by Mick Ryan click to enlarge Ravensheugh Crag in Northumberland is composed of the finest quality sandstone, but it´s a bit of a walk so doesn´t get that much traffic. Andy Earl and Chris Graham have being doing some questing to this remote crag and recently came away with a major prize, a rounded arete of perfect sandstone, that required almost no cleaning. Andy is no stranger to ´Super Blocs´, those climbs that gray the area between boulder problem and route, earlier this year he got a ground-up ascent of Careless Torque at the Stanage Plantation. The Magician at Ravensheugh weighs in at E7 7a or font 8a and was headpointed, practiced on a rope then soloed. Andy got the FA with Chris soon getting the second. Andy also had a good trip to Switzerland recently, snagging Vecchio Leone and High Spirit, both font 8b. You can see a video of the Magician at earl-andrewearl.blogspot.com and more photos by Darren Stevenson. Keep up to date with more Northumberland bouldering news at northumberlandbouldering.co.uk
