When Will Bosi first started trying the line now known as Realm of Tor’ment, it was called Burden of Nightmares, and it lived up to its name. Tucked into a narrow strip of limestone at Raven Tor, the problem now stands as the UK’s latest 9A boulder and another marker in Bosi’s already stacked list of hard ascents.

We caught up with Will to hear more about the process, the grade, and what it means to finally put this long-standing project to rest.

So, what is Realm of Tor’ment? What makes it special?

The problem is a pure power limestone line. About eight moves in total, and centred around an 8B plus crux move. What makes it special to me is that it is a completely new line, at one of the most famous and busiest crags in the UK (Raven Tor, England).

It sits in a five-metre gap of rock. The holds and the moves are incredible, and although the rock needed a lot of cleaning originally, what is left, climbs really well.

You’ve proposed 9A. What makes this feel like that grade to you?

I have thought a lot about this… I am suggesting 9A, although on the lower end. It feels harder than any 8C+ I have done, especially the short powerful ones!

To try and compare, it feels very similar to Spots of Time (Swirl Crags, England), Aidan Roberts’ 9A which I repeated last autumn.

How long did it take overall?

I can’t remember when I first tried it, and I didn’t track all of my sessions on this one. It is especially difficult because the route I originally tried unfortunately broke, so the line is quite different from what I initially imagined.

But, it has been over a couple of years, and definitely double digits in terms of sessions. This season alone I put in over ten sessions just on the final beta.

What was the hardest part of Realm of Tor’ment?

At first the hardest part was just believing it was possible!

The original sequences I tried felt like a whole new level. However, once I found the final sequence that worked, it felt more achievable, so the challenge became being strong enough for the crux.

Did you train specifically for Realm of Tor’ment? Replica board, special prep?

I didn’t set a replica or do any special sessions per se. But it is very board style and the crux is an undercut move, which is my favourite type of move. I trained that a lot, so the style of this problem definitely suits me.

This seems like a big personal one. What does it mean to you?

It is very meaningful. It could be my hardest first ascent. It also feels like the closing of a chapter. By finishing the last main project at Raven Tor, a crag where I have spent most of my climbing days and probably most of my time living in Sheffield.

Were there any moments when you thought it would not happen? Or big breakthroughs?

Yes, there were lots of setbacks and plenty of breakthrough moments as well. Virtually every time I had a breakthrough session, something would go wrong in the next session and I would go back to square one. The name Realm of Tor’ment grew out of this journey!

How did it feel to finally top it out?

Surprising. But very very satisfying!

You are no stranger to pressure. How do you manage that on a project like this?

In general, I deal with pressure quite well. I set little goals for every session. So I turn up with the idea of making small improvements and hope that each time I get a little closer.

Eventually, it all comes together.

What’s next?

A few smaller things, but my main goal is still the Badger Project. I have put sixteen sessions into it over the last year and it doesn’t feel any closer.

A note from the author

From cleaning loose rock to breaking beta and managing expectations, Realm of Tor’ment is not just another tick in the book for Will Bosi. It is a culmination of power, patience and years of effort, tucked into the unassuming corners of one of Britain’s most well-trodden crags.

As someone who was there through the final season of work on this boulder, it was a journey worth witnessing. I filmed the process from start to finish and saw the rollercoaster unfold in real time. From high hopes to total shutdowns, from laughter to frustration, and back again. There was a kind of rhythm to it all. One day he would find a breakthrough, the next the Tor would quite literally break back. It felt as though the line wanted to keep its secrets just a little longer. The name Realm of Tor’ment grew out of this journey: A play on the location, but also a perfect reflection of the effort and emotion it demanded. I have seen Will try many hard things, but this one felt different. The send day even caught us both off guard. The footage shakes a little at the end, maybe from surprise, or maybe from relief. Either way, it was real.

Author: Teresa Coimbra

Photos by: Band of Birds