Climbing, skiing, running, mountaineering etc
Just over 12 months ago I was doing a route toward the end of an endurance training session at the climbing wall when I popped out for a hold with my left hand. My forearms were already very fatigued and as I caught the hold and pulled through into a deep lock I felt a bursting strain at the elbow end of my forearm and in my wrist.
I'm lucky to climb with some of the best climbing photographers in the UK (if not the world) who take some incredible shots of the climbing and skiing that we get up to together. Here's a selection of some of my favourite photo memories of the last 10 years of climbing in the UK, Alps, Africa, Iran and the Karakoram. Thanks to Alex Messenger, Scott Mackenzie, Lukasz Warczecha and Henry Iddon for many of these photos.
It's pretty clear that over the last 10+ years the ethic at Millstone has been to try and move further away from fixed gear. I can imagine a new peg being placed on a significant new line at Millstone, but it won't be without controversy and I wouldn't place a bet on it happening ...
Sometimes in the mountains things goes wrong, the unexpected occurs, the shit really hits the fan. You think you’re prepared, you think you know how to handle every situation, over the years you’ve probably rescued a few people here and there, but then something happens you can’t control and you’re helpless. The weather was foul …
Skiing in the Peak District is a fickle sport, we get out usually 1 or 2 days a year. It’s not the alps, there’s usually no base snow, but every now and again we get a fairly sizeable dump of snow. This coupled with the winds which often accompany the snow in the North of England and …
“K2 is the most demanding climb in the Himalayas. 1 in 4 climbers who have tried to get to the top have perished.” James Naughtie, BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, 16th Nov 2011 If my mother was listening to Radio 4 this morning I’m fairly sure there’ll be no way she’ll ever allow me to …
Fresh from another astounding flash ascent of the End of the Affair on Friday I went with a very on form Jordan Buys to Burbage North for him to try and flash The Promise. It’s been 3 years nearly since I climbed the route and putting a top rope on I’d forgotten how technically difficult …
In climbing folklore the 1989 Stanage guide is the real guide to Stanage. Proper grades, proper stars, proper descriptions, proper difficult finding the routes. Rumours of the VS challenge came from my old university housemate who had allegedly climbed it way back when, possibly before 1989 as far as the rumour knew. The VS challenge …
There’s definitely something in the saying; there’s bold climbers and old climbers but not old bold climbers. A number of recent events, like Franco Cookson decking from 20m, and finding this Malham video, got me thinking quite a lot about how my climbing’s changed over the last 15 years and how the UK (or perhaps UKC) perceives …
I’m looking through a door in the basement of an Iranian hotel where I’m lying, with 4 other men, in a radon bath heated by the geothermal springs of Mt Damavand. Stood in the doorway is an overweight Iranian taxi driver in white baggy white Y fronts with a big rubber tube in his hand. …