UKH

Among the videos of home-training etc I haven't yet seen any mention of the potential of trees during the lockdown. Despite living in Birmingham, close to Spaghetti Junction, I'm getting a lot of climbing-fun from an oak tree in a patch of woodland. Circling the whole tree, swinging under or round every main bough, is an excellent 'traverse'. Other old trees have small lumps on the trunk which give good crimping. Of course, rotten branches are as dodgy as loose rock; if leaves aren't growing, treat that branch as a 'forbidden hold'.

When reading the thread about Foot & Mouth, I remembered that in 1967 aid climbing was more popular, and I was shown a tree with a large horizontal branch where the local climbers used to practise with slings etc. I haven't tried this yet, but you might be able to do this as a tye of 'via ferrata' even if you haven't got a belay partner in isolation.

I've certainly used trees (mostly on Scout campsites) to practice things like prussiking.

You mean as a youth you didn't emulate Comici using 3" nails in beech trees?

Er, no?  Though I didn't get into climbing properly until I was 30.

Perfecting twin-rope aid climbing in the 60's from a blurry photo in a book from the local library was an adventure then! Down the local scrappy for some old seatbelts (a rarity anyway then) for ones etriers, hammer and nails and string for hangers. Not a lot of rock in Wiltshire so either on the chalk with 6" nails or beech trees. Rusty nails hold better.

I thought this was going to be (yet another thread) about beastmakers.

Thanks - I'm branching out, and have turned over a new leaf. Maybe I'm barking* up the wrong tree* though

* double pun = 10 points, thanks

Thanks profitofdoom for tree-based puns ... anything arboreal is welcome on Woodtalk!

Jim Titt; it sounds as I'll have to get a chapter from you when I start on my Magnus Opus .... 'Hard Wood'.

I was lucky enough to climb The Tree on North Crag Eliminate before that end of Castle Rock collapsed. Any other routes where brilliant wood connects pathetic sections of rock?

Petros (VS 4c) at Avon - quite good fun - check the photos if you like

Fantastic Pids, welcome to the Wood-Climbing Elite!

Thanks profitofdoom for Petros. It is on the ticklist.

I've now remembered a worthwhile wet day on Excalibur at Craig Penmaen Brith.

https://cdn.ukc2.com/i/289033.jpg

static was attacked by a resident tawny owl ... that's the sort of fun that you don't get on the Indian Face!

Nice photo, thanks

Meanwhile if the following tree falls down, do you think it will make a sound if there's no-one around to hear it?? [ref. the other UKC thread]

https://www.123rf.com/photo_98356302_giant-redwood-forest-sequoia-national-...