UKC

On now - may be worth a watch..?

In reply to Carl Smethurst: I repeat, I doubt it.

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

OK - maybe worth having on in the background while you get on with something more worthwhile...

In reply to Carl Smethurst:

Come on, don't be miseries, It looks quite good. A nice idea. It might open up a whole new world to these people.

In reply to Carl Smethurst: Like trying to keep track of all the different threads about the same subject?

In reply to Twinkle:

Fair comment - I'll reserve judgement till we get to the ad-break at least.

In reply to Twinkle:

Nice to have a climbing programme which looks at the detail rather than over egging the drama

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

Hah - yeah. Must admit I didn't check previous postings on the subject before putting something up. Mea culpa.

In reply to Carl Smethurst: No worries :p

In reply to Frogger:

You wouldn't be referring to a certain Mr Grylls, would you?

I think the concept is actually quite good - find talent and see how far it can get you quite quickly which is something we always debate in climbing and on UKC isn't it. This particular lady does seem unusually open to the idea of climbing and what it could help her achieve, rather than just being scared. Maybe it's mostly about mindset rather than physical ability per se. Interesting they've gone for the seastack option (again). I'd have been interested in how hard a trad route they could get her up/leading rather than going for a mentally off putting route like a seastack.

In reply to JonC:
Strange programme. I think she might have done something quite impressive, but they did such a good job of hiding it in melodramatic bollox and wrong facts that it was hard to tell.

In reply to Carl Smethurst:
Well I say fair play to that woman climbing. Good on her.

In reply to Toreador:

Look like she might have actually led a bit of the route! That must be a first for these type of shows. Did anyone notice if the gear was preplace? I didn't notice if she set off on her pitch with a rack and didn't see her place any gear... Still either way good effort it's far from the easiest climb in the world.

In reply to nightmonkeyuk: yeah she did good.

In reply to JLS:

It looked like led that traverse pitch but it doesn't get a tech grad even so v easy. Still, huge exposure etc. She had gear and I even noticed a runner fell out when they pulled back. I am hoping she led it but H&S checked it all.

She done well I think. My palms were sweating and I could feal her fear. Emotionally more connective to me seeing someone out on the sharp end shiteing it wondering why the feck they are there.

In reply to JonC: 4b/4c in the authoritative guides

In reply to Carl Smethurst: a very good effort by the individual partially ruined by the BS spouted by richard bacon about it being one of the hardest routes in the country.

Talking about VS without putting it into context is disingenuous at best.

It would appear the route they took is not in the UKC logbook though? Odd.

In reply to fxceltic: also, what was the route they did on tremadog?

In reply to Carl Smethurst:

I would have been more interested in finding out just how hard she could climb.

Obviously the mental aspect is huge in climbing and VS is harder than most people who rock up to the crag for the first time would be able to manage but I'd be more interested in finding out if there were people out there with a physiological advantage for climbing like unnaturally high grip strength and ability to deal with lactic acid build up in the forearms.

Also, it would be interesting to see if anyone naturally uses climbing techniques it takes the rest of us years to learn properly.

In reply to fxceltic:


Is it not? It looked like the original route (excluding the 1st pitch) http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=30197. Or did you spot some variation that they took?

In reply to fxceltic: Looked like Merlin, not the Direct as someone stated on a similar post. Lighthouse Arete on Gogarth. She coped very well with the intimidating abseil to heaven knows where when you are a novice. She had poor weather to cope with on the 'Old Man' as she led her pitch. So all in all a good effort.
There is a link on the Ch 4 site to try out the aptitude Test to see if you would be a good rock-climber which is part psychological/ part physical. Needless to say that I failed both parts so after 40+ years of climbing I finally find that I am useless! I'm off for my Horlicks...

In reply to Carl Smethurst:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/hidden-talent/articles/take-the-hidden-t...

Apparently I'm not cut out to be a climber.

I tried again with some invented answers, and apparently it's because I don't like wild parties and don't want to go bungee jumping.

In reply to Toreador:

"Apparently I'm not cut out to be a climber."

Whats the climbing thing(s) youve done that you are most proud of?

In reply to Markel:

perhaps it was, i could have been thrown by them not doing the usual first pitch and the grade they gave the route they did.

In reply to Offwidth:

Not sure 'proud' is the right word to apply to going out and having fun!

In reply to Toreador:

Avoiding the question? You really not proud of anything you've climbed?? I could reel off a long list, usually completely unrelated to grades, sometimes even to the climbing.

In reply to Offwidth:
Just not sure 'proud' is the right word!
Pleased or relieved perhaps depending on circumstance

OK,here's a few

Shark on Lundy - my first and probably last E1 lead, I thought I was on the VS next door so persevered to the top .
Central Buttress on Beinn Eighe, went way off route but rather than lowering off, followed my nose to the top.
Nani on Naranjo de Bulnes, TD- with a V+ crux, had never climbed D before or anything that hard that wasn't bolted.
And strangely proud of getting as far as kitting up at the bottom of Zebra Slabs near Carnmore before the rain stopped play, just because nobody ever climbs there.

Can I have my own Channel 4 series please?

In reply to BruceWee:


I agree - as I said on one of the other threads. Shame that they had to put on an intimidfating damp seastack rather than something which could demonstrate just how hard she could climb/lead in good conditions.


Again, as I've said on another thread, I thought she showed good technique right from the off. The layback on Merlin, palming down on slabs, footwork etc. Very hard to learn quickly if it isn't instinctive I would guess.

In reply to JonC:

I thought that too, some of the wee technique things (casually palming down when she was arriving at one of the belay stances and a couple of other footworky bits) were things you would see a more rounded climber doing, so for 14 days worth of experience thats quite cool.