UKC

The Climbing Works in Sheffield is the brain child of Percy Bishton, Sam Whittaker and Graeme Alderson and is a bouldering wall on a huge and ambitious scale......with so much positive energy flowing through it that I can feel the vibrations from here!

Read all about it here... http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

If you go tomorrow feel feel to write a report on this thread and post photos to your gallery and link them here.

M

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I came. I climbed. I got grazes everywhere and aches and pains in most limbs except fingers and forearms...

Obvious:
Massive.
Huge variety.
Very well designed.
Can fit loads of people in and not be crowded.

Good:
Circuits idea really nice, works well.
Green, brown and purple holds are excellent. Spottys are fine.
Lots of bizzarre, technical weirdness problems - reaches/injures the parts other walls don't.
Great use of volumes and wall angles.
Problems are mostly great.
Arches are great fun.
Spectator friendly.
Good atmosphere in general.
No over-featured bollox.
Mostly no grades.

Could be improved:
Some blue holds don't feel that nice and a bit over-designed (edgy ones are okay).
Need more lighting on wall opposite campus board.
More consistency in starting positions, e.g. obvious sitters, would be good.
Seemed to be a bit lacking in less technical, more "straight pulling" problems.
Wall surface somewhat slippy and could do with more friction.
Felt a bit warm, started coming off problems due to sweat rather than weakness.

Overall it is great, it really does everything that was promised, and has just got a good FUN feel about it. I mention the issues just to give some ideas to make the best even better.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: looks like it should be eligible for an Arts Council grant for cubist sculpture

In reply to The Pylon King:

nobody boulders in Bristol...

In reply to Ian Hill:

i would if there was a decent wall - UCR is pants for bouldering

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Went down to have a look at the shiny new wall and very impressive it is too - in fact impressive just doesn't come close to how good it really is - you will have to go and see for yourselves. Couldn't climb as I am injured at the minute which really was rather depressing but watching Fiend flailing about in fine style made me feel a bit better. 8-)

All good points made by Fiend - can't think of anything else to add really - just getting really psyched now to get back climbing so I can go and try out the easiest circuit and build up from there.

bluebrad

In reply to The Pylon King: I actually think UCR is pretty good for bouldering, compared to other walls I've been to.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

The website could still be improved quite a bit to help encourage people to go there: Google Earth is not very useful as a roadmap to find the place; some panoramic shots showing the scope of the place would help; the opening page line sketch doesnt make it look huge (these tend to have that problem).

In reply to Offwidth:

Encourage people to go there?

I live 800 miles away and I'm considering making a trip just to visit the place!!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

It says 'exciting' in the title but when I looked closer, its only bouldering!


Chris

In reply to The Pylon King:


I agree, I agree!

UCR is a total meat market at the moment as well

In reply to Chris Craggs:


Settle down Chris.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
It doesn't open until 12pm on weekdays - do all indoor boulderers have lazy lay-ins?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
You may all think its great, but i bet its not as good as Ambleside.








*Jealousy kicking in*

In reply to Fiend:

Any textured stuff - couldn't see any on the website photo's - or is it all panels and bolt-ons?

In reply to Yorkspud:

It is all very slippery panels and volumes - no textured stuff.

bluebrad

In reply to bluebrad:

And so it should be, textured stuff may be good to look at and impress non climbers but plain panels are the way forward for training, comps. etc.

In reply to Offwidth:

You are right. On reflection the aerial photos were a bit pointelss. I think I put them on becasue I live about 400 yards from the wall and thought it was kind of cool. Just removed them. There is (and always has been) a link to a map on Google Maps, and if you have Google Earth installed on your machine it's pretty cool to click the link and fly right over the venue.

Re photos these will no doubt change for the better now that the wall is up and running. Until Sunday morning it had been impossible to take any photos of the wall looking clean and pristine - and now it is covered in rubber marks. Fortunately I took some (and so did Mr Simmonite) before the first customers yesterday. Am off to Cresciano for a few days first thought!

If anybody has any suggestions on how to make the website / blog better please feel free to make them here.

Cheers,
Matt

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Aye, that far-off gleam in Graeme's eye has finally come to fruition. And with routesetters like Andy Long and Jason Pickles, I can imagine this place really is something special.

Mick

In reply to MattH:

My main concern was to see a photo thumbnail giving an idea of the size of the place that autoloads close to the front page (one of your construction shots would do). The arty thumbnails are a good idea for site explorers but won't be spotted by some potential paying customers. In general keep the front end as simple as possible (if things go well a lot of your income will be 'corperate' groups, beginners and kids who will often know nothing much about climbing). I still think you could do with a sketch map for your location and link to google earth after that.

In reply to MattH:

Forgot to add you will need a competition results link on the front page ('events' to customers are not always the same thing....linked to a 'blimey, give us a chance' temp location if need be.) It would also be good to link the big local bouldering pages (UK bouldering, Yorkshire Grit and UK Climbing). Plus, put a few welcoming words in NOW on pages linked from Courses and Corporate Services (similar to the stuff on the bottom of the sponsors page...'coming soon' looks unprofessional)

In reply to all:

What a fantastic wall. Huge. Circuits are great. Problems well set and creative. Something for everyone. I really like the smooth panels with bits of grip tape here and there. A bit more lighting could be helpful. Really fun atmosphere there yesterday.
Good effort to all involved, takes guts and vision to start a new business and you must be happy to have opened ahead of schedule and to have seen so many people enjoying the place on the very first day.

In reply to palomides:
>> I live 800 miles away and I'm considering making a trip just to visit the place!!

wow thats inspiring !

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Just been over to have a look around - W O W !!!!

Looking forward to my finger healing so that I can try some of the easy problems. And it is ideally situated, only 8 mins walk from my house

In reply to pinkie:

Inspiring? If true thats wealth beyond measure or obsession bordering on mental illness.

In reply to Offwidth:

??

Pretty good coming from a man who devotes himself to climbing every single route below HVS at every crag he visits, then painstakingly details every route on stone tablets carved only by the light of a full moon.
Obsession? I wouldn't know about it.

In reply to palomides:

It takes one to know one. In any case the tablets are electronic (I'm too trad to chip rock) and the full moon on a clear night is useful climbing time not to be wasted writing things up.

In reply to Nick Smith - UKC:
Given your injury record I'd have thought even looking at that place is risky

How is the finger ?

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Indeed, in fact I slipped on some wet mud walking through their carpark... could have been months of physio that ! ;/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I expected the Works to be brilliant but this is state of the Art. An absolutely top notch facility that will meet the training needs of all from absolute beginners to the truly committed. I keep waking up in the middle of the night feeling that warm glow in my arms that tells me that I have had yet another successful session.

This week the place has a great friendly atmosphere like we are all sharing in something really special.

A very big thanks to all the team and every success for the future !!!!

Kipper

In reply to kipper (the original one):

Has someone stolen your profile name?

In reply to Offwidth: No he had it 1st on here but as I am 50 and been called it before the other one was born think that makes me the Original one.

In reply to kipper (the original one):

I'm 46

In reply to :

Just wanted to also add what a wonderfull place!

I've been down 3 times and don't think I've repeated a problem, there's that many quality problems!! You just wander about trying problems you like the look of, don't bother with the grades.

The use of arete, panels etc really add to the problems.

Really loving the brown circuit.

J

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I'm not going to say how great it is or how much I enjoyed it down there because it'll become too bloody busy. Wish mid-week opening was 10.00am though.

In reply to Chapel John.J: HA! Well that's sold it to me.