Location
Sheffield
Best Climbing Experience
I have had many great climbing experiences over the years - early days on grit and in North Wales in the 80s, creeping up the grades; sport climbing in the early 90s in leafy Chee Dale and sunny France; holidays on the Spanish Costas in the mid 90s; and more recently with taking my children out for their first experiences. Probably the best climbing time I have had (so far) were the years I spent obsessed with Pembroke from 1987 to publishing the Pembroke Rockfax in 1995 - great climbs, great routes and great company in one of the most beautiful areas in the world for rock climbing. To pin point an actual moment would be difficult, so I'll choose three: sitting on top of Star Gate after cruising this peerless climb and experiencing "most of the Atlantic Ocean beneath my feet" on the final moves; finding Darkness at Noon in perfect conditions and grabbing an ascent late one day when we were expecting "just another Leap E5"; and clawing over the top of Trevallen after a tenuous ascent of Orange Robe Burning, forearms burning, eyes on stalks, friends waiting at the top.
Favourite Climbing-Related Discussion Topic
Guidebooks, the internet, UKC, Rockfax,... all a bit predictable really.
Recent Postings
Personal Webpage
https://www.rockfax.com
Articles by Alan James - Rockfax
Logbooks Volunteer
Photo moderator, checking new photo submissions.
Moderator for 52 crags, checking missing climbs added to the logbooks: Stanage North, Stanage Plantation, Stanage Popular, Horseshoe Quarry, Radford Quarry, Stoney West, Santa Ponca, S'estret, Valldemossa, Sa Gubia ... plus 42 more
Interests Outside Climbing
Road biking especially ticking the big climbs of the Tour de France. I also have indulged in plenty of juggling over the years, and diabolo, although I do less now. I enjoy watching most sports, except ones involving horses, or boxing gloves, or both.
Photo Gallery
Click to list photo comments written by me. (44 comments)
I've voted for 620 photos, average vote 3.8.
(28% superb - 37% good - 21% average - 9% poor - 3% rubbish)