Mecca - The Mid-life Crisis | 8b+ Sport route at Raven Tor

UKClimbing.com | 8a.nu

See also Hajj, Kaa'bah and Mecca Extension.

Originally given E8.

Contributors: remus

Pics + Vids

Martin Atkinson
Added at 11:11 on 16 November 2021
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk
Added at 18:12 on 18 December 2020
Katy Whittaker
View this post on Instagram

Added at 06:12 on 01 December 2021
Frances Bensley
View this post on Instagram

Added at 08:11 on 18 November 2021

Ascents

17 recorded ascents.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Martin Atkinson Lead | worked Sep 1988
First ascent.

The hardest route in the UK at the time, and completed the day before Martin moved to Switzerland to start a job with Mammut [1].

We ended up having this enormous bouldering session...doing loads of stuff and feeling really strong...then someone said "come on, have a go then" and I just did it. [1]

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/68128640

Ben Moon Lead | worked Between 1st Sep 1988 and 1st Dec 1989
Second ascent. 2 sessions.
Ed Morgan Lead | worked Nov 1989
Third ascent. 11 sessions.

Prior to climbing this the only other 8th grade routes Ed had climbed was Caviar and one other!

Was redpointing MECCA mentally strenuous?

Yes, horribly. It was standing at the bottom not knowing what to think before getting on it. Friends tell me before I got on the route I was just too psyched, wide-eyed and really tense.

References

[1] The Power of Climbing (1991) by David Jones, page 148

Mark Leach Lead | worked Before 1st Jan 1991
Fourth ascent.

References

[1] The Power of Climbing (1991) by David Jones, page 192

Steve McClure Lead | worked 28th Sep 1996
Ted Kingsnorth Lead | worked Sep 2009
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk Lead | worked 5th Sep 2012

Second british woman to climb 8b+.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw82ZcyCq2Q

Alex Megos Lead | worked 2014
Second go.
Katy Whittaker Lead | worked 8th Oct 2014
Jim Pope Lead | worked 26th Oct 2014
Molly Thompson-Smith Lead | worked 8th Oct 2017
Holly Rees Lead | worked 7th Apr 2019
Rhoslyn Frugtniet Lead | worked 30th Aug 2020
Frances Bensley Lead | worked 16th Nov 2021
Mark Pretty Lead | worked
Neil Bentley Lead | worked
Matt Donnelly Lead | worked

Aged 15.