This is a centennial nod to grander times. In a light-hearted note and with top respect for the first generation of climbers (see the pic below, now that's bold), I came across some useful (and not so useful) notes from Claude Benson's superb 'British Mountaineering', published 100 years ago. It includes a chapter on bouldering no less, though they did call it 'rock gymnastics', as though they were slightly ashamed of the low-ball games of blocage . The book is a delight throughout, capturing the lost nuances of climbing as it was with no little humour and some sage advice. What is most encouraging is that not much has changed - Claude is still obsessed with gear and like a safety-Nazi 'floorwalker' he bores rigidly about techniques (quite rightly, of course, we want to pursue risk safely you know). He does witter on a bit about the 'tweenie maid' (mmm, enough said... ) - reassuringly, however, he suffers the same frustrations we still do today...