daywhich was pretty cool. We met Dan Lane at Hathersage and headed to Burbage South. We warmedup and noticed somebody was abseiling down Parthian Shot (E9 6c).
We walked over to see that it was one of the American visiters, Alex Honnald. We said hello and then went to do some bouldering, we did various problems but nothing too strenuous. As we headedback to Parthian Shot i noticed that i could see him leading the route, i looked down for a splitsecond and then noticed i had missed him fall off the route, i saw him at the end of the fall but not above the gear. We walked over, and then had a look at The Knock (E4 6a), there was a photographeron abseil above Parthian, he asked us toget out of the shot, the American said "yeah, i'll give it one morego and then chill out and let these guys do what they want", which was nice of him, to say its an E9!
We watched him set off on the route, it was very gripping to watch, i wasn't sure if he was going to pull it off as he rocked onto the slab, partly becuase the rop was in the way on the foothold, but he finished it. It was the first E9 that i have witnessed being climbed in real life which made it fairly special.
We headed to Higgar Tor afterwards. I Onsight Soloed Brillo (E1 5c), which was my first E1. It was a bitgreen/damp/polished but an OK route. I also OS soloed a very green VS, The Reamer, that had a reachy move at the top, i had not mats or spotters so i felt like i may be in a spot of danger, but once i had tested my reach i committed and pulled to the top, it has some nice jugs all the way up and is a nice route. I got to the top to be welcomed by an amazing sunset.
I didn't get much hard problems done but i got alot of mileage in, so it was good, there will be some pictures soonthat where taken by Dan and Chris, overall it was a very good day, thanks to Chris Weedon for taking me.

First Ascents in The Peak

Me and Brandon tried to find The Secret Garden.... we didn't find it and was, well pretty pissed off really as we had walked for ages and was getting tired from scrambling through the heather trying to find it. Anyway as time pushed on and the sun got closer to setting we resorted for settling down and climbing on two esoteric boulders. I don't know why we stopped there but we didn't have much time left and just needed to do some climbing. I have not found the boulders in any guides or on the Internet, so, we have named them the No Mans Land - Boulders. WE named them this because they sit in between the two signs of Sheffield City and The Peak District. Lately i have really wanted to do my own boulder problem, even if its on some random boulder that nobody goes to. I have calculated it and i am really sure i was the first to do these, anyway i did a traverse line which i called The Trench Traverse, i gave it Font 6c+, it starts pretty low and uses bad sloppers and wide moves to come to the very blunt arete and leads to a soft mantelling finish. The other problem i did was a better problem, its called The rise of The Footsoldier, given Font 7a+, it starts underneath a roof, then come out using pockets, then uses sloppers to harsh mantelling top-out. I believe the grades are pretty accurate and have been confirmed by my Brandon. The rock is very sandy, crumbly and can be green in places, on ROTF as you come out of the roof the rock crumbles in your eyes as you try and get over and out...but it was good to something of my own.

Not and average Week

Well, it hasn't been the regular train/climb/rest week. On Wednesday me and my brother met up with a friend who we hadn't seen in a while, Pete Barley, he took us to Curbar, Gardorms, and New Stones. We had never been to any of those places so it was pretty cool. I did Trackside (Font 7a) after a few goes, it an OK problem but not the best 7a around. I then tried Play Hard (Font 7c) and was told to do it the wrong way, so that's my excuse for not holding the crap sidepull thing. When we went over to Gardorms I tried Mark's roof and got to the last move on my second go, I'm pretty psyched to do it but the last move is too hard to get cracked in a small session. I then tried various other things and had fun, best accomplishment of the day was Trackside.

On Friday (yesterday), It was Halloween, so we went to the pumpkin party at plantation. We wrecked our skin before everybody came. I finished Captain Hook - Font 7b/ V8 - on my first go of the day, I had a total of around 20 attempts at it and was very happy to do it. It's certainly under-rated. I then tried other things, nearly doing - Ben's Reverse (Font 7b). At night, when everybody came and I was a bit tipsy I completed the, in a way, rumoured, Pebble Arete Sit Start after a few goes, its very powerful and compared to other problems its probably about 6c+/ soft 7a. It was a very good day out, but the night finished rather, wrongly, we missed our train stop to Scunthorpe and was stranded 30 miles from home, we was all drunk and fell asleep before our stop, I was sick on the train and we had to walk to the M180 and hitch a lift from this guy, the bouldering mat straps also snapped off. We got home at about 2 in the morning. I woke up with red tips and a bad headache. So yeah, another great week of being a climbing bum.

Mid-week bouldering post

Me and Brandon got up at 4:50 am, we attempted to get to The Plantation for 8:15 so we could take advantage of the friction. Didn't go to plan really, the train delayed and we ended up getting a bus from Sheffield, as we missed the connecting train from Sheffield to Hathersage. As we got close to the crag it started raining, so we layed in a bush for a short while. Walked to the public toilets nearer to the crag and it started raining again, so we stayed in the toilet for a while.

The Rock was wet, we spent ages waiting. Eventually i got warmed up on the semi-dry rock and then flash-repeated a classic Font 6c. I got super close on Captain Hook, but then it started drizzling. We walked to a Font 7a+ arete on Stanage, then it dried up, nearly got that in a few goes but we wanted to move onto Stanage far right. I on-sighted 'Almost A Hold' - Font 6c+ and OS soloed 'The real 20ft Crack' Which is hard when you layback it rather than jam it! I OS soloed another HVS 5c - Easy Walling, I did a sit start to this and claimed it as a font 6b/6b+ boulder problem. I also did a new line that is a bit of an eliminate but still hard/fun. It breaks of a route called 'sleasy jamming' and goes left onto a blank wall, there is a small flake that can be used. There is a chance it has been climbed before but from judging by the rock and line it looks like i may have been the first to do this eliminate line, so at the moment its name is - Liams Sleasy Eliminate - Font 6c. In the end it was a good day, shouldn't have got up so early though as it was wet for the first part, but ah well.

Early bird catches the worm (friction)

The title makes it sound like i'm a psycho boulderer that wakes up at 5 in the morning to do The Ace (8b) before the morning is over..well speaking of people that do just that, i met my friend Scott Mclellan at Stanage plantation to find that he had finished The Ace before i had got there (got there at about 10), so yeah he's pretty inspirational to says hes only been climbing nearly 3 years. I warmed up and then got on Captain Hook (7b), i spent a while on it while the conditions were still OK and now i can do most of the problem, exiting the problem (finishing it) is now the goal for Sunday. I walked over the another boulder and on-sighted a Font 6c which is a really good problem, i had a quick look at where the holds go and then went for it. I then did other various random warm down things to finish and then got the train to Sheffield, then home. So Sunday is the day to complete Captain hook, (Zippy's was damp/wet).

Bouldering..Bouldering..Bouldering...

Wednesday night: finished an indoor V8 at the edge and flashed a V5

Friday Post: Built my bouldering wall (again) in my garage and set problems from V1-v8+/9, i did the V7 but the V8+/9 is, well, nails!

Today's Post: 9:55 train, got the hathersage, got two pies and two packs of munchies. walked the usual long path up to plantation. Warmed up, did the Pebble arete, did the Green Traverse first go (repeat from being worked a while ago). Zippy's traverse was wet so i had loads of try's on Captain Hook, the problem is pretty cool, its got some big slaps on big sloppers. It should get done soon (need more friction and smaller shoes first). Had a few goes on zippys when it dried out a bit, but made no further progress. Tried the sit start to Pebble arete, that should get done soon as well. Did the start of Jerrys Traverse, and also had a general play around on that side of the boulder. I have cut the day short, but i was bouldering for 5 hours..and now im nakerd!! Should be back out soon..

Weekend post

Last Saturday it was raining so me and Brandon went to the Edge climbing centre, Scott (my Friend who works there) told me that the 'young guns' were in, it was the youth British bouldering team. So the bouldering room was packed. I managed to flash up to V6 and fell off a fair few times on a V8 which i will be attempting tonight when i go there. At night we slept at the Fox House Inn and hoped that it wouldn't be raining. In the morning it was really wet but not raining so we walked to Burbage to see what the rock was like, it was wet so waited it out and wasted some time in Hathersage. Eventually the rock dried out, warmed up, flashed the green traverse (repeat from worked), tried Deliverance Traverse and got close but not quiet there yet. Got on Zippy's as well, Zippy's is going to be a challenge for me. I kept falling off whilst trying to get my heel in the hole. Good day, should be out on the Grit again soon.

Future Project

After completing the surprisingly short-waited goal of V7, my attention is still directed at bouldering and seems like it will be staying like that for a while. My current problem which i aspire to do is Zippy's Traverse V8 at Stanage plantation. The plantation is a place where i don't feel out of my depth for some reason and generally like all the problems there. To achieve V8 i am still training 4/5 times a week and a day climbing outside on the Saturday's, except my training days have started becoming more specific and personalised including working on many of my weaknesses . This Saturday i will be going to Wales for a taster of what it has to offer in term of bouldering which should be good considering that i have never been to wales.

Plantation Projects

Today me, my brother Brandon and my Friends Josh and Jordan got the train to Hathersage for a day on the Grit. The weather was amazing, clear blue sky. We bought some pies and walked up to Stanage Plantation. Jordan did well on his first day, climbing at around font 5+/6a. I managed to finish the project which i was working which was The full green traverse V7 font 7a+ , i was very happy when i finished it. I also got far on the Deliverance Traverse except again the sun wouldn't allow me to use the finishing smears, i also did some of the usual problems (face of business, pebble arete etc etc) and soloed a couple of VS's. We finished off with climbing anything and everything, random problems of good quality in the evening sun .Overall it was my favourite day out on the grit so far.

Burbage South bouldering

Josh climbing, and me chilling at the top

Another saturday on the Grit.

A week of college, just waiting for the weekend. I got woken up at 8:50, the train was leaving at 9:10 so i didn't have much time to get ready. We met up with some friends i hadn't seen in a while at burger king in Sheffield. We got the bus to Fox house Inn and started walking up to Burbage South. We spent a while warming up on some slabby stuff, before doing a long font 6b+ traverse which was pumpy. We then took a walk up to the crag itself and i did a V2 arete (on sight) and also the first known ascent on this V3* arete (also onsight), the picture above shows me repeating it, its a worthwhile arete which requires a high foot to be able to finish it or your hands may be miss-angled and slip off. I had a look at a very good V7 (electric storm), except the holds had major seepage as it was shaded all day. I also did the second ascent of my brothers unknown slab, named 'Element Slab' V2/3 which is situated on one of the boulders, it's pretty un-noticeable but it is there!. I also did a low traverse which wasn't quide-booked, about v3/4. I had a look at Equilibrium, dont get me started on how hard that thing looks. On the other hand, Life assurance (E6 6b) looks pretty amazing, i may to top-rope it this winter and see how it goes. Simbas pride (E8 6b)...no thanks. Of couse, we went on a trip, so we HAD to loose something didn't we (full bottle of liquid chalk).

Good weather all day, classic bouldering.

A Humid Saturday at Plantation

We managed to get to Plantation again this week, me, my brother and my friends Dayne and Josh got the train to Hathersage then walked up to Stanage. I warmed up then had some goes at 'Deliverance Traverse' (v7) and made good progress, managed to get the side pull and make attempts to finish of towards the arete, except me smears were literally popping off because of the humidity so i have decided to leave that for a couple of weeks until the friction is good enough. So i had a go at 'The Full Green Traverse' (v7) started on the sloper and a little crimp thing and got to the start of 'The green Traverse' (v6) which i did on Monday, the problem with this one is trying to get you body position around and actually onto the V6 traverse without your feet touching the floor, i got this far on my first attempt and only gave it 4 goes in total so i am feeling pretty optimistic in the fact this may be my first v7, my brother wanted to try something else so we moved on. I found myself on the 'Rose and The Self Employed Business Man' (v7) but found it fairly tough to be honest. After a couple more hours of playing about on some easier stuff and trying really hard stuff we couldn't stand the midges anymore and had to leave. My two established goals are The Full green Traverse, and the Deliverance Traverse.

My best day in one day.

Once again me and my brother couldn't take it anymore, we had to climb outside, So even if it was for one day we had to go. We got the train to Hathersage from Scunthorpe at 12.10 and got to Stanage Plantation at about 3.45. We warmed up on some easy slabby prolems (4 - 5+) and then a v3 which i had done before. After some people had moved from the boulder problem i came to do i started looking at the sequence, i spent near 45 minutes getting angry at the hardest move, i could do it on its own but not with the whole the sequence, i eventually calmed down, and found myself on the problem, completely calm, fully zoned out, i finished in, after it felt amazing. I had never really hit 'the zone' like that before and it felt like i was drunk. I was very happy when i finished it, i had completed one of my goals for the end of the year in around 45 minutes... The Green Traverse V6, font 7a.

I also tried the Deliverance Traverse (font V7 font 7a+), i got pretty close, except it was warm and pretty greasy, the sequence is confusing but i have watched a video on youtube and now know how to do it properly, so with a bit of friction, i'll have it in the bag. A picture above shows me trying to work it out on shit smears.

Red Tips, End Of Trips.

What a trip, it was the best climbing trip i have been on so far. We got to climb everyday.My finger tips are red raw as i write this right now. I started of by soloing some Severes - VS 5a's, and then i flashed some easy and classic problems including Crescent Arete which was really good.The next day i did some problems which wasn't in my guidebook and then my brother found a V5 which was perfect for me, he flashed it first then showed me where to go etc.,i then flashed it, i had to dig deep, it was called Right Spur Traverse, after reading an interview whith James Pearson where he explains about his mental attitude to bouldering it inspired me to think about the climbing in a different way, its a sort of now or never way of thinking, like Steve McClure said "if you really wana do these routes,you will just push through it and take it to the next level" i applied this to bouldering.
On the last day i flashed some font6a+'s, font 6b's and one font 6b+.I quess all the training is paying off and that i have been training right. I met some other climbers called James Oswald,Seb and Johny who where really cool guys.
I have decided that i do really like bouldering, and i am going to narrow my climbing down to sport climbing and bouldering. Overall though it was a really good climbing trip.

Moon Training Board

Yesterday my moon board arrived after around 6 days of waiting.As soon as it came me and my brother urgently placed onto one of the beams in my garage where my circuit wall is.I had a one and a half hour session on it, i spent about 40mins warming up on the large holds, i used the large holds on top,the large ones below them, and the large ones down and inwards and did sets of 5 pull-ups on each with 10 seconds rest between each set,then waited for 30/40 seconds and did sets of 3 chin-ups with 10 seconds rest between.I did this regime 4 times, then did some free-style power endurance on the slopping holds till i got pumped,i finished off by dead hanging on the 2nd hardest crimps (the crimps which are on the lowest row and on the ends of the board) using a half-crimp position,holding for 11.07 seconds.I then warmed down and finished.

After doing this session i read the suggested training session on the moon website (see here)http://www.moonclimbing.com/SchoolRoom.aspx?ID=20 , i am going to be doing this plan with my brother at least twice a week.It mentions that you don't really want to be dead hanging for more than 8 seconds, so i will have to listen to the advice there, it also says if you are dead hanging over 8 seconds the hold is probably too big for you, which means i am going to have to go onto the hardest crimps next time.

Overall the moon board seems like the perfect training tool, i think my wall and the moon board should help me break some plateau's which i may find next week when i am in the peak district.

Square Buttress Direct... HVS 5b

This photo shows me on my first HVS, 6 months after i was introduced into climbing, i top roped it once with my brother before i lead it, as i was unsure if i could do it,it was my 6th outdoor route,the next route i top roped was The Strangler 5c (E4 lead) which was a couple of weeks ago.

Training

Me doing some bouldering on the wall.

Training Post For today

The last two days i thought i would have a rest,as a result im getting pumped pretty quickly on the classic circuits on the wall, i didn't think two days rest would hold me back as much as this, i introduced my climbing very progressively, when i first started it was only once every two weeks,and then once or twice a week,then 2 days each week and so on, which means i've played it right so far, but now if i fall back i start to loose it,?, i may be wrong i could just be having a bad day becuase its humid,if i am correct i've fallen into a regieme where i cant slack it anymore.I love it though.

Top training tip for today: Play music that will physce you, and play it loud.

My Goal Chart

Lakes Trip

As you can guess, THE WEATHER. The lakes did give me a about 9/10 hours of solid bouldering though over the 5 days with some classic high-ball problems, the granite is lovely but it was greasy (summer) so my on sight highest was V3, got on a v4 to on sight but it was dusk and the mozzy's were out and also the grease, its horrible when its been warm. We wen to the Kendal Wall one of the days which was really good, i did a f7a+ on top rope with two attempts which was good. Went to Scout Scar today, did one warm up (f6a) and it lashed it down so we had to come home. I would recommend Eskdale bouldering and also The Diamond Crag where i made some first ascents (as far as i know), one VS and a HVS/E1 , ill post some pics soon.

Heading For The Lakes

I'm going away to the Lake District next week for 4 days will hopefully get some good climbing done, i think we are staying at a lakeside campsite near Coniston.I think on one of the first days
we will go to Scout Scar to do some Limestone sport routes there, Ive got a couple in mind

Born To Run* F6b+ - which will hopefully be a enjoyable onsight.
First Blood* F7a+ - something a bit harder so a ground up redpoint attempt for that.

and if the First Blood goes well i may get on 'A vision Of Things Gone Wild' F7b which
i will try and get a top-rope on, if not, ground up again, as i have no clip-stick, so i may
come back with one less quickdraw.

I think we will go to The Climbers Shop in Ambleside and get some advice on other places to climb and which guidebook to get.We will probably do some Scrambling as well which will be change for me and should be fun.

Bags at Burger King.

Bouldering outside in Sheffield.

Top out

Getting sorted at the campsite

I have finally got some pictures together of the trip so hope you enjoy them.

Chosen Route..

So if you read my last post you will know that i top roped The Strangler 5c (E4 if lead) at Stanage Plantation, i on sighted it on top rope yet did need beta from Franco who lead it. In Autumn i am going to lead this, this will probably be my first E4, bit of a step to say I've only climbed HVS 5b (on sight) but I'll be fine once committed. Below is a picture of a Climber on the route (The Strangler E4 5c)

Edges from above.

Sloppers.

Crazy,Funny,Cold,Climbing,Camping...

Just Got back and i am so tired, top tip:Don't take the bouldering mat!
First night:
My brother got off the train at Hathersage,and the doors closed and left him outside, so we had to get of at Bamford and arrange to meet him at the North Lee's campsite, that's where the trip started.A very long walk in (5miles*) with the bouldering mat that had 6 cans of strongbow,A jumper, and a big jacket shoved inside it,AND my 88ltr army rucksack with clothes,food ( for 4 days),full trad rack,50m rope, all cooking stuff including two gas canisters,5 bottles of lucozade,harness,two pairs of climbing shoes, etc,etc,etc and well if you really want to now how it went ill cut it a little bit shorter, first night i top-roped a E4 5c (onsight with one slip) at Stanage Plantation which Franco Lead.Got on 'Right unconquerable' (lead) but needed a bit of help on the mantle (i went to much to the right hand side) then onsight soloed an HVS 5b, and that was it for the first day, woke up went to Burbage north did 25 routes, all solo's VS 5b/5c's and HVS 5b's and some easier stuff.Long Tall sally looked shit so i wasn't physced to do that, especially after doing 25 routes all ready.Next day (raining) so got drunk,walked to Hathersage, eat, tried to chat up some lasses then went home, 'physco legs' was off walking somewhere. I have missed out about 99% of the stuff but thats the trip in climbing terms, ill post loads of pics withing the next couple of days.

Away on a Trip...

I am going on a climbing trip today till Friday so i wont be able to write anything.I am hoping to onsight at least E1 and possibly headpoint an E3 5c.We will be going up to Stanage today so i will probably only go up to HVS to keep it safe for the first day, then tomorow we will probably walk up to Burbage North where i'd like to do 'Long Tall Sally'.

Boulder Problem V2/V3?

No Trad Just Training

So yeah i didn't go sport climbing because of the crap weather on Wednesday and today if the weather was good i was going to go do some Grit Trad because the temperature seemed pretty low but when we got to Sheffield it started raining! it is really frustrating just carrying on training but i suppose it will help when i do 'eventually' get outside.I went to the Edge climbing wall and worked this f7a on top rope and got to the top with a couple of rests and did bouldering for ages! v3/4's.Tried a v6 but it has got a pretty hard sit start so i had no success on that.I am looking forward to a climbing trip next week to the eastern peak district (stanage,burbage area) for about 4 days which should be cool if the weathers good.

No Sport Just Training

So the weather was really bad today which means we didn't go sport climbing, i spent the whole day at the climbin works training pretty hard, i did 1,3,5 on the campus board but on tiny edges and 1,4,6 on the good blocks.This mean i am wrecked,but my brother is going sport climbing now tomorrow even though it will probably be wet.So I'm resting tomorrow then sport climbing indoors on Friday,But i really really need to climb outdoors, its pretty frustrating, but ill have to just keep training.Ill blog again after Friday night.

Tiredness and sport climbing

Like the title suggest i've spent the last two days training pretty hard indoors but now i've agreed to go sport climbing with 'andy gravestock' tommorow and i'm pretty nakerd.So with me bieng pretty beaten im going to go for a 6b+ onsight and a E1 lead onsight.This means i wont be going bouldering on Thursday because on Friday im training indoors again and at this stage i cannot hanlde 5 days of climbing in a row.Ill blog again on Thursday when im bored because i havn't gone bouldering.Ill attach a photo later on of my climbing wall i built in my garage.

Where i started and my goals

You can see from my last blog what my first climbs were, i climbed them only two or three months after i started climbing, My 6th outdoor route was a HVS which i top-roped once first because i was a little bit unsure if i was capable, after this climb i very quickly gained a list of onsighted HVS's, alot of which were solo's my current max grade is HVS 5b but,not to sound big-headed,i am probably capable of E1/E2 onsight and a worked E3 possibly a bold E4, who knows.The summer has brought poor friction to my trusted gritstone crags, so i've climbed a couple of times on Limestone this summer, the first time i onsighted f6a,f6a+ and a f6b after a 8 mile walk :(. I've also had one day where i worked 'Cairn' (f7a/f7a+) for an hour, i worked the moves from a ground up style, so no pre placed clips or toproping, i managed to get to the top wth 2 rests so i'll be going back soon to finish it. Below i've put a list together which appears on my UKC profile, it shows what i want to achive by the very end of this year.

GOALS FOR THE END OF 2008*

• Lead onsight E1-3 (on grit)...............(HVS 5b now)
• work then lead E3/4 (on grit)............ (toproped The Stranlger E4 5c once)
• solo onsight E1/2 (on grit).................... (HVS 5b now)
• boulder(worked) V4/5 (on grit)........ (only V3 now)
• redpoint f7a/7a+ (limestone)........... (nearly done 'Carin' f7a/f7a+ (1 hour of working)
• onsight f6c (limestone)..................... (only f6b now)
• onsight lead f7a/f7a+ (indoors)........(f6c+ now)
• work then lead f7b (indoors).............(f7a+ now)

Me,my blog and my climbing

Im new to this 'blogging' thing but i aim to update this blog to show people about myself and my climbing, i've been climbing for about 7-8 months but it was only indoors once every two weeks, but for the past 4 months i've started training and climbing outisde on any possible occasion. My first ever route i climbed outside was 'Cakestand' 'Severe' , an onsight lead at Stanage, then on the same day straight after this climb i onsighted (lead) a HS, then two VS's then went home.So thats were my outdoor climbing started.Anyway ill see what i can do with this site.....