It’s been three weeks now since we got back from our amazing road trip. In those three weeks I have had the time to check out two new limestone bouldering areas and managed to send one of the coolest Peak 8a’s put up by Jon Clark!

Last year we ventured down to Dove Dale and did a really nice 7c+ called Arch Enemies, which I posted up about on the Moon Climbing blog (here). Last week we went back to try and tick the 8a called Sworn Enemy which starts even further around the arch with a vertical start, then its straight into big pockets and small edges on much steeper ground before finishing up the end of Arch Enemies. I managed to send the route along with my brother Sam. It is one of the best lines in the Peak if not the country. Big up to Jon Clark for bolting and crushing the FA!!!

Above: Sam Hamer on the crux of Sworn Enemy 8a.

Then we went to check out Nuda’s Tartan, this is a very small crag with a few ok problems on it. I managed to climb most of the stuff there including:

• Bobby Digital 7C
• Calorie Count 7C
• Tarantula 7C/+
• Nuda’s Tartan 7B+
• Iron Flag 7B+

It’s not the nicest place to hang out so I think I may call it quits on that place for the time being! HA HA!

Next up was another grotty small cave called Tom’s Roof. My main goal was to climb this problem called Hannibal 7C. The whole cave was pretty wet at the time but it wasn’t seeping, it was just condensation so you could at least dry the holds. After 10mins of drying and chalking up the holds I managed to send the problem, which was really nice!

In-between visiting these two new crags I had a good hit down at our closest outdoor wall being Rubicon, and managed to send another cool problem on that wall called ‘Dancing Fish’ (8A).  You can watch a video of Alex fry sending it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OlLALrUVSk

I also did a link up of a problem at around 7C-ish (:/) called A Bigger Tsunami, which starts as for Tsunami then traverses right and finishes up a 7A+. Finally I did the sit start to a tricky problem called Kudos at 7B+/7C-ish, it was quite horrible but I will never have to do it again! Hahahaha Feeeeeew! Good Bye Rubicon for now!

Right now I am training hard for my next European competition in France, then I will be competing in the Senior World Cup in Slovenia and finally I will end my competition season with the last of the Europeans also in Slovenia at the end of November!! Bring on the Campus, Circuits and fingerboard sessions!

Peace out to everybody, MC Hammer