Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast

Blind climber Jesse Dufton talks about his starring role in the award-winning documentary Climbing Blind, culminating in his on-sight lead of the Old Man of Hoy. Awesome.

Jim Pope, "The Last Climber", does well at Grit headgames, international comps and sport climbing. He wants to tick Extreme Rock and climb in the Himalayas. He's a dude. Niall Grimes chats to him.

A story about a day of great pain in Red Rocks and Las Vegas.

Ryan Pasquill loves doing 9a, flashing E9s, grit E8s, Font 8B, drinking beer and slagging James McHaffie. And he's a nicer guy than YOU. Hear his vibe.

Lake District legend Dave Birkett sits down with a beer, a guitar and a packet of crisps and talks climbing, music and rounding up sheep.

The second part of my Emma Twyford interview. So fab. We talk about Once Upon a Time in the Southwest, Indian Face, Free Solo, The Big Issue and Big Bang. 

Emma Twyford is one of the UK's top climbers. Over the last year she has had an amazing run of achievements on top level sport and trad climbs. In this interview she chats with Niall Grimes about her journey on E8 and E9 trad climbs and 8c and 9a sport climbs. We talk childhhod beginnings, school, Once Upon a Time in the Southwest (E9, Dyer's Lookout), Mind Control (8c, Olianna), Nightmayer (E8, Dinas Cromlech), not trying Indian Face (E9, Cloggy), The Big Issue (E9, Pembroke) and The Big Bang (9a, Pen Trwyn). It's a long chat so I've split it in two. Part 2 to follow soon. 

Poet and novelist Helen Mort reads some of her work based in the universe of climbing including extracts from her recently-published novel, Black Car Burning, Well good.

Niall Grimes reads his own story - a trip to one of the world's most ancient climbing areas turns decidedly hairy

Second instalment of Paul Dunlop chat yarning on about Germany, Elbesandstein, ghosts, being good at climbing, youth and travelling.

Paul is my oldest friend and the person I started climbing with. This is the first of two interviews. Some incredible stories in here. Then he had to catch a train.

The Olympics are a-coming. Eddie Fowke has been on the scene for years, photographing the action and watching from the sidelines. He knows what's happening; I didn't. Eddie explains the whole shit show to me. Tune in, and you'll learn a lot.

Chris Schulte, major US bouldering prospector and arête crusher, is one of the defining spirits of Jam Crack. You'll know his voice from great story episodes. Niall Grimes finally catches him in person over a couple of daytime pints in Sheffield's Broadfield pub.

Niall Grimes reads his own story about a trip to Kalymnos where he gets to hang out with some famous climbers: Ben Moon, Yuji Hirayama, Alex Megos, Jibe Tribout, Boone Speed, and some famous climbers he hadn't heard of before.

Top climber, top guy, Japan’s Yuji Hirayama has pushed many of climbing’s boundaries in his day. An early master of comps in the 1990s, first on-sight of 8c, The Nose speed record, and still climbing at a high level today. Hear his vibe.

Angus Kille reads his account of climbing Indian Face, the UK's first E9, and one of the most feared leads in the UK.

Hannah Baldwin is one of the three British paraclimbers to win gold at the World Championships in Innsbruck this year. In this chat we talk about about one-legged climbing, Crohn's disease, climbing hard, dreaming 8a and her relationship with her coach, Be Fuller.

He’s one half of the Beastmaker team, and one of the strongest climbers in the UK. Ned Feehally has added some of the country’s hardest problems, bouldered up to Font 8C, done well in comps and pushed the art of highball bouldering as far as it’s been pushed. Yet he remains backstage and keeps his climbing to himself. Let’s hear what this dark horse has to say.

Iranian-born Shirin reflects on early trips into her native mountains with her father, local mountaineering culture and how mountains returned in her later life to bring a new direction. NOTE: AN EARLIER UPLOAD OF THIS EPISIDE WENT WRING SO NOW REUPLOADING

Iranian-born Shirin reflects on childhood exploits into her native mountains with her father, and how mountains returned to point the way in later life.