UKC

A Stoney Story and What's Happening at UKC?

© UKC News
Stephen 'Fatboy' Horne (Script King and Rockfax Assistant Editor) on the Swan at the Roaches  © Horne Collection
Stephen 'Fatboy' Horne (Script King and Rockfax Assistant Editor) on the Swan at the Roaches

It's been a busy week at UKClimbing.com/Rockfax Towers, and no doubt for you too. Such is modern life.

The main man Alan James has been juggling many climbing and walking media balls; luckily it was back-to-school-week. With Stephen 'Fatboy' Horne (Script King and Rockfax Assistant Editor) and Chris Craggs, Alan has been fine tuning Craggs' French guidebook - it has the Verdon and Chateauvert in it - and doing preparation with Mark Glaister for the next edition of Mark's Mallorca guidebook. Sherri Davy, Chris's partner, has been selling adverts for these new Rockfax's.

Jack Geldard - UKC's Chief Editor - is actually away in Mallorca on a stag do (see photos of Jack's adventures and the rude Mankini video here) but Jack is also busy getting new crag shots for the Mallorca guidebook inbetween partying.

Nick Smith is working his magic as always, in the background: he's nearly finished the new Climbing Wall Mobile Phone application, is engaged in perpetual UKC work and he's as busy as a beaver on our new website, UKHillwalking.com.

Sarah Stirling, our new Gear Editor, has been cracking the whip over our gear review team, and writing a few herself - see her latest here - as well as dealing with gear companies for a whole slew of winter gear reviews at UKClimbing.com and planning the first round of articles and reviews at UKHillwalking.

Me? Up to my usual mischief but occasionally helping Phil Kelly, the Rock Archivist, plan this weekends Stoney get-together 'whose mission is to celebrate the important place that Stoney holds in the history and development of Peak District rock climbing!' And you are all invited, come rain or shine!

Whilst round at Phil's last night, making sure that we had remembered to order the muffins from the baker, the meat from Roney's on Sharrow Vale Road and the Burco Gas Water Boiler from You Hire in Eckington, emails and phone calls were coming in from all and sundry, Dennis Gray, ever heard of him? Yes he'll be there at Stoney this weekend. Steve Bancroft: What's he ever done on grit? He'll be there too.

We thought we would share the below, an email from Ian Hibbert, a Stoney regular from the black and white days, who unfortunately can't make it.

See you at Stoney. I'll be serving coffee and muffins at 9am sharp on Saturday.


A Letter From Ian Hibbert

Hi All at UKClimbing.com,

Just thought I'd drop you a quick note as one of the folk on Windy Ledge in the photo proposing the event. I would dearly like to be there but have a family 'do' out of which I cannot get! I'm the chap stood on the green sleeping bag (on an orange bivy bag) in a rather fetching blue vest!

photo
Windy Ledge. Right to left: Graham Hoey, Al Evans, Paul Cropper, Brian Cropper, Nadim (Big Sid) Siddiqui, Rehan Siddiqui, then two don't knows, then Ian Hibbert - blue vest - the chap stood on the green sleeping bag (on an orange bivy bag) then don't know then Jim Burton. © Graham Hoey/Mark Scott

I've attached a current pic, taken when we were doing the John Muir Trail last year, in case you wished to 're-create' the Windy Ledge pic with how everyone looks today....just a thought!

photo
Ian Hibbert

I used to climb every single weekend around the time that pic was taken with the Glossop crew, Gabe and John Regan, James Moran, Simon Horrox (RIP) etc. plus Steve Bancroft, Nick Colton, Nick and Steve Donnelly, Dave Humphries (top guy) and all the rest, we'd most often than not hitch out from Glossop on a Sat morning and back on the Sunday. Actually, I used to sometimes get the bus from Chorlton St in Manchester with Al Evans, John Tout and a few others! So a real good crowd of great people would assemble most weekends for deeds of derring do and much drinking!

It was an amazing time, with amazing people and adventures (plus the occasional route) that I'm sure will be told this weekend! Also, say hello to Paul Mitchell (ne Kirk) if he's around, as we've now been living in Bedford for more than 20 years which is where he's from originally (he used to hitch up every weekend).

Have a great time and I'm really looking forward to the report and photos from the weekend.

Cheers, all the best,

Ian Hibbert


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10 Sep, 2010
Good to hear Dennis will be going. Haven't seen him around in God's Own for a few years.
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