UKC

As the title says, what was your "best" climb this year, and why? It could be a boulder problem, sport, trad, a scramble or a hill walk. I'll kick off.

Hopeless Slab (HVS 4c) This had been on my list for years, I'd been thwarted by high tides and high seas on several occasions. While not 3 stars, it's a fine route in a beautiful position at the far left of Bosigran with the waves (which we just managed to dodge) washing over the sea level platform. As an extra bonus I climbed it with my good mate Mike who I'd first climbed with in 1975.

I think my best climb of the year is likely to be the last of the year. Erebus (VII 7)

A big day and a good route in an amazing place. Ticks all the boxes.

I walked the Cowal Way in April with a tent. Only 57 miles but I hadn't backpacked since 2009. I've had long covid and wanted to see if I could do it. 

The Sarclet Pimpernel (E1 5a)

Great route and situation. Never desperate and perhaps really only hvs?

Thanks, that’s going on my to do list!

From one end of the island to the other. Caithness is well worth a visit.

PProphecy of Drowning (E2 5c)

First day on the island. We started on The Priest which was also incredible. And although you have to ab in again the pair felt like 1 big route. The second pitch of Prophecy is the highlight mind. But all of the climbing would be world class anywhere, then you throw in the wild position, above wilder seas on an awe-inspiring feature, you couldn't ask for more! And as with your climb I did mine with my 2 longest term climbing partners. 

The White Wizard (E3 5c) followed by The Nazgul (E3 5c) was a great combination on a warm summer day (it was one of the 40C days in July, which translated to a pleasant t-shirt temperature up on Scafell). I’ve not done much on Scafell or in the Lakes generally, so it always feels special to be up there when the weather is kind. The climbing was a bit gnarly in places and the line not always obvious, particularly as White Wizard wasn’t chalked. Was also nice to move reasonably quickly and get a few pitches done in a day.

Left the sacks up there and came up the following day for the fantastic Phoenix (E2 5c) and a warm down route. This was after a few classic routes across two days at Dow. All in all, one of the best four day trips ever and the arms were pretty wasted by the end!

Lubyanka (E3 5c) and The Skull (E4 6a) in a day followed by The Edge of Time (E4 6a) the following day on another scorching weekend this summer is a close second, even though they were all repeats.

Dry and warm on the mountain crags - a small silver lining to global warming?

I’d love to get up to Scafell in warm dry weather. Botterill's Slab (VS 4c) has been on my hit list since about 1975. Maybe in 2023...

As stated above, those climbs that sit on the watchlist for far too long. We'd turned Croton Oil (HVS 5a) into a scary monster as it's on a tower so you can't just bail off and ab down to get your gear again. Turns out it was quite steady and went without any drama.

For ice it would be Swiss Army (Right Start) (WI-4) which came straight out of a river at the bottom of a gauge. Jumping on a thin ice pillar to get off a river was very exciting. Great season for me, great thread, thanks for posting.

I love solo days on sunny hills and had great days out on Blank, on Arran and Hopkinsons Gully on Scafell.

But, perhaps it's a post-covid thing, but it's was the peaceful family days that moved me most this year. Pootling about on Fathers Day at the Drakestone with Mrs Moore and our boys. I'd been fretting around Golden Hind for years so it was nice to polish that one off and find it easy.

At the other end of the scale I returned with my Dad, just turned 78, to Wreckers Slab. We'd done it 30 years previously so it was a hassle free day, carrying minimal gear in one of the quietly forgotten and most atmospheric corners of the country.

Has to be Peigne Normal Route (AD+ 4c) with my elder daughter. First attempt we were too slow and got lost. Second attempt went smoothly. Classic incident was where I was slightly off route, but relaxed and on reasonable ground (and headed back onto the route) when I got hassled by a Chamonix Guide who opined that I should take my daughter and get off the mountain. About an hour later as we hit the summit ridge we heard him calling to his client from the Carmichael Route on the Pelerins

 "I think I have gone the wrong way. I will have to come down"

Got down to the tent at 4:30 for a 5pm last lift. Packed the tent in 5 and ran all the way to the lift station, to find massive queues. So we had a very pleasant drink before pootling down about 6. A magic day out!

Probably Angel Face (E2 5c). Had been on the list for years, and the 2nd pitch is just amazing questing climbing. There were 3 of us, so some good banter also

Mine would have to be Pressure Drop (E3 5c). Had been wanting to get on it since the Culm Coast guide came out and it didn't dissapoint. I found the moves intense and the location was pretty magic, especially with a mini audience of walkers cheering me on.

There is a bail out just before the final crux getting above an overlap at the top and was proper pleased with myself for ignoring it and committing. 

Aye that was a cracking day Mike. Not sure how much Edd will agree!

Glad you liked that! Adam Long’s photo in the guide is pretty inspiring. 

Papillon (E1 5b); nice to find such a quality pitch.

Shoogly (7a)

Some new route-ing gave a year of poor form some focus. This was the first route I bolted on the a rediscovered old aid crag. It turned out a really nice route (2-star) and satisfyingly close to my limit of my form at the time.

The Sudgrat on  SalbitschijenFirst time back in the Alps for 20ish years that opened my eyes to what can be done in week long trips. 

Best single pitch route this year was Chlorophyll Cluster (E1 5b)

Best sport route was Tarabiscotage Verdonesque (6b+)

Best multi-pitch was Firesword (E1)

Best Alpine route was Super Pilou (TD)

I thought so too. At that point you're just about level with that massive arch, yet you can somehow quest out right and link grooves at about VS! An awesome pitch.

This - Lost Horizon (VS 5a). I've wanted to climb at Baggy for ages and this route didn't let me down - it just keeps going. Magnificent.

another vote for The Sarclet Pimpernel (E1 5a)

had a fantastic 4 days up in Caithness for the jubilee weekend, wall to wall sunshine helped, will definitely be going back, the Pembroke of Scotland and about the same distance from Cumbria.

Not done much trad this year. Really enjoyed Before Sunset (7a+), drove over from Leeds after work and managed a quick RP (I'm used to just falling off whenever I redpoint stuff)  Really good moves and my first of the grade 

Best winter route Monumental Chimney (V 7)

best summer route The Pin (E2 5b)

great routes, great days but mainly with my best pals.

Fear of Faust (E1 5a) on the Devil's Slide on Lundy -

Had to grit my teeth on the walk in, thanks to sciatica playing up, but all the pain disappeared when I was flowing up that lovely bold slab of golden granite under a cloudless September sky. All the better for doing it with an old mate: combined team age of 145. Very slow walk back, focussing on the thought of the Marisco Tavern.

That would be my flash of the red V6 up the hanging arete in the far corner of my local gym. Sad but true. Although if we are including walks, the Blackheath "Grand Canyon" with my 4yo was pretty good.

Sorry. It’s been a good year

Great thread thanks

winter - Point Five Gully (V 5) Been on my list for sooo long

trad - East Face Route (Original Route) (E1 5b). Proper adventure and all that history, even if most of the climbing isn’t actually that good.

sport and bouldering has been poor sadly with nothing to write home about

Sunrise on Mt Tiede on Tenerife was nice though definitely doesn’t count in the alpine department sadly

It's been a strange year climbing wise for me, but a good one. Only 11 routes done due to nearly 6 months off for a hip replacement. But all eleven were classic sea cliff routes with a committing abseil approach.

Finally got on Blue Sky after years of chickening out of it. Didn't disappoint. First time climbing at Mother Carey's and Mowing Word. First multi-pitch E1 sea cliff -  Blowin in the Wind , which I managed to second cleanly. First time climbing through a blow hole - the cooler at Mowing Word. Threadneedle Street at Mother Carey's was very memorable. Second time climbing at Penninis Head in the Scilly Isles- Excalibur. A great addition to a great holiday. 

Best highlight though was Lighthouse Arete at Castell Helen. First climb with my new hip, first route at Gogarth and one I have wanted to do for years and chickened out of a few times before. 

Although Scafell’s a shady crag if you can do Botterill’s late in a sunny midsummer’s day you can do it with the sun on your back. Heaven!

One of the factors which made that day was that there was a good bit more to it than The Pin and that we nearly sacked the Pin because of the midges!

Finding the Pin and it's approach bone dry was pretty special too!

We did this last summer. Camped up there on Friday evening and did The Centaur and Yellow Slab during the day on Saturday. Then hung around before an evening ascent of Botterill's in the glorious evening sun, just as everyone else was leaving. Camped again and did Central Buttress the next morning before the hordes descended on the crag. By that point my feet were too sore to do anything else so we just walked up to the summit of Scafell and called it a day!

I've wittered on endlessly already about The Prozac Link here - https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/must_do_hvs-e2_on_lewis-747457?... - so I won't bother repeating it, though it is, by far, the best route I've done in the last decade.

My other nomination for route of the year was probably Cioch Nose (VD), on the same two week trip up to NW Scotland. It was a bit of an accident actually, I had really sore feet after a day on Tollie Crag and didn't want to do any technical climbing. Rather than taking a rest day, my partner suggested we did a nice easy route and Cioch Nose was the obvious local candidate. We camped halfway up the Bealach na Ba then drove up to the top in the morning, before walking down the frog filled gullies to the start of the route. We were there pretty early and had the whole crag to ourselves in wall to wall sunshine. The route was amazing - huge positive holds, incredible exposure, beautiful views! The climbing itself is fairly straightforward but I've never soloed something as big as that so it was really absorbing. We carried on up the continuation ridge to the summit and were back at the car just after lunch. It was an absolutely brilliant day out and definitely up there as one of the best routes I've done!

I was also there for the Jubilee weekend. Mid Clyth to ourselves on the Saturday and Sarclet to ourselves on the Sunday. We thought we might avoid the crowds but not to that extent. Seems we also avoided you! Wonderful place and climbing.

New West Climb on Pillar. A perfect VDiff mountain route

Swansong (E4 5c)

Decided I can climb 5c and also decided I hadnt scared myself in a while so it fit the bill perfectly. Got what I was looking for and it was great.

The year saved the best till last for me with my eighth trip to Wadi Rum but first for five years. Did the brilliantThe Haj (TD), The Beauty (TD) and Merlin's Wand (6a+) all for the fourth time, but the highlight was my third amazing west to east traverse of Jebel Rum, this time via Western Safari (The Thamudic Route) (PD) with a fabulous full moon summit bivi.

The rest of the year has, due to injuries and other issues, been relatively low key, but, with modest expectations, I've really enjoyed my climbing, especially visiting places I'd previously overlooked such as Islay and Galloway.

After a year of frustrating injury and associated problems I finally got back out leading again and got up a severe at Stanage earlier this month - Black Hawk Hell Crack (S 4a). Modest, I know, but it feels like I'm getting back on track again. Here's hoping I have a better 2023!

these days almost any climb I manage to do is the ”best” due to not having much time to climb. But I was lucky enough to have had a few friends at Lofoten the same time, so managed to score a climbing partner and go up one of the few remaining lines that even a coach potato like me could get up. Colibrien (n6-) and since my partner Jussi had already climbed, I got to lead everything except the last pitch, where he took a 6’ish variant. Being partly wet made the climbing quite fun.

Have not done much climbing this year and have done more mountain biking. When I have climbed I have generally been injured from mountain biking. It was great to get to Pembroke and I really enjoyed Mythical Monster (E2 5c) in the leap. Just a really enjoyable climb. Big moves on big holds above good gear. All in an amazing setting. 

Lovely pictures. It looks sheer magic.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/barre_de_lescales_verdon-20119/afi...

On reflection,  I think I'll have to nominate "Afin gue nul ne meure" out of some other brilliant routes we were lucky to do in Verdon.  A combination of sustained perfect climbing, spaced but good bolts and probably top of my grade now.

Ah we were at Sarclet on Saturday, again crag to ourselves apart from pleasure boats floating past. Thought Buoy Zone (E2 5b) and Cubby Roo (HVS 5a) were also excellent. The only other climbers we saw were at Latheronwheel.

We were at Latheronwheeel on the Monday. Just a few locals there.

Managed a couple of one-day Big Walls in Zion National Park, Utah, during a brief "Goldilocks" interval between 40C heatwave and major rainstorms. 

Moonlight Buttress (Aid) (C1) had been on my bucket list for 20 years 

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2022/09/10/moonlight-buttress/

and Prodigal Sun (5.8) was a tremendous bonus snatched in advance of the storm

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2022/09/13/prodigal-sun/

I only really boulder these days, so my best climb this year was just a few metres of grit. Reading some of these posts makes me want to put a rope on again though…. 
 

China in Your Hands (f7B+) This took me a few sessions over a couple of years and has been inspiring, beguiling and fulfilling in equal measure. Technical, balancy and fingery, all above a perfect landing. Not a popular, well-worn classic, but it meant a lot to me. 
 

I’ll also take this opportunity to punt my ‘2022 highlights’ video, for those with an interest in gritstone bouldering.  youtube.com/watch?v=9qUbuTFnlec&

Thanks for posting, and that's not "modest" at all. Well done

I have three times slowly and painfully struggled to return to climbing, twice after bad accidents (one climbing, one a car crash as a passenger in which I was badly injured and spent weeks in hospital) and once after being hospitalized for a while with illness. Slow but I got there in the end. All the best going forward

Satan's Slip (E1 5a) (and the devils slide) on a day trip to Lundy. 
Had to jog a bit across the island so I didn’t miss the ferry back.
Great to be climbing with my son who got to stay for a week instead of just a few stolen hours. 

To Wish the Impossible (7a) as it was my first Portland 7a. I had done a 7a in Kalymnos  (Hipponax) many months earlier, and while it was a fun climb and I was proud at the time, it did feel like it came a bit too easy and in my head there was a question mark around it. 

When I managed a 7a on Portland, I felt I had really made it into the 7a's. I've always found it a hard area to climb. Also, a hold exploded on me (not a crucial one, luckily) and I took a big whipper. So I was proud that I got back on it and gave it another few goes until it went. 

Next day, I got my second Portland 7a. 

And then a couple weeks later I wrecked my hamstring, and now I'm back to being a 6c climber for a fair while most likely. 

Honourable mention for 'most proud climbing moment' (not quite the same thing, I suppose) was when I (briefly) made it onto the first page of my bouldering gyms rankings on toplogger. That put me in the top 30. 

This all sounds very grade chaser-y doesn't it? Haha. 

Well luckily To Wish The Impossible was also a genuinely fun climb as well. I'd have done it if it was a lower grade (and I suppose some people think it should be) but a technical flowstone slab, with a bit of corner in the middle, and then a bit of overhang at the top.. Cool climb, with some nice variety. So definitely the most fun climb I've done too. Had it all. 

For me, climbing Kephalonia Kephalonia (E5 6a) in Cheddar.  I'd wanted to do this since moving to Bristol over 30 years ago.  Kephalonia didn't disappoint with three good and tough pitches, each of which is very different in style.  Thoroughly enjoyable and reopened my eyes to doorstep adventures. Thanks to Guy, Helen and Pete for making it happen

Has to be Elegy (E2 5c) at the Roaches for me. Not massively hard, but what a route!! Brilliant moves, scary but safe, and that upper slab - pure perfection

Well if hill walks are also allowed, I finally completed a lifelong objective of walking the Pennine Way, in a oner, camping and carrying my stuff the whole way. 17 days. It was not so much a physical challenge as I was pretty fit, but 17 days of walking and camping, with several days of horrendous weather thrown in and the problems of getting dry made it more of a mental challenge. And I’m very proud of myself for toughing it out. 
It was an amazing experience, full of wild flowers, peewits and curlews, massive skies and superb views and well earned pub meals and beer. 
 

You’ll remember that for a long time. Well done!

Thank you. 

Can I submit 3 please? 1st came during a great week in May with an old mate in Ardgour where we got a perfect day to finally climb Ardverikie Wall (not the most difficult route of the week but a long-held ambition ticked off on a day of wall-to-wall sunshine and not another team in sight).  2nd was the same week when we climbed Ne'er Day Corner in Ardnamurchan - a fabulous route and, if the 2nd pitch was as good as the first, would be a top UK VS climb.  3rd was during the summer heat wave, dodging the full sun on the Culm Coast on a 40+  degrees day with a new partner on  a trio of shady HS routes - Cara the Laviscous Lobster, The Plumed Serpent, and Briny Walk.  Cara in particular was great value/spicy and the whole day was just fab. 

Hoping for more of the same in 2023 - Happy Hogmanay to all.   

Cheers,     

Finally managing Death Jug Mantel (f5+) and Skin Graft (f5+) has made 2022 pretty memorable.

Mine was Tennis Shoe - The Direct Start (E1 5a).  The VS climber's Indian Face?

Direct route on Dinas Mot in the second (less extreme) heatwave was a good one for me. Had melted the previous day on the Cromlech so was a relief to climb in the shade.

Due to covid and moving cities, renovating a house etc. I'd only really got out locally and getting to wales was my first chance in what felt like ages to get on a mountain route and probably the first time in 3 years I'd climbed rhyolite. Doing The Cracks (as my partners first multi-pitch alt-leads) and then leading all of this and then lying in a river was great! The second pitch was just the right amount of scary and the last pitch was just the right amount of hard for me.

I also really enjoyed the 2 classic HVSs at Shining Clough.

My best climbing days of the year involve other people's achievements. The first was collecting a novice and training them up.  I have a few decades of climbing experience, so it seems fair to pass it on.  Young guy, fairly fit but no money or previous experience.  I kitted him out with basic rack, harness, rope etc and taught him the ways of trad. And jamming of course.  Our last day out, he was leading multiple HVSs at Millstone with confidence and ability. My future rope gun!

The next was a trip to Cornwall with my 15 year old daughter. I have been climbing with her all her life, but now she has become my climbing partner.  She loves multi-pitch granite sea cliffs, so West Penwith is the perfect venue.  On perfect weather days, we ran up Lands End Long Climb, swapped leads on Bosigran Ridge, she led pitches around Alison Rib area and finished with Doorpost.  The smile on her face and sheer buzz from Doorpost will live with me forever! Proud dad day.

My climbing remains poo, but there's always next year...

Had a fantastic trip to Llanberis and the pass. Super Direct (E1 5b) was a highlight on a day which also included Cemetery Gates (E1 5b) and Cenotaph Corner (E1 5c) - the middle slab pitch of Super Direct is the most fun I've had this year and I don't think you could ask for a better day of climbing!

A scrambling day was mine: Parsons Nose which I hadn't ever done somehow, Clogwyn y Person Arete followed by an empty Crib Goch on a glorious evening. All ended with giving a lift back to his car to an exhausted 14 peaker attempting an extended solo  loop

Had a great week in Peak/Lakes with my lads, who cracked leading HVS on the trip. Between us amongst other routes we got Tody’s , CMC, Bond St, Lakeland Cragsman, Kransic Crack Direct, Foul Play and Samson done at HVS. Highlight was on last day when I watched the two of them climb Mandrake together without me.

Not so much action for me this year but was chuffed (rather than fluffed) to get the The Spine (f4+) at Robin Hoods Stride. 
Felt like the bouldering version of 3PS, scary if you’ve not done it, easy if you have. Landing rattles the teeth when jumping off working the feet out

Walking up Mynydd Mawr with a bunch of mates and family was pretty special as it  was the last 2000ft peak I had to do in Wales. A lifetime journey to summit all 225 of them, some run, some walked and one biked. Champagne, Malt whisky and Cake on top.

The best hill I went up this year was Eabhal on North Uist - not the highest of the year, but views to die for and remote. Lovely evening run meeting no one.

With you on this one. It's just wonderful when your kids become proper climbing partners... More than one could wish or hope for.

Has to be Superdirect on Dinas Mot during the heatwave. I had put it off on a previous visit thinking it was going to be too scary so definitely felt heart in mouth on the slab pitch. But it all fell into place with just enough holds and gear to make it feel comfortable and it became one of those inexplicably beautiful climbing experiences....Then Nexus the day after was almost as good!

I had an absolutely shocking year for climbing despite starting off well, so there's very little to choose from. I did really enjoy Le Maître de la Danse (5b) in Orpierre - but that may be for the company and for being the only time I got further than one rope length away from the ground all year as much as the climbing itself. Though the climbing on it is great fun too.

I also really enjoyed taking the sleeper to Dalwhinnie and walking to Fort William in the summer, via a few nights in a tent below Ben Alder and doing the Long Leachas (Summer) (Grade-1). Such a lovely and remote-feeling bit of Scotland, and it was wonderful seeing about five people in the entire time. Was going to continue up the Great Glen Way - but I may have had to cut the trp short after losing all forms of payment after a long night of craft beer and live music in Fort William and not having any food to continue...

Whoops

Squareface (VD) would definitely be it for me. I pretty much had to stop climbing for several years due to health and other life complications. I only found myself in circumstances where I could get back to climbing this year. Mountain routes were always where it was at for me, and so I nearly wept with joy at the experience of being back out in a beautiful route, in a beautiful place, with beautiful people. 

We left tomintoul at 3pm, arrived at the crag base at 7pm, topped out sometime later, and had made it to faindourain bothy long after dark. Brilliant day out!

Here's to many more in 2023!

It’s in the spirit of the thread but not playing by the rules: all my favourite things this year we’re exploring new areas. We had 10 days at Gogarth and probably 7 of those on main cliff doing some of the classics so those days come up very high. 
 

I also really enjoyed checking some new places. Thanks to Pete Johnson helping publish the new Moelwynion guide we had a fun year checking out some of those crags. So much good rock, nice scenery and brilliant routes. Doing ‘Big Boys’ was good I’d seen it in the old Meirionnydd guide pretty much from when I first ever started climbing but for obvious reasons it was never actually on the radar. Great to do one of Mels routes!

The other good one was exploring the Ogwen more. Doing Afterbuner was amazing, we had some fun looking around Gribbin Facet Plus a few nice days on Suicide walL in the 32° heatwave but the best was definitely Tim Neil convincing us to head up to Drws Nodded with him. Ghostrider (like big boys) was something I’d seen in My old Ogwen guide (old photo of Tom Leppert way out on the giant square arete) from day one. I used to read guidebooks front to back to pass the time like waiting in the car etc. amazing photo and never dreamt I’d be in the same position. We had a great day up there and I guess welL have to go back for Cobalt Dream! 

Doesn't get much better than that.