Glen Nevis

Time perhaps for a brief teaser of what we have in store for Committed 2.

We recently visited Glen Nevis in Scotland to catch up with Dave MacLeod. We went up the glen to a superb new bouldering venue first discovered by John Watson. One bloc alone promises at least three major hard new lines; the best probably at font 8b+ (V14).


On our second day of filming, Dave had become more excited than I recall ever seen him before. He had just unlocked a sequence of moves on the hardest line, using an Egyptian to stabilise him as he threw for a non existant hold.

I was impressed, but only just.

Let's face it. There isn't a single hard route or boulder problem that Dave has ever climbed without using at least one Egyptian. In fact, if I had been paying more attention, I might well have suggested, 'why don't you try an Egyptian?' But no, Dave was excited. Very excited. Totally animated, in fact. On the threshold (or at least at the solution) to a world class bouldering ascent.

What happened next...







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Terminal? Way too early to say. But if it wasn't Font 8b+ before then it certainly is now. Such setbacks are part of the deal when making first ascents. At least Dave has the consolation of pursuing his climbing dreams at one of the most beautiful locations on the planet.

Grit Kids

'Grit Kids'

The Cowperstone. Pete Whittaker attempting Warm Love, E6 7a. Hot Aches Images

Filming for the new movie is progressing at a pace with some major ascents already captured. The Hot Aches team had been throwing some ideas around and decided that now would be a good time is to take our cameras to look at the new generation of strong climbers emerging in Britain. James Pearson might have been a ‘Keen Youth’ not so long ago, but now, at 22 ,he is virtually the elder statesman. (sorry James). So the film crew headed to one of our regular filming venues, England’s Peak District, for what turned out to be one of our most exhausting filming trips ever.

The Cowperstone. Pete Whittaker high kicking on the crux of Warm Love, E6 7a. Hot Aches Images

The Whittakers are already quite well known in British climbing circles. Katy Whittaker has been climbing since she was 6 and now, still very youthful, is the British bouldering (senior) champion. Rumour has it that she is quite handy on the grit too.

Younger brother Pete has also been establishing his credentials with some very significant ascents. Last year, at 16 years of age, he climbed several E7s and last month he made the significant first ascent of an unfinished Johhny Dawes project known as Grandad Slab - which is the direct finish to Brail Trail, at Burbage South. Other more esoteric achievements include the second ascent of the complete traverse of Stanage Edge (3 miles?) Ron Fawcett set the mark for this in 1990, with a time of 6 hours. Pete was a little slower, blaming his speed on having forgotten to take with him any sandwiches or drink for the day.

Our weekend started at The Cowperstone. Pete’s objective was to climb Warm Love, a Johhny Dawes route from 1995. The guidebook describes the crux section thus:

“involves a dynamic throw for a heel smear to reach the pebble. Brilliant! Unrepeated?”

In fact, Ben Bransby sneaked in the second ascent quite recently. The route was originally graded E7 7b. The current guidebook says E6 7a. Either way, that translates to ‘safe - but virtually impossible’. Seriously, the elusive grade of ‘British 7b’ has hardly ever been touted for a route in Britain before.

The Cowperstone. a flexible Pete Whittaker on the crux of Warm Love, E6 7a. Hot Aches Images

I won’t give too much away. The film of this is certainly worth waiting for. However, I will say that all of the attempts and then the subsequent ascent bore witness to some of the most fantastic footage that we have ever filmed; extreme contortions of both body and face in a gut wrenching orgy of sheer damn effort. It was fantastic climbing, and especially so from a man this young.

Sister Katy didn’t fancy a go at this one herself... She had other projects in her sights, and so we headed swiftly on to Burbage South where she and Pete warmed up by soloing a rapid succession of routes between E2s and an E5. Mum Jill watched on quite nonchalantly as her kids ticked off route upon route, several of which would have represented a lifetime ambition for most of us.

Then swiftly on to the Katy’s objective, Nosferatu E6 6b. Apparently Pete had blown the ‘onsight’ of this a while ago, by jumping off low down when things went wrong, and then rolling down the hill. When we arrived I looked at the clutter of boulders beneath the route and wondered just how good your aim would have to be to successfully dismount from above that.

Katy Whittaker contemplating Nosferatu E6 6b. Hot Aches Images.

Katy has onsighted E5 and ‘headpointed’ E6 before. But to ‘flash’ E6 – (to have information about the moves, but to climb first go without pre-practice), this would be her hardest climb to date. Furthermore, the route involves a dyno at the top, which the British bouldering champion declared is the one type of move that she is ‘rubbish at’.

Katy Whittaker at the top of Nosferatu E6 6b. Hot Aches Images

Katy was on good form and moved swiftly through the unprotected first half. The dyno move at the top took more consideration. She tried static several times, climbing up and down before launching for the finishing jug. A first female E6 ‘flash’ on grit? Possibly, but hard female ascents are often missed in climbing news. So quite possibly not. Maybe Lisa Rands or Lucy Creamer has managed the same? Regardless, it was a fantastic ascent on a very classic line.

The climbing for the day still wasn’t over. Pete ticked of Pebble Mill, E5 6b before the light disappeared, and the camera crew hobbled home exhausted.

Next day the plan was an early start back to Cowperstone before the sun wreaked its havoc on the precious gritstone friction. We were back here because Pete had kept flying off the day before. When we left the car park this morning the temperature was -2c. How cold does it need to be for these Grit Kids? Oddly enough, Pete had failed to climb the route the week before because his fingers were too cold. However, now the sun was now on the dark rock, and it was warming up fast. So for Pete, after a quick top rope practice there was probably time for just one attempt before the friction disappeared completely. It was all a great rush, but he grimaced every single ounce of effort, and topped out with a beaming smile.

The Cowperstone. Pete Whittaker succeding on the crux of Warm Love, E6 7a. Hot Aches Images

9.30am and the route was already in the bag. One of the film crew voted for a pub lunch, but it was way too early for English pubs to be open, and it was also Katy’s turn once more. The other major climb on her list was West Side Story, a classic V9 at Burbage North.

The film crew were in luck at last. We were at the crag so early that the line was still in the sun. Nothing to be done, but doze for a couple of hours.

Katy Whittaker on West Side Story, V9. Burbage North. Hot Aches Images.

West Side Story has been climbed by a few women in the past, but apparently none of them finished directly up the highball continuation. Once the sun moved off, Pete and Katy were both trying the problem,

Pete Whittaker on West Side Story, V9. Burbage North. Hot Aches Images.

but this time it was Katy that latched the dyno, and with no hesitation she continued on upwards. ‘I would have got so much flack [from some particular Lancashire climber] if I hadn’t done the direct finish’.

Katy Whittaker on West Side Story, V9. Burbage North. Hot Aches Images.

Glen Etive

Our filming trip yesterday up to Glen Etive did indeed turn out to be something rather special, a really enjoyable day for many reasons.

Dave 'Cubby' Cuthbertson in Glen Etive, Scotland [photos: Hot Aches Images]

In the new movie Committed you won’t just be seeing the top climbers of the current generation. There are also to be a few special appearances from past masters too; climbers who’s cutting edge routes are now receiving repeats and are still considered to be major test-pieces.

It was a real pleasure to catch up with Cubby in such a beautiful setting and to learn more about the climbing scene over the last thirty years. Dave ‘Cubby’ Cuthbertson was certainly one of Britain’s greatest and most influential climbers from the late ‘70s up until just a few years ago. Indeed if it were not for the heavy toll of cumulative injuries and accidents then at the age of 50 he would still be very much at the forefront.

Cubby spotted the bouldering potential in Glen Etive a couple or so years ago whilst high up on the Etive Slabs. Since a recent hip operation he has been coming back out here working away on problems and gradually getting back some form.

The hip is clearly painful and problematic, restricting the range of movement. Nevertheless he managed to pull off a fine looking problem, as yet un-named but at about font 7b.

Superb. What a bonus to capture that on film. Sadly I fear that there will be very few further appearances in front of camera from one of climbing's greatest characters and exponents.

Cubby is now one of the UK's leading climbing and landscape photographers as well as having a busy schedule with outdoor related film and TV work.

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Dave

Kjugekull

After a few days back in the UK and a couple of quick filming trips it was time to head back to Sweden, this time to climb rather than work.

Kjugekull

Kjugekull, pronounced in English ‘shoo-ge-cul’ is an excellent granite bouldering venue in the far south or Sweden, not far from Malmo. Developed extensively over the last 6 years it boasts 1,300 problems in a venue of similar size to a larger Fontainbleau sector.

Nicholas heel-hooking up a great little font 6b

Jenny finally sends her project, a font 6a+ crimpfest

Simo giving it eveything

The first I heard of this venue was last year when I saw TJUGO PA KJUGE, a bouldering film by Swawn Boyle. More recently I was invited over by a couple of Swedish friends (who are now exiled in Scotland) to sample the granite delights.

Fiona Murray on a reachy font 6b

Easy wall followed by scary slab top out

So the verdict?
A great venue if you climb in the Font 6b to 7b range. Nothing for the hardcore, according to the guidebook just a couple of 7cs and one 8a. To my untrained eye there doesn’t seem to be a big list of hard projects waiting for the right superstar to arrive.

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Dave

The County, Shanner and The Peak

After Friday's dramatic but untimely end to proceedings Diff and I were in the odd position of having the cameras loaded and no-one to film!

Despite a lot of phonecalls and headscratching we came to the conclusion that there was nothing else to do apart from go climbing ourselves! So we headed south to jostle with the bank holiday crowds at Kyloe in The Woods in Englandshire.

Diff thinks that his cunningly camoflaged wardrobe will distract attention from that right foot pushing off a boulder. tsch.

The bank holiday crowds had obviously decided to go elsewhere today. One lone northumbrian was present, and he was polite enough not to visibly laugh at our efforts.

Diff, "I didn't fall off, I'm just having a lye down"

Extreme trampolining. Diff puts my new DMM mat through it's paces.

As usual when Diff and I are the subject there is nothing newsworthy to report bar some spectacular dismounts.

Next day, still with no-one to film, I headed north with Fiona Murray to the grotty hole in the ground, Balnashanner, that was once Scotland's premiere hard sport climbing venue. It's 5 years since I've been here and after subsequently traveling to many of europe's best crags, re-acquaintance was somewhat dissapointing. Quite literally a dump.

But we persevered and tackeld a couple of 7as that actually gave up some superb climbing. The first one with a low down crux that was very sequency, the second a total pumpfest that saved the hardest to the end.

Next day we headed to the Peak, our 6th filming trip there this year.

Anonymous climber working their project at Burbage South

It was a good day filming, and the climber was making good progress. But a violent wind was not only making filming difficult, but was also making the balancy moves high on the arete rather challenging. So no success, but good progress and we'll be back next week for stage 2.

Anonymous climber working the top section

Tomorrow I'm heading back to Sweden, this time for rock rather than ice, and Diff has a weekend filming kayaking for the BBC.

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Dave

New Font 8a at Dumbarton

Back from the Peak and we then headed straight over to Dumbarton to catch up with Dave MacLeod. Dave at the moment seems to be stretching the concept of All Round Climber to the absolute limit. Just back from the BMC internation winter meet where he put up a new VIII 8 on Ben Nevis, he was now psyched for a hard bouldering first ascent at Dumbarton before then jetting off in a couple of days to Siurana, Spain with his harness and quickdraws in hand.

This morning at Dumbarton a stong wind was scudding in off the Clyde and gusts to 60 mph were causing us significant problems with the film equipment. Dave himself was also was also really struggling to stay warm enough to attempt his main project.

Diff struggles with the crane camera in high winds at Dumbarton Rock

That project (the full start addition to his recent font 8b) was quickly abandoned and we headed to the relative shelter of the Mugsy cave for Plan B.

Dumbarton continues to be as popular as ever. The hard routes are currently receiving a lot of attention and indeed success, Malcolm Smith recently repeating Pressure font 8b confirming the grade and Alan Cassidy repeating King Kong font 8a. Even on a dreach Monday afternoon we were joined by a group of psyched locals including the ever present John Watson, huddled under in the Mugsy Cave and scoping out yet more possibilities.

Dave MacLeod on the crux sequence of his Hokku Font 8a at Dumbarton

From deep under the cave Dave managed to take a sitting start through a powerfull crux sequence to finally break out through the lip and onto Mugsy (font 7b) to top out. A new Font 8a, Hokku.

Dave MacLeod continuing past the crux on Hokku

It was also quite an interesting boulder problem to film. A number of openings in the cave wall provide vantage points for the several cameras that we had following the sequence. Quite esoteric.

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Dave B

Peak Filming - Trip 6

The Hot Aches crew headed back south on Thursday for some filming and even a bit of climbing. Friday dawned bright and we headed to Cratcliffe to get some bouldering in before pointing the cameras towards one of gritstone's 'last great problems'.

Hot Aches' Creative Director Paul Diffley losing it; attentively spotted at a safe distance by an amused Sarah. All photos Hot Aches Images

Sarah Daniels modeling the new Hot Aches T shirt (more about this soon), sending Razor Edge B7. Diff is so impressed that he's already started the round of applause.

Dave Brown guerning his way up the same problem

Onto the unclimbed line, but by now the sun was warm and conditions were just not good enough. So we headed a bit further around the crag and caught up with Ben Bransby who ignored the heat and re-climbed his superb and scary looking new highball problem, the Prow.

Ben Bransby on The Prow at Cratcliffe

Ben near the top of the Prow

Meanwhile Ben's dog Klem threatened proceedings by stealing the Hot Aches food supplies.

Klem 'giz us your sandwiches or I'll bite your ankles'

Next we headed off to Black Rocks where Emily Brazenell re-supplied us with butties so that the cameras could keep rolling (thanks Em)

Emily Brazenell climbing Beauty font 6c at Stanage the next day. Spotted by James Pearson.

At Black Rocks James Pearson and Adam Long were attempting a ground up ascent of Johnny Dawes impressive E8 slab from 1994, The Angel’s Share E8 7a. The first ascent was done solo after top rope practice. It was described as a 'desperate route with unusual moves: no handholds on the pebble-less slab result in several rock-overs which require timed momentum from the previous rock-over to enable a foot to be placed higher'. The team had 4 mats which makes it a different proposition but still the prospect of a big fall to a small landing area.

Adam Long on the start of 'The Angel’s Share E8 7a' (video stills)

Adam on the final moves



One of the may falls

Late in the afternoon he succeeded, but not content immediately despatched the E6 to the right and then rounded it off by quickly sending the E7 to the left. Impressive slab climbing.

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Dave