What a Year

I had my most successful day bouldering the other day, I don't know whether it was the conditions or I have improved but somehow I managed to busk my way up two 7a's. This got me thinking about my year in climbing and how many good days out I have had.

I only really started bouldering outside earlier this year, before that I spent most time trad climbing even up until the start of the summer trad climbing was my main thing. It was only really when I moved back to the Moors I started indulging in outdoor bouldering and this became my main focus. I had many good times trad climbing at the start of the year doing my boldest and hardest trad routes to date. Then I moved back from university to the Moors, having no partner at the start of the summer I just went out bouldering by myself. Then I met Rob and we continued to visit crags where routes were either too short or too hard to trad climb so we just ended up bouldering. Then winter came and it got really cold so we started heading to the grit for some super sticky bouldering. I have dabbled in trad climbing since I left university but its mainly been easy routes. As the winter went on I got really psyched for climbing hard and without the faff of trad climbing. I do feel like it has paid off and I look forward trying to transfer the bouldering strength into trad climbing over the next year.

Frozen Ground Photo by Me

With my new found love for bouldering Font 7a became my new goal. With this in mind I spent a lot of time traipsing up to the Wainstones to try The Prow as I was hoping this would be my first 7a. Then on one of the freezing Brimham days Rob climbed Whiskey Galore, I had given up at this point I was cold and couldn't get the sequence down. Ready to leave but motivated by Rob's ascent I put my shoes on and tried again. After a few goes the sequence was starting to work, but I was still struggling to get my left foot placement solid as it was blind and I couldn't feel my toes. On what must have been my 20th go the foot held, I matched the sloper moved my right hand to the thumb sprag, then I got my left leg high and started to rock up it was in the bag. Then I slipped. I caught my self on the sloper and thumb sprag but couldn't recover dropping it massively frustrated I took a rest. Thinking of giving up as my feet were numb Rob was really helpful and super keen for me to do it. Motivated I shoed up chalked up and went for another go. The moves flowed and before I knew it I had one hand on the top trying to keep cool I mantled over the top it was done. I had done 7a.

Making the moves on Whiskey Galore Photo by Robs Shoe

I was expecting that to be a fluke and it would be another year before I managed another 7a. But I had been trying Pair in a Cubicle also at Brimham. It is the essence of gritstone in one problem, one good hold and every move is harder and slopier than the last, until you get to the blank heartbreaking top out. I think I have had about 4 sessions on it including one demoralising and skin destroying session with Freddie where I got so close but ultimately ended up just ruining my hands. A couple of days after Christmas the conditions were looking amazing and me and Rob and both got new pads so once again we headed to Brimham to test them out. We spent a couple of hours failing to highball and made tracks towards Pair in a Cubicle. We got there and a couple of guys were already trying it after watching Rob fail to do the sit start to Murky Rib I decided to jump on Pair in a Cubicle. I got some helpful new beta from the guys trying it, it was only a change of hand position but it worked. I had a couple of failed goes then watched Rob and the guys trying it, feeling psyched but rested I jumped on. By now I had the start nailed the the moves after just flowed and I had both my hands on the top, slapping wildly but still kind of falling my hands moved slowly to the back. then I was in balance. I had groveled enough it was done, I don't know what I did different but I topped out in slight disbelief and relief that I didn't have to do it again anytime soon.

One of the failed attempts Photo by Rob

Rob kept trying getting guttingly close so many times, I had some lunch and chatted with a climbing legend for a bit. I kept spotting trying to return the favour to Rob for what he did for me on Whiskey. But after a few hours I wanted to give something else a go and having seen a few people do Murky Rib sit start I thought I'd give it a shot. Its a soft 7a being only one move but its really knacky and slightly painful. Surprisingly I was making progress and found myself on the moves you start from standing on, thinking I had it in the bag I got a hand on the top. Then the scrittle fought back and my left hand detached. Go after go the scrittle kept scuppering my ascent my skin was fading but not as badly as Robs, who was suffering with the same issue I had on Pair in a Cubicle when I was trying it with Freddie. The light was fading we had been in the same spot for 3 hours I decided to give Murky Rib SS one last go. Grimacing through the heinous first pull and doing the same sequence through the regular route I got my left hand on the top scrittle then matched, trying to sort my footwork out I swung. Clinging to the scrittle I was smearing with all the grace of a dying fly, until I eventually grabbed the jug at the back I pulled myself up. Jumping back down I was elated I had somehow blagged 2 7a's. What a day. What a year.

Rob in some skin related pain Photo by Me

I have had so many good days its hard to select my favourites but yesterday is definitely one, although I was a little gutted Rob didn't manage Pair in a Cubicle I met a legend and climbed 2 7a's, one of my best days on grit by far. I know climbing isn't about numbers so I shouldn't care but climbing is about the journey from impossible to possible and all 3 7a's have done that for me. They are also really cool problems. I enjoyed the times tradding at the start of the year doing some really cool routes but I never really physically pushed myself so each achievement was a mental one. But now I have managed a 3 7as, an achievement I didn't believe would happen last year, an achievement I didn't think I'd have the strength or skill for. So psyched to keep it going next year, I feel thankful for having good people to climb with, having an abundance of amazing things to climb in the UK and having the ability and time to go climb. Whether its wandering on the moors. loosing skin on the grit or getting scared on a multipich in Wales or the Lakes. I am stoked for another year of climbing.