The Climb That Almost Broke Me | Bold Slab Climbing in Northumberland

[@RobbiePhillips]

Hope you all enjoy this one 🧗‍♂️

[@adamblock9121]

Your love for these places really shines through in your filmmaking!

[@RobbiePhillips]

I’m glad to hear you say that :) Looking forward to sharing more epic stories in 2025

[@middle-agedclimber]

Loved your mate's reaction at the top😂

[@RobbiePhillips]

Did you see his fall!? That’s the reaction of someone whose taken the whip and knows what they’ve finally avoided hah

[@middle-agedclimber]

@RobbiePhillips "fg hell" would be my exact words as well :)

[@peterross13]

You'r film making is absolutely superb. Your passion for climbing is so self evident.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks Peter ☺️

[@yeskiii]

Lovely video. There's something about the atmosphere in these videos that truely show the beauty you see in these places, well done!

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks so much :) that means a lot you can feel that from the film.

[@MichaeIIeahciM]

Fantastic video mate, keep the Northumberland content coming

[@RobbiePhillips]

Cheers mate!

[@johnsiryj9152]

Beautiful! The climb, the climbing, the story... On a random personal note the timing was perfect as I had a fall 5 weeks ago on a slab myself and am day 2 out of cast and the motivation contained in the video is quite encouraging. But beyond that you have captured the true "triumph over adversity" that is one of the many reasons I love to climb. All the best with your ticks in 2025.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks so much for the lovely comment. Sorry to hear about the accident, but sounds like your well on your way to getting back to climbing :) I’m injured as well at the moment and have actually only been able to slab climb haha 😜 which in a way I think is quite nice how some doors close for a time only to open others. Hope the recovery continues to go speedily and you get back to the rock soon! And have a Happy New Year 🥳

[@jamesunderhill993]

Beautiful film making that captures a real sense of place. And your euphoric description of true flow state wasn't OTT. It felt right, authentic. I get it!

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks for the amazing comment James :) I think these moments are really special and it’s nice to be able to capture them on film

[@jasonsnow5549]

Instant classic vid for me. Well done!

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks man! :D it was a quick edit from recent days so not my usual epic adventure story, but in 2025 I’d like to make more shorter videos like this one so good to know it’s been well received

[@philipbrocklehurst3745]

Amazed you didn't break anything when you fell off it! Reminds me of Jules Lines coming off Hold Fast, Hold True and just walking away.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Yeah it was quite like that… except I did wind myself quite badly and was lying on the floor for about 5minutes haha but then brushed myself off and was totally unscathed.

[@boblicznerski9767]

Another super account and reflection on the past. A line on which you must remember to breath..lol. Well done Robbie.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Cheers Bob! Looking forward to some more dry cold winter days in the county soon

[@tobyaustin9638]

Heart stomping footage, love it 😅. One of the many classic test pieces at that crag. I'm certain there's an unrepeated line and still one project there... Or maybe more 😏

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks Toby! “Savage Slab” (original) is unrepeated, although the slab I did in this video, just not the 6c mantle! The project is a direct mantle into the slab. It’s meant to be nails!!!

[@TheoMagas]

Brilliant quality as always Robbie! You should get on the slabs at Armathwaite if not done so already.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Yeah I’m well keen. Heard it’s maybe more a spring/summer spot. Would be nice to have some more slabs to do whilst my wrist is recovering. Got some gritstone ones on the list for January :)

[@dsta2009]

Absolutely top notch Robbie. The climbing the movie and the story telling🎉

[@RobbiePhillips]

Cheers man :)

[@GeorgeLupton]

Another superb video and story. Hope your wrist injury heals quickly.

[@RobbiePhillips]

It’s on the mend. Good thing there are plenty of slabs in the county to enjoy

[@h2m1ify]

I can climb this too ..... in my dreams Thanks for the nice video!

[@StoreyR]

Top effort here, to come back after dangerous fall. This is one of my favourite crags in Northumberland too. I made an acquaintance here with Jason Pickles who climbed in the film 'The Prophet' in Yosemite with Leo Houlding. I didn't realise until later on that day who he was. He just came over chatted with me and then free soloed around my project at the time - Hard reign Direct.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Ahhh yeah I’ve met Jason once too. I met him at depot in Manchester with his kid - Very unassuming guy. Aside from a host of incredible ascents I believe he also won “Britain’s Manliest Man” competition 🤣 Also, hard reign direct is a brilliant problem!

[@ervinslens]

Great video my friend! Area looks spectacular! Absolutely beautiful work!

[@RobbiePhillips]

Lucky to have Northumberland only 1.5hrs drive from my home

[@robmaysh8219]

some good sweaty palm viewing there so good.... enjoy those priceless feelings of climbing achievement and Happy New Year

[@RobbiePhillips]

There’s nothing better is there? I always think I’m super uncool when I top out, I’m as giddy as a school kid 🤪 I can’t help myself! Happy New Year!

[@robmaysh8219]

@@RobbiePhillips nah you just come across like you love it, its good to see you living it and fully immersed its inspiring!. i actually had a session with you at Bowden a couple years back in the Bat Cave it was well good! Miss that place. i got one more year in my job then im back in the van and back on adventures I cant wait! lookin forward to the next Vid have a good one

[@RobbiePhillips]

@@robmaysh8219 ahhh yeah! Was that the night sesh with my buddy Matt? Did you not say you were gonna build a cabin or something? You had a pretty cool van 🚐 I remember too

[@mihkelhint]

Amazing slab and video. The classic '6B slab' that all the 8A guys would also need to hard project if to send. Way too bold for me but less bold/hard versions of this is exactly what I sometimes dream about, just try to master technical movement and then truly test yourself under pressure aye, I'm so scared of slabs I usually get that kick just a few foot up hahaha

[@RobbiePhillips]

It's true! Thats whats very humbling about this climb. One of the guys you saw in the video was Angus, and when he first tried this he was struggling a lot - he's bouldered 8B! He eventually came back and sent it on lead (he's got a vid on his channel). I was also with another 8B bouldering friend last week and he also was finding it ver unnerving. The boldness of it is quite something which is why I think it;s the perfect climb to show mastery of mind :)

[@lukedavies900]

Another Robbie classic. (which is just every video at this point).

[@RobbiePhillips]

Haha that’s very kind of you 😁

[@alvaroc6326]

That was scary. Highball slab is material for nightmares.

[@RobbiePhillips]

It’s certainly the best way to test the mental strength.

[@JPS-dg7fg]

Beautiful climb, nice narration.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thank you 🙏

[@MattyDredge]

I do love a bit of slab, definitely needs a visit. I might stick to On The Verge though 🙂 I hope your wrist gets better soon

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks Matty! “On the verge” is brilliant :) Stick to the arete to the bitter end for the full experience 😜 some folk like to dive right onto the blocks for a subpar version 😂 understandably I might add as it’s very alluring to get off that bold exposed arete haha

[@courtclimbs]

Nice one Robbie 🎉

[@RobbiePhillips]

Cheers dude

[@marcushill78]

Nice one Robbie!

[@RobbiePhillips]

Glad you enjoyed it Marcus :)

[@mikeoutthere]

Savage indeed!

[@gerigTT]

Impressive 💪

[@muttiplay]

Great video as always (still watching, but so far it is, and I'm sure it will be once it's finished). What shoes are you wearing on this climb? They look great for smeaing

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks man! I’m wearing Scarpa Dragos. For this sort of smeary friction climbing you need soft shoes and strong toes :) I’ve actually got another project on the slab now which involves a left to right diagonal across the face and I’m gonna to wear chimeras for this as they are a little bit stiffer in the toe and help with the sustained nature of the climb

[@Salmontemaki]

Could anyone please explain why the pulley at the redirect? Thx

[@trigg646]

Helps belayer take in more slack and also keeps belayer side of the rope low to avoid climber hitting it when falling 👍

[@brokepiek]

Super cool slab and video! Just out of curiosity if there would only be a the slab part what difficulty range is it on a bouldering scale? Well done!

[@RobbiePhillips]

It’s actually quite easy… the slab part alone for “Peak Technique” is probably font 5 or 6A? For the harder central line “Savage Slab” I think it’s more like 6B. But if you can imagine, they are font-Esque friction slabs that you could slip easily if you didn’t place/weight your foot well.

[@brokepiek]

Thanks! Sure is gnarly 😅 as you say if you get scared there are no holds to pull! Great video! ​@@RobbiePhillips

[@Slab_Justice_Warrior]

Nothing like flow state on a highball slab.

[@RobbiePhillips]

It’s surreal!

[@ktmatoD]

Great, saludos desde el mediterraneo,

[@RobbiePhillips]

Awrite from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 cheers 🍻

[@Me1234utube]

Super tense just watching, the pulley at the start of the lead climb, was that for Robbie to run backwards .? I have not seen that done before.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Yeah exactly! It helps take in more rope and also keeps the rope out of the way when the leader falls so they don’t get flipped by it (as you may have noticed earlier in the video)

[@Me1234utube]

Thanks

[@bazwax77]

Well done mate, doing Thundering apoplexy and then thinking about carrying on……..boggles the mind. I love a slab but c’mon man. 👏🏻👏🏻🧗🏻‍♂️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@RobbiePhillips]

Haha I didn’t do thundering into the slab. Unfortunately my wrist can’t handle that right now - I just fid the easy start :) But it’s crazy how in relative terms “Peak Technique” is so chill compared to the other parts of that slab. My current project finishes on PT, and when you arrive there, the smears on that are a thank god rest!!! 🤣

[@bazwax77]

@ thanks again mate, great upload.

[@dawnbrown2631]

Hope this doesn't sound dumb but why did you use a pulley system when belaying Trig, tbanks

[@RobbiePhillips]

Not dumb at all. The pulley keeps the rope out the way so if Trigg was to fall, it wouldn’t close-line him. But actually the main reason is because it allows the belayer (me) to take in more slack.

[@dawnbrown2631]

@RobbiePhillips thanks for explaining. Appreciate it :)

[@jackmccartney4513]

Magic! Is it polished at all?

[@RobbiePhillips]

Nope. These routes don’t get polished, but they do get worn down. You can see the effects of wear on “On The Verge” to the right arete, “Peak Technique” has definitely started to get some slightly worn footholds… but the rest is ok as it gets such little traffic.

[@mw5360]

Such a great video. Amazing stuff.

[@RobbiePhillips]

Thanks so much!

[@andycowley7979]

What's your take with using sky hooks on sandstone? Asking for a friend....

[@RobbiePhillips]

I would never do that

[@superemcow7834]

theres something special in northumberland something really special

[@RobbiePhillips]

Agreed 😌

[@PB-sk9jn]

Looks like redemption for past falls...

[@RobbiePhillips]

Indeed! It’s not over yet either. I have a couple more things on the slab I’d like to do

[@andan2293]

Why do people climb with no or stupid protection even when it's so easy to do it safely?

[@RobbiePhillips]

By safely, you mean top roping? Because leading is part of the challenge of climbing. It’s not everyone’s preferred method, but traditionally it is, and it’s part of the experience, to controls one’s mind in the moment.

[@largeformatlandscape]

Well they could just walk around the back…

[@drstrangelove85]

Fascinating to see what man are willing to go through in order to not go to therapy.

[@RobbiePhillips]

I have to ask 😋 is this a joke, or are you being serious? 😅