The Space Between

Some statistics say men think about sex every 7 seconds, others say 34 times a day, a worthy pastime with a satisfying climax.

It makes you wonder how many times a day a climber thinks about a problem/project compared to this?

Being an addict myself, nearly every waking hour and synaptic fibre that still works in my head is dedicated to finding a piece of rock and working a problem hoping to find that perfect moment in the process. I suppose this is a comparative climax. with similar moans and groans before the end result.

How do the two compare?

What are the benefits?
1. Rock will never complain about your poor performance.
2. The rock will never turn you down.
3. Rock will stand waiting for you through rain, sleet or snow.

Not so good
1. The rock will cheat on you, letting anyone on top, even if your there.
2. Rock is very frigid, quiet never uttering a word despite your best efforts.
3. Rock has a heart of stone, never returns any affection and always forgets your birthday.

Anyway best stop thinking and get climbing.

 Projects on the brain

 James living life on the lip

 Squeeze that arete

Chilling out up high on the Moors

Magic Time

The first thing I'll say is that I'm pretty selfish, just one of many faults, but I suppose if you know your faults it can make you a better person? well sometimes.

 Lucky for me Lisa understands this selfish obsession, allowing three days of climbing bliss, getting lost in a big moorland landscape, no guides, solitude, venturing into a rediscovered unknown. 

The first stop was the edge of East Bilsdale, a place I call 'Apple Tree Rocks' you can see them from the road as you drive through the valley, a long awaited fix on some rewarding blocks with a mixed bag of features and angles. Watching the stars with hardly any light pollution on our revolving planet takes some beating.

Day two we crossed the valley to another high moorland edge with scattered anomalies, The best fluffer (A selfless spotter or cleaner of problems) in The moors. got to work cleaning some highball projects, some inspiring aretes, with a serious landings, f**k the ground up ethics here, top rope first, blimey routes, not done any for a while, inspired, it's going to happen, cheers Steve.

We made the most of the blocks below, why not, I've dug out the harness, now where are my Daddy pants.

James cranking every angle at Apple Tree Rocks

Finger cracking good

The legend gets to work

Chilling making the most of the blocks

60 minutes of working out some unusual moves,finally breeched the short but very involving roof, the left hand is not on an undercut, horrible move, yet totally satisfying.

Inspiring

So I'm inspired, the reason why we climb is inspired by others.
It was suggested in jest that I should be surfing at my age? 45 years young soon this year. but f**k that. I'm nowhere close to the the climber that introduced me to bouldering many years ago in Kyloe woods. with his baggy shorts traversing across the crag. giving me advice on what I thought would be a ridiculous move.
So no way am I retiring, what a time we live in. a time of gobbling up such a massive resource we have.

History is is makes us what we are, to be inspired by the past without ego and enjoying the self fulfilment within a forgotten landscape.

Climb, Take the piss, have a laugh, eat a local delicacy, go somewhere new

Live to explore.

Spooky

So I should have had my hair cut this Friday, but the urge to climb and clear my head was too strong.

After a mad rush I raced to Barnbrough Edge just to catch the sunset and get some shots of the walls that have been recorded to date. Normally climbing into the dark or sleeping at the venue never phases me, this time it was a bit weird, possibly because the venue is just off Hanging Stone Road? I was twitchy and on edge, hearing strange sounds like horses and creaking rope, no joking? mind you a runner came past in the dark and jumped out of his skin at the sight of bright lights and a mad wide-eyed boulderer. The vibe changes as darkness falls, be warned.

Day two- Saturday

A no brainer really heading to a roof to what is a bit of a dream find, a roof you just stand underneath staring at gobsmacked, with a zombie like expression, a reason to train hard and hope you can actually make any moves, and dare I say climb out the centre of it, I must say good effort to Mike for digging deep and christening the roof with composed power. The celebratory KFC afterwards was well deserved, even though I'm still upset with them for not replying to my sponsorship proposal.  

After that back to Barnbrough for a wind down that never happened, Jug pulling bliss, tricky sitting starts, causing no end of frustration, got my knickers in a right twist on the last problem of the day due to a footwork malfunction. 

The rapid escape from the urban environment is so surprising, such varied venues with a history you really don't expect, you just need to dig a little into a forgotten landscape with a rare beauty, full of myth and legend, you can experience Neolithic Britain, Castles, Battles, Industrial Revolution that has come and gone, reclaimed by Mother Nature.

 

Sleepy Hollow

Handy Canoe

Worry Lines

Overhanging Juggy Bliss

Improbable Impossible Possibilites

I love this time of year, the days are short, weather patterns are constantly in flux and it can be a complex lottery deciding what to do?

I use one easy formula

1. Raining = go exploring or find a dry roof

2. Not Raining = Climb or Explore and climb  

One of the biggest bonuses of this time of year is that wooded venues offer a warm welcome if dry projects are in condition and exploring is a lot easier without the foliage hiding any hidden treasures. 

So this weekend was spent testing the formula out again. 

Friday + Wet = Explore + Poor Edges Found + Comfy Chairs = Two off the list

Saturday + Dry = Mike's Project + More attempts + bloody hard = Time to explore 

Exploring + Family text asking to join the Weird Beardy Club + Mike finding wall of blankness on google street view = Good day on tiny holds, with even more harder problems to go back to.

Proving the formula works

Fast and Furious

Firstly I would like to apologise for the delay in the release of the Moors bouldering guide, proofing is over the half-way mark and all the details needed to finish are all in place. Unfortunately it will be next year before it goes to press. It should be ready just as the magic months are upon us again in the Moors.

Having not trained for six months, due to being sat in front of a computer screen finishing off the guide, Mojo for exploring, climbing and recording venues has returned with a vengeance. Having already started a new guide book 'Esoteric East': a whole new area of bouldering delights to get your teeth into. We've already had more days and nights at the crag, some with disappointing findings -whole edges covered by landfill, others burnt to a crisp and scatted with cans of Kestrel Super and Asbo-pop bottles left by the 'bored youth' of today.

This process is bitter-sweet yet the sweet makes up for all that "Oh S**t it's three foot high, why is this on an Ordnance Survey map?" 

Below is an example of just one of the sweets, Conisborough's Hueco Boulder in Nearcliff Woods, one of many scattered between the A1 - M1 corridor. I don't think there is one 'Wack' problem on this block, incredible. Please go and give us feedback on the grades.

This block needed a lot of TLC as it was fire-damaged. Efforts to clean it resulted in some major rewards. 

Not all of the good finds have suffered from this fiery urban fate. Some of the places feel like you could be lost in any valley of outstanding beauty in Britain's green and pleasant land, with blocks and edges with some blissful moves, in some forgotten places, with the odd piton or axe-strike letting you know this was home to someone else.

Not forgetting the superb historical venues this area has to offer.

Demo only, yet to be proofed and finished

My Precious

Well it's been a while and I feel a bit like Frodo Baggins carrying the ring to Mordor. As the Moors guide gets closer to being finished the heavier the burden feels. I suppose working a full time job and trying to climb most weekends slows me down a bit, the good news is, proofing starts tonight, at last.
quite a wonderful journey really, one that won't end with the Moors guide, Such a nice area to go back to, hidden little projects to be done, no pre made chalk path, beta or anyone to bother you when you climb like a bag of spuds.

Anyway as the temperature dis now dropping the majority head to the grit for some well earned friction at last. Despite this my eyes are firmly fixed on the lesser known Mag Lime delights, these can be truly unbeatable as the tree canopy falls and the white gold is exposed to the elements.

This is also why we have started the Mag- Lime guide. Mike Adams has made massive progress over the years with many areas complete and new and old forgotten areas getting developed and recorded most weekends.

The guide will include quite a few surprise venues within the M1 - A1 corridor and will cater for a  wide range of grades. A great diversion from the usual peak circuits and a priceless resource for any local.

So much to enjoy at Captain Cooks

Mike gives Arncliffe an 8a 

Whitestone at Scugdale The Buzzard 6b, spicy 

Martin smashes some projects on the block named 'Dave' in Ingleby woods 

We lit up Highcliff 

Lisa takes on The Bridestones 

 And so it begins

 Unbelievable line! at the Earth Quarry

 Hanging Stone Woods

 The Legend gets on the Mag Lime, Hooton Cliff

A late one at Rattles Hill