SNOW!

We are totally snowed in here at the moment in Over Haddon!! Its pretty crazy really and we are lovin it. Over a foot of snow has come down and in some places more than a metre. Just wish we has some cross country skis! It would be perfect for that. Here are some photo's of our little place...

MECCA 8b+!!!!!!!!!

sup!
Managed to tick Mecca (8b+) on monday 15th november. It was the second day of red-pointing. I first tried it for about 15 minutes last wednesday in the sun and it felt desperate so sacked it off and went home!. Then came back with my mum on the saturday and was syked to just go for a redpoint attempt! I shocked myself by getting to the last few moves which was sick! i then had 3 more goes and kept getting closer and closer to finishing but had nothing left in the tank that day and the light was fading so had to leave it. On the monday the temps were sick cold and I felt strong, had a quick play on it brushing and warming up then sent it first redpoint!, it felt very steady and amazing!! totally syked for some more crushage!
peace out
mutha lickers!

Rodellar

Just got back from a great trip out to Rodellar in Spain. This is with out doubt the best place I have ever been climbing! It is heaven on earth for any climber who likes long, steep sport routes. A wonderland of the steepest crags set in a beautiful gorge where the stuff dreams are made! We spent 6 days at the newly built Kalandraka refugio, which is fanatastic place to base one self. All within walking distance from the crags. Had great fun in the evenings at the bar, chatting to psyched climbers from all over the world, eating good food, drinking cerveza and playing free pool!! The most perfect place to be! We didnt use the hired car all week. Anyway yeh the climbing was out of this world. Was abit of a shock to the system to start off with as every thing was just SO STEEP, long and on tuffa's! But after a couple of days I got use to it and climbed some amazing routes. It was great to do some really long onsights and redpoints again. Its my favorite style of climbing. I ticked some of the great classics such as Nanuk 7c, Egocentisimo 7c, El Delfin 7c+, A Crabita 8a and finished the week off with a pressured last effort on the last day ascent of Les Chacals 8b! 35 metres of the most perfect limestone, with tuffa's, pockets, crimps and a redpoint crux at about 30 metres. Was so happy to send it!!
So yeh a brilliant trip had and we shall be back.

Off to Spain

Off down to Cambridge today and then catching a late flight out to Zaragoza tomorrow. Heading to Rodellar for 6 days for some steep pumping sport routes!!Cant wait, very excited! Also did a couple of other routes on ze grit, one being the amazing London wall E5 6a at Millstone and then the under-rated Science friction E6 6a at Froggat.
Back next wednesday...
Out

An End To This Affair

Just spent a great couple of days out on the grit. Finn MC was up and psyched to hit all things gritstone!! First hit was up to Robin hoods stride to get on Kaluza Klein E7 6c. After a brief play on it Finn stepped up and went for the lead, slipped and took the ground fall then got staight back on it and sent it next go! Good work! I was struggleing with the left foot rockover so tried the right foot first and it worked. So no excuses and went for it. Luckily I got it that go! Phewwww :) Next...
Today we went up to Curbar Moon buttress to have a crack at the celerbrated END of the AFFAIR E8 6c. Ed was also keen and joined the team! The conditions were minted, blue skye, cold, sunny and just perfect. Sending time!!! After we had all got it sussed on the top rope Finn manned up and stepped on. I was at the bottom ready to hurl myself down the gulley... In true style the man nailed it without a fuss. After that I then sent it and then Ed crushed it for his first E8! A brilliant team effort. Three ascents in less than an hour...awesome!
Bring on more grit I'd say.

BLCC's update!!!

Last weekend I was up at Ratho climbing centre in Scotland competeing in the junior catagory and senior. On the staurday I competed in the Junior group and managed to win that which was great fun!!.
On the Sunday I also competed in the Senior catagory which was really good fun and the routes were sick!! I also won this group which was un-expected and amazing and was really syked to do this!

Arete mania

Been out on the grit a few times this week which has been awesome. Had a team crush of the Higgar tor block with Whittaker, Randall and Bailes. High light was a sneaky flash of the left arete Block and Tackle E6 6c. Then have been up to Stanage pop with an ascent of 10 O'Clock Watershed E6 6c and then yesterday headed to Burbage SOUTH and nabbed a quick send of the amazing Messiah E7 6c.
Here are some cool shots of Messiah courtesy of Mr Bailes.

World Cup Ratho!

A couple of weeks ago Ed competed in the World Cup up in Ratho in Scotland. He didnt want to write anything so I have instead. He was up against some of the best youth's in the world and came a credible 17th place overall. Ed was happy with his position but know's he can do better. I nicked some photo's from someones facebook showing him competing!!
Nice one!
He's off to Bulgaria today to compete in the European youth competition so will see how that goes.
Rubbish weather here at moment so nothing to report on this front.

Sean's roof

Ed did Sean's roof the other day. He did it with a rope as he didnt want to leave his leg behind in the hole but has gone with the V12 grade as it is too short to be considered a route! Here is a shot and some footage of the ascent.

Footage from Ansteys!

Here is some phone footage that we got from Ansteys.
Top is Me on Cider Soak 8a and Bottom is Edwardo on Tuppence 8b.

Grit soloing

Havnt had anything that major to report recently. Been abit quiet amusing myself on some of the grit crags round here. Have just been on a solo mission the last few days seeing how many routes I could tick in a day. Did 53 routes at stanage last Sunday which was awesome, then was up there again couple of days ago doing 33 and yesterday did 37 at Burbage north. Nothing hard, just up to HVS but has been great fun just going up, down up. Such freedom and no faffing about with ropes and gear!! Good preparation too for this winter.
Psyched for the grit season to kick off! So many amazing lines to climb.
Here are two shots of a couple of mint routes we did last winter.
Rowley Birkin at Higgar tor and Balance it is at Burbage

Oh and Ed was up in Ratho(again!)competing in the World Youth Cup last weeknd. He will write a wee thing for it.
Chau chau

Master's Edge shots

Here are some great photo's that Alex Ekins took of us on Master's Edge in Feb/March time. You can check out some more cool shot's on his website at www.alexekins.photoshelter.com

Anstey's Cove

Yo yo
We have just retured from a good trip down at Anstey's Cove, we spent the last 6 days there but unfortunatly we only got 3 out of the 6 days that were good!!. We arrived on tuesday evening and were sooo psyched that we had to go for a climb, we both managed to do the classic 'Empire Of The Sun' (7b) onsight, then we both flashed these 7c+'s which were 'Avenged and Last Revenge' which are both amazing routes!!. Then we had to sit out the next few days because of the weather which totally wet the crag!. On the friday we began ticking again, we both got on La Creme as it was the only route dry which is a trickly little number at 7c+ we both ticked it, then sam did an E5 6a route to the left which was abit gimpish as it should just get a sport route at 6c?!, Later I (ed) did the cool link-up which involved an easier start into tuppence at around 8a+ and got it sencond go yeee ;)! The next day was amazing, Sam ticked 'The Cider Soak' (8a) second try and I did 'the lynch' (7b+) flash and also ticked 'Uzi In My Pocket' (7b+) onsight. On our last day I was psyched for Cider Soak and managed to flash it quit comfortably and then did 'Tuppence (8b) 3rd try' which was a nice end to the trip. Just before I forget We also checked out Torbryan Quarry and did the classic 6c and 7a+/7b 'thread Flinstone!
peace out
MC

Vienna EYS/ Chee Dale and New House!!

Hey There,
Just got back from Vienna EYS competition which was great fun! I managed to get into the final but AGAIN!! fell on this dirty pinch move low down and overall came 10th place out of about 35 competitior's. I was pretty happy with this but still it wasnt good enough ;) haha.

Since I have been back we have been down to the chee dale cornice again were I got on Monumental Armblaster (8a+) and ticked it second go which was nice, and sam is very close on doing R'n'P also (8a+). The weather has been pretty crap atm so have been chilling in the baker's flat quite alot not doing very much. In just under 3 weeks now Its the Lead world cup up at ratho in edinburger so am training like a beast to get the best possible result I can!

Good new's we are moving into our new house in Over Haddon in Septembre which is gunna be mint! So we are looking forward to that!

Cheers Brewster

Yorkshire dales hit

Just got back from a quick trip up to the dales for the weeknd. Camped over at the Gordale site which was much nicer than staying at the shoddy malham campsite. Weather was pretty terrible for august being very windy, wet and abit midgy!! But did get some great climbing in. Had a couple of sessions at gordale ticking two classic UK routes. One being the stunning Supercool 8a+ and the other extreme rock tick Cave route right hand E6 6b. Was pretty psyched to get them both done and great to do some long routes again! Also went over to Kilnsey to find the place packed for a good reason as its so dry. Was just in time to see Mr Lincoln send Dr Crimp 8b+ which was awesome. Good work bud!! I had a few toss efforts on Grooved arete 8a+ and then got it with out to much fuss. Rest of time was spent ticking some easier lines.
Ed's been out in Austria competing in Viena and will give a run down we he gets back.

Home cragging

The Peak district is awesome!! I just love living over here now. There is just such a great variety of rock, routes, grades to go at and its all within a few miles apart.

Over the weeknd we were at WCJ cornice for a change which was great fun. The crag is the dryest i have ever seen it. We were both pyched as ever and got stuck in! Firstly we both got Dillusioned glue machine 8a which was a fun, one move wonder route and then sent Albatrosity 8a+. Ed then went on to crush Yorkshire 8b. This week I have been out tradding and Ed's been to the torr where he did Chimes of freedom 8a+ and today ripped apart Revelations 8b. Good work!! I've been having a great time out ticking off some classics on the grit and lime. Climbs such as Quietus, Old friends, Calvery, Bitter fingers, Wee doris and a number of other stunners.

Off to Yorkshire on thursday for the first time this summer. Hoping for some gordale and kilnsey action.
Ed's off to Vienna for European leading comp.
Over and out

Nesscliffe Psyche

Having returned from Dorset I then headed straight to Shrewsbury to stay at the McCann house hold and climb with the man himself Finn McCann. Had such an awesome week climbing 7 days in a row at Nesscliffe!! The place really is amazing and one of the best trad crags i have been to. The weather wasnt great but still managed to get out. By the end of the week we both had ticked some great, classic routes. The highlight was topping out on our first E8's respectively!!

Tick list from the week-

Marlene E4 6a

Imagination E4 6a

Cones and currents E5 6a

Jump E5 6b

My Snorkel E6 6c

Yucan 2 E7 6b

10 0'clock saturday morning E7 6c

Tombola E7 6c

Gathering sun E7 6c

My Piano E8 6c.

Dorset Filming!

Spent a great few days down in Dorset a couple of weeks ago. We went down to Lulworth a few days before hoping to try out some of the dws but the weather was poor and very windy. Ended up doing some easier sport routes. We then headed over to Dancing ledge to meet up with some friends and a camera crew where we spent the next two days being filmed and taken photos of. We even climbed to a live band who were ther for the event. This is all then going to be used for a Slide show series around the South documenting the Jurassic coast line. It all went very smoothly and we had great fun!!

Hi There Gezza's,

Just got back from a team training meet in Scotland up at Ratho wall, where the french team trained with us for 5 days!! Which was inspiring!!!. The main goal was to compete in the Open Youth Competition and then hopefully get selected for the World Cup Lead in september. After both qual routes which went well, I set up to beast the final route but had an epic on it!, I clipped wrong draw's half way up which ment I had to climb back down and then un-clip them hehehe fun times but after about 4 minutes my clips were right and then only had enough left in the tank to do 5ish more moves which was gay!! but overall I finished 3rd place behind some french beasts but managed to beat one of them which was cool shit!!!.

On final route ;) I am training hard atm for the next EYS in Vienna in 13 days!!! and also for the World's in about 4/5 weeks time. really phsyced to climb some hard shit!

Peaky

Few more ticks from Edwardo being Onslaught 8a at Turkey dip (2nd ascent??), Powerplant 8a and Four door 8a+ at chee dale. I got Nemesis. Weathers been abit turdy last few days and psyched to hit Dorset!!

Thought i would share two shots of a couple of amazing crags we have been too. El Pati in Siurana and the Lab at Margalef. Keep Psyched!!!!
Peace out hommies

Turkey dip!

Been a good few days this week. Checked out a couple of new places nearby. One being turkey dip and the other long tor quarry. Was very impressed with both crags for sure. Dont really understand why people dont go to these places. Anyways highlights were The Boldest at Long tor, which is a brilliant 3 star 7c and Step on it at Turkey dip being a wicked 7c+ crackline. Ed got Jon C new line at around 8a+. Have also continued the seige down at the cornice in cheee dale, ticking Roof warrior 8a and K3 8a+ and Ed did R'n'p and K3. The crag is looking more awesome every time we go down there with more routes being cleaned up by keen locals. Nice one!! Also saw a great ascent of monumental armblaster by Jon! A fantastic effort and looks hard. Off down south again next week to check out Swanage and Lulworth for some sunny bolt clipping and dws. PSYCHED!!!!!

Oh and Ed took a ride in a Ferrari!