UKC

Alan James - Rockfax

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I am the owner and director of UKClimbing Limited, the company that runs both UKClimbing.com and Rockfax. I have been involved with ROCKFAX guidebooks since authoring my first book in 1992, and with UKClimbing since its early days in the mid-90s. I am married with 3 children and I live in the longest house on Crookes Mountain in Sheffield. In a former career I used to draw the Pokketz cartoons for OTE, print T-shirts, make trousers and several other hair-brained self-employment ideas.

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

List all my recent posts.

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

Wall End Slab at Stanage. Mike James (aged 20, 1955), Alan James (aged 20, 1984), Sam James-Louwerse (aged 24, 2021)

Wall End Slab at Stanage. Mike James (aged 20, 1955), Alan James (aged 20, 1984), Sam James-Louwerse (aged 24, 2021)
© Alan James - Rockfax

Froggatt Pinnacle Boulder

Froggatt Pinnacle Boulder
© Alan James

Sophie Milner and Paul Dearden posing for the cover of the Peak Rockfax (1992) on Lady of the Lake (E5 6b), WCJ.

Sophie Milner and Paul Dearden posing for the cover of the Peak Rockfax (1992) on Lady of the Lake (E5 6b), WCJ.
© Alan James

David Noddings climbing The Fascist and Me (E4) at Trevallen, Pembroke.

David Noddings climbing The Fascist and Me (E4) at Trevallen, Pembroke.
© Alan James - Rockfax

Alan James on the steep side of Excalibur at the Bjoeks wall in Groningen, the Netherlands.

Alan James on the steep side of Excalibur at the Bjoeks wall in Groningen, the Netherlands.
© Alan James - Rockfax

High-lining on the summit of Tryfan

High-lining on the summit of Tryfan
© Alan James

The magnificently-positioned Wideislove (5+) in the Verdon.

The magnificently-positioned Wideislove (5+) in the Verdon.
© Alan James

The delicate Pieces of Eight (HVS 4c) on the beautiful Drake Stone.

The delicate Pieces of Eight (HVS 4c) on the beautiful Drake Stone.
© Alan James

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Chosen as the Featured Gallery on 12-Aug-09.
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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)


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