Photos by marks

A very scary route through the main roof at the roaches in the peak district in the uk.I fell off the headwall afew times until I managed it.

This is a superb route in the grounds of Alton towers theme park.

i tried this route about a year ago knowing that it had not being led.last week i tried it again on a shunt.i found it o.k.the next next day i got my belay bunny and headed out to lead the route.the bottom section has already being climbed some years ago.this section is 8 meters long,with no protection.your only gear is at your feet when you set off.the crux is the last move.i can honestly say i was a bit scared.although not desperate it concentrates your mind.i called it night prowler and graded it e6 6a about 5.12bx in u.s grade.

a nice little problem at froggatt.getting a bit polished tho,but laura has no problems on it.

this is the most exhilirating route ive done.massive runout in an exposed position.the route is b4xs graded e7 6b about .12cX.

catching the top on a classic problem at the roaches

a v1 crack,which is normally over a muddy puddle,which makes you not fall off.

here i am doing nadins traverse(v7) at the roaches.its a good problem thats pumpy and fingery.

the finishing crux moves on this joe brown test piece from the 50's.graded e1 5b.ramshaw is a fantastic place for a days jamming,and licking your wounds in the pub after.

heres justin on the elephant bums exit of "imposition" now graded e2 5c.thank god for big friends.

this is a fantastic offwidth,originaly hvs 5b.In the new guide its a deserved e2 5c.it was done before friends.

we were above the clouds at the roaches on this day.the problem is an easy one(v1) but its got really nice moves on it.

this route has its physical crux low down but the mental crux is near the top.1 of many scarey routes at millstone

tobias is a visiting german,here he is cruising up edge lane.a unprotected classic frightener.18 meters

a 1 star arete climb which is given e1 5b as a lead.a long reach is the crux at the top.5.10b in U.S money.

heres justin soloing the crank (vs 5a).its a fantastic jamming crack about 6 or 7 meters long.

im putting my 6'-7" span to good use here.graded e2 6c,which is hard but safe.more like a v7 .it was a hot day and the rounded top was hard to hold.

justin about to reach for the top on catastrophie international e5 6c ,v7/8.

we were bored one day and thought we would lead this mega run out route.5.14dxx. the picture makes it look alot smaller than it is. v3 really,but you knew that.

this is catastrophie international it is a pure pebble route.its given a route grade(e5 6c)but the brave will call it a highball v7/8

the crux slap on this brill problem.the first asscent was by a visiting american.v7

i went for the rounded top but messed up.its graded e5 6c but its more like a highball v7/8.the landing is flatish but i hurt my ankle.

these are the balancy moves on to the slopey ramp where a huge dyno is needed to reach the next hold.superb route.

this is the crux section on dangerous crocodile snogging e7 6c(5.12d.R).its as scary as it looks.

ben bransby is attempting the 2nd ascent of grand theft.font 7c.its a very hard traverse on tiny holds and smears.freezing conditios are essential to even pull on the holds.

the conditions as you can see are superb.it was just about freezing but the friction was spot on.this is a 3 star route with gear just a bit too far away for comfort(ground fall)

this is the scariest route i have done.i have wanted to solo it for a couple of years now but just kept making excuses.but this day was differant.its a very steep groove which is climbed on small pebbles for fingers and smears for toes.e8 6c (5.13aX)

making the crux dyno,this is a heart in mouth move.i did not land it first go,but the gear held.i got straight back on and did it.e6 7a (5.13bR)

here i am preparing to make the crux dyno on thing on a spring.its a very hard and technical dyno above a long but safe fall

this is the third time ive soloed this route.its given a route grade e6 6c,5.13a. but could be classed as a highball v8 depending on how brave you are.

a 3 star route.awesome climbing up the backbone like feature.although safe at the crux it gets runout towards the top.graded e6 6c or 5.13a-R in yds

from above you can see how blank the slab actually is.each move slightly harder than the last.at least the top is good.e6 6c (5.13a)

this is also jules second time up counterstroke of equity.he flashed it.its 5.13a/b or e6 6c in our grade

this is a very sustained slab with .13a moves all the way to the top.but it is safeish.its graded e6 6c or 5.13a/b.

this is the heart in mouth move,the time before i took a 20 footer of it.its graded e6 6c or 5.13a/b.

a fantastic overhanging route with goodish but spaced out holds.i have just done the crux dyno but the mental crux awaits at the top,a v5 mantle 11 meters up.e7-6b (5.12c/d)

this is a very thin wall climb e6 7a (5.13c).you can just about see the next hold he is going for.the crux is safeish but the 6a moves above get runout.

julian lines soloing at stanage.this route is on counts butress.jules had just returned from cornwall soloing 300 foot routes,so these were no problem for him.poppy is keeping an eye on things.

this is a fantastic slab with a sequence of very hard moves above a leg snapping landing.given e7 6c(5.13a)in our grades.

the final part of slackers.5.12c/d.(e6 6b)the crux of the route is the low section which is a direct start to diet of worms.

this is a fantastic bold arete over a dreadful landing.hard up to the good friend then its easier.graded e6 6b,5.12c/d

this is about as hard as slab come.first done by simon nadin over 10 years ago.the first few smears are near vertical.v9/10

this is the mddle slab problem ,v8.they are all getting harder with time as pebbles keep departing from the rock.

legend johnny dawes,tries the project "1 inch punch" its a powerful pull off a tiny crimp and undercut to a matchstick edge.it will be at least v13

this is a new climb we did earlier this summer graded e2 6a.named after what i was like after falling off before the first ascent

foords folly,is only graded e1 6a but it packs a punch for a short climb.originaly climbed with a point of aid.dave aucott makes light work of it.

dave aucott powering his way up sturgeon in the cupboard,f7c.1 of the many excellent sport routes on the embankment.

this is a great pocketed slab.a nice rock over than a reach ror the rounded top.

gibb tor is a mile from ramshaw,this route gets e6 6c (5.13a)there is a very tricky move on the lip of the roof.you have a long reach to a poor pocket,lock off and reach thru to the top and the worst top out ever.

originaly a solo before size 6 friends were available,it is still a very serious lead (e7 6c) 5.12c moves above a 30 foot ground fall.