Wet Cranking in the North Yorkshire Moors

Looking at the weather thinking, don't bother, think again, just go for it, we headed out for the North Yorkshire moors for a two day session, then the rain crapped us out on the saturday, or so we thought, reprieve came by the way of the Ravenswick Quarry! the steep Black wall gave enough problems to entertain us for a good four hour session.

Wet and still Cranking in the Ravenswick Quarry

Unlucky for us the lower platform traverse was not in condition, a brilliant looking maybe F6c+ not in the guide? map below!

A good training venue well worth a visit in any weather! filled with hard forearm hurting traverses and eliminates.

Rob Lonsdale pulling hard and reaching high in the pouring rain!

Av' a Bit, of Yorkshire Grit

Almscliff seems to be the place to go for proper Yorkshire bouldering; the rock is in what Steve Ramsden calls "Perma-nic" always in good condition! Full of great classic problems, new eliminates, hard test pieces and local projects.

Tom Coulthard on Si's Arete

After the Editors gig on Saturday at the O2 Academy in Leeds, everyone was motivated to tick some good problems, pushing that little bit harder.

 Rob Lonsdale on Stu's Left Hand, Tom's Dodgy Photography!

Best ticks of the day were: Little Greeny, Dreamland, Wall Of Horror's Traverse, and the BOLD Bancrofts Roof.

Rob Lonsdale cutting loose without a parachute on Bancroft's Roof

Sunny St Bees

Considering it's not the most inspiring side of the Lake district this is a must destination for the travelling boulderer. There are three areas: the northern section (Apiary Wall, Fisherman's Steps); Fleswick Bay and the south. Head for the northern section to Apiary Wall and Fisherman's Steps, just 300 metres south, for the majority of and the best problems. The descent to these is a tad precarious, using an old knotted climbing rope!

Jen enjoying the precarious descent!

At the base you are faced with a dispersed selection of varied climbing on red iron-rich sandstone, that looks like scattered cindery burning embers, grippy and light as a feather every block looks as enticing as the last.

Rob Lonsdale on Undercooke F6c

There are plenty of problems to go at across all the grades, and I dare say a few project lines left?

We also dabbled on Fleswick Bay, unfortunately the shingle on the beach was low so the starts were a little trickier, this can vary at different times of year depending on the tides.

The Tidal Shingle Problem at Fleswick Bay!

Catch St Bees on a sunny day and it is truly magical, don't forget to take you Speedos or bikini and towel. Check the tides and weather before going. Enjoy!

That Big Mountain Feeling

That is the feeling you get whilst bouldering in the Chew Valley, dramatic, impressive, inspiring, big high edges futuristic lines on high up exposed crags, checkout the Trinnacle on the right, unbelievable!

Joining us on this trip were the Red Tip guys, (www.red-tips.com) young and full of hunger for hard lines on esoteric problems, we had deceided to head for the Ravenstones, a crag full of history and mystery with a giant sloping boulder with an 8a project nobody has claimed, the area has held the attention of the best and pioneering climbers in the UK, such as Chris Hardy and Gary Gibson and many more, so we were hooked, as we approached on our left appeared a jumble of boulders below the Standing Stones "Mmmmmm that looks good" said Liam, and that was it, into the jumble!!!

SS Pinchy the Lobster 7a *** FA Lee Robinson 

Liam on Red Tips 5+** SS

Dredger Left Hand  FA Liam Copley 7a*** Standing Stones

Stumbling across some nice lines, the best being, Pinchy the Lobster 7a***, Red Tips 5+**, also capturing the sharp roof problem, The Moors tiger 6c**, until Liam found left hand crimp giving it a good 6b** still! then heading uphill to Popcorn prow 6a** with a very undignified mantle, to the left of this is a project rocking on to a slopey slab, hard!! then moving on to the crag, Liam added the superb 7a*** start to the three star route Dredger 6b, tackling the enigma of the left hand arete, well done Liam.

The Moors Tiger 6c** SS, FA Lee Robinson without Liam's
left hand crimp, another great day in the undiscovered Peak