UKC

A strong group of international climbers recently descended on Pembroke's sea cliffs, returning home with an impressive ticklist of Pembroke's hardest trad lines. Austrian all-rounder Barbara 'Babsi' Zangerl and her Italian partner Jacopo Larcher joined German friends Lara Neumeier and Roland Hemetzberger to climb some of the hard classics, of which Babsi headpointed Chupacabra E8 6c, Do you know where your children are E8 6c, Muy Caliente E9 6c and The Big Issue E9 6c, in addition to flashing Point Blank E8 6c. Babsi and Jacopo's ticklist stands out as one of the most impressive and quick-fire sequences of trad ascents in the UK, especially given their status as visiting climbers.

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In reply to UKC News:

We bumped into them whilst we were down in Pembroke for a friends wedding.

Babsi always comes across as down to earth, constantly smiling. That said, the whole group seemed to be smiling - it was great to see them all having so much fun.

In reply to UKC News:

It was an absolute pleasure seeing these guys tick their way through most of the hardest routes in Pembroke with ease. They were always the first at the crags and last ones to leave - climbing on in what were, at times, terrible conditions or rain (it wasn't always sunny). And the volume that they managed to do each day put us all to shame! Just goes to show once again what a different level the true climbing elite operate on. And also nice to see this world class trad destination getting the attention it deserves.

In reply to UKC News:
Every now and then someone says something that makes you wonder why on earth you bother.

"One time we went to Tremadog and climbed some easy wet routes like The Void or Zukator…" . Time to kick the dog and have another cup of tea.

In reply to nniff:

yeah - I like the idea of an easy, wet Zukator

In reply to Carless:
I still have flashbacks of climbing/squirming/crying my way up that awful, featureless groove...

In reply to UKC News:

Fully committed...
https://www.facebook.com/barbara.zangerl/videos/1607091902666285/?pnref=sto...

In reply to nniff:



Ha, I had a very similar feeling to this after bumping into Jacopo and Barbara at Dumbarton Rock last year.

Me and my mate were trying a sport route on an absolutely baltic day, I was just about to give up due to the cold when Jacopo jumped on Chemin De Fer (E5) just next to me. It's hard to express just how easy he made it look - he even stopped to ask if it was ok to climb in front of me! I was hanging off a bolt trying to get some feeling in my feet at the time and was like "yeah, you go ahead mate".

It's definitely the most impressive bit of climbing I've seen up close. I'd love to say I was inspired but I went home that afternoon feeling a bit down about being such an absolute punter by comparison. I'm ashamed to say I was glad to find out later that he was a globe-trotting uber wad and not just some random guy!

They seemed like a lovely couple, nice to see them still climbing strong.

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:


It can't possibly be any harder in the wet, can it...?

In reply to jon:

wet and winkle pickers ?

In reply to Carless:

... and cow gown.

In reply to UKC News:

Wet zukator probably the most impressive thing in the ticklist but well done on all the pther routes too. Was great to see so many hard routes chalked up

In reply to UKC News:
As others have said it's great to see the best of British climbing getting some attention from the world's best (Dumbarton may not be included in this).

Whenever I have been travelling abroad and people ask what is good in the UK I always point them away from the grit (sorry but it's just not on the same level as N.Wales or Pembroke) and point them to Wales.

Fingers crossed we get more weapons coming over and sampling what is undoubtedly world class climbing!

In reply to Duncan Campbell:

Which arent on the same level as Scotland. Still, no need to go belittling other areas .

In reply to Duncan Campbell:
Spoke to Jacopo a few years back and he was saying he was keen to come to the UK and try some famous grit routes like Gaia...etc Think I shocked him with how quickly I told him to sack it off and get down to Pembroke instead.