Climber 01.02 2021

JAN–FEB 2021
HEN CLOUD
FRENCH ROCK SAINT CÉZAIRE
3 WELSH TRAD CLASSICS
GILWERN SOUTH WALES SPORT
EASY CLIMBS BURBAGE NORTH
GEAR ACTIVE INSULATION
MICK LOVATT INTERVIEW
DISPLAY UNTIL 11/02/21
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EDITOR’S THOUGHTS
CLOUD CLIMBING
The main feature in this magazine is about Hen Cloud in Staffordshire. Back home Keith also caught up with Mick Lovatt for an interview. Referred
An imposing gritstone crag that for some unknown reason is often to as ‘The Perfect Man’, Mick was always well turned out and talks about
shunned by climbers visiting the area. I can’t understand that but maybe early days on the Malham catwalk through to more frightening fare on the
it is the imposing position, or that there’s a bit of a reputation for tough Ll n Peninsula, North Wales. You are supposed to take it easy in retirement
lines? Whilst the latter is true of certain routes, trust me, there’s plenty not put up new E8s on loose crags, Mick.
of less menacing lines to do with classics all over the crag. In fact, Just as we went to press sad news came in about the passing of an icon
I would go on to say that this is one of the finest gritstone crags period of Scottish mountaineering, Hamish MacInnes, at the grand age of 90. For
and that’s coming from someone who grew up on the delights of those of you who don’t know much about him, as well as being an outstand-
eastern grit crags. Hopefully the article tempts you to pay a visit? ing mountaineer/climber at home, the Alps and Greater Ranges, he was
I love a classic route (and a trip to North Wales) and Tony Howard very innovative too. He developed the Terrordactyl ice tool with a steeply
highlights three of these. I must confess that I’ve only done one of them inclined serrated pick that revolutionised ice-climbing around the world.
– Creagh Dhu Wall at Tremadog – but the other two are certainly on the list In addition, Hamish was a highly respected authority on mountain rescue,
now. The easy climbs article heads to one of my most treasured venues, helping improve equipment and techniques needed. If you have the March
Burbage North, in the Peak District. Being a born and bred Sheffielder, I spent –April 2019 issue of Climber, Noel Dawson wrote an insightful biography
many an evening there after work and have fond memories. It’s far too far of him that is now also available on the Climber website.
for an evening from my current Midlands home but the odd day trip is a must. Finally, please consider taking out a subscription to the magazine –
Just before Wales headed into a lockdown, and inspired by a new guide- times are difficult with the pandemic affecting sales etc so it all helps to
book, I had planned a visit to the Gilwern Hills to try out some well-bolted keep the magazine alive – you can find details of two fantastic offers on
sport routes and climb in this area for the first time, having driven past it pages 23 and 49.
on many occasions. Having read Guy Percival’s article I can’t wait.
Heading across to France and Climber regular, Keith Sharples, nipped over Best regards and be safe
to a venue few have heard of let alone climbed on, yet has a plethora of
superb bolted climbs, so welcome to Saint-Cézaire – the cat is out of the bag. David
THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

Bruce Goodlad Keith Sharples
Born on the west of Scotland Bruce cut his teeth on the classic Keith is passionate about photography, climbing and the
climbs of Scotland in summer and winter before progressing outdoor adventures which he’s ‘enjoyed’ now for well over
to the Alps. He has spent almost 25 seasons climbing and 40 years. A long-time resident in Sheffield, Keith has climbed
guiding all over the Alps where he now lives in Saint Gervais extensively in the Peak and Pennines as well as the rest of
with his wife and son working full-time as a Mountain Guide. Bruce is the the UK and Europe and beyond. His written and photographic work has
Technical Director of the British Mountain Guides. been published extensively in both the specialist and the general press.
Tony Howard Andi Turner

Tony is a lifelong climber/exploring travelling from Arctic Andi is a mountaineering instructor and teacher based in
to Antarctic including UK, Norway, Middle East, North Africa. the Staffordshire Moorlands. Originally from York he has
Following the British ascent of Troll Wall, the ex-guide been climbing since 1986. Andi has climbed around the
founded Troll Equipment, discovered Wadi Rum and world and put up numerous new routes and boulder
conceived the 650km Jordan Trail. He has authored climbing/trekking problems but is most at home on his beloved gritstone close to home.
guidebooks and two books – Troll Wall and Quest into the Unknown.
Editor: David Simmonite – Editorial email: climbereditorial@gmail.com
Gear: Bruce Goodlad, Kate Scott, Keith Sharples Submitting material: Articles may be submitted to the Editor Subscription hotline: 01778 392004
Design: Rod Harrison via email (climbereditorial@gmail.com). Original material must Check out www.climber.co.uk for the latest offers
Publisher: Simages Media Limited be submitted and will be accepted on the basis that the author/ UK Direct Debit Subscriptions: £24
Marketing enquiries: simagesmedia@gmail.com photographer accepts the assessment of the publisher as to UK Card/Cheque Subscriptions: £25
Editorial enquiries: climbereditorial@gmail.com its commercial value. Articles may be shortened and edited Europe & Eire Airmail: £33
Sales Executive: Hayley Comey – and may be used on the Climber website for no additional Worldwide Airmail: £60
Hayleyc@warnersgroup.co.uk – 01778 392445 payment. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited subscriptions@warnersgroup.co.uk
Production Co-ordinator: Sue Ward – manuscripts and photographs. Climber magazine wishes to © Simages Media Limited 2020
suew@warnersgroup.co.uk – 01778 392405 emphasise that all views and opinions expressed in articles
Circulation Manager: Tom Brown – 01778 391235 and reviews are those personal to their authors and should
This magazine is printed by Warners Midlands plc not be taken as reflecting the views of the magazine.
When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it.
www.climber.co.uk
www.climber.co.uk MAY–JUN
JAN–FEB 2019
2021 3
Contents
news
6 Neil Gresham adds Final Score (E10) in the Lakes – interview,
James Pearson climbs Tribe plus news round-up.
Destinations | Crags | Features

14 Easy Gritstone Climbing – Burbage North
A look at one of the Peak District’s popular crags with plenty of
easier routes.
24 Gilwern Hill – South Wales Sport

Guy Percival highlights recent developments in this area on the edge
of the Brecon Beacons.
36 Cloud Climbing – Hen Cloud, Staffordshire

A surprisingly underrated venue but few other grit crags challenge
it for situation, length and superb quality. Andi Turner reveals all.
14
44 Three of the best – Lower Grade Adventures in North Wales
Tony Howard waxes lyrical about climbing three Welsh trad classics.
50 Saint Cézaire – French Rock

Profiling a little known crag in the south of France, home to many
superb routes and with no queues.
interview
30 Mick Lovatt
Keith Sharples talks to ‘The Perfect Man’ about early days at Malham
to recent scary trad.
boulDering
60 Northcott
First-rate sea side bouldering on the North Devon coast.
training & skills

66 The Climber’s Coach
TTPP – PHYSICAL isn’t a bigger word than the others. Mark Reeves 24 36
explains.
gear
70 Active Insulation
Bruce Goodlad reviews breathable synthetic mid-layers that keep you
active (and warm) without stopping to re-layer.
regulars
12 UK Classics
Questor (VS 4b), Wynd Cliff, Wye Valley, England.
20 The Climber’s Voice

The Hardest Day by Felix Ottey.
56 James Pearson and Caroline Ciavaldini

Une Jolie Fleur dans une Peau de Vache – a story about recovery and fun.
76 Book Reviews
Élisabeth Revol’s To Live, Winter 8000m and The Climbing Bible.
79 BMC Update
The latest news from the British Mountaineering Council.
82 Climber Legends
Élisabeth Revol.
Front Cover: Steve McClure climbing Hilti Base Jump (F8a+) at Saint Cézaire, France.
Photo: Keith Sharples
56
4 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk
60
www.climber.co.uk JAN–FEB 2021 5
headlines
NEIL GRESHAM ADDS

FINAL SCORE (E10 7a)
Nearly 20 years after doing the second ascent of
Equilibrium (E10 7a), Neil Gresham has added Final
Score (E10 7a) to Iron Crag in the Lake District.
Like Equilibrium, Neil’s latest new year given you have had less time
route, Final Score, features both tech- on rock or do you think it’s actually
nically hard and bold climbing; you helped you by enabling you to train
might think as such that it’s the pre- harder than ever?
serve of the young. Although, as Neil It’s certainly been a strange year and
wrote in his post: “As a father of two, I don’t think I would ever have predict-
hard trad feels very different to me ed the outcome. No doubt there have
these days…” Neil’s experience as one been positives to take and we’ve seen
of the best all-round climbers in the UK countless climbers upping their game
means he’s very well-placed to prepare with home training and then cashing
and manage the risks/issues involved. in on the results, so I suppose I’m one
Notwithstanding, Final Score tested of many. Looking back on lockdown,
Neil to the max as he commented after I can see now that I was building up
the first ascent: “I think it might just be to something, but I think I was playing
the hardest route I’ve ever climbed.” the classic distraction game and
Coming from someone who has been pretending to myself that I wasn’t.
climbing as long as Neil with a CV like
his that’s quite a statement. When you repeated Equilibrium you
Neil described the route as: “A direct said it had a V10 crux, F8b+ climb-
start (climbed previously by Craig Mathe- ing and was a full grade harder
son) and direct finish to Dave Birkett’s than the other E9s that you’d done
notorious test-piece from 1992, If 6 was 9 at that time. How do the numbers
(E9 7a).” He commented: “The resulting stack up for Final Score then in
route throws everything at you from safe comparison with Equilibrium?
boulder cruxes to atrociously protected It’s hard to compare routes of different
boulder cruxes, to forearm-bursting en- styles but I definitely feel that Final Score
durance sections and monster run-outs.” took more out of me than Equilibrium.
Neil has spent quite a bit of time at It requires a broader range of skills and
Iron Crag in 2020. Just after lock-down you need to have sport fitness as well
ended he was quickly in for two addi- as bouldering ability and a cool head
tions, Ironed Out (E8 7a/F8a+) and Way for the bold sections. You’re on it for so
out West (E8 6c/F7c+ R) much longer than a grit route and it’s all
Well, now we know why Neil has about keeping it together and conserving
been focusing on Iron Crag so much. mental and physical energy for the final
Having moved up to Kendal a few years headwall. Overall, I’d liken it to leading
ago from the big smoke, Neil spotted one of the big F8a+/bs in Yorkshire like
the glaring gap on the front face of Iron Predator or The Groove, but with really
Crag. It’s been a long-term objective ever spaced gear, some of which can’t be
since. We caught up with Neil for a chat: trusted.
Neil on the pumpy and Congratulations on Final Score; it’s You describe Final Score as climbing
‘out there’ finish to Final certainly a mighty fine set of num- directly up the centre of the main
Score which is also taken bers at E10 7a and a cracking end wall of Iron Crag, in effect adding
by Neil’s earlier route, to the year. In the context of the both a direct start and a direct
Way out West. Photo: pandemic did you think that Final finish to Dave Birkett’s already
Steve Ashworth Score might have slipped away this fearsome If 6 was 9 (E9 7a/F8a+).

HEADLINES
It’s a very obvious – glaringly obvious, astounded that it hadn’t been done ities of a small few). There are countless
in fact – gap on the topo. When did before but then on first inspection, international climbers who would eat
you first switch onto it as a possible I realised why. If 6 Was 9 is a tough this line for breakfast yet in the UK you
line and what were your thoughts proposition without having to add any can count the climbers who are doing
initially having inspected the route? additional climbing to the mix. I say this this sort of thing on one or both hands.
You’re right that the line couldn’t be in the context of top-end British trad, The focus definitely seems to be on other
more obvious and it appeared to be which seems to have slowed down a bit stuff at the moment but as we know,
a clear challenge. I must say that I was recently (with the exception of the activ- these things go in cycles. 6
www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 7

headlines
Let’s talk about the nitty-gritty. centres around a sloping undercut and if a block detached itself (proving Dave
The start then, can you describe you fall off this, you’ll hit the ledge and Macleod’s assessment to be pretty ac-
the start? bounce off it. You then have to clip a curate) but Craig Matheson found a new
The new start is a really pleasant piece of peg from a really tenuous position and placement for the shortest length knife-
climbing. It doesn’t contribute to the grade then reverse to the ledge. It’s the last blade just to the right, which is possibly
and Craig Matheson suggested E5 6b thing you need when you’re so anxious even worse than the original peg. This
after climbing it last November. It seems to crack on and get it over with and, of can be backed up with a skyhook which,
to stay cleaner and drier than the original course, if you fall off the down climb of course, takes extra time and effort to
approach, so it’s a good way to go. you’ll need to start again. place and certainly doesn’t offer guaran-
tees. All told, this amounts to body-
Having done the start you get to When Dave MacLeod made the weight gear that you can lower-off but
the ledge of If 6 was 9. Is there a second ascent of If 6 was 9 in 2007 it probably wouldn’t take a shock load.
good rest there then? he said the climbing was F8a+ sport
You can stand around on the big ledge but protected by three poor pegs The direct finish you’d already done
all day but this only prolongs the agony. and summarised it as: “Steep, earlier this year when you added
The main issue is that you need to go physical and pumpy but positive.” Way out West (E8 6c). Does Final
up to the first peg and then down climb Is that how you found it? Score take in all the hardest climb-
Another angle of Neil on to extend your runners and this turns I’d say that’s spot on. You definitely do ing on that?
Final Score showing the out to be one of the hardest parts of the not want to test the top peg from the Yes, for sure. I’d looked at a couple of
steepness of the route. entire route. You have to do a tricky and crucial last ‘roll over’ crux move. For the alternative ways up the headwall but,
Photo: Steve Ashworth powerful V7-ish boulder problem, which record, the original top peg fell out when for me, this was the purest line as it is
completely inescapable once you commit
to it. You’re effectively adding an E8 to
an E9 and whilst I wouldn’t say that this
automatically gives you an E10, having
led it, I felt that the headwall adds some-
thing significant. It was a very daunting
decision to leave that rest, knowing that
if I dropped the headwall I’d have to
climb If 6 Was 9 again. And, in fact, the
last few moves of the headwall were the
closest I came to blowing it, as I was
pumped out of my mind.
As well as the physical side, how

did you prepare mentally for the
route and eventual lead?
For me, the mental aspects of bold
climbing have always been a bit like rid-
ing a bicycle. After a lengthy break (since
climbing Equilibrium in 2002) I found that
I was able to dial back into the mind-set
for hard headpointing straight away and
I suppose this has always been a stron-
ger area in my climbing. That said, I cer-
tainly gave my prep for Final Score plenty
of consideration. An important part of
my strategy was to lead the headwall
first, via an easier start, I did this back in
the spring by starting up Western Union
(E6 6b) to create an indirect variant, Way
Out West (E8 6c). I guess I did all the
other stuff that headpointers do, such as
tell yourself over and over again that the
gear won’t rip, even if it isn’t true.
Having ticked off a three-year proj-

ect, are you having a well-earned
rest for a bit?
Yes, I’m off my tough nutrition regime
already and enjoying wine, cakes and
more time with the family. Regarding
future plans, I bolted a line at Kilnsey in
2018 that I’m really keen to finish next
year and I think I might take a break
from Lakes trad for a while. Or at least,
a short while. n

BUILD
STRONG
BONDS
#FURTHERFASTER MONTANE.COM
headlines
PEARSON REPEATS TRIBE

possibly world’s hardest trad route?
Climber columnist James Pearson has made the second ascent of Tribe at Cadarese,
Italy, with climbing reported to be F9a/+ on trad gear.
Jacopo Larcher did the first ascent or at least ‘the big project at Cadarese’ and a lot of courage for him to stick
back in 2019 and at the time specula- for about 10 years. I’ve walked past it with the process and finish it off.”
tion was rife that it may be the hardest many times on the way to the crag and Jacopo’s ascent piqued James’s
trad route in the world. However, wondered if it was possible to climb or interest but he left it in on the backburn-
Jacopo declined to grade it himself: protect. But, despite it only taking about er last year. When James and wife,
“I prefer not to grade it,” adding “the two minutes to set up a rope, I had never Caroline Ciavaldini, did get to Cadarese
only thing I know is that it’s the most bothered to actually look at the thing.” things didn’t start well: “We arrived in
difficult thing I’ve ever climbed. Both James kept an eye on Jacopo’s Cadarese and everything was really wet.
in sport climbing and in trad climbing. progress: “I followed Jacopo‘s journey For the first couple of days I got maybe
I’ve never tried anything as hard as on the route with interest, first of all an hour to an hour and a half to try the
this before.” Given Jacopo has climbed interested to see if it’s possible and later route – at the end of each day once the
numerous hard routes on trad and to see whether his conviction would seepage from above had dried enough
sport, including Rhapsody (E11), Cobra stand the test of time and if he would and before it started to seep again.
James Pearson on the Crack (5.14b) and La Rambla (F9a+) put everything together. Climbing a first The conditions were pretty bad, but
desperate moves on – it added credence to his ascent. ascent is really hard, much harder than I managed most of the moves, by the
Tribe at Cadarese, Italy. James has known about the line for making a repeat, it took a lot of curiosity skin of my teeth and started to believe
Photo: Pietro Porro some time: “I’ve known about Tribe, for Jacopo to originally check out the line that one day I might be able to climb
the route.”
Remarkably, success came relatively
quickly: “After working the moves for
some days, I climbed the route on my
seventh lead attempt. I’d fallen pretty
close to the top on numerous attempts
before that, but the fickle nature of the
final boulder problem often spat me off,
despite not really knowing why. With lots
of rain forecast over the coming days,
I’d pretty much given up hope, which is
probably exactly what I needed to take
all the pressure off and just concentrate
on climbing.”
James is the first to admit he hasn’t
been on every hard trad route in the
world but he’s been on many and was
confident enough to comment on the
difficulty and nature of Tribe: “For me,
Tribe is by far the hardest series of moves
I have ever done on a trad route and it’s
a real miracle that the thing is actually
possible on gear. It’s rare to find a piece
of rock compact enough to make a series
of sustained hard movements but with
just enough decent gear placements.
Tribe would already be an awesome
sport route and one I’m sure people
would be queueing up to try to climb.
What makes it really special, however,
is that no one needed to place bolts to
climb it safely. Mother nature gave us
everything that we need, right here...
an amazing line, a cool series of holds,
and gear placements, right where you
need them.” n

HEADLINES
News rouNd up – uK
Hazel Findlay has repeated Mission On the sport front, Steve McClure made the ninth ascent and days after,
Impossible (E9 7a) on Skyline Buttress, returned to Malham in Yorkshire to Buster Martin was in for the 10th taking
Gallt Yr Ogof in the Ogwen Valley, add Fixation (F8c+) to the Upper Tier. just six sessions in total. Featuring V14/
North Wales. She climbed it just days Taking a line left of Total Eclipse, Fixation Font 8b+ bouldering, getting involved
after her partner, Angus Kille, made was originally bolted by Neil Gresham. with Hubble is a big commitment.
the fourth ascent of this hard trad Having climbed Sabotage (F8c+) in 2016, Originally graded F8c+, Hubble is now
test-piece of Neil Carson’s. Neil bolted Fixation but a disintegrated widely considered to be F9a and as such
Hazel is sure about the quality of the hold on the lip of the roof put paid to Neil one of the first to be given that grade.
climbing: “I think this is the best hard climbing it. Steve stepped up remarking: Billy Ridal had an amazing day boulder-
British trad line I’ve done in the UK and “Absolutely awesome and a route of ing, ticking Superman Sit (Font 8b+)
a real feat of power endurance. Run out contrasts with a vertical techy lower as well as Keen Roof and Fat Lip, both
F8b is probably a better grade than E9 7a wall and then super intense bouldery Font 8b. Having climbed the original
but with the route where it is and the roof, all heel and toe action. One of the Superman (Font 8b) the week before Billy
weather round here I think E9 for effort best I’ve done, and without doubt with returned to climb the sit start on his first
is fair. I really surprised myself yesterday the most exposure.” go of the day. He then drove round to
and had a great time trying that hard. In the Peak District, Ben Moon’s Raven Tor to send Keen Roof and Fat Lip.
For me, climbing is all about those try Raven Tor 1990 test-piece Hubble (F9a) As with Superman, Billy had spent time
hard moments.” has seen two repeats. First Mat Wright before on these.
overseas actioN
Uisdean Hawthorn and Ethan Berman In France, Julia Chanourdie made the
completed a major new route on the third ascent of Adam Ondra’s Eagle-4
Emperor Face of Mount Robson, the (F9b) at St Leger. With that, she now
highest peak in the Canadian Rockies becomes the first French, and third,
topping out at 3,954m. Their route, woman to climb F9b after Angela Eiter
Running in the Shadows, is 2,000m (La Planta de Shiva) and Laura Rogora
in length and weighs in at a hefty VI, (Ali Hulk sit start extension). Over at Pic
AI5, M6. Saint Loup, Seb Bouin added Beyond
Heading to Europe, Jakob Shubert Integral (F9b/+). The 50m route sits at
added La Force Tranquille Direct (Font 8c) the top of the North Face of Pic Saint
at Magic Wood in Switzerland. Having Mountain and is composed of two parts;
climbed Daniel Woods’s original line La first a F9a+ followed by a Font 8a+
Force Tranquille (Font 8c) within the first boulder problem with a good rest in
day, Schubert made equally quick work between.
of the slightly harder direct finish the Heading to Norway, Stefano Ghisolfi
following day: “You basically do the made the second ascent Change, the
hardest part of the original La Force world’s first F9b+ at Hanshallaren.
Tranquille and then instead of matching Originally climbed by Adam Ondra back
the crimp and going out right you do in 2012, Change was the world’s first
another big move straight up to a pocket route to be graded F9b+.
from there you do a rather scary top-out.” Jakob Shubert adding La Force Tranquille Direct (Font 8c) to Switzerland’s Magic Wood.
Photo: Michael Piccolruaz
toothill aNd pope wiN British climBiNg cup

Holly Toothill and Jim Pope won the point off a perfect score of 440. Max with 270 points just a point ahead of
British Climbing Cup bouldering event Milne, having taken more attempts on Thea Cameron (269pts) in 3rd. Frustrat-
at Rock City in Hull. In the first UK M1 than Jim, finished in 2nd place on ingly for Thea, had it not been for a false
climbing competition since Covid-19 438 points and Louis Parkinson came start on an early bloc she we would have
hit in the spring, it was by invite only 3rd on 437 points. also finished on 270 points and taken
and saw many of the GB Climbing For the women, Holly topped all the 2nd place on countback. n
Team athletes in action. For the men, blocs and finished with a very impressive
Jim Pope finishing on 439 just a single 432 score; Robin Cassey finished in 2nd

uk classics
QUESTOR
WYND CLIFF, Wye Valley
Tony Penning, with thanks to John Willson and Pat littlejohn
for the background and history, writes about on old favourite.
ROUTE LOCATION FIRST ASCENT
Questor (VS 4b) Right-Hand Crag, Wynd Cliff, Frank Cannings, Pat Littlejohn & Gus Morton
Ali Taylor on the upper section of Questor (VS 4b)
Wye Valley, England 14 February 1970
at Wynd Cliff, Wye Valley. Photo: David Simmonite
Wynd Cliff is the traditional pair of sunny When first climbed Questor was graded Hard When we arrived at the foot of the long
crags visible from Wintour’s Leap, appear- Severe but time and polish has bumped the crack of Questor where it takes the central
ing high on the hillside as you round a grade to a well-deserved Very Severe. line on the left-hand section of The Right-
bend approaching the Forestry Commis- Pat felt responsible for some of the polish Hand crag, the light was poor and it was
sion Lower Wyndcliff car park and picnic on Questor. He spent three years at college spitting with rain. “Your lead,” I said to Mike.
area when driving north on the A466. in Hereford and would always break his He looked up at the grey sky, shrugged and
The place has been a popular beauty spot journey up or down from Exeter to solo got ready.
since the construction of the 365 Steps path routes at Wynd Cliff. He would start with He started up with confidence and moved
up to Eagle’s Nest lookout for the Duke of Questor before working his way through the neatly up to the first crux at about eight
Beaufort in 1828 to enjoy the view. As the other VSs. His hardest solo at that time was metres. At this point you step left and move
information board observes, ‘The view from The Don (E2 5c) but the experience frightened up before stepping back right into the crack.
the Eagle’s Nest lookout has to be one of the him too much to think of soloing that again. Mike went a bit too far left moved up and
best in the Wye Valley. Look across the bend The name Questor (in case you are then in his true style had to use his strength
in the Wye to see the rocks of Wintour’s wondering) is named after one of numerous to cling on as he looked for a solution. He
Leap, the Severn bridges and estuary and, on ancient Roman officials concerned chiefly eventually solved the problem and let out a
a clear day, the Cotswold and Mendip hills.’ with financial administration and was put sigh of relief as he regained the crack.
It’s true, and that’s one reward you get from forward by Gus Morton. Gus, who could be Continuing without incident to the top,
the belay at the top whilst bringing up your good on route names also came up with the every now and then Mike would let me know
partner if you lead the route. nearby Eroica. Well that’s the background as he made one of Questor’s trickier moves
The two upper crags are left and right and although I have climbed Questor a few and cursed my rack for its lack of bigger gear,
respectively of the 365 Steps path, which times over the years, I felt I should climb it useful on this route. Mike belayed at a tree
serves as an approach and useful descent. again before I wrote about it and remind with many slings and called down for me
The climbing is steep and sustained with the myself of what it entailed. So I contacted to climb. I was amazed at how smooth the
best of the routes following strong natural climbing friend Mike Brookes who I knew climb had become making foot placements
lines such as grooves and cracks – safe and wanted to climb the route and he readily precarious. But the climbing itself was still
sound on the right, more adventurous and agreed. fantastic. The moves felt big and committing
exciting on the left. They are all single pitch I like climbing with Mike, he was strong, and you had to climb either side of the crack
routes but they have a big feel to them. The light and couldn’t see very well. Mike had to make progress.
grades range from Severe to mid Extreme, previously been a snowboard instructor, We abbed off in the rain, packed our kit
so there’s something for everyone except mountain bike leader and motor cyclist but and started walking back down to the car.
those looking for E5s. as his condition got worse these activities As we walked Mike gave his verdict. A great
To the right, and only just above the road, became too fast for his eyes, so he took up climb and well worth its three stars. He
is Wyndcliff Quarry, containing predominant- the gentle art of trad climbing. His biggest then compared Questor to the Symonds Yat
ly short sport climbs for sunny evenings or problem was his inability to identify footholds classic, Red Rose Speedway, which was also
when the upper crags are wet. A mile along in certain light. However, his ability to hold graced with three stars. Although Red Rose
the road towards Tintern is a smaller, slightly on to small handholds with nothing for the Speedway was a bit harder at HVS 5a, Mike
scruffy Black Cliff Quarry with a collection feet helped him develop his strength. He thought the moves were similar. High praise
of shorter and mainly easier bolt protected had led an E1 5c recently that was known given how good that route is.
routes. for its lack of footholds on the crux but, of When asking around for other opinions,
Development started at Wynd Cliff with course, no problem for Mike. I must admit, all those I spoke too agreed it was a three-
the first ascents of Questor and Cadillac. I enjoyed watching him climb footless star classic with Wye Valley and Forest of
Cannings and Littlejohn had spotted the through desperate problems but hated it Dean aficionado, Matt Hammersley, even
white rocks of Wynd Cliff whilst at Wintour’s when he found it easier than me. I would declaring it was better when combined with
Leap, where they were making the first try to help Mike, honest, but I usually just its three-star neighbour Cadillac. Now that
ascent of another classic line, Big Brother. added to the problem. would be a good day out. n

EASY CLIMBS
EASY
GRITSTONE
BURBAGE NORTH,
PEAK DISTRICT
Words and photography by David Simmonite
Continuing our series of articles highlighting quality

destinations for lower grade climbers and those
making the transition from indoor to outdoor.
Nick Strong climbing a variation on Bilberry Face at VD

in the Ash Tree Wall area of Burbage North, Peak District.
14 JAN–FEB 2021 www.climber.co.uk

easy climbs
WHY IS IT GOOD?
Situated on the eastern side of the One of the other plus points is that cover – after all these articles are
Peak District, Burbage North is one of there are many climbs at VS and to provide a few ideas and the rest is
the National Park’s most popular crags below thus making it an ideal venue left up to you – below are a few of my
and owes this popularity to a number for lower grade climbers or those easier grade favourites spread along
of reasons: close proximity to Sheffield, starting out. Whilst the routes never the length of the edge that make for a
only eight miles west of the centre of reach beyond 14m and many are in the good starting point for any trip there.
Sheffield, thus handy for an after-work 6m to 10m height range they do pack Rather than pick out individual routes
Mutiny Crack on the right- dash; easy unrestricted access with the in the moves and excitement. A final I’ve concentrated on different walls
hand side of Remergence First Walls a minute or so from the benefit of shorter routes is that you can and buttresses, highlighting the most
Buttress is a fully fledged parking; quick drying quality gritstone get a few done in a relatively short appropriate on each in the lower
mini-classic going at HS 4b. that is often referred to as ‘God’s own period of time. grades with the odd, more challenging,
The moves are certainly rock’ and, above all, quality climbs. With far more climbs along the one thrown in for those aspiring to
packed in and it doesn’t give What else could you ask for? edge than this article has scope to harder routes.
in without some real effort.
Recommended Routes:
FIRST WALLS
These are the very first walls (hence the
name) you reach from the parking spot
and are very popular with people nipping
out for a quick hit and groups. Although
the routes are short, they make for good
early leads with decent and relatively
simple protection possibilities. Of these
Route 2 (HVD 4a) and Route 3 (VD) are
cool little routes on the very first wall
and protectable with cams and wires.
Both are showing signs of polish and the
former has a tricky start leading to a
triangular niche and easier finish, the
latter is steady all the way to the top.
The wider Cranberry Crack (HD) and
thinner Twenty Foot Crack (S 4b) are a
lovely pair of neighbourly routes on the
second of the First Walls. Both give
quality crack climbing at different grade
levels and are ideal for practising or
honing your various jamming tech-
niques, with Twenty Foot Crack being one
of the best easier climbs on Burbage.
TRIANGLE BUTTRESS
Moving along the edge, this buttress has
a fine bunch of climbs to try. The starts
for these tend to be the hardest section.
Baseless (VD 4a) gives straightforward
climbing to a burlier finish between two
jutting blocks and Triangle Buttress Arête
(VD 4a) is pleasant after you’ve overcome
the slopers at the start. The corner to the
right is Triangle Crack (HVD 4a) giving a
neat, protectable climb with, once again,
a hard start but with much easier climbing
above and if you can do the start you are
quid’s in. To the right is a favourite of
mine, Little White Jug (VS 5a) which takes
the steep wall with a fingery start and a
well-protected mantelshelf to finish over
the nose – quality gritstone fare. For a
good first lead Steptoe (M) up the wide
stepped crack to the right is worth a
look; a couple of bits of big gear are useful.

EASY GRITSTONE – BURBAGE NORTH, PEAK DISTRICT
OVERHANG BUTTRESS MUTINY CRACK AREA Across the bay to the left, Pulcher-
Around 40m along the Edge is this area A great area and home to one of rime (VS 4b) was first climbed by
and, whilst these parts of the crags are gritstone’s classic routes in the form unsung Peak legend, Dave Gregory,
popular amongst boulderers, two routes of Mutiny Crack (HS 4b). This steep in the 1950s when he used to nip out
stand out in the lower grades. Overhang crack taking a direct line through from school. A jam and gear-eating
Buttress Direct (S 4a) works its way up onto stepped roofs offers up some superb crack, it is easy to get carried away
the slabby wall from the right side of a low jams and juggy holds but only after and place far too much gear but don’t
roof with good intricate, smeary climbing you have overcome the crux start. forget to leave space for your hands
– the sort you would find on harder routes, If you aim to do one route in this and save a little energy for the finish.
whilst the arête to the right is Overhang area make it this one. You’ll thank me for that advice. 6
Buttress Arête (M), a popular beginner’s
route with, again, delicate climbing.
1
4
2 3 5 6
7 8 9 10
TRIANGLE BUTTRESS
1. Little Plumb (D)
2. Base over Apex (VS 4c)
3. Baseless (VD 4a)
4. Triangle Buttress Arête (VD 4a) Burbage North is also a
popular place for the soloist
5. Triangle Buttress Direct (HS 5b)
but only for those with the
6. Triangle Crack (VD 4a) skill and confidence to do it
safely (you often don’t get a
7. Leaning Wall Direct (VS 5b)
second chance unlike using
8. Little White Jug (VS 5a) ropes) and are well within
their grade. Stephen
9. Big Black ‘Un (HVS 5a)
Coughlan is one such climber
10. Steptoe (M) with years of experience and
is on Baseless (VD 4a) on
Triangle Buttress.

EASY CLIMBS
ASH TREE WALL HOLLYASH WALL disagree for sure, so it makes for a
Ash Tree Wall is one of my must visit The largest of the walls along Burbage great route to push into this grade.
areas at Burbage with longer routes North, it reaches the giddy heights of After a slightly bold start via a pair of
than those highlighted so far and it can 14m and includes one of the best routes big holes to reach the flake-line, good
also be quieter than elsewhere on the around for those wanting to break into protection and equally good climbing
Edge but keep it to yourself. For the the HVS grade. For an easier introduc- follows – a superb pitch and one of the
stand-out lower grade routes at Ash tion to this wall Green Crack (VD) is best on the edge.
Tree Wall we will take a deep breath excellent and with an abundance of Great Crack (VS 5a) is a bit of a
and start with the narrow squeeze of protection too. The wide crack on its beastly grunt fest and the intimidating
Wall Chimney (HVD). If you fit then well right is Hollyash Crack (VS 4b) which is roof crack isn’t as bad as it looks, you
done, if you don’t move immediately to a different but awesome experience if just have to show it who’s boss when
the right and try the much more open you like a good thrutch. You really need you hand-traverse out and turn the lip
Wall Corner (HVD 4a) complete with at least one BIG cam or two if possible to the simpler upper crack. For a good
a challenging start to gain the fine to protect this, otherwise add a grade old traditional vibe The Big Chimney
V-corner above. as it’s a bold lead without. (HVD) certainly fills the brief and gives
Around to the front is the superb The Knight’s Move (HVS 5a) is a tad good entertainment – the use of all
wandering line of Ash Tree Wall (S 4a) soft for the grade, though others will parts of your body are recommended
offering a plethora of climbing techniques
in its 12m length. Starting with a ‘slip
and slide’ crack, an airy traverse followed
by a slabby staircase and a final romp to OVERHANG BUTTRESS
the top via an open groove. What’s not 1. Ad Infinitum (S 4a) 5. Burgess Face (HS 4c)
to like? The two discernible cracks to
the right are justly popular well-protect- 2. Wednesday Climb (HVS 5b) 6. Burgess Buttress (M)
ed, albeit physical, leads; Ash Tree Crack
3. Overhang Buttress Direct (S 4a) 7. Burgess Street (HD)
(VD) and Bilberry Crack (VD) and are
excellent classic trips. 4. Overhang Buttress Arête (M)
1
6
5
2 4

Easy GritstonE – BurBaGE north, PEak District
in places with an escape right at the Brook’s Layback (HS 4b), a delightful
capping stone at this grade. Finally, corner that is best jammed or you Gear
another neat route is the exposed Big can cheat with powerful laybacking.
In terms of gear, a standard rack
Chimney Arête (HS 4b) with lovely Standing proud on the tower-like
of wires up to size 9 and eight
moves and gear. buttress further right are two
or so quickdraws plus a couple
stunning close neighbours – Obscenity
of slings. In addition to this, and
OBSCENITY AREA (VS 4c) and Amazon Crack (HS 4a).
pretty standard for grit given that
This is where things get interesting The Burbage, Millstone and Beyond
they work well in breaks, is a
and somewhat tougher – if you don’t guide sums up Obscenity well, ‘The fat
collection of camming devices
like cracks then move on, though you crack. This is why climbing was such
and the more the merrier but if
will be missing out one of life’s little a laugh in the old days. Put on your
you only have access to a few
joys and as I’ve said before, the art of corduroys, grab some hexes and let
then go for a mix within the size
jamming is a part of climbing you rip’. The climbing is similar on both,
range ½ to 3 as these will cover
should really engage with and is an with the former much more strenuous
most eventualities. A 50m rope
essential tool in your arsenal for grit than the latter but both are perfect
is plenty and it can be doubled
climbing. There is an outstanding trio examples of a sublime gritstone
when you need twin ropes on
of well-protected cracks starting with route.
routes that wander around.
Another good piece of kit, but
certainly not essential, is a
bouldering mat if you have
access to one. Not only will it
save your knees and ankles if you
pop off before the first gear is
placed but it makes for a good
place to sit and eat your lunch. In
terms of climbing shoes, I prefer
softer shoes on grit as they put
more rubber into contact with the
rock when smearing, something
that is inevitable when climbing
this medium.
Guidebooks
There are plenty to choose from,
Burbage, Millstone and Beyond
published by the BMC is the most
comprehensive with all of the
routes. The Peak District Grit
Wired guide is the latest on the
shelf this year with a good
selection of the routes including
those in this article. Rockfax
publish Eastern Grit, again with
a selection of the routes at
Burbage North.
accommodation,
Supplies, etc.
Burbage is on the edge of the
Peak District and, with Sheffield
close by, you will be spoilt for
choice. Hathersage is the closest
place in the Peak with a petrol
station, food shops, a quality
bakery and pubs. For climbing
specific kit the outdoor retailer
Outside is the place to visit and it
also boasts a café. For camping Ella Russell stretching
the most popular site is North on Wall Corner (HVD 4a)
Lees a few minutes’ drive from in the Ash Tree Wall area.
Hathersage and situated below Lovely climbing and pretty
Stanage Edge (tel. 01433 650838). steady for the grade,
For other accommodation check it can be finished direct
out www.visitpeakdistrict.com n at VS 4c if you fancy it?

THE CLIMBER’S VOICE
THE HARDEST DAY

By Felix Ottey
It was early June 2014 and a friend and I decided to travel down to the Wye Valley
to climb. We had done one other trip together and our physical abilities were well-
matched so we were keen to push each other on. My friend had climbed very little
in the way of traditional routes, whereas I had plenty of experience. We also met
some other friends who were climbing some the safer sport routes in the area.
Our first day went exceptionally well. first path lay a mole... stone dead and in had accompanied the other sections of
The crag – Shorn Cliff – is set in beau- perfect condition. I joked about it being the crag. It was eerily quiet and I sudden-
tiful beech tree woodland, high above a bad omen, but once again dismissed ly felt very nervous.
Tintern Abbey. The dense woodland it and carried on. After all, I’m not really Nevertheless, I set off feeling strong
and long approach give the crag an superstitious. We chose to climb three and moving well. I placed gear as I went
exclusive and remote feel. On first classic HVS routes that morning – The – a pink Tri-cam, then a few moves up
acquaintance, it can be exceptionally Laughing Cavaliers, The Bitter Battle Tears a good small Dragon cam, then another
difficult to find your way to the correct and No Musketeers. My partner led the tricky move and I placed a very good and
section of crag, with small streams, first two and looked cool and confident high number 4 nut. By now I was prob-
steep ground and boulders thickly cov- throughout, his gear looking much better ably eight or 10m up and the climbing
ered with damp moss everywhere, not than the previous day. I led No Muske- started getting harder. I was very happy
to mention the dense woodland. Nev- teers and managed to drop all but about with the gear and the moves, which
ertheless, we found our way eventually four wires in the first 10m. This could although hard, seemed very doable. But
and had a very successful day with us have been a major issue but I laughed it for some reason, every sense in my body
both ticking off some great E1s and off, carried on and completed the 30m was screaming for me to go down. I had
HVS grade routes; a few to mention route with some sizeable run-outs, once never experienced a feeling quite like it
were Tigers Don’t Cry (HVS), The Bone again looking and feeling confident and so I called down to my friend to take the
(E1), Emotional Dyslexia (HVS) and chatting all the way. When I got down rope tight and he lowered me down. I
Motion Pictures (E1). most of the day was up and it must have must admit I felt a little embarrassed and
At the time I was feeling very comfort- been around 2pm. We were both tired. couldn’t fully explain why I had given
able at these grades, having recently We spoke about what a fantastic week- up at such a safe place on the route. My
climbed my first E3, so I was feeling end we had had and even mentioned climbing partner was very supportive
confident and maybe even a little cocky. that we would both be happy to head though and also very psyched to try
And my partner, although inexperienced home early, such was our level of fulfil- himself. I was still nervous but starting to
when it came to trad, was a highly ment. That said, we were both greedy get excited for him for what could be his
skilled sport climber, confident to push and eager for one last stab at pushing first E2. We both buzzed as we swapped
until he fell and used to doing so on ourselves. gear and looked at the guide and route.
outside routes. When we headed to the We wandered along to almost the We talked about where the line went and
pub that evening, we were full of our- very end of the crag, an area called where it would be likely to get gear. We
selves – big smiles all round. We waxed Hit and Run Buttress – named after both felt confident that he could climb
lyrical about the success of our day to an E2 that we had decided to try. The the route safely so he set off.
our friends and planned ahead for more approach was more difficult than other At first, he clipped into the pieces that
of the same the following day. There was areas we had been to, and as soon as I had placed, quickly getting to the spot
talk of us all going to a crag together we left the main forestry track, we felt where I had stopped. He made short
but our hearts were set on returning to lost. Muddy streams and moss-covered work of that lower crux, pulling through
Shorn Cliff and with no bolted routes boulders made progress very slow. with confidence. But then he stopped,
for the others to climb, the decision was After one wrong turn we came across a needing to place gear, he looked a little
made – we would go back there alone huge beech tree that had fallen off the rattled as he realised that the large piece
again the next day. top of the cliff. We crawled under it and of rock he had used to pull through was
Something was different that next finally, after another 50m we were at loose and really dangerous. I offered up
morning; I couldn’t put a finger on it and the base of the route. We chatted for a advice and tried to talk to him to keep
I was used to feeling a little nervous be- bit, flaked ropes and decided it would be him calm. Thankfully he managed to
fore a climbing day so just dismissed it. me to attempt the route, being the more get a number 5 nut in off to the right. He
We walked in dappled sunlight down the experienced. This end of the forest was then pulled left onto an easy but gearless
steep long track towards the start of the deserted and we couldn’t even hear the rib which he shakily followed for about
steep approach paths. Right below the familiar clinking of climbing gear that seven metres. Now nearly 20m up, and

THE HARDEST DAY
Felix Ottey seconding Touch

The Fire (E2 5c) in the Tiger
Bay area of Shorn Cliff.
Photo: Russell Gibbons
seven from his last piece, the next gear had a brief chat about how good it was. excitement as I watched every move and
was crucial. I shouted up something He assured me that both bits were excel- held tightly to the ropes. He seemed to
along those lines to make sure he got lent and bomber and with that, carried stop a second before making a big move
it right. He placed one piece – a purple on up into the steep crack splitting the left to what I guess he thought was a good
number 1 Dragon cam and he was ready upper headwall. hold in the crack. What happened next
to continue when I shouted for him to He started heading right of the crack, seemed to bend time itself. He missed the
place another as the climbing above up the blank-looking wall and got a few hold and fell maybe five metres, the ropes
looked hard. He did this, placing a very metres above the gear. I could hear my pulling tight on both pieces of gear, and
small number 1 or 2 nut and then we heart beating in my throat with nervous then ripping out simultaneously. 6

the climber’s voice
almost unkindly so to be sure he would

stay put. I then instructed the emer-
gency services to ask the helicopter to
head for the huge fallen beech tree on
the right end of the cliff that we had
encountered on the walk up. It was a
massive landmark and they must have
seen it. I began climbing the bottom of
the route still with phone in my hand
until I was out of the tree canopy. To
my utter delight and relief, the helicop-
ter saw me, and within 15 minutes help
had arrived – first a female paramedic,
then Mountain Rescue and firemen. All
in all, I think there were 16 people.
With that, my confidence and ability
to hold it together vanished complete-
ly and I had a mini breakdown. The
Russell Gibbons climbing team took over to stabilise him before
The Phoney War (HS 4b) they moved him. I then began calling
in the Great Central Cave our friends who were already on the
Area. Photo: Felix Ottey way home. Thankfully, they turned
around to come back to support me.
I also called my climbing partner’s
In that instant, I could see what Now another problem, his airway girlfriend and I think I even spoke to
would happen so I took in an armful need clearing again and the helmet his father at some point. It all turned
of rope and ran backwards. With the strap was choking him. I made the into a complete blur as I lost control
slack introduced from the long run-out difficult decision to remove his helmet. of my emotions. It must have been 40
rib he didn’t stand a chance and took a I remembered my first aid training and minutes before he could be moved. We
massive arching fall, striking the rock did exactly as I had been taught, gently formed a chain with us all carrying him
with a disgusting thud and ripping out slipping my hands around the back down over the difficult terrain, passing
the last piece of gear that he had placed. of his neck to remove the helmet. He his stretcher hand-over-hand until
He landed hard, headfirst at my feet, stared at me looking lost, barely blinking we got to the track and waiting Land
the stretch of the rope catching on my although his eyeballs were covered in Rover. By this time, a few of our friends
last piece of gear and just taking a bit of dirt, occasionally shouting for family had arrived and one of them offered to
the wind out of the final blow. But I will members and asking what was happen- go in the Land Rover while the rest of
never forget the bone-crunching thud as ing. All the while, I was doing my best us followed on.
he hit the floor. It all happened fast but to get the emergency services to us. The next few weeks passed and,
slow and suddenly I was thrown into a Within around 15 minutes there was finally, my partner was let out of the
nightmare world of terror. His face was a helicopter above us but it went back main hospital and transferred to a reha-
blue and his body convulsed lifelessly on and forth unable to see us due to the bilitation clinic. His injuries were fairly
the forest floor. dense woodland. At this point, I had severe, two broken vertebrae in his
I immediately called 999, panic- his head clamped between my thighs neck, damage to his scapula, broken
stricken. I could scarcely believe what as I knelt above him. I tried to keep ribs, a punctured lung and I think a
was happening. They were doing their myself calm by eating the odd sweet broken wrist and ankle. But the biggest
best to keep me calm and asked me and even smoking a cigarette. I also cause for concern was the head injury,
to check for signs of life. Just at that used my scissors from my first aid kit thank God he had been wearing a hel-
moment, he came round and convulsed to cut the ropes from his harness. It met or he never would have survived.
violently choking on leaves and dirt in became increasingly frustrating and Thankfully, he made a full recovery
his mouth. I cleared the debris from his scary as the time ticked by without any and is now living in the Peak District
airway and supported his broken body help arriving. At one point, I saw the as a successful personal trainer, still
as best I could, placing him gently in the Mountain Rescue trucks on the forestry with his wonderful, now fiancé. I can’t
recovery position. All the while, I had track below us but as I shouted down thank the emergency services enough
the phone between my shoulder and the phone my message was then being for what they did on that dark day.
chin with the emergency services lady relayed first to the Mountain Rescue The events that took place changed me
actually beginning to also sound a little head office then back the guys on the forever. It has taken me five and a half
distressed. He was coming round more ground, so that by the time they got the years to build the courage to write this
now but still had no clue who or where message that they were close, they were so some of the details may even be
he was. He actually seemed quite child- actually nowhere near me. I recognised slightly off but this is how I remember
like in his delirium, truly terrifying. He that this could go on for hours and it. I hope that my account will help
lay on his right side but was fighting to already nearly an hour had passed since other people to avoid this happening
roll onto his back. I know now that this the accident. to them in the future and that it may
was because he had broken ribs and had My friend needed help fast and I shed some light to my current climbing
punctured his lung on that side. I tried suddenly had an idea. I bolstered his partners as to why sometimes I’m
to keep him still but I couldn’t stop him body and head with ropes clothes and happy just to be in these beautiful
anymore, so I kept his head neutral to anything I could find and told him: “Not places without sticking my neck out
his body as he rolled over onto his back. to fucking move.” I did this firmly and too far. n

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destination
GILWERN HILL
south Wales
Guy Percival gives a run-down on the recent developments and climbing opportunities
around the Gilwern area on the edge of the Brecon Beacons in South Wales.
INTRODUCTION
Gilwern Hill is nestled in the southeastern corner of the Brecon Beacon National Park and rises high above Abergaven-
ny and the Heads of the Valley road. Its soft rolling hills have recovered from the ravages of huge industry; 170 years
ago South Wales was the world’s greatest producer of iron. Vast qualities of limestone, which was an essential compo-
nent for the production, was blasted out of the hills. The industry had all but gone 80 years later and now tram lines,
lime kilns and slag heaps have been left, along with miles of miles of weathered quarried faces. The mighty Llangattock
escarpment alone extends for over three miles. The quarried faces that have been left are now home to a fine collection
of routes – initially trad but in recent years sport climbs have become the norm. What follows is a summary of each
venue spread around the hillside.
GILWERN HILL
access
Gilwern Hill is easily reached from the A465. Pass through
Govilon then head up The Tumble, which is a well-known cycling
challenge. It winds up steeply, gaining half a mile in height over
just three miles. At the very top on the left is the keepers’ pond,
take a right turn and after a mile the car parking area, just
before the gate across the road, is reached. The climbing areas
are reached via a very scenic walk across the top of the hill.
overview
The area is almost exclusively sport with a few trad routes.
There has been extensive development over the last three
years and the area has almost 220 sport routes, many of which
are in the lower grades. All but 30 of them are F6c or below.
12mm stainless bolts have been used to equip the recently
developed areas and the bolting on most of routes is on the
‘friendly side’ and there is plenty for the novice or intermediate
climber to have a go at. Very few of the routes are more than
15m so a 50m or even 30m rope with about a dozen quick-
draws will suffice. There are a handful of very good trad routes
at Gilwern East for which you may want to take a rack.
aspect
The different areas are just below the top of the hill and are,
therefore, generally fairly exposed with the exception of
Gilwern-in-the Woods. The quarries face different directions
so it is possible to either find an area either in or out of the
sun. Wrap up warm if going over the colder months.
amenities
There are plenty of cafes and shops in Abergavenny and
Gilwern has a couple of small food shops.
Guidebook
Clare Lindley climbing Driven 2 Destruction (F6a) in the Gilwern Motor Museum area
The definitive guide to the area is The Gilwern Area published
of Gilwern West. The route gives excellent and sustained climbing in its 12m length.
by Great Western Rock in 2020.
Photo: Mark Davies

GILWERN HILL, SOUTH WALES
A blue sky day and Gordon

Jenkin climbing The Pervasive
Grey (F5+/6a), Tyla Quarry
area. Photo: David Grange

destination
Gilwern east
The walls are tucked just down below an exciting steep journey though bulging some ledges which is a newly developed
the eastern side of the hill. There is a good flowstone. Just to the right is The Plumb wall (The Secret Gallery) with five
spread of grades from F4 though to F7a+. (F5+) which grapples up a great line of worthwhile routes between F5 and F6c.
The rock is generally excellent and some interesting formations. Further along is
of the routes are heavily decorated with a pristine grey sheet and the route of the Gilwern-in-the-woods
flowstone. They face east so get plenty of quarry, Wall of Balls (E4/5 6a), weaves About 300m further on is another newly
sun in the morning. The left-hand sector its way up it. The route was climbed by developed area which was christened
is a pleasant area with a lovely compact Martin Crocker and John Harwood when Gilwern-in-the-Woods. The rock is
vertical wall. Black Knights Rein (F6a) is they visited the crag in 2007. Paul Tucker superb and there is a route at almost
a great introduction. Further to the right and Pete Blackburn started developing every grade between F4 and F7b+.
are Grey Wall (F6a+), Micro-waves (F6c) the quarry with sport routes in 2012. They The quarry is sheltered in the trees
and Litiginous (F6b/6b+) which are good inadvertently bolted Wall of Balls which so needs a bit more time to dry out
crimpy wall climbs. On the right is a became a very popular F6b+ but in 2019 but a great place to go to escape hot
striking off-width, What’s the Craic (E1 5b). this route and another popular sport route weather. Every route is worthwhile but
Definitely worth taking a rack for, if you at the crag, Rich and Filthy (E4/5 5c), The Vanity of Small Differences (F6c) and
are into that sort of thing. were de-bolted by Crocker and Harwood The Two Hundred Year Echo (F6a+) really
The quarry then gains height and is and there was much consternation. stand out. God Bless Asia Bibi (F7a+)
far more featured with flowstone. Don’t Keep going into the woods and you is probably the best 7th grade on the
miss out on Magic Carpet (F6b+) which is will soon arrive at a steep wall above whole of the hill.
Following a boulder
problem style start,
Brian Mullan is making
progress up the groove
on The Two Hundred
Year Echo (F6a+),
Gilwern-In-The-Woods.
Photo: Mark Davies

TYLA QUARRY GILWERN NORTH

Above Gilwern East and just to the left Originally referred to as Crag X, this The right wall is easier angled and is pack-
of the approach path is Tyla Quarry. It is area was the first to be developed. The ed with pleasant less taxing lines with a
a vast coliseum with east-facing walls original walk-in was relatively short as good collection of F4 to F6 grade routes.
on two tiers. A lot of it appears to be there was a small single-track road that A few hundred metres to the right
loose and the place initially looks pretty contoured around the hill and passed is the Hindu Kush area which has some
uninspiring, however, there are a lot of just below the crag before it went back shorter walls with plenty of lower grade
well-bolted routes on good rock with down the hill. More recently, because of routes. Glucosamine & Chondroitin (F6c)
many of them being below F6b, including fly tipping issues, the road has now been is particularly good and offers a crimpy
the likes of Put Your Back Into It (F5+) gated off at the main car park. Having test on excellent rock. Over to the right,
through a series of overlaps and the lovely said that it is definitely worth the much Under a Blood Red Sky (F6a) is absorbing
easy intro, Dodgy Foot Syndrome (F4). longer but very scenic walk. for the grade.
The Entrance Wall, which faces west and The main area has a steep flowstone
dries quickly, has some very easy routes left wall and offers several pumpy GILWERN WEST
and is a perfect spot to show novices the challenges. Tea Leaves (F6b) is an Down below the road is Gilwern West. Kadri Strang enjoying All
ropes. On the Upper Tier the routes are excellent route up the photogenic left It was only in 2017 that the area started Things Bright and Beautiful
steeper and the routes at the Cave Sector arête. Further to the right are Flow Job to become developed and it now boasts on the Main Wall, Gilwern
are good. Down below is the Lower Tier (F6b) and the flowstone crack of Pwll almost 60 routes. It faces west and gets North and a route that looks
which is easier angled and quick drying Du Crack (F6a), both of which must more sun than the other areas and the unlikely at the F6a+/6b
with plenty of routes in the lower grades. be the best of their grade in the area. Tyre Sector dries very quickly. 6 grade. Photo: Mark Davies

destination
The road runs right above the top of beguiling line up a blank-looking wall. Motor Museum. Big reaches between big
the crag and for this reason was the fly Don’t Worry be Snappy (F7b+) and Dim holds are the order of the day. Drive by
tipping location choice for those in the Tipio Anghyfreithlon (F7b) – which is Shooting (F6a) and Driven 2 Destruction
know. It had literally hundreds of worn welsh for no fly tipping – are pretty (F6a) are excellent and good warm-ups
tires, abandoned vehicles, bags of good harder offerings. for some of the harder routes. You can
household garbage and even a grave- Further to the right, the lower tier crank up the difficulty on Chassis Chassé
stone strewn along its base. The area and the upper tier are connected by a (F7a) and then go full throttle on Need
has now been tidied up and so much couple of big and rather adventurous for Speed (F7b).
better for it and the road has been routes and lay claim to be the longest A little further along is the Alpine
gated off on the other side of the hill. on the hill. Ivor Biggan and Everybody Ridge Sector and a hand line leads from
Sue Hazel taking a The Tyre Sector is a bit of a mixed Wants One, both at F5+, are fantastic the top of ridge above a big drop to
breather on Flow bag and can be a bit brittle in places. outings for the grade. a very nicely positioned brown wall.
Job (F6b) on the Main However, the rock towards the middle The lower tier fizzles out and the Caramel Wall (F6c+) gets a star for the
Wall at Gilwern North. of the sector is very good. The Walls rest of the routes take the steep stratified climbing and a further star for the
Photo: Mark Davies Have Ears (F7a) takes a sustained and upper tier which is known as the Gilwern exposed position.
Flow Job, at F6b,

must be amongst
the best oF its
grade in the area
THE BLACK ROCK AREA

Just below the road and in the woods
is another small cliff. A speculative visit
led to the discovery of Neptune’s Wooden
Angel (E7 6b) which must rank as
amongst the finest short, hard, trad
routes in the whole of Wales. There is
just enough gear and holds either side
of the arête. It only comes into condition
after a period of dry weather but is
certainly worth the wait. Portside Wall
(E6 6b/c) just to the right is also good
and feels far less committing at the top
than its sister route.
Just above the A465 are some esoteric
quarried walls and these have yielded a
handful of fine micro-routes and boulder
problems. Not to be missed is Podium
Groove (F6c) a diminutive masterpiece up
a shallow bottomless groove. There are
some good boulder problems in the
central section and pretty fierce
micro-routes. Stingray (F6c), Shock of The
Old (Font 7a/7a+) and Power Line (Font
7a+) pack a lot into seven metres.
THE LONELY SHEPHERD AREA

access
The routes lie high up in the hills
opposite Gilwern Hill. From the A465
head into Gilwern then on the other side
take a left turn and wind steeply up the
hill to a junction with a small road that
runs all the way along the Llangattock
escarpment. There are pull-ins off the
road for all the areas.

Overview THE LONELY SHEPHERD QUARRY

The area is effectively a southern exten- The quarry is clearly visible from the
sion of the Llangattock escarpment and steep approach road and up until 2017
bolts are not allowed for protection on had no documented climbs. It has a
routes. Apart from the Lonely Shep- dominating presence on the skyline.
herd Quarry itself the routes seldom go Just at its northern end is the Lonely
higher than 10m and generally the rock Shepherd Pinnacle which is part of
is really good and there are plenty of mi- the local folklore...
cro-routes, highballs and boulder prob-
lems and most of the routes were soloed According to local myth, a farmer at
with mats, although a rack is essential Ty-lsaf farm was so cruel to his wife
for a small number of routes. that she threw herself into the River
Only a handful of routes at Roadside Usk and drowned. For his sin, the
Quarry Two and Fence Quarry have husband was turned into a pillar
ever before been documented in a PDF
of stone (The Lonely Shepherd),
guide to whole of Llangattock that was
but every year on Midsummer’s Eve,
produced by Martin Crocker in 2014.
he is granted the ability to go down
Everything else has been developed in
the last three years.
to the banks of the Usk to search for
his wife, calling her name in vain.
aspect By next morning he has always
The quarries are high up and exposed. returned to his lonely place.
They face east or northeast so don’t really
see the sun in the afternoon. The crag has a bit of everything. High
end trad with the potential for: serious
TOM THUMB’S GARDEN injury; pleasant highballs; strong, steep,
The area has a glorious outlook over well-protected cracks and then some
the valley and is home to a huge squat proper sit-start bouldering on the Lonely
pinnacle called Tom’s Thumb. It gets all Shepherd Boulder. The crag faces east
the morning sun and dries pretty quickly. and can be inhospitable in the winter
The walls are pretty high but much of it with an easterly wind blowing.
is easy angled but there are some decent The left end has an impressive sheer
boulder problems on the ground level looking wall. Its centre is taken by the
walls. Opposite the pinnacle is a higher sensational Twenty Third Psalm (E6
wall with a few trad routes including the 6b) and the immaculate right arête is
superb Tom Thumb (E5 6a). The only climbed by The Lord Is My Shepherd. (E7
gear is low and complete commitment 6b). The only gear is pretty low and a fall
is required for the moves in the top half from the last moves could be deadly. Fur-
of the route. A gem in a rather unlikely ther to the right are some easier strong
setting. cracks. The Good Shepherd (E1 5b) on the then don’t miss out on En Guard! Mark Courtiour high on
right side of the quarry is excellent. The (E1 5b). According to the first ascen- the big calcite holds of
THE ROADSIDE QUARRIES right flank is shorter and has some mi- sionist it relents to gung-ho laybacking, The Plumb (F5+) on the
The Roadside Quarries are a mile further cro-routes and a few problems. Worthy ignominious squeezing or not at all. Tufa Sector of Gilwern
along the road and tucked behind huge of note is the Flowmaster (E1 5a or high- East. Photo: Mark Davies
grassy mounds. There were no recorded ball Font 4) with very delectable climbing THE PADDOCK
climbs in Quarry One until 2016. It now up a blunt arête on calcite holds. The last morsel on the tour. From its
has 18 boulder problems and routes. Don’t In front of the quarry is the Lonely approach the southern end of the
miss out on the low central wall which Shepherd Boulder and every drop of Llangattock Escarpment can be seen.
has some interesting stuck on holds. bouldering potential has been squeezed (Perhaps one of the most extensive and
Block Party (Font 5) and Party Block (Font out of it and has lots of problems and least visited crags in England and Wales).
5+) are excellent as is Flowstone Groove link-ups. Study in Scarlett (Font 7a+) is The Paddock has about 20 little routes
(Font 5+) further to the right. a direct assault through the middle of on good rock. The Paddock Padder (VS
About 100m further down the road is its leaning face and The Lonely Traverse 4b) provides lovely padding up a clean
Quarry Two. Again, it is not that high and (Font 7b) is a really good, arm-withering slab. The pillar to the right has two fine
most of the routes can be highballed/so- trip around its sloping top. routes at HVS 5b. Trump Tower (Left-
loed with a cool head. Green Mind Atomic Hand) and Trump Tower (Right-Hand).
Heart (Font 6c) is the first eye-catching FENCE QUARRY
arête in the quarry and is one of the A couple of hundred metres further FINAL WORDS
finest highballs in the area. Further along north is a huge hole in the ground. Fence Fast paced development, bordering on the
are more walls and arêtes. Agoraphobia Quarry is for the connoisseurs. It is filled obsessive at times, has now produced a
(E3 5c) or Font 5+ if you want to give it with dozens of rolls of abandoned wire modest climbing area. It may not have huge
a boulder grade and Box Jellyfish (E3 5b) fencing and strong short lines which climbs or big grades but it does have a
or Font 5. Further along is a calcite wall provide a few hours of peaceful soloing large variety of routes and boulder problems
taken by Flow Mingled Down (E5 5c/6a). and bouldering. Defensive (E1 5a) is very ideal for recreational climbers looking
The finishing moves are exquisite. pleasant and if you like awkward cracks for a peaceful time high in the hills. n

The cliMber inTerview
MICK LOVATT
The PerFecT Man
Mick Lovatt has been a regular on the climbing scene since the mid-70s. Having risen
through the ranks at Preston City Council hitting the heady heights of Corporate
Director, Mick retired to the Llŷn Peninsula, North Wales a couple of years ago. Instead
of strutting his stuff down the Llanberis High Street, cruising easy routes and tending
an allotment on his rest days he’s still nailing it on hard routes. To the bewilderment
of many of his peers, the author included, Mick has also taken – like a proverbial duck
to water – to the loose and bold delights of Craig Doris; a crag that many find utterly
alarming. Keith Sharples talks to Mick Lovatt a.k.a. TPM – The Perfect Man.
EARLY DAYS
I first heard of you when I rocked
up to the Cookie Cliff in Yosemite
to try Crack-A-Go-Go (E3/4) in Sep-
tember 1980. The boulder beneath
the route was heavily splattered
with your dried blood. You’d tried it
earlier that week, fallen and ripped
a load of gear in a nasty fall and
severed an artery. How long had
you been climbing at that point
and what had led you to Yosemite?
Wow. What a hideous memory to start
an interview with. I had been climbing
about six years at that point. It was my
second trip to Yosemite, the first was
a year earlier. I was smitten with ‘the
Valley’ after reading about it in an article
entitled Yosemite Shorties by John Sheard.
I had a few good routes under my belt
in the UK so Crack A Go Go should have
been fairly straightforward. However,
in typical British style I paid no mind to
conditions, it was hot – very hot – and in
full sun too. I set out, climbed through a
gnarly old tree at the base of the route,
placed a cam in the wide left-hand crack
and smeared rightwards to the fingertip
layback crack that forms the meat of the
route. I made greasy progress placing
four wires at arm’s length blindly in the
thin crack and eventually reached a flat route. I had stripped all my wires but How much of an influence did that
hold which once stood on would have didn’t deck-out due to the cam placement fall have on you?
been the end of the difficulties. However, in the first crack. I sustained various It had a huge effect on me both mentally
I just couldn’t stand up or chalk up due lacerations but the worst one was a deep and physically. I was back climbing again
to the greasiness of the smooth granite puncture wound to my right thigh which within eight weeks of the accident, the
so I shouted: “Take.” I later found out had gone through the puncture wound and other lacerations had
The rest was a blur, what should have artery. I’m forever grateful to friends healed well, but my leg was still badly
been a three to four foot drop on to the Roger Whitehead (now deceased), bruised and black from my arse to my ankle
Mick Lovatt. top wire ended up as a 40ft plummet Steve Monks and Christof Stiegler who and I could barely straighten my knee. I was
Photo: Jethro Kiernan through the tree at the bottom of the applied first aid and arranged rescue. keen to climb but things weren’t the same.

IntervIew – MIck Lovatt: the Perfect Man
I didn’t pick up from where I left off, I

had gone from being an E4 leader back
to struggling up E1s. My confidence was
at rock bottom. Every runner I placed, no
matter how good, was – in my mind –
going to ‘rip’ just as they had done back
in Yosemite. It was a long three years
before I began to regain full confidence
in my climbing and equipment.
In the early part of rehab I had teamed
up with the ever enthusiastic John Monks
for a trip to Buoux and Verdon in the
south of France. John was a machine
and had a relentless hunger for rock and
routes, the harder the better, but more
importantly for me at the time was his
love of training; John knew how to train
and train hard. After the French trip John
picked me up and carried me for most
of that three-year stretch. I’m forever
indebted to John for the way he inspired
and coaxed me back to full fitness.
SPORT YEARS
You and John Monks were involved
with the Pen Trwyn boom. What
routes were you doing and how
was your climbing developing
after your Yosemite accident?
The Pen Trwyn boom of late ’82 and
throughout ’83 (and beyond) was an
unbelievable time to be climbing. A
new approach to the sport was upon
us, new techniques were creeping in
and slowly being adopted. Pen Trwyn
was pretty much a blank canvas on
which we could practise. As a working
climber, weekends couldn’t come around
quick enough. New lines to go at, easily
accessible and with mostly good weather
throughout the year. We were running
around ticking off second ascents or
early repeats every weekend trying to top
the charts for most number of ‘E points’
achieved in a day. Great days indeed.
The Pen Trwyn boom got me back
on my game, the climbing suited my
style, steep and fingery needing stamina
and tenacity rather than raw power to
succeed. I was leading E5 and feeling
confident to push on for bigger and
better things. ‘E’ grades were appropriate
for the time as bolts were used judicious-
ly in the early days.
In the late 80s and onwards you intricacies of climbing on limestone We saw something one day in 1984 Mick Lovatt climbing the Well
climbed at lot in the Yorkshire such as devious hidden pockets and I think that opened our eyes to what was Dunne Finish (F8b) at Malham
Dales. What attracted you to the flakes giving holds and protection. happening not only at the Cove but the Cove in Yorkshire back in
climbing there? That same day we walked around leap in standards British climbing was 2003. Photo: Steve Wilcock
I first climbed at Malham Cove in 1975 The Catwalk ogling the huge sweep about to take. John Monks and I had
up on the Left Wing doing easy routes of bulging limestone, home to some been climbing on the Upper Terrace and
with a guy called Steve Wilcock who of the most impressive aid lines in the having done Sundance Wall (E2 5c) and
essentially started me climbing; I loved country. Never did it cross my mind Butch Cassidy (E4 6b) we were feeling
it. The rock texture, the exposure high that I’d be back in just a few short pretty pleased with our efforts. However,
on the wings of a big rock face and the years to climb many of them free. when we looked over the edge we 6

the climber interview
could see a guy down on Main Overhang Yeah, I guess so. I really liked the long Around that time you were a regular
clipping the aid bolts but free climbing routes rather than the shorter more in adverts in the mags; always
past them. It turned out to be Rob powerful ones, even though I did immaculately dressed and looking
Gawthorpe. We were amazed, we manage a few of those too like Austrian suave and sophisticated – at least
thought: “We want some of that,” Oak (F8b), Overnight Sensation (F8a+) for a climber. Is this a good time to
and scuttled off home and back to the and Connect Four (F8a). I much preferred ask when and where the moniker,
gym. The potential at Malham was routes where you needed a bit of tenacity; The Perfect Man, came from?
immense and we wanted to be a part routes where you have to not only Ha, ha. Sophisticated. I like that but I’ve
of it. I didn’t know it at the time but that work out how to do the moves but also got to perpetuate the myth. I think some
was the start of three decades during where and how to rest and for how things are better left unsaid.
which Yorkshire limestone would be long. The Well Dunne Finish (F8b) is
keeping me occupied. a perfect example of what I’m getting You also did a number of first
at. To succeed on that I had to climb ascents including Climb of the
David Jones’s seminal book, The Zoolook (F8a) really smoothly then Century (F8a+), a photo of which
Power of Climbing, was published clip a long quickdraw on the belay – with you climbing – was on the
in 1991. You were labelled as a then step down to fashion a marginal front cover of the 2004 Northern
‘stamina merchant’ and included rest using an elbow and half a butt Limestone Rockfax guidebook. If
within The Hustlers in Chapter Five cheek. Chris Gore who was on belay you had to pick a route you were
having ticked the longer endurance then set the stopwatch going and most proud off would that be it?
routes like Supercool and The Groove allowed me a full 10 minutes to Clearly, I think any first ascensionist is
(both F8a+) as well as Predator recover before attacking the crux proud of his or her achievements partic-
(F8b). Fair assessment then? bulge above. ularly when others aspire to climb them.
Mick making a very early

ascent of Staring at the Sun
(E7 6c) in the Porth Saint area
of Rhoscolyn on Anglesey.
Mick manage to climb the
route on a cold October
day in 2020, just before
the Welsh nation went
back into lockdown.
Photo: Jethro Kiernan

IntervIew – MIck Lovatt: the Perfect Man
There’s no doubt Climb of the Century is a You’re right there were some real Such antics came to an abrupt halt
good route with great moves but it starts characters about back then and it’s when I tried similar after topping out on
halfway up the crag, lacks something of easy to forget how well so many people my new route Twisted (F8a). Standing on
a line and doesn’t top-out. On reflection were climbing. It was really competitive, the ledge having finished the route I felt
I’m probably more proud of, say, Deer relentless, week after week. If someone pretty pleased with myself and untied
Bield Crack (XS) in the Lakes or some of was seen to be pulling away from the from the rope to walk back down the
my later Doris routes. pack they were soon slapped down path to the catwalk. It was then that I
with some acerbic banter. heard the chants of jump, jump, jump
Which other routes from that There was a time when we started from Dunne, Andy Jack, Paul Ingham
period stick in your mind? doing new routes at the Cove and not and Ian Horrocks so I promptly tied
I guess two of the ‘big’ routes I did in putting a belay at the top to lower off. back on and stepped backwards off
that period were at Blue Scar. Strangely Getting to the top of the route then the ledge. My last bolt was way down
for that period (sport climbing) they are jumping off was in vogue for the summer. so this was going to be a big one. Unfor-
trad routes. Stairway to Heaven (E7 6c) John Dunne had instigated it to keep the tunately for me the rope caught my
and Deathwish (E7 6b). Both are Pete tourists to the Cove entertained. He would ankle and flipped me upside down.
Gomersall routes and both were trouser do a lap on say Breach of the Peace (F8a) I was now flying upside down and
fillers but with a lasting satisfaction that stand on the ledge at the top with nothing backwards and landed with an almighty
many bolted routes just can’t offer. to clip he’d take a step backwards taking BOOM as my back and shoulders hit the
what was to become known as a ‘Hawai- rock first, at least 70ft lower. Amazingly
There were some real characters ian’ (a 50ft pisser) named after cult TV I got away with it, I couldn’t breathe
and high jinks back then; do you series Hawaii 50. He did the same at the properly for a week but I had silenced
have any stories you’d like to share? top of the Well Dunne Finish (F8b). the crowd. 6
Manic Strain (F8a) in Vivian

Quarry close to Llanberis is
a sought after slate route
climbed on the smallest of
edges. Mick cranking away
on the third ascent in 1986.
Photo: Ian Horrocks

the climber interview
RETIREMENT AND NORTH WALES

Let’s fast forward to when you The Librarian (E7 6b) at Gogarth with Centre. It was then that he blurted out:
retired and moved to live on the Streaky. So now climbing predominantly “Bam Bam’s gotta go next summer.”
Ll n. Why North Wales? trad routes has been a revelation; there’s “Eh? Err... okay,” I said. I’d never heard
Wales was an obvious choice for us as so much good stuff to do. of the route let alone that it was up the
we’d had a holiday cottage near Criccieth steepest, loosest bit of Stigmata Buttress
on the Ll n for over a decade. So, we Craig Doris then. What the heck on the infamous Craig Doris.
took a risk, bought somewhere a bit is that all about? Why super scary In the June heat we were stood in the
bigger and rebuilt it over the following trad with steep rotten rock and dirt with this audacious Haston route
year. We’re really close to Craig Doris shoddy gear? Isn’t it best to leave towering above us. Nick, having fol-
but that was the last thing on my mind the death routes to the younger lowed Caff (James McHaffie) up it a few
when we bought the house. Over the de- generations? years earlier, stepped off the ground and
cades spent in Yorkshire I had probably Ha, ha! There’s no doubting that Craig crunched his way up the initial groove.
2 Mick making the second reached a plateau in terms of grades. My Doris is an acquired taste. When I first My heart was in my mouth, I couldn’t
ascent of Calum Muskett’s motivation for climbing has always been walked along the base of the crag I believe the crap he was standing on let
route The Space Face (E7 6b) high but I did feel that I was stagnating thought nope, not for me, not in a mil- alone pulling on. Nick made the fourth
at Craig Y Forwyn, North Wales a bit continuing to climb predominantly lion years. But then I looked again and ascent, I seconded, eyes closed and
in 2020. Photo: Pete Johnson at Malham, Kilnsey and Gordale. Moving thought the lines and features, the rock gripped with fear for the first 10m but
away has been an inspiration. architecture is some of the best I’d seen after that I began to relax and enjoy the
6 Living close to Craig Doris anywhere. My first routes at the crag awesome situation. A couple of weeks
on Pen Llŷn makes Doris an How did you find going back to were with good friend, Malcolm Mills later I led the route myself and I was
appealing proposition for Mick, hard trad after spending many Davis (Mills). We did Byzantium (E4), hooked.
if you can say that given the years climbing bolts? Direct Hit (E4), Doris Day (E4) and Absent
loose and super scary nature Switching disciplines, or mixing disci- Friends (E5) in the day. I enjoyed the style Over the last few years you’ve
of trad routes there. Over the plines should I say, for me wasn’t such of climbing but it was a flying visit really ticked off many of Doris’s hardest
last few years he’s ticked off a big deal. Having had a place in Wales and I didn’t return for another two or routes including Pushing for Rail
many of the hardest routes for over a decade I would be down on three years. (E8 6b), Requiem for a Vampire (E8
there in addition to adding the trad every month anyway, climbing Nick Bullock was the real culprit in my 6b) and Melody (E8 6b). You’ve also
his own. Here he’s on the regularly with Paul Simkiss from DMM or demise as a sport climber. I had climbed added a few horrors of your own
first ascent of Safe as Milk Streaky Desroy. For example, I did Urgent with Nick a couple of times over the such as Destiny (E7 6b), The Mud-
(E7 6c). Photo: Jethro Kiernan Action (F8a+) at Kilnsey in the summer of years but through the winter of 2017/18 shark (E8 6b) and Safe as Milk
2010 and the very next week I did Conan we climbed a lot at the Beacon Climbing (E7 6c) which you climbed recently.

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Mick training in a storm drain under
the motorway at Adele in Tenerife in
2019. Photo: Peter Greenwood
How many sleepless nights have you had to endure? You seem
hopelessly addicted to Doris so what’s your next project there?
Doris is addictive, such a beautiful place to climb as is the whole of Pen Ll n.
As for sleepless nights, there has been a few but I guess it’s no different
than the visualisation process I go through with any hard route sport or trad.
What’s next? Well I’m on with writing a new guide to the area with Pat Little-
john and he keeps pestering us to do the second ascent of his 18-pitch girdle
of the crag called War and Peace (E5). I think we’d have tried it this year but
a fat young fulmar nesting mid-crag has put us off. Well that’s our excuse.
You seem to like a bit of adventure and excitement in your life;

does scary trad tick that box for you better than sport climbing?
I don’t think one is better than the other really. I enjoy both. I love climbing
in beautiful places and being in remote locations. With us moving down
here to the Ll n it’s opened my eyes to a whole new and different world of
climbing, if I hadn’t taken advantage of the situation and adapted my style
and thinking within climbing I would definitely be missing out.
GOING FORWARD
You’ve said in the past that you’ll continue with hard rock
routes whilst you can maintain the fitness and the enthusiasm.
For up to date news,
As you approach your 50th year of climbing is that still your
game plan then?
I guess so, climbing is so much more than a sport, so many facets, so many
articles, bouldering,
levels. Climbing for me is a way of life.
What about the North Face of the Eiger? That was one of your
interviews, videos,
early ambitions; has that ship sailed do you think?
Unfortunately, I think it probably has, although me and John Dunne did have
a look at the topos of some of the newer rock routes up the North Face a
competitions, reviews,
year or two ago. I didn’t get too keen as I’m sure Mrs Lovatt would have
something to say about it, it’s still the Eiger after all. training and skills
Have you any other major ambitions left to achieve in climbing?
To “keep on keeping on” to quote Bob Dylan.
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DESTINATION
One Staffordshire’s very best routes, Bachelor’s

Left-Hand (HVS 5b) is one of Don Whillan’s finest
gritstone routes giving a steep and challenging outing.
Jake Jackson having fun in the top half of the route.

Cloud
Climbing
HEN CLOUD,
STAFFORDSHIRE
Words by Andi Turner Photography by David Simmonite
Whilst the crowds congregate, and the ticket wardens earn their bonuses,
Hen Cloud remains eerily empty. Flanked by The Roaches and Ramshaw
Rocks, Hen Cloud juts its mighty chin to the south marking the craggy
limit of this edge of the Peak District National Park.
In the words of Dave Jones back in the late 70s, ‘Hen Cloud must be one of the
most underrated crags in the world. It is tall, green and powerful; few other
grit buttresses challenge it for situation, quality and length’. Needless to say,
little has changed in this way in the succeeding four decades.

destination
SMALL BEGINNINGS
Wandering across from The Roaches, through windy gap Breaking from the footpath and down the hill across
and onto the back of the crag the first lump of rock tussocks and forgotten gateways the Aiguilette comes
encountered is the Baud Stone. Perched on its plinth of into view. This micro-pinnacle offers a variety of highball
three smaller stones it’s hard to imagine that it found itself options from the great and the good: John Allen’s Starlight
there naturally, yet also just as hard to imagine how anyone and Storm and Simon Nadin’s Simon’s Slab are frustrating
would’ve levered it into place. A few rumours still circulate in the least. Even with a pad or two height advantage and
of its healing qualities for anyone who crawled beneath it a springy start they always feel that simply initiating the
to knock the ‘devil off their back’, or of its solar alignment climbing is the crux of the matter. Nonetheless, this little
with the Solstice sunrise and the Ramshaw Serpent. Whatever craglet is an oasis from the main event and one which
the archaeology of this stone, it’s holding onto its secrets. shouldn’t be forsaken.
THE PINNACLES BLACK WALL

The crag in its full flow arrives like a narrow vertical features of rock harder The Black Wall beneath is a Hen Cloud
smack in the face. The rock growing than the surrounding stone. More than specialty. This loaf of rock is the love
in size upwards at the same rate as anything else, I find that these are the child of limestone and grit. Steep, black
the ground diminishes and all further defining features of Hen Cloud, more and smooth yet with lines of absolute
exposed by the gradient of the hillside so than its tallness, its steepness or its definition and a prerequisite of being
beneath. The Pinnacles are somewhat outlook, these inclusions offer something able to jam and to hang a sloper or two.
less dramatic in person than they are which simply cannot be experienced The central line of Stone Loach (E5 6b)
when viewed at sunset from Ramshaw anywhere else. finds a way up the wall around a single
Rocks where they imitate scenes from However, as much as we may drool inspiring nut placement before the sec-
Monument Valley, but this doesn’t deny over this line, the surrounding climbs ond half comes into play. This fist crack
them of any quality. The crowning jewel are no less enthralling. Slowhand (E1 5b) is a diabolical struggle facing one way,
of this section and object of desire for takes a gentle line on flakes before em- but just about achievable facing the other,
many is undoubtedly the paragon of barking on the fragile upper scoop which unfortunately you won’t know which is
Master of Reality (E6 6c), a fine addition is a memorable excursion. Alternatively, which until you’ve already set sail.
by Nadin. Chicken (E1 5b) is, as described in the To the left is A Flabby Crack (E6 6c)
The meat of the route revolves guidebook, just ‘a really good route’. which in modern terms would probably
around negotiating a spine of rock The appealing lower crack is always a warrant highball Font 7b+. Whichever way
which slithers down the headwall in the little more tricky than you’d hope and you approach it, it doesn’t really take any
form of a flanged tufa. Peculiar to Hen the upper sections are just a touch more gear of worth but it does climb exception-
The impressive Hen Cloud, these geological anomalies cut scrabbly than you’d wish, but in total it’s ally well. The wall to the left is attractively
Cloud in all its glory. through the bedding planes creating a memorable route of great variety. blank but perhaps one day it will succumb.

Cloud Climbing - Hen Cloud, StaffordSHire
The right side of the wall is climbed Pete Bridgwood making the
via some infectious routes. Anthrax decisive moves into the crack
(E4 6a) flaps its way up the narrow on the brilliant Comedian
crack on the right of the buttress before (E3 6a) in the Bachelor’s Area.
officially finishing up the gash of Stone
Loach – I personally think just escaping
at the ledge is a better-balanced route.
Between the two is Myxi (E6 6c), a
route which I first climbed on Valentine’s
Day in 2008. I’d spent some time preparing
for the route and found myself sitting
beneath it alone on a chilly morning
desperate to crack on as a light drizzle
began to blow in from the east. I sent out
messages asking for a belayer before,
finally, going for it regardless. Successfully
topping out I ran back down only to see
my friend slogging up the hill to join me.
I slipped and skipped over to him to tell
him: “I’ve just done it,” “You’re joking
right?” He was fuming, led up the steepest
walk-in in the western Peak under false
pretences. We walked down together in
seething silence. A blinded rabbit limped
across my path and I did what was right.
DELSTREE
A crag of such absolute class clearly didn’t
fly under the radar of the greatest British
climber. Joe Brown added eight lines of
upmost quality which would alone create
a fantastic challenge for a day’s cragging.
To pick out the best of these additions,
plus the one added on the right-hand side
of the crag by his illustrious climbing
partner Don Whillans, is a challenge in
itself. Indeed, any single one of these
routes would be enough to bring a smile
to your face. Overwhelmingly their routes
followed exacting crack lines up the crag,
although one, En Rappel (HVS 4c), demon-
strates a broad spectrum of technical
excellence by straightening out what was
previously known as Blizzard Buttress.
A series of mantels unnervingly lead
you into a position of uncompromising
exposure especially as the rock quality
begins to diminish enough to cause you
to want to limpet. Regardless, the carrot
of holds or protection tempt you on…
If Delstree (HVS 5a) didn’t have its
mildly scrappy start up the grassy glacis
it would surely be heralded as one of the
absolute classics of gritstone. The delicate
start and strenuous crack line offer a
climbing experience far superior to that
of the nearby Roaches classic The Sloth
or Great Western further afield at Almscliff
in Yorkshire. If there’s one route to define
Hen Cloud, this is the one.
Between the two are a couple of
my favourites from two different eras:
Main Crack (VS 5a) provides a glaringly
obvious line with superb exposure
through its upper reaches, exposure
which is thankfully remedied by the
solid wedging the crack offers. 6

destination
Lit by the late rays of evening

sun, Jake Jackson is poised for
the next moves into the upper
corner crack on the colourful
Rainbow Crack (VS 5a).

It’s worth taking in the view whilst you For easier fare and starting in the Laycock went on to write in Recent 8 Having placed bomb proof
can as the remaining third of the climb same place as Delstree, Reunion Crack Developments on Gritstone (1924) ‘Not gear Andi Turner is amidst
is a more of a speleological affair. This (VS 5a) gives another good, characterful, everyone has been benighted on gritstone the delightful sequence
and Delstree were first led by Brown in climb via a rather steep corner/flake and, though one ought to be ashamed of moves that lure you on
the late 50s, but it would be another crack. Decidedly strenuous yet festooned of want of prudence, the episode is upwards (or not) on Borstal
a couple of decades before one of the with plentiful gear and wonderful holds. delightful to me in retrospect. Gritstone Breakout (E4 6b).
most iconic climbers of these western has its romance no less that granite’.
crags stepped onto the scene. GRAND CENTRAL Complementing Central Climb, and 4 The Arête (HVD 4a) is a
One of the most enigmatic figures Returning to ground level the grass gets what would be the making of a classic superb and exposed route
in Staffordshire climbing, Jonny Wood- deeper and the crag reaches its full height. day out, are K2 (S 4b) and The Arête following a stepped arête
ward’s contributions to these edges are The classic line there goes through the (HVD 4a) – both of a similar length and up the full length of the crag.
some of the most mind bending and in crag in its entirety, from its deepest depths difficulty yet with characters all of their Andi Turner returns to solo
many ways define the harder climbing in to its summit, 30m of quintessential own. The steep and uncompromising K2 the route after a judgement
the region; the terrifyingly delicate lines classic rock. Laycock and Thompson goes from a closed-in corner to a small call on his first visit to the
of Piece of Mind at The Roaches or the provided the historical first ascent of lawn for a belay stance before forcing crag years before.
masochistic technicalities of National Central Climb (HS 4c) in 1909. Chauffeured a line up the crack above and into the
Acrobat at Ramshaw only go to demon- to the crag, the two set off on the route. open air of the rib above. The Arête is an
strate the pure skill of this climber. On The first pitch, however, proved too astonishing climb at the grade, although
Hen Cloud, he added (well, straightened challenging for Thompson, and as Laycock not one for a first lead as the protection
out) Caesarian (E4 6b) which is now one had likely forgotten his prusiks, he is sparce and the climbing is probably
of the ‘Big C’ (along with Comedian, battled on alone. Beneath the final pitch, as exposed as you could find at this
Caricature, Corinthian and Chameleon) benighted, Laycock did the sensible thing standard. I remember on my first visit to
routes on the crag. An immaculate route and hunkered down only to have a top crag nonchalantly setting off to solo the
with every move being of interest and a rope lowered to him by his chauffer and route but, as the difficulties increased,
benchmark at 6b. Thompson with which to finish the route. I finally had to swallow my pride and 6

destination
downclimb for a rope. Between Central Brown’s Slimline (E1 5b/V1). Despite the I tend to belay on the boulder below the
Climb and K2 is a line for someone after crag seldom being bedecked with boulder- top allowing me to enjoy the spectacle of
something harder and a three-star outing. ing pads, these routes along with Nutted my second and avoid the disappointing
Encouragement (E1 5b) gives a lovely, by Reality (E1 6a/V4) and Touch (E4 6c/V7) belay selection on the summit proper.
balanced climb over two pitches with that can be found elsewhere along the Bachelor’s Left-Hand is so much better
a gem of a first pitch up a corner/groove crag, certainly would warrant a circuit than its name suggests as it cuts a
leading to a very comfortable ledge. The along with an exploratory eye for the majestic swathe up through this enormous
upper pitch is by contrast steeper and many boulder problems which can be bastion of rock, curving a line of impecca-
requires a variety of different sized jams developed and uncovered across the crag. ble quality and is one of the true classic
to manoeuvre up the crack line. rock climbs. Irrelevant of grade, this one
Also, here, Borstal Breakout (E4 6b) BACHELOR’S DELIGHT stands amongst the finest British rock
shouldn’t be missed. The front face of the The final main wall of the crag, the climbs and should be treated as such.
‘flatiron’ contains an incipient crack line Bachelor’s Area, is arguably the finest The grainy image of Don Whillans setting
going from wide to small offering a good section of the crag. The rock being sail into the crux moves with his rope
little bomb shelter at its end, just before plumb vertical and enticingly decorated
petering out completely and leaving you with cross bedding rock architecture. The
beached on the headwall. From there a Comedian (E3 6a) presents the tamest of
delightful sequence lures you into its lab- the ‘C’ routes, though it still shouldn’t be
yrinth of holds before landing you on the underestimated as it does that ‘crux’ thing
picnic ledge or hanging in your harness. that Hen Cloud does so well. After figuring
The top pitch is normally avoided, but out the steep lower wall the deep break
those with an ample reach might take offers salvation in the form of bombproof
it on purely for bragging rights and a protection but also that double-edged
‘full’ tick. sword of a sanctuary which so often prove
The crag now closes into an amphi- desperate to leave and instead simply
theatre which separates the two masses whittle away at your power reserves as
of the outcrop. Scrambling up onto the you nibble back and forth trying to fathom
top of the second crag and looking out the cryptic moves to gain the crack proper.
towards Jodrell Bank the parallel lines of Beyond this, Brown, and this time Don
gritty inclusions can be seen to punctuate Whillans, once again struck gold with
the buttresses, tying the crag together in their pick of the crop in the form of Hen
an ancient hemline. A small amount of Cloud Eliminate (HVS 5b) from Brown
bouldering can be enjoyed initially before and Bachelor’s Left-Hand (HVS 5b) led by
Having overcome the the crag quickly erupts into its usual Whillans. Hen Cloud Eliminate will genuin-
strenuous layback section tumultuous form. Somewhere between ely test your crack climbing skills from
below his feet, Gus Hudgins the bouldering and the routes lie a couple narrow hands to hand stacks (if you like
is enjoying the upper section of strong highballs in the form of Stokesline that sort of thing) with nowhere to hide
of Reunion Crack (VS 5a). (E2 6b/V4), This Poison (E3 6b/V5) and for those who are left lacking in the art.

uselessly hanging from his waist into the but not before a final demonstration of contorted groove on Llanberis slate
pointless mitts of Joe Brown below is as class. Rounding the corner of this mighty climbed with hands on one wall and feet
harrowingly haunting as it is inspiring. wall, the deep cleft of Great Chimney (HVD on the other – but you’ll have to work
An easier way to gain the upper 4a), first climbed by the powerful early out how to top-out if that’s the case.
crack of Bachelor’s Left-Hand is the fine pioneers Siegfried Herford and Stanley The final crock of gold is Rainbow
Bachelor’s Climb (VS 4c). Yet another Jeffcoat in 1913, becomes apparent. This Crack (VS 4c) with some impeccable
sublime, though strenuous, fluted jamming can be climbed in a variety of old school jamming and bridging on its upper The superb Hen Cloud
crack to the right leads upwards to a methods, preferably involving some kind section. This route rounds off what has Eliminate (HVS 5b) is one
cheeky traverse across to the Left-Hand of wedging, wobbling and worrying. been an astonishing journey across the of Joe Brown’s many fine
crack. You can belay up on ‘The Pulpit’ Typically, it’s climbed on the left to a belay crag and what leaves me perplexed as to additions to Hen Cloud and
and step back down gain the upper crack ledge then finished on the right, but its unpopularity. Not that I’m complain- a route that will test your
but it’s much better in one long pitch. those with reversible hips might be able ing, it’s a beautiful oxymoron that the crack climbing skills. Andi
Hen Cloud now peters off into a to bridge. You can also go ‘full Quarry- finest crag in the Peak is also one of the Turner fully engaged in the
sputtering contrail of craglets and bluffs man’ – for those not familiar a hideously most overlooked. n lower crack.

destination
THREE OF
THE BEST
LOWER GRADE ADVENTURES
IN NORTH WALES
tony Howard writes
Tryfan with the East Face

resplendent with a light
dusting of snow, is home
to many classic mountain
routes including Grooved
Arête (HVD 4a). Photo:
David Simmonite

Three of The BesT – Lower Grade advenTures in norTh waLes
We had all three been off rock for an eternity. At least it seemed that way. In Mick’s case it was true – five years
must count as an eternity in any climber’s life. He had been grounded since falling from a low level traverse onto
a concealed stone which had splintered his heel. After years of perseverance, physio and exercises, and despite
pessimistic doctors telling him he would never climb again, a course of acupuncture, finally, seemed to do the
trick. Previously hardly able to walk much more than a mile or so without discomfort, he had tramped carefree
with us round the 180 miles of the Annapurna Circuit just before Christmas. He was ready for rock.
Then I let the side down, on our return from Nepal I had a long overdue shoulder operation. Ligaments wearing
on bone had been painfully complaining for too long, so much so, that I hadn’t climbed since the previous au-
tumn. Getting something approaching the full use of my arm back after the op took a further four months, whilst
Mick and Di waited patiently. By mid-May our fingers were itching for the once-familiar rough textured feel of
rock. A forecast promising blue skies, albeit with cold easterly winds for the next few days was all we needed
to tempt us to North Wales.
CREAGH DHU WALL

Creagh Dhu Wall at Tremadog was
first on the list, partly because of fond
memories of its delightful dolerite rock
thrusting high above the trees and partly
because of the cold winds. It wouldn’t be
the first time we had escaped the bitter
mountain weather of Snowdonia for the
joys of this one-time sea cliff, now par-
tially sheltered behind ancient forest on
the old Porthmadog coastline. And what
better climb to choose than the delightful
60m classic of Creag Dhu Wall up the
southwest-facing central pillar of Craig
y Castell. Its three contrasting pitches
of Hard Severe 4b each have their own
peculiar challenge. The first two are
a delight but the last, it must be said,
is a bit strange.
The route starts up a rather daunting
steep crack-line. Climbing boldly up, a
footledge on the edge of space offers a
sudden respite. Step out there and you
will find the ledge continues rightwards
towards a corner with a tempting tree
and grassy haven above. The problems
are twofold, the first thing you notice is
that there are no handholds, the second,
that the ledge diminishes as you move
along it and disappears just when you
need it most. The solution is simple –
a long reach and a hopefully controlled
stride land you in the corner. The tempt-
ing belay is just above.
The second pitch returns to the pillar
across a hanging flake of rock, though
now the situation is reversed and the
footholds are absent. Once again, go
boldly forth to grasp the final spike then,
poised on the nose of the buttress high
above the void, swing round to hidden
holds, which take you delightfully up its
crest to an airy belay. Above is the short
last pitch, which I never find easy. The
only good thing about it is the protection.
It’s a weird little move to enter a niche 6

destination
just below the top. Once up you can

relax in the sun and appreciate the view
out to Cardigan Bay, its silvery waters
glinting on the horizon. On this occa-
sion, we were also treated to a display
of aerobatics as a buzzard jinked and
rolled in cumbersome efforts to evade
dive-bombing crows. It was good to be
climbing again.
GROOVED ARÊTE
Grooved Arête on Tryfan was our
objective for the next day. Despite
Tryfan’s lowly height of 915m (a couple
of feet over the magic 3,000) its jagged
skyline, its summit fortified by rock on all
sides and, in particular, its vast rugged
East Face make it an iconic mountain.
I had good memories of it, climbing the
famous Grooved Arête as an instructor at
Plas y Brenin National Mountain Centre
on more than one occasion in the 1960s.
Despite its modern grade of Hard V Diff,
I was always amazed at the audacity and
skill of E W Steeple and party who made
the first ascent of this 250m route in 1911
– no nuts and cams then for protection
as they balanced in nailed boots up its
exposed grooves and arêtes. Showell
Styles, another great pioneer of British
climbing, writing in Classic Rock about
his first meeting with Steeple, described
him as ‘a small insignificant stranger,
8 Tony Howard high

on pitch 4 of Grooved
Arête (HVD 4a) on the
East Face of Tryfan
in the Ogwen Valley.
Photo: Di Taylor
6 Tony Howard
following the sixth
pitch of the uber
classic nine-pitch
Grooved Arête (HVD
4a). Photo: Di Taylor

Three of The BesT – Lower Grade advenTures in norTh waLes
large of nose and drooping of mous-

tache, who could hardly have been more
unlike my idea of a great climber’.
But great he was, with new routes on
Skye as well as a parallel route to Grooved
Arête on Tryfan called First Pinnacle Rib,
slightly easier than the former, but also
justifiably popular. Other, harder almost
equally historic routes lurk nearby such
as the exposed and delightful Belle Vue
Bastion, Tryfan’s first VS climbed in 1927
by Ivan Waller to the sound of gramo-
phone music on the terrace below. Also
there is the once notorious Munich Route
– a VS into which the German team who
made the notorious first ascent in 1936
had hammered a sacrilegious piton,
upsetting Menlove Edwards who rapidly
climbed the route without. It still has its
moments even today, but nothing like
the continuous joy of the Grooved Arête
that attracted us back on this trip.
a bit oF an old-
Fashioned struggle
– even more so now
it has been polished
by almost a century
oF boots
After a long approach up the Heather

Terrace, the foot of the first pitch is
marked distastefully and unnecessarily
by the route name initials G A scratched
into the rock. I must also add, despite my
earlier comment about the route being a
joy, that this starting chimney is a bit of
an old-fashioned struggle – even more
so now it has been polished by almost a
century of boots. This shiny slipperiness
continues up the route. Unless memory
serves me wrongly, the holds were much
more positive in the 1960s, but then
that’s some time ago too. The second
pitch is much more technical up a steep
V-groove where runners feel necessary
as the well-worn holds diminish, but in
our case we didn’t have many, we had end of the pitch, with rope running short, pitches down below were harder and The first two pitches of The
deliberately left our cams behind, only runners far below and the rock getting would have justified Severe. The rest of White Streak and the upper
taking a few nuts to recapture something ever steeper, holds appear on a parallel the pitch across the slab with its fretwork pitch of Honeysuckle Corner
of the spirit of the first ascent. rib to the left and enable a happy swing of cracks is a real pleasure, taking one makes for a great
The next pitch, though steep, is easier out and up to The Haven, a comfortable as it does, on a journey to the unknown combination at an overall
and is followed by a heathery ledge ledge nestled amongst wild rock scenery. only to discover a hidden belay in an grade of HS 4b and is the
to the foot of the upper wall where an A bold lead in 1911, Mr Steeple. exposed eyrie on the edge of the cliff. best way up the crag. Tony
inspirational rib shoots up for a full rope The crux pitch waits above, but de- Happily, the ledge didn’t belong to the Howard is leading the first
length to overhangs and the unknown. spite a stretchy move to a smooth hold peregrine sweeping past overhead, buf- slab pitch of The White
The rib and its companion groove are at the start of the famous Knight’s Move feted by the wind that had sneaked up on Streak. Photo: Di Taylor
steep, relentless, and polished. At the Slab we all felt the two steep groove us. Crouched together on our 6

destination
little ledge, we suddenly realised it was THE MOELWYNS to do them in one). It’s essentially a wall,
cold, really cold, far too cold for May The White Streak/Honeysuckle Corner in easing to a slab. At first glance there are
with the icy east wind whipping up the the Moelwyns was the objective on our neither holds nor runners to be seen, but
face. The groove ahead, initially over- final day, a climb that Di and I had good tiptoeing up on the myriad pockets, pro-
hanging was, as a result, harder than it memories of, but which Mick had never tection placements appear in all shapes
should have been, giving the route a real done. Situated on the easily accessible and sizes. It’s too good to stop at halfway
feel of mountain commitment. There Craig yr Wrysgan, it’s not long, only 50m – head for the top of the slab and the full
was no shelter at the next belay either, of Hard Severe, but you couldn’t find orgasmic experience.
nor on the final wall, beyond which we two more contrasting or better pitches. In contrast to the delicate delights of
scurried for the protection of the sun- The first is my favourite (actually it’s the pitch below, the second pitch starts
warmed boulders on the west side of described in the guide as two pitches but brutally, rising abruptly and vertically from
the nearby summit. Exhilarating stuff! they are so good it seems a shame not the safe comfort of the belay. A powerful
heave gets you onto it. Some steep bridg-
ing and good runners then enable you to
move boldly up into the groove ahead,
after which all is fun to the summit. As we
topped-out, a steam train far below on the
narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway hooted
as if to congratulate us but the cold
wind which carried the greeting up the
mountain had found us again. We escaped
from its buffeting blast by hurrying like
Hobbits down a tunnel worthy of
Tolkien’s Mines of Moria carved steeply
through the rock by Welsh slate miners;
an unusual end to an unusual climb.
GUIDEBOOK CHECKING
Later, we checked out the routes in our
guidebooks. Apart from an earlier glimpse
to verify the start of Grooved Arête, we
had done the climbs from memory. We
were not too surprised to discover that
Creag Dhu Wall is variously described
as ‘an all-time classic’, ‘one of the best
climbs of its grade at Tremadog’ and
‘one of the finest Welsh Severes’ though
it’s graded HS 4b. Grooved Arête is graded
HVD 4a, and acclaimed as ‘one of the
finest routes of its standard in Wales’ and
The White Streak/Honeysuckle Corner at
HS 4b, is reputedly ‘the best climb of its
grade in the Moelwyns’. Both Creag Dubh
Wall and The White Streak/Honeysuckle
Corner are listed online as amongst the
50 best Hard Severes in the UK.
Guidebooks
Great British Rock Climbs and Classic Rock
include Creag Dhu Wall and Grooved Arête.
Both North Wales Climbs and North
Wales Classics include all three routes
The climbs are also in the relevant
Climbers’ Club definitive guidebooks to
Wales: Tremadog, Ogwen and Meirionnydd.
tony Howard is the author of Troll Wall and

Quest into the Unknown (both can be found
at www.v-publishing.co.uk) plus climbing and
trekking guidebooks to UK, Norway, Jordan
and Palestine.
Tony Howard climbing the first pitch of Creagh Dhu Wall (HS 4b) on Craig y Castell at Tremadog. Photo: Tony Howard Collection

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destination
Saint-Cézaire
an oFF-the-grid
French wonderland By Keith sharples
Imagine a serene valley where the air is clear and fresh

and the only sounds are bird song and water cascading
down a river. Add to that mental picture a series of crags,
some overhanging for their full 35m to 40m height with
walls liberally covered in holds and tufa systems. Imagine,
remarkably, that the crags are devoid of other climbers
and, incredibly, that this wonderland is less than an hour’s
drive from one of the busiest international airports in
Europe. Almost certainly you won’t have heard of it so
let me introduce Saint-Cézaire.
Nestling in the Alpes-Maritimes, a Saint-Cézaire, with the latter especially

stone’s throw from the Mediterranean, giving it an all-year venue status which
Saint-Cézaire is probably one of the they found attractive. Unsurprisingly, they
biggest open secrets in the whole of became regular visitors and, alongside
the south of France. Hidden in plain their French climbing companions, they
sight, a mere 45 minutes along the soaked up the climbing, especially loving
autoroute from Nice airport, Saint- the long tufas. Sector EDF was the first
Cézaire is virtually unheard of in the to be developed, mainly by Olivier Arnulf
UK. Certainly none of our team, Rab (Titi), in the late 80s/early 90s. Sectors
Carrington, Al Murray, Steve McClure South and North (En Haut) were developed
nor myself had heard of Saint-Cézaire. next. Also in this immediate area, Sector
Despite the original development being Kalymnos and North (En Bis) were devel-
pre-millennium, Saint-Cézaire has oped by Olivier Germain. One of the later
never had the profile, nor the popular- developments – and undoubtedly one of
ity, that many of Côte d’Azur honeypot the best – Sector Le Discret was added
crags such as Peillion, Castillion or by a group led by Blaise Faugeras.
Gorges du Loup have ‘enjoyed’.
So often in life it’s not what you know LoCation
but who you know that gives you a lead. Located just 10km east of Grasse, the
Such was the case here, old friends Mike small village of Saint-Cézaire – don’t blink
and Elaine Owen, ex of this parish and or you will miss it – lies at the confluence
now long standing ex-pats living and of the D105 (from Grasse), the D656 (from
climbing amongst the Nice community, Mons) and the D96 (from Callian) in the
tipped us off. The allure of the unknown depths of heavily wooded valleys. A small
made it an extremely attractive propo- bridge over the River Siagne signals your
sition for us; a chance to explore some- arrival proper. The crags lie all around.
where off the grid. Sure, it might have Four crags, Sectors Kalymnos, EDF, Jean
been total rubbish but sitting an hour or Marc Genevois and Le Roi du Sept, are
so drive from Gorge du Loup and maybe all to the east of River Siagne. Three more
90 minutes from Chateauvert or even the crags, Sectors North (En Bis), North (En
Verdon it didn’t feel like a massive risk. Haut) and South, all lie – partly hidden –
Mike and Elaine Owen first visited in a secondary valley running westward
Steve McClure on-sighting Saint-Cézaire at the turn of the millennium. away from Saint-Cézaire down which the
the crag classic at Sector Crag info back then was only available by River Siagnole flows. Further crags, Sectors
Le Discret, Hilti Base Jump word of mouth but they liked the varied Le Discret and Les Malines, are located
(F8a+). Photo: Keith Sharples climbing and disparate crag aspects at in yet another valley a short drive away.

Saint-Cézaire: an off-the-grid frenCh wonderland
RIVER SIAGNOLE CRAGS being scattered about a tree-lined, steep- Sector north (En Bis)
sided valley overlooking a small river. Reached after a 15 minute easy walk-in,
SectorS South, north (En Haut)
The situation is not only idyllic it’s climbing on this sector is very reminiscent
and north (En Bis) especially accommodating for varying to that in Chee Dale in the Peak District;
Located either side of the River Siagnole, ambient conditions as locations can be steep, technical and fingery on compact
all three crags are accessed from the car varied depending on requirements for rock with the odd overhang thrown in for
parking at the road bridge over the River sun or shade. The minor inconvenience good measure. As well as an excellent sel-
Siagne. Between them, these sectors are of a river crossing and a bit of bush- ection of harder routes in the F7s and F8s
home to 70-odd routes; many giving whacking being the only impediment North En Bis also has a number of attra-
three-star climbing. The situation is to going to all three crags in a day if ctive easier slabby climbs; these on the far
remarkably Chee Dale-esque, the crags you were so inclined. left of the crag; let’s start with these. 6

deStination
4eme Etoile (F6b+), the third route in

from the far left, is the best on this bit of
the crag giving interesting and balancey
climbing up slabby rock that morphs,
slowly but surely, into steeper, fingery
and more pressing climbing to get to the
lower-off. Moving right Luna Cool (F6b)
takes the deep obvious snaking corner
and gives excellent climbing; an upper
pitch (F6c) can be added if required.
The ‘slab’ to the right also looks
promising and indeed the climbing is
good, if somewhat ‘blind’, on Comme Des
Pas Qui S’eloignent (F6c), Nouveau Niveau
(F7a) and Voie 9 (F7a/+). The wall be-
comes increasingly steeper going right,
Les Ours Sont-ils Maniaques? (F7b) is –
depending on your grade – the last of the
‘reasonable’ routes. The excellent lower
wall gives strenuous moves on pockets
and tufas. Finally, less difficult but still
tricky climbing heads rightwards beneath
the capping bulge into the hanging
groove way out on the right. Stripping
this pitch is entertaining by the way.
The wall right is increasingly domi-
nated by a low roof and several harder
(F8a+/b) routes (projects?), however,
just before this section both L’Ethique
Au Tacquet (F7c+) and Terreur Nocturne
(F7c+/8a) offer quality climbing. Two
final routes on the far right are worthy of
attention, Scorpions (F8a) and Marcu-
pitami (F7a+). Both climb a smooth,
plum-vertical wall of excellent rock and
both offer engaging and top-drawer
climbing albeit at widely different grades
and both are highly recommended.
Sector north (En Haut)

From North En Bis continue along the
path for maybe five minutes until a track
leads leftwards up the hillside, under-
neath a small wall and then back left
again to the base of a short via ferrata.
Once up this North En Haut opens out
in front of you. Situated almost directly
above the lower crags it feels like how
you’d imagine the hanging Gardens of
Babylon. Amazingly we were greeted by
a family of wild boar when we arrived
but fortunately, they were more startled
than we were and quickly vanished.
Prepare yourself for a shock when
going there for the first time. The right-
hand section of the crag comprises a big
(25/30m) scoop-cum-alcove suitably
furnished with a capping roof. Farther
8 Keith Sharples enjoying left, the bulk of the crag, however, is a
the tufas on C’est Dement giant overhanging wall decorated by all climbed many of these lines back then Sadly, it was warm and humid on the
(F6c+), Sector Le Discret. manner of blobs, tufas and small hang- and described them to me as: “Psycho- day we visited (early March 2019) and
Photo: Steve McClure ing corners. It’s remarkable that with a logical epics as they were very run-out.” the crag wasn’t in the best condition
crag like this Saint-Cézaire isn’t better Since then, however, there has been so we didn’t linger and moved on to
6 Rab Carrington crossing known. Thanks (sic) to the minimalist some re-bolting which has reduced the the more open South crag. The routes
the River Siagnole walking bolting from Olivier Arnulf (Titi), the run-outs to that of more conventional looked amazing however, something
out from Sector South. developer, this sector was known to proportions; others who have climbed which Mike was happy to endorse when
Photo: Keith Sharples be ‘Tres engage’ back in the day. Mike there agree. we discussed it with him. For recom-

mended routes, therefore, I’ve had to

defer to Mike’s extensive knowledge
but his ‘must-do’ list all look excellent:
Falaise a brutes (F7a+), Mille Seceur (F7b),
Master Killer (F7c+), Devine Intervention
(F7c+), Sublime Demensis (F8a), Chaud
Crane (F8a), Attitude (F8a+).
Sector South
A south-facing crag, liberally covered in
tufas and long routes, Sector South is
generally best visited in spring/autumn
but even then it’ll be hot if it’s sunny. It
can, with some difficulty, be approached in
30 minutes or so by following a circuitous
(to avoid the house at the start) and over-
grown path on the right bank of the River
Siagnole. It seems easier, however, and
quicker, to follow the approach to the
North Sectors and then find a convenient
place to cross the river – à la Chee Dale.
Split naturally into three areas, you
arrive at the crag at a short overhanging
wall above a recess (not quite a cave)
just left of centre of the crag, the routes
there pack quite a punch; unsurprising
given their brevity. Left of there, half a
dozen routes tackle the obvious impres-
sive overhanging wall above. Despite
their accommodating starts up a heavily
pocketed lower wall – themselves giving
good pitches around mid F6s – they all
rear up considerably for the upper two-
thirds of their length. Grades vary from
F6c+ to F7b+ and all of these routes are
three-star pitches.
Expect to be pumped to bits by the time
you reach the lower-offs after the long,
pumpy and technical pitches. Few of the
routes there are named, however, the
penultimate climb on this wall identified as
number 11 in the guide and is ‘only’ F7b RIVER SIAGNE CRAGS farther right but clearly aren’t the quality The stunning Le Bal des
but the capping roof on top of the technical Sector eDF anD KalymnoS of their neighbours. EDF is a small crag Vampires (F7b+) at Sector
mid-section vertical wall means it feels Both these sectors are easily accessible with something of an outside gymnasi- EDF with Steve McClure
more like F7b+, a thoroughly quality from a small road a couple of hundred um feel but well worth seeking out for a climbing. Photo: Keith
route which is nigh-on 35m in length. metres from the road bridge back along pumpfest in upside down land. Sharples
This whole wall has exquisite orange- the D105 towards Grasse. Park on the
tinted quality limestone complete with corner or to the side of the locked gate Sector Kalymnos
the tufas; it’s a seventh grade paradise. about 200m up the road. About five minutes’ walk beyond EDF is a
Left again, and gained by a particular- large house on the right of the track. Just
ly humourless, fierce little F6b+ pitch, a Sector eDF beyond there head uphill (almost behind
clutch of high F7s and low F8s tackle the Immediately beyond the gate, and directly the house) then back left (northwards) to
even more impressive headwall. La Pre- above the track, are the overhanging gain the crag. Given its name, unsurpris-
mier voie de Titi (F8a) takes the best line walls of EDF. There are four easier routes ingly this crag is dominated by a large
of the bunch and kept Steve engrossed on the left (F5 - 7a), the best of which is central overhang which is liberally
for some time. Again, the quality, like the a nicely pocketed, but un-named, F6b+. festooned with tufas. The walls to either
angle, is high. Returning back, and going The rest of the lines are all in the mid/ side are a little less Kalymnos and a tad
right, from the arrival point at the crag high F7s and low F8s. Whilst the bulging more conventional – just.
the walls there are less well-travelled, wall left of the obvious corner provides Climbs in the sixth grade are in short
somewhat shorter and merely vertical. three three-star routes, an F7b, a F7c and supply, there are two, in fact, and one
Mostly the routes are low to mid F7s and an F8b direct finish. Pride of place goes of them is undergraded. That said, Fidjy,
are techie wall climbs. As seems inevita- to the impressive bulge-cum-overhang- c mon Amie (F6c), is an absolute stormer
ble, they are no less pumpy. The routes ing wall on the right, Le Bal des Vampires – well worth the trip alone. Taking a chall-
are good although not quite the quality (F7b+) and Twist Again (F7c+) take direct enging line up to and then up the hanging
of those out to the left; sadly, it seems lines up this impressive feature and tufa system immediately right of the central
they can be a little dirty from winter are covered in good holds and quality roof, it’s full of interesting 3D climbing.
run-off too. moves. A couple of F8as finish off the list The other F6c, Quelle Aventure, is on 6

destination

the left of the crag, once up the obvious

tricky initial tufa system the crux comes
disappointingly high on the route – it’s a
pretty good route but definitely not F6c.
Next on the list is Shamallow Shoes
(F7a+). Another three-star pitch, this one
takes a direct line though some
extremely impressive territory leaving
absolutely nothing to be desired. Two
more routes deservedly get a bundle of
stars between them, Connexion Girl and
La Pieuvre, both are F7b and they flank
the aforementioned Fidjy, c mon Amie on
the left of the crag. The remaining
routes, although harder, don’t quite hit
the same quality.
OTHER CRAGS
As well as Sector Les Malines and
Village, Sector Le Discret is the major
outlier.
Sector Le Discret
Without a doubt, Le Discret is a special
crag, probably, in fact, the best that
Saint-Cézaire has to offer. “There is a
special feeling when after a walk-in, you
turn a corner and the crag rears over you
and you think ‘Oh yes!! This looks amaz-
ing’ ” is what Steve McClure said about Working rightwards the central area 8 Keith Sharples on the
Le Discret and if Steve likes it then you doesn’t seem quite so popular, not so, FACT FILE initial tufa section of Quella
know it’s special. Located a 15-minute however, the impressive and unbroken Adventure (F7a/+), Sector
drive to the north and a some 35-minute wall on the right of the crag which rears Fly/Stay Kalymnos. Photo: Steve
or so walk-in, Le Discret is off-the-grid up into a continuous sheet of quality Nice Airport is extremely McClure
even for Saint-Cézaire but very much a overhanging stone taken, with few convenient and accommodation
‘must-visit’ crag. exceptions, by a collection of stunning via Air BnB, etc is plentiful and 4 Steve McClure high on
Facing southwest, Le Discret gets F8s which extend up to 40m in length. reasonably priced. Le Diable Est Dans Les Detail
morning shade and sun from early Several routes stand out there, the eas- (F8a+) at Sector Le Discret.
afternoon. When arriving from the trail iest of which is Action Discrete (F7a+/b Time to Visit His on-sighting quest was
above, you see the full crag in profile or F7c); this starts up a (merely vertical) Spring or autumn are the best thwarted by wet finishing
as you approach and boy, is it impres- flake. Finish at the top of this for F7a+/b times to visit. holds after approximately
sive. Basically, Le Discret is one long or continue up an improbably overhang- 35m of hard climbing.
concave/overhanging wall rising above ing section above to a lower-off just level Restrictions Photo: Keith Sharples
its downward sloping base. Ever so with the capping roof for the full (value) Rare nesting bats have forced the
slightly slabby at the base (in parts) the F7c. Quality is excellent but it’s no closure of Sector Le Roi du Sept
wall rises up such that the top – some pushover. Next up is Inch of Dust which and the bolts have been removed.
35/40m or so above its sloping base – is is F7c+ or F8a depending on which low- This restriction is also believed to
very definitely overhanging. The typically er-off you use. apply to the adjacent Sector Jean
bullet-hard rock has an orange tint Immediately right is one of the very Marc Genevois. The former espe-
which picks up a glorious inviting glow best on the whole crags, Hilti Base Jump cially is a considerable loss
in evening sunlight. F8a or F8a+ again depending on which as the walls there were liberally
The easiest routes are on the far lower-off you use. Steve did the full F8a+ covered with excellent grade F7s.
left-hand side of the crags, conveniently, version and was very enthusiastic about Whilst climbing is also techni-
they’re lined up next to each other. Cha- it – not least pulling over the finishing cally ‘banned’ at Sector EDF it is
peau Pointu (F6b+) is the easiest and one capping roof. He also got involved with tolerated providing that climbers
of the better lines, despite looking some- Le Diable Est Dans Les Details (F8a+) just visit in small numbers, park care-
what improbable at the grade, holds left of there. Taking an amazing lower fully and are sympathetic to local
keep on appearing just when you want wall and a very striking mid-height giant residents.
them and it climbs really well. Moody tufa, Steve on-sighted to the very final
(F6c), on the left, is also good and builds section only to discover a few crucial wet Guidebook/Info
steadily to a ‘sting in the tail’ finish. C’est holds. We only had one day there at Le Saint-Cézaire is covered in the
Dement (F6c+) just right of this is the best Discret but it made a big impression: 2010 (somewhat funky) local
of the bunch though and has some ace “This place is way off the beaten track, no guidebook, L’Escalade dans les
moves up/between the various short polish whatsoever. A real treat and not Alpes-Maritimes. Further details
tufas en route to yet another sting in the likely to get busy either. On-sights of some are on the UKC Database where
tail finish close to Moody. The extensions of the very best F8a and F8a+ routes I’ve Mike Owen is the moderator.
above these routes are all in the F8s. ever done,” was Steve’s view. n

James Pearson & Caroline Ciavaldini
UNE JOLIE FLEUR DANS

UNE PEAU DE VACHE
a story about reCovery and Fun
By Caroline Ciavaldini Photography by raph Fourau/Wild Country
Route names are rarely poetic. Hubble, Silence, La Rambla… Caroline Ciavaldini high on Une Jolie Fleur
Names usually make the routes real persons, with a character. dans une Peau de Vache (F8b) on the
impressive 300m wall of La Paroi du Duc.
Une Jolie Fleur dans une Peau de Vache is a route from ‘Graou’, Bruno The wall is a mix of overhanging wall
climbing with beautiful tufas and diagonal
Clement, an infamous French bolter of the Verdon. I didn’t get to ask slabby ledges. Communication between
him why such a long and French name. But it’s definitely that name the climber and belayer is sometimes
difficult, especially when you lose sight
that stopped me when I was reading through the Verdon guide. of each other and can only hear the roar
of the Verdon hundreds of metres below.

Une Jolie FleUr dans Une PeaU de Vache – a story aboUt recoVery and FUn
I was looking for a multi-pitch project,

around F8b or F8b+ max, no further
than 200km from home, so I wouldn’t
spend endless amounts of carbon and
would have the possibility to go back
as many times as needed. Page after
page of the Verdon topo – how to
choose on a drawing which piece of
rock? I didn’t want to repeat a route
of which I had seen videos. I wanted
to be surprised, challenged. I wanted
hard work. The name – if you are
French, I don’t need to tell you much
– If you are not, this is a song from
Brassens, a very famous variety singer
from the 70s. I just double checked
my facts on Wikipedia and Brassens is
described as a poet who accompanied
his words with a guitar. Simple, yet
this song was my favourite when I
was 12. The choice of such a name
was a preview of the route that was
hiding behind and my finger stopped
on it for good.
I had just had a baby and six months
after birth the idea of achieving a route
like that was like a way of saying: “I am
back”. I knew I was on my way back to
fitness and I had just figured out a
rhythm where baby let me train a bit,
sleep a bit. But fitness isn’t everything. 4 La Paroi du Duc in all
I would also need focus, dedication and its glory.
the will to finish such a route. What I
experienced as a young mum was that 2 The calm before the storm
total shift of focus in my life. Every or, more precisely, in the
second of the day a part of me is on to storm. Caroline about to set
my little one. Does he need anything? off on the crux F8b pitch
Is he in danger? When baby was six surrounded by mist.
months old I was unable to write a full
text, unable to read a book, unable to
focus… this is what small babies do
to you. You willingly disappear behind
‘the mum’. But I was hoping that I
would find my fully functional brain
again, on top of my late abdominals.
For a year and a half, I trained, had
mini goals like my first F8a post baby,
travelled, and James and I learned to
be climbing parents. Baby learned to
be an outdoor baby, and baby-step
after baby-step, we found our harmony.
Before, I would have hoped for a ‘back
to normal’ but this is the least that you
would want. Small babies are hard
work, or at least ours was but the hard
months taught us to look smaller, go
slower, and refocus on what life really
is about. Taking the time to fully enjoy
discovering a piece of grass or tasting a
strawberry. Applied to climbing this was
enjoying the single movement, the air
under you in a multi-pitch, the feeling
of exhaustion on the last pitches. At 35,
both James and I had become a bit
blasé. We didn’t bother climbing on 6

James Pearson & Caroline Ciavaldini
Climbing on tufas is Caroline’s

favourite style of climbing so even
if the route was sometimes really
exposed she always felt at home.

Une Jolie FleUr dans Une PeaU de Vache – a story aboUt recoVery and FUn
local crags and we had so many

opportunities to climb that we had lost
sight of the pleasure. Baby turned up
and put onto our eyes some pink
shaded glasses.
It took a while before we managed to
organise to be able to climb a multi-
pitch. In July, when Arthur was one and
a half, I went on the route for a first en-
counter with a friend, while James took
care of baby.
7am, I began. La Paroi du Duc is an
impressive, overhanging 300m high wall,
just across from the ‘le point sublime’.
This wall was, incredibly, climbed as
early as 1968 with the opening of les
enragés, a mixed route of aid and free
climbing. The very first route of the Gorg-
es du Verdon came to life and, crazily
enough, the climbers chose a wall that is
an alternation of overhangs and diagonal
steps.
Opened some 40 years later the route
I chose is much more modern and it’s
doing just the opposite of les enragés, pleasure. After all, if I was abandoning On the F8b pitch, I had no idea if I would 8 Which route do you
aiming for the tufas on steep terrain, my kid for a full day, I had to make it have the necessary endurance but after want to do Arthur? Taking
linking overhangs with traverses on the worthwhile. Not by achieving – grades a month’s training, I had noticed that it advantage of one of the
breaks to join the features. After the are all relative and it’s been a long time was all coming back quickly. I climbed many viewpoints in the
initial F6c, I put my hand on what I dis- now that I have realised that at the end perfectly and didn’t make a single mis- Verdon Gorge.
covered to be a 40m long, full endurance of the day F9c, F8c, F7c, no one cares. It’s take. I have no idea how this happened,
F8b on tufas. It is varied, technical and only just climbing and it can only be for maybe being a parent and having so little
pumpy and after a long time working on my pleasure that I decide to put myself time forces you to improve in efficien-
the methods needed to climb it I reached through fear, tiredness and then, hope, cy? The F7b, the first F8a, the F5c went
the top of that pitch. I knew right there belief, which all turns into what we call smoothly but on the last F8a pitch I made
that I was lucky to have chosen such a passion. a few mistakes, forgot a few methods
beautiful piece of rock. That single pitch Of course, I had quite a few moments and there was a moment at the very end,
on a sport crag would be a must do, a where I despaired to figure out a method, where I realised that I had to make the
five-star outing. I could hear my second’s over the two days where I worked the right decision very fast or I would be off
exclamations of joy when he was testing route. I also went to bed on the nights and maybe not have the energy to try the
the moves after me. before asking myself why I was doing pitch again.
The F7b after is a long colonnette that to myself. But then, waking up The fear of failing is an old friend
and just as stunning you then still have at 5am to beat the afternoon sun, I – every climber has to find their own
the two F8as on tufas. The first F8a is itched to get my hands on the rock and way of dealing with it. When I was
a single black tufa, with full-on tufa savoured the idea that I could only rely a competition climber, I used to tell
technique, small knee bars and the pump on myself to get the rope up and having myself to focus closer, on the pleasure
that slowly but surely fills your arms. this project woke up the climber that I of the movements. This time, with my
This kind of climbing is about relaxing, am. I came home with precise sequences forearms about to explode, and while I
breathing and carrying on. The easier in my head and the knowledge that if was struggling to slow my breathing on
traverse is a good contender for the I trained, visualised, prepared, I had a a very relative rest on a tufa, I could see
hardest F5c on earth and a fairly scary chance to link it all. my mini monkey dancing to his favourite
one. But it allows you to reach the last Of course, sometimes training is music and with that I realised that falling
F8a, resistance, then endless tufa crawl- boring, especially when your gym is would be okay and failing was indeed
ing in a steeper environment. The F6b 37degrees in full summer. I had to have not that sad. Accepting the possibility of
top pitch might not deserve too much discussions with myself to do yet another not doing it made me find the energy to
celebration but then you are the top of lap of power endurance, to fight through finish my pitch, just about scraping my
the Paroi du Duc. the forearm fire but I was finding myself way to the belay. One more F6b and I
Working on my route, figuring out ev- again, finding my space to be a climber had done it, I was again the climber that
ery detail, I couldn’t help but remember and a good mum. I wanted to be. n
my adventure on the Voie Petit (500m, We went back to the route with James
F8b on Grand Capucin, Mont Blanc) back a month later, with the grandparents tak-
in 2016. At altitude above a glacier and ing care of Arthur. Part of me was won-
on granite, this legendary route has little dering why we were leaving our baby Caroline and James are supported by Edelweiss, La Sportiva, The North
in common with Une jolie fleur, but my and we both felt a bit empty without a Face, Wild Country, Altimssimo and Biomechanica. They founded the S.P.O.T.
process was just the same; negotiating mini monkey jumping around in our van project, a charity aimed at helping less fortunate climbers. You can find out
with my fear (300m up a new wall is al- but then in the early morning, I put my more about this and maybe make a donation, buy a T-shirt or pass on some
ways an intimidating position), especially game head on. James transformed into climbing gear at www.spotclimbers.com
my fear of failing, and refocusing on the Mr Perfect belayer and the game began.

AROUND THE BLOC
THE BEST IN BRITISH BOULDERING
NORTHCOTT
MOUTH
NORTH DEVON BOULDERING
BY THE SEA Words and Photographs by James Mann
‘There is little at Bude to gladden the heart of the rock climber, indeed it would
not be easy for any ordinary member of the Club to find words sufficiently
abusive. The cliffs are friable, treacherous and end at their summits in yards
of bare soil. Nevertheless, difficult as it has been to sing the songs of Zion in
a strange land, oases of happiness have been discovered’.
These are the words of EM Hazleton, a teacher and a rock-climber evacuated to Bude during the
Second World War. He was one of the first to climb on the Culm Coast and made a number of first
ascents in the area during his enforced stay. Had he opened his eyes to the bouldering potential
to the north, he may have become Britain’s very own John Gill.
OVERVIEW
Situated just over a mile north of the Suddenly, walls, slabs and roofs too problems succumb to more than one
busy seaside town of Bude, Northcott short to yield full scale routes, gave sequence, so laterally thinking climbers
Mouth is one of the most interesting superb technical challenges on which to will be rewarded. Beyond this, strong
and diverse bouldering areas on the test the newfound powers of Devon and fingers, deft footwork and the ability to
Culm Coast, offering enjoyable climbing Cornwall’s first climbing wall generation. hold some truly smooth slopers will pay
throughout the grade range. Northcott Most of the bouldering is tidal and is dividends. A towel will prove very useful
is best visited throughout the spring and accessible for around four hours either for cleaning shoes and drying holds.
summer months, when calm seas rule side of low tide. Although the beach is For a first-time visitor, the best access
and lazy, sunny days stretch into golden west-facing, the climbing almost all fac- is down the road from the large car park
sunsets before ending slowly with a final es due north or south though this gives at Northcott Mouth and then to work
green, flash glow. the advantage of sun and shade when your way southwards along the beach,
Whilst much of the initial route needed. That said, problems facing north picking off problems as you go. It is also
climbing development took place during can remain greasy until the sun has had possible to walk along the cliff top and
the 80s and early 90s, it was in the early a chance to warm away the damp. The approach via a path at the southern end
2000s that Simon Young got the bit level of sand on the beach affects the of the beach known locally as ‘Earth-
between his teeth and began to look at nature of many problems, increasing and quake’.
the place with fresh eyes and a boulder- decreasing heights and altering starting Northcott Mouth provides a tremen-
ing mentality. Freshly trained from the holds. dous setting for a fantastic day’s
6 Will Hornby on The Pinch climbing wall at Shebbear College and Landings too, vary between flat, soft climbing on the beach with tranquil
(Font 7a) and widely regarded then his original Barn climbing wall at sand and exposed boulders, requiring surroundings, uncrowded golden sands
as one of the best problems of Bude, Young had a look around and took judgement in terms of pads and spotting and quality problems; bucket and spade
the grade on the Culm Coast. stock of what he had on his doorstep. on some of the taller offerings. Many bouldering at its best. 6

around the bloc
RECOMMENDED PROBLEMS (NORTH TO SOUTH)

THE WAVE AREA sit start on pinches via big moves on sea potential for the boulderer in the low 6s.
The Wave Traverse (Font 6a) – The Wave sculpted holds to the obvious jug. There The rock deteriorates at half height, so it
is the long spit of rock at the northern are selection of possible sequences is usual to drop off before venturing into
end of the beach. This provides a good including one involving a bat hang. more serious territory above.
selection of easier problems. The best of Vampiric climbers apply here.
these is The Wave Traverse which is best Watford Gap Arête (Font 6b+) – this THE NAME ZAWN
enjoyed from left-to-right. climbs the seaward side of the arête on Ben’s Traverse (Font 7a+) – The Name
the south side from a sit start and Zawn is home to a number of highball
WATFORD GAP AREA provides a strong challenge on positive problems and serious routes. The
J-Lo (Font 7c) – situated in a cave in the holds. The wall on the right can be technical pumpfest traverse of the wall
Watford Gap area, J-Lo climbs the climbed anywhere at around Font 5+/6a. was eventually completed by Ben Rowe
beautifully featured, leaning wall from a The nearby Unshore Rock provides to give predictably, Ben’s Traverse.
Soloman Kemball Dorey

boulders out Left Arête
(Font 5+) on North Facing
Slab situated just to the
south of Name Zawn.

Northcott Mouth – North DevoN – BoulDeriNg By the sea
Usually completed from left-to-right, NORTH FACING SLAB THE PINCH AREA
this excellent problem rewards Left Arête (Font 5+) and Crack (Font 4+) The Pinch (Font 7a) is a superb problem,
precise footwork and steel forearms. – just south of Name Zawn is an one of the best of the grade on the Culm
Another one to look at is the highball isolated boulder known as North Coast. From the lowest slot with the left
offering of the Undercut Problem Facing Slab. Left Arête is climbed on and an obvious pinch with the right, slap
(Font 6c) that bisects the traverse sharp holds to a straightforward for the smooth, sea-worn sloper on the
from just right of the start of that top-out. Crack is to be found on the lip; truly the sound of one hand clapping. Eyes on the prize. Ruby Petch
problem via an obvious undercut slab itself where pleasant climbing making her way across the
to an easier finish. Also check out on the central cracked slab leads to BLACK CAVE AREA Red Quinne Cave Traverse
Nameless Arête (Font 6b) that takes the top. The slab to the left, without Red Quinne (Font 7c) – a superb Simon (Font 7a+), a quality right to
a high sharp arête on the south side recourse to the crack, is the worthwhile Young problem which crosses the left journey along the lip of
of the zawn. eliminate of Blinkers 1 (Font 6a). horizontal roof of Black Cave on toe 6 Black Cave.

around the bloc
Nameless Arête (Font 6b)

takes a sharp arête on the
south side of The Name
Zawn with Solomon Kemball
climbing.

Northcott Mouth – North DevoN – BoulDeriNg By the sea
hooks and undercuts to an awkward pull sections can be less than perfect and the A FINAL THOUGHT Mikey Cleverdon hard
around the lip. The cave, unfortunately, problems are high so dropping off from Whilst Hazleton didn’t embrace the boulder- at work on Red Quinne
has a tendency to seep. A good problem to obvious finishing holds may be prefera- ing on the Culm, he would doubtless have (Font 7c), a brilliant problem
seek out in a prolonged dry period. Want ble to topping out. There are a number partaken in the enjoyment of the myriad which crosses the horizontal
something a touch harder? Then look no of up problems in the 5s and 6s, the best problems in the area. He certainly roof of Black Cave on toe
further than Captain Crush (Font 7c+), the of these is Porthole (Font 6a), though understood the feeling of being there: hooks and undercuts to an
left line through the roof starting as for Red Porthole Left-Hand Start (Font 6b) that awkward pull around the lip.
‘Walking north along the sand as the
Quinne, then veering left to via a large comes in from the left and heads up right
obvious sloper on the lip and climbed to the porthole is a worthy neighbour. sun lights the cliffs before one, their
on a visit south from Mike Adams. For Going crossways along the base of the colours are superb. On clear evenings
sideways action fans Red Quinne Cave face gives both high and low traverses as the sun dips his final green ‘flash’
Traverse (Font 7a+) is a quality right-to- at Font 6a and Font 6c respectively. lasts into a momentary glow’. n
left traverse of the lip of the cave.
ULTERIOR MOTIVE AREA FACT FILE

Ulterior Motive (Font 7b+) is one for the
steel fingered. This is found at the base
Guidebooks and Websites
Dave Henderson’s superb javu.co.uk has been a great source of information for local climbers and contains
of the ‘Earthquake’ approach path on a
superb boulder of compact, high quality Dave Westlake’s excellent guide to the Southern Culm Area.
rock. Crimp ferociously from the lowest https://javu.co.uk/Climbing/Guides/SouthCulm/SouthernCulmBouldering.pdf
holds and lay one for a good hold in The Climbers’ Club guide to The Culm and Baggy Point by Mark Kemball is in the final stages of preparation
the break. A standing start may provide
and will be published in early 2021. This fully illustrated guidebook details many of the excellent problems
hope for mortals at around Font 6c.
developed around the whole of the Culm Coast as well as all of the traditional climbs.
There’s also a neat Font 6b around the
back of this block starting from a low accommodation
edge and springing for the top. Bude is a busy seaside town. A wide variety of hotels, B & Bs and campsites are available throughout the year.
THE LITTLE BIGHORN Tide and Sea State information

Concentrated on The Little Bighorn are The best source for all of these is magicseaweed.com which provides accurate tide and swell information for
a fantastic selection of steep, fingery the whole of Britain. It can be found at https://magicseaweed.com/Bude-Crooklets-Surf-Report/6/
problems. Rock quality on the upper

the climber’s coach
TTPP
Physical isn’t a bigger
word than the others By mark reeves
Regulars of this column will be

aware that there is an advantage
For many people winter is a time when they are to your physical training being
forced to stay inside and train. climbers often fall blocked to focused on different
energy systems for about four weeks
into the trap of becoming focused on physical at a time. With the order being:
conditioning and let other performance attributes 1. aerobic energy systems

lapse. this article is about how to insure all the 2. strength building
ttPP (technical, tactical, Physical and Psychological) 3. anaerobic energy systems
aspects of performance are well-trained over the Within each of these we are going to
give you some wider goals than just the
winter. or as Plas y brenin climbing coach, dave physical development. The table below
evans, pointed out in a recent chat we had: gives you an idea as what else to focus
on other than the physical aspect in
“Physical isn’t a bigger word than the others.” each phase of training, although it
isn’t limited to what we suggest here.
asPect other than

1. aerobic Phase 2. strength Phase 3. anaerobic Phase
Physical to Focus on
Slow, silent & accurate footwork Using handhold Precise and confident footwork
Balanced climbing Using footholds Driving up from toes

technical
Using feet to push your
Flowing climbing
hands to next hold
Reading easy routes on the move Route reading from ground Route reading on on-sights
tactical Tactical (clipping from rest) Resting between max efforts Sequence memory on redpoints
Warming up
Breathing and relaxation Leave it all on the wall Starting relaxed
Using imagery Leave it all on the wall
Controlled aggression
Psychological Relaxing and recovery
Using imagery
Coping with fear
Fall training

TTPP – PHYSICAL ISn’T A bIgger word THAn THe oTHerS
AEROBIC PHASE FOCUS

In the Aerobic Phase you will be climbing
routes that are easy, with the idea that if
excellent route 8 Even something as simple as bouldering
requires a lot more than being physically
you are getting pumped you are trying reading skills and strong; things like precise technique, mental
too hard. It is the perfect time to slow control, a determination to leave it all on the
your climbing down and try and make some canny tactics wall, excellent route reading skills and some
silent foot movements with precision
footwork on every route you climb. This
to avoid burning canny tactics to avoid burning out too quickly
will all help you climb harder. Simply being
new level of accuracy will translate to out too quickly stronger than the person next to you is not
more extreme climbing if you conscious- the right approach. Gracie Martin climbing
ly focus on it on every easy route you will all help you on The Wave at The Foundry in Sheffield.
climb. You should also focus on finding Photo: David Simmonite
balanced positions whilst climbing, as
climb harder
these will help you be more efficient
when clipping. You can also focus on
making the movement feel like it is (Rest - Read – Climb – Repeat). Route STRENGTH PHASE
flowing, as long as it is not at the reading is as much about your feet as The Strength Phase should really take
expense of that newfound technique. your hands, especially outdoors. place on boulders. The reason being
As the routes are easy, you can Finally, focus on slow and controlled that you just won’t replicate the
focus on the tactical aspect of reading breathing which will help you stay intensity on routes. You should be
routes whilst climbing, so don’t relaxed and hopefully in control. climbing at or near your max for
examine the route prior to climbing it. Relaxation through breathing takes strength gains. It is also a time to start
Use that balanced approach to climbing a few weeks to master but the idea is experimenting with small hand and
technique not only to clip when on jugs that by starting now you will be able footholds and some micro-movements
and in balance but also to read the next to reset yourself in a few breaths by for efficiency gains. To achieve this, look
section of the route to the next rest the final anaerobic stage. at the holds before trying a route, 6

the climber’s coach
where’s the chalk, which orientation With redpointing harder routes in

will you have to hold the hold and as
a result where should your feet be to
remember though this phase it is important to remember
that when doing exercises like 3x3 or 4x4,
make the best use of those holds. we are trying to we want to be on familiar routes. So, use
Bouldering allows you to experiment these exercises to practise your sequence
with the idea that you are not ‘pulling leave everything memory over an entire route rather than
yourself’ up a route with your hands,
but often we push or pull with our feet.
on the wall, you just a short boulder problem. Again, imag-
ery can help massively with developing
If you can’t reach a hold in the body are not oFF until sequence memory especially if you use
position you are in, can you change that visual, kinaesthetic and emotional cues
position to push your hand towards the you are oFF whilst visualising a specific route.
next hold?
As a problem-solving exercise
bouldering offers far more opportunity
for you to have a good look at a problem
from the ground before you try it. I am
not saying you should on-sight every
problem, but you should try. Then have
a few tries if you fail to unlock the
sequence by trying different ideas,
watching others or getting some beta
from other climbers. Bouldering is as
much about increasing your movement
literacy as strength. For hard problems
you need to project, then some imagery
can help sequence memory and
emotional responses.
Climbing at your max requires a new
mental state. Sometimes that might be
controlled aggression, with Adam Ondra
style power screams. But essentially you
need to leave everything on the wall, if
you don’t you won’t reach your potential.
ANAEROBIC PHASE
Whether it is redpointing or on-sighting
a demanding route, you are going to
need to give it your all whilst racing
against the rising tide of the pump.
To climb routes at your limit, you
really need to at least start relaxed and
focus on all those good techniques you
have been working on. Making every
foothold count with precise footwork
and thinking ‘drive up with my feet
where possible’.
It is also a time when you can start
to test on-sighting to near your limit,
especially indoors where there is zero
commitment as you can lower off
anywhere. Remember though we are
trying to leave everything on the wall,
you are not off until you are off.
6 A fisheye shot of Dave Evans on the ultra-bold

Red and Yellow and Pink and Green, Orange and
Purple and Blue (E2 5a) on the Rainbow Slab,
Llanberis Slate Quarries. This route illustrates
that strength is not the be all and end all of
climbing and that we need good technique,
mental skills, tactics and, of course, the ability
to crimp an edge. However even in repointing a
hard sport route you need all those things too,
so this winter focus on the whole picture not
just physical part. Photo: Mark Reeves

TTPP – PHYSICAL ISn’T A bIgger word THAn THe oTHerS
Because you are climbing routes at SUMMARY

your limit the chances are you are going Whilst I have not gone into detail with Mark Reeves is a Mountaineering
to get scared and fall into the trap of many of these approaches to having a Instructor with a Master’s Degree in
climbing defensively. It can be the right holistic approach to your physical Applied Sports Science; he has a first-rate
time to allow yourself one ‘to the death’ training this winter in the back catalogue understanding of effective coaching, sport
try on a project or grade push at the end of these coaching columns there is psychology and performance physiology.
of a 3x3 or 4x4 each session. Where you everything you need to fill in the gaps. He applies this to this column and
climb to failure, no backing off to the The over-riding message though is to coaching climbers and mountaineers
nearest bolt, up until you are off. This com- take the blinkers off when it comes to through howtoclimbharder.com and
bined with an effort to analyse what gives ‘training’ as we can train in more than snowdoniamountainguides.com
you the fear and addressing those issues. just physical ways. n

gear review
ACTIVE INSULATION
by bruce goodlad
You can be excused if you haven’t heard

of active insulation before, but you will
probably have used it or at least be
aware of it without actually realising it.
The concept is pretty simple: a layer of
insulation that is really breathable so
when you are working hard it won’t
wet out and when you stop working
the insulation keeps you warm. in theory
the insulation wicks moisture effectively
enough that you don’t have a soggy wet
garment to dry with your body heat
when not moving. Most of the garments
we have played with here have a robust
enough face fabric that the garment
can be used as shell layer.
When speaking to the manufacturers about what samples

would be suitable it turns out we have all been using these
garments for years, we just didn’t have name or category for
them. However, what was apparent is how much better all
the fabrics have become offering greater performance both
as a baseline and also when comparing performance for weight.
When reviewing the performance and practical use of the
garments it became clear how much of a mainstay of mine
and many other peoples’ clothing systems that active insulation
has become.
A perfect example would be that I used a number of the test
garments as an outer layer this spring when making an ascent of
the Mettrier Ridge (AD – snow and mixed ridge) on the Dômes de
Miage wearing a Mammut Rime Light IN. I wore this from the hut
to the summit doing its job perfectly then layered up for the descent
(we were on skis). As the summer warmed up, I carried one of
these garments in my ’sack as an extra layer then as the autumn
temperatures cooled it became an outer layer again. Looking into
the winter they will all make superb mid/insulating layers, the
nature of their face fabrics is such that it will slide really well
against other layers making it really nice to climb in. Add in stretch
fabric and stretch panels and we have come a long way from the
days of fleece.
Mike Austin testing active insulation for this review whilst climbing along
the exposed West Ridge of the Dent de Tsalion (3,589m), Switzerland.
Photo: Bruce Goodlad

ACTIVE INSULATION
When we consider where active insulation may fit into your layering I would not consider any of these jackets reviewed as a belay jacket
system, it would be a light stretchy replacement for a more traditional or full-on winter insulation. You need to look for something thicker for
mid-layer fleece. While we all have fleece and wear it a lot, I think the only that but that’s for another day.
fleece I wear into the mountains now is a thin Patagonia R1 style garment We will get more into the fabrics which each garment uses in
that is effectively a second base layer with a thin hood I can wear under the review but a few key criteria we were looking for were: comfort,
a hat or a helmet. While fleece is great for many things, when it gets wet freedom of movement, insulation, breathability, hood and pockets.
from sweat it takes time to dry and it is generally bulkier in a pack and When considering warmth as a rule of thumb the more grams per
doesn’t give the warmth to weight rations that these modern fabrics have. square metre of insulating fabric the warmer the garment will be. 6

gear review
movement, this also increases breathability. The 40g/m2 OTI

insulation stretches and so does the lining of the jacket so comfort
is great giving great freedom of movement. The outer fabric is
Arc’teryx Atom Pertex Quantum Air which again adds breathability, it is surpris-
LT Hoody ingly water resistant and is also elasticated.
The hood fits over a helmet and is easily adjustable, the wrist
and hem are simple elastic for low bulk and ease of use. There
are two handwarmer style pockets that are above a harness or
rucksack waistbelt. If there was a negative to this jacket, I would
have liked to have seen a chest pocket for a phone or route
description, but this was a minor thing when viewing the jacket
as a whole.
In action the Rime Light IN just works in so many situations
– on long Alpine outings in June I wore it on top of a base layer
where it performed the challenging task of being breathable
enough and weatherproof enough to keep the wind off and save
me changing clothes. It worked as an extra layer through the
main summer months and now, heading into winter, it is the
perfect weight to use as a layering piece. If you buy one you
won’t be disappointed.
insuLaTion THaT is reaLLy

breaTHabLe so wHen you are
working Hard iT won’T weT ouT
and wHen you sTop working THe
insuLaTion keeps you warM
Arc’teryx atom LT Hoody

(Men and women’s available) RRP: £220 Weight: 375g
The Atom LT (Lightweight) has been around for a while but has
undergone a redesign on the cuffs, new materials and fit so we
are treating LT like we have never actually seen it before. The LT
uses a mix of fabrics with super stretch breathable panels on the
side which contribute to breathability and total freedom of
movement. The insulation is provided by Arc’teryx’s Coreloft
Compact which at 60g/m2 is pretty light but packs a surprising
amount of warmth.
The design is really nice to climb in, the trim fit means it
doesn’t bag too much when in a harness and layers really well.
The redesign of the cuffs makes the on and off with other layers
easier and the stretch knit on the cuffs is snug and low volume if
you are wearing with gloves. There are two handwarmer pockets
that were covered by a harness but personally I didn’t find this an
issue on this type of garment and only used the pockets when in
a non-mountain environment, I would have said pub, but we are
not allowed to do that sort of thing at the time of writing. There
is also an inside zip pocket that will take a phone, keys, etc.
The hood is really cosy and although not designed to fit over
a helmet it will at a stretch, there is a bit of light stiffening at the
front of the hood which will hold it off your face. This is a brilliant
jacket, one of those pieces of kit that once you have one you don’t
know how you survived without it.
Mammut rime Light in Flex Hooded

I was lucky enough to get hold of a sample of the Rime Light IN
during lockdown one, so as it has been on the hill a lot of the
summer, this is a piece that once I had it I couldn’t work out how
I ever lived without it. The design is quite similar to the Atom with
stretch panels down the sides and under the arms for freedom of Mammut Rime Light IN Flex Hooded

ACTIVE INSULATION
Rab Kaon Jacket

(Men and Women’s available) RRP: £200 Weight: 250g
I wasn’t sure about including a down garment in this review where the
focus was on breathability and performance when working hard but
I was convinced by Rab’s clever blend of fabrics and design to produce
an incredibly light and versatile garment.
At the heart of the Kaon is the 800-fill power Hydrophobic down,
the treatment means that the down will not ‘wet out’ as quickly as
standard down. It will eventually become saturated if you are out in
the rain for prolonged periods and will then stop keeping you warm
unlike the synthetic options, but it will easily stay dry enough from
sweat and light rain. This is combined with synthetic Stratos insulation
on the shoulders, cuffs and hips – these are the high wear points and
areas most likely to get wet so these are the advantages of a synthetic
here. This allows Rab to then use all the weight and compressibility
of down to make an incredibly light compressible garment.
If we look at the design, the down is stitched through for a simple
and light management system. The underarm and pits use uninsulated
Pertex Quantum Air fabric and I was really interested to see if this
made any difference to the warmth and feel. To me it didn’t seem to
make a difference, in fact, as it reduced bulk it made the jacket more
comfortable, breathable and lighter. The hood uses the same combina-
tion of down with Stratus panels on the side and will fit snugly over
a helmet. The only pocket is a good-sized chest pocket which further
reduced bulk and weight.
I think the Kaon is a superb lightweight jacket, it could be used as
an outer layer for most activities though I don’t think the face fabric
would survive much mixed climbing. The compressibility and weight
means that there is no reason not to take the jacket along and the
design means you can work hard and stay comfortable. My only
concern using down in this way is that if it became impregnated
with sweat it is tricky to clean without compromising the down. 6
Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody
Patagonia nano Puff Hoody

(Men and Women’s available) RRP: £195 Weight: 363g
We had a brief look at the new Nano Puff in our ‘Green Gear’ feature
earlier in the year in the September-October 2020 issue so now it’s
time to have a proper look at the jacket itself. The shell and the
insulation are 100% recycled which is a great statement, both about
the fact that the technology is there to make high performance
products from recycled materials plus that Patagonia are prepared
to do it.
The jacket uses 60g/m2 Primaloft Gold Eco insulation to provide
warmth and breathability, and this is held in place using a quilting
pattern that will keep all the insulation where you want it. The jacket
uses a different approach with the hood, it is sized to fit under a
helmet. This on the one hand keeps the insulation close to your head
but on the other is more difficult to take on and off to vary tempera-
ture through the day. The under-helmet approach does mean that
there is less hood to flap about if you are not wearing a helmet.
The construction varies from the previous two garments in that it
doesn’t have any real stretch other than that which is inherent in any
fabric. This wasn’t really an issue as the cut is excellent but is worth
considering. Personally, I like a stretch fabric as it is easier to layer
but none of the testers found that there was any compromise in
climbing comfort and performance.
Other features to consider are the dropped adjustable hem to
keep the heat in and simple elasticated wrists. The two handwarmer
pockets are covered by a harness and there is a good size internal
zipped chest pocket. This can be used as a stuff sack and there is
a karabiner clip so the jacket can be clipped onto the back of your
harness. The Nano Puff is a great jacket that will fit into anyone’s
outdoor clothing system. Rab Kaon Jacket

gear review
Salewa Pedroc Hybrid
Tirolwool Responsive
Hooded Jacket
Alpkit Katabatic
The Katabatic uses Primaloft Gold Active at 60g/m2 with a robust
face fabric that feels like it would survive anything the mountain
can throw at you. The cut on the jacket is quite trim, which is great
when using a harness and the articulation built into the arms
combined with the stretch fabric allows for unlimited freedom
of movement. The face fabric is the most robust feeling of any
of the garments featured so far and I would have no qualms
about using this as an outer layer when mixed climbing.
There are two handwarmer pockets that are covered by a
harness, these are lined with a micro fleece for a cosy feel, the
same fleece is used round the chin area for a really comfortable
feel. There is a chest pocket that will take a phone and the jacket
can fold into one of the handwarmer pockets. The hood has a nice
feel to it and is cosy though the only issue I have with it is that it
is too small to fit over an helmet and too bulky to really fit under
one, so while it is great without I would have liked it a bit bigger.
I really liked the Katabatic, it’s a bit heavier than the other
garments featured so far but feels robust and at a great price point.
Salewa Pedroc Hybrid Tirolwool responsive

Hooded Jacket RRP: £220 Weight: 306g
An interesting garment from Salewa that blends locally sourced
wool from the Tirol (where Salewa are based) and synthetic fibres
impregnated with minerals. These minerals absorb heat from the
body then radiate it back over time. They also claim this will
increase blood circulation and enhance cellular performance. wool Has a naTural advanTage in
Now as a dyed-in-the wool Scottish cynic I am yet to be convinced
by the later claims but the combination of wool and synthetic fibres
THaT iT is warM wHen weT, so wHen
are really effective at creating a warm, light and breathable garment.
coMbined wiTH oTHer synTHeTics iT
worKs really well in THe MounTains
We are seeing more and more wool being used in outdoor clothing
primarily by the likes of Icebreaker and Smartwool, they’ve proven its
acceptance, so it is great to seeing it being used in this hybrid way.
Wool has a natural advantage in that it is warm when wet, so when
combined with other synthetics it works really well in the mountains.
The face fabric feels pretty robust and stretch panels under the
arm, in addition to a great cut, keep things nice and mobile when
Alpkit Katabatic
climbing. The cuffs on the sleeves use a long low-profile elasticated
design, this works really well helping keep the hands warm (warm
wrists equals warm hands) but also slips really easily inside a glove.
The adjustable hood fits okay over a helmet, there is a large elasticat-
ed chest pocket and two handwarmer pockets. On the hill I really
enjoyed the soft feel of the Pedroc and if we can ignore all the hippy
mineral stuff then the jacket kept me warm when I needed it and
breathed really well.
Berghaus Tangra insulated Jacket RRP: £150 Weight: 420g

A robust face fabric from Berghaus gives the Tangra a solid feel.
The large stretch panels that go the full length of the body and
underside of the arm give great freedom of movement. The Hydroloft
40g/m2 is incredibly soft and comfortable to wear and the combina-
tion of the Hydroloft and the plain weave outer gives a great
combination between weather proofing and breathability.
The hood is designed to fit under a helmet and there is a stretch
panel running down the back of the neck to ensure that nothing pulls
when moving your head. There is also a stiffened peak on the hood
to keep things out of your eyes. The body of the jacket has a nice
drop shape at the tail and a drawstring to keep the wind out. The two
handwarmer pockets are positioned above a harness and there is a
zip internal pocket that the jacket can be folded into. While not the
lightest jacket in the review the Tangra is a really comfortable jacket
that performed in the mountains at a great price.

ACTIVE INSULATION
Berghaus Tangra
Insulated Jacket
The adjustable hood fits nicely over a helmet and is adjusted with a
drawcord. The hem is easily adjusted and the wrists are sealed with low
profile elastic. There is a good selection of pockets with handwarmer pockets
under a harness, a large external chest pocket and an internal zipper
pocket that the jacket can be folded into then clipped onto a harness.
The First Light Stretch is the heaviest jacket in the review but don’t let
that put you off, the robust face fabric makes it perfect for using as a soft
shell and it is breathable enough to use when working hard then it is a
great mid-layer on cold days. This is a jacket that will last and last.
Montane Prism Ultra Pull-On RRP: £120 Weight: 200g

The lightest jacket in the article, pull-on jackets (basically a smock with no
full-length zip, just a shorter zip from the neck down) are inherently light,
and at 200g there is no weight penalty for taking the Prism Pull-On along on
a route or trip. Reviewing a jacket like this is a bit of a challenge – the beauty
of the design is not in the feature set but in what Montane elected to leave out.
The Prism Pull-On is definitely in the ‘less is more’ category with the simple
but precise design ensuring a top that does exactly what you want it to do.
The fit is snug, so it won’t get in the way when climbing and the
articulation in the shoulders and arms gives unrestricted movement, which
is great in a garment that doesn’t really have any stretch. The nylon outer
and lining (Barrier Lite RS ripstop fabric) slides incredibly easily over other
layers and comes complete with a DWR coating. It is very windproof but
maintains the breathability that we want for this type of garment. The cut
is snug around the neck to help keep the heat in and the wind out.
The front zip, which goes a quarter of the way down the front of the top
Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody RRP: £240 Weight: 475g to provide great venting, is backed by a storm flap and has two zippers for
The Black Diamond First Light has been about for a few years, but this venting flexibility. The cuffs are elasticated and the hem is adjustable with a
new version has some big updates and the addition of stretch fabric. simple but effective drawcord. The only pocket is a chest pocket that the top
The outer fabric is made by Schoeller which makes it incredibly robust can be stuffed into and is complete with a tab so it can be conveniently
and weatherproof but also very breathable. This goes on top of Primaloft clipped on to the back of a harness. The insulation is 25g/m2 Prima Loft Silver
Silver Insulation Active 60g/m2 and we found this to be the warmest Insulation which is 70% recycled and is the lightest reviewed but still gives
jacket in the review. The insulation is then lined with really stretchy great warmth for weight and is super easy to stuff into a pack or its pocket.
lining to allow you freedom to move into any position you want and The Prism Pull-On is perfect as a summer take-along or an active winter
there are also gussets under each arm to keep you moving. piece that layers incredibly well. I can certainly see it effectively replacing
any traditional mid-layers this winter and is well worth a look. The Pull-On
is also available in a hooded version that fits neatly under a helmet. n
Black Diamond First Montane Prism

Light Stretch Hoody Ultra Pull On

reviews
The Climbing bible Vertebrate Publishing £30
The Climbing Bible offers a deep dive as a physiotherapist and a coach both
into the continually evolving world of were competition climbers on the
technical, physical and mental train- Norwegian national team and national
ing for rock-climbing as seen through champions before they developed their
the eyes of experienced Norwegian deeper involvement with coaching. In
coaches, Martin Mobraten and Stian short, they both have a lot of experience
Christophersen. The English version, in climbing, competing and coaching
published here in the UK by Verte- and that shows throughout the book.
brate Publishing, follows the original The Climbing Bible concentrates
publication in Norway in 2018. on the technical, physical and mental
There’s a long and distinguished aspects of the sport. Chapter 1 covers
history of writing instructional books technique in detail stressing the need
for climbing. Slowly the emphasis has to maintain balance and conserve
changed, however, and increasingly power whilst covering all the different
texts have concentrated more and more grip positions as well as the foundation
on how to improve as a climber rather techniques including the now essential
than the nuts and bolts of how-to-climb. aspects, even for competition climbers,
Arguably, one of the benchmarks of the of jamming. They also cover how to
‘new’ morphed texts was Performance develop technique. exercise either on the floor or using
Rock Climbing by Dale Goddard and Chapter 2 is another monster and it’s suspension trainers to weight training
Udo Neumann published way back in all about physical training; not surpris- doing basics such as deadlifts, squats
1993. Since then there have been count- ingly, it’s a chapter which many climb- and various presses. There are literally
less more ‘training books’. Overseas ers will read time and time again. Finger hundreds of such exercises but those
authors seem particularly active: Eric strength along with arm and upper body outlined are a great starting point for
Horst’s Training for Climbing, Michael strength as well as core training is cov- anyone trying to avoid climbing related
and Mark Anderson’s The Rock Climber’s ered and a variety of training techniques injuries. The remaining pages of the
Training Manual weighing in heavy from for each are outlined. An interview with chapter discusses injuries. By necessity
the USA. UK authors have added their leading researcher, Eva Lopez, talks it’s a brief look at the more common
blend of wisdom too; Dave MacLeod’s about some of her work into research climbing injuries; a section specifically
9 out of 10 climbers... and Jerry Moffatt’s on finger strength development. Finally, related to younger climbers is especially
Mastermind coming in the last decade. endurance and mobility are also dis- welcome to see.
The Climbing Bible by Mobraten and cussed. The sixth and final chapter, about
Christophersen is the latest ‘training’ Mental training is next up with the training plans, covers the basics such
book to hit the shelves. Training for authors kicking off Chapter 3 with one as training periodisation as well as both
climbing is both a vast and an evolving of Wolfgang Gullich’s famous quotes: short and long term plans and session
subject – not least as climbing itself “The brain is the most important muscle plans. This chapter includes an inter-
continues to evolve now that will be for climbing.” This is an area which is view with Tom Randall in which he dis-
featured in the Olympics. It has becom- overlooked by some climbers. However, cusses his training philosophy and ap-
ing increasingly difficult to shoe-horn even the most rudimentary techniques proach to structured climbing training.
chapters on every single aspect of such as visualisation will be of consider- Tucked away at the end of this chapter
training for climbing into a single book. able help to most climbers. Chapter 4 is and one of the final aspects of the book
So which subjects have Mobraten and devoted to tactics. This is an area which is a golden nugget: the 10 command-
Christophersen addressed in The Climb- isn’t generally covered in self-help train- ments of climbing as seen through the
ing Bible and which have they left aside ing texts so the tips offered will be es- authors’ eyes. On its own it is worth the
and how comprehensive is their text? pecially helpful to younger climbers still cover price of the book starting with
Let’s drill down into these as we review learning their game. Included within the ‘you have to climb a lot to be a good
The Climbing Bible. text is an interesting story from Magnus climber’ right through to ‘preserve the
Off the bat, Mobraten and Chris- Midtbø climbing Neanderthal (F9b) at joy – climbing is all fun and games’. You
tophersen confirm why they wrote The Saint Linya, Spain as well as advice on might be surprised how few of the other
Climbing Bible in their short intro. Firstly, how to prepare for competitions. 10 commandments related to training
that they believe that interest in climb- Yet another famous quote from – but you can discover that when you
ing is greater than ever before and, Gullich starts Chapter 5: “Getting strong read it yourself.
secondly, after 20 years of coaching they is easy. Getting strong without getting Throughout The Climbing Bible
wanted to share their knowledge. Their injured is hard.” Often referred to as Mobraten and Christophersen have
focus is then on the technical, physical ‘strength and conditioning’ many of the imparted an ‘easy-to-read’ feel to the
and mental aspects of the game. Cru- exercises discussed are aimed at devel- text using a ‘chatty’ writing style. It’s an
cially, their objective is to provide ‘prac- oping both stronger and more resilient approach which makes The Climbing
tical tools’ to ‘help children, adolescents bodies. Sometimes called pre-hab, these Bible especially suited to young climbers
and adults stay injury free’ whilst enjoy- exercises aim to strengthen the typically starting out and to parents looking to
ing climbing. Whilst Mobraten trained ignored antagonistic muscles using a gen up on what their kids are getting
as a civil engineer and Christophersen variety of techniques from body weight involved with. Whilst The Climbing Bible

BOOK REVIEWS
has sufficient detail for established and knowledge to aspiring competition and considerably to the book. Whilst many
advanced climbers looking to develop sport climbers and boulderers; tips and of the action shots are from Norway
their craft it doesn’t overload the reader. tricks for trad climbers don’t figure so and other overseas locations it’s nice
By comparison, Eric Horst’s Training highly. Nutrition information is, sadly, to see that some are of UK climbs; their
for Climbing and the Anderson Brother’s very scant in The Climbing Bible. Many inclusion will undoubtedly strike a
The Rock Climber’s Training Manual both – if not most – of the latest texts cover chord for British readers. One of the few
dive much deeper into the physiolog- nutrition in detail so to see a major errors in the whole book relates to the
ical and scientific aspects of training self-help training guide offering very action photo of Mari Augusta Salvesen
and, as such, give a greater insight into little information on such an important on Master’s Edge, Millstone. The caption
training such that an elite athlete might subject is a little perplexing and disap- wrongly credits her with the first female
wish to read. Whilst both those texts are pointing. Any seriously aspiring climber ascent of that route; that honour was
fully referenced and facilitate a deeper looking to develop their abilities should actually Airlie Anderson’s back in 1994.
understanding The Climbing Bible by be aware off and follow basic nutritional In summary, The Climbing Bible is a
comparison only includes a short bibli- guidelines; unfortunately, they’ll have to well-written, nicely illustrated and well
ography referencing the major texts, as look elsewhere for that info. laid-out training book covering many of
a consequence, The Climbing Bible feels One of the high points of The the essential topics any aspiring young
far less intense as a book. Climbing Bible is the numerous (c.400) climber would need to get to grips; a
Perhaps understandably given their technique and action images which lav- perfect gift for someone.
background, Mobraten and Chris- ishly illustrate the text. Almost without
tophersen, impart more ‘how-to’ exception these are excellent and add Keith Sharples
Winter 8000 by bernadette McDonald Vertebrate Publishing £24
Winter at 8,000m is severe; it is When the Polish climbed Everest in

unforgiving to all. There is no com- 1980 it took many weeks and involved
promise and there is little chance a team of 20. More recent expeditions
of rescue if things go wrong. It is a have seen smaller teams ascend during
simple world of black and white and short weather windows to achieve the
bleakness. Everything merges into great summits.
a blank canvas. Very few choose to Winter 8000 looks at the first winter
venture to these heights during win- ascents in chronological order. In each
ter but for the few who do, such envi- chapter Bernadette offers a little infor-
ronments have become an important mation about the climbing history of the
part of their lives. peaks and introduces the climbers parti-
In Winter 8000 Bernadette McDon- cipating in the expeditions. She describes
ald takes the reader on a fascinating the ascents highlighting the immense
journey through the first winter ascents difficulties of climbing in such brutal
of the 14 8,000m peaks. Most of these environments and the physical and
daunting climbs were completed by mental effects of the climbs. Bernadette
Polish climbers determined to promote writes about subsequent attempts and
Polish mountaineering and who, in their outcomes, putting the first ascents
many ways, influenced the future of into context. The successes were very
winter climbing in the Himalaya. The well-received but, of course, there were pleted three first winter ascents and
adventure takes us from the first winter times when there was a high price to pay who became the second mountaineer
ascent of Everest in 1980 by Leszek for ascending these daunting mountains. ever to climb all 14 8,000m peaks.
Cichy and Krzysztof Wielicki up to There are so many stories of ex- These were all men of great passion
2016 when the Italian climber, Simone traordinary characters in the book. We and determination who were incred-
Moro, the Spanish climber, Alex Txikon read of Andrzej Zawada who led the ibly focused. They thrived in extreme
and the Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara Polish towards the Himalaya in winter climbing conditions but they knew that
completed the first winter ascent of seeing this as an obvious progression adversity was a given part of the winter
Nanga Parbat. In 2020 only K2 the in high altitude climbing. Bernadette experience.
‘savage mountain’ remains without a writes of Krzysztof Wielicki who played Winter 8000 is meticulously
winter ascent. such a huge role in the development of researched using a wide range of
As with all aspects of climbing, Polish winter mountaineering, achiev- sources and interviews and various
over that period of time, strategies for ing three first winter ascents himself written materials from the climbers
winter mountaineering have changed. and of Jurek Kukuczka who also com- themselves and their families. 6

reviews
The winter months were very long and But for the exceptional few, winter in motivation of a small group of
lonely for those left at home. The book the Himalaya presented opportunities for outstanding climbers who were
contains a small selection of colour personal achievements, for nationalistic determined to challenge the high
photographs showing expeditions on all achievements and for new records to mountains during the most brutal
14 peaks. They reflect a strong comrade- be established. Many new names were and unforgiving times. Bernadette
ship. We view a mix of happy, fun times added to the record books of Himalayan has written about a subject which has
and portraits of gaunt, tired, cold faces. climbing. These were opportunities not been visited in such detail before.
Of course, as always, the question which offered everything the few The book records a remarkable period
remains why. Bernadette leaves the hoped for in their climbing lives. in Himalayan climbing and will surely
reader with much to consider. For Winter 8000 is another extraordinary be of much interest to anyone who
most, these endeavours were too book from the pen of Bernadette enjoys reading about the history of
extreme, too expensive with too little McDonald. Bernadette has presented the 14 8,000m mountains.
chance of success. Too many winter a comprehensive and absorbing
expeditions ended in hopeless failure. investigation into the mindset and Noel Dawson
To Live Fighting for Life on the Killer Mountain

by Élisabeth revol Vertebrate Publishing £24
On the 25th January 2018, the French And so comes the moment when the
mountaineer Élisabeth Revol and the two climbers were separated. We jour-
Polish mountaineer Tomasz (Tomek) ney on with Élisabeth while she, and
Mackiewicz set off from Camp IV the reader, wonder what the next hours
towards the top of Nanga Parbat. hold for Tomek. Élisabeth’s powerful
Mountains were their addiction and recollections make upsetting reading at
that day would see them attempt to times. We can only watch as Élisabeth
complete their dream to reach the struggles and as Tomek remains too
summit of this mighty mountain but as high on Nanga Parbat.
on any mountain a second in time can The text reminds us that mountains
destroy ambition and change lives. are dangerous. Today we have such
To Live is such an emotive narrative. an advanced understanding of human
Élisabeth records in quite brutal detail physiology and of mountain medicine.
how excitement and expectation so Detailed weather forecasts and an
swiftly collapsed into desperation and abundance of electronic equipment
despair. The two climbers reached the offer much important information to the
summit of their special mountain but climber and even helicopters are now
the descent became the most terrifying able to offer some assistance in rescues.
battle for survival. This all depends though on decisions
Élisabeth’s description totally captures made in extreme environments. Danger
the reader as we share the pain of the remains a part of the overall experience. the hours of anguish that Élisabeth must
descent as it decays into so many diffic- As well as the story of the rescue, the have revisited writing this book. We can
ulties. Such a retreat was not part of their book also carries eight pages of colour only wonder about the ‘what ifs’ that
careful plan. How often is perspective photographs, plans of Nanga Parbat must have plagued her writing days.
lost on the mountain? The best plans routes and of the rescue, more writings The reader is always aware that they
deteriorate into ‘mountain decisions’ about Élisabeth, Tomek and two of are reading about very sad times.
clouded by altitude and fatigue which can the rescuers, Adam Bielecki and Denis To Live tells such a harrowing
lead to a lack of clarity and good sense. Urubko, and information about how story. The reader becomes lost on the
Ambition drags the climber to the summit. crowdfunding supported the rescue. The mountain with Élisabeth and you in-
Too often too little is left to descend. book, originally published in French, has evitably feel just a little of her pain and
As the narrative develops and the been translated by the British climber frustration and anger. Could Élisabeth
descent continues Élisabeth offers the and climbing journalist, Natalie Berry. return to the mountains? Élisabeth went
reader many reflections in the text look- To Live is an incredibly captivating to horrible places on Nanga Parbat.
ing back on the retreat months later. read. It tells of terrible times but perhaps You feel, having read this compelling
These are written using a different font it also represents fragments of healing book, that Nanga Parbat has become a
and explain some of the decisions made and some answers to complex and deep climbing scar that Élisabeth will
during challenging days and how and lingering questions. The book certainly always carry. The pain remains as do
why she feels they were made. Élisabeth recognises and remembers all those the mountains.
also puts into context how others were who, in so many ways, helped Élisabeth
helping while she was on the mountain. on the mountain. We can only imagine Noel Dawson

BMC UPDATE
bMC Women in adventure Film Climbing the Walls during Covid
Competition returns for 2021 Having been forced to shut for Lockdown 2.0, the long line of
challenges facing climbing walls continues to mount up in 2020.
Don’t miss the deadline on 18 January 2021 BMC Technical Officer Dan Middleton takes a look.
The BMC is fighting, along with our partner organisations, to reopen
walls in England and have those in Wales reopen with minimal
restrictions as long as they are Covid secure. As the winter months
draw in, safe and welcoming places to exercise become ever more
important for mental and physical wellbeing.
In addition, if walls close there will be a lack of opportunities for new
participants to enter the sport, no places for junior athletes to compete
and train, and reduced opportunities for therapeutic groups to use climbing
for confidence building and personal development work. And last but
not least, the risk to jobs provided by the industry and the need for these
facilities to provide a large proportion of Mountain Training provision.
Behind the scenes, the BMC is talking to and working with a wide
We’re after films that are up to 10 minutes long, but of course they array of organisations, supporting the great work being done by the
can be much shorter. The films should be about the adventures of ABC and UKactive in lobbying on behalf walls and gyms, to help keep
an outdoor-loving woman, or many women. We want to see films these valuable places running for all of our benefit. UK Government has
featuring females of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities. They don’t been lobbied on our behalf by the Sport & Recreation Alliance and by
have to be documentaries, they can be completely fictional. We UKactive, and we’re speaking to Sport England so they can inform and
want to see films that stand out, the more creative the better. challenge ministers on any evidence used to make decisions.
PRIZeS READ MORE: www.thebmc.co.uk/climbing-the-walls-during-covid

Montane Women in Adventure Award: £600 + ShAFF (Sheffield
Adventure Film Festival) and Kendal Mountain Festival screenings
+ free entry into the Banff Mountain Film Competition.
• Most Watched: £300

• Best Professional Film: £300
nominate a volunteer for a 2021
• Make a Difference Award: £300
bMC award
All film entries will be shown on BMC TV (TeamBMC Youtube channel).
It’s time to recognise the vital work of your fav bMC volunteer!
Judging guidelines are available to enable you to devise a film, which
you feel meets the brief most effectively. The BMC depends on the support of hundreds of volunteers, and
New for 2021 is the Make a Difference award which has been recognises their vital contribution to the work of the BMC through
created to encourage films that highlight projects, women or ideas annual awards, for which members can make nominations. The
that are promoting the important issues. Whether that be in combat- three awards are:
ting climate change, sustainability, diversity or uniting society behind
a valuable cause. • The George Band Award for Exceptional Voluntary Contribution
to Mountaineering
FIND OUT MORE: www.thebmc.co.uk/WAF21 • The Rehan Siddiqui Award for Exceptional Voluntary Contribution
towards promoting Equality and Diversity in the BMC
• The Young Volunteer of the Year Award
How to make a nomination

Upside Down Wales: the climbing All BMC members are welcome to nominate a volunteer for any or all
of the awards by completing the online form on the BMC website. Find
world of George Smith full details on how to nominate using the link below.
On bMC TV YouTube NOMINATE: www.thebmc.co.uk/nominate
George Smith, upside-down guru and arch obsessive, leads us on

a remarkable journey into his wonderful world – a journey with
attitude and character. Like salad after chips. Follow this Welsh THE BRITISH MOUNTAINEERING COUNCIL
climbing legend as he, along with a host of other well-known More on news & events: www.thebmc.co.uk
climbers, discover some of Wales’s wildest and wackiest up-
side-down routes.
The film, by Alun Hughes, George Smith and Ray Saunders, won the bMC elected Officers The british
Best Film award at the Llanberis Adventure Mountain Film Festival. President: Lynn Robinson Mountaineering Council
This film is part of The Alun Hughes Collection which is being hosted Chair of the board of Directors: 177–179 Burton Road,
on the BMC TV YouTube Channel. Gareth Pierce Manchester, M20 2BB
CeO: Dave Turnbull Tel: 0161 445 6111
WATCH NOW: www.thebmc.co.uk/upside-down-wales email: office@thebmc.co.uk

IN LIFE WE ARE
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CLIMBER LEGENDS
ÉLISABETH REVOL
French climber Élisabeth Revol is one of the most revered climbers living
today. Known for her expeditions in the Karakoram and the Himalaya,
she is the first woman to summit the 8,126-metre Nanga Parbat in winter.
Born in the Drôme area of France, her
parents introduced her to climbing as
a teenager in the Écrins massif. Having
caught the climbing bug, she honed
her skills as a member of the FFCAM
(Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins
et de Montagne) while simultaneously
working as a PE teacher. Her first
expedition to Nepal in 2007 quickly
progressed to a larger trip in 2008 with
Antoine Girard. However, when Antione
fell ill Élisabeth persevered, going on to
link three Himalayan mountains – Broad
Peak, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II
– in a sixteen-day solo ascent, with no
supplementary oxygen. Élisabeth’s next
expedition to Annapurna in 2009 was
struck by tragedy when her climbing
partner, Martin Minarik, was killed
during a perilous descent. Tragedy struck once again on this ex- But through all of this, climbing
After several years away, Élisabeth’s pedition. After reaching the summit from remained Élisabeth’s passion. On 23
return to the mountains in 2013 saw the the Diamer side, Tomasz began strug- May 2019, she reached the summit of
formation of the defining relationship of gling to see or speak, having developed Everest and went on to climb Lhotse
her climbing career. She joined Polish severe frostbite and snow blindness. the following day.
climber Tomasz Mackiewicz to attempt Managing to move him to relative safety If her climbing achievements weren’t
a winter ascent of the ‘Killer Mountain’, in front of a crevasse, Élisabeth had to enough, Élisabeth has also competed
Nanga Parbat. Although she had previously withstand three nights in unplanned biv- in the 2012 Adventure Racing World
attempted this with Italian climber ouacs while waiting for rescue. Enduring Championships in France, which saw
Daniele Nardi in 2013, it was with Tomasz severe frostbite, the fear for Tomasz’s her using her navigational, trekking,
that her fixation with this elusive peak life and even hallucinations, Élisabeth mountain biking, paddling and climbing
took form. After their 2015 attempt was eventually descended enough for Denis skills. All of this is indicative of someone
halted by bad weather just 300 metres Urubko and Adam Bielecki to come to with adventure in the very fibres of their
below the summit, the pair went on to her aid from their nearby expedition on being – those who will risk everything
tackle the formidable peak twice more. K2. Upon reaching her they made the to, as Élisabeth says, ‘challenge my
By the time they geared up for another heart-breaking decision not to attempt psyche, my mindset and my motivation’.
attempt in the winter of 2017–2018, to rescue Tomasz. Élisabeth’s grief com- Élisabeth Revol is one of our greatest
Tomasz had attempted to summit Nanga pelled her to document her experiences adventurers, and she doesn’t show
Parbat seven times, and Élisabeth four. in her first book, To Live. any sign of stopping soon.
8 Élisabeth Revol on
the traverse between the
Diama glacier and the glacier
between Camp 3 and Camp
4 on 24 January 2018 at 7,200
metres. Photo: Élisabeth Revol
6 Tomasz Mackiewicz at the

col linking the Diamir Valley to In collaboration with
the Diama glacier on Nanga Vertebrate Publishing
Parbat. Photo: Élisabeth Revol

NEXT ISSUE
MARCH – APRIL 2021
INCLUDING:
CHEDDAR GORGE
This stunning limestone gorge in Somerset is awash
with superb trad and sport climbing. Lena Drapella
provides the low-down.
TONGS YA BASS
– BERMUDA DWS
Grant Farquhar recounts the trials and tribulations
when attempting a new deep water solo route in
Bermuda.
EASY SPORT – HEDBURY

QUARRY, SWANAGE
We visit Hedbury Quarry on England’s south coast
for this easy climbs article.
PANT IFAN BOULDERING

A journey around the quality problems hidden above
this popular Tremadog crag in North Wales.
ROCK SHOES
– GEAR REVIEW
A look at the latest rock shoes – ready for you to
get them worn in for 2021.
Anthony Baker climbing Moral Flexibility (F5) at Hedbury Quarry,

Swanage. Photo: David Simmonite
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JAN–FEB 2021

BMC Travel Insurance

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

Tony Howard Andi Turner

Editor: David Simmonite – Editorial email: climbereditorial@gmail.com

Destinations | Crags | Features

24 Gilwern Hill – South Wales Sport

36 Cloud Climbing – Hen Cloud, Staffordshire

50 Saint Cézaire – French Rock

training & skills

20 The Climber’s Voice

56 James Pearson and Caroline Ciavaldini

NEIL GRESHAM ADDS

6 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 7

As well as the physical side, how

Having ticked off a three-year proj-

8 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

PEARSON REPEATS TRIBE

10 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

toothill aNd pope wiN British climBiNg cup

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 11

ROUTE LOCATION FIRST ASCENT

12 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

Continuing our series of articles highlighting quality

Nick Strong climbing a variation on Bilberry Face at VD

14 JAN–FEB 2021 www.climber.co.uk

16 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

www.climber.co.uk JAN–FEB 2021 17

18 JAN–FEB 2021 www.climber.co.uk

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 19

THE HARDEST DAY

20 JAN–FEB 2021 www.climber.co.uk

Felix Ottey seconding Touch

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 21

almost unkindly so to be sure he would

22 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

Enjoy stunning photography and keep

views from regular columnists, featuring:

■ INDOOR & OUTDOOR

To subscribe, call 017 78 392004 or click on the subscription icon

24 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

A blue sky day and Gordon

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 25

26 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

TYLA QUARRY GILWERN NORTH

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 27

Flow Job, at F6b,

THE BLACK ROCK AREA

THE LONELY SHEPHERD AREA

28 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

Overview THE LONELY SHEPHERD QUARRY

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 29

30 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

I didn’t pick up from where I left off, I

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 31

Mick making a very early

32 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

Manic Strain (F8a) in Vivian

www.climber.co.uk Jan–Feb 2021 33

RETIREMENT AND NORTH WALES

34 Jan–Feb 2021 www.climber.co.uk

You seem to like a bit of adventure and excitement in your life;