UKC

People used to talk about the main centres of climbing in the UK being Llanberis and Sheffield. But there seems to be much more activity in the Lakes thesedays and more hard trad climbing going on than in Bouldering 'Beris and Slouchy Sheffield?

Should the Lakes 'scene' be given more credit? Some of the current star performers are from the Lakes (Birkett, MacHaffie). Lakes Rock is often knocked as 'dirty' or 'neglected', but there are more quality hard routes in the Lakes than in Snowdonia

So is Keswick the new climbing centre of the UK, or is it Ambleside? Or is that the strength of the scene...the fact that it is dispersed, with the Lakes climbers doing less tea drinking of a morning and more walking into the high crags? Or is it just 2005...the summer when it never rained int Lakes? And the crack was good like Marra!

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:
Neither Sheffield, The Lakes, or North Wales is the centre of british rock climbing.
Leek's where it's at!!! Staffordshire rules!!!

In reply to Gus:

Leek! The centre of British Rock Climbing. I think you need to give these guys a visit:
http://www.leekonline.co.uk/community/therapists/index.htm

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Dear Tom

The centre of UK climbing is where the editors of climbing magazine decide.

Norrie

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

I guess as you pointed out that the Lakes scene is more spread out and not centralised to one infamous Sheffield post code.

J

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:
Niiiiice!

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Short of news are we?


"So is Keswick the new climbing centre of the UK, or is it Ambleside?...with the Lakes climbers doing less tea drinking"

...so maybe one good thing came out of Rock and Run closing their cafe.

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

did anyone else read that link as being "the rapists"? Or maybe it's just me....

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Norrie,

You are the centre of UK climbing.

Mick

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: Besides Birkett and McHaffie no other strong contenders for routes spring to mind. The other major movement in the lakes at the moment is the bouldering - there seems to be a lot of new hard problems (and repeats) on a regular basis.

Can it really be considered a centre of climbing with only a few really good locals? Seems to be on a par with Northumberland IMHO.

In reply to stubbonomics:

There are quite a few unsung heroes based in the Lakes. Chris Hope for example, is one of the most impressive on-sighters around. He strolls up E6s. And there are others...

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Not only climbing, he is a very talented runner and mountain biker – he came 8th in the Lakes Mountain Trial last weekend in tough conditions amongst a very strong field.

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Dont forget that Fort Bill is the "Outdoor Capital of the UK" (tm). That sign on Rannoch Moor makes me laugh every time. What next, Hathersage sponsored by Pepsi Max, Cairngorm bought by Red Bull?

In reply to stubbonomics: Leo Holding is from Penrith, Lakes init? Is John Gaskins from Lakes ? And Tom !

Personally ive done more in the lakes than wales. i guess theres a little more walikng to do.

In reply to Ben C: Associate Houlding with Sheff and Peak more than anywhere else. Think i mentioned the large amout of bouldering talent in the lakes.

In reply to stubbonomics: well only more recently he was a Pass man before. cant remember waht year his house warming was mind u cant remember that much apart from the fireworks in the house and holding Sam Whittaker up, for some reason his legs didnt work hmmm

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: I've always considered the Lakes to be a quiet backwater of UK climbing, which is fine by me. With the obvious exception of Mr Birkett, I don't think it's a major suprise that the biggest talents of recent years from the area (Leo, Caff and Hocking) have all emigrated. Caff said that N.Wales was a much better place to climb hard than the Lakes because 1) there is more to go at 2) its in climbable condition more often 3) there's more psyched, talented partners to go and climb with. But I think this enhances the Lakes, I like the crags when they're quiet and you're the only team there.

In reply to stubbonomics:

Really? Try Duncan Booth, Al Wilson, Mark Greenbank, Chris Hope, Andy Mitchell - all of whom have contributed some very impressive (and often bold) new routes and hard repeats over the last few years. Just because they don't get their photos in Climbing magazines doesn't mean they aren't climbing - have a look at the FRCC Recent Developments website and you'll see there has been some fantastic routes done.

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Bouldering Beris is a bit of a stereo type as the Cloggy scene this year has been every bit as vibrant as ever and lets face it, there's people bouldering everywhere now. In terms of quality, I dont think there's much to choose between the Lakes and Wales in terms of mountain crags and so it's a shame the lakes crags are neglected. Dave, Chris, Steve and Karen and a few others doesn't actually make a 'full on' climbing scene, but they've done well this year and it's more than just Dave flying the flag on his own.

As a base, Llanberis will always win as the best centre of climbing because of the diversity of rock and the quality sea cliffs nearby. Maybe having this excellent alternative to mountain crags when the weathers crap is what's enticed Caff and Hocking down from the lakes. Although they've both got women in Llanberis now I understand...

Slouching Sheffield, wouldn't like to comment as just by living there, climbers will inevitably get sucked in to the convenience climbing of Grit and the Tor and shy away from the Lakes challenges, if you can get them out of the school room first. ;]Cheap dig!

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: Just seen this (been away for a week messing about at that other obscure Welsh back water: Pembroke).

Tom you really don't know the Llanberis scene at all do you. 2005 has been a vintage year, certainly the best I've witnessed since I moved here in '96. Maybe there aren't any 'mega' headpointing E numbers to grab the headlines, but what there is, is a lot of very psyched people out there climbing new routes and repeating old ones in good style. (Personally I've always been more impressed by an E6 onsight than a heavily practiced E8.)

I'm sat here typing up a scene report for Climber mag and there is so much material I'm going to have to push most of it over into the following month. 'Bouldering 'beris' - yeah right.

I'm sure the Lakes scene is in good health (probably something to do with all the bouldering they do on the Bowderstone), but do you seriously believe there are more quality hard routes there than in North Wales? I suggest you go and check your guide collection (bearing in mind the 150+ new routes not included in the last Gogarth guide)

Or were you just trolling? Surely that's the answer.

In reply to Simon Panton:

I always thought you were just a boulderer, and not a real climber Simon?

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

I think that Snowdonia and Sheffield benefit from having 'scenes' which (thankfully imnsho) the Lakes lacks- at least to the same extent.

Kendal, Ulverston-Barrow, Ambleside, Keswick, Penrith, Windermere, the West Coast, Carlisle all seem to have their own mini groupings. The fact that the Lakes lacks a central hub (like Sheffield for the Peak or Llanberis for the leek eaters) means that there is nowhere that large numbers of activists congregate to team up or exchange views.

I'd bet that there are FAR more N Wales based climbers regularly leading E6+ than Lakes based. Few of them will be welsh born though.

But there are possibly more regular climbers in the 'lower' grades based out of the divers Lakes towns.

In reply to Andy Hyslop - UKC: It was a reasonable field. Most of the very strong runners were at the Ben last weekend. However, running well and climbing E6 is impressive.

In reply to Anonymous:

No, I think you'll find it was a very strong field.

None of the top 20 at the Ben this year have ever run the Mtn Trial as far as I know, (with the possible exception of Simon Booth).

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC: Not sure how most of the top runners not being there makes it a strong field. Sure there were the regular mountain trial runners some of whom have done it for years on the trot. It was big in tradition but many of the strong runners chose not to do it.Weren't the conditions favourable to the runners rather than the navigators as well. However again, running competently for five or so hours and climbing E6 shows talent.

In reply to Anonymous:

We are talking about a different skillset. It was a strong field because it had at least three previous (recent) winners, three Karrimor elite winners and British Orienteering squad members. The likes of Rob Jebb and Ian Holmes have never chosen to do the Mtn Trial, just as Linford Christie didn't tend to do the 1500m very often. Keith Anderson couldn't have found the first control on the Mtn Trial when he was British Fellrunning champion - actually I think he would have struggled to find the map hand-out point..

I may be a bit out of touch with who is regarded as a "top runner" nowadays, but as only 15 people out of 300+ managed to beat Pauline Stuart's female record (from the 80's) this year, I would suggest they weren't at the Ben Race.

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC: Its a fair point to make that quite a few of the regulars turned out. Obviously if the top runners weren't at the Ben though, neither were they at the mountain trial. I thought the point originally made was looking at his prowess as a runner not a navigator. If you enter a navigational event your likely to beat some good runners (even if there not there).

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe - UKC: I wonder how many runners beat the ladies record in your average famous fell race. I would guess not many. Thinking about it though you're right. A different skill set. Not out and out running. It was a strong field of runners who can navigate.

In reply to Simon Panton:

I'm an avid reader of your column Simon, I thought I was in touch!

(nice pic of George in latest issue)

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Oh yes it did, not as much as 2004 admittedly, but we did have a few grim days and a couple of week spell this year.

So what if it rains there, i've only been away from Keswick for a week and i miss it dearly