This time around our ambitions were more modest. And despite Rocklands being most notorious for its hard, stunning lines and videos of the worlds elite climbers demonstrating near superhuman strength, there is actually plenty to do for rookies too.

We spent most of our time in the sectors surrounding de Pakhuys, Roadside, and Kliphuis Camp. The Kliphuis Camp sector even has a boulder that is aptly named “Beginner Boulder.” A great place to start out or warm up depending on your level. The 7a on this “Beginner Boulder” is a subtle hint to the level of climbing that goes down in Rocklands when the world’s strongest and most committed climbers flock to South Africa in high season and continuously redefine the limits of the sport.

While our time in Rocklands showed us again just how unattainable that level is for most, it also confirmed my belief that fun is not measured in “V”s or “Fonts” but on a grading system that you get to define yourself.