Category: Bouldering

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.

Commitment to climbing

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Unknown climber clearing the cornice!!??!! before topping out on a classic Severe on Birchens Edge

Just how far do you go to get out cragging in the winter? I popped out on a November day in 2010 to have a look if anything was climbable on Birchens Edge. Nothing was (IMHO).

However, these guys weren’t gong to let a couple of feet of snow stop them. When I arrived, they were attacking a classic Severe in fine style. The top picture shows the leader breaking through the cornice to a challenging and very slippy top-out.

I made my excuses and headed off for an afternoon session in the ClimbingWorks. Well done chaps!

Ideal rock climbing conditions on Birchens Edge, Derbyshire. Apparently.

Noodle looking singularly unimpressed by the day's bouldering potential

My home bouldering wall

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Part of my home bouldering wall

Back when I arrived in Sheffield in 1986, there were no proper indoor climbing training facilities, so everyone built their own. These were generally in cellars, and a whole new generation of Sheffield cellar-dwelling ‘troglodytes’ was born. Even though Sheffield led the way, and now possesses some of the best indoor facilities anywhere (ClimbingWorks, The Foundry, The Edge, The Matrix), it’s still a tradition to have your own at home.

Here’s mine, which is in my garage, and is the first thing I did when we bought the house. It’s set up with relatively large holds at the moment for early season stamina training. It converts with an alternative set of holds into a ‘School Room’ type facility.

For more information on building your own wall, and plans for the ‘School Room’ layout, see Ben Moon’s excellent site:

http://www.moonclimbing.com/

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