Over the last week or so we have had several great short sessions working the local scene. The main focus has been putting up new problems at Gandalfs. A great little stone close to my house. We have been trying to finish of the development of this little crag and last Tuesday I climbed the hard challenge of the bloc, a right to left traverse.

I have called this problem “The Bridge of Khazard Dum”. It is very sequency, thecnical, balancy and powerful and is one of the best and most complex problem I have done.  As for the grade, when I was trying it I could not do any of the moves in isolation. It was only when piecing it all together that it seemed to work. I think it is the hardest boulder problem I have done and so propose a grade of 7C+ but I am very open to suggestions on the grade from any would be repeaters! (video below)

I also added a one move problem called “Nazgul”. This problem involves a heinous move to pull on then a dyno for the top, which is very difficult to latch. This problem probably weighs in at about 7A+.

Gandalfs now offers a range of great problems from 4 to 7C+ish. For more info head over to http://cotswoldbouldering.wordpress.com/