Dave Birkett


Quick Info

From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8A
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E8
Family
Leonard Birkett (parent)

A prolific force in the Lake District in the UK, establishing many hard and bold trad lines throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Contributors
143 contributions since 22nd December 2020.
TdG
8 contributions since 15th August 2025.

Quick Info

From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8A
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E8
Family
Leonard Birkett (parent)

A prolific force in the Lake District in the UK, establishing many hard and bold trad lines throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Contributors
143 contributions since 22nd December 2020.
TdG
8 contributions since 15th August 2025.

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No pics or vids yet.


Ascents

36 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown.
Sort
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
First ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge issue 110, page 11

Unrighteous Doctors 7c+ Lead | worked 1991
First ascent.
Hello Helen 7c Lead | worked 1990
First ascent.
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
First ascent.

Withe special permission from the farmer as the boulder was foot and mouth banned at the time. [1]

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 107, page 14.

Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

Date is a bit of a guess based on this interview with Natalie Berry from UKC. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/dave_birkett_the_weekend_warrior-8532

If 6 was 9 E9 Lead | worked 1992
First ascent.
First ascent.
First ascent.

On the day he went for the lead Dave only had a limited rack with him so decided to pre-place a few pieces. [1]

References

[1] Climber July 2002, page 9

Breathless E9 Lead | worked 2004
Second ascent.
Second ascent.

With side runners.

If you get the guidebook for Whale Rock, look at the E8 and the E5 to the right. Dave Cuthbertson writes about how you put side runners on the E2 for the E5 and on the E8 you put side runners in the E5 on the left so I only copied that description and they kind of dissed me a bit for it. I thought it was a poor attitude, I thought I can't be assed with that so I'm not telling anybody I've done Die by the Drop. My trad background is if you can climb to it you put gear in it. That's the golden rule of trad climbing really.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/dave_birkett_the_weekend_warrior-8532

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2006/09/dave_birkett_repeats_macleods_holdfast_e9_7a-28718

First ascent.
First ascent.
Third ascent.

When everything settles down as regards the grade and the hype that surrounds it, it will be heralded as a modern extreme classic of the 21st Century.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/05/birkett_repeats_the_walk_of_life_-_full_story-53538

First ascent.

Dave suggested E8 after finding (and testing!) a filed down slider to protect the route.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/08/birkett_repeats_cooksons_route_and_rescues_sheep-68270

Bleed in Hell E8 Lead | worked 1992
First ascent.
First ascent.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 140 (1991), page 11

Hellish E8 Lead | worked 14th Jul 1992
First ascent.
First ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 88, page 11

Another Lonely Day E8 Lead | worked 26th Apr 2002
First ascent.
Death Arete E8 Lead | worked 26th Apr 2003
First ascent.
First ascent.

The name comes from a quote from Will Ritson, an innkeeper in Wasdale in the 1800s:

There's nobbut ya way up scaafell crags...an nowt but a fleein thing could git up't crags...never neahbody he'd getten up there, an neahbody nivver wad. [1]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C8KTuRoqehd/

[2] https://www.threads.com/@climbonlinecouk/post/DLp6wUgNa-R

Caution E8 Lead | worked Before 20th Sep 2007
First ascent.

References

[1] Climb Issue 42, page 19

Femme Fatale E8 Lead | worked
Up Hellya E8 Lead | worked
First ascent.
First ascent.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 135 (1990), page 13 /library/11120/mountain-135

First ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 108, page 11.

First ascent.
Peppered Boursin E7 Lead | worked
First ascent.
First ascent.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 135 (1990), page 13 /library/11120/mountain-135

Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade