Meet the Community: Ollie
Name: Ollie Noakes
Describe your role at Boulders: The Boss
How long have you worked at Boulders? Since the project started in May 2007
Favourite place to climb? Oooooh so many great venues! I’d probably choose St Govan’s in Pembrokeshire. It’s got a massive selection of traditional limestone routes, is close to the car park, and has a great pub for after!
Favourite climbing brand and why? DMM. They’re a local Welsh company, maintaining manufacturing in North Wales, and are constantly pushing technological advances in climbing equipment design and manufacturing.
Favourite thing about Boulders? The team, and that we get to invite new people into the world of climbing. It’s a real privilege to be able to give people a taste of climbing and see them start out on their climbing journey, leading to who knows where!
Favourite Food? Sausage casserole! One pot cooking, full of goodness, and it freezes and travels well for reheating on a climbing adventure somewhere.
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why? Reinhold Messner, he’s an absolute legend, Italian mountaineer, he made the first solo ascent of Mount Everest, the first ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen, and was the first climber to ascend all fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres above sea level.
What is the last book you read? ‘Let My People Go Surfing’ by Yvon Chouinard. His philosophy and what his company have achieved is a huge inspiration to me. They’ve managed to build a huge brand and business whilst never losing the “why” the company was started in the first place. The company culture, team spirit, environmental impact and global success is something I hope that Boulders can emulate one day.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be and why? Alaska / Yukon – It’s a stunning, remote region with so many adventure opportunities. From the great mountain range of Denali, to amazing rock formations like the Lotus flower tower, to epic rivers for paddling.
If you could master one skill you don’t have right now, what would it be? Speaking another language. I think language skills are so key. I’ve been very lucky to have travelled to some amazing places, with some amazing people. When traveling with a partner who speaks the native tongue, the experience has always been enhanced, we’ve been invited to local social gatherings, avoided common tourist scams, and met some amazing people all because we could communicate effectively.
What would be your perfect day? Wake up in my van next to the sea, quick dawn surf, followed by some poached eggs. Trail run with Tess dog, then climbing for the rest of the day with a couple of friends and a BBQ in the eve playing board games.
What would your advice be to someone thinking about trying climbing for the first time? I think the best advice I would offer is to not be afraid. I don’t mean ‘don’t be afraid of the climbing’, but rather don’t be afraid to ask for help, or introduce yourself to someone at the local wall or crag. I know that climbing can appear at first very intimidating but everyone was a beginner once and can probably remember what it was like. I’ve found that when I’ve done this myself I’ve always been met with welcoming and friendly responses. In fact, some of these encounters have resulted in long term friendships, and many climbing adventures.
What was your favourite climbing experience? I’ve been incredibly lucky with my climbing experiences over the years. I’ve climbed in Cuba, in the Canadian Rockies, Joshua tree, the famous sea stack the Old Man of Hoy on Orkney, explored unclimbed peaks in Greenland, I’ve climbed to 7000m in the Himalayas and done multiple trips to the European alps over the years to name just a few. But some of my most memorable moments have been much closer to home. I remember doing a mad one-day dash to St Govan’s at Pembroke. A close friend and colleague Ben and I left Cardiff on one sunny Sunday in July at around 11am (madness when we had to be back in the office Monday!) Despite the distance, we managed to climb 6 routes and be back in the Albany pub for last orders.
I think this trip was so memorable because of the climbing partner as well as the climbs.
I love to climb in Pembroke. It’s steep, well protected and long. All things I love. And yet it’s super close to the car park too! So I can be lazy! It was great to climb with someone with similar physicality, climbing experience and ability. And whom I trust to catch me no matter what - and he’s good fun to be around too!
You get 6 routes in in such short succession that you have to be working well as a pair and I really enjoyed not just the achievement of the climbs but also the way we worked together.
Fun Fact about you? I was once an Extra in Extras!
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