UKC

The launch of Hard Rock's 4th Edition has been hard to miss on UKC, but it would appear from the response that this isn't without good reason - it is a book with both a dedicated and passionate following. Last week we published Hard Rock - Shared Stories, which enables users to contribute their own experiences of climbing routes within the book (and so far the response has been outstanding). However, we wanted to hear a little more from the man behind the most recent edition - Ian Parnell...

Good stuff!

I know it's not the thing to take from this article...but.....I like the sound of a 'Hard Bloc' book, if anyone could get that done!

I wonder if it might lead to too much wear on a few lines.

Maybe. There's already too much wear on a few lines around here though (I'm 'part of the problem', obviously)

Interesting question, and one that I've thought about several times before, but Michael's answer is ultimately the reason I've refrained from actioning it.

Funnily enough the actual idea I had was to run a series similar to the 'Five Best' one we did for each of the Trad grades, only with Font grades; however, I do think there'd be sustainability issues as a result of this - particularly on softer rock such as sandstone or gritstone. Whilst with trad climbs people tend to give them a single go, bottom to top, with boulder problems people tend to have multiple attempts - hence they receive much higher wear.

It'd be devastating knowing that an article I'd written about an amazing set of problems resulted in the destruction or demise of those problems.

That said, I still wonder about one for sport climbing...

Well, as you will know, that happens to all popular climbs, slowly but surely the holds change with use and features sometimes disappear totally. Sandstone incredibly so - in Wadi Rum, the most popular scrambles (if I can call them that) that had only been climbed by Bedouin on hunting trips were pristine back in the mid-eighties, now what were holds on routes like the way to the Burdah Rock Bridge have become deeply worn grooves. With the surface patina gone, it can only get worse. to a lesser extent, it happens on grit, Wimberry Boulders being an example. Such is life, as climbing gets ever more popular, especially bouldering, we will inevitably damage the rock. 

In lock down Hard Rock has been an early evening saviour - coffee table strewn with past copies, plus guide books from around the UK - planning a possible "UK week tour" after all this.

Photographs are fantastic, clearly drones will continue to have. huge impact on ariel posibilities previously never dreamt of.

I have two criticisms but will share just one here. I know it was discussed at meetings, but the lack of circles denoting stance positions was a poor decision I believe. They really do not impede on an image but, very simply, are a subtle addition.