Wonderful memories of climbing with really great mates over the years Number 25.

Wonderful memories of climbing with really great mates over the years Number 25.

Nowadays climbing walls have, in many cases I suppose, become the social hubs that local crags once were (and still are thankfully, though perhaps to a lesser extent). For Merseyside based climbers Pex Hill was where you'd meet new faces and make plans to go climbing. Then, in the winter of '82/'83, something rather significant occurred that allowed climbers from a much wider area to meet up and broaden their ideas.

Until then there were only the Richard Dunn wall, in Bradford, and the Bolton Tech wall that were any good. The opening of a dedicated bouldering wall in Altrincham increased dramatically the potential for climbers to get fitter. No longer were there any excuses for not being fit after the long British winters.

I'm sure that's what led to a huge improvement in my climbing suddenly that year. However that's a bit too simplistic, as we all know that motivation for climbing often depends on who you're with. Luckily for me a new character appeared on the local scene, who was very motivated and great fun to be with, he was keen to climb just about anywhere, even midweek. His name was Simon King.

Simon had boundless amounts of energy. For example he'd insist on running back from the crag as if he wasn't tired after a long day's climbing. He'd usually proclaim with a massive grin at the top of every route, no matter what grade, that it was "E1 5b". Inevitably this became his nickname, and would be mimmicked by all his friends ad nauseum.

So it was that Simon and I shared so many wonderful times, we did loads of amazing climbs together, starting with Nexus Direct (definitely not E1 5b!). We climbed everywhere: Wales, the Peak, Yorkshire limestone, the Lakes, the South West. The tick list is too long but here's a selection: JR, Ordinary Route, Amanita Muscarina, Wrinkled Retainer, Darkinbad the Brightdayler, Autobahn, Tales of Yankee Power, Creation, Blitzkrieg, L'ange en decomposition.

I remember vividly camping besides the road, that leads up to the right wing at Malham, for a week in June 1985. We worked our way through the classics up on the Terrace, whilst Paul Pritchard, Mark Leach, Craig Smith and John Dunne equipped and worked what became Herbie and L'obsession.

I did have a very close shave with Simon though. After leading the big pitch of Pinkginsane, in the Avon Gorge, he took me off belay and untied from both ropes, assuming that I'd be abseiling down to him on the hanging belay of Krapp's Last Tape. I couldn't find a suitable belay to abseil off, so decided to continue up the top pitch of Think Pink (a tricky 5c). Meanwhile the two ropes were just trailing below me (in effect I was soloing). Luckily I didn't fall off, it would have been a very long fall indeed. Haha!

I'm glad that Simon's still as keen as he ever was and he still possesses his youthful enthusiam. Cheers!

Two photos of Simon King climbing Godzilla at Rhoscolyn. He used to have a full head of hair when I climbed with him!