Meet the Community: Graham a.k.a. 'Sven'

What is your name? Graham a.k.a ‘Sven’

How did you get introduced to climbing? I actually got seriously injured ski-touring (Frostbitten fingers) and ended up meeting a couple of climbers whilst off work and recovering. Funny to think that a couple of months after being told I was going to have all my fingers amputated, that I was doing some tentative early steps into climbing and a year later was leading.

Where is your favourite place to climb? Symonds Yat - It was my 'local' crag for over ten years, driving and hour and an half round trip to climb there. Then, about ten years ago I got the opportunity to move there with my family, and we took it. Its amazing having rock 400m away from the front door and I'd really recommend anyone REALLY wanting to progress to do similar. Its amazing how much climbing you can do when you can just pop out for an hour. In 2014 I did a thousand pitches, including 100 routes in a single day.

Describe your best climbing experience! Where was it , when was it, with whom and why? So many, but one that springs to mind was a trip with senior member of the Boulders team, who I won't name here. We did a fantastic trip to the French Alps at a time when my partner was struggling with discovering his lactose intolerance and the resulting diarrhoea and my barely recovered broken ankles (that's another story!). The trip was fantastic and the banter flowed incessantly. Never more though than after I mantled onto a small ledge, wildly off-route and had to pull myself through the remains of a turd that somebody had 'let-go' higher up the mountain! Not you're normal climbing story, but it was an amazing trip with many good memories.

What's your favourite piece of climbing kit and why? My Talon Skyhook. I can't remember how many times I've pulled it out of the bottom of my chalk bag and placed it when run-out or scared.

Why do you climb? I find emotional, physical and spiritual peace.

What would your advice be to someone thinking about trying climbing for the first time? Ignore the grades and the 'dudes' with their shirt off at the wall. Everyone is feeling and enjoying the same as you. It is the most inclusive sport you could imagine. Its not about climbing the wall, its about challenging yourself.

What's your favourite food? Chocolate - heavy gravity inducing chocolate.

What’s your #1 most played song? Anything by Pink Floyd.

What is the last book you read? Statistics for Dummies - Am mid doctorate in Elite Performance Psychology.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Yosemite - because, well, its amazing!

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why? Doug Scott. I think we share a sense of adventure and love of the mountains.

What would be your perfect day? Climbing with my friends and children on a sunny local crag.

Fun Fact about you? When I'm not climbing I like to write. I've just used to the Coronavirus lock down to finish a South Wales Winter Climbing guide.

Please feel free to share some information about what you do - plug your business, your work, your fundraising, your Instagram, anything!

Please look up YatFest on Facebook, a charity some of us started in 2017 to look after the crags and environment of Symonds Yat and the Wye Valley. Give something back and earn some free goodies from amazing local sponsors.