• 500 routes in a day (solo)

• New routes up to E8 (headpointed)

• Second Ascents up to E8 (headpointed)

• Free Soloing to E7 (onsight)

• Sport Climbing to F7c+ (onsight)

• Scottish winter to VII (onsight)

Calluna Vulgaris -Tregiffian

E3 5b - 2010

My hard climbing days might be long behind me, but I still love the sensation of moving on rock and I think I will always be a climber in my heart. Back living in Cornwall in 2010, this route sums up nicely the adventures still to be found on the Cornish sea cliffs. Gauging just how hard the finish to this new route might be, whilst climbing onsight, was a classic battle between the physical demands, the fear of falling and the uncertainty on what those holds would feel like. Climbing is brilliant and whenever I do get out climbing I often wonder why I don’t find the time to do more! 

Northeast Ridge -Bugaboo Spire

5.8 - 2008

My wife Heather and I have done a huge amount of climbing together in the UK and internationally. I think we would struggle to come up with a better day out than the Northeast Ridge of Bugaboo Spire, which we climbed together in 2008. Despite a variable weather forecast we decided to take our chances with the long approach into the Bugaboos. Our gambled paid off and we were rewarded with 5-days of back-to-back stellar weather and climbing to match. Climbing fast and light, we ticked classic routes until we ran out of food and needed to return to the valley.

Stomach Traverse - Ravenstones

HS 4a - 2006

John Arran and I completed many mid summer challenges and in 2006 we decided to climb 'all the worse routes in the Peak District' as listed in the Esoterica section of the BMC On Peak Rock guidebook. We climbing sideways, up vertical rubble, through cliffs and up vegetation and our 16-hour day of climbing madness is featured in the Slackjaw film Hard XS. Photo: John Arran

Unknown Route - Cribbs Cove

1996

With so few climbers operating in Cornwall and many of my regular climbing buddies heading off to university, in 1996 I found myself doing more and more soloing. In the summer of 1996, my friends and I developed many new routes around Logan Rock and Cribbs Cove. We forgot to record as many new routes as we climbed - such as the one in this picture - but had a great summer of adventure. Photo: Norman Lomax

Storms Over Africa - Cribba Head

E7 6c - 1995

The debate about the grade of Storms Over Africa continues today with E5, E6 and E7 having been suggested. Originally it was graded E6 6c with a drilled peg providing some protection for the crux: committing moves which take the upper arête direct and on the left. Just at this point, it is possible to ‘escape’ right by turning the arête and I think this is the reason for the grade confusion. I had stood below this route dozens of times, staring up and wondering. Over a few visits I had bouldered out the lower moves, always leaving enough in reserve, to return to the ground. As my confidence grew the inevitable happened and I found myself over committed, after making a high step, and at risk of barn-dooring off the arête… I made a desperate throw for the best looking crystal and held it. This was in the days before bouldering mats and it felt every bit like E7 6c for the ground up, onsight solo. After my ascent I removed the offending peg. Photo: Gavin Slade

Soloing on the Gritstone

circa 2000 

I moved to Sheffield in 2000 to create a new business called planetFear with fellow climber Adrian Berry. We had just returned from a climbing trip in El Potrero Chico, Mexico, where we had dreamt up planetFear. A decade later I was still living in Sheffield because the climbing scene is incredible and many of my life-long friends were forged in those hard climbing, hard partying days. Situated on the edge of the Peak District National Park, Sheffield is famous for its gritstone. As a medium, gritstone demands as much skill, technique and nerve as strength and suited my soloing style just perfectly. Photo: Tim Glasby

Debut Arete - Trewavas

E4 6a - 1994

During the winter of 1993/94 I was totally obsessed with climbing and would climb practically every day either outside, on my home wall or at Truro School climbing wall. The 16th January 1994 was a Land’s End Climbing Club (now Cornwall Climbing Club) meet at Trewavas and I met Mike Raine attempting this tasty little arête. He kindly offered me a chance on the lead, and all that winter’s training paid off as I made a seemingly overnight transition from a novice E1 leader to an E4 first ascensionist. Mike and I would go on to climb many new routes together. Photo: Mike Raine

Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre - Truro

E5 6b - 1996

It’s harder than it looks with all the holds sloping the wrong way and covered in decades of city grime. The pressure was on for a quick ascent as I could hear the police sirens approaching as I made the crux moves. We made a clean getaway! I’ve actually climbed dozens of tall buildings over the years, mostly as free solos. Some particularly memorable highlights include the Lloyds Building, Harrods and the Eiffel Tower. Photo: Norman Lomax

Frogs in a Frenzy - St Levan's Wall

E8 7a - 1995

To local climbers, this line was simply known as the Leven’s Wall Project and was marked by a collection of insitu (hammered in) wires on this otherwise pristine granite wall. I was attracted to the line but once word leaked out that I was trying it, the wires mysteriously disappeared and another climber retrospectively claimed a ground breaking first ascent. With the insitu wires gone and the placements damaged, I went on to climb the route with side runners as I didn’t feel confident enough to make the second ascent on the remaining gear. Photo: Gavin Slade

14 Lives, 13 Souls - Union Star Cove

E7 6c -1995

A perfect golden granite slab stands at the centre of Union Star Cove and was an obvious line for a route, which I found compelling. Union Star Cove was where the Penlee lifeboat (RNLB Solomon Browne) was lost with all hands whilst attempting to rescue the crew of the MV Union Star in 1981. It was a major maritime disaster and 16 lives were lost. At the time of this first ascent I was under the impression that 13 lives had been lost, with the potential 14th being mine… the name makes less sense now!

Fuji Frenzy - Gurnards Head

E6 6b - 1996

Gurnard’s Head, with its strange black rock, is atypical of the popular Penwith sea cliffs that most visiting climbers head to. However, the superb climbing and quintessential coastal atmosphere of this imposing sea cliff make it well worth seeking out, with classic routes from HS to E6. In this picture I have just reached some nice huge holds after a long run out but still have the route's crux to come. Photo: Norman Lomax

Route - Zennor Head

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