I’ve wanted to write something like this for a while. This post isn’t just going to be telling you about me, but more of a guide, based on my experiences from hiking to climbing mountains. What better time to write something like this after returning from a climbing trip to the Alps, but that’s not where we begin.
I won’t cover every trip and everything you may need to learn as this would be a 100k+word post, but I am going to cover the important trips that had an impact on my climbing and mountaineering career. Along with ways you can do it too.
My story
This all began back in 2020 when a friend and I went camping in Eryri (Snowdonia) and wanted to hike some mountains. It was a short trip, and we chose to hike up Y-Garn and then Yr Wyddfa the next day. No impressive routes or scrambling, but I remember struggling up them! Snowdon was terrible weather, but Y-Garn made me fall in love. We had unreal weather and views on the summit and from that moment forward, all I wanted to do was hike whether it be low level in the peaks or the mountains… So that’s what I did.
Shortly after this and completed a lot of Hikes in the lakes peaks and Snowdonia.
Scrambling (Solo)
I wanted to try my hand at a little scramble. Nothing graded, but a scramble nonetheless. I wish I could remember what mountains were in, but it’s been a while and I can’t remember, but I know it was in the lakes district. And scared is an understatement… Honestly, I was terrified of being alone in an unfamiliar situation, but I got down and thought “damn, that was scary but amazing”. So I looked for my first graded scramble and I didn’t know how the grades or anything worked yet.
For my first graded scramble, it wasn’t on a mountain, but in the Peak District National Park… Park House Hill, I don’t remember it much, but I do remember wanting to take this on a mountain. Along with this, I was following loads of social pages that made me want to spend more time in the mountains scrambling and doing harder things. However, with rope I didn’t know where to start so I stuck to soloing.
Between 21 & 22 I did a plethora of routes with all sorts of outcomes and met some amazing people along the way. From grade one to three, I just wanted to be scrambling up mountains. These were all over the lakes peaks and Eryri. I was deeper in love with the mountains after finding this new way to ascend.
I also didn’t know anyone interested in this so pretty much all of this was done solo.
But what’s next, there’s so much out there that I want to try. For most climbing seems to be the logical next step, but I didn’t know anyone who climbed with ropes (note I’d been bouldering quite a bit at this point too along with a tiny bit of outdoor sport climbing)
Winter Mountaineering
At this point, I considered myself a competent summer mountaineer have done loads of summits and scrambles, so what better than adding in some snow to fully become a mountaineer?
Starting in 23, I wanted to get into winter and did a few hikes in the peaks and Wales in full snow most noticeable Glyders Fawr and Fach up Devil’s Kitchen with my girlfriend at the time. Best day of my life at the time.
I then wanted to go on a course it felt like the right time. Luckily I had met someone at the bouldering gym who was also interested in mountaineering so we found a course with Jagged Globe (Introduction to Winter Mountaineering)
This course was amazing learning the basics of hiking and easy scrambling in a winter environment. Now I was in love with winter scrambles too.
After this course, winter was over so back to summer scrambling which I did a lot. I was also climbing a lot more and very interested in learning to Trad climb. I had done a few seconds, but never led anything.
Ciaran and I had a very interesting trip back up to Scotland in December 2023 doing some awesome stuff in crazy conditions up to 144km winds across Fort William and the Cairngorms.
Then in February 2024, we did the winter mountaineering course with Jagged Globe too, this was amazing and I have a full post on that. I had been Trad climbing a small amount, which helped with anchors and gear placing, but more on that in the next step.
Trad & Sport Climbing
As most mountains aren’t bolted, you need to be a Trad climber to do the climbing routes, so that is exactly what I set out to do. I spoke to a girl I’d known from the bouldering gym who did a lot of Trad if she wouldn’t mind teaching me (she’s an RCI too) luckily for me, she was also after a website, so I offered to build that.
I’m sure she’d have taught me for free as we got in well, but I wanted to be able to give her value for taking the time to teach me.
My first lead with her was at Strange in the Peaks District I did Right on HS 4b, and I also led 3 other routes that day up to HS 4b. I loved this too. I think there’s a theme going in here, each step I love more than the last.
My Trad climbing career up to now may have been short, but it’s been jam-packed. I have climbed close to 200 routes, leading half of them. A lot of single pitches in the peaks, multi-pitch in the mountains, and most recently Sea cliffs too.
During my short tenure in Trad climbing I have climbed some amazing routes such as One Step in the Clouds VS at Tremadog, Great North Road HVS At Millstone, The Sloth HVS at The Roaches, and Mr Seal VS at Gogarth. I won’t list every route I’ve loved, there have been so many.
I have climbed to a max grade of E2, helped by building strength and endurance sport climbing up to 7a, soon to be 7b+ as my project is within reach.
Chasing the big mountains
In the UK granted, we have some of the hardest conditions and the toughest routes in the world (thanks to Scotland). However, we don’t have any crazy mountains that take multiple days, Glaciers, and are real mountain adventures. So the final step is the bigger mountains, and my first trip being British is of course Chamonix.
On my first trip to the Alps, I only had 10 days and tried to tick off as much as I could in my time there. I Learned a lot about glacier travel and the alpine style of mountaineering. I even went over to Zermatt with my friend and climbed the Matterhorn. A mountain I wanted to climb for a while.
I also got to climb many classics around the Valle Blanche such as Arete des Cosmiques Aiguille D’Entreves and many others. It’s safe to say I am in love with alpine climbing and moving forward this is what I want to put my focus towards and being able to climb some of the hardest most amazing routes in the world. I can’t wait to see where climbing and mountaineering takes me.
I didn’t do any crazy hard routes and everything that I climbed was not the hardest grade, however, I wanted to get some amazing alpine classics ticked off. Along with getting my feelers for the alpine style and not risking pushing it too hard.
Conclusion to my journey to becoming a Mountaineer and a climber!
There have been many ups and downs all of which provide amazing opportunities to learn and grow. From a ground fall in the peaks to bailing off the CMD in -22 wind chill and 100+kmph winds.
It’s safe to say I have gained a lot of experience, I’ve made quick progress in the mountains and climbing. This is due to falling in love and my dedication to them from training in the gym to on the mountain.
I’ll write a book one day detailing everything. But for now, this post is close to my heart. See the next section on how you can do it too.
I’m proud to call myself a Mountaineer and a Climber. Yes, relationships may have suffered from it, but this is what I love and who I am… I’m a climber and a mountaineer and I’m just getting started!
Along the way, I also started to write about the mountains and gear I use here on Outdoor Ascent. I have also been working towards my guiding qualifications – Currently, my ML and RCI are hopefully to be qualified by the end of 2025. I will do others, but there are the two I chose to start with.
Notable Mentions
I want to end this by telling you about some scrambles and climbs I love, but didn’t mention above.
Climbs – Sport and Trad
Rubicon, f7A – A popular sport climb in the peak district that just flows so well. This was also my first sport climb in the 7’s
Tennis shoe, HS 4b– Not an amazing route, but my first proper multi-pitch
Toddy Cade, E1 5b – My first E1 trad climb
Scrambles
Crib Lem, Grade 1 – One of the best grade ones in my opinion and perfect for beginners with options to make it easier.
Y Garn East Ridge, Grade 2 – I did it in the wet, and it was still one of the best scrambles I have done
Dolmen Ridge, Grade 3 – Pitched by most, but I did it solo (which I can never recommend). However, this is a really fun and fairly exposed route. This day I went over Cneifion Arete, Mod (solo), which is also an amazing route, but very loose rock. Be careful if you do choose to do it.
Winter routes
Goat Track Gulley, II – The only thing I can remember about this route was the solid ice we had to climb which was great fun and extremely intense winds
Curved Ridge Variation IV – This was a stunning day albeit getting an Ice axe fly past my head. It is a great long winter route and the standard variation gets a grade II/III 3.
ALPINE ROUTES
East Ridge of Pyramid du Tacul AD+ 5a
My first alpine ridge Petit Flambaue PD – Being my first alpine climb as easy as it was, it won’t be something I forget any time soon.
Please remember, this post is about what I did, and I’m not telling you to copy it, but hopefully, I can inspire you, to get outdoors with my journey as a climber and mountaineer so far. As always stay safe, and within your capabilities. The mountains can be a dangerous place, so seek professional guidance before doing anything you read online. Stay safe!
