Siebe Vanhee repeats Parthian Shot and other UK gritstone trad extremes

During late October and early November, Belgian climber Siebe Vanhee visited England’s Peak District National Park to climb as many gritstone extremes as possible.

Despite being gifted Britain’s typical inclement weather, Vanhee was able to come away with a more than respectable tick-list for his first proper trip to the gritstone. This includes a rare headpoint ascent of John Dunne’s E9 Parthian Shot at Burbage South and a flash two E8's put up by Johnny Dawes, Gaia at Black Rocks and End of the Affair at Curbar.

Other notable ascents include an onsight of the Ron Fawcett classic Masters Edge E7 at Millstone Quarry and a flash of Johnny Woodward’s immaculate Beau Geste at Froggatt Edge.

Vanhee was followed by film-maker Andrea Cossu and in the film that is due out next year he will attempt to answer the age-old questions all visiting climbers ask themselves when trad climbing in the UK, namely "Why those strong ethics? Where do they come from? No bolts and no anchors? What is ‘fall theory’? What about this weird grading system? Which mindset is the most effective climbing on this rock, in this style without braking a leg? Why not just climb solo? And is it really that dangerous?"

Routes climbed
Parthian Shot E9 6c - Headpoint (with preplaced gear in the flake)
End of the Affair E8 6c - Headpoint
Gaia E8 6c - Flash
Masters Edge E7 6c - Onsight
Beau Geste E7 6c - Flash
Ulysses E6 6b - Headpoint
London Wall E5 6a - Onsight

Links: FB Siebe Vanhee, www.siebevanhee.be, La Sportiva, Wild Country, The North Face