UKC

Come on then - lets be having your stories of that very first experience of getting your hand and feet onto rock....

In reply to tlm:
Jack's Rake, Pavey Ark--May 2005, in a snowstorm. Scared witless!

In reply to tlm:
Winter climbing in Scotland under the guide of the legend that is Andy Nisbet

In reply to Al Evans:

heh heh!!
I have a terrible video of me on my first roped (toproped!) climb outside on rock!! My technique is AWFUL!!! And at the time, I thought I was such a star....

Yeah - I remember the days of bouldering simply being a case of playing on rocks, rather than flashing graded problems from a book with the correct equipment!

In reply to tlm: Black Hawk Traverse, Stanage Edge 1964

Al

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants:

Blimy! You don't look old enough? How old were you at the time? I was just being born....

In reply to tlm: Demo Route Sennen April 1987 in big boots, got to the top to find my leader body belaying me while having a fag, seemed perfectly normal at the time...

In reply to tlm:

er...can't remember for sure. It was Trowbarrow and I've a feeling it was Jean Jeanie and I failed to get up it on second (and haven't tried since! maybe a trip is in order...).

I also did my first lead on the same day which was Jomo which is a good memory to look back on but scared me witless!
Mate led the first slopey bit which I easily seconded (happily would have led I think) and up to the ledge. Then he passed me the gear and said "oh...I forgot the big cams I meant to bring up for this one. Ah well you'll be fine". I get up under the roof and he remembers "oh crap! I meant to send you up a different one first then this one. Oh well, you'll be fine. It's scary but it's easy".
I bravely spent ages trying to get some pro in while staring at the massively polished edge I'm meant to put my foot on. At this point I don't have a clue what a layback is (the other options there though I've used the edge when climbed since) and certainly wouldn't have been able to pull it off.
I eventually get a hex in but it's not great - I don't have a big enough one to get it to sit right. I should be ok as long as any fall pulls precisely down. I go to make the move, my arms take my weight...and the hex falls out!
Back down and try again. Utterly failing. It's not an easy move to protect without a big hex or cam even when you know what you're doing.
After a while and another failed attempt I'm sat thinking "why oh why did I think I'd enjoy this. I don't think I'm doing this again". Mate soloed up and after much faff managed to get a dodgy hex placement and two opposed notes (which I'd have never known to do at that point) so overall a sort of ish, maybe, acceptable pro.
Made the move with some grunting, got to the top, and felt amazing.
Suffice to say it didn't stop me climbing but I do still wind my mate up about his two "oh crap" moments.

In reply to tlm: Flattery will get you far. You have made my day. Thank you. Oh yes I was 16 and I have been hooked since that moment with only a few short periods when I had lay offs. have to say looking back that's a LOT of climbing.

Al

In reply to tlm:

7th Feb 1993, Birchen Edge. Will have been... (checks logbook)...

The Funnel (solo), followed by Kiss Me Hardy on TR.

In reply to tlm:

Apart from the fact that I had been playing on rocks at every opportunity in the Lakes, I think that my first 'proper' rock climb (as in leading/seconding, rather than top-roping) was at Curbar on a misty cold day. I can't exactly remember which routes we did first, but the one I do remember was seconding PMC1. I know that I went out with the scouts before that though, but have little idea where.

My first lead was Snail Crack at Lawrencefield, which I remember well as it was on Valentines day and I went climbing instead of doing anything with my girlfriend of the time...

In reply to tlm:

Some ghastly V Diff chimney up on Kinder South (same crag as Robert is on) , in the winter (rainy, wet & cold) of 80/81 with 2 nuts (one a MOAC) and body belayed by my buddy who had never climbed vefore and who had a broken bone in his wrist - its a miracle I didn't die or worse give up the cragging given what an epic I had! Amazing what being young and keen makes you do lol

In reply to iksander:

What an ace first climb! You weren't in the marines, were you?

In reply to tlm:

Lordy. That was a while ago! I was on a motorbike tour of the Peak, and I saw a track running off the road so I drove down it. It arrived at the bottom of Millstone, so me and the ex watched people do the climbing thing for a while. There was a small group with top rope on the first pitch of Embankment1, and I asked if I could have a go. They kindly let me, providing me with a hraness and the end of the rope, and I ran up in bike boots. Loved it, and wanted to do more but took the next pile of years off for motorcycle racaing. When that finally finished and I got my life back, I always promised myself I would try climbing again, so I did. Never looked back since!

In reply to tlm: The one I remember was at Markfield quarry near Leicester. I'd been climbing for about 12 months indoors and a mate I met through the wall took me and another real rock virgin out for a climb. We ran through what you do and how you do it then with him acting as safty advisor whilst soloing next to us my mate lead the route and I followed him up, then we swapped over. It must have sunk in because I can even remember the belay (massive block) and how I used it. According to my log though I'd been to Black Rocks bouldering before hand but I really don't remember it. All I do remember is my mate (same rock virgin that came to markfield) fell off the slab problem (we were trying to do laps on it) and sprained his ankle so I don't remember what else we did that day.

In reply to tlm:

Easy one this. Last year at Stone Farm Rocks on southern sandstone, the 2* Curling Crack. I was also body belayed and used a pink lady harness. Beat that

It has inspired me to collate a huge list to explore this year on sandstone and beyond.

In reply to tlm:

As it was (about) 44 years ago I haven't a clue, though my diary back home would help. Probably something at the Wainstones.


Chris

In reply to tlm:
Cooper's Slab, a diff in Rocky Valley at Ilkley, pretty exposed for a first route and done on a school day out. Thank God I was on a top rope. Not long afterwards managed to top rope Walewska a VS in Ilkley Quarry and still one of my favourite routes. The teacher was so impressed he lent me his old PAs to do Josephine as my first lead. It still gets HS 4b and, as I recall I had two spike runners, one of which is now long gone. Biut I did not weight much in those days.

In reply to tlm:

Toprope in hiking boots, 1986, something at the Wainstones.
Lead: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=780 with a mistake (my mistake) in the article, it's Park Nab rather than Scugdale, and now HS 4b

http://www.rockfax.com/databases/r.php?i=24908

In reply to tlm:

My first climb will have been in sone safe top-roped outdoor adventure environment with the cubs. I can't remember the specifics, but that doesn't mean it wasn't fun or didn't broaden my horizons. Or maybe you could count the numerous scrambles I took when hillwalking, but most of those weren't named and were considered to be "only" scrambles even if many of our routes warranted at least a Diff.

So...

My first (unsupervised proper named) climb (with a grade and everything read and chosen from a guide book) was with like minded mates and was climbed solo at Bowden or Back Bowden (I've a record somewhere) while waiting for a turn with our new shared rope. It was a wonderful start to a great day in cool spring sunshine and everything felt very right and natural, from the company to the rock and the movement. All non soloed-climbs were toproped with a body belay until we could afford harnesses and a shared minimal rack.

I've nothing against climbing walls (we all went to the local walls as soon as we had harnesses of our own - you were expected to hire or own one and we didn't like paying the extra hire when we could use the money to get outside) but I'm glad that my first remembered experience isn't of us all going together to a climbing wall.

In reply to tlm: 1979, I was 17. Went hill-walking with my local club up to Glen Nevis, I had the guidebook with me but no-one else wanted to climb so I put on my trainers and soloed Sheepfank Rib, Sheepfank Wall and Foursome. My first ever climbs. Went to Aberdour sea cliffs often and was soloing VDiff long before I ever bought my first harness.

In reply to tlm:

Trapeze direct at Froggatt, in Dunlop Green Flash.

In reply to tlm:

Golden Fleece (was Sev, now HS iirc) at Symonds Yat on the 30th of May 2009. Seconded it unsurprisingly. I was scared stiff, I got a bit stuck a few times, but managed to get up it. Thankfully (although I didn't know it at the time) the chap I was climbing with was a MIC taking advantage of the lovely hot summer weather to get an afternoons climbing. So I got a nice tight rope and a bit of decent encouragement.

I'd started climing a few weeks before after a mate decided that as well as mtbing and walking we should do bouldering. This awakened my long hidden desire to do mountaineering in the Alps, so I decided to do some rock climbing so I knew all the ropework and that sort of thing. I got addicted to climbing after doing a course at the wall, so after a few weeks of going down the wall went out down the Yat with someone I met through UKC. Then joined the local climbing club.

In reply to tlm:

arrow route, sron na ciche, skye. perhaps a little run out for a couple of complete novices, but a totally unforgettable experience, indelibly marked in the memory.

In reply to tlm:

First real climb was Maud's Garden at The Roaches about 3 years ago. That was in the morning and I led Prow Cracks later in the afternoon.

In reply to tlm:
It was a corner line on the south side of Moel y Gest (by Porthmadog), probably in 1961 when I was 7. My Dad led it on his hemp rope (no runners of course) and I was so scared I wet myself which my Mum thought was hilarious.
After some years of a couple of climbs each year on our holidays I started climbing more often in 1968 (at 14). The first climb of this new phase was Oak Tree Wall at Pontesbury, the first lead of one Jim Fotheringham who lived in the village at the time.

In reply to tlm: North Climb, Froggatt, February 1978. It was blowing a gale and raining, and we climbed in walking boots (which is probably ideal for that route!).

It gets Severe these days - if it had been Severe then, we would have tried something different as neither of us had climbed before and Severe was regarded as quite beyond a beginner.
But I had no problem leading it; we'd both read a book on how to climb, so we were safe. I have to admit that we'd also done some climbing on the indoor wall in Huddersfield before then - perhaps we were one of the first climbing-wall trained teams!

A ranger came along and watched for a while, smiling to himself, and remarked that we were probably the only climbers on the Edges that day. That may have put us off, as we adjourned to the pub after the one route.

In reply to tlm:

I love the difference between old 'first climbs', struggling up VDiffs or severes having never climbed anything other than trees or boulders, when compared to newer 'first climbs' when people already have climbing wall experience.....

In reply to tlm:

Ardus, Shepherd's Crag, Borrowdale 1997. Climbed with my mates from Derwentw*ter YHA. I was scared shitless and unfortunately haven't been back to Shepherd's since.

In reply to tlm:
I was dragged up Little Chimney (Easy/Mod) at the Roaches, body-belayed by my dad, with a queue of other little Cubs waiting behind me. I think it was probably 1985 or 1986. We went abseiling later, using my dad's new Sticht plate, and I have to admit (very quietly) that I enjoyed the abseiling more.

In reply to tlm: My first climb (not a scramble) was Crescent Climb on Pavey Ark. I led it in walking boots.

These days I doubt many people lead their first climb, but I just threw myself in at the deep end and nothing terrible happened. Probably shouldn't have done it on a mountain route but nevermind. Seconding seems so strange to me, I don't like it.

In reply to tlm: First time on real rock was seconding low man the easy way at almscliff about 6 years ago.
First lead was some vdiff at stanage were I swear I put a bit of gear every 2 foot.

In reply to tlm: Outward Bound Eskdale 1960 with Ben Lyon of lyon Equipment fame !!practice rocks above the house ,and then he took me on my own up a couple of routes on Dow.got to the top and told me to walk back to Eskdale ...

the first thing I ever climbed was a tree stump aged 2....
but as for real climbing, I was on a summer course thing when I was about 7 or 8, where you got to go canoeing caving etc, one day we went climbing at fairy steps, and I enjoyed it, but never really go in to it, until a few months ago...

In reply to Evilllamas:

Like a lot of people, I've been scrambling around in mountains as long as I can remember.

First roped climb I did was with Sam Gomersall and his brother in North Wales. They'd done a route on Tremadoc (Christmas Curry, I think), and afterwards took me somewhere a short car-ride away, where we did a couple of single pitch diffs and vdiffs.

Then I joined the Gritstone Club, and the next climbs I did were at Rocky Valley: Three Slabs and Flake Climb.

Can't remember the first lead I did.

Y.

In reply to tlm:

Giant's Staircase, Burbage Southern Quarry - 1967

We had borrowed my brother's rope, but he never told us about protection. Or belaying.
Or that it was more difficult to climb in the pouring rain.

We also did Shattered Cracks and April Chimney that day.

I think I will go out at the weekend and do them again.

In reply to tlm: It was Isolated Buttress climb at High Rocks, which also provided my first abseil (classic!) as it was the only way off! Circa 1967. The last time I paid to climb, well outdoors that is.

In reply to tlm:
The first graded climb I did will have been something that's also a hard scramble, but I've no idea which one as when I did it we were scramblers and had no climbing books

The first named climb I did on a rope was something at The Hoff, no idea what, I led on pre-placed gear. The first that I remember was the next day, Glenwillie Grooves (HS) at Armathwaite. I think we did it in two pitches.

In reply to tlm:

Yep still remember it - FM on Lamagan slabs Mounres mountains, one of the longest multi pitch routes. It was very airy for a VD

In reply to tlm:

'Low Man Easy Way' at Almscliff on a school outdoor activity week in 1971. I was smitten from that moment, back the next week with no gear, soloing everything I could (which didn't amount to much).
A few weeks later having joined the LMC and bought someones old gear that was for sale, including a couple of old ropes, my mate made a figure of eight harness out of a plastic belt and attempted to abseil down demon wall...not a particularly good idea.

Pete

In reply to tlm: Brown slabs Solo 1952 trees still there in them days.
I was supposed to be collecting wood as a scout seen these guys climbing and soloed up behind,still climb.

In reply to tlm: First climb out doors (on top rope), was Zig Zag up at Haytor, first lead was.... Zig Zag up at Haytor. Felt like I had come full circle since I started, if you get what I mean.

In reply to tlm: As a teenager, there was a spot in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere( in South Africa) where folk used to go to hang out and party, this massive plateu with a vertical drop down to pine forests below, the whole top is covered in the most bizarre eroded boulder field, sandstone I think. We were camping out for the weekend indulging in some shamanistic herbage and fungi and I spent the best part of 10 hours bouldering under the full moon, magical(though my hands were in an awful state the next day). The odd thing is that I didn't know squat about climbing, or that anyone went bouldering, or what it even was, it just seemed natural to climb the rock. Take me back to 1995.......

In reply to tlm: Can't really remember. It might have been at Llangattock, nr Crickhowell, in about 1968 - in which case it's a miracle that I ever climbed again, because it was definitely snowing and I was wearing hobnailed army boots. I think we also did a monster cave there on the same trip. Or it could have been on Harris about that year, but in the summer, which I have fonder memories of.

But I think it was Llangattock. And it's still a cr*p crag.

In reply to tlm:

Hope or Charity, in Dec. 1972, aged 17, with Birmingham Outward Bound. One of the instructors was someone famous from Rock and Ice, Ray Greenall? Anyone know if that is likely?

First lead was something at Upper Tier, Roaches, that I got pointed at much later ... 1979?

In reply to tlm:

Christmas Curry, Autumn 1983.

I soloed it three years later.

Have done the route (roped) many times since.

The chap who lead me up it first time went onto to become one of my best friends, but he was sadly killed in the Alps in 1992 along with another good friend.

In reply to Wiley Coyote: Cooper's Slab for me too circa 1968. Followed a few other v.diffs and finished with Flake Climb. Seems a lifetime away now, which of course it is.

In reply to tlm: I'm waiting for Sutty to post on this thread!

In reply to tlm:

1965, Owl Crack, Danby Crag, North Yorkshire Moors Nat Park.

In reply to tlm: Unofficially mountain scrambles, youth group top roping etc, not amazingly memorable.

First logged outdoor route was seconding the West Face of the Innacessible Pinnacle, The Cuillin, Skye on a gorgeous, hot, sunny, midge free, summers day, absolutly awesome.

In reply to pog100:

Ray Greenall was an instructor aound then, looked like another version of Sid James, well worn face and perpetual smile. One of the nicest people around to be with.


My first climbs were scrambles on upper western buttress on Kinder, followed by soloing something on south side of the downfall, maybe Twopenny tube before it fell down.

First roped route was Starvation chimney on Wimberry, followed by Berties bugbear, November day with local YHA group and wearing nailed boots.

First lead was probably Left twin chimney on Laddow,or oneof the triplets, mods of course. Again everything in nailed boots, rubbers were saved for severes and over at the time.
This lot would be winter 1955, maybe 54 even running into 55.

In reply to tlm:

First top roped climb.

Irby Quarry, Wirral - 1993 (Age 7)
... I remember finding it easy and the instructor getting me to walk my feet up and hang upside down in my harness. Don't think i'd be getting 7 yr olds in sit harnesses to do that these days!

First 'proper climb' Seconding a friend up Little Chamonix, Shepherds Crag....August 2005. From then on...I was hooked!

First lead...a VD on Symonds Yat (don't remember it though) swiftly followed by a VD and S (Katie's Dilema) on Long Scar, Wrynose Pass...I remember that one. Epic's and adventures at Wintours Leap, Carneddau, Tryfan, Pembrokeshire, Gower, Llangattock, Lakes, Stannage and Skye followed shortly after and served to fuel the addiction and the sport i've grown to love.

First grade 1 Gully - Gully No.4 Ben Nevis Jan 2008.
First grade 2 Gully - Boomerang Gully (left exit) Stob Coire nan lochan, Glencoe. Feb 2010.
First Scramble - Tryfan - April 2004.

In reply to tlm:

I feel I should add ...

First big hill day Moel Famau, Clywdd, North Wales.
From the bottom car park!
With mum, dad and brother (age 5)
Summer 1989 - I was Aged 3.

I remember struggling near the top and I remember having very tired legs.
I would class this as a climb.

In reply to tlm:

Indian Face solo in a thunderstorm at midnight. Took 20 minutes.

Just kidding. I get scared just looking up the dam* thing.

First climb, Lliwedd I think, probably a Diff., 100-foot runouts with no runners, ah happy days, no fear whatsoever, ah ignorant bliss. Those days can't come again.

In reply to tlm:
Something at the mighty Auchinstarry in my first year of uni. Probably Access Route; although I must have done Spirogyra pretty early on.

The first route I did without a rope above me was Nig Nog, a protectionless VS slab on Wee Binnian in the Mourne Mountains. I was home in NI, I didn't have a partner but I did have rock shoes and a guidebook. That was exciting!

Pete.

In reply to tlm:
Great Slab Chimney, Alderman's. Solo in bendy boots.

Pedestal Route, the Roaches, was my first lead (both pitches), and I remember it to this day!

I was on a uni trip with a more experienced friend from Leeds, the rock was too wet for him to lead anything hard (i.e. a VS), so of course it was the perfect time for me to do my first VDiff lead. This was about the 5th time I climbed.

I went up the left hand flake to start, which is given Severe 4a now, but at the time I was gruffly instructed that to go right would invalidate my VDiff tick! I remember both my feet slipping while laybacking and wondering if my single hex placement would come out if I fell off - I didn't though.

In reply to sutty: Hi Sutty. I bumped into Ray Greenall last year at the London University Hut in Ogwen or I should say that he left me a note as we were out climbing when he called in. Of course I knew his brother Brian very well through Ghyll Head.

In reply to tlm: Pain pillar at the hawcraig done in a pair of Nike pumps...

In reply to Mel Turnbull:

I wonder where you were camping assuming you were. About 1964 our troop camped around the corner in Troutdale. There were 3 troops in residence and we even contrived a cricket pitch. More recently walking through to Black Crag, I am staggered at how little space there seems. Happy days !

In reply to tlm:
Milestone Buttress, ordinary route (Tryfan), cable-laid Viking rope, hemp waistlength, giant steel screwgate 'biner. 2 slings, 2 steel 'biners, a moac (very advanced stuff!). I seem to remember that the descent was more challenging than the route. Easter 1969. Gymshoes. Wet. Cold.

In reply to tlm:
My Dad took me up Wrinkle when I was about 8 or 10 or something. There was a niche to cross (I think) which really scared me. I did the climb a few years ago and could barley imagine where it was

He also took me up Parsly Fern Gully in winter at about the same age - I have a vague image of some walkers standing open mouthed as a spindly child pops over the edge onto the flat bit near the path. I think I can remember the ice axes... and it being a long way down when I looked down.

Ahh, the start of much fun...

Lex

In reply to tlm:

Yes.
One day sometime in 1991 on impulse.
Avon Gorge, over the wall near the rock slide, by the bridge - with trainers, and two slings for a harness. Abseiled ~40ft down (never abseiled before either) then top-roped out, didn't slip or fall, loved it.

Next was seconding Terrier's Tooth, Chair Ladder.

In reply to Katie86:
Good grief - a female clone!
Moel Famau was my first big hill too. Annual primary school outing for the "big kids" (11years old) - although my first hill was Saddle Hill outside Dunedin (NZ) with my dad when I was 7.
We used to climb in Irby Quarry during cross country - as it was only 1 mile from school and the run was 7 miles, it gave us time to suss out lines....
lunch times were spent getting some finger strength on the various sandstone brick walls on top of Calday hill.

In reply to tlm: First ever climb was probably Queens Parlour Chimney at Black Rocks with my dad but living in Matlock Bath we were always scrambling about on Wildcat from a very young age. I can remember soloing something on there when I was about 11 or 12.My first roped lead would have been Birch Tree wall at Black Rocks at about 12 to 13 years old.

In reply to tlm:

Wood it was! Shed garden variety.

Having reached the top I jumped landing on my head and cutting open my right eye, I was only around 8 or 9 years old and new no beter !

In reply to tlm:

I'm pretty sure it was this one http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=19924 shortly after the first ascent.

In reply to tlm:

http://www.dpmason.demon.co.uk/leicestermeet.html

closely followed by

http://www.dpmason.demon.co.uk/brimhammeet.html

In reply to jon:

In nailed boots, no doubt! Guided ascent?

In reply to pneame:

Plimsols. Guided by my woodwork teacher.

In reply to jon:

Nice.

In reply to tlm:

Puffin at Gogarth, gripped to f*ck all the way up and recently forgave the bloke who led me up it on his deathbed (R.I.P. Bill)

My last climb other than a bit of faffing on boulders was Britomartis at Gogarth ironically.

Climbing up a wet, slimy rock vdiff in some half forgotten lancashire quarry wondering what the bloody hell all the fuss was about!

In reply to tlm: My first route was I soloed up the cliff along Silverdale beach,scared to death, a friend had a uncle and aunt who climbed and they took us to the lakes and we went on gill crag a.k.a dovedale slabs, we did most of the routes there.Next day we did ordinary route c buttress on dow,in front of us was frank davis and ray greenall,it was 1967.

oooh, yes a climbing thread.

I had numerous probably notable at the time climbing experiences on AT camp with the air cadets but the first I know by name after I properly got into climbing was E Gelynen in Moelwyns. It blew me away and scared me silly.

I thought a hanging belay was normal practice for a while.

In reply to tlm:

Something on Birchens top-roped but first lead was West End Buttress Simonside and 4 pitch 40' Diff - we alternated leads! it appears not to have made the dbase on here.

In reply to tlm:

Yep it made quite an impression! Thankfully I wasn't in the Marines though...

In reply to tlm:
When I was in the scouts and ventures we had access to Spylaw cottage on the southern flank of Simonside and used to spend virtually every weekend wandering around the hills. one one occasion, probably sometime in 1976 / 77 three or four of us were wandering around the bottom of simonside crags when one of us decided it would be a jolly wheeze to climb great chimney. so we did. Unroped. In big boots. We soloed several other routes on the crag that day and on many subsequent visits and it probably took another 6 months before any of us considered asking the leaders to buy some proper climbing gear.

In reply to tlm:

Spent most of my childhood holidays and many weekends in the Lakes and will have scrambled about a fair bit, my first roped climb was a Hobson Moor in September 1990 as a 15 year old. I cannot remember the route, I don't remember why but it was a school thing and we were being instructed by GM Police officers.

I did not take up climbing seriously for another couple of years, never looked back although I am more winter and mountaineering orientated these days.

In reply to tlm: First climb was with Aberglaslyn Outdoor Centre in 1981. Was climbing on Tryfan Fach (can't remember the exact route). Was well up the climb when I heard an almighty roar, looked round to see a fighter jet on low level training level with my feet (well so it seemed at the time, was such a long while ago and many beers have passed since then). Has always stuck with me though.

In reply to Gary Carter:


I'm sure a good biological detergent will get it off ;0)

In reply to tlm:

Top rope on Marik (VS) in trainers at King's Meaburn c. 1992

Didn't do it clean...