Nathan Phillips and Aidan Roberts have both made ascents of Trance (f8C) at Badger Cove,  Deep Dale, in the Peak District.

The boulder was first climbed by Will Bosi in June 2022, just two months before he established his hardest First Ascent to date, the as-yet unrepeated Honey Badger (f8C+). Trance is a low start to the Dan Varian 8B+ boulder Bewilderness (f8B+), adding roughly seven moves from the ground. 

Both Phillips and Roberts have climbed Bewilderness previously, Phillips last year, and Roberts back in 2020. 

Sharing news of both ascents on his Instagram page, Phillips had the following to say:

'My first boulder since turning thirty, and funnily enough my first boulder above 8A/V11 of the year'.

'On Saturday I managed to get up this thing FA'd by Will Bosi in Summer 2022. Unrepeated until Aidan Roberts climbed it the day before I did, and now three ascents'.

'Thinking my car would be in the garage until Monday, I got a surprise phone call Saturday morning that it was ready to collect. I immediately got my things together, picked up my car and headed to the crag. It was my fourth session this year after a few last year and miraculously found myself at the top first try after warming up, kind of more confused than elated. Later it sunk in and celebrated with a mandatory cake from the Calver Spar (if you know you know)'.

'Nice to know you can still go in after 30'.

Whilst Will chose to climb through easy but loose terrain in order to top out the cove for the first ascent, Nathan elected to drop off after completing all the hard climbing. Trance is Phillips' second boulder at 8C, having climbed Juneru in late 2023.