Author: the Severe climber

I'm Robin and I'm a keen rock climber and hiker. I blog at the http://thesevereclimber.com about rock climbing, via ferrata, hiking and other mountain adventures.
Trying Again and a Little Bit of History

Trying Again and a Little Bit of History

the Severe climber

A little over a year ago I returned to climbing outside after surgery on my knee.  It felt absolutely great to be climbing again, but I knew I still had a way to get my strength and technique back to what they were.  I did a lot better that weekend than I thought I might, but I did feel disappointed to not get up some problems.  So last weekend I returned to Burbage to try those problems again.

The Burbage Valley, with Carl Wark and Higgar Tor in the distance. The Kidney boulder is in the middle distance.
Climbing on the That Little Piglet boulder at Burbage South Valley.
Trying again (and failing again) to climb the problem Right Whale (V0 4c) on The Whale boulder at Burbage South Valley.
Climbing the very fun traversing problem Walking the Dog, on The Dog boulder at Burbage South Valley.
Climbing Kidney Wall (V0+ 5a) on The Kidney boulder at Burbage South Valley.

I’d particularly wanted to climb the problems on the That Little Piglet boulder.  I’m usually good at climbing slabs, but I’d been baffled by how to get up two low grade, slab problems on this boulder the last time I was there. Read more →

Roaches – along and high

Roaches – along and high

the Severe climber

Sometimes rain on a climbing trip can be good thing.  A couple of weeks ago, rain forced me to give up on climbing at The Roaches and instead go for a walk in the surrounding countryside.  It turned out to be a great walk, going to places I had never been and seeing some fantastic sights.  I hiked over Hen Cloud, past The Roaches, through the chasm of Lud’s Church, along the pretty River Dane, under The Hanging Stone, and back along the whole length of the Roaches ridge.  The best bit was the amazing, clear views from The Roaches once the rain and cloud had cleared.

Hen Cloud just visible through the cloud and light rain.
The Roaches enveloped in cloud.
The Upper Tier at the Roaches – pretty, but not good for climbing on that day.
Lud’s Church. It was used as a secret place of worship by the Lollards in the early 15th Century. The Lollards were followers of John Wycliffe, an early church reformer.
Lud’s Church. It was used as a secret place of worship by the Lollards in the early 15th Century. The Lollards were followers of John Wycliffe, an early church reformer.
We walked along the River Dane from Gradbach to Danebridge.
The Hanging Stone, which sits at one end of the Roaches ridge, near Danebridge. It has two plaques on it – one in memory of the local squire’s dog (buried under the stone) and the other in memory of Lt Col Courtney Brocklehurst, whose family used to own the Roaches estate.
Looking back the way we had come, with the Hanging Stone just visible in the distance.
Tittesworth Reservoir seen from the top of the Roaches.
The Roaches and Hen Cloud.

The next day was bright and clear, and so I got my chance to go climbing.  I went bouldering for the first time at The Attic and The Cellar. Read more →

Langdale Bouldering

Langdale Bouldering

the Severe climber
Climbing an unnamed boulder problem on the Top Block at the Langdale Boulders.

I’ve been wanting to climb on the Langdale Boulders for years.  Ever since I moved from mostly climbing trad to mostly bouldering, they have been on my list of places to climb.  Famous, iconic and right in the heart of one of the Lake District’s most beautiful valleys.  The Langdale Boulders are one of those places I’d seen pictured in climbing magazines, in guidebooks, and on the wall of the café in one of my local bouldering walls.  My climbing trip to the Lakes gave me the perfect opportunity to go.  A weather forecast of intermittent showers on my last day of the trip also meant that climbing at a venue with a two-minute walk-in seemed like a sensible idea.

Read more →

Bouldering in Longsleddale

Bouldering in Longsleddale

the Severe climber
Climbing an unnamed problem on the Jacko Boulder at Settle Earth Boulders, in Longsleddale.

Longsleddale was the one place I really wanted to go on my bouldering trip to the Lake District.  Some people might think it a bit strange to prioritise the Settle Earth Boulders in Longsleddale over destination bouldering venues in the Lakes like St Bees or Langdale.  But I wanted to go as I knew that Longsleddale is beautiful and tranquil, and, after reading the new Lake District Bouldering guide, I’d learned that it also has a great lower-grade bouldering circuit.

I’ve been to the Lake District many, many times, but didn’t know about Longsleddale until a few years ago.  Read more →

Bouldering Below The Old Man

Bouldering Below The Old Man

the Severe climber
The cloud beginning to lift, revealing the Old Man of Coniston and Boulder Valley.

I couldn’t actually find the boulders.  I walked back and forth along the same stretch of grassy ridge looking at the boulders scattered around me, trying to find one that matched the photos in my new guidebook.  If I could find the Ridge Stone boulder, then I could orientate myself and get on the right track.  But in the mist it wasn’t easy to work out which rock was which.  I felt certain I’d missed the path to Boulder Valley shown in the guidebook, and so had ended up walking too far up the ridge.  The Ridge Stone was shown in the guidebook’s map as being after the start of the path I wanted.  I reasoned that if I found the Ridge Stone, I would know for sure I had gone too far. I looked again at a tall boulder sitting just to the side of the path, trying to work out if its shape matched that of the boulder shown in my book.  The whole situation felt ridiculous.  I felt ridiculous.  I was walking about in the mist, on the first day of a bouldering trip to the Lake District, unable to find the boulders I’d come all this way to climb. Read more →

Falling off a lot

Falling off a lot

the Severe climber
Climbing the fun Pooh Bear (V0 4c) at Froggart Edge.

The other weekend I fell off more than usual.  I’ll have a go at harder problems every time I go bouldering as a way of trying to improve my climbing.  About a third of the time I complete the problem, another third of the time I fall off every time, and the remaining third I’m just baffled about how to actually do the climb.  However, this time, I fell just off again and again. Read more →

A Lovely Hill

A Lovely Hill

the Severe climber

The other weekend I got reminded that a great walk doesn’t have to be up the highest peak, or to a famous summit that everyone wants to tick off their list.  I had a brilliant time walking up a hill that’s just lovely for being in a great location, a bit different, and with an interesting character.

One of the summits of Crook Hill.
The gritstone top of one of the two summits of Crook Hill, with the other summit in the distance.

Crook Hill is in the High Peak area of the Peak District. It sits at the bottom of the two arms of the Y-shaped Ladybower Reservoir, where the Woodlands Valley splits off from the Derwent Valley.  It’s a commanding location that makes it easy to imagine that Crook Hill was the once the site of a hill fort (although I’m not aware that it ever was).  Read more →

Between the Rain

Between the Rain

the Severe climber

I climbed around the rain this weekend.  Rain often either forces me to not go climbing at all, or forces me to finish climbing before I’m ready.  This weekend looked like it was going to go that way again when it started raining after I had only done two problems at Stanage Far Right.  It was particularly annoying as rain (and snow) had stopped me climbing in North Yorkshire a couple of months ago, and for some time I’d been wanting to go back to Stanage Far Right to see if I could finish the green circuit.

Climbing Snout Groove (VB 4a) at Stanage Far Right. This was my first climb of the day, and I got rained off after completing my second.
With the weather completely changed, I went back to Stanage Far Right. Here I’m climbing Steps (VB 4a).
Climbing the fun Front Flake (V0+ 5a) at Stanage Far Right.
Pert Bloke (V0+ 5a) is a really interesting, fun problem (I didn’t even mind the sit start).
Me climbing the problem Gripple One at Stanage Far Right.

The far right hand end of Stanage is a brilliant place for easier bouldering.  The problems are varied, interesting and (usually) above good landings.  The views are brilliant.  It’s also only a ten minute walk from the car parking (which is a definite plus when there’s a chance you might get rained off). Read more →

Highlights of my North York Moors trip

Highlights of my North York Moors trip

the Severe climber

On my trip to the North York Moors last weekend I saw snow, rain, high winds and bright sunshine.  I was disappointed that the snow and the rain meant I couldn’t go bouldering, but I still had a great time walking along the coast, in wooded valleys and over the moors.  Here are the highlights of my trip –

The beautiful view of Robin Hood’s Bay from Ravenscar.
I was amazed to find a lizard hiding from the cold on a standing stone on Howdale Moor. The cold was probably the reason he stayed very still.
I always really like visiting waterfalls on rainy days. This is Mallyan Spout, in the valley below Goathland.
Mallyan Spout and West Beck.
The stone row (AKA stone alignment) on Simon Howe Rigg in the snow.
Simon Howe – a round barrow (burial mound) on Simon Howe Rigg. Round barrows such as this date from the Late Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age.
Thomason Foss near Beck Hole.
Windy Kinder

Windy Kinder

the Severe climber

Windy, wet and grey – last weekend had a lot in common with other weekends I’ve spent in the Peak District at this time of year.  It was still fun though, particularly as I set out to go to bits of the Peak District I’d not been to before.  This meant heading around the edge of the moors to the East of Kinder Scout on Saturday.

My route up Grindsbrook Clough.
Walking up Grindsbrook Clough to get onto a windy Kinder Scout.
Looking down Grindsbrook Clough.
One of the many fords I crossed when walking around the edge of Kinder.
Looking across to Grindsbrook Clough from the edge of the moor.
Look towards Jaggers Clough, with Ladybower Reservoir just visible in the distance, from Crookstone Out Moor. I didn’t get much further than this before I got the full force of the wind and decided to turn around.

By Sunday the wind had become so strong that walking around the tops looked impractical (and certainly like a lot of hard work).   Read more →

My Climbing 2018 in Pictures

My Climbing 2018 in Pictures

the Severe climber

With a knee injury (and resultant surgery) I didn’t get out as much as I would have liked in 2018.  But I still had some great days climbing and walking.  These photos give a sense of days.

Abandoned Grit
A view of the Derwent Valley from Derwent Edge.
The trig point on Back Tor with Derwent Edge in the distance.
Ladybower Reservoir.
Trying unsuccessfully to do a dyno on the problem Steep Side (V0+ 5a) on the Lone Boulder at Stanage Plantation.
Me trying to climb Centre Whale (V1 5b) on The Whale boulder at Burbage South Valley, and not getting much higher than I am in this picture.
Climbing Peasy Flake (VB) on The Useful Boulder at Burbage South Valley.
My first outdoor climb in a year – Bore-hole Wall (V0 4b) at Curbar Field.
Snow covering the path up Waun Fach.
Aber Falls in North Wales.
A rainbow above Nant y Geaullt, near Capel Curig.
KletterRetter Review

KletterRetter Review

the Severe climber

My hands dry out really easily after climbing and in cold weather (two things that often go together in the UK).  This means that I’m always interested in hand care products for climbers.  When I came across adverts for KletterRetter hand cream, I decided to give it a go.

KletterRetter hand cream for climbers.

KletterRetter is German made and has been selling there since 2013.  It relatively recently started being sold in the UK.  The name apparently roughly translates into English as “climbing saver.” Read more →

Low Autumn Sun

Low Autumn Sun

the Severe climber
A view of the Derwent Valley from Derwent Edge.

Sometimes the day works out better than you expect.  The forecast last weekend was for low clouds and showers.  That’s certainly how the day started out, but by the time I’d walked up to the edges and tors above the Derwent Valley a low autumn sun had broken through to create one of the best days I’ve had in the Peak District.  Read more →

Working on my Weaknesses

Working on my Weaknesses

the Severe climber

Rock climbers are advised to work on their weaknesses in order to get better.  The trouble is, since my injury, I’ve had quite a few weaknesses.

Me climbing the problem Wall End Slab Direct Start (V0 4c) at Stanage Plantation.

A piece of advice that I’ve read in lots of different places is that you should work at getting better at the things you are weak at if you want to become a better rock climber. The thinking behind this is that people tend to avoid the things they’re not very good at.  A lack of practice means that you don’t get better at the thing they’re shunning and so continue to avoid it.  In rock climbing, you could be avoiding something because you find it’s too physically hard and/or you cannot master the technique.  For the first few years after I started climbing my particular weakness was smearing.  It felt insecure, unnatural and unsafe.  So, I tried to climb routes using as little smearing as possible. This was a bit of a challenge as I was doing a lot of gritstone climbing at the time.  However, somewhere along the way I did enough smearing to get the hang of it.  It went from being unnerving, to being another useful way of getting up a climb, to being fun.  I now really enjoy smearing up a featureless gritstone slab. Read more →