Ricky Bell (UK)
Date of Birth:
18/11/83
I live in Belfast/Northern Ireland and have been climbing for over 18 years. My parents introduced me to rocks and ropes at an early age. My Dad made me and my sisters the most ridiculous tree house/ play frame thing in the back garden when we were kids. Rope ladders, scaffold bars, palette platforms, telegraph poles, cargo nets, a hammock and a rope swing. It topped out at about the same hight as the roof of the house. No form of safety equipment obviously. I once saw my wee sister take a 10ft ground fall onto the grass flat on her back during game of 'off ground tig'. She was only about 8 years old. She promptly got up and carried on with a big smile. Family holidays consisted of trips in our grotty trailer tent to some of Britain and Ireland's best climbing locations. North Wales, Scotland, the Lake District, the Peak. While Fair Head, the Mourne Mountains and the Burren Co. Clare were regular destinations. I've been lucky to have had a good apprenticeship early on and since then I’ve always climbed. I love it! It feels natural and I've learnt an awful lot and met some of my closest friends through climbing rocks.
I've always travel and had adventures, but right now I’m most passionate and inspired by finding new routes and boulders in Ireland. I love the whole process of it, exploring, getting excited by finding a brilliant wee bit of rock, cleaning, training and climbing. Simple and extremely complex at the sometime. I've a list of projects that I may never get through but i'm enjoying the process…..I have my own wee personal goals/ dream routes/boulders around the world that every so often I go about trying to achieve. I think I'll always be doing this.
Highlights:
- The Complete Scream E8 6b – First Ascent
- Crystal Methods E8 6c – Solo
- Positive Vibrations 5.11c The Hulk California
- The Bacher/Yerian 5.11c X
- The Nose El Capitan in a day
- An Bealach Eile E8 6c – First Ascent
- Divided Years E8 6c
- The Big Skin E8 6c – First Ascent
- The Thing In The Forest E7 6c – First Ascent ground up
- The Rathlin Effect E8 6c - First Ascent
Favourite Marmot Gear:
The Power Stretch tops are brilliant. Perfect outdoor fleece. Light and warm and super stretchy - perfect for climbing.
The Baffin Jacket always comes to the crag and the Approach Jacket, I've had one of these for abut 5 years now and still haven't managed to destroy it…they're very durable.
Probably my favourite bit of kit is this satchel. {sorry - i've forgotten the name, photo attached} It travels everywhere with me. Again I've been using it for years and it's indestructible.. love it!
Goals for the Future:
Pushing the boundries of new hard trad routes in Ireland
More info on Ricky: rickybel-fast.blogspot.com.
