Aidan Roberts
Quick Info ˅
| Nationality: | GB |
| Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 9A |
| Hardest Boulder (Flash): | 8B+ |
| Hardest Sport (Worked): | 8c |
| Social Media |
|
Aidan Roberts is a climber from the UK. He grew up in the lake district and was mentored by the prolific developer Dan Varian.
Although he started out doing competitions Aidan has more recently moved on to establishing and repeating some of the hardest boulder problems both in the UK and abroad. His problem Superpowers in the Lake District is widely considered the UK's first 8C+ and Isles of Wonder SDS the second. As well as being the first brit to climb 8C+ he was also the first to climb 9A with his repeat of Shawn Raboutou's Alphane in Chironico.
As well as these highlights Aidan has also repeated or established a raft of problems in the 8B to 8C range, making particularly quick work of classic test-pieces such as Oliphant's Dawn and Jade.
References
[1] https://www.thebmc.co.uk/aidan-roberts-interview
[2] Interview with Simon Lee for UKBouldering.com, October 2016 https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,27531.msg535750.html#msg535750
Lists
Podcasts
- Jam Crack Podcast, April 2021
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, May 2022
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, June 2022
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, June 2022
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, August 2022
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, October 2022
- Lattice Training, October 2022
- The Nugget, November 2022
- Lattice Training, January 2023
- Strong Mind, October 2022
- The Nugget, February 2023
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, March 2023
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, March 2023
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, March 2023
- Strong Mind, May 2023
- The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, May 2023
Pics + Vids
Outliers (8C, FA)
Bewilderness (8B+)
Copperline (8B+, FA)
Superpowers (8C+, FA)
Tranquilitas (8C, FA)
Rocking Specter (8B)
Out of Shadows (8B, FA)
Back for Seconds (8B, FA)
Slim Pickings (8B, FA)
Jade (8B+)
Ode to a Modern Man (8B+)
High Fidelity (8B)
Railway (8C, FA)
Isles of Wonder (8B)
Hustled SDS (8B, FA)
Louis Armstrong (8B)
Freakshow (8c)
The Ace (8B)
Forgotten Gem (8C)
Leopold Von Pooch (8C, FA)
Truffles On Bicycles (8B+, FA)
Alphane (9A)
Stairway to Heaven (8B)
Child of Hell (8C)
Isles of Wonder SDS (8C+, FA)
Hazel Grace Stand Start (8B+)
Vecchio Leone SDS (8C+, FA)
Momentum (8B+)
Vecchio Leone (8B)
Crescendo (8B+)
Madame Allure (8B)
Ragga (8B, FA)
Muffin Top (8B, FA)
Raggamuffin (8B+, FA)
Everything the Light Touches (8C, FA)
Alphane (9A)
Alphane (9A)
The Lion's Share (8C+, FA)
Ascents
62 recorded ascents.
| Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Freakshow | 8c (Lead) | 2015 | |
|
Third ascent. |
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| 2016 | Traci Lords SDS | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2016 | |
| Retaliation | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 2016 | |
| Tsunami | 8A (Boulder Flash) | 24th October 2016 | ||
References |
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| 2017 | ||||
| 2018 | Amandla | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2018 | |
|
Third go. |
||||
| Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder) | 15th July 2018 | ||
|
Third go. |
||||
| Master Key | 8B (Boulder Flash) | 1st August 2018 | ||
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder) | August 2018 | ||
| Skadoosh | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2018 | |
| 2019 | Railway | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | June 2019 |
| Jade | 8B+ (Boulder) | June 2019 | ||
|
Third go. |
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| Ode to a Modern Man | 8B+ (Boulder) | 19th June 2019 | ||
|
Third go. |
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| 2020 | Shallow Groove | 8B (Boulder) | May 2020 | |
|
Third ascent. In a session. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAptLHIDB9C/?igshid=10kdfrfiu1cps https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/49937266778/in/dateposted/ |
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| Ebbing the Flow | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | July 2020 | |
| Bewilderness | 8B+ (Boulder) | August 2020 | ||
|
Also ticked Dandelion Mind and Badger Badger Badger in the same session. |
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| Copperline | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2020 | |
| Outliers | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2020 | |
|
Rounded off the session by repeating Isla de Encanta and Shallow Groove! https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/08/aidan_roberts_climbs_new_font_8c_at_trowbarrow-72461 |
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| Superman SDS | 8B+ (Boulder) | 31st August 2020 | ||
| Superpowers | 8C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 11th September 2020 | |
|
On the grade:
References[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATE-tZo12mg&t=1585 [2] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30855.msg667821.html#msg667821 |
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| Tranquilitas | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 12th September 2020 | |
| 2021 | Isles of Wonder | 8B (Boulder) | 2021 | |
| The Ace | 8B (Boulder) | 2021 | ||
| Paper Birds Low | 8B (Boulder) | July 2021 | ||
| Dead and Bloated | 8B (Boulder) | July 2021 | ||
| Wedgie Wall | 8B (Boulder) | July 2021 | ||
| Hustled SDS | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | July 2021 | |
| Louis Armstrong | 8B (Boulder) | 31st July 2021 | ||
| Back for Seconds | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2021 | |
| Slim Pickings | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2021 | |
| Out of Shadows | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2021 | |
| Rocking Specter | 8B (Boulder) | August 2021 | ||
| The Origin | 8B+ (Boulder) | August 2021 | ||
| Home SDS | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | September 2021 | |
| Leopold Von Pooch | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | November 2021 | |
| Truffles On Bicycles | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | December 2021 | |
| 2022 | Crescendo | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2022 | |
| Hazel Grace Stand Start | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2022 | ||
| Flipnic in to the Crack | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 5th January 2022 | |
| XXXS | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 8th February 2022 | |
| Silent Singer | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 23rd February 2022 | |
| Squalo Bianco | 8B+ (Boulder) | March 2022 | ||
| Vecchio Leone | 8B (Boulder Flash) | 3rd March 2022 | ||
| Everything the Light Touches | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 17th March 2022 | |
|
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| Forgotten Gem | 8C (Boulder) | 19th March 2022 | ||
|
Second ascent. In a session. |
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| Compass North | 8B+ (Boulder) | April 2022 | ||
|
Aidan was close on the flash go, falling on the final move to the lip. |
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| Foundations Edge | 8C (Boulder Did not finish) | May 2022 | ||
|
Aidan was very close on the flash. He cut loose mid way and had a minor dab, then dry fired off one of the last hard moves. He then basically did it second go but slipped off the easy, wet top out. |
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| Ragga | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 21st May 2022 | |
| Muffin Top | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 24th May 2022 | |
| Raggamuffin | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 14th June 2022 | |
| Isles of Wonder SDS | 8C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | July 2022 | |
| Madame Allure | 8B (Boulder) | July 2022 | ||
|
Second ascent. |
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| Alphane | 9A (Boulder) | 19th October 2022 | ||
|
Second ascent and the first brit to climb 9A. References[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IjWe3MH6z0HgMcC0Bj8rv?si=a5fc1751876a407b |
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| Stairway to Heaven | 8B (Boulder) | 23rd October 2022 | ||
| Child of Hell | 8C (Boulder) | 23rd October 2022 | ||
| Vecchio Leone SDS | 8C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | November 2022 | |
| 2023 | Unison | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | February 2023 |
| High Fidelity | 8B (Boulder Ground up) | February 2023 | ||
|
Aidan's first problem on Yorkshire gritstone. |
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| The Lion's Share | 8C+ (Lead) | ✓ | Between 18th Feb. 2023 and 9th Mar. 2023 | |
References[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CrdQTLVNW4u/ [2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tiWiDzWnbMN2PKUoFQC1Y?si=ed7f7c3fc39240e5 |
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| Momentum | 8B+ (Boulder Flash) | April 2023 | ||
References |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freakshow | 8c (Lead) | 2015 | ||
|
Third ascent. |
||||
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alphane | 9A (Boulder) | 19th October 2022 | ||
|
Second ascent and the first brit to climb 9A. References[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IjWe3MH6z0HgMcC0Bj8rv?si=a5fc1751876a407b |
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| Superpowers | 8C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 11th September 2020 | 8C/8C+ |
|
On the grade:
References[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATE-tZo12mg&t=1585 [2] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30855.msg667821.html#msg667821 |
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| Isles of Wonder SDS | 8C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | July 2022 | 8C+ |
| Vecchio Leone SDS | 8C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | November 2022 | |
| The Lion's Share | 8C+ (Lead) | ✓ | Between 18th Feb. 2023 and 9th Mar. 2023 | |
References[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CrdQTLVNW4u/ [2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tiWiDzWnbMN2PKUoFQC1Y?si=ed7f7c3fc39240e5 |
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| Railway | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | June 2019 | |
| Outliers | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2020 | |
|
Rounded off the session by repeating Isla de Encanta and Shallow Groove! https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/08/aidan_roberts_climbs_new_font_8c_at_trowbarrow-72461 |
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| Tranquilitas | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 12th September 2020 | |
| Leopold Von Pooch | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | November 2021 | |
| Silent Singer | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 23rd February 2022 | |
| Everything the Light Touches | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 17th March 2022 | 8C/8C+ |
|
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| Unison | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | February 2023 | |
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder) | August 2018 | ||
| Forgotten Gem | 8C (Boulder) | 19th March 2022 | ||
|
Second ascent. In a session. |
||||
| Foundations Edge | 8C (Boulder Did not finish) | May 2022 | ||
|
Aidan was very close on the flash. He cut loose mid way and had a minor dab, then dry fired off one of the last hard moves. He then basically did it second go but slipped off the easy, wet top out. |
||||
| Child of Hell | 8C (Boulder) | 23rd October 2022 | ||
| Skadoosh | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2018 | |
| Copperline | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2020 | |
| Home SDS | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | September 2021 | |
| Truffles On Bicycles | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | December 2021 | |
| Raggamuffin | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 14th June 2022 | 8C |
| Traci Lords SDS | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2016 | ||
| Amandla | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2018 | ||
|
Third go. |
||||
| Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder) | 15th July 2018 | ||
|
Third go. |
||||
| Jade | 8B+ (Boulder) | June 2019 | ||
|
Third go. |
||||
| Ode to a Modern Man | 8B+ (Boulder) | 19th June 2019 | ||
|
Third go. |
||||
| Bewilderness | 8B+ (Boulder) | August 2020 | ||
|
Also ticked Dandelion Mind and Badger Badger Badger in the same session. |
||||
| Superman SDS | 8B+ (Boulder) | 31st August 2020 | ||
| The Origin | 8B+ (Boulder) | August 2021 | 8B+ | |
| Hazel Grace Stand Start | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2022 | ||
| Crescendo | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2022 | ||
| Squalo Bianco | 8B+ (Boulder) | March 2022 | ||
| Compass North | 8B+ (Boulder) | April 2022 | ||
|
Aidan was close on the flash go, falling on the final move to the lip. |
||||
| Momentum | 8B+ (Boulder Flash) | April 2023 | ||
References |
||||
| Retaliation | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 2016 | |
| Ebbing the Flow | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | July 2020 | |
| Hustled SDS | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | July 2021 | |
| Slim Pickings | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2021 | |
| Out of Shadows | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2021 | |
| Back for Seconds | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | August 2021 | |
| Flipnic in to the Crack | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 5th January 2022 | 8B |
| XXXS | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 8th February 2022 | |
| Ragga | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 21st May 2022 | |
| Muffin Top | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 24th May 2022 | |
| Master Key | 8B (Boulder Flash) | 1st August 2018 | ||
| Shallow Groove | 8B (Boulder) | May 2020 | ||
|
Third ascent. In a session. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAptLHIDB9C/?igshid=10kdfrfiu1cps https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/49937266778/in/dateposted/ |
||||
| The Ace | 8B (Boulder) | 2021 | ||
| Isles of Wonder | 8B (Boulder) | 2021 | ||
| Paper Birds Low | 8B (Boulder) | July 2021 | ||
| Dead and Bloated | 8B (Boulder) | July 2021 | ||
| Wedgie Wall | 8B (Boulder) | July 2021 | ||
| Louis Armstrong | 8B (Boulder) | 31st July 2021 | ||
| Rocking Specter | 8B (Boulder) | August 2021 | ||
| Vecchio Leone | 8B (Boulder Flash) | 3rd March 2022 | ||
| Madame Allure | 8B (Boulder) | July 2022 | ||
|
Second ascent. |
||||
| Stairway to Heaven | 8B (Boulder) | 23rd October 2022 | ||
| High Fidelity | 8B (Boulder Ground up) | February 2023 | ||
|
Aidan's first problem on Yorkshire gritstone. |
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| Big Chief | 8B (Boulder) | |||
|
Second ascent? |
||||
| Panic on Funkotron | 8B (Boulder) | |||
|
Second ascent |
||||
| Little Women | 8B (Boulder) | |||
| Tsunami | 8A (Boulder Flash) | 24th October 2016 | ||
References |
||||
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|