Meshuga | E9 Trad climb at Black Rocks

UKClimbing.com
Translation: Insane.

The prow at Black Rocks is one of the most impressive and uncompromising features on gritstone and for decades was regarded as a Last Great Problem. Attention in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s focused on the prow’s left arête, with climbing said to be around 8b.

Whilst top-roping Seb Grieve on the line, Quentin Fisher suggested trying to link to a line of better holds on the right arête. With a bit of beta refinement from Dave Jones, the line of Meshuga was unlocked and Seb made his ascent in 1997. It was perhaps the boldest route on gritstone at the time, comprising unpredictable 7c climbing, a long way above a terrible landing. [1]

Despite its boldness, it has become one of the most repeated E9s.

The left arête remains unclimbed.

The name comes from the Yiddish word for Insane.

References

[1] ‘Peak Rock’, Vertebrate Publishing, 2013.

Contributors
remus
73 contributions since 3rd January 2021.
TdG
24 contributions since 22nd May 2025.

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Ascents

21 recorded ascents, including 1 unsuccessful ascent.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Seb Grieve Lead | worked 25th Oct 1997
First ascent. Belayed by Rich Heap.

You cheeky little thing, I'll have you yet... [1]

References

[1] Hard Grit (1998)

[2] On The Edge Issue 73, page 9

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PawVn_-Cgiw
Neil Gresham Lead | worked 2000
Second ascent.

Prior to making the second ascent Neil took a nasty ground fall and banged his head resulting in severe vertigo.

On my first attempt to repeat it in 1999, I fell from the crux and knocked myself unconscious. This left me with vertigo symptoms and put me out of climbing for the subsequent year, but strangely, during this time I became increasingly fixated on a rematch. Meantime, the route’s reputation had only increased and it remained unrepeated during my period of convalescence. [3]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Co_4j5SNocT/

[2] On The Edge Issue 97, page 28

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/DHgXTRutcDi/
Tom de Gay Lead | worked 13th Sep 2001
Third ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge, issue 114
Tim Emmett Lead | worked Between 14th Sep 2001 and 31st Dec 2001
Fourth ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge, issue 114
Neil Mawson Lead | did not finish 14th Dec 2005
Belayed by Si Moore.

Neil's belayer, after Neil had fallen off and hit the deck:

He's going to have a fucking sore arse, I'll tell ya that. [1]

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7BJa4z2YVI

[2] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/meshuga.4831/
Alex Honnold Solo | worked 19th Nov 2008

Light rain, standard english fare...
Toru Nakajima Lead | worked 25th Aug 2009

Same day as Parthian Shot (Pre 2011 Break) with a direct start. Aged 15.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/japanese_climbers_2_e9s_in_a_day-369545
Ben Heason Lead | worked 27th Mar 2010

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/10589082

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/ben_heason_repeats_meshuga_-_e9_6c-52764
Nathan Lee Lead | worked 24th Oct 2013
Dave Mason Lead | worked 3rd Nov 2013

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDXq2gNqN7k
Ethan Walker Lead | worked 14th Nov 2013
Neil Kershaw Lead | worked Mar 2014

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/meshuga.4831/
Bob Hickish Lead | worked 24th Mar 2014

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/meshuga.4831/
Ed Hamer Lead | worked 2015

Date is a guess based on when the video was published on youtube.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdlxZwiFftk
Jim Pope Lead | worked 24th Oct 2018

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2018/10/meshuga_e9_6c_by_jim_pope-71756
Patrick Hill Lead | worked 4th Feb 2020
Nic Duboust Lead | worked 7th Feb 2020
Mike Adams Lead | worked Nov 2024
1 session.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCPnp30tTzz/
Pietro Vidi Lead | worked 30th Sep 2025

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DPbcVeLDO59/
Sam Hamer Lead | worked
Neil Furniss Lead | worked