tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:44:22 +0000All you need to know about the Moorland Grit project.http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/martin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)Blogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-8790653224790185653Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:38:00 +00002009-08-11T14:58:26.269+01:00This post is nothing to do with climbing, which is a relief. It is about the awfulness of cute, furry creatures that attempt to destroy you with their fluffiness. The next time you're overwhelmed by a comical tapir, a cute but wonky rhino, or a, well, whatever the heck THAT is, you will know where to go.http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/08/mangalitsa-is-pretty-fancy-name-for.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-7536234768754799519Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:45:00 +00002009-07-29T11:08:41.945+01:00Whilst making my way through a chicken samber at the Cafe Bombay (with a saag paneer and garlic naan to share), I was taken to task for the recent run of rather downbeat emails. I was compared to either Marvin the Paranoid Android, or Eeyore the donkey. The point was clear enough. However I can hardly be blamed for feeling a bit down about the weather and many aborted attempts to get to Ashop http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/07/third-time-lucky.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-5756521899565109172Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:24:00 +00002009-07-20T17:09:25.338+01:00I've learnt that the best way to get some climbing done during the British summer is to ignore the forecast and go anyway. Saturday just gone was a perfect example of this. Greenfield Bakery is a great meeting place: with a selection of sweet and savoury pies, and parkin that can be bought by the pound (£1.40 per slab) what's not to like? We ended up at Nab End in the rain, then retreated for http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/07/its-steal.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-3711779939941772936Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:58:00 +00002009-09-08T00:44:22.183+01:00I’m taking the next 7 days off, because it will be sunny and midge free. The chances of this can go up as well as down.Here’s the plan:Wednesday 17th: Den Lane & Standing Stones. Meet at Greenfield Bakery, 10amThursday 18th: Tintwistle Knarr from 5pm-ish Friday 19th: Ramshaw & Roaches (meet at Ramshaw at 7am (yes, 7am), or catch up with us by mobile a bit later) Brockholes Quarry from http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/06/summer-lovin.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-200787006593431900Tue, 19 May 2009 15:29:00 +00002009-05-19T16:57:17.800+01:00Over the past couple of weeks I've been heartened by the predicted great weather. Talk of barbeque summers and other such cliches have raised my expectations. However (and you knew that was coming) the facts have not borne out the predictions. Despite that, we learnt from last year's month long epic that you really have to ignore the weather forecast, meet up at the bakery anyway and just go http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/05/crisis-what-crisis.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-1356818864065915019Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:56:00 +00002009-05-19T16:19:55.333+01:00I heard - on the Glossop grapevine - that the ice has gone from the Northern Edges of Kinder, so it seems appropriate to get back to work. There are plenty of reasons to choose the northern edges, and a predicted sizzling summer is prominent amongst them.It's been a long time since I did anything on the guidebook. Apart from a brief flirtataion with Bareholme a few weeks ago, I've been idle & I http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/04/glacial-retreat.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-4123480771845422704Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:46:00 +00002009-01-26T15:24:14.698ZGiven the choice of staying in on our own and fiddling with our Xbox 360s, or having a laugh with our mates, we all met up at Greenfield Bakery for the ceremonial Filling of Fat Faces.The routine goes something like this: buy a cheese and onion pie, a couple of butties, a bun and some gingerbread, and then top it all off with a brew. I also bought a whole Madeira cake (75p). Thus fortified, we http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/01/ice-men-and-ladies-cometh.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-3452650920863512877Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:53:00 +00002009-01-05T23:00:27.382ZWe're in that really curious stage of publishing called "proof reading and editing". It's a great way of finding out exactly what we've achieved and what we still need to do. There are gaps opening up everywhere, and they must be filled or we'll all be going down with the ship!It is also fun. I can see sections of the book coming together and that gives me a feeling of progress and redemption. http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2009/01/redemption-songs.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-3118551449100511217Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:34:00 +00002008-10-07T12:51:43.406+01:00Our final Big Day Out was to a place I thought had long since been lost. Crag X was well known about in past decades (especially in the Peak), but over time the chances of finding any such venue have decreased exponentially. It was with some surprise that I answered my door one morning to discover a bearded gentleman on my doorstep, waving a completed script at me.It was Tony Howard, the elder http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/10/afterglow.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-5840349534022063057Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:06:00 +00002008-10-03T17:26:11.871+01:00The comedy nature of the climbing over this last month might seem to suggest "null pwont" might be appropriate. However, the quality of our days out during that time have left us feeling as if we might receive a visit from Sir Terry of Wogan himself. For a whole month, a band of friends came together, ate, climbed, laughed and joked our way around the crags and moors of the Dark Peak. Every day http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/10/this-is-not-eurovision.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-681236544485352708Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:21:00 +00002008-10-03T17:59:53.847+01:00If you want to come help us, please do. Just get in touch by phone and everything else will follow. One of the most enjoyable aspects of our days out together is that we always manage to get what Ken Wilson calles "Last on Crag Points". This is not as boy scoutish as it sounds. It underlines the fact that we always get the most out of each day, and early retreats (because that is what they are) http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/09/free-cake-and-friendship.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-6447431831901609167Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:01:00 +00002008-10-03T18:00:23.341+01:00In that time we (and it was nice to have friends along for the ride):*finished Worlow Quarry*rediscovered Nab End*finished Standedge Quarry*finished Rough Knarr (apart from putting the lower off bolts in)*nearly finished Shooters Nab*finished Ringing Roger*went to Laddow in the rain*realised what the cover shot was going to beand discovered that somewhere we thought was going to be awful held a http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/09/week-1-results.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-5202218286130945319Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:48:00 +00002008-09-03T00:00:46.565+01:00It's almost like being back in the '90s when I went to Pakistan on a whim. I woke up one morning, decided I was bored, and got on a plane: it was that easy!I have a month off in order to finish the guide. I've told enough people that if I don't finish it this year I will have to shoot myself- so drastic action had to be taken.I'm not employed by the BMC (for one month only) and it's very http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/09/im-unemployed-and-i-love-it.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-3295303392771205530Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:59:00 +00002008-08-06T16:08:51.168+01:00Prejudice is a strange thing. Mostly it stops you having fun and makes you sound stupid. There's this character on UKClimbing who's too scared to use his/her own name. They're called "bullscrack". They spent most of last week slagging off Crowden Great Quarry on the forum. Of course, people can say what they like when they're anonymous. Same old same old...had s/he bothered to turn up and put http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/07/mordor.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-9205093312911188055Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:37:00 +00002008-07-29T14:58:46.030+01:00A car park full of sweating families but bereft of climbers told its own story on Saturday. I almost bailed as the thought of going to Rollicks with Billy Nomates wasn't that appealing. I went anyway, because I knew I'd feel guilty for the rest of the day in case someone turned up. Good job, really, as Liz Asquith emerged from the stunted oaks to join me at the half way fence. Between us, we http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/07/it-wasnt-john-wheeler-it-was-wingnut.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-7613339287459351583Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:29:00 +00002008-07-18T14:33:37.142+01:00It is raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, raining, http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/07/all-quiet-on-northern-front.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-5104338967073610688Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:58:00 +00002008-06-09T15:13:10.150+01:00I had avoided Wilderness for years...almost decades. The reasons weren't hard to fathom, and were in large part down to a misleading description in the old guide. Although this was no Wimberry, it was a good day out. Several routes gained stars, or had their current quota confirmed. The three E7s from Tom de Gay were stared at in awe: they are breathtaking and represent the state of the art for http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/06/enough-gnu-jokes-already.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-7633976290635185833Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:23:00 +00002008-06-06T14:12:07.349+01:00Well, you can hardly say that you're not coming 'cos you gone dun all them routes. The only person I know to have done a route here is Mr Tom de Gay, because I once watched him solo "Let's Get Killed". He made it look like it should come in at HVS 5b...it was inspirational (it's E7 7a)The only thing you need to really concern yourself with is wearing bright colours and having a sense of http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/06/no-gnus-is-good-gnus.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-6366091206680268968Fri, 16 May 2008 09:21:00 +00002008-05-16T10:29:47.679+01:00One fine day, me and Fireman Dan were up on the moors opposite Laddow. Midway through finding yet another undergraded route, I chanced upon Mr Lizard. He was sunbathing, and the only discernable movement was his breathing, or whatever it is that lizards do in place of that. I managed to shove my camera quite rudely into the fellow's face, but he weren't answering no questions.If anyone can tell http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/05/mr-lizard-hes-not-bovvered.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-5042876017928789482Mon, 12 May 2008 13:25:00 +00002008-05-12T14:51:05.956+01:00If you thought this was an advertorial for that well known gentleman, think again! It's for The Riverside Brewery Tap, Marsden instead! After a day of hard work, sunshine and watching people throw themselves at, up and off some Pule Hill testpieces, we retired to the Brewery Tap, and dined in fine style. I'm usually cynical about pub food. Here are some examples:"Home cooked food" where else http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/05/who-hell-is-gordon-ramsay-anyway.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-2405138379098030365Mon, 12 May 2008 12:59:00 +00002008-05-12T14:44:48.758+01:00As I predicted, the weather was glorious. However, the day did not start well. We pulled up to Edale's seminal Cottage Caff, only to find it had been taken over, and now did lattes! The glory of the old caff was that we got done by the owner if we moved our chairs/didn't eat all our food/asked for extra ketchup/got in her way. We loved it, and I feel bereaved. However, the now international http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2008/05/summer-sizzlers.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-4025657747168951089Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:23:00 +00002007-11-27T18:00:50.902ZIt's a funny time on the moors. The light can change rapidly, and the peat sometimes absorbs what little brightness there is. They can be foreboding places to be if you chose your time wrongly, but almost surreal if you get it right. This winter, we'll be out bouldering in some of the most unfrequented, but wonderful places you will find in the Peak. There's no online topo, no chalk marks and no http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2007/11/its-funny-time-on-moors.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-7534856842677137710Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:41:00 +00002007-10-02T19:59:19.041+01:00In the olden days, before telephones, people used to run competitions called "Guess the number of lice on the boy" and "How many leprechauns in the jar?" On Saturday at Bareholme, we played "How much does that bloody thing weigh?"We were miles off the right answer, which shows how little attention any of us pay to the labels on cake boxes from Tesgoons. Can you guess how much Duncan's home made http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2007/10/very-big-very-fruity.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-6285462794345674431Tue, 25 Sep 2007 09:14:00 +00002007-09-25T10:19:46.151+01:00Four of us made it as far as Lad's Leap, and we stood at the bottom of it with pleasantly surprised looks on our faces. Some bloke on Cocktalk had said that he'd been there once and never wished to go back. He was either at the wrong crag, or mad. In the end, we climbed all the routes, did a new one (as usual) and discovered a three star moorland grit classic that has lain hidden for the last 25 http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2007/09/it-just-goes-to-show-that-i-am-always.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950147077356743521.post-8472039536603076863Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:26:00 +00002007-09-20T13:39:47.995+01:00 On a wind strewn and cloudy day, Malc Baxter and Iain Johnson braved the wilds of Kinder’s southern edges with a view to conquering Nether Tor. The fast flowing cloud occasionally revealed our target as we walked in before disappearing again into the low lying cloud base. Several routes were checked including Roman Nose on which there was a vigorous grade dispute...VS 4b or HVS 5b? After http://www.thebmc.co.uk/blogs/moorlandgrit/2007/09/this-just-in-from-our-man-in-field.htmlmartin@thebmc.co.uk (Martin Kocsis)0