UKC

Hi, I’m Tom and I’m 14 years old. I was just wondering if anyone knew who the youngest person to lead E7 was?

I’ve recently red pointed an E7 6c at my local crag, and was wondering how ‘big’ this is. 
Thanks.

Tom

Think Leo did End of the Affair at 16 which is E8 so you've got a bit of time to beat that!

10 year old's have climbed 8a sport and 8c at aged 16 in the UK. 

Hi Tom,

Good effort on your e7, which one was it out of interest! 

I just can’t understand why 2 people have hit ‘dislike’ to your post. You may not be the youngest to climb an e7, but you obviously have a lot of talent. Stick at it. 

Andy

Ondra climbed a 9a when he was 13.... which may have been bettered in recent years.

Probably because the OP is talking about his own climbing and people may construe it as boasting. Knowing Tom and the route he did, this won't be the case. 

To be honest I was a bit surprised UKC didn't pick up on the ascent and run it as a news item. It's hard climbing for an E7, albeit pretty safe, and it's not like Tom is a strong comp climber who has been pointed at the thing by scheming adults. He's just a local lad who went out and worked the thing in a few sessions on a shunt. Maybe they don't want to be seen as promoting kids doing hard Trad?

Tom: It's certainly up there with some of the hardest headpoints by young guns.  I didn't actually realise you were 14 - I thought you could drive and were at least 17 for some reason(?). So keep the faith Tom! Everyone will ignore the climbing you do as you don't climb in the Peak, but beaver away and do what truly inspires you! Don't let people push you into owt, shunt loads and pick your bold stuff carefully! You've got at least 30 years of being able to try stuff at E7+ if you don't get injured or bored - I'm so jealous! 

Spirit of the Moors be with you!    

It was ‘Black Night’ at the wainstones

Also, sorry to everyone if it sounded like I was boasting, I certainly did not mean for it to come across that way 

Excellent effort! You and people like you are the future of climbing. Don't worry about dislikes on these forums. Now get out and tick all those last great problems that the likes of Mr Cookson and co are too weak to get up.

Hi Tom

Top effort on your E7! I climbed a few e6's/7's (all headpointed) when I was in my late teens and bumped into the likes of Franco (a very nice lad despite what some on UKC may have you believe). I'm exceedingly psyched there are young climbers who are keen for trad climbing in general, regardless of the grade. You don't see many young trad climbers so I'm all for bigging your lead up a tad. 

I'm rambling... Bloody good effort

Cheers,

Chris

I view any ascent of E7 as a big thing. Top effort. From what I can tell, it's quite a good grade to get stuck into. Oh to be young and responsibility free again!

Do you have climbing parents? Do they know..? 

I chose a long time ago not to burden my parents with too much information with respect to what I get up to. Now I am a parent myself, I find myself asking such questions. 

Good luck, hope you continue to enjoy it. 

Well done.

To everyone: How old was Ben Bransby when he did Never, Never Land (E7 6b), in the 90s. 15/16?

E7 trad is impressive at any age, let alone 14. A star in the making? Looking forward to seeing more impressive ascents from this young man. Stay hungry!

Ah that E7! You can be well proud of that!

best wishes 

Chris (old-timer in NYM history)

My dad is a keen climber, however he mainly focuses on mileage rather than working on particular harder routes

Thanks everyone for the replies😊

Nice one Tom.

I had my dreadlocks when I did Never, Never Land (so between age 13 and 14) it was only an E6 when I did it though (second photo on this insta link: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-T7KEJjeAa/). I think I did an E7 down at Avon the same year.

I would have thought Adam Dewhurst may have climbed E7 even younger and out of the current crop of youths I don't really have much of an idea. That one on the Seamstress slab seems to get climbed by young folk a fair bit.

There is a young lass down south who has done some pretty tricky trad stuff recently.

Excellent effort - you are already out climbing most of the sarky old farts. 

E7 at 14 is one hell of an achievement, you can be justifiably chuffed with that. 

My Halo (E7 6b) Was climbed by a 13 year old 

Nice post

nice to hear your not just doing hard bouldering in the gym.

good effort 

Well done Tom. Plenty more for you to go at and plenty of time for you to do it in!

I thoroughly enjoyed Black Night when I did it, a brilliant intro to cool harder outcrop climbing.