UKC

We have received a video from Jonathan Doyle featuring a heavy dose of denim. Four Jean Jean Jeanie does what it says on the tin - the classic VS Jean Jeanie at Trowbarrow Quarry climbed whilst wearing four denim items of clothing...

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In reply to UKC News:

What a pity they didn't go the whole hog and do it with old-fashioned, 70s-era, protection (a few MOACs and hexes). Also, not quite sure why they think jeans are so awful to climb in. Obviously nothing like as good as modern climbing trousers, but still just fine apart from a bit of friction at the knees. That was the best that was on offer then.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Like the film!

I have a very vivid memory of bridging up the groove of Javelin Blade in a pair of knees-out 501's and thinking it was the business!

In reply to alan moore:

At one ridiculous stage (circa 1968) we were all wearing jeans that were much too tight, which meant that every move you had to get hold of your jeans between thumb and forefinger, just above the knee, and pull up some slack. Quite tricky when climbing something like Spectre or Kaisergebirge Wall in a heatwave, and without chalk (for some reason we never wore shorts.) Can you remember that?

In reply to UKC News:

This is more like it!

I was kind of getting bored of Alex M does 9a and Alex H does E8 solo

In reply to UKC News:

As a thought/challenge maybe UKC could run a competition along the lines of "best video of an easy route" you get more points for lower grade routes and the video has to make it look exciting

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

But jeans were almost designed for climbing compared to loons a few years later in the 70s even if the colours were more interesting than denim blue.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
>
It was more ridiculous that that: we had flares to hide our foot placements! We now seem to have gone full circle and returned to the modern day equivalent of (the highly practical) woollen breeches.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

You forgot the EBs!

In reply to UKC News:

Nice vid! I really like videos of climbs and crags I could go and do or visit.

Does anyone know if the obvious large crack to the left has been climbed? If so what route is it?

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

It's Aladdinsane (E1 5a)

In reply to UKC News:

Nice to see the route hasn't fallen down yet, I've been expecting the news of Main Wall's collapse for almost 30 years.

JJ was my first VS at the age of 16 (in 1989) in a pair of Hi-tec running shoes with a handful of borrowed/found nuts and a dubious rope borrowed from the school pottery master. The one key piece I'd purchased was a size 9 hex from Harry Robinson's in Lancaster for the top crack. When I returned 10 years ago, gear twice that size wouldn't even touch the sides. I might have to nip up again whilst it's still there.

In reply to Gordon

No sorry Gordon; I was wearing Terry towelling nappies in 1968!

In reply to UKC News:

A lovely fun video. And a tribute to one of Al's enduring classics. I can remember being rained out of the Lakes (yet again!) in the mid-'70s and being 'taken' to Trowborrow. "But it's still raining!" I protested (not without reason?) "Yeah but here the rock's so rough you can climb in the rain." (Really??) They gave me two big hexes and sent me up Aladdin Sane and yes, it was true, the rock was (then) as rough as a bear's bum. (But Aladdin Sane with two pieces of gear, that's OK, isn't it!!??) And then we did Jean Jeanie - an utter delight - though sadly, understandably, polished four decades later. I think Al once said that it was the FA of which he was most proud - probably because it's given so much enjoyment to so many people.

Mick

In reply to UKC News:
This was a big lead for me in 1979 - EBs Hexs & Stoppers. I really wanted to go back and do Touch of Class which featured in a great Rocksport article by a well known climber of the day whose name escapes me - but never got there. Hollow Earth was also on the wish list.
A slightly bizarre story - I used to work as a Management Trainer and we did a programme for Tarmac? Quarry Managers. One of them told me he was responsible for Trowbarrow and when I said I had climbed there he got most upset and said it wouldn't happen if he had anything to do with it!

In reply to Mark Bull:

Cheers Mark, looks a nice line.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Ben Campbell-Kelly and Robin Treglown did the FA. Article by one of them, IIRC

In reply to Greenbanks:
Thanks - I remember now it was Ben who wrote the article I read. I went to a talk by him about climbing in Yosemite with Brian Wyvill about the same time. Great tale - well told. Quick search reminds me it was North America Wall they did.

In reply to UKC News:

Great vid brilliant to see people climbing routes in the lower grades for once! , love it!

In reply to leewil86:

Although these routes (Main Wall) are seen now as 'low grade' they have always had an air of lonely seriousness about them. I have done most of these routes and they always evoke positive sentiments as well as a bit of unease, given the predictions of the Wall's demise (and the evidence of it actually happening just next to Warspite). Great venue though, and one which has saved many an abortive Lakes weekend.

In reply to Postmanpat:


Yeah, thanks, Nick for reminding me of that further absurdity. We actually slit our jeans and put wedges in so that the bottoms flapped around and hid the holds, just as you say. Just before that, John and I were using standard old-fashioned Black's needlecord climbing breeches, which were actually brilliant to climb in.

In reply to FrogHero:


We recently visited during a showery spell and I was keen after reading the guidebook to get on Major Tom. I got to the base of the route and stared at it for quite some time, trying to balance in my mind two seemingly obvious but opposing facts:
1) The whole wall is several thousand tons of Jenga magically levitating despite the two inch cracks all the way around all the blocks in every dimension. I couldn't understand what was holding them up, everywhere I looked for some supporting structure there seemed to be a hollow void bar a few sandy flakes at the bottom.
2) The routes are covered in chalk where everyone has climbed up and pulled hard on said hollow crappy flakes (that look to be the keystones stopping a whole cliff collapsing on your head) and yet the cliff hasn't actually fallen down despite forty or so years of such seemingly suicidal recklessness.

In the end I couldn't bring myself to get on the route, which is a shame because assuming the top bit didn't actually bury you while you pulled on the bottom bit it did look quite good, but it did bring about an interesting reflection on perceived risk and group-think.

In reply to UKC News:

Love it.

Brilliantly understated vid.

And, of course, a classic soundtrack.

In reply to FrogHero:

I believe the thinking is that the crack has widened due to stuff falling out of it rather than one side slipping away to the side. Not sure I totally believe that because the right edge of the wall has moved to the left over the years.

In reply to UKC News: Nice simple video - good to see climbing on stuff that mere mortals can do.

In reply to Justin T:

Hopefully, it will stand up long enough not to make the new guide redundant. I was proof reading the pages just the other day so it should be out very soon. Get on it - it will last a while yet!

In reply to FrogHero:
Very similar story here, though a couple of years ahead. I upgraded from the Hi-Tecs (Silver Shadows?) - Harry Robinson sold me his finest Asolo Canyons which I wore out and then switched feet and wore out again. Bandy Barrett the pottery teacher eh?

Jean Jeanie's a great route, a real treat to be sauntering up on those gazillion year old fossils. Is Al still around on here? Chapeau.

a new name for an old style, a denim point?
Extra kudos for double denim, and beyond?

In reply to steveriley:

Bandy Barrett the pottery teacher eh?

Indeed, a fine teacher in the true and whole sense. I can't imagine kids being handed a rope today and told to hitch up to a crag and 'have a go'. Did a great sailing trip with him round the Western Isles too.

In reply to UKC News:

I did Jean jeanie once in Dunlop green flashes, farahs and a Fred Perry. It wasn't raining though, I not mad.

In reply to FrogHero: Bandy B used to offer climbing as a games option, so neil f and i used to go new routing in warton main in about 1980. Can't imagine being allowed to go trundling huge loose blocks of tottering death nowadays!

In reply to UKC News:

What a great memory trip, Jean Jeanie has to be among the top five routes I ever contributed, And I'm still glad I called it Jean Jeanie rather than Jean Genie, Jean deserved it for the inspiration and patience she had for me in those days.