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Please help me choose a rock!

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Lozzy 08 Apr 2013
Hi all,

I'm planning on trying to raise money for charity and I think a sponsored rock climb would be great! If I try and raise money over the course of a year, it will help me to spread awareness of the charity and their cause, while also giving me (hopefully) ample time to train really hard. By the end of the year, I'd like to be able to do a climb that's currently way out of my ability and comfort zone, and have raised a ton of cash for the charity.

I'm still new to climbing and mostly boulder, but much prefer climbing with ropes (it's just more interesting to me)

I live near to the Roaches but for the 'big climb' at the end of the year's hard training, I don't mind where it is... very happy to travel.

So, I'm here hoping that one of you more experienced, knowledgeable climbers can help me work out where to do my 'big climb'? I like the idea of going high, great views, something which requires more technical ability rather than strength and that I may have a chance of being able to complete after a year's dedicated training!

Bit of a long shot then, perhaps! But any suggestions?
 Roberttaylor 08 Apr 2013
In reply to Lozzy: If you live near to the roaches go and look at the crag. There is a route there called the sloth. It is very impressive looking and an achievable goal.
 Jon Stewart 08 Apr 2013
In reply to The Pylon King:
> (In reply to Lozzy)
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> http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=3191
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I'd been climbing nearly 10 years before I climbed that one. But that's certainly not to say it can't be done, I'm sure a few people do it in their first year of climbing.

It's certainly classic, spectacular and often in condition though, so if the OP fancies it and can dedicate enough time...

To the OP:

It's really hard to give advice without knowing a bit more - I'd go climbing with some experienced folk and get them to suggest something, when they've heard about how much time you'll be devoting to climbing, and who can see a bit about your strengths and weaknesses.
 martinph78 08 Apr 2013
In reply to Lozzy: If you are wanting a big challenge to excite the general public (hard to do these days!) I reckon you need to look at a big day out with a multi-pitch climb ending up on the summit of Ben Nevis. Not saying it's the best etc, just what I think would generate the most sponsorship/interest.
 JLS 08 Apr 2013
In reply to Martin1978:

The Long Climb?
In reply to Lozzy: The most obvious suggestion would be to climb the Old Man of Stoer, as Julia Brabury did for TV - http://www.juliabradbury.com/gallery/gall_ultimatebritain/gall_ultimatebrit...

It is spectacular and (partly thanks to Julia) very well known but is still relatively easy although it is still serious and requires a good standard of rope work.
 Skip 08 Apr 2013
In reply to The Ex-Engineer:

How about Old Man of Hoy for more of a challenge.
 iain miller 09 Apr 2013
In reply to Lozzy:
youtube.com/watch?v=qsBck_I2bMA&
Something a wee bit different.
Lozzy 09 Apr 2013
Wow, I wasn't expecting such a large response, thank-you to all of you for taking the time to help me out! Really appreciated!

I'm slowly checking out each of the climbs mentioned and they do look very impressive, but perhaps too tricky for my amateur skills, lol. In response about needing more information, hope this helps:
-Two recent climbs were 'Libra HVS 4c ' and 'Delivarete (Sit start)V4 6b ' I haven't been able to climb on a regular basis so in my training it's going to feel like I'm a total beginner.
-I'm short at 5'3" and weigh 8 stone. I have much more strength in my legs than my arms and so anything that's more of a slope I can push my way up with my feet is a preference over an overhang as I struggle to hold my own weight with those.

Thanks again for all the suggestions so far, I'm still looking through them all now

I
 EeeByGum 09 Apr 2013
In reply to Lozzy: There is no single iconic outstanding test piece in this country so whatever you choose doesn't make that much difference. Why not instead set yourself a target of how many climbs you can do and then people can sponsor you per climb / 10 climbs etc? I tried to climb 1000 climbs one year but sadly only managed 460.
 martinph78 09 Apr 2013
In reply to JLS: Something like that, or the Old Man of Hoy as suggested above. Something folk outside of teh climbing world are likely to know about or have some comprehension of.
 kate8 09 Apr 2013
In reply to Lozzy:

I agree that The Old Man of Hoy is a good idea.
If overhangs are your weekness though and you don't like leading and have a year to train them maybe aim to Lead an overhanging climb?

In reply to various: I'm rather surprised people are suggesting the Old Man of Hoy. It just doesn't strike me as a great objective for the OP for numerous reasons especially including how long he has been climbing. Also, in direct comparison to the Old Man of Stoer it seems a poorer choice in almost all aspects.

As regards the majority of potential sponsors, I can't see it would make any real difference - both are suitably spectacular.

However, Hoy is:
- far more expensive to climb once you include the cost of the ferries. (Surely that is crucial since the aim is to raise money for charity?)
- more time consuming and requires more logistical planning (it'd be unlikely for relative novices to complete in a day trip to Hoy).
- significantly harder.
- much more committing and serious.

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