Climbs

One of the most compelling single pitch lines out there, Divided Years tackles a 55m prow at Buzzard's Roost in the Mournes. It was the first route to be given E10 in the world in 1994, and was said to feature 8c climbing. It now rates E9, with climbing around 8a+.

James McHaffie and Ryan Pasquill made ground-up ascents with minimal beta and prep in 2015. Robbie Phillips made a well-prepared flash of the route in 2026.

Jack Geldard, UKC:

The route is one of the most inspirational lines in the UK, tackling a huge overhanging bastion of rock in a beautiful and remote setting.

Dave MacLeod describes it as: "This is one of the best single pitch routes I've ever seen or done"

The sport grade would weigh in at around F8a+ (possibly F8b) and the route is known to be well protected. Both John Dunne and Dave Birkett are thought to have had a few pre-placed runners on the most difficult section, whereas Dave MacLeod and Ricky Bell placed all gear on lead. Ricky took some 30ft falls on to hand-placed bird beak runners during his ascent.

5D in the Japanese bouldering grading system.

The first 8c+ in the USA.

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/30qPube60E0HHtsSacKlHF?

One of the eight ‘last great problem’ projects listed in the Derwent Grit guide. [1]

Jerry Moffatt did all the moves, Johnny Dawes top roped it in a oner, Ron Fawcett was hovering, but it was Andy Pollitt who tied into the sharp end, jumped through the crux and wobbled through to the top – narrowly avoiding a disastrous fall when he slipped on the final sloping ledges.

The route was first climbed on the 2nd of March 1988 by Andy Pollitt and graded E9. The pre-clipped 'hand-held' peg used on the first ascent was later discovered to have actually been placed with a 'hand-held' hammer. [2]

The grade of a given ascent depends on the particular gear placements used. The first ascent and early repeats used a peg in a slot high on the left. Later repeats used a cam in a good slot at half height, though this requires a traverse to access. Some people have combined the cam and the pegs, some people have used neither!

References

[1] The others were Dharma, Gaia, End of the Affair, Kaluza Klein, Soul Doubt, The Screaming Dream and The Groove.

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/10/ryan_pasquill_flashes_knockin_on_heavens_door-58563

Originally put up as 8B+, the consensus seems to have shifted to 8B.

A new sequence with kneebars has significantly reduced the difficulty compared to the original sequence.

The 'Mona Lisa of bouldering', according to Niccolò Ceria, this stunning arête is one of the quintessential problems of Fontainebleau.

Jacky Godoffe and Marc le Menestrel vied for the first ascent:

Who, Jacky or Marc, conquered the boulder first? In a spirit of brotherhood, both climbers blur the lines, each valuing the other’s effort. That day, they decided to share the first ascent, thus linking their names to the story of the boulder they would together call ‘Partage’. [1]

In 2009, a ‘finger jug’ snapped off, revealing a characteristic hole. This may have made it a little harder.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C09aKQQtBaT/

Alex Megos's contribution to the legendary School 50. A modern classic.

Named after John Allen, a prolific force in the Peak District, who sadly died shortly before the first ascent.

Originally climbed with a desperate feet low sequence (~8B), this was subsequently improved slightly with a toe on the rail (abely demonstrated by Ben Moon in Hard Grit) before some heel hooking technique was applied which lowered the grade to 7C.

A minor variation avoiding the jug and going straight to the top at ~8A called Fight Club has been climbed. [1]

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 95, page 19