Dan Varian

If it's the best climb I ever do I'll retire a happy man, if it's the hardest, likewise. All I know is that it was a joy seeing through the process. This to me is why I boulder, for the difficulty and intricacy that can only be felt without distractions, to climb up lines like this.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLOMZKFGOs

For me it was my perfect experience of climbing.

References

[1] https://www.scarpa.co.uk/blog/christianbury-part-3-article/

[2] Video https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/49308851368/

[3] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/48704602472/in/photostream/

[4] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/48704573032/in/photostream

The sequence now is crazy, I have to side crab and lower my hips, then grab a half a 5p pebble and get in balance to bump my rh across the slot into more of a crimp, then I can lock up to a higher pebble and whip over for a hold on the top. [1]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31921.msg674071.html#msg674071

[2] Photos from a prior session, around Jan 2019 https://www.flickr.com/photos/ann-nigel/52728372113/in/datetaken-public/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/ann-nigel/52727369447/in/datetaken-public/

[3] https://scottishbloc.com/2023/03/09/news-the-magna-strata/

[4] Interview with Xa White for UKClimbing.com, March 2023 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/dan_varian_on_the_magna_strata_8b+-15091

Ultimately though its a line I'm hugely proud of seeing through, and I really enjoyed the time I had at Brimham figuring it out. I mean the hardest big line on grit is kid friendly and has a cafe and toilets, what's not to like!

These three lines [Bombadil, The Magna Strata, Weeping Arete] help represent my older vision for the niche of climbing I've fallen into without any chat about the number. Hopefully climbers can just look at the features and forms on the rock. Like hundreds of thousands do at Brimham each year on other rocks, and just get why it's something worth appreciating that - not only does the feature exist - but it's also a great physical challenge to climb up it. [2]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/C84sQzVNY-J/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2024/07/dan_varian_makes_first_ascent_of_weeping_arete_8b+-73726

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/28097486

References

[1] http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/little-women.html

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/33977773295/in/dateposted/

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Peb1QdlzZdI

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/23044295

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/8128371685/in/photostream/

There's a two finger dimple...you pull over with that and then you flip your palm and get your foot up. As I was pulling over with it my ring finger popped out of the dink so I was mono crimping with my middle finger, and I started to reel backwards and went in to emergency crimping but on a mono, and just pulled myself back the right way...That was memorable!

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/07/hobbie_noble_highball_8b_first_ascent_for_varian-69031

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/51497360581/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52090730298/in/photostream/

http://www.lakesbloc.com/2022/04/08/eagle-huntress-8b-mardale-head-boulders/

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52692867578/in/photostream/

[2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52692868638/in/photostream/

[3] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52692378651/in/photostream/

References

[1] http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/sporadically-slippystones.html

[2] https://youtu.be/6Pd6vNv0etg?t=954

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/54763322

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/10307407215/#secret328c77982f

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/24674839658/

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/3529545

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/04/interview+video_dan_varian_on_arc_royal-47062

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/things-ive-learnt-this-year.html

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/more-cloud-formations.html

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/5430896018/in/photostream/

[2] http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/stanton-delivers.html

[3] https://youtu.be/6Pd6vNv0etg?t=2933

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re59GMVnVv8

https://youtu.be/re59GMVnVv8?t=315

To me this is perfect bouldering. A serene setting and some incredible rock, a line that defines bouldering. It starts from a perfect sit start and heads up to jugs to finish (its only drawback is its lack of topout) The moves are fantastic and the holds only work when used with loads of tension through the feet and are some of the most unique i've ever used, not a single hold until the catch hold is easily holdable with feet off. Its called Helicoidal flow due to the rock on this wall mimicking water with its strata and features. Like undertow its also a flow process. It also seems to sum up the dynamics of my legs swirling about nicely. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/04/trio_of_new_problems_for_dan_varian-67958

[2] https://vimeo.com/62028364

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS0VspdIfIo

References

[1] http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=914

References

[1] https://youtu.be/4QAWGcLhWRw?t=504&si=OBkAfAiGJ_7_2AJQ

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2008/12/dan_varian_repeats_superbloc_e8font_8a-45495

References

[1] http://vimeo.com/13640222

[2] http://vimeo.com/14205239

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/6888177035/in/photostream/

Dan was initially trying it ground up but the high, scrittly top section put a dampener on progress so he resorted to a quick inspection on a rope before dispatching it.

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/9148842045/#secret7ee522a272

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-gwc24gIWw

With this ascent Dan had climbed every 8th grade problem in Northumberland. [1]

Chris's FA of this is one of the most impressive single moves ever done when body height is taken into account. decades ahead of its time and world cup comps still aren't setting double kick dynos off blank walls. 2 impressive repeats from Will Atkinson and Mike Mullins in 21 years and both were around 6ft 2-3 with a positive ape. Considering no one else has even done this and Monk's shows how specialised bouldering can be. 17 years of bouldering 8s in the county and i've scraped my way up (to the best of my knowledge) the independent 8's. On paper its nothing special, its a feat that Jack Palmieri has surpassed in a year which is incredible. On rock you have to deal with each line as they come sometimes. Catapult is there, Monks is there, they're both cool and thats what matters. There's a few of my own additions from along the way that've been memorable too. To me Northumberland will always be THE county. A place i'm always thankful to be able to be a climber in. [2]

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4bRrEUd2U0S1NfuZbyQ7h3?

[2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52502998907/

References

[1] From a later ascent? https://youtu.be/I-2o1H-30Og?t=93

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/11/dan_and_ned_-_the_prow_e9_and_black_triage-64897

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meYWJdX-qhQ

[3] https://youtu.be/6Pd6vNv0etg?si=3suTo-_BcE9dNJA5&t=1206

References

[1] https://www.lakesbloc.com/2024/10/29/leopold-von-buch-reclimbed/

References

[1] http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/young.html

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/05/moonrise_kingdom_new_e9_multipitch_by_mchaffie_and_varian-71089

Highballed above a stack of pads.

References

[1] https://marksavagephotography.blogspot.com/2011/12/darth-varian-turns-to-dark-side.html

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2019/03/third_ascent_of_transcendence_e8_6c_by_dan_varian-71896

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVmbGjd3pK8