Seb Grieve


Quick Info

From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Gender: Male
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7

Star of the film Hard Grit, scaring (and scarring) audiences with his bold ascents.

Jean-minh Trin-Thieu:

I know how weak he is and I can't understand how he is able to do these routes. [1]

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 73, page 31

Contributors
78 contributions since 22nd December 2020.
TdG
59 contributions since 22nd August 2025.

Quick Info

From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Gender: Male
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7

Star of the film Hard Grit, scaring (and scarring) audiences with his bold ascents.

Jean-minh Trin-Thieu:

I know how weak he is and I can't understand how he is able to do these routes. [1]

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 73, page 31

Contributors
78 contributions since 22nd December 2020.
TdG
59 contributions since 22nd August 2025.

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Ascents

30 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown.
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Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Predator 8b Lead | worked 1993
Love Amongst the Butterflies 8b Lead | worked 1996
First ascent.
Austrian Oak 8b Lead | worked 2000
First ascent.

It took Seb three years to climb the route and when he finally succeeded he said, “It’s got to be called K3, as it’s much harder to climb than K2”. Since Seb has never set foot in the Himalaya, this is quite an unusual statement.

During the time that elapsed from bolting the route to its final completion, approximately 90% of the sport climbing population of Sheffield belayed Seb at one time or another. [1]

References

[1] Peak Limestone North, First Ascents Supplement /file/bc3fd0e4-a3ee-a736-1cbf-d68af9f0910e/peak_lime_north_first_ascents.pdf

First ascent.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 134 (1990), page 13 /library/11317/mountain-134

Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Second ascent. Pre-placed gear.

Some 15 pieces of gear were pre-placed in the flake.

References

[1] Climber June 1997, page 4

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

Top roped clean several times but could not bring myself to lead.

Second ascent.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 128 (1989), page 13 /library/11313/mountain-128

Third ascent?

From the right with the peg.

Second ascent.

Seb could span around arete to a good hold, so suggested E8 6c.

Both feet cut loose on the crux so just put 'em back on again and carried on. Glad my belayer did not jump off the block and pull me off.

Second ascent.

Climbed during the height of the 1st sport climbing era. People had thrown away all their trad gear and were wearing brightly coloured tights. Had to persuade Stuart to call in on the way back from Raven's Tor to hold my ropes. Dead chuffed because this was my 1st E7.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 128 (1989), page 13 /library/11313/mountain-128

Second ascent.

Excellent fun. Buying and making the gear is all part of the experience. Buy hardened steel pegs, saw them to length, add tape to stop them sliding out. Buy a six inch nail with a round flat head, add tape and tie off. Easy to top rope but gets harder when you add the pegs which block your hand holds.

Second ascent.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 128 (1989), page 13 /library/11313/mountain-128

Appointment with Fear E7 Lead | worked 1990
Second ascent.
Beau Geste E7 Lead | ground up 1990
3 sessions.
Dangerous Crocodile Snogging E7 Lead | worked 1991
Second ascent.
Never Never Land E7 Lead | worked 1991 E6
First ascent.

Grieve suggested E8 for his solo ascent.

Soloed (Friend 6 did not exist.) with home-made knee-pads made from bathroom towels for added friction. Jeans are a good idea as well. Swinging across with a guppy and a pinch to the a-cheval position is the crux. Coming out of a-cheval to final layback is the heart-stopper and impossible to choreograph due to the 'knee-pad drift'. Felt very E8 at the time. Harder and bolder than Gaia and End of the Affair.

https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.117978419659044/117979619658924

Steady for E7.

The first grit E7 onsight?

B4, XS E7 Lead | worked 21st Oct 1995
Second ascent.
Paralogism E7 Lead | worked 20th Sep 1997
Second ascent?
Fat Slapper E7 Lead | worked 3rd Dec 1997
First ascent.
First ascent.

There is some misconception that the original ascent traversed in from the right. It did not. I climbed more direct using some long reaches to make it a purer more direct line.

Strappotente E7 Lead | worked 1999
First ascent.
Slackers E6 Lead | worked 1997
Second ascent.
Stretch Armstrong E6 Lead | worked 1998
First ascent.
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade