UKC

Last evening, Malcolm Smith made the FA of Hunger, at The Anvil:

First ascent of 'Hunger' 9a at the Anvil this evening. It ended up feeling a notch harder than 'Blood Diamond', more sustained. I've maybe climbed harder on the boulders but it's certainly my hardest route so far. Thanks for going...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=56373

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: Well done Malcolm! Is that Scotland's first 9a?

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: Awesome effort. Great to see Malcolm firing on all four. Inspirational stuff.

In reply to thommi:
Beast, Well done malc

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

Why is this in the Lowdown section? Is Scotland no longer in the UK?

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

Waddage!

In reply to pigeonjim: Maybe Björn just got the news first?

In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

Still doesnt mean its not an important uk first ascent which would normally go into the main news section and on the home page.

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: well done again Malcolm. A fantastic personal achievement man! Your climbing and focus remains an inspiration.

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: theres a really odd looking tree in the picture

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: Wow...nice work!!! Still struggle to believe people can find lines through the roof on this awesome boulder. Sometimes take the kids there to scramble around the boulders and caves when I'm working at the local centres. They never believe me when I tell them what "those shiney hingmies" are for!!! Fantastic achievement.

Does anyone have any info on the line of bolts on the carrick boulder? They have been there a couple of years but I am yet to find any info on the route. Looks hard...8a maybe?

An extra well done to Malcolm for braving the argyll midge!!

In reply to camw:

The easier line on the Carrick Castle boulder is a 7b+ of Dave Redpath's. It has a cool jump move to the jug on the lip of the roof. He didn't do the line to the right. As I recall he was talking in terms of 8a or 8a+, but I don't know how much he tried it. This is a good few years ago, mind. The rock on that line isn't of the best quality.

You haven't seen anything else of interest on your wanderings with the kids, have you? The Anvil is pretty much climbed out now, so we need to find new crags!

In reply to TomCE: A few bits and pieces but nothing that is worth the walk in. There is and interesting looking crag closer to lochgoilhead situated in the woods about 150m up the hillside. Sort of a slab leading to a small roof. Not sure if you would find anything too hard there though. There is of course the 20m overhang at the "squeeze" cave system below the steeple. I think there was a scrappy e4 put up there many years back. There are two falcons nesting there at the moment though so access could be tricky. I seem to recall a mate of mine had found a good wall somewhere but didn't have the funds to bolt it. I'll ask him.

If you are interested I could send you a wee email detailing a couple of crags? Nothing of similar quality to the anvil though!!!

Cam

Amazing achievement! Malcolm is the man..

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

Good stuff!

Great to see the ninth grade arrive in Scotland, subject to the usual caveats

In reply to pigeonjim: Or maybe it's got enough worldwide significance to make it onto the lowdown page?

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: It says on the front page this story has been updated. What's the update, telling us that there's no update?

In reply to aln: its 'the third way'...

Awesome achievement Malc, and I admire his decision to keep it low key. People like Malc, Gaskins and Nadin are in my honest opinion the true heroes of British rock climbing.

In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: There's a good interview with Malcolm Smith here:
http://www.freakclimbing.com/modules.php?name=People&rop=showcontent&am...

In reply to mark mcgowan01:

Ha ha. On a side note mark, I enjoyed reading your 8a in 180 days blog. Just wondering how long it actually took?

In reply to camw:

Is that the cave you get to by walking up from the village to the crags used by the outdoor centres, then follow the path R? If so, there's a couple of bolts in it already.

In reply to aln: I think it was about 2 weeks short of the 6 months. Effort!

In reply to Fultonius: I was thinking something like that. Wish I could summon half that dedication!

In reply to aln:

Hi aln
i think i had about 20 days to go..close one!

In reply to mark mcgowan01:

But you did it! Nice blog too...

Mick

In reply to Mick Ward: thanks Mick

In reply to mark mcgowan01: I've never been to the Anvil so I was wondering if the photo exaggerates things or is it really that steep?
Also wondering about a 2nd ascent. Time for a new blog Mark? 9a in ?days.

In reply to aln:

its steeper aln!