UKC

Unless you somehow managed to avoid the excitement and social media frenzy, you'll know that Alex Honnold was recently in the UK. We knew a bit about what he got up to - a solo of The Complete Scream E8 6c, a flash of The Dark Side E8 6c - both at Fair Head, Northern Ireland, as well as soloing some easier classics on the Cromlech: Left Wall, Right wall, Memory Lane and down-climbed cenotaph corner and cemetery gates, before roping up on Lord of the Flies.

But what did Alex think of the UK and of his experience as a whole? I asked Alex some questions about his solo exploits, the gritstone and of course, about his thoughts on our Great British weather...

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In reply to UKC News:

There's a quote!

"I think my favourite route might be Harder Faster,...I think it’s a super proud line though. It was too scary to climb."

In reply to UKC News:

Great article thanks. Can't believe he never made it to Scotland, oops! Lovely story about Archie.

In reply to UKC News:

Oh no some one noticed are system if climbing is bonkers. Lucky he was too polite to mention it. Oh wait....

In reply to Mark Collins:
Seeing as much of Scotland has had amazing weather for the last month (bar the last week) it was strange he didn't venture north of the border!

I can't see the weather at fairhead or snowdonia in general being significantly better than much of scotland but there you go!

In reply to UKC News:

I found this interview with Alex interesting though it does demand more than the attention span of a goldfish http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/05/17/alex-honnold/ sorry if it has been posted on here before.

In reply to Lenin:

Honolds perfect space dump!

https://overcast.fm/+BmGXMYPGA/29:01

In reply to CurlyStevo:


The fact that such weather is "amazing" makes the point.

In reply to Coel Hellier:
what point? the variation in weather in the UK is mostly east to west and height / shape of land based not north to south (bar it being it being a little colder).

Its just as unusual for it to be warm and sunny for month in Snowdonia / the lakes as west coast Scottish highlands.

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Well, if such weather were normal, then it wouldn't be "amazing". I doubt that Californians are amazed at having lots of sun.

In reply to UKC News:

As welll as soloing up Flying Buttress Direct it was also his descent route

In reply to steveb2006: That's just lazy

In reply to steveb2006:
Down the overhang too?

As somebody who grew up climbing on gritstone it somehow makes me feel good that he liked climbing on it.

In reply to Lenin:

His interview on Niall Grimes' Jam Crack Podcast is really good too.

In reply to UKC News:

Is is just me, or should someone blind-date Honold with Julian Lines and let them loose on a solo-off across Scotland?

In reply to Dr Toph:

Don't know, you'd think he might like a look at Hold Fast, Hold True though