UKC

Is it to early for me to hit the outdoors, Im only climbing at V1 indoors which I assume puts me lower than a snakes nut sack outdoors. Or is their any good spots (Closer to the Midalnds as poss) that i could cut my teeth on?

I would be solo and with only one pad (still to get any suggestions?)

Your thoughts please.

BBS

In reply to bigbadsquare: Far too early for grit. It's not even snowing yet.

In reply to Oceanrower: I suppose i asked for that :0)

In reply to bigbadsquare:

get out and enjoy. You don't need any experience to start. Get out and do some bouldering if that's what you enjoy. Or if you want to get on a rope post in the lifts and partners section of here, join a club, or get a note up at your wall asking for a partner who doesn't mind a newbie joining

In reply to bigbadsquare: My earlier comment aside, do it. It's not compulsory for people to start indoors and then move outside. In fact, I do hear that in the old days some people even started outdoors!

In reply to Scarab9: Yes its Bouldering, better get me a pad and jump in at the deep end. Any suggestions on places for a newbie then? (have car will travel).

BBS

In reply to bigbadsquare:

if you're in the midlands then Baslow looks good for bouldering, or not much further north you can get to Stanage. The Roaches too.

I'm not that much of a boulderer but those will certainly fit the bill.

In reply to bigbadsquare: I just wrote out a big reply regarding temperature and weather before actually reading your post. Sigh.

Depending where you climb, I find V1 indoors just doesn't exist on grit. It's a different way to climb anyway, go out and have a go. Roaches and Stanage have many V0s - V1s with good landings.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=42995

I think this route and the adjacent routes are brilliant intros to grit smearing.

If the bouldering isn't happening then you can always run up a few short Mods/Diffs (Windgather Rocks?) landings aren't always so nice but the routes are easy peasy and satisfying.

In reply to Oceanrower:

Cratcliffe and Burbage South boulders also good for beginners.


YES!

I'm part of the younger generation of namby-pamby wall-bred climbers myself, but the persistent idea that the only safe way to get into climbing is to learn to top rope indoors and then when you're happy with that learn to lead indoors and when you're happy with that go and climb sport outdoors and only when you're absolutely happy with that to venture onto trad drives me up the wall... join a club, do a course, read a book, find a partner on here, but get out there and start swinging hexes and growing a beard!

In reply to bigbadsquare:

Get out there. If anything, there is far more (and better) climbing for a low-grade climber outside than any wall can offer.

Excellent grit venues with a wealth of low-grade, high quality bouldering would be Cratcliffe Tor and Robin Hoods Stride, The Roaches or Burbage South. Almost as good would be Stanage and Burbage North. Curbar has an excellent couple of boulders for a shorter session, and there are decent low grade boulders to play on above both Froggatt and Birchen. Also, don't be blinkered by guidebooks - there are loads of lovely bits of rock to play on that are generally considered too easy to put into the guides but can be perfect for a warm up or getting used to the rock.

Someone earlier recommended Baslow, but I don't think that would be a good venue to be honest. There isn't a huge amount there for a first timer, and some of the problems/micro routes are quite high.

Finally, at this time of year the midges can be a problem. Fortunately, they don't like wind or sunshine, which are also perfect conditions for a great day out. If it is looking overcast and still, it might not be worth the petrol money unless you are quite close by.

In reply to bigbadsquare:


This thread might help:
http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,15156.0.html

In reply to bigbadsquare:

Burbage South, Roaches, Stanage all good for beginners

In reply to bigbadsquare: My first time climbing ever was outdoors. I learnt to climb outdoors. Get out there and have a go!
Then watch as somebody starts a thread about you using too much chalk/not wiping your feet/ not brushing holds when your finished/excessive brushing/ asking for beta/giving beta where it's not wanted ( delete as appropriate)
Only joking, get out there and try it, even if you can't afford a pad yet it's worth getting out and trying stuff.