Seb Grieve


Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7
Social Media

Star of the film Hard Grit, scaring audiences with his bold ascents.

Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7
Social Media

Star of the film Hard Grit, scaring audiences with his bold ascents.


Lists


Podcasts


Ascents

16 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown. Use the other tabs to view these ascents.
Year Climb Grade FA Ascent Date
1989 Gaia E8 (Lead) 5th March 1989

Second ascent.

1990
1991 Clippity Clop, Clippity Clop, Clippity Clop E7 (Solo) 13th October 1991

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

1992
1993 Predator 8b (Lead) 1993
1994 Knockin' on Heaven's Door E9 (Lead) 20th March 1994

Third ascent? From the right with the peg.

K3 8a+ (Lead) 21st August 1994

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

1995 The New Statesman E8 (Lead) 10th May 1995

Second ascent.

Snap Decision E7 (Lead Onsight) 10th May 1995

The first grit E7 onsight?

B4, XS E7 (Lead) 21st October 1995

Second ascent.

End of the Affair E8 (Lead) 19th November 1995

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.

1996 Love Amongst the Butterflies 8b (Lead) 1996
1997 Parthian Shot (Pre 2011 Break) E9 (Lead) 1st April 1997

Second ascent.

Meshuga E9 (Lead) 25th October 1997

https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115413049915581/115415893248630

Fat Slapper E7 (Lead) 3rd December 1997

https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115413049915581/115415973248622

1998
1999
2000 Austrian Oak 8b (Lead) 2000
2001 Harder Faster E9 (Top Rope) 2001

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

2002
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Love Amongst the Butterflies 8b (Lead) 1996
Predator 8b (Lead) 1993
Austrian Oak 8b (Lead) 2000
K3 8a+ (Lead) 21st August 1994

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

Clarion Call 7a (Solo)

Page 56 https://www.thebmc.co.uk/Handlers/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=1291

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Meshuga E9 (Lead) 25th October 1997

https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115413049915581/115415893248630

Knockin' on Heaven's Door E9 (Lead) 20th March 1994 E7

Third ascent? From the right with the peg.

Parthian Shot (Pre 2011 Break) E9 (Lead) 1st April 1997

Second ascent.

Harder Faster E9 (Top Rope) 2001

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

Gaia E8 (Lead) 5th March 1989

Second ascent.

The New Statesman E8 (Lead) 10th May 1995

Second ascent.

End of the Affair E8 (Lead) 19th November 1995

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.

Clippity Clop, Clippity Clop, Clippity Clop E7 (Solo) 13th October 1991 E8

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

Fat Slapper E7 (Lead) 3rd December 1997

https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115413049915581/115415973248622

Snap Decision E7 (Lead Onsight) 10th May 1995

The first grit E7 onsight?

B4, XS E7 (Lead) 21st October 1995

Second ascent.

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade