Climbing on an arete on High Man at Little Almscliff.

Back at Little Almscliff

It had somehow been more than two years since I had last climbed at Little Almscliff. I had wanted to go back, as it’s a fantastic, small outcrop of gritstone with interesting, easier bouldering and good views across Stainburn Moor to the Yorkshire Dales. Although the idea of returning occasionally drifted into my head, I never acted on it as there was always something else that had my attention or was more pressing. However, after unfairly pushing a trip to Little Almscliff down my to-do list for a couple of years, I decided to go back to try the bouldering problems I’d missed last time.

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Traversing at Low Roof

In the run-up to Christmas last year, I went bouldering at the Low Roof sector of Brimham Rocks for the first time. It was a good trip, but I unfortunately ran out of time before I could try a couple of intriguing traverses. I don’t often climb traverses, but I decided that I should try to come back to Low Roof to climb these two because they looked so engaging and fun. I realised at the beginning of March that I needed to do this within the next few weeks, otherwise the bracken would soon have regrown and enclosed the boulders. So last week I made a short and intense trip to Low Roof to go traversing.

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Father and Son Bouldering at Almscliff

My son and I had a great bouldering trip to Almscliff last weekend. He had fun playing among the rocks and skilfully climbing up some relatively challenging lines. I enjoyed trying a few problems that I had found challenging on previous attempts and some problems I had not come across before. Moreover, I loved spending time with him sharing an activity that has been such a large part of my life. Continue reading Father and Son Bouldering at Almscliff

On the problem Wauwinet

A Short Trip to Low Roof

Brimham Rocks is best known for its jumble of amazing, bizarrely-shaped pinnacles, cliffs and boulders. This gritstone wonderland was always what I pictured when I thought of Brimham Rocks, and always where I climbed when I went there. I vaguely knew that there is climbing elsewhere on Brimham Moor, but I kept returning to this honeypot because I felt that nothing else on the Moor could match it. However, I recently felt the need to try somewhere new, and so looked in a bit more detail at some of Brimham’s bouldering outliers. That’s when I decided that I might have been missing something good and should visit Brimham Rocks’ Low Roof sector. However, it was only in the run-up to Christmas that I had the time, and the weather I needed, for a short trip there. Continue reading A Short Trip to Low Roof

Just a Little Bit is Enough

On my last bouldering trip, I succeeded in completing just one problem that I had failed to climb on several earlier visits. That might not seem like much, but it was enough. After a long period in which my climbing had been stuck in a cycle that alternated between knock-backs and slow recoveries, even this small achievement felt good and like progress. It was what I needed to feed my optimism about my climbing.

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This Should Have Been Frustrating

I doubt that I’ve ever climbed so consistently poorly. Despite choosing to climb only easy problems, everything felt challenging, and nothing came easily. I failed to do boulder problems that I could have done in the past, and only managed to complete one problem. It should have been a frustrating trip to Brimham Rocks, and yet I had a good time. Continue reading This Should Have Been Frustrating

A Quiet Sunday Morning at Little Almscliff

A few months ago, I walked around the small crag of Little Almscliff. I’d climbed a lot at Almscliff and wanted to see what bouldering on its diminutive namesake offered. It was clear that Little Almscliff has a lot of interesting and easier climbing, as well as great views and a short walk-in. However, I’d not been back because I had been focused on my walking project, and a rainy summer had limited my opportunities to get out. Last Sunday, my wife, son and I wanted some quiet climbing and time in the countryside, and so decided to head to Little Almscliff. Continue reading A Quiet Sunday Morning at Little Almscliff

What They Don’t Tell You In the Guidebook – Wobblestone Crack

Well, the clue is in the name.  You can’t really start out on this climb unaware that some bit of rock is going to wobble when you hold on to it.  However, some of the wobbly rocks are more obvious than others and the guidebook doesn’t mention the most important of them. Continue reading What They Don’t Tell You In the Guidebook – Wobblestone Crack

Yorkshire Grit

he greatness of Yorkshire has been getting serious recognition recently.  In August, Yorkshire was bestowed the accolade of being Europe’s Leading Destination 2013 at the World Travel Awards.  Yorkshire will host the opening stages of the 2014 Tour de France and the route through this iconic English region was announced in October.  October also saw Lonely Planet declaring Yorkshire the third best region in the world to visit.  For me, a big part of Yorkshire’s greatness is the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, with their wealth of amazing walking and climbing. Continue reading Yorkshire Grit