Author: Paul Stewart

Professor of Control Engineering, and Pro Vice Chancellor Research at the University of Lincoln UK

Rock climbing in the alps – chamonix

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Me leading an F7a+ on the Brevent, Aiguille Rouge, with Mont Blanc in the background

I’m just giving my hard-drive a spring clean and found some photos from a Chamonix climbing trip. Not sure about the year or photographer, but the photo on the Brevent is one of my all time favourites.

The route tops-out near the top cable car station and cafe bar. Which is nice.

The other one standing on top of one of the aiguilettes is a really cracking route above Argentiere, further up the valley. I first climbed it back in the 80’s, and the photo is taken on a repeat a few years ago.

Belaying on one of the Aiguilles D'Argentiere, Chamonix valley

Peak Limestone – Rubicon Wall

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boulderers on Rubicon Wall

It’s probably heresy, but I prefer bouldering on Limestone rather than Grit, so with a forecast of possible showers, we headed down into the Wye Valley for a session on Rubicon Wall.

Although this set of crags was the focus of the bolted and pegged Sport Climbing revolution of the 1980s, it’s been pretty well taken over by boulderers looking for a sunny sheltered crag, which importantly is dry in even the heaviest downpour (unless the river bursts its bank)

The Wye Valley at Rubicon Wall

The main wall sports an uber-classic warm up long traverse from L-R, with the rest of the crags characterised by problem starts to the classic sports routes.

Classic (polished) traverse at Rubicon. Noodle (picture bottom) has finished the traverse and is off to chase the ducks.

Roadside bouldering at the RAC Boulders Snowdonia

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One of the RAC Boulders, showing 'Marsh Arete', an ultra classic brutal V3 from a sit-start

Along with the Cromlech boulders, the RAC boulders on the road between the Pen-y-Gwryd and Capel Curig offer great low to mid bouldering only metres from the road, but in a tranquil setting. The roadside situation and quality rock has made them extremely popular, especially for a quick hit as part of a circuit.

More info can be found on the UKC (UK Climbing site):

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=1634

I was very pleased to send a linked combination (pictured) of the ‘Frontside Traverse’ V3 into the first groove arete (V2). I guess the combination goes at V4 (ish). I spent a couple of great afternoons there this week, going around the circuits, and managed to work out a few problems which have been eluding me.

Heading on up the arete after completing the 'Frontside Traverse'

View from the RAC Boulders back towards the Llanberis Pass

Best of all is the opportunity do (re)discover lots of hidden gems on the boulder strewn hillside beneath the skyline crag. Highly recommended.

Bouldering opposite the Pen y Gwryd Hotel, Snowdonia

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Victorian climbing party outside the Pen y Gwyrd, maybe out for a day's bouldering?

The Pen y Gwryd Hotel is one of the UK’s traditional Mountaineering/Climbing Hotels and pubs, with a history stretching back to the early exploration of the area in the Victorian era (pictured), with notable activity such as training centre for the first ascents of Everest (highest mountain) and Kanchenjunga (third highest).

The victorian pioneers were noted for a (for that time) radical interest in the sport of Bouldering, so it’s quite possible that Victorian nailed boots were the first to scratch on the boulders covering the hillside opposite the hotel at the bottom of the Llanberis Pass in North Wales.

Noodle admiring the view up to the Pen y Gwryd, with Snowdon on the horizon

In the North Wales Bouldering Guide (bowldro gogledd cymru), the Pen y Gwryd Boulders on the hillside opposite the Hotel are described as

‘….a brief workout in a wonderful location. The best block lies over to the right. It has half a dozen problems up to V3 on good rock.’

Well worth a wander up if you’re parked below for a walk up Snowdon, or a quick hit before a beer in the Gwryd.

PS on a slab problem on the right hand PyG block

Quiet gems on Birchens Edge Derbyshire

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The quiet end of Birchens Edge: Kismet Buttress

Its always surprising to find hidden gems, especially on edges as popular as Birchens.

This was the crag where I first started climbing about 30 years ago, and I must have walked underneath this buttress more than a hundred times without checking it out.

Kismet buttress is the first part of the crag which you walk under on the way up from parking at the Robin Hood Inn. There is a lot of quality easy trad climbing in this area of the crag, but the main action is on the pictured buttress.

L-R

  1. Implosion V2 (HVS 5c) Sent
  2. Explosion V1 (HS 5b) Sent (central groove – quite a hard start at the grade)
  3. Blast Hole Wall VO (5b) Sent (through the rh overhang. better with a sit start)

Well worth a visit in passing.

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