In reply to Jon Stewart:
> I think the reason is that we look back on our climbing experiences and many of those that really stick out in our minds are on UK routes, probably mainly because of the lack of bolts, the unique settings, and character of the crags including rock type.
If you are arguing that trad is better then it seems like most of the world outside of the UK doesn't see it that way. The main reason for Brits having more memorable experiences here is surely down to the fact the vast majority of our climbing is done here because this is where we live. So statistically the most memorable experiences are bound to be here too.
> France and Spain obviously have loads more bigger bits of rock. But our experiences of climbing them are quite often fairly bland: we're on holiday in a hire car, driving to a convenient crag and clipping bolts on limestone, often in great scenery but sometimes on the edge of an ugly holiday resort. Meh. On the other hand, if you've climbed on Dun Mingulay, it's a very intense, rich experience, and there's a lot more that contributes to that other than the narrow strip of rock we've climbed that's been given a name.
Well, as above, I'd say our experiences are limited of climbing in France and Spain. Most of us have only seen a tiny proportion of what is over there so if we assume that what we've seen is basically all there is then that is obviously a blinkered and misleading view.
> To get philosophical about it, climbing is an experience that happens in the concious world of the climber. The quality of a route is a measure of the quality of experience that the route provokes in the mind of the climber, not some objective character of the rock. We think the trad climbing in the UK is amazing because we look back at the experiences we've had on those routes, and they're amazing. It isn't "ignorance, misplaced patriotism or some kind of denial", it's a reflection of our experience here and abroad.
Well you are mixing two different things here: the subjective experience and the objective quality of climbing. I totally agree with you about the subjective experience. One can have a wonderful experience on the scrappiest piece of rock. But this thread is whether we have routes good enough here to entice foreign climbers to visit. That's the objective part, how many stars a particular route is worth on a global scale. I think we do have some great routes here, as good as anywhere, both trad and sport. It's just that there's not that many of them.
It's also worth noting that plenty of climbers emigrate to France and Spain purely for the climbing. Yet I don't think any Spanish or French climbers (or any nationality) have emigrated here for that reason. I think that pretty much says it all.