Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast

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Irish / Sheffield climber and author Niall Grimes in conversation with top dogs, cool cats and committed crag rats from the neighbourhood and the international climbing scene. Also classic climbing stories read aloud for your aural pleasure. Mmmmmmm! See more at http://www.niallgrimes.com

Niall Grimes


    • May 23, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 18m AVG DURATION
    • 182 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast is a truly unique and captivating show that blends the art of rock climbing with long form, exploratory interviews. Hosted by Niall Grimes, this podcast delves deep into the lives and experiences of dedicated individuals in the climbing community. Unlike many podcasts that cater to modern attention spans, Grimes refuses to capitulate and instead provides bold, irreverent, and honest conversations.

    One of the best aspects of The Jam Crack is its ability to capture the essence and vibe of rock climbing through each interview. While it may not be explicitly heard in every word spoken, there is an overall sense of a vast landscape being painted through these conversations. Grimes's genius lies in his ability to create a podcast that captures the rareness often absent from modern media. His interviews are thought-provoking, engaging, and often hilarious, leaving listeners eager for each new episode.

    However, it must be noted that Niall Grimes cannot always be trusted. He has a knack for hoodwinking his audience with his bumbling intros and improvisational nonsense. Yet, these calculated designs only serve to make the podcast more entertaining and thought-provoking. Despite any initial doubts or confusion caused by his shifts in tone and content, listeners will find themselves thoroughly engrossed in the hilarity and depth of each episode.

    In conclusion, The Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast is a remarkable show that offers a unique blend of entertainment and insight into the world of rock climbing. Grimes's down-to-earth nature, wit, and creativity shine through each episode; he creates an atmosphere akin to sitting down for a pint with a great friend. Whether you're steeped in UK climbing lore or simply have an interest in the sport, this podcast is bound to leave you stoked before your next climb or simply entertained when you can't be on the rocks. Overall, The Jam Crack is a must-listen for climbing enthusiasts and those looking for a podcast that stands out in the crowded market.



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    Latest episodes from Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast

    JCPC 179 Carolyn Young

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 61:07


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

    JCPC 178 Talking Crap with Matt Sparksy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 172:06


    Endless shit talking. Young Matt makes me listen to his opinions on all aspects of modern climbing. Funniest ever swear to god!

    JCPC 177 Ricky Bell

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 111:09


    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.

    JCPC 176 Chris Schulte Patience

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 17:58


    Chris is the defininig voice and spirit of Jam Crack. He's back again with another reading, this time his own story, Patience. It's all about trying o be a climber and a person in the world. Beautiful.

    JCPC 175 Steph Davis part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 60:15


    Part 2 of the amazing Steph Davis interview. Part 1 is episode 174

    JCPC 174 Steph Davis part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 90:25


    This star of US adventure climbing shone brightly in the early 2000s with big free ascents on El Cap at a time when few ventured there without aid. Big solos, desert sandstone crack testpieces, expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, Baffin and Paragonia, amongst others, made her one of the most experienced adventureclimbers of her day. Later years saw the adventures continue with the embracing of base jumping and wingsuit flying. Beyond all these has  lain a thoughtful and considered approach, always ready to self check and ask twice. Skills that surely came to the fore during tough times around loss of sponsorship and latterly, personal tragedy.  Steph lays it all out with a thousand laughs along the way.  Such fun, so honest. Check this, part one of this two-part interview.  Support in this episode from Summit Financial Services. Summit Financial Services have been providing Life Insurance, Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for climbers for over 25 years. Speak to a climbing and mountaineering specialist today on 0345 565 0935 or click here for quote https://www.summit-fs.co.uk/

    JCPC 173 Donegal Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 68:10


    Niall Grimes reads some of his own stories about Ireland's County Donegal in celebration of St Patrick's Day. Plus Mary Shiels' poetry and Brian's medley. Slainte!

    JCPC 172 Magnus Midtbø

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 91:43


    With well over two millions subscibers to his YouTube channel, Magnus Midtbø is one of the most famous climbers in the world. But what lies behind this Norwegian tough guy. Magnus joined Jam Crack in a live event at the KMF to find out. Support from Summit Financial Services. Summit Financial Services have been providing Life Insurance, Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for climbers for over 25 years. Speak to a climbing and mountaineering specialist today on 0345 565 0935 or click here for quote https://www.summit-fs.co.uk/

    JCPC 171 Rob Mathieson

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 93:49


    Lifer, and then some! Lakes legend Rob Mathieson was at the forefront of Lake District standards since the 1970s, rarely taking his foot off the gas of hard trad climbing. Skill, boldness and passion took him up the area's classics. His fire burns just as bright today as he aims himself towards one of the UK's most terrifying E7s. He's funny, kind and inspiring. Hear his crack!

    JCPC 170 Xian Goh

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 84:19


    London-based professional climbing coach Xian Goh has spent years observing climbers climb, paying attention to how they move and how they think. She has now converted her knowledge and experience into a book on climbing movementcalled Smooth. Let's listen up!

    JCPC 169 Alex Huber part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 116:58


    He's had his dinner, he's met the Mexicans, and now he's back. German world shaker Alex Huber joins the Jam for the third part of his conversations. Amazing. Support from Summit Financial Services. Summit Financial Services have been providing Life Insurance, Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for climbers for over 25 years. Speak to a climbing and mountaineering specialist today on 0345 565 0935 or click here for quote https://www.summit-fs.co.uk/

    JCPC 168 Julian Lines part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 70:55


    Second part of the Julian Lines interview. Part one is previous episode.

    JCPC 167 Julian Lines part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 89:28


    Pure soul. Julian is one of the UK's most extraordinary climbers, a stoic toejammer, a ramrod individualist, an aesthetic ascetic. Film star, prize-winning author, hermit. Get in!   Support (thank you) from Summit Financial Services. Summit Financial Services have been providing Life Insurance, Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for climbers for over 25 years. Speak to a climbing and mountaineering specialist today on 0345 565 0937 or click here for quote https://www.summit-fs.co.uk/  

    JCPC 166 A Lazy Saturday Mix

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 76:38


    A chilled mix for a chilled day. Tracks: Be/Common, We Came Far/Paqua, Dominos/Donald Byrd, Black Gold of the Sunn/Minnie Ripperton/4Hero, Sometimes I'm Wrong/Curtis Mayfield/Luxxury, Talking Blue/Bob Marley, Heaven/Rolling Stones, Hungry for your Love/Van Morrison, Wish I Didn't Miss You/Angie Stone, Barry/T Markarkis, Swimming Places/Julian Jabre, Lazer Worshippers, Take me Higher/Fertile Griound, Only You/Nookie, Heartbreaker/Crazy P, Early in the Morning/Nilsson. Enjoyyyy x

    JCPC 165 Zoë Peetermans Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 65:42


    Competition beast Zoë Peetermans is current British Bouldering champ and lead vice champ. She climbs like she means it and is magic to watch and listen to. Check out her crack.

    JCPC 164 Zoë Peetermans Intro

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 67:00


     NGL - I set out to do the intro to the Zoë Peetermans interview and just kept talking - sorry not sorry. The real interview is on its way ASAP Includes haikus from Anesu and Mike.

    JCPC 163 Rick Accomazzo talks Tobin Sorenson

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2024 68:52


    Tobin Sorenson was one of America's boldest and most gifted climbers of the 1970s. Tobin's friend Rick Accomazzo comes on the show to tell us about Tobin and why he chose to write a book about him.

    JCPC 162 Siara Fabbri

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 96:21


    With her ascent of New Base Line, Siara Fabi joined the world elite of women climbing 8B+. A huge achievement for someone who started climbing at 21 and who works full time in cutting edge science. Antimatter, anyone?

    JCPC 161 Alex Huber returns

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 89:55


    He's back! We got Alex Huber back on the show to chat about pushing sport climbs into 9a+, El Cap free routes, Wolfgang Güllich, controversial opinions and lot more. Go for your guns! For BMC insurance click here https://bit.ly/3ZtcR2W  

    JCPC 160 Alex Huber

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 73:38


    Alex Huber rose to prominence in the early 1990s with ascents of what were the world's hardest sport climbs, consolidating the 9a grade and pushing on into 9a+. He brought his power to freeing the walls of El Cap and changed that mighty golden landscape forever adding the most popular and beautiful climbs on the great faces. At the same time, he brought his power and skill to much more serious and remote objectives in the Himalaya, Karakoram, Patagonia and the Arctic. Groundbreaking ascents followed in the Dolomites as well as top level free solos. His is one of the most significant climbers of recent times. Check it out.

    JCPC 159 James Pearson part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 84:57


    In episode 2 of the James chat we talk about big downgrades, the fallout, getting back up the E12 and his recent repeat of MacLeod's mystical Echo Wall.

    JCPC 158 James Pearson part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 86:06


    Trad-monster James Pearson reflects on the early days of marching through the numbers to the top of grade-mountain and finding himself eventually on the edge of the cliff. Powerful stuff, lots of fun.

    JCPC 158 Caroline Ciavaldini

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2024 71:31


    French-born ex-comp best turned lover of British hard trad mega-classics Caro sits down and answers some of her own questions - is that a thing? Super crack.

    JCPC 157 Neil Gresham Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 77:16


    In part 2 of the Neil Gresham chat we talk Indian Face, Hard Grit, travelling and exploration, DWS, training and professionalism. Brilliant!

    JCPC 156 Neil Gresham Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 81:03


    Neil Gresham has been chomping hard at the climbing bit for nearly forty years, always pushing hard and changing his focus. In part 1 we hear about Sheffield in the 1990s. Get in!

    JCPC 155 Jim Pope reads Menlove

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2024 46:49


    Jim Pope reads End of a Climb by John Menlove Edwards, widely regarded as one of the finest bits of pre-war climbing writing.

    JCPC 154 Tom Bolger

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 103:05


    Away from the spotlight, Yorkshire-born Tom Bolger has quietly been redpointing and creating sport climbs of the highest calibre and is one of the few British climbers who are solidly climbing into the ninth grade. We caught up with Tom in his home in the global heart of sport climbing, Catalunya, to see what makes him tick.

    JCPC 153 Beth Rodden

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2024 79:42


    Climbing royalty. Beth Rodden's impact on climbing from the late 90s to the late 00s was huge. She pushed forward female standards in sport and trad, did early free ascents on El cap, and established a crack testpiece where ascents still make the news. Injuries led to a stepping back, motherhood followed and she has now written her autobiography, A Light Through the Cracks.

    JCPC 152 Remus Knowles

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2024 125:55


    Me and Remus talk crap about climbing.

    JCPC 151 Andrew Bisharat

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 101:17


    Writer and podcaster Andrew Bisharat looks back on a life in journalism, creativity, climbing, being mbbed and his involvement in the Palestine-based film, Resistance Climbing.

    JCPC 150 Jerry Moffatt Revelations

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2024 104:11


    On the 15th anniversary of Jerry Moffatt Revelations, for which I was ghost writer, I read some sections, remember the creation and listen to some recordings.

    JCPC 149 Mari Salvesen

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 122:09


    Norweigan trad beast, crack shuffler and professional amateur Mari talks Troll Wall, local clubs, El Cap and always looking forward.

    JCPC 148 Billy, Alex and The Nose Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2024 83:46


    Part 2 of the amazing tale of Billy Ridal and Alex Waterhouse's epic free ascent of The Nose on El Cap.

    JCPC 147 Alex, Billy and The Nose Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2024 77:01


    Having recently retired from a life of indoor comps, two plastic-hardened heroes declare to the world that they are off to free climb The Nose of El Cap, the world's greatest trad route. Get outta town. Part 2 follows tomorrow.

    JCPC 146 Alistair Lee

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2024 124:41


    Al Lee's films have documented UK trad climbing and climbers for over a decade. Movies such as On Sight, Climbing Blind, Blocheads and The Prophet have made the screen shine. This week let's hear Al's crack.

    JCPC 145 Jam Crack Christmas Disco

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2023 60:43


    Your annual sermon from the disco pulpit where the Jesus of beats and the Devil of groove battle it out in an epic dance to the death. Hot dog! Love's a-winnin!

    JCPC 144 Zoe Wood

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2023 96:34


    23-year-old Zoe was born into climbing in the hills and homes of North Wales where the slopes of Eryri turn their eyes towards the sea, This world was sketched in a recent film, Adra, which captured too her love for her home. Hear about it and her current career as a routesetter and a move to Sheffield. Many Cackles are had.

    JCPC 143 Leo Houlding part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2023 91:50


    In part 2 we hear about Leo's attempt to push standards and adventure on El Cap, breathtaking stories of wingsuit flying, racing Jeremy Clarkson, then taking his skills to the arctic wilderness and finally bringing it closer to home.

    JCPC 142 Leo Houlding part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2023 97:43


    Leo Houlding is one of the finest and boldest rock climbers Britain has produced. In this first of a two-part interview we follow his journey from early Gritstone and wild Welsh forays onto the huge canvas of Yosemite's El Capitan. Stunning.

    JCPC 141 Chris Bonington

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 115:42


    Chris Bonington's name is synonymous with high altitude mountaineering the world over and he led the charge into the extreme during the sport's most ambitious years. Alongside a successful and visionary career in the Himalayan giants from the 1960s through to the 1980s, CB communicated our sport to the armchair audience via his books and presentations. Hear all about his highlife.

    JCPC 140 Russ Clune

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 106:12


    Russ Clune has been more places, met more people and climbed more climbs than most of us put together. Hear this Gunks legend tell us about decades of climbing fun around the world, how things used to be and how things have changed. Old school guaranteed!

    JCPC 139 Anna Hazelnutt

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 89:11


    YouTuber, influencer and all-time trad slab moose Anna Hazelnutt takes us behind the scenes of video creation and climbing-wall superstardom. Legend.

    JCPC 138 Tents Situation

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2023 46:52


    Two stories. Niall Grimes reads his own Tents Situation and Tom LeFanu read The Waiting Game. Enjoy xx

    JCPC 137 Didier Berthod

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2023 79:09


    Who can forget Didier Berthod from his attempts on Cobra Crack in 2007's smash video, First Ascent. The Swiss-born crack maestro's life sure has taken some turns since then. Find out all.

    JCPC 136 Burgess Book of Lies

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2023 87:14


    Al Burgess reads wild stories of 1980s alpinism and all that that world entailed - fighting for your life and passing into death.

    JCPC 135 Ruby Petch

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 82:17


    Adventure boulderer Ruby Petch is one of the driving forces of the development of North Devon. By hiking pads, figuring tides, checking coves and sniffing out nooks Ruby and her small band of pad pirates have carried the proud Devon torch into new areas. Hear her crack here.

    JCPC 134 Adam Ondra

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2023 116:18


    The world's best climber? Hell yeah! Adam Ondra gives us a tale of childhood, grades, Dawn Wall, comps and choss. Get in!

    JCPC 133 Dean Fidelman Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2023 87:21


    In part 2 of Dean's interview we chat about the Stonemasters' reincarnation, the Stone Monkeys, who brought their heart and soul to Yosemite's walls in the 1990s, and most particularly, Dean Potter.

    JCPC 132 Dean Fidelman Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2023 92:49


    Dean Fidelman's photographs captured the wild characters of the Stonemasters as they revolutionized the climbing of Southern California in the 1970s. John Long, John Bacher, Lynn Hill, John Yablonski and Dale Bard all sparkle in his stunning black and white images. Hear all about it in part 1 of Dean's interview.

    JCPC 131 Anna Wild

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2023 77:54


    She's ony 22 and she's already ticked many of the best 8as and 8bs in Yorkshire and has done 8b+ and Kilnsey, And she's a right laugh. Check out Anna Wild!

    JCPC 130 Al Burgess Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2023 135:16


    The Burgess twins were a legendary force in the mountaineering world of the 1970s and 80s. Al and his brother Adrian smashed full-force into the rollicking world of alpinism and high altitude, high attitude mountaineering. Full value crack, guaranteed.

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