southern sandstone solos

by Al Siddons Chez George has just (April 23) done the first solo repeat of a slab route put up by Johnny Dawes on Southern Sandstone in 1997 (High Rocks Annexe.) It´s called Southern Softie, is graded UK 7a, and revoltingly green. He thinks it´s perhaps font 7b+ He also did the first solo ascent of a slab route put up by Luc Percival at UK 7a, (he thinks also Font 7b+) called Change in the Weather. These have both been around for a while, so these achievements are worth mentioning. Especially as in both cases, he worked out the crux move from the ground, without prior top-rope practice. Southern sandstone tends to get associated with damp, friable rock and top-roping, but it contains some truly outstanding high-ball lines on fantastic rock, that haven´t yet been soloed- and new boulder stuff (not just eliminates) is going up all the time.

QuelleUKClimbing