Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast

Welsh-born Eben is passionate about wild places and his and others' rights to be there. We chat about his Welsh childhood and how that and the outdoors have shaped him. Together we look to understand the cultural and social world of North Wales in the face of it's huge popularity with visitors.

The world's greatest climber returns to the show to talk Olympics, B.I.G, YouTube, bouldering and more.

Trad master, old-school hone and all out legend Ben Bransby spills his bean. Ben pushed the cutting-edge of trad climbing, going ground-up on E9 when E9 was top of the pops. His easy attitude and spirited approach made his ascents so much more then numbers alone could tell. Cool guy, check it out.

A classic Jam Crack story episode from 2016. Chris Schulte reads the classic tale of climbing exploration in the American desert. Pure gold.

One from the vaults of 2021. Taylor Parson's incredible story of transition from world-class boulderer to mum of three and the trauma and passion that mapped the way. Trigger warning: suicide references.

In 1995 two of UK trad climbing's brightest stars left Llanberis for Pakistan's Trango Tower. Paul Pritchard and Adam Wainwright honed their skills and boldness on the sea cliffs of North Wales. Their lives led them onto bigger things. In part one of this two-parter we trace a line through their friendship, what climbing was like in the early 1990s and their motivations to go to Pakistan.

Pembroke is surely the UK's favourite climbing holiday destination. This year Belgian Siebe Vanhee came to visit. Between visits to the pub and nights' camping in the field, he amassed a mindblowing ticklist of onsights and flashes of many of the country's best trad routes. Hear all about that, as well as being beaten by the Dawn Wall and future plans at 7000m. Thanks to this week's sponsors, Summit Financial Services https://www.summit-fs.co.uk/

Here's a true heavyweight of the 80s and 90s sport and trad world. John Dunne punched out top level sport routes at Malham and a series of trad routes that are still the country's finest ticks. He ruffled feathers along the way. Let's hear his crack. Thanks to this week's sponsors: Summit Financial Services https://www.summit-fs.co.uk/ The BMC 25% off your first year of BMC membership here: https://bit.ly/4nqAzWJ

El Cap is still the crucible of hard aid climbing, where devotees come to test themselves and learn. Oliver Trippett is one such disciple and he tells us of this vertical world.

Good friend of the show Milena Mühlen reads a self-penned story, Climbing and Womanhood, telling of a recent experience.

A journey through cancer for committed climber, Carolyn Young. One of the many stories from Marsha Belaeva's new book, We Are Subculture.

Ricky Bell swept his paintbrush of adventure over Irish trad climbing to create so many beautiful leads of the highest quality in the Mournes, Burren and Fair Head. Outstanding! He documented his and his friends' shenanigans in a bunch of fun and soulful films, full of joy and vibe. He's a Celtic soul brother. Hear his crack.