UKC

Malcolm Smith has made the first ascent of Blood Diamond (F8c+) on the Anvil, Argyll.

The route links the two existing routes of Blood Fire and Body Blow to make one of the hardest climbs on this already action packed cliff.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=55535

In reply to UKC News: Is that the hardest rock climb in Scotland then? Good effort

In reply to UKC News:
Along with the Anvil. Possibly Rhapsody too?
James

In reply to GDes:

There was already a Dave Mac 8c+ on the same piece of rock, but yes its the top sport grade up here.

To James: Rhapsody is not a sport climb <sigh>

In reply to 220bpm:


No, but it might be 8c+. Maybe that's what James meant.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:
That's exactly what I meant. It may be on "trad" gear but it's hard and safeish which I feel makes it comparable.
James

In reply to 220bpm: It may not be a sport climbing, but that doesn't mean it can't be 8c+

In reply to UKC News: Pure speculation of course, but given Malc's bouldering credentials, I wander how this compares in difficulty to other scottish 8c+ (i.e. rhapsody, and echo wall?)

In reply to GDes:

Well, both repeaters have said Rhapsody feels like 8c so I think we can surmise that Malcs route, in terms of pure difficulty is harder. Equally Echo Wall is (according to Dave Mac) 8c/8c+, but with potential death...

Malcs link up was speculated to be more like 9a so I think its probably nearer top end 8c+.

I'd be more interested to see how it stacks up compared to Dave's 8c+ sport routes in Scotland - Metalcore and Ring of Steall.

In reply to GDes:

True, but the thread topic is talking about sport climbing not trad.

In reply to chris_j_s:


For whatever it's worth, I'm sure Dave said he expected Ring of Steall to be 9a, until he found a new sequence.

In reply to 220bpm:


But there can certainly be some crossover in terms of pure physical difficulty. Remember that Requiem was arguably as hard as any sport route in the country when it was put up.

In reply to UKC News: Amazing! was it '91 that he did Hubble? To still be climbing at the same level almost 20 years later is very impressive. Go Malcolm!

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

Except it wasn't as it isn't 8a+ in a million years I'm afraid! Great route though - a truly iconic line for Dumbarton.

Good effort Malc - hope the project comes to fruition.

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training: Except it wasn't as it isn't 8a+ in a million years I'm afraid! Great route though - a truly iconic line for Dumbarton


Really? - the Sheffield team that went up with Steve Mac and had a play didnt dispute 8a+ IIRC. Have you done it ?

Anyway what do you know about sport grades

In reply to chris_j_s:

Dave has said on his blog that he considers Ring of Steall and A Muerte (sp?) to be the hardest sport routes he's done, and that these two are QUITE similar in terms of difficulty.

In reply to shark: Well, not disputing 8a+ is never the same as confirming that it's 8a+! Just because a route is intimidating, and feels 8a+ when you're up there boning the hell out of mini-jugs doesn't mean it is the grade!

Anyway I thought it couldn't be as Pete and I were close to doing it ground up in about 2 deg C in December with the entire crack section being soaking wet. We might like a cracks, but we're not much good!

Alan Cassidy also said he thought it would be 7c+, which is what my take on it is.

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:

They would dispute anything that was a soft touch by Peak standards but I take your point. Mind you word has it Dan had to be instructed on how to handjam. Reported dialogue: "Squeeze hard", "It hurts", "Thats right".

Wil Ackers is trying it ground up at the moment. Seems like its the place to be at the moment.

In reply to shark: Ah cool stuff. I'm sure Will will get it done - he does boulder about 7 grades higher than me! Must get back up there later in the summer, to get the business finished.

In reply to UKC News:

Please can you wait till I've done it before you return

In reply to UKC News:

Doing lots of bouldering doesn't seem to be helping me much.......

In reply to UKC News:
well done Malcolm!

In reply to mark mcgowan01:
Awesome Malc!