Making the leap into a new grade is always exciting. After months, maybe years of hard work, you finally reach new heights. You take a moment to bask in the glory, and then think about whether to drop back down, or to stay, and try to consolidate the grade. Maybe, just maybe, you entertain tentative thoughts about the next step up.

Of course, not everyone follows that same trajectory.

In May 2020 Tom Pearce led his first HVS, Gehenna (HVS 5a) at Beacon Scar. Less than a month later, he made a solo ground-up ascent of Barry The Boulder (E4 6a). Another month and Tom had made his first headpoint, this time of the 'desperately technical' Black Night (E7 6c) at Wainstones.

Less than a year after leading Gehenna, Tom made the third ascent of Franco Cookson's 'staggeringly bold' Divine Moments Of Truth (E9 6c). Ten days later, he climbed another of Franco's E9's, this time The Aghori (E9 7a).

All of this, before his sixteenth birthday.

With impressive repeats of some the boldest lines about, as well as top-end first ascents, we caught up with Tom to ask about his rapid progress through the grades, his love for the North York Moors, and his approach to hard trad climbing.

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Your journey through the grades has been a rapid one to say the least, from leading HVS in May 2020, to headpointing E7 just two months later. How did you make such a significant leap? Did anything in particular change, or was it just that you started trying harder routes?

The leap in grades basically came from being stuck in lockdown, I had loads of time to myself and I just decided to start training. I didn't have any end goal really, it was just something I enjoyed, and I didn't have anything else to do. I got fairly strong, and when lockdown was over I could take it into my climbing.

I think being young helps a lot too, in particular with the head game. I was able to just ignore all the potential danger and, in turn, never be scared.

What is it about hard trad that you enjoy so much?

Hard trad is just brilliant, there's something magical about going to where a human isn't designed to go, especially when you can't make a mistake.

It kind of feels like you're fighting nature, but also flowing with it, using the holds it provides, and coming up with a kind of dance that you'll not find anywhere else.

It's fun to come up with all these kind of spiritual ideas as to why it's enjoyable, but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter why you enjoy it, just as long as you do.

You've done the majority of your climbing on the North York Moors, for those of us that haven't climbed there, tell us about the climbing there, what it has to offer, and what it is about the moors that's so special!

I guess to begin with the reason I climbed in the moors was because I couldn't travel around. I didn't really know anyone who climbed and had a car in the local area, and it's a bit of a hassle to get a lift off my parents into a different area. So, naturally I spent most of my time out in the moors.

I got a moped after a year and had met quite a few people by then too, but no matter where we went, I'd always be looking forward to being back in the moors. I find it very peaceful in comparison to most other places. You don't really see anyone when you're out, and some of the crags won't have had people visit in years, which adds to the adventure.

The climbing is brilliant too, I remember basically every move of every route I've done there. They're all so unique and interesting in their own way that you can't really forget them.

Recent posts on your Instagram have shown you creating homemade trad gear, a situation most of us will never find ourselves in! Can you talk us through the kind of niche scenarios where adapting existing gear is necessary?

I've done very little in the way of making my own gear – I've only put together a couple bits.

Sometimes the route just needs a really specific sized piece, and any standard Tricam, cam, or whatever it may be, just doesn't fit correctly – it might wiggle a bit, or just not be able to take weight in the right direction.

Admittedly, they've never actually held when I've fallen onto them, but oh well, it's the thought that counts!

Many of us will have been introduced to you via the film Fall Theory, which follows you as you repeat some of Franco's hard routes, whilst Franco himself sought a first ascent of Immortal (E11 7b) at Maiden's Bluff. How important has being around experienced climbers like Franco been to your development as a trad climber?

I owe a lot of my climbing to Franco really, the major motivation I had for a long time was the release of his guidebook for the moors. I'd spend hours and hours reading it, looking at these beautiful lines and features, just being desperate to go try them. He, and many others too, would go out of their way to pick me up from home and add potentially hours to a journey because I struggled with transport - I really would not be where I am today without their help.

On nights after school my parents would often drive me into the moors, drop me off as it was getting dark, and pick me up a couple hours later after I'd been working on a project. I'm able to drive now and am free to travel wherever, but I don't think I'll ever be able to thank everyone who supported, and still support me, enough. They made the way I live my life possible.

You've made both hard first ascents and hard repeats, do you enjoy both equally, or do you have a preference for one over the other?

I like them both for different things, it depends on what experience you're after.

Some days it nice to clean loads of soil and grass out of a route, figure out if there are any holds, spend hours swinging around trying to find something climbable, before realising it's terrible and never going back. Sometimes you'll find something decent that's worth doing, and occasionally you'll find something brilliant. It doesn't really matter though, it's the exploration I'm interested in. Some of my favourite days I've ever had out have been climbing on some of the worst rock possible in a place where no one had been. You just don't know what to expect.

Alternatively, it's nice to rock up at a crag and know vaguely what's what. If you turn up and see a three-star route, it's pretty much certainly going to be good. You'll get good rock, good climbing, a fairly clear idea of whether it's safe or not, and potentially well tested gear - you're basically set to go immediately.

Tell us a bit about your process when establishing new trad routes?

So far, most of my new routes have been either tip-offs from people or existing lines that hadn't been led.

I had a good month or two the other year where I spent basically every day going through a list of potential new routes in the moors. I picked out a couple that seemed worth doing and then started trying them. Often, I'll look at the gear immediately, before even cleaning it, mainly to see how much effort it will take. If it's a Font 7b with bomber gear, you'll probably get it done fairly quickly, but it might take a lot longer if it's ground-fall-able.

After cleaning all the holds, I tend to start working on what the crux appears to be. After that, it's just working the route on a rope for however long until you're comfortable to lead it.

In terms of naming routes, I find the names for routes just appear when you don't expect – I could read something in a book, or listen to a song - the name will show up at some point. Then you've just got the thrilling job of grading it!

Any projects that you can tell us about?

I've got a few on the go at all times, really. There's a really good line on the coast that I've been trying for a while. I'm slowly getting there with it, but the conditions this year have been so dodgy, I don't think I've had a day where it's felt in good condition! Hopefully as autumn comes things will have improved!

What inspires you most about climbing at the moment?

I think it's mainly the 'getting out of the house'. It doesn't really matter what I'm doing - it could be running, climbing, seeing friends, laying in the sun - literally anything, as long as I'm outside!

I find climbing really freeing too. Personally, I think the world is way too set on safety and regulations that a lot of people never experience even a small amount of freedom. So, having that escape is really important to me. When you're climbing, and in particular, soloing, there's absolutely nothing stopping you – you can completely shut out everything else and enjoy the moment, and it's pretty rare to get that experience.