PontiusPirate

Originally from t'other side of Pennines, so the gritstone edges of the Peak have been part of my life since I was wee: shame I took up climbing on them so late...

Email PontiusPirate.

Location
Bradford-ish

Best Climbing Experience
My first trip to Gogarth in 2003 - now a total convert to the 'bigger stages'; big routes committed and cut off from the 'normal world'... so in 2011 I seem to have accidentally become an alpinist too!

Favourite Climbing-Related Discussion Topic
I (used to) post very rarely, I usually use UKC as a source of climbing information: access, best practise and the like.
However, now I know so many of the people on here 'in real life', it pays to keep up with the gossip!

Recent Postings

Click to list all my recent posts.

Personal Webpage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drupka

Interests Outside Climbing
My friends (people that is).
Mountains, space and scenery in general; big walks and runs and scrambles in particular.
Photography: in general, though my abstract stuff appears to garner higher praise than anything more 'conventional'.
Biking (of the pedal variety), mainly off-road.
I learnt to ski over a decade ago and now I'm trying to get good enough to survive ski-touring and maybe a spot of ski-mountaineering too.
Recently, I have become rather heavily involved with both the BMC Yorkshire Area and the YMC Grit guide production for my sins - I suppose it's what happens if you stay in one area for too long...

About My Photography
I've been taking pictures on all manner of cameras since my teenage years - usually landscapes - with some degree of success.
The instant feedback of digital has allowed me to refine my technical ability and now I'm equipped with a reasonable DSLR I'm looking to 'do something a bit different' with my climbing shots that only this kit will allow. No idea if I'll be successful, but it's worth trying I think! :-)

PHOTO GALLERY Click to View all 186 photos in PontiusPirate's gallery.

Click to list photo comments written by me. (231 comments)
I've voted for 1,562 photos, average vote 3.4.
(8% superb - 39% good - 37% average - 12% poor - 2% rubbish)

Anything Else We Should Know
Yes, I am almost always injured.
No, its not sunburn.
(Those that know me will understand!).
Now know I can't live anywhere without rocks and hills for any significant length of time.
Have recently decided that this winter climbing lark might not be all bad after all... I blame all the years ski-ing...

User Profile

registered 27/Apr/04
updated 07/Dec/12

Age
39

Been Climbing For
11 to 20 years

Best Onsights
Trad - E2
Sport - 6c
Indoor - 7a
Bouldering - V4

Worked Grades
Trad - E3
Sport - 7a
Indoor - 7a+
Bouldering - V5

Main Sport/Activity
Trad Rock Climbing

Favourite Crag/Rock
Gogarth
Limestone

Favourite Wall
Leeds Wall

I Climb...
Several times a week
In the UK & Europe

Favourite Climbs
Concrete Chimney - Gogarth.
Rock Dancer - Kendijack.
Little Brown Jug - Bosigran.
Lliberpool - Lliber @ Costa Blanca.
Equinoxe - Vilanova de Prades @ Costa Daurada.
Black Swan Rising - Giggleswick Scar South.
Apollo - Curbar.