Ceuse update 4 - playing to strengths

Al on 7b at Orpierre

Anyone who’s read Dave MacLeod’s book, 9 out of 10 climbers (amazon link), will have seen the sections discussing the different types of climbers. The burly one, the tall, the skinny. I definitely fall into the latter and tick many of the habits that are consistent with such a climber, i.e. I’m light so can (usually) hang on for ages and climb quite slowly. One of the things I’ve been really trying over the years is to work things that I’m just not particularly good at (or perceive I’m not good at). I got really strong on pockets but my crimping was crap so spent a lot of time on routes of a really crimpy nature. And lead to a lot of progression (that’s a polite way of saying that I failed on many of them but I learnt something :).
The same with run-outs. I’d lost a lot of faith in trad gear (comes around when you’ve seen some of it fail, and having seen enough accidents to seriously respect the danger of climbing). So I’d get on routes with big run-outs and no beta and go and work the moves. Femme Noire last year was one of those, 10-15 meter lob potential at the chains but it seriously manned me up and I’ve progressed from that too. I’m not concerned whatsoever by the run-outs this year which is really fascinating! Of course, the first day was a bit of a shocker, but once I’d remembered what they were like, it was game on.

And of course this year it’s no different. I ticked a lot of routes that were my strength to begin with vertical to slightly overhanging on small holds. Confidence building stuff. But now I’m looking for a challenge so have picked Bourinator, which comes out of one of the steepest roofs at Ceuse. It’s burly, thuggy and bouldery. Basically all the stuff I thought I was crap at. This was based on a brief go last year where the first few moves just felt so physical and I wandered off in search of something less overhanging :) So this year, it’s time to man up and get on with it! Of course, sometimes your perception of what’s hard is actually wrong. My first run on it yesterday was purely just to check out the moves, learn what I need to do and it feels way easier than I thought it would be. Not easy, but the moves at the start are not as bad as I expected. We’ll see now how long the battle with it takes now - although I’m wishing the kneebar was still there - it seems that in chipping the guy out of the rest a few weeks ago, it’s now gone so means the route is a little pumpier. Which just means more of a challenge :)

Of course, there’s other times when you should work to your strengths, and one of them is for when you’re looking to improve your onsight grade. Naomi took that opportunity yesterday, after we’d gotten a recommendation from one of the Sheffield gangs about a really long friendly 7b with good rests. Naomi has ridiculous endurance on vertical rock, and promptly cruised up it for her first 7b onsight. She had to fight for it in sections, but some reverses to rests and some sheer tenacity meant that she was clipping the chains 40 meters above pretty easily from all appearances!
Naomi’s challenge is steeper rock (as it is for many females who struggle more with the more powerful nature of it) but she’s found some projects that should give her the right challenges.

In between that, I tried the moves on L’ami du tout la Monde, an 8b. On my first trip to Ceuse, where we met Sean Villanueva for the first time, he was working this route and I remember thinking how ridiculously hard it looked, tiny holds on a 40 degree wall for 25-odd meters. I couldn’t really imagine myself at the time trying it, but after getting a recommendation from Enzo Otto (“oh, L’ami du tout la monde!!!!! it is fantastique, you have to try it!) and his Dad (“yes, this was Enzo’s first 8b at Ceuse. It is one of the most beautiful lines there is. A king line”), I couldn’t really help it. Honestly, I’m blown away by it, powerful moves on some small pockets and crimps with two big jumps. I am so psyched to spend some time on the route in the next few weeks! No idea if I’m capable of it right now but again, I can only improve from it.........

Ceuse update 2 - a new level of Punterism

O.k. not strictly from Ceuse, but we’ve spent the past couple of days of climbing at Orpierre for a bit of a change of scene. Always nice too, as after arriving from Ceuse, many of the routes feel much easier as they're a bit more bouldery, so less endurance intensive - always makes for fun :)

The first day was a bit of a lazy one, I'd ticked the 7c and c+ at Ceuse the day before, and it being my third day, I took it easy. Naomi was on for a reacquaintance with some routes from last year and much to her surprise, she was looking really comfortable on steeper rock - cruising a steep 6c+ (see above) she'd struggled on last year. Just shows what a year of fingerboarding can do! She also tried to onsight one of the classic 7a's, coming close. She's getting closer, always inspiring seeing improvements in people as it motivates everyone else!

We had another day there yesterday, again just a change from the scene of Ceuse. Naomi had another go on the 7a, but unluckily didn't get the tick, although you can't get much closer, even with cutting loose (unintentionally) on the crux sloper. Next time!
I had a nice surprise, onsighting my first 7c just after this. It's one I've thought about for ages, no idea of the name even, but a lovely steep prow and one of the first hard lines you come across at Orpierre. It went pretty easily too, one of those days that it all clicks - finding good rests, seeing moves easily, and moving with the nice balance of speed and patience. Good times, and a nice new benchmark, although until I've onsighted at least three of them, I'm not really onsighting that grade. Hopefully this year.
Of course, the title of the post is a slight reference and joke to the level at Ceuse. Maybe when I first arrived many years ago that 7c was a significant milestone for onsighting but with regular onsights into the mid-8's now, it's just more incentive to keep testing. I like it :)

Campsite is getting busy now again, must be near August. As always, everyone is as motivated as ever, people at all grades are going hard. I hear there were several monster lobs off Femme Blanche (8a+) yesterday, with 5-6 meter spacing near the top. It seems one guy fell from the chains and the rope caught him as he landed at the third draw on the route. That's a 20 meter screamer. Who says trad climbing is more bold?!
Amusing story of the day goes to the guy who got stuck in the kneebar rest on Bourinator (8a) two weeks ago. they had to abseil in and chip out a block to retrieve him. he was stuck there for three hours, now that's the ultimate rest :)

anyway, have a good day all, I'm off to try Bourinator and make sure I avoid the kneebar ;)

What will be a great photo once I've taken the rest of the images (and removed the blurring). 16 photographs stitched together into a panoramic of Orpierre. Naomi near the top of a 6c+.

Ceuse update 2

I'll post better pics tomorrow morning once I get them off the camera but so just another text update for now!

 Says it all really :)

The 4-week ticklist - not sure if there's time or I'm capable of it all but damn if I"ll try!

The first week of Ceuse is now complete and I can definitely say I'm fully adjusted to the climbing. So far, we've spent most of the time on the vertical and slightly overhanging sections of Demi Lune and Berlin, and a final day yesterday at Orpierre to play on bigger holds (it's hilarious how easier it feels here after time at Ceuse, all the holds are huge :).

So far, onsights up to 7b have been the name of the game, and two routes off the ticklist for the summer. Joyeux Boucher has been the funnest so far, a 45+ meter pitch on Sector Demi Lune. The best part? only 11 bolts in all the distance, and three of them were in the first 8 meters. Savage run-outs up high (6-7 meters) with moves that were droppable. Fun :) Still though, went on the third (maybe 4th) try, after somehow blowing it right at the chains on an early attempt. Put it down to rusty-ness. That afternoon, after ticking that, tried to onsight Galaxy (7b+/c) and a slight mistake cost me that too. Still though, checked out the rest of the moves quickly and sent it 20 minutes later. Had a good fight on it, fitness is there but not fully. Still though it bodes well!

Other than that, life is as fun as ever here. Amusingly, I'm hanging with a bunch of Brits from the Sheffield area, can't seem to get away from them anymore ;)

Naomi is going well also, ticked two 7a's and a 7a+ in her first week, sets her up nicely for that grade range (of which there are tons of routes at 7a - 7a+ to go at).

As always, it's interesting seeing the different experiences of people at Ceuse. Everyone seems to struggle with the run-outs in some way, even the top-end people. As one guy put it, you can get comfortable at a grade, then go try a 6b+ and be close to having a nervous break-down from the slopey technical nature of the rock, along with the 3-meter spacing of the bolts. It's good though, keeps you on your toes (literally!).

it's really exceptional rock here too, the more I try the more I appreciate it. Slopers, crimps, pockets, jugs, it's got it all. Bring it on!

Ceuse update 2

Another quick update from Ceuse, ideal on a soggy morning at the campsite. A week completed, all excuses of lacking fitness/form/consistency on rock have evaporated. The rock here is just so good also, I find it impossible to not get sucked into lots of routes. The hike in isn't taking as much of a toll either, so it means more energy for routes. The joys of Ceuse climbing means the first day or so involves adapting to the hike (3kms, 500+ metres of ascent), the altitude (crag is at 1900 metres so makes a tiny difference but only on first day) and the routes (length and the run-outs). Most are adapted to now although my current route has 6/7 metre-plus runouts which are pretty exciting. 9 bolts in 45 metres, jeebus! Whoever bolts here has a fun side, I love it! I'm back onsighting 7b's here again (surprised there was actually any I hadn't done also!) so time to start ramping up with some redpoints with the goal of improving on the onsight level later in the trip.

Naomi is going well also, ticked her first 7a+ a couple of days ago so she's got tons to go at now, 7a-7a+ has a huge selection of routes to go at here.

It's a weird vibe here so far, last weekend was insanely busy but the campsite is now pretty quiet. Enzo Otto, the 15-year old French superstar is here working Realization but seems to be the only big sponsored hero at present. Pretty cool to watch him climb, we saw him have a rest day by climbing an 8a and 8a+.

A big bunch of Northerners were out too, all going really well. Eddie Barbour was tearing it up in La Cascade, onsighting a bunch of the 7c's there. Seriously inspiring stuff.

Anyway, life is good, Ceuse is still phenomenal, the setting astounding. Roll on more fun climbing!

Funny story of the week: a certain bunch of well known UK climbers glued on holds in a cave below the crag for bouldering on many years ago. Why would you do this with all the amazing routes?!?! Still though, suppose it's dedication.

Hope everyone is out enjoying themselves over the summer!

Ceuse :)

Jus a quick check-in today. Two days at Ceuse and we're all settled in. As always, it's still amazing here, the climbing definitely being some of the best there is. It's awesome for keeping you honest about your fitness, mine sucks right now (courtesy of the PGCE teaching course) but can only improve! Watching climbers here is always amazing, it can only inspire.

I'll get around to posting photos once I've taken some - right now it's all about adapting to the walk-in, and the length of the routes. Loving it :)

Inspiring......

Nige’s old training wall back in Limerick before he vacated to the UK

......Is seeing Nigel Callender’s name at the top of the score sheet for the British Bouldering Championships! Seriously, the level of training and dedication to get to this point is phenomenal, talk about inspiring.

I’m only really getting an idea of what people can really do for training since moving to Sheffield. At one point while in Ireland, I was training six days a week, and on many days doing double sessions. I was doing it because I had a purpose (pushing my grade on sports climbing) and it felt right at the time. But I thought I might be over-doing the amount of training, that people didn’t really do this much to get to the higher levels. How wrong I was! When i see how ridiculously strong people are over here, I now understand I was on the right track. It’s all about dedication. It’s not a case of 10 hours of training a day, but a couple of hours per day (and this includes just getting on rock, not on an indoor wall or board) will pay off massive dividends in time. Now that the course is finished, I might be able to have a bit of a life next year so I’ll see where I can go. In the meantime, roll on Ceuse rock.

I don’t exactly know what Nigel is doing, but he’s obviously applying himself in the right way for gains. Keep it up. Legend!

Chee Dale

I’m actually getting time to get out to more of the crags around Sheffield now that I actually have some time to myself now - the joys of finishing a crazy course. I’ve had a few visits to Chee Dale and come away really impressed! It’s fun climbing, as usual involving lots of tricky movement due to the nature of the UK rock. Nothing too much of excitement to report, onsighted a few things up into the low 7’s, and had a go on one of the 7c’s, Chimes of Freedom. I’m pretty happy with the outcome, I had a quick go working the moves, rested for 15 minutes and fell off the last crux move on my only attempt on it. Should have sent it first go but it’s nice to see I don’t need much rest between attempts at this level again. It’s all hopefully starting to click.

Naomi has been going well also, ticked two 7a’s in a day last week. She’d been on both a couple of days previously, but both went in succession that day with a 4-5 attempts required for each. Hopefully she can have a good summer in Ceuse too!

On that note, if anyone is going to be out in Ceuse this summer, make sure to let me know - I’ll be there from end of this week until mid August.......psyche!!!!!!!

Sign of a sports climbing rack - tons of shoes, an Eddy and quickdraws :)

Dinbren and LPT - a case of lots of 'almost sends'

Local climber, Mark on one of the classic 7c’s of Dinbren. Sean Marnane belaying.
I seem to have ended up spending quite a bit of time at Dinbren and LPT the past few weeks, partly due to Dave and Caroline’s imminent departure to Spain. Always ironic that when people are leaving that you see the most of them as you’re trying to make up for lost time! still though, it’s all been fun and a brilliant way to get the body back in gear for some climbing. both of them are going really well right now so it’s easy to feed off their motivation :)
At Dinbren, been trying some of the classic lines. So far, no go on any of the harder routes. Elite Syncopations, one of the 8a’s is killing me on the first crux - I can walk the rest. I just don’t have the power for the first undercut move. But progress was being made before I continued to try others. The 8a that Dave did a few weeks ago, I had it dialled until one of the first holds fell off. Again, haven’t been on it since. Another route, Highway (7c+ - 8a, depending on your route), was a close call last weekend - I worked it once, took a rest for an hour and then fell off on the final moves due to a footwork mistake. Bit frustrating but as always there’s positives to be taken from it. I clip from a single-pad mono, and do the next move off my ring-finger mono so strength of fingers is back and firing on all cylinders. And considering I’d only worked the route once, it was a great first effort. I was taking the 7c+ version (if there’s holds there, I’ll use them and not just stick strictly to the bolt line - seems stupid not to. I’m climbing the routes for the fun movement, not to say I ticked individual grades!).
The big one has been Statement of Youth though. Wow, what I line. I’m soooo psyched for it right now. both myself and Dave have done it with two rests (I’d say we could both do it comfortably with a single rest - it’s getting the sequences dialed that takes time on this route). Beautiful moves, it’s hard to believe how good it is, and that I hadn’t tried the route before this year. Just shows I wasn’t confident enough to try it before now! Hopefully get a go for a send on the route before I leave for Europe in the coming days......
In between all that, there was an epic going-away bash in Llangollen for Dave&Caroline - lots of fun, and again great to see how well everyone is climbing. I’d better get the finger out so I can keep up!

The buzz

Pierre put a great post on this recently about the Irish climbing scene, there is a seriously cool buzz about the place right now! Dave’s cave was just another stepping stone for many people, a new venue. But it’s not just any new venue, it’s also one with steep powerful bouldering and it can only give another option to the gang back home. Not to mention all the climbers who are having a great year so far - Pierre’s post didn’t even scratch the surface of this. Individual’s returning home with new perceptions (from the States and the UK) can only enhance what people are doing.
And like Pierre, while I’m more than psyched for the amount of rock I have nearby right now, it’s brilliant to see the scene continue to develop back home. Go go go!


My first glance around the cave two weeks ago on a visit home - a bit gloomy but hard to believe there’s a city in the mist! Super inspiring to see Dave and Carolne did the first ascents without bouldering mats - it’s easy to get cosy these days with pads always around. I know I realized I’m not comfortable bouldering without one anymore - surprising.