Here’s a new topo I’ve made to try and explain the new link-ups problems (5 and counting) that seem to be appearing faster than the returning midges. Click on the topo to enlarge it or open the image here.

 

I’m not sure if will clear up anything for most of you but for the few people who can make some sense of it, it should at least shed some light on the new additions.

 

For years the Home Rule boulder been home to some of the Dumbarton’s classic lines: Mugsy, Mestizo, Physical Graffiti, Home Rule but on the whole new problems on this boulder have been few and far between in the last decade with the main additions have coming from Dave Mac Leod 3 years ago in the shape of Hokku, Soshu and Set in Motion.

 

So why in the last month have 5 new problems been put up? There’s a couple of reasons for this really. One, Malky and Headbutt have both recently been cleaned which has opened up another couple of possible ways to finish problems on the boulder and two, the local faithful are down at Dumby far to often and finding new problems to throw themselves at is an obvious way to whittle away the long summer evenings.

 

With the adddition of all of these new problems there has been some chat about these link-ups are becoming a bit stupid or pointless but I’m all for it. Are some of the best bouldering venues in the country not also covered in eliminates and link-ups??? Why should this boulder be any different, especially when it lends itself so well to it with multiple starting and finishing points and, in nearly all of these problems, really good bouldering.

 

Thoughts anyone? Enough rambling for now. Here’s a video on one of these new link-ups, Nice and Sleazier.