Bloc action

Since the start of the year I've really been enjoying going out and doing a lot of bouldering. Mainly because it has been a bit too cold at times for routes, but its also great fun showing friends around areas they've never been and just doing a bunch of new stuff.

I've had a few sweet sessions at Rowtor with the crew, ticking things like Jon Fullwood's, My Apple and Domes Sitter, which has the most awesome sequence of burly roof techinical-ness. Grit bouldering at its best I'd say. Real big thanks to Jon Clark for the shots, this lad knows his stuff.

Ted and myself have also been busy up at Burbage where we both did the highball/route Nefertiti. Originally E6 6c... but these days more like a 7A boulder... HA I actually don't have a clue. It had been on the list for ages but just one I never got around to, so we thought screw it, chucked a few pads down and went for it. Seriously cool climbing, and safe as houses! Managed to get a quick video of the man of the hour on his send below...

I'm also full on psyched for training at the minute too, and spending a lot of time down the wall and hanging off the board at home. Trying to get strong for our upcoming trips abroad! Time is flying by like crazy and it won't be long before we're packing our bags again and jetting off.

Don't forget to pop down The Foundry this Saturday for a series of Mammut Masterclasses and cash prize routes! Come find us and say hello!

Cheers, I'm off to build a snowman and cook up a curry. x

Mammut Masterclass at The Foundry

Kickstart a new year of climbing with a masterclass from Mammut Pro Team members and Team Mammut UK

Mammut Pro Team climbers, Jakob Schubert and Anna Stöhr are heading to the UK later this month and for a series of masterclasses. Jakob will be offering tips to lead climbers whilst Anna will be on the bouldering room. Whether you’ve just started out or are a seasoned climber get in touch to reserve your space!




Check out masterclass times on the Foundry website or their facebook page then call the Foundry to register. The Foundry will take names up to Tuesday 22nd January then pick the names of those in each masterclass out of a chalk bag! There are four spaces in each class and six classes in total.

FREE entry to The Foundry and freebies for masterclass students,

© Reinhard Fichtinger

Win a place in one of these classes and you’ll get free entry to The Foundry for the day plus a free Mammut goody bag

Spot prizes and giveaways
Mammut will be dishing out random spot prizes and giveaways all afternoon – stickers, pens, toys, beanies!

Cash prize routes
The guys at The Foundry will be setting a couple of fiendishly hard routes – whoever gets the highest gets some cold hard cash!

Harness and belay device demos
We’ll have a range of climbing harnesses and belay kit from Mammut to try out.

Mammut Climbing Challenge
The all-new Mammut climbing challenge will be up and running with prizes a plenty! Twelve routes both top rope and lead from 5+ to 8b will be set for you to try.

Team Mammut UK on hand form tips and advice
Cailean Harker, Ethan Walker, Jess McCaskey, Nathan Lee and Oli Grounsell will be on hand for advice.

When? Saturday 26th January from 2.00 – 6.00pm

For more information visit www.foundryclimbing.com or call The Foundry on 0114 279 6331.

Nākd and Trek Review

For the past few months most of my sessions have been partly fueled by some extremely tasty and healthy snacks from Natural Balanced Foods. They kindly offered to send me a load of their products to test and report back on what I thought. And so far, I've been really impressed. These little treats have made a lot of those cold days at the crag a bit brighter! 

They do two kinds of bars along with a variety of flapjacks, all packed with goodness! First up are their delicious Nakd bars. I was intrigued by the name at first and soon realised the inspiration behind it. They are in fact completely free of any additives and all the nasty stuff that is just plain no good for you. Instead they are just packed with raw fruit and nuts, and yet still taste amazing! These things give you that extra boost no matter what you're doing and come in a range of different flavours, from gingerbread to rubarb and custard! In a world when there are so many 'healthy' bars claiming to be the next best thing, Nakd bars really are the real deal. 

Here's what they the guys at Natural Balanced Foods have to say:

Our simplest and most beloved bars. Just raw fruits and nuts smooshed together. Containing 100% natural ingredients with no added sugars or syrups,  these bars are also wheat and gluten free, and bursting with yummy goodness. With a soft, chewy texture they fill you up till your next meal and most count towards 1 of your 5 a day too. Ideal for lunchboxes, grabbing on the go and refuelling between meals!

Next up, the Trek bars. These again are made in the exact same way as the Nakd bars, however they come with a large helping of protein. They fill you up slightly more and I have really noticed them pick me up, especially in the middle of a long day out at the crag. Plus they are tonnes more nutritious than a pack of biscuits or chocolate bar! Which is what we usually fill our bags with...

"With 11-12g of protein per bar, these beauties are at the top of the sports nutrition food chain! Made with a delicious combination of fruits, oats and nuts to keep you going, these healthy snacks are ideal for refuelling after the gym, and they also make great breakfasts on the go."

Here is a short video taken during the BBC Good Food Show 2011 where these guys showcased their yummy treats! If you're interested in trying for yourself and to find out more information check out their website here: www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk