On more than one occasion I have been asked the question "what is climbing for you?", I have always answered classics such as "a way of life", "a passion" or "a game for children and adults"... .but what I really feel when I hear this question is that climbing has been and continues to be the best "school of life" for me, a perfect excuse to keep body and mind in a pure state of activity and attitude.

In the last week of October I went on a week-long trip to Leonidio in Greece. Having never been to the area before, I decided to focus the trip on onsighting, trying to visit as many of the crags and try as many of the 5 star classics as possible.

Succeeding is always the goal, but sometimes we need failure. Sometimes we need it more than success. 

Going out to Maltatal to try Bugeleisen was a familiar feeling. Some travel, some flying, some driving, and a new place to experience. But many things were different. A new climbing area, but with only one real focus for the trip. Being in an area

Buster Martin recently made the first ascent of Persian Dawn 8C+ which is a direct finish to Make It Funky at the historical crag, Raven Tor in the Peak District. Click here to read a short article Buster wrote about his first ascent and some history into the crag, the routes and the first ascensionists behind the famous climbs.