Small and Perfectly Formed – the Klettersteig Knorren

The Knorren is a broken mass of yellow, cream, grey and ochre rock that rises out of the side of its parent mountain, the Penken. One side is made up of steep stone faces, pinnacles and buttresses above a field of boulders and bushes. The other side, facing the valley below, is covered in trees and vegetation. A via ferrata (klettersteig in German) ascends the rock faces of the Knorren by alternating between sometimes strenuous vertical climbing and easier traverses. Continue reading Small and Perfectly Formed – the Klettersteig Knorren

the Severe climberSeptember 7, 2015May 5, 20234 Comments

Via ferrata

A Climb in the Woods on the Klettersteig Huterlaner

I did my first Austrian via ferrata last week, introducing my brother-in-law Nick and his son Ben to climbing with cables. The Klettersteig Huterlaner was a fun and varied climb with some good views down the Zillertal and of the town of Mayrhofen. As it starts only two minutes walk uphill from the base of the valley and is in the woods, it had a different feel to the mountainous via ferrate I’ve done elsewhere. Continue reading A Climb in the Woods on the Klettersteig Huterlaner

the Severe climberAugust 31, 2015May 6, 20239 Comments

Gear, Rock climbing

crossFIXE for Climbers

The crossFIXE range of products is meant to sooth, moisturise and provide maintenance for your skin before and after training. It’s made using all natural, food-grade ingredients by the same people who make the ClimbOn range of skincare products for rock climbers. I was curious to see if the crossFIXE range was as good as ClimbOn and whether it does anything different or better that would encourage me to use it instead of ClimbOn. Continue reading crossFIXE for Climbers

the Severe climberAugust 21, 2015May 6, 202310 Comments

Rock climbing

A Trad Day

I finally got a chance last weekend to do my first trad leading since my injury and surgery. After getting frustratingly rained off Stanage a few weeks ago, it was great climb in sunshine on Tryfan Bach. A day of climbing on Tryfan Bach’s beautiful slab, its with well-protected, low-grade climbs, was just what I needed to get reacquainted with leading trad and to clear … Continue reading A Trad Day

the Severe climberAugust 1, 2015August 22, 20169 Comments

Rock climbing

In his Stride

I didn’t know how Leo was going to feel about his first camping trip last weekend. He’s not yet two years old and being taken away from his home and routine to spend a long weekend camped in a field at night and bouldering in the day might have been a bit too much for him. My main concern was that he would be nervous of the tent. Continue reading In his Stride

the Severe climberJuly 24, 2015May 6, 20239 Comments

Rock climbing

Fontainetoddler

As first-time parents, Valerie and I have had to work out as we go along how to continue to rock climb while also being Mum and Dad to Leo. Last year we had a fun and successful trip to the legendary bouldering venue of Fontainebleau with a teething baby. This year we went back with an energetic (and teething) toddler. Here’s what we learned the hard way so you don’t have to. Continue reading Fontainetoddler

the Severe climberJuly 2, 2015May 6, 20238 Comments

Via ferrata

Some top via ferrata

The Red Bull website has an article by Alison Mann with a list of some of the top via ferrata around the world. It was flattering to be interviewed by Alison for the article. Since Alison and I talked, I’ve been curious to see which via ferrata people suggested as some of the best and the article highlights some amazing routes. Reading about these via ferrata and seeing … Continue reading Some top via ferrata

the Severe climberJune 18, 2015July 30, 20163 Comments

Hiking, Rock climbing

Hopeful Climbing

You need a lot of hope if you want to rock climb in the UK. Hope that it won’t rain on your weekend climbing trip. Hope that the rain will stop by the afternoon so that you can go climbing. Hope that the rock will dry out quickly from the last lot of rain because you’ve been sitting in the café far too long. Hope that the rain will hold off until you have finished your climb. Hope that the water slowly trickling down your sleeves as you climb is just a quick shower. Continue reading Hopeful Climbing

the Severe climberJune 15, 2015May 6, 20235 Comments

Rock climbing

Learning to Climb Smarter

My main priority in my return to rock climbing is to build up my strength and develop my climbing technique in a way that reduces the chance of injuring myself again. To do this I need to reassess how I climb. My hope is that if I do this now, I can stop slipping back into any bad habits as well as stop new bad habits developing. I decided that the best way to do this was to get an expert to assess my climbing and coach me on what to do to improve it. Continue reading Learning to Climb Smarter

the Severe climberJune 1, 2015May 6, 20236 Comments

Rock climbing

Mostly Yellow in Fontainebleau

If it were not for bad customer service, I wouldn’t have been bouldering at Fontainebleau this week. On my first trip to Fontainebleau a year ago I tore the meniscus in my right knee while pulling hard on a heel hook. Since surgery on the knee, I’ve been trying to get back into climbing in a way that is slow, gentle and careful enough to avoid injury. Bouldering outside on boulders that often have sloping holds and rounded top-outs wasn’t necessarily what I would have picked as my reintroduction to climbing on real rock. Continue reading Mostly Yellow in Fontainebleau

the Severe climberMay 23, 2015May 6, 20239 Comments

Rock climbing

Back on Plastic

I’ve taken my first steps back into climbing following surgery on my injured knee. They’re just small steps at my local climbing wall, because I worry that anything else will see me injure myself again or at least slow down my recovery. My physio was clear about how to not hurt myself – avoid jumping down or falling off from boulder problems until my legs … Continue reading Back on Plastic

the Severe climberMay 13, 201512 Comments

Rock climbing

One Year On

I was unlucky, uninformed and an idiot. It was near the end of our second day of my first bouldering trip to Fontainebleau and I was with a group climbing just a few more problems before it got too dark and late. Some of the group had climbed this tricky problem up the flat front of a split boulder and I wanted to do it too. It was different, a challenge and looked fun. This was partly because completing the problem required a right heel hook and I don’t do heel hooks often. Continue reading One Year On

the Severe climberApril 24, 2015May 6, 202322 Comments

Gear

Diplomatic Review – a review of the Arc’teryx Diplomat Jacket

Arc’teryx’s smart-casual Diplomat Jacket is stylish, nicely finished and surprisingly warm, but its elegant and clean cut may not fit some people. Continue reading Diplomatic Review – a review of the Arc’teryx Diplomat Jacket

the Severe climberApril 12, 2015May 6, 20233 Comments

Gear, Mountaineering, Rock climbing

Climb On Adventure Bar and Creme Lite Review

My hands dry out and can crack like the bed of a river in a drought when the weather is cold or wet and when I’ve had my hands in climbing chalk. This means I’ve taken an interest in the balms and moisturisers designed to keep a rock climber’s hands in good condition and reviewed a few of them before. Recently I’ve been trying out the Climb On Adventure Bar and Climb On Crème Lite, made by SKINourishment of Texas using natural and food grade ingredients. Continue reading “Climb On Adventure Bar and Creme Lite Review”