Climbing History

John was a prolific and gifted climber who established a host of hard, classic routes on his local gritstone crags in the Peak District.

Lines that had been eyed up by many fell to this prodigious young talent. He climbed Old Friends when he was just 14 and continued adding quality new first ascents from there, such as Hairless Heart, White Wand, Profit of Doom and London Wall which were climbed within a 2 week period at age 16.

From around 1977 to 1980, John lived in New Zealand where he established dozens of future classics [2]. He moved to Tahoe, USA, for 18 months (1981-82), climbing with John Bachar, John Long and Tony Yaniro. With Simon Horrox, he climbed The Nose in a day with no jumaring. [1] – the first time this had been achieved.

Shoulder surgery in early 1982 curtailed his output, but on return to the UK he began adding a plethora of high quality gritstone 'micro-routes' such as West Side Story at Burbage West.

Although his enthusiasm for climbing waned in the '90s, he returned to it in the 2010s, developing mid-grade sport routes in the limestone quarries of the Peak District.

John sadly died in a climbing accident at Stoney West in 2020 [4]. He remains a revered and fondly remembered figure in British climbing.

References

[1] Obituary on UKClimbing.com by Graham Hoey, 27th May 2020 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/the_day_the_music_died_-_remembering_john_allen-12803

[2] List of John Allen routes in New Zealand https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/ticklists/nz_john_allen_routes-2588?sort=g

[3] Interview with Geoff Birtles for Crags magazine in December 1976, shortly before John emmigrated to New Zealand https://www.climber.co.uk/people/the-john-allen-interview-crags-8-1977/

[4] UKClimbing.com news report on the accident which killed John Allen (2020) https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/05/john_allen_tragically_killed_at_stoney_west-72315