by Niccolò Ceria
The first repeat of Ben Moon’s classic.
More than five years had passed since my first visit to the UK. Then, together with Marco, Gabri and Miki we had the pleasure of taking part in the CWIF, one of the biggest and most well-organised competitions ever. We were nothing but a bunch of students, as one drunk at the pub called us. After that competition at the Works, the major climbing centre in Sheffield, we spent an unforgettable week bouldering on the gritstone in the Peak District. It was amazing; I will never forget that holiday, which actually turned out to be my longest trip to date.
Bouldering in the Peak was perfect for my style and I wanted to go back as soon as possible. What I really enjoyed was the gritstone itself, which makes unique shapes and offers a special kind of climbing – a good balance of strength and technique. I immediately realised that you won’t get far without using both of these skills. Slopy arêtes, slopy crimps, vertical climbing, pebbles, and smears are the major features which create the movements. The boulders are located in a stunning setting too – grey rocks, green meadows, scattered woodlands and beautiful hills – it sometimes leaves you wondering if there is any better place than this. Unfortunately, the dark side of this area is the bizarre weather, which is really unpredictable and can change in a blink of an eye. So you could have a decent week on the hill or remain stuck in the gym for days. Read more…
IMAGE: Niccolò Ceria sending the second ascent of Voyager – sit start (8B+), Peak District, England. Photo Giuli Paoletti
