Any rock climbers here?

[EasyCrank]

I'm cycling down to Cheddar for a weekend of rock climbing tomorrow and just wondered out of curiosity if there's any climbers here?

 

[PpPete]

My first ever rock-climbing experience was @ Cheddar, back in the early 1970s
Got very keen again in the late 1980s, havnt been for years, although do plan to start again now the kids are older.

 

[Stephenite]

I used to climb. Til i suffered a (non-sporting) injury about 16 years ago. Broken bones, and metal plates and screws, made me lose some confidence so i just fell out of doing it.

Gradewise, I top-roped an E6 once, but most of my climbing was around HVS. Used to love it. When drunk i/we would traverse around the inside of whichever boozer we found ourselves in.

 

[Globalti]

I used to do a lot, leading up to HVS standard. Best places I ever climbed other than on some of the long multi-pitch mountain routes were Swanage and Pembrokeshire, lovely fingery sea-worn south-facing limestone cliffs that make you feel good and bring out the best in you. Last climb I did was Heart of Darkness in Pembroke, a fabulous climb rated HVS for its exposure but not for its technical difficulty - you traverse along a line of easy prominent cracks between a sea cave and an overhang; very scary and committing but extremely exhilarating.

 

[Crackle]

Another 'used to'. sort of VS/HVS standard, depending on the climb the rock and my mental state. I loved doing easy multi pitch mtn routes.

These days I take my lads down to the climbing wall and a newish bouldering wall in Liverpool, no ropes, that's our favourite. Both can outclimb me and maybe when they get a little bigger I might introduce them to outdoor rock climbing if they want.

 

[Stephenite]

[QUOTE 2030018, member: 9609"]The top rope immediately removes the "E6" bit - nonetheless if it was E6 it would more than likely involve some sustained 5c/6a climbing, so lots of respect. Where did you climb?[/quote]

Yes, i realise that. That's why i mentioned it was on a rope. I can't remember the technical grade, but would have been, like you said, 5c/6a. It was in a disused quarry, given over to climbing in Angus, Scotland. I lived in Dundee at the time and used to climb with The Upper Doonie group. My climbing buddy was a fella called Tom McDonald, ex RAF mountain rescue, tons of experience, and at 40 years old, one of the fittest, toughest blokes you could come across, (at this sort of thing). But, put him on a bike and he was a wuss! The climb itself was about 10m high and involved much smearing, using the whole body to gain friction, and pushing up on several parts of you at once. So, a bit unusual in that respect. But still, it's graded in the book and i'm bagging it

My best climbing experience was on the west coast of Scotland. On some raised sea-cliffs. (By 'raised' i mean raised by (is it?) geostasy. The effect by which the north and west of GB is slowly, and continuing to, lift after the mass of the last icesheet.) Some of the cliff-faces were over the sea, and feeling of exposure is fantastic.

 

[EasyCrank]

When drunk i/we would traverse around the inside of whichever boozer we found ourselves in.

Haha, Reading that reminded me of this Monty Python Sketch

I used to do a lot, leading up to HVS standard. Best places I ever climbed other than on some of the long multi-pitch mountain routes were Swanage and Pembrokeshire, lovely fingery sea-worn south-facing limestone cliffs that make you feel good and bring out the best in you. Last climb I did was Heart of Darkness in Pembroke, a fabulous climb rated HVS for its exposure but not for its technical difficulty - you traverse along a line of easy prominent cracks between a sea cave and an overhang; very scary and committing but extremely exhilarating.

That looks great fun! I'll have to give that a try some time!

 

[Globalti]

Just stumbled across this enjoyable little video on UK Climbing:

View: http://vimeo.com/48945732

 

[trampyjoe]

Another one for the 'used to climb about HVS' group .. although I did toprop a 6c/7a once (guess which bit I fell off?!). Been to the local wall here a few times in the last few years but having a baby has put a stop to it all

 

[Saluki]

I used to climb too. I got up an E1 once, but only once as I am a bit of a scardy cat. We used to climb regularly at the Roaches when we lived in N Staffs. Stanage too and Windgather. Sometimes we drove to North Wales but not as often as we would have liked.
2 years ago last July, I smashed my right wrist up so that put paid to climbing. I can still climb, but I can't belay so the OH thinks that going climbing is less fun than it used to be. Might wander down the UEA or somewhere and try their indoor wall. I'll get hubby to jump off at about 6' up and see if I can hold the shock load. Should be ok, I've got a Grigri.

 

[VamP]

Cheddar is great fun, if you can get the weather right. This weekend should be awesome. Not sure if you're trad or sport, but both kinds are of a really good quality there, I particularly like some of the new bolted multi-pitch stuff.

I used to climb a lot, now a lot less, mainly as I spend most of my time cycling though I am sure I would do more if I had a regular climbing buddy.

Used to lead about E5, much more likely to be found on bolts these days, around 6c on sight generally.

 

[ColinJ]

I just found out that Slower Than A Sluggish Sloth has recently co-authored a climbing book. He's much too modest to plug it himself, but I think it sounds well worth a read - details here.

I'm not a climber, and with my fear of heights I never will be, but I like reading about different sports so I'll pick up a Kindle edition once I've caught up with the backlog of cycling books that I own.

 

[rich p]

I used to do a bit in my teens on sandstone at Harrisons Rocks in E Sussex but, struggling at one point, I looked round and saw the bloke belaying me had put the rope down to light a fag. I kind of lost my nerve after that.

 

[doctornige]

I used to do a lot in Scotland. I lived in Aberdeenshire (1979-1995), and climbed on the sea cliffs there, and inland in the Cairngorms. I led at VS/HVS, but also some E1s, two of which I used to solo as a stunt! I also climbed a fair bit of grade 3 ice on Lochnagar and Cairngorm.

When I got my first job I moved to Liverpool, away from my regular climbing partner, and fell out of the sport. And then developed a knee problem associated with under-use (chondromalacia). I used cycling to fix my knees, and I now find myself living in the Peak District, but have not taken up climbing again. I have tried a bit, but the confidence of youth has gone, and also my ropes and tapes are all some 20 years old. I sold the ice gear, but kept the climbing stuff as I still think I might do some mountaineering again in Wales. It is the long days on mixed ground that I find more interesting than tough routes.

Bouldering can just get lost.

 

[Crackle]

Ialso my ropes and tapes are all some 20 years old.

Bouldering can just get lost.

Same here. All my tapes and quick draws need replacing, big rocks and walnuts re-roping and Friends back to the factory for new slings, plus new ropes. I've taken to hiring a rope at the climbing wall now.

I used to think the same of bouldering but it's become a sport within a sport. My youngest,13, got third place at the winter bouldering league in Liverpool last night. Won himself a hat and a chalk ball and is still wearing a big grin today.

Whatever you think of bouldering it's an excellent activity for core strength and flexibility.