Slightly lost in Scotland

[Graham]

How's it going folks. I'm new to this forum stuff so I'll try to be understandable.

Anyway, I'm Graham Smith, I was born and raised in Fredericton but I'm currently living in Scotland taking an outdoor instructors course. One part of the course was Lead climbing. Needless to say I'm now hooked, even obsessed with climbing. Seeing as how I've only been climbing for 6 months and only in Scotland, I have no idea what the climbing scene back home is like and seeing as I'm coming home in a few months I figured that I needed to sort my life out and find out what's happening on the rock scene. So I'm hoping this is a way of making contacts as well as finding answers to various questions that will enevitably arise.
The first real question is, where is there a reliable grade conversion chart. I've lead from HVS to E1 5b and the charts all give anything from a 5.8 to 5.10c grade on them.

Well looking forward to getting onto some home rock.

Graham

P.S. The climbing in Scotland is one of a kind and I deffinitly recomend it to anyone who wants good solid classic climbing.

[martha]

1. there is a great climbing scene in Fredericton.

2. Grade conversion charts are 'kinda' accurate, but grades in different climbing areas even tend to vary. Routes in Kamouraska Quebec for example are far easier per grade than those in the Gunks in New York.

come down to the climbing wall at the UNB Lady Beaverbrook gym and meet us all. This is your best way to find a climbing partner and beta on the area.

For outdoor climbing, Welsford is it. with 300+ mostly trad routes in the 5.3-5.12 range, you really can't go wrong. There are a few sport routes and some mixed routes. The sport routes range from 5.9 - 5.13 (there are maybe 12 total) and the mixed from 5.7ish and up. though the mixed routes generally only have one or two bolts and the rest is gear.

I don't know if you've been trad climbing or sport climbing so you'll have to fill us in on that. And, just to get comfortable with the area since you've only been climbing for a few months, You can top rope a large selection of routes, but get a guidebook and better yet, get a guide. Hook up with locals to give you the beta on the area.

There is a climbing area in St. Andrews that is 90% sport with grades from 5.6-5.12+ so that is also an option.

You can check out the online guide at http://www.beta-source.com

when are you coming back to freddy beach? And do you have your own gear? having your own rope/rack/anchor stuff/harness etc will help a lot in finding a partner. No one likes having to share their own gear all the time.
That being said, no one minds helping others get started either!

Cheers!!

Cara

[Stevo]

Hey Graham,
I lived in the North of England for many years before coming to Canada, and climbed in Scotland on many occasions.
It is hard to directly compare grades, the British numerical grade is for the hardest move on a climb while the adjective gives the overall impression, taking in to account exposure, protection, sustained difficulty, seriousness etc.
In N. America the grade is theoretically for the hardest move, but in practice the grading is often increased because of other factors mentioned above. The decimal grading system is also not as precise as the British numerical grade. I will try to convert them for you in the range I normally lead which is VS to E4 6a.

5.6 - Severe 4a to VS 4b
5.7 - VS 4b to VS 4c
5.8 - VS 4c to HVS 5a
5.9 - HVS 5b
5.10a - E1 5b
5.10b - E1 5c to E2 5b
5.10c - E2 5b to E2 5c
5.10d - E2 5c to E3 5c
5.11a - E3 6a to E4 5c

Cheers
Steve

[Graham]

Awsome, Thanks for the help. Looking forward to getting home and trying out the rock. I'll be getting back mid September, so I hope people will be around. Well gotta go, the sun is shining(a somewhat rare thing here) and people are heading out to the craig.

See ya later.

Graham