Our three video stars are Ian Dunn, Paul Craven and the up and coming youngster Graham 'Streaky' Desroy.
In his recent UKC editorial, Ken Wilson (ever at the cutting edge) stated that his preferred BMC candidate Doug Scott's main concern "has always been to put a brake on the headlong European rush to bolt up everything in the name of progress."
With the terrifying rapidity of the development of these new fangled bolts in to British climbing (which reportedly supersede well-placed chockstones as the most reliable form of running belay), even some of the young and trendy lycra-clad rock-athletes are expressing doubts about the future of our sport. We are currently balanced on a knife-edge, with traditional climbing about to get the chop.
On the following video, even modern sport climber Paul Craven shows his grave fears about what our crags will be like in ten years, saying:
"The people who are climbing [now] do have that traditional knowledge and traditional values. Perhaps in ten years time when people know nothing of that because they've trained in a climbing wall, on a finger board in a cellar and they've climbed on this type of rock [bolted limestone], a fear of mine is that people do at that time forget about the traditional values."
And in an up to date UKC newsflash from on the job reporter Mick Ryan, fresh from climbing a new route named 'Comedy', we bring you breaking news from Kilnsey Crag, Yorkshire:
"The bolts in 'Frankie' are now in.... no they're out... in..out... in.. out... shake it all about."
- Plus next week - Gear News: Direct from the USA, a revolutionary protection device... 'Friends' unveiled, you can see them first on UKClimbing.com. They fit where the thin end of the wedge won't!
Watch the UKC Video Exclusive - Traditional Climbing Is Dead:
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