June 08

Taghia, Morocco
Wow!!! Is all I can say. I have just got back from two weeks Climbing in the Taghia valley in Morocco. Taghia is a small village of about 200 people situated in the high atlas mountains. Surrounding the village is a mass of limestone ranging from 150 to 800 meters, with the majority of the routes well bolted the area has been popular with the French and Spanish. I was there with a strong team of Brits to repeat some of the classic routes and generally sus the place out for futher trips. After a 3 hour flight to Marakesh we stayed the night in a swarve hotel ready for an early start the day after. We got up early and piled on to an already cramped bus and headed off into the mountains. The first bus journey was about 4 hours on decent roads, and then the second bus journey took us straight to the end of the road to a small village called Zaouir. We stayed the night there and enjoyed some amazing food and mint tea. The weather the next day was rubbish...no-one told us it was going to be cold and wet in Morocco at the end of May!!! The weather finally cleared enough and we started our 3 hour walk into Taghia (1900 meters) with donkeys carrying our rucksacs. It was a fairly chilled walk up the valley passing all kinds of massive untouched limestone cliffs, until we reached Tahgia where the cliffs were even bigger.
For a warmup Harry 9 toes, Andy Cave and I climbed a 6 pitch 6c+ called Class Montange Epinal. The route was fairy good with some interesting slab climbing and good rock. We abseiled back down with loads of time before an evening dinner of soup followed by veg tagine.
The next day Andy and I climbed the classic Zebda 7B+, 8 pitches of amazing climbing on perfect rock. After debating whether or not to walk off we decided to ab off instead.
The rest days consisted of listening to techno, eating rice and tomatoes, reading books, and playing cards, basically trying to do as little as possible. Everybody else got off to great starts despatching some of the classic's and jumping on some of the really long routes.
Andy and I then had an early 6am start to try a route called Riviers Pourpes 7b+. We climbed the 1st 10 pitches on sight and then abseiled off due to bad weather coming in.
After another rest day we had a late start and walked in to try a route called Tout pour le Club, an 8 pitch classic 7C. The plan was to have a go at the first 3 pitches and see what happens. I onsighted the 1st pitch, 7b+,Andy despatched an easy pitch of 6c and then I led the 3rd pitch, 7C, and it was game on. After some more hard 7b and 6c pitches, we were below the final pitch which was a 7c crack pitch. Andy was super keen on having a crack at it and as he pulled through the first roof he was home and dry. We abseiled down with the light fading rapidly. We just about had enough time to pack our kit away when it went dark. We stubbled around looking for the path using the light on our cameras until Harry and Nic came to the rescue with head torches. Heros!!!
The weather then turned more unpredictable, and to be honest, I was glad of a few days rest. Climbing totally onsight without chalk over 8+ pitches is mentally and physically taxing.
The Climbing in Taghia is very interesting with lots of diffrent styles on excellent quality rock. The majority of the pitches consisted of thin technical climbing on small to very small holds and just off vertical. All of the routes we did were well bolted with great belays. Im already looking forward to going back sometime......

Apr 08

Training.. I have been making the most of the good weather by getting out as much as I can, training for my forthcoming trip to Morocco in may. There is team of eight of us heading to the Taghia gorge in the high Atlas Mountains. The climbing consists of multi pitch sport climbing with routes from 200 to 800 meters of quality limestone.

My training program has consisted of various trips to Raven Tor and a trip up to Malham, I have been getting fitter and feel like I can recover and still climb while I am pumped.

Last weekend Harry and I went up to Northumberland to DJ at the BMC AGM. The event was being held at the Blue Bell pub in Belford. The BMC have not had any music at these events for the last 5 years and Harry and I were called in to get the place rocking. After Grimer played a nice warm up set and then Harry and I went back to back for two hours. At one point we had at least 15 people dancing for about 1 hour until we cleared the room. After spinning a few more we headed down to the bar for night cap and the night was deemed a success.

On Sunday we headed to Kyloe in the woods, as Harry had never climbed hear before he was in for a real treat. We climbed all the classics and I managed the Yorkshire man again and Harry finally despatched Hitch Hikers after trying a duff sequence.

I have also had an article published on UKC about being a Climbing wall owner, check out the link below for more details..

http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=904

Back at the Climbing Works Percy and I have been practicing our party tricks, the photo below see's Percy ripping a large yellow pages in half. It has been his long term project and today was the day it went down, it good to see him working hard on a friday afternoon.

March 08

Three 8a's in a week... Well its been a crazy week and a bit.. It all started off last monday on St. Patricks day, Brian and I went into Sheffield town centre at 4pm and started drinking in the Guiness tent. The 1st round of pints went down a treat and then after reaching double figures we started dancing and then I vaguely remember getting home!

Tuesday was spent route setting all day with Harry 9 toes, we set a new purple circuit at the Works, graded font 6a+ to 7a+.
Then on Wednesday I headed to Burbage to check out some problem's I hadn't done. I flashed 'Boyager' and the went over to 'The Terrace' area as Harry wanted to despatch it. As Harry was working it I decided to go for the 8a link, this problem climbs The Terrace and then reachers right before the top into the crack, climb down the crack avoiding the ledge at the back, round the low corner to finish up the 7a+ roof. Great problem that leaves you very pumped!!
As i was on a bit of a roll on Saturday, Lucinda and I went to Gardoms for me to try Full Power. This was my second day on this problem and after lots of snow showers and battling I found myself latching the top of 'soft on the gee'. I felt like I was going to fall off but Lu was shouting at me not to let go!!

I had a welcomed rest on Sunday and then went to the Roaches on Monday to try 'Columns' another 7c+/8a on the Tetris boulder. After warming up slowly and dodging the snow showers again I unlocked an awesome sequence and found myself mantling the top to glory!! It felt hard but not quite as hard as full power, however I suppose the conditions were really good...

Feb 08

Awesome weather... After two weeks of amazing weather I am in need of some of a rest. My friends Si and scoots have been over from OZ and brought the good weather with them, we have been climbing nearly every day. We have all all over the peak and yorkshire to make the most of the conditions.
We had one of the best days ever at Earl despatching the classics and I put to bed a 5 year nemisis, the Ramp. I had fallen of the last move on my 3rd go and then spent 5 years falling of the 1st moves. I wanrmed up on Andy browns wall and some other classics, psyched up and despatched it 1st go...get in!
I have also been out in the peak getting in lots of milage at the local crags, it was great to hear about a new problem nr Grindleford train station. I went up to have a look and was pleasantly suprised to see a quality looking prow with fridge hugging moves all the way up. I despatched it in a few go's and confirmed it s quality with friends.
Last week Percy and I re-set the Berghaus Comp wall for the Last round of the Berghaus bouldering league, tI think there is now a fine set of hard problems to try over the next few weeks. I have also got to start traing on the circuits board ready for a planned big wallling trip to Morrocco in may.
This weekend see's another big party at the Workstation in Sheffield, its a joint party between Climbing Works and SHAFF film festival. The party is on Sat night from 9pm - 3am with Climbing Works DJ's..

Andy Brown's wall.. The Ramp..

Jan 08

Happy New Year.. Well its been a crazy few weeks since I got back from Spain, the Works has been very busy and I have had loads of jobs to finish off.
Spain was awesome! Lucinda, Gus, Sara and I fully chillled out with lots of good eating and resting.. We had a few days sport climbing nr Murcia at a crag called Mula, this is a very nice local spanish crag with lots of good steep routes. We then travelled to Valencia for New Years Eve. It seemed as though everthing was shut in the city until we found a nice pizza restaurant with a que of 10 people behind us also trying to get some food. We walked the steets until we came across a large plaza with fire eaters etc.. surely this was where the party was! At midnight there was fire works and fire crackers and lots of jumping around but no big party! We headed back to the hostel to find the staff having there own party, after lots of sangria and beer we all headed to bed at some point in the morning.
The next day Gus and I shared the drive to Albarracin for 4 days of bouldering before we headed home. The weather was ok and we climbed 3 out of 4 days.
Last week was full on we repainted the comp wall the Berghaus Competition Wall and re-set ready for Friday nights comp. The weather has been rubbish so im just psyced to get stronger and the get out when it comes good again.. cheers Sam

Dec 07

Party time.... After a couple of weeks of xmas party's and staff do's im surprised i can still get off the ground but i feel like im climbing pretty well. I was very close to despatching ben's Extension at the plantation on friday and i felt like the conditions could have been better. Lets hope the weather stays good before i go away for the new year. Lu and I and two of our friends Gus and Sara are going to spain for the new year. We have got 3 days in Costa Blanca and then 6 days back at Albarracin... It was so good last time we just had to go back...
Marry Xmas and Happy new year to everone...
Xmas Party at Clubb Shhh.....

Oct 07

Albaracin... I have not bloged over the last two weeks as Lucinda and I have been on holiday in Spain. We spent a few days winding down and chilling out in the Murcia region. We then drove for about five hours north to Albaracin in Aragon. The bouldering in Albaracin is awesome, consisting of lots of different styles of climbing on good quality sandstone. We had excellent accomodation about 30 mins drive from the boulders including 3-4 course meals and Wine for only 12 Euros each. I climbed 6 out of 8 days because i was so psyched to be away. I flashed some 7b+ and did two 7C+'s. I fell the last move of the classic 8a at the penninsula sector and went back to dispatch on the last day and the top slopey mantel was soaking went!!! damn I'm all ready psyched to go back ASAP. We had such a good time and it was the first holiday together for ages. Check out my gallery for some more photos...

Conditions getting good... Its good to see that the weather is starting to get good and ive have been getting out. Last week I had a trip up to Ilkley to watch Lucinda despatch Deathwatch. I have allways been inspired to climb the New Statesman so I had a quick go on a rope to suss out the moves. The Climbing is outstanding, burly moves up the overhanging atrete. Had another brief go yesterday and feel confident in my sequence to give it a go the next time I go up... Lets Hope the conditions stay good this week.