Video

Praying Mantis E1: A Lake District Classic

An awkward crack, an unlikely traverse and delicate moves above the valley — Praying Mantis packs plenty of adventure into three pitches.

In this episode of The Wishlist, we head to Goat Crag in Borrowdale for Praying Mantis (E1 5b), a Lake District classic featured in Ken Wilson’s Hard Rock.

Goat Crag might not look inviting at first glance, but its steep, vegetation-fringed walls hide some superb climbing. Praying Mantis takes an intricate line through them: a stubborn opening corner gives way to a traverse onto the open face, followed by a delicate slab...

What to Pack: Gritstone Trad Rack

Gritstone is blessed with great routes across all the grades. In this article Rob Greenwood runs through the rack you might require...

Interview Tom Pearce - Two E9s in a Day

We last interviewed Tom in 2023, as an up and coming youth working his way (rapidly) through the grades. Three years later he continues to climb at the top level. When we saw he'd repeated Rare Lichen and Gribin Wall Climb in a single day, it seemed a...

In Focus Alex Ekins

The sixth instalment of our In Focus series, where climbing photographers share some of their favourite images, and revisit the stories, decisions, and circumstances behind them.

Why Do we Climb Mountains? Alone in a Nepalese snowstorm

In this abridged extract from Downhill from Here: An exploration of why we climb mountains, Richard Rogers takes us to the Himalaya in winter. It's February 1989, and for a few scary hours he is utterly alone.

Destination Guide Scottish Mountains and Sea Cliffs: Roughly 200 Routes Worth Travelling For

Everyone knows Scotland, particularly the Highlands, is highly mountainous by British standards. But do you know what is actually on offer?

Opinion The Cost of Chasing Greatness, and the Moral Responsibility of Coaching

Alpine Climbing in a Warming World - What does the future hold?

Climbing's Greatest Challenges: The Point Five Gully / Centurion Link-Up


Gear Reviews

These are reviews from the UKC editorial team

Patagonia Nano Air Light

Lightweight, versatile and really well-made, the Nano Air Light is a jacket we genuinely struggle to fault. 

Scarpa Crux 2 - everything we liked about the original, plus more

The original Crux was a popular approach shoe for many years - not least among our gear team. Building on this, the Crux 2 is still a brilliant and burly shoe, but with a new improved fit and lacing system it's even better...

Mountain Equipment Xenith Jacket - funky design, great performance

Thanks to both a high quality goose down fill and its interesting design, the Xenith has to be one of the warmest down jackets in its weight category. Light, packable, and versatile, it'd be a great choice for pretty much...


Open Comp Win a new Free Runner 1100 Headtorch with Silva

With darker nights on the horizon, SILVA has updated its award-winning Free headlamp series with higher lumen outputs and a new Speed Mode functionality, designed to help people stay active and confident in dawn and dusk.Introducing the Free Ru...

Open Comp Win a Rab Microlight X Hoody with Ellis Brigham!

Ellis Brigham have teamed up with Rab to give one lucky winner the chance to win an exclusive Men's or Women's Microlight X Hoody.  

Open Comp Win a new Seek 450 Cord Recharge Headtorch with Silva!

Illuminate your trail running in the dark or the evening campsite with Silva's latest addition to its Seek headtorch series - the Seek 450 Cord Recharge.


Gear News & Press Releases

These are announcements direct from Manufacturers & Brands

Pillar 200: 200 Years of Climbing in England and Wales' Opens at the Beacon

The Mountain Heritage Trust is marking 200 years of climbing history with Pillar 200, a new exhibition exploring the development of rock climbing in England and Wales from 9th July 1826 to the present day.

Rite in the Rain Monsoon Hand Desk

Major new outdoor festival in the South of England

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