Lord of Starkness

Started climbing in early 70's in Northumberland, then moved to Cumbria in 74. Early member of Eden Valley MC at Penrith, and was involved in the early development in the Eden Valley. Climbed off and on for a number of years , never getting above HVS leading or E2 seconding. Since then a couple of the routes have been upgraded to E1 so can I claim to have been an Extreme leader?
(Cant get anywhere near that nowadays!)

Worked in Saudi and the UAE during the Mid 80's and early 90's. Climbing opportunities in central and eastern Saudi were limited, and during my first stay in Dubai never discovered the mountains.

Went back to the Emirates in 95 where by good fortune a healthy climbing scene developed. Five years of good climbing later, over 500 routes, 50 crags and 10 areas had been developed with loads of scope for more.

I wrote the original UAE guide - but failed to find a publisher, so distributed it on CD in .pdf format. I then passed the Baton on to Toby Foord Kelcey, who published his own 'selected' guide containing a lot of new development.

I rarely climb nowadays as I don't like scruffy quarries, and it's easier to pop out on the bike for a bit of exercise.

Email Lord of Starkness.

Location
Leyland, Lancs

Best Climbing Experience
Soloing Central Gully on Great End in perfect conditions the day after it had avalanched and left a perfect neve channel in the upper section. -- And having the place to myself!

Climbing Jebel Qiwih on the UAE / Oman border in moonlight, then watching the sun rise out of the Gulf of Oman. Ah Bliss !

Recent Postings

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Interests Outside Climbing
Cycling (road), Genealogy

PHOTO GALLERY Click to View all 10 photos in Lord of Starkness's gallery.

Click to list photo comments written by me. (11 comments)

User Profile

registered 25/Feb/03
updated 26/Oct/12

Age
65

Been Climbing For
More than 20 years

Best Onsights
Trad - E1
Aid - A2
Winter - III
Sport - 4+

Worked Grades
Sport - 6a

Main Sport/Activity
Cycling/Mountain Biking

Favourite Crag/Rock
Wonderwall, (UAE)
Rhyolite

Favourite Wall
Alien Rock

I Climb...
In the UK

Favourite Climbs
Hammer - Etive Slabs
Agag's Groove - Buchaille Etive Mor
Overhanging Bastion - Castle Rock of Triermain
Troutdale Pinnacle
Corvus
Eve
- Borrowdale
Eliminate A - Dow Crag
The Mangler - Causey Quarry
Pinnacle Face - Crag Lough

and a little further afield ( in the UAE)

Painted Lady
Old Friends
and almost anything else on 90 Metre Crag - Wadi Bih
plus the routes on Wonderslab (UAE)

Latest Climbs
Ordinary Route VD
The Gully D
Oblique Crack D
Mohammed the Medieval Melancholic HVS 5a
Extra D
Intra VD
Central Buttress D
Central Buttress Direct VD
Dislocation VD
Trigular M
Step in the Clouds S 4b
The Funny Farm HS 4b
The Edge VD
Cyclops VS 5b
Splash Arete VD
... list all 477 climbs

Ticklists BETA
... not setup

Climbs Wishlist
... not setup