2009

·         Definitely a red-pointing year as the Yorkshire limestone stayed fairly dry so was keen to dispatch my old projects.  Ticked Space Invaders (7c+), Zoolook (8a) and Climb of the Century (8b) at Malham, Dead Calm (8a) and Bullet (8a+) at Kilnsey and the hybrid route Cement Garden (E6 6c/7c) in Gordale

·         Across in Spain also mainly red-pointed ticking 2 8a's, a 50m 8a+ (ATP) and Golpe de Gas (8b) at Bruixes.  Also on-sighted couple of F7c's

·         Quiet trad year but did flash handful of E5's, Precious Days E5/6 6a and Geomancer E6 6b out on the Barra Isles

·         Also quiet on the bouldering front due to some poor weather although did enjoy an excellent day at Brimham where I flashed a handful of V5 and V6's and ticked Pinkie V7

2008

·         A couple of very successful trips to Spain with flashes of several F7c's and an on-sight of my first F7c+ (Alt Urgell, at Tres Ponts).  Also made quick red-points of 5 8a's.

·         Enjoy a good bouldering spell at Kyloe In, ticking classics such as Jocks SS (Font 7A+), Hitchhiker's (Font 7A+) and The Nadser (Font 7B+)

·         Another dismally wet summer so abandon all thoughts of the Yorkshire limestone and enjoy a bit of trad – highlights being The Bonxsie and Perfectly Normal Paranoia, Barra Isles both E6 6b, Trilogy, Raven Crag E5 6a and several excellent E5's on Lundy

·         August was a bad month as Steve badly dislocates his shoulder  and I damage a finger pulley, leading to a few months of pottering about

2007

·         Great start to the year ticking Cubby's Lip Font 7b+ at Kyloe In.  Also get the reachy Pair in a Cubicle at Brimham 2^nd go (V6).

·         Couple of great trips to Spain, on-sighting a handful of F7c's and red-pointing two F8a+'s (1^st and 3^rd red-pt)

·         Bit of a wet summer in the UK, Yorkshire limestone seeping almost continuously so amuse myself with a few trad trips on-sighting plenty of E5's throughout the UK (such as Scotland, Ireland, Pembroke, Lundy and the SW)

·         Frustrating trip to the awesome Red River Gorge, Kentucky as record temperatures and high humidity make the climbing hard work!

2006

·         Despite injuring left shoulder twice still manage a pretty good year

·         Regularly on-sighting F7b+, but also flash a few F7c's including several in Kalymnos and Lost Safari in Oudtshoorn, South Africa

·         Red-point the Cold Steal extension to get the first ascent of Stolen F8b, Kilnsey

·         Good trad spell in June with on-sights of several E5's plus the first ascent with Steve of K 'n' S Special E6 6a, Mingulay and a flash of the bold Burning Daylight E6 6a, Gordale

·         Bouldering moves up a notch with quick ascents of some V6's and V7's, such as Transformer Direct and The Mantleshelf, at Bowden and The Anchor at Brimham.  Also manage to flash Dog Eat Dog (V6) at Bowden

First Ascent of Stolen F8a+/8b, Kilnsey                     Photo: Steve Crowe

2001-2005

·          Start to get a few more E6’s under my belt including The Cad, Gogarth E6 6a and The Long Run E6 6b both on the same day; The Great White, Blue Scar E6 6b; Bucket City E6 6b and Pail Face E6 6b, both at Dove Crag

·          Narrowly miss flashing the 2^nd ascent of Vlad the Impailer, Dove Crag E7 6b due to dirty holds. Return the following weekend to grab the 4^th ascent without incident

·          Headpoint several E7’s including Stairway to Heaven, Blue Scar E7 6c and On The Rocks, Northumberland E7 6c

·          Red-point several routes of F8a and above in Yorkshire, including The Groove, Malham F8a+; Huecool, Gordale F8b and the long awaited 2^nd female ascent of Raindogs, Malham F8a

·          Flash F7c

Redpointing Raindogs                                   Photo: Steve Crowe

1996-2000

·          Progress to regularly leading E5, including Right Wall, N.Wales E5 6a; The Cumbrian, Esk Buttress E5 6a; Deja Vu, Kilnsey E5 6b; Endless Flight, Northumberland E5 6a and The Risk Business, Tunnel Wall E5 6a.

·          Lead my first E6 – Bite It and Believe It, Gordale E6 6b

·          A few years later lead my first E7- Death Wish, Blue Scar E7 6b

·          On-sight several F7b+’s both in Britain and abroad

·          Make quick red-point ascents of several of Yorkshire’s classic F7c’s and F7c+’s

·          Red-point Supercool, Gordale F8a+

On sighting Death Wish                                  Photo: Steve Crowe

1990-1995

·          Start climbing and leading regularly

·          Progress through the grades until leading E4’s, with ascents of routes such as Resurrection, N.Wales E4 6a; The Tube, Northumberland E4 5c and Edge of Eriador, Scafell E4 5c.

·          Red-point Obsession, Malham F7b+ (1^st red-point); New Dawn, Malham F7c and Man with a Gun, Kilnsey F7c+

·          On-sight my first few F7b’s