Climbers Shop Official Blog

North West Scotland Road trip

We had been meaning to do this trip for some time now and have on a number occasions looked at the forecast and gone ‘no, not going to happen this time around (again!)’. But decided to ignore whatever the weather was saying and head up anyway (I yet again didn’t win with the suggestion of a climbing trip to a much warmer climate abroad!) We were ready to get what we would be given this time, and it pretty much paid off.

We headed up early Sunday morning, had a few hours break from driving by doing some routes on Polldubh Crags, Glen Nevis. This place is a great spot with easily accessible climbing from the road, making it some of the finest road-side cragging in Scotland. There’s a lovely atmosphere there, along with good quality routes. A few of our recommendations for here would be:
Pine Wall, Severe, 4A (lovely rock, low in the grade – a great introduction to the area)
Resurrection, VS 4C (on your feet climbing, well protected)
Damnation, VS 4C (steep start then lovely slab afterwards)

We then headed further North to Applecross. Our aim for this area was to do the Cioch Nose on Sgurr a’Chorachain. This is a V Diff (can be made slightly harder with the direct start, which is recommended), and has a long ridge continuation after the climbing finishes. We would really recommend in doing this upper ridge continuation, especially if you park at the top of the pass, head down into the Coire, and climb all the way back out. Plus it’s really fun, there was one part which we pitched, which I think gets about a V Diff, after that it was nice scrambling ground, going up and over various knolls back to where you started! A great end to the route and a grand mountain day out!

The Cioch Nose in profie	The 3rd pitch	Top of climbing, great views!

We stayed the night in Applecross, then headed up to Torridon. We had one big objective for this trip and that was to visit Diabaig. A crag we had heard much about and we saw why! With immaculate Gneiss rock, Diabaig offers some of the best low-lying cragging in the NW highlands. With routes ranging from VS upwards this crag is situated next to the sea (but non-tidal) gets the sun for most of the day and is quick drying. It had to be one of our best days out cragging for a few years! The routes we did there were:
Evasion, VS 4C*

Route Two, HVS 5A****
The Black Streak, E1 5C*** (deserves 4 stars!)
Route One, HVS 5B**
The Pillar, E2 5B**** (the best by far! Low in the grade, open wall climbing, the wall from below doesn’t look possible, but it just keeps coming and coming!)
The routes on the main cliff (Route one, Route Two, The Black Streak) are all 2 long pitches, all can be abseiled off which was handy. The Pillar is a long 45m pitch, it was certainly intimidating from below, was fairly sustained but just really enjoyable!

Beautiful position!	The Black Streak	The Pillar

Looking back, we wish we had spent more time here, Diabaig was such a nice place to climb and it was sad to leave it! We then headed further North the same evening and camped over near Gairloch, deciding where to head the next day. The weather wasn't looking particularly promising, so we had a leisurely drive over towards Reiff. Stopping on the way at Jetty Buttress, a very much road side crag, with really good routes worth doing if the weathers looking a bit unstable and/if you needed a bit of a lazy day. We carried on up to Reiff, doing a few routes on the Pinnacle Area,

Hy Brasil VS 4C and Westering Home E1 5B that evening, ready for a more productive day tomorrow. The weather forecast was not too good for the morning so we headed up for a scramble on Stac Pollaidh, a really prominent peak, quite small in comparison to other Scottish Peaks, but a really worthy mountain to go up for a short day, we were up and down in under 3 hours, with views from the top not to be missed. In the afternoon, the sun peeped out and we got over to Reiff for a few more climbs, and did one of the better VS’s there called Black Gold, VS 4C, on amazing black grippy rock, a beautiful slab climb. The only downside was that it was a  North facing cliff, so can be pretty chilly (it was for us anyhow!). The next day, we headed further up Reiff, to a cliff called The Leaning Block. Unfortunately when we got there, the tide was up high (it didn’t help with the westerly wind coming in) and didn’t seem to be moving anywhere fast, so not to waste more time, we headed further south down the Reiff cliffs to see what we could do. We managed to tick off some more good routes like Immaculate Deception, E1 5B, Sip from the wine of youth again, HVS 5A, Barrier Reiff, HVS 5B and a few of the VS’s and easy V Diffs around the Pinnacle area. Reiff is certainly a great location, the routes are quite short, mostly tidal and especially good if you operate around the E3/4 grade. But the Pinnacle area offers great little routes from M to VS to get started on.

Beach near campsite at Gairloch	Black Gold, Reiff
Sip from the Wine of Youth again, Reiff	Stac Pollaidh

We were hoping to head even further up North to the likes of Sheigra Sea Cliffs and Sandwood Bay, but the reasonable good weather had to end at some point and it did. We headed back to towards Ullapool for the evening and then again ended back at where we started, Polldubh Crags, Glen Nevis to break the journey back home up. The weather wasn’t brilliant so we did a nice link up of three Severe graded routes Pinnacle Ridge, Three Pines and Spike Wall and headed home.
We were very fortunate with the weather – we knew we could of been hit a lot worse. But just goes to show, most of the days the weather was forecasted to be a lot worse, but Mr Weatherman isn’t always right! You have to take a gamble sometimes, this time it paid off. Thank fully.

Happy Climbing!
Helen.

Going the distance…

Not only is rock climbing season under way, running is too. Fresh (well almost) back from his Hoka Highland Fling race in Scotland last weekend,  Nick our shop manager took a little time out to answer a few questions about his running.
The Hoka Highland Fling encounters the Southern half of the West Highland Way, from Milngavie to Tyndrum. In all, it’s 53 miles (53 miles too long for me). This is a massive growing event and is expected to be the most popular UK Ultra marathon this year. Take a look at their website for more information: Hoka Highland Fling Race

Nick Completing the CCC (Cormayeur-Champex-Chamonix) ultra distance race last year

Nick: Little and often. Small amounts every 20 minutes or so. Gels and anything else you can digest easily. I tend to carry all my own food, you can waste a lot of time at checkpoints eating etc.
Also keep hydrated even when you’re not thirsty. Use Zero tabs or Elete water for electrolytes.

TCS: What are your 5 most essential bits of gear you use on ultras?

Nick:

1. Hoka Shoes – Stinson B Evos – Awesome cushioning and underfoot protection
2. Injinji Performance Midweight Socks – Anything to reduce the chance of blisters
3. Compression for Quad – Really helps minimise muscle damage on descents
4. Zero tabs/Elete Water – These help keep you hydrated better than plain water
5. X-Bionic Fennec Run Shirt – Awesome in hot weather. Keeps you cool and comfortable

TCS: Do you have any secrets to a quick recovery from races:

Nick: Not really, just rest to let the stiffness disappear. You can try cold baths (horrible!) and compression,
but I tend to just take it easy until i,m ready to run again.

TCS: What mental tips, if any, do you give yourself when motivation is down, in order to complete a race?

Nick: Try to stay focused and positive, also be pro-active in sorting out problems like blisters etc..
Also look at someone else and tell yourself that they are hurting more than you are!

TCS: What else is lined up in your running calendar this year?

Nick: A weeks training in the Alps in June and then the Montane Lakeland 100 in July.

TCS: What advice would you give a complete beginner wanting to have a go at ultra distance events?

Nick: Go for it! Build up slowly to spending lots of time on your feet on similar terrain to your race.
Train up to 50-60% of the distance – you can always do more on the day.

Come to the shop and get some advice!

Thanks very much for that Nick – we hope this inspires more people to get out and give running (not necessarily ultra distance!) a go. And we hope Nick has passed on a few decent tips to you all!!

We will make sure to keep you informed about Nick’s future races!

Win a pair of Berghaus Arete Climbing Packs in our free prize draw

For full Terms & Conditions of the draw click here

A wintry walk up Blencathra for TCS staff, courtesy of Bramwell International

On Tuesday staff members Mick and Paul took part in a a staff training event held by Meindl, Gregory and Source distributors Bramwell International.  They were joined by other retail staff from around the Northern region.

The event, held at the excellent Rheged visitor centre near Penrith www.rheged.com, involved a full morning of product training on both Meindl boots and Gregory Packs.

The training on Meindl boots, given by Amanda (Bramwell Int’s northern area sales rep) gave a really good insight into how the Meindl family have been making boots for 9 generations in the same town, Kirchanschöring in Southern Germany.  After 300 years its still very much a family business and their focus on craftsmanship and innovation is extraordinary.

Both Mick & Paul were really impressed with the quality and the attention to detail found in Meindl footwear, and how hand made their boots still are (particularly in this age of mass production where most outdoor kit is now being manufactured in the Far East).  Meindl boots have always commanded a relatively high price tag, but seeing how they’re made, you really get a lot for your money.  Think of them as the Audi of the boots world – German engineered to a exceptional standard.

To check out our range of Meindl Footwear – click here

Part of the training day was also a hill walk and the chance to try out some Meindl shoes and Gregory daypacks in their natural environment.  The hill walk was lead by instructors from the local Outward Bound Trust centre at Watermillock on the shores of Ullswater. 

Lead instructor for the day was James Lancashire, an accomplished mountaineer and ‘7 Summiteer’ (the elite group of climbers who have successfully climbed the highest mountains on each of the 7 continents) and before the lunch break James gave a superb talk on his experiences in completing the 7 Summits challenge.  To read about his exploits go to http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/outdoors-news/7-out-of-7-summits-for-james-lancashire/8556-3.html

After lunch the group headed up Blencathra, in pretty unseasonal and unsettled Lake District weather.  Snow, sleet and hail were accompanied by high winds and the occasional sunny spell (when it actually got quite warm).  Many in the group opted to use their own walking boots as conditions underfoot looked like they may be beyond the capabilities of the Meindl Respond GTX shoes everyone had been given to try out.  Mick however stuck with the shoes and despite the boggy, wet ground and rough terrain had no problems at all. The Respond GTX proved more than adequate for the challenge, even when Quincy, the Irish Terrier, decided to drag him right across an ankle deep bog.

The group enjoyed a fairly rapid and energetic ‘stroll’ up from the Scales car park, up onto Mungrisdale Common and up onto the summit of Blencathra, with Quincy helping to keep everyone in the ‘herd’ in line. With flurries of snow falling (horizontally) at the top and a very noticeable wind chill, the group beat a hasty retreat back to the awaiting vehicles at Scales, having had a great (half) day out on the hill.

The shoes provided by Meindl performed superbly as did the other items of Bramwell kit provided.  The Climbers Shop guys had an very enjoyable and informative day, as I’m sure everyone from the other stores did too.  Many Thanks to all the Bramwell International staff involved (and of course, Quincy).

What a week!

This past week has felt more like June than March! Climbers Shop staff have been lucky enough to make the most of their days off and get to some cracking climbing spots,
such as the East Buttress of Scafell (visited twice by Bryan!) which is rare to be dry at this time of the year, Scafell North Crag, Grey Crag (Buttermere), Dow, Buckstone How and Raven Crag.
Between them all,  a great list of routes have been ticked off, here’s what has been climbed:

Helen On Fortiter	Brian on Sauviter	Andy C on Leopards Crawl
Bryan on Pink Panther	Helen on Great Eastern Route	Andy C on Central Buttress
Bryan topping out on Ichabod	Chris on Moss Ghyll Grooves	Andy C on Murrays Direct

Please visit our Facebook page to have a gander through more photos! Plus our website to check out all the latest gear we are getting in the shop,
there's plenty of deals on the shiny stuff if your rack’s looking a bit down in the dumps!

Have a great weekend!

Helen

Winter Season is ending and Spring is beginning!

You could say it’s been yet another unpredictable winter season for us. There were a few days were we got glimpses that we could of been on for a good one, then before we know it, the daffodils are out and the days are getting longer.

So the rock climbing season is now upon us! The air feels fresh, the rock is starting to dry and the sun is very welcoming.

Staff members. Bryan, Helen and Chris have been managing to get out on days off, getting to the likes of the Napes on Gable and Gimmer Crag. here are a few shots from them:

Bryan on Ash Tree Corner, Gimmer	Helen On ‘D’ Route, Gimmer
Needle Ridge, Napes	Napes Needle

Here at the shop we have received a lot of new and fresh products in. The new gear from Rab looks great, they never seem to disappoint, and we look forward to getting our hands on some.
Here are some of our recommended products from their range this Spring:

Rab Vapourise Light Jacket	Rab Vapourise Lite Jacket (womens)	Rab Alpine Trek Pant

We have also had some great deals in on climbing gear, so if your rack needs rejuvenating, check these out:

And don’t forget these other essentials!

DMM Puma Harness (Womens)	DMM Renegade Harness
Evolv Defy Rockshoe	Montane Medusa 32 rucksack

Check our website out for further deals on clothing and climbing equipment, we have had so much come in!

Here’s to a better summer season than the Winter! If you are visiting the Lakes this Spring, be sure to check out the current bird restrictions that are coming into force on some crags, as it’s caught us out more than a few times!

Enjoy!

New Season Kit from Rab, Haglofs & Montane

	The Montane Anaconda 18 is one of four rucksacks to come from Montanes first rucksack range. Built for ultra distance events and fast mountain trails, the Anaconda 18 is equally at home as a lightweight spring / summer day pack in the Scottish mountains or on Alpine trails.	Our Price £55.00 r.r.p. £60.00
	The Rab Alpine Trek Pants are lightweight walking trousers that conveniently combine low weight and bulk with good durability and hard wearing materials, making them ideal for trekking, climbing, scrambling and mountaineering.	Our Price £49.00 r.r.p. £55.00
	For Spring 2012 Rab have taken everything they have learnt from the Vapour-rise clothing system and put it on a diet! The result, the Rab VR Lite Alpine Jacket is an incredibly breathable and weather resistant 'soft-shell' system that really works.	Our Price £99.00 r.r.p. £110.00
	The Haglofs Jibo Tee looks and feels just like a cotton tee, yet it performs like a high-performance technical base layer.  The advanced fabric wicks sweat and keeps you dry, and is made using recycled plastics.	Our Price £35
	Designed for highly changeable mountain conditions and styled to fit perfectly for outdoor sports sums up the Montane Women's Terra Ridge trousers. Lightweight granite stretch fabric allows dynamic movement for any activity.	Our Price £69.00 r.r.p. £75.00
	The Haglofs Lizard Q Jacket is a lightweight women's active softshell jacket that’s ideally suited to moving fast and light in the mountains during the spring and summer.  offers a technical layering solution for female climbers, mountaineers, hill walkers, trail runners and mountain bikers.	Our Price £110.00 r.r.p. £120.00

Back to the Future for the Climbers Shop

If you’ve visited the shop in the last few days you’ve probably noticed we’re having some work done at the front of the store.  Sorry if this has caused any inconvenience, hopefully this will be all completed very soon.  Its marking the start of some exciting changes here at the Climbers shop.

Our longer standing customers will remember when the front of the store was our dedicated climbing gear department.  Well ..its coming back, only better, brighter and with a load of new gear.  The reinstating of the climbing department is all part of a shop wide overhaul in which we hope to refocus the direction of the shop back to our core business – we are the ‘Climbers’ shop after all.

As we are now part of the Joe Browns group of shops (based in North Wales), and we share such a strong climbing heritage, it makes sense to go back to our roots (so to speak) and become a destination climbing store once again.  The store will be benefitting from a bit of a revamp over the coming months, with the first big change being our climbing department moving back to where it belongs, in pride of place at the entrance to the shop.

Don’t worry if you aren’t a climber or mountaineer though as we’ll still be stocking everything you need for fell walking and trail running too.  The Climbers Shop is still going to be very much a multi sport mountain shop, as it always has been

Out with the old	Work in progress	Re-stocking

The majority of the relocation work will be done by this weekend and the new climbing department will be open for business.  If you are planning a visit to Ambleside over the weekend why not pop in and see how the work is progressing.

In the coming weeks and months there will be lots of other changes happening both in store and on our website.  We’ll keep you posted on our blog, via our Facebook Page and on Twitter – so stay tuned.

Winter Climbing in Lakes (Finally!)

Staff from The Climbers Shop have finally managed to get out in the Lakes this past week and get some routes done! Bryan and Helen headed over to Gable Crag last Tuesday and did Pinnacle Ridge which was in the best condition you probably could get it in. The North Lakes seem to have had less snow than what is in the South, and the snow that was there, was very consolidated, certainly made the walk into Gable nice and easy! Panorama below of Green gable, Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Pillar.

The route itself, Pinnacle Ridge, is not so much of a ridge, but more of a Buttress, with really fun icy mixed corners, each pitch provided interest at around Grade 3. The crux of the route was a tricky little
mantelshelf onto a narrow ledge, just above where Helen is standing in the photo below. Thankfully the turf above was bomber. Pinnacle Ridge takes in some fantastic scenery and atmosphere.
Conditions wise, frozen turf throughout and neve to be found everywhere! We couldn’t have asked for better weather and conditions to what we had on Gable.

Another staff member, Chris, was out yesterday (Wednesday) on Great End. We have had great reports coming in from people who have been on
Great End, the classic gullies are in brilliant condition at the moment. Chris and his friend Jake, did Central Gully Left Branch (Grade 3 – photo below of Chris on main ice pitch). Chris was welcomed with good ice and well frozen snow. Custs Gully (Grade 1), provided a good descent for Chris in such conditions. Window gully was also looking good.

Bryan has also been out on a few solo trips, last night (Wednesday evening) he took a quick trip up onto Brown Cove Crags, and went for one of the mixed buttress routes.
The conditions seems to be quite localised, the snow pack around Gable was really solid, yet around Brown Cove, there seemed to be a thick crusty layer on top of a deep softer layer.
There might well be a lot of windslab present, so keep an eye out. Easy mixed routes are likely to be in good condition, but steeper and harder mixed probably not, as there isn’t a lot of hoar build up on the rock.
Hopefully the gullies on Great End will stick around so we can all get out again next week!

Climbing great routes wouldn’t be the same without wearing the right gear for the job!
Much of what we were wearing we sell here at the shop, such as:


Black Diamond Sabertooth Crampons, Haglofs Eryx Pants, Rab Baltoro Alpine Jacket, Black Diamond Speed 30 Rucksack,
DMM Puma Harness and Black Diamond Express Ice Screws!

Enjoy it while it lasts!!

The Climbers Shop are now supporting Community Action Nepal

In 2012 and beyond the Climbers Shop are proud to be supporting Community Action Nepal, a charity set up by legendary mountaineer Doug Scott.  Their aim is to help remote and isolated communities, who survive mainly as porters for groups of western trekkers and climbers,  in Nepal.

Community Action Nepal operates mainly in the Middle Hill Regions of Nepal from where the majority of the porters originate. It is the porters who make it possible for walkers and climbers to enjoy the Peaks and Passes of Nepal.

How did it start? the charity was founded by Doug Scott. He reached over 40 Himalayan summits, including Everest and Kangchenjunga, before taking an active interest in the welfare of the people who had, in effect, brought him relative fame and fortune.

Inspired by the philanthropic work of Mike Cheyney and his Sherpa Co-operative, Doug launched the Specialist Trekking Co-operative (STC) in 1989. STC was born out of anger at the dreadful conditions of labour in the trekking industry in the country where everything was left to market forces, where there was very little in the way of rule and regulation and nobody to enforce them anyway. The main ethos was simply to provide fair remuneration and adequate conditions for not only the local, permanent staff, but also for the porters.

The Climbers Shop will be helping out in a number of ways this year, including selling a range of special products made in Nepal and some signed and framed photographs sold solely for the benefit of CAN.  For details of our CAN products please call us on 015394 30122.  Selected items will also be available online soon.

Also,100% of our shop rent that's paid to our landlords, the Frank Davies Trust, is donated to charity, with the largest single benefactor being CAN

Winter Climbing 2012 – Bring It On!

Well it’s a new year and we’re all really getting psyched for some winter climbing!

So far, though, its fair to say that the winter has been pretty disappointing.  Temperatures have been much higher than normal and there’s been precious little in the way of snow. We’ve had quite a few wintry storms though and some very high winds, but it just hasn’t stayed cold enough for any length of time (here in the Lake District anyway) to get any climbing in. Its been so warm that we’ve even got Daffodils starting to sprout …in January.

Don’t despair though the winter season is still young and hopefully there’s a couple of cold months yet to come.  We’ve got our fingers crossed for better conditions in the coming weeks.  The forecast is looking promising for colder conditions soon.

If you want to see just how much snow (or if there’s any snow) we’ve got here in the Lakes then check out our webcam http://www.climbers-shop.com/web-cam.aspx . This looks over the Fairfield range from our shop in Ambleside and is usually a good indicator as to what conditions are like throughout the central fells.

Also if you need any new gear for winter climbing then we’ve got everything you’ll need to get out in the snow and ice (and out on the rock too of course) this year, at some sweet prices too. Check out our cracking deals in our Climbing Sale http://www.climbers-shop.com/185/climbing_sale.aspx

Postage changes on small orders

For the bulk of last year, we were able to offer you, our customers, completely free postage to anywhere in mainland UK.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. We have really loved offering free postage throughout 2011 and it’s a benefit all of our customers have loved too. It makes things simple and cost effective for you and we aim to offer the best overall service possible. Unfortunately though, as our postage services are getting more and more expensive, we’ve regrettably had to re-introduce a small postage charge for 2012 – sorry folks.

The good news is we’ll still be offering free UK postage on all orders over £35, and even if your order is under £35 we’ll only charge you £3.50 for postage, which hopefully isn’t going to break the bank either.

We’re always committed to keeping delivery costs to our customers down as low as we can, so if and when it becomes more cost effective again, I am sure we will go back to free postage again. Keep your eyes peeled as well because we may still offer free postage for all orders for limited periods, just to be nice!

For a full breakdown of the postage costs on the website then just click here.

The Winter Climbing season has finally started

Here’s a winter climbing report by outdoor instructor and part time Climbers Shop staff member, Bryan, just to get you inspired and psyched for the Christmas break and New Year.  Fingers crossed for some cold conditions.

‘Myself and a couple of friends, Andy and Mark headed north to Scotland at the beginning of December, hoping that our optimism of the weather not being as bad as forecast, and some good conditions, would pay off.  Luckily for us, we were rewarded with good early season conditions, and typical Scottish weather.’

‘Wednesday was spent in the Cairngorms, in Coire an Sneachda, where we climbed The Genie, where we had to climb fast to try and beat the rapidly rising freezing level which was threatening to strip the route.’

Mark leading pitch 2 of The Genie V,7	Andy seconding pitch 2
Mark seconding pitch 3	The long walk in

‘After checking the forecast for Thursday, we decided to take a gamble and drive to Torridon, aiming to climb the triple buttress of Beinn Eighe via the East Buttress IV,5, which has always been somewhere I’ve wanted to climb.  As we drove down the valley, we were pleased the snow level was down to 300m, and knew that our gamble was going to pay off.  We were slightly concerned about our rather lazy 9.30am start however, as there was a 3hr walk in and 250m climb ahead of us!’

The Triple Buttress of Beinn Eighe	The awesome view from the 1st belay of The East Buttress
Andy coming up the 1st pitch	Topping out into a blizzard

‘After only 7hrs, we arrived back at the car, after having an excellent day, where we didn’t see anyone all day.  If you haven’t been round to the Triple Buttress, I would thoroughly recommend it, even if you don’t intend to climb, its a nice walk, and a stunning place to be.’

The descent	Working out where to cross the river

Spot the climber.  Andy on pitch 1 of Stirling Bomber V,7	A spindrift swept  Fiachaill Buttress, Coire ant Sneachda

Here’s to a long and cold winter.

Bryan

The Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo - Summit Day

Today is the last day of our epic Eiger promotion and we make the last push onto the summit, via the Mitellegi ridge.

So what do we have on offer on the final day of our journey then? Well today's offer has a fast and light sort of feel to it. We have two cracking little hydration packs from Osprey - The Viper 10 (mens) and the Verve 10 (women's). These great little packs are just the job if you're trail running, fastpacking or mountain biking; keeping you hydrated on the move and sticking to your back like a limpet.

We're also offering a great deal on possibly our most popular products over the last six months – the Injinji Toesocks. These clever little 'foot gloves' have gained a huge following, particularly among trail and ultra distance runners, as their '5 toe' design effectively prevents blisters and massively improves comfort on long mileage runs. This offer is for the Injinji Mini Crew toesock and it now at the great price of just £11 a pair (normally £13).

Remember its free postage on all UK orders too!

All of the offers from the Eiger Christmas promotion will be held until December the 27th. Our last posting day for guaranteed Christmas delivery is the Tuesday 20th December.

Hope you all have wonderful Christmas and an amazing New Year. Best wishes from all of the team at the Climbers Shop.

The Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo - Stage Six

Today is the penultimate stage, the last hard pitches before the summit. From the Traverse of the Gods we ascend steeply towards the summit icefield via the infamous White Spider. (check out the map on the website to see how far we’ve got).

The offers for today are really essential items for the winter hillwalker and mountaineer. First off we have a selection of LED headtorches, something that anyone who ventures out in winter should have with them. The headtorch selection we’re offering includes the super versatile and convenient little Zipka 2 Plus, the powerful and compact Tikka 2 XP, the diminutive and superbright Mammut S-Light and the super tiny Petzl e+Lite, These make an ideal stocking filler for any outdoor nut!

We also have the Nevis Crampons* from Climbing Technology. These 10 point walking crampons are perfect for winter hillwalkers and they won’t break the bank either.

The ever popular Troll crampon bag is also on offer today ...which is a bag you put your crampons in. It’ll stop your sharp, pointy metalwork from ripping its way out of you rucksack or embedding themselves into your back! At just £10 it’s a very worthwhile investment.

*The CT Nevis Crampons come with a crampon bag included

Our Christmas Eiger promo sees new products revealed every other weekday until the 19^th December (leaving plenty of time for delivery for Christmas). Keep a close eye on the website http://www.climbers-shop.com/christmas-promo/ ) to see what great deals can be had at each stage.

The Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo - Stage Five

Big day today! Stage 5: Death Bivouac to Traverse of the Gods via the Ramp (check out the map on the website (http://www.climbers-shop.com/christmas-promo/ ) to see where we’re at on the face)

After a bitterly cold and sleep deprived overnight stay at Death Bivouac we progress upwards at first light.

Today’s new tranche of offers includes one of our most popular jackets, the Rab Vapour Rise trail Jacket. At only £92 (Normal RRP £115) what is not to like about this offer? The Rab Vapour Rise Trail Jacket is versatile all rounder , being windproof, warm and highly water resistant; it’s a jacket made for the mountains. ...and from now until Christmas it an absolute steal!

We’ve also got a great deal on the superb Edelrid Boa Climbing rope. This is an awesome all rounder, ideal for the beginner and experienced climber alike. This single rope is 9.8mm making it perfect for climbing walls, sports climbing and cragging. It is also light and super strong. The Edelrid Boa is now fantastic value for money and is available at the Christmas promo Price of just £79.00 (50 metre).

The Leatherman Style gift pack completes today’s trio of goodies, and is the sort of thing any ‘boy scout’ (young or old) would love in their stocking on Christmas morning.

Our Christmas Eiger promo sees new products revealed every other weekday until the 19^th December (leaving plenty of time for delivery for Christmas). Keep a close eye on the website (http://www.climbers-shop.com/christmas-promo/) to see what great offers we have at each stage.

Don’t forget, we have free UK postage on everything too!!

The Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo - Stage Four

Today is stage four of the epic Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo, which takes us from the Second Icefield to Death Bivouac (check out the map on the website to see how far we've got). We're getting high up on the mountain now and as we climb higher on the face, more of our Christmas offers are revealed.

Today's offer has a real climbing feel and these products will really appeal to the keen rock jock in your family. Troll Omni's have long been the climbers legwear of choice, because they give you totally unrestricted movement, are pretty much windproof and dry incredibly quickly. We've now got these Troll classic's, in a range of funky colours, at a very appealing price. Why not team these up with a very cool and contemporary Moon Climbing tee, from bouldering and hard grit legend Ben Moon.

Guaranteed to boost your cred (if not your climbing prowess) at the crag or the wall. We've also got a fantastic Quickdraw deal from up and coming Italian brand, Climbing Technology, which every climber needs on their rack.

Remember all the products on past days are still available and its still free postage on all UK orders too!!

First Winter Walk of the Season

On Wednesday I went out for the first time this winter to have a look at Helvellyn. Given a pretty dodgy forecast of very strong winds and lots of fresh snow, I decided just getting to the top was a worthwhile objective, and perhaps a look at the edges.

Navigation was tricky along the ridge from the top of Brown Cove to the col with Lower Man, then when reaching the summit the winds picked up where all ground was left exposed from the strong westerlys, so was rock solid under foot. Which cannot be said for the east facing slopes!

On went the balaclava and the goggles for the gruelling dash back down head on into the wind, with all the loose snow being picked up and blasted around. A nice introduction for hopefully a good winter to come.

Chris.

The Climbers Shop Christmas Eiger Promo – Stage 3

The Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo - Stage Three

Today is stage three of the Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo and another 3 great Christmas products are revealed.
We push on up the Eiger Nordwand today with the demanding pitches from the First Icefield to the Second Icefield (check out the map on the website(http://www.climbers-shop.com/christmas-promo/ ) to see how far we’ve got.

All that ice climbing is guaranteed to give you the ‘hot aches’ in your hands. So for today’s products we’ve a few ideas for warming up those frozen fingertips (although not necessarily on the Eiger!) . We’re offering a nifty little Whitby Handwarmer that’ll make a great gift for anyone who loves being out in the outdoors all year round and in all weathers. Team this up with some of our Meraklon lightweight liner gloves, or even go the whole hog and cup your hands around a lovely hot brew in a Gelert Insulated mug  , that’s fantastic value at just £5.

Our Christmas promo sees new products revealed every other weekday until the 19^th December. Keep a close eye on the website to see what great deals can be had at each stage.

Don’t forget, it’s free postage on all UK orders too!!

The Climbers Shop Eiger Christmas Promo - Stage Two

This Christmas Eiger promotion is our homage to one of the greatest climbing achievements of the past 100 years. It follows the classic Heckmair Route taken on the first ascent of the Eiger in 1938, and made famous by Heindrich Harrer's Classic mountaineering book, 'The White Spider'. As the days tick down towards Christmas, each 'offer day' will be marked by a classic stage on the iconic Eiger North Face (a sort of mountaineers advent calendar if you like!).

Our Christmas promo started on Monday 5th December and new products will be revealed every other weekday. Keep a close eye on the website to see deals can be had at each stage.
Our progress up the Eiger continues today with the ascent of the Hinterstoisser to the First Icefield (check out the map on the website to see how far we've got)

Today's deals include two cracking pairs of running shoes from Pearl Izumi (one for road running and one for off road) which are both on offer at a very attractive £60 (up to 50% off!). We also have the WHOLE RANGE of Odlo clothing, from base layers to soft shells, hats to hardshells ... Everything at Half Price!

And remember, its free postage on all UK orders too!!

A mountain of deals with our Eiger Christmas Promo

Our Christmas promotion this year is going to be a little bit different. We're offering a load of bargains and gift ideas, as we always do at this time of year, but this time there'll a fresh batch of festive deals coming round every 2 days (excluding weekends). As the days tick down towards Christmas, each offer day will be marked by a classic stage on the iconic Eiger North Face (a sort of mountaineers advent calendar if you like!).

They'll be something for everyone among this year's offerings, with deals on everything from hats to handwarmers, climbing kit to crampons; all of which would make ideal gifts for the outdoor nut in your family! And the is best thing is that once the deal products for each day are revealed, they'll stay at the promotion price right through until Christmas! Remember its free postage on all UK orders too!!

This Christmas Eiger promotion is our homage to one of the greatest climbing achievements of the past 100 years. It follows the classic Heckmair Route taken on the first ascent of the Eiger in 1938, and made famous by Heindrich Harrer's Classic mountaineering book 'The White Spider'.

Our Christmas promo is starting on Monday the 5th December and new products will be revealed every other weekday. Sign up to our newsletter, or keep a close eye on the website www.climbers-shop.com, Facebook or Twitter, to see what's on offer for each stage.

Christmas Gift Ideas

Only 5 weeks to go until Christmas, so it’s time to start shopping. We’ve picked out a few stocking filler ideas, but if you need some more then just check out our Gift Ideas section. where we’ve laid out some quality stocking fillers in easy to browse price categories. Just pick your price range and find a product that suits you.

Petzl Zipka 2 Plus	Odlo Logo Hat Warm	Jetboil Flash Cooking System
Smartwool Margarita Womens Socks	Mammut Proclip Bent Gate	DMM Cirque Axe
Leatherman Skeletool Multitool	Mountain King Ice Grippers	Petzl e+Lite
Exped SynMat Pump 7cm	Cordlock LED Light	Montane Powerdry Glove

So what are you waiting for, get shopping!!

Bill for Lake District flood footpaths reaches over £1m

As announced on the Grough website this week, the bill for the repair of the Lake District paths and bridleways that were damaged by the infamous 2009 floods has now increased to over £1 million!

The floods, which saw houses wrecked, cars ruined, lives endangered and many areas cut off from civilisation also caused all manner of devastation to our well maintained system of paths in the national park itself. A reminder that the Mountains are a wild place ruled by nature alone.

To date, the Lake District National Park Authoruity (LDNPA) have had to repair 180 bridges that were made unsafe by the floods, and there remains a further 70 that still require work before they will all be back to an acceptable standard.

LDNPA’s ‘Paths for the Public’ co-ordinator, Dylan Jackman commented:

“The unprecedented rainfall in November 2009 left a trail of destruction across the national park and what happened to this path was repeated in dozens and dozens of locations all over the national park.

“There are still further repairs and improvements to be complete before the end of the project in March 2013.

“Work on the ground continues unabated during the winter months. Meanwhile our in-house staff will be preparing work with landowners and partners so that river works can be complete within the Environment Agency consent period of June to September 2012.”

Work continues, funded by DEFRA, the council and the Rural Development Program, so that the network of trails and paths that allow access to the Cumbrian fells will once more be the envy of many, and the playground of us all.

(Image courtesy of grough.co.uk)

More products than ever in our Autumn Sale

We have just added over 85 products to our Autumn Sale Category. We’re now well into autumn and as such, the majority of the new gear has now arrived for the winter season. We are currently trying to get all of that on the website so you guys can see and order it, but in the mean time, we have a load of other gear from earlier on in the year that we are now looking to get rid of!

That, of course, means that you get to benefit from some very attractive prices. A lot of the outdoor gear and clothing in our Autumn sale category has been marked down by 30%, and up to 50%!!

If you’re looking for a new pair of boots then you may be in luck, as we have just added quite a few products to the footwear section of the sale category, including walking boots, approach shoes, and even sandals! we have also added quite a few softshells, baselayer & midlayers and various types of legwear. We will also be adding more stuff to it in the week ahead, so pay attention!

If you’re looking for a pre-winter bargain then make sure you check out the sale today – before it all goes….

Golite Womens Jam  - HALF PRICE	Montane Superfly XT Jacket - £90 OFF		AKU Cresta Nubuck GTX - £70 OFF

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With winter fast approaching (the first snow fell today!) and therefore winter boots coming out of the cupboard again, The Climbers Shop and Mammut are teaming up again for a ‘Boot Camp’  - a chance for you to get your feet checked out by a qualified Podiatrist and get some proper advice with regard to how best to look after your feet.

In collaboration with the Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists, this free instore one-to-one clinic has been designed to help customers learn more about their feet and ensure they receive the best possible footwear advice for the coming winter season – to top it off, we have a free pair of Smartwool socks to give away with every appointment.

The Boot Camp will be taking place on Saturday 22^nd October with Andrew Stanley from the Rebound Clinic in Settle, who has been a biomechanics consultant to the outdoor industry for nearly 15 years and regularly advises outdoor specialists and outdoor retailers, as well as writing for outdoor magazines.

Andrew will be on hand to discuss injuries relating to walking, climbing and running

chris