Tony Stud

After two weeks off the rock i finally got to go climbing on Sunday afternoon. I have been doing pull ups down in Kent which help stop the rot but i struggle to find the motivation to do enough to actually get stronger. I really think i'm going to struggle to improve without climbing. It's a shame as i was starting to drag myself out of the doldrums a month ago but then i had to go away to some very terrible places. On Sunday i met some Sheffielders on the way back from LAMFF at Llanddulas. I belayed Lucy Creamer on a route as she got some pics for an article. Back in early February i bolted a line that Tony had tried on the Forgotten Sun Area. It follows Ralarwdins for the first 4 bolts then breaks out right up the blue headwall. Tony had struggled on a move or two, he had placed a high stud to work it but gave me the green light to fully bolt it. I was impressed on the abseil, i had gazed up at this wall before but never had the vision to think about it as a route. When i was off work i didn't get to try it as the top was wet. Yesterday I went bolt to bolt as a warm up which turned out to be a bad idea after not climbing for a while as my forearms went all jellylike. Regardless I managed to sprint it out first redpoint freestyling a bit. Its quite surprising that no ones done this as its quite an obvious line on a well developed sector, that is the beauty of North Wales i guess! The name is Tony Stud, as i was encouraged to bolt it by, Tony's high stud and he is a stud of course. Not certain about grade but its probably 7b, don't laugh me out of town if i'm wrong. We popped up to the main cave and i had a quick play on the first crux of my new roof project. It needs a good clean as is quite dusty but i was able to get a feel for it. I think i know how the sequence works, need to try it when i've got more time and i'm strong again. Back in work now, fingers crossed i'll get out next weekend again, loads more to do! Climbing is frustrating at the moment but the truth is i'm just happy that i love it again.

Ormesman of the Week - Andy Boorman, puller of strings.

Behind every great movement there are those behind the scenes. Andy Boorman has not got the rack of FAs that some of the other Ormesman have but he's been climbing in the area since the 70s and has been involved in access negotiations over the years. In recent times he's checked lower offs and added rings to the crags and is one of the mian collaborators of the Bolt Fund guide. I'll let him tell his own story:

I moved to Prestatyn in 1978, taking up a teaching post at the High School. Cash was short so local climbing venues were very important and there was a great supply of keen youngsters in the school to get out and explore the crags with: Andy Pollitt, Dave Prendergast, Trevor Hodgson, Anthony Ingham and so forth. The Rowland Edwards 1975 guidebook Climbs on North Wales Limestone was our bible and we did a good job of ticking it and getting rid of the odd point of aid. Andy P swung leads with me on The New Dimension and Moon Shadow in 1980 and soon the pupil became the coach! He moved on to Jerry Moffatt and I linked up with Pete Bailey - a great man to have around on the scary parts of the Ormes.

Summer evenings were devoted to Craig y Forwyn and the Ormes, with chips then a pint in the Cottage Loaf to finish off the fun.

I'm not one for epics or accidents but in the late 90s some careless footwork just below the first bolt on Firefly led me to inherit a very sore arse, a cracked wrist bone and a large clip-stick!

Attached scan from my logbook page in 1992 gives a flavour of those grand days and evenings.

New 8a at the Mwyn!

Sam 'mule' Cattell has returned to his old stomping ground of Pantymwyn near mold and done a cracking new 8a traverse problem. Spinal Tap starts on the lefthand side of the main crag down and right of the obvious hole on a flat jug. The problem traverses righwards into the finish of Be Ruthless. Mule has been climbing at the mwyn for over ten years now establishing nearly every problem. He says his new addition is the best one he's done there. Mules career has been blighted by injuries so its good to see him cranking although he never seems to be weak. In the hills he also repeated the sitter to the Caseg Groove,another 8a.

Ormesman of the Week: Steve Mayers - Early 90s activist

Steve Mayers was an Orme activist in the late 80s early 90s. Steve is a well known British beast adding some significant new routes to North Wales and beyond. Although probably best known for his trad ascents Steve put up some good new routes on the Ormes including Youthanasia (8b) on LPT, Specular Reflections (8a) and The Shining (8a) on the Diamond. Youthanasia was briefly 8a+ but has long been regarded as 8b and not an easy one. Pete Robins described the top moves as some of the best on the crag. Steve was one of the early pioneers of the Diamond. It must have been quite something abbing off the top of the Little Orme onto the sea of steepness that is the Diamond. Bolting it must have been fun too. Steve got very close to climbing The Brute project and it was the photo of him on it in the guide that got me inspired to try it. Steve started the North Wales Bolt Fund in 1991 which helped fund the DMM eco bolt which became commonplace on the Ormes. Steve also authored the 1992 Rockfax guidebook to the area which was the first guide to include photo-topos. Still living in North Wales Steve is a partner/director of The Beacon Climbing wall.

Bonnie Extension

Ben Bransby has climbed an extension to Bonnie in the cave.Ben had played on the line with Pete Robins last week.Pete was raving about the moves Into the top of werry's. The line needed two extra bolts.Ben returned today to bag the FA.Pritch was on hand to capture the ascent on camera.The grade is in the region of font 8a+/b.The full link from Lou Ferrino is an obvious challenge.

Meatsville Arizona

I picked the right day of the weekend to go climbing this week. Saturday was all misty and damp so i pampered myself at the posh spa near me. I got out with Norm today, i wanted to try and finish off my roof project that i'd failed on last week. I was feeling the pressure as i'm just about to embark on a 12 day stint of work and i wanted to get it done. I played around with the bit i fell off last week and found some better beta. Then i belayed Norm on his project before pulling it out the bag on redpoint. There was some freestyling going on as i powered out but i managed to sketch up it. Its a great route, probably my 3rd favourite new route that i've done. I had been convinced that it was 7c+ but last week it felt easier so its probably 7c. Now for 12 days off work and pull ups. Hopefully i won't be any shitter when i go climbing next.
Vid with quality Norm commentary:

Ormesman of the Week: Tony Shelmerdine - The Encyclopedia

For my generation of Orme climbers Tony is the person who first comes to mind when you're talking about Ormesmanship. Tony has spent a lot of time climbing in the area for 20 years. He's scaled the majority of routes all over the Orme, climbed on every crag and even soloed about 30 routes. When i'm looking for some potential new lines i'll give Tony a bell and try and stimulate his memory. He knows about every bit of limestone round these parts but sometimes hasn't thought about them for years so needs a bit of prodding. I'm often sat there with a piece of paper while he fires off the info: "there's this route here, and this crag there, and this route here..." His knowledge is testament to the hours he's spent in the area and in North Wales in general. Tony was one of the first people to collect cash for the early bolt funds. He carried a jar out at the crags with him. Those who were seen to be enjoying the re-equipping work but wouldn't contribute were confronted with the Shelmerdine growl. Quite a scary thing! Only one man can get you where all the smoking holes are on the wall on the marine drive. Despite his knackered elbows Tony is as keen as ever and has been my partner in crime on the crag development scene.

Me, tone and spidey underneath Yellow Walls: