Article Archive

How to tell if a hold is wet

Wet sandstone is fragile. How can you tell when the rock is strong enough to climb on it? Look, Feel and Sound

… We should look after it!

As climbers what can we do to look after Fontainebleau forest and how does it help?

This is Our Playground ….

From formation of sandstone to cave dwellers, Royal knights, Glass, Romantic art history and biodiversity. What climbers need to appreciate

Do you really want to Open new boulders?

Here are some thoughts on opening new boulder problems in Fontainebleau. Not just the how, but the why and whether.

Éthique du Bloc - un guide de bonnes pratiques - FANATIC CLIMBING

Si vous grimpez à Fontainebleau, vous devez absolument lire ceci....

Bouldering Ethics - a guide to good practice- FANATIC CLIMBING

If you are climbing in Fontainebleau, this is an absolute MUST READ ....

Report from the Eco-chalk demo day at Hautes Plaines

This is the report of the findings from the chalk demo day where 20 women tested the performance of 5 different chalks that are promoted as ecologically friendly in terms of extraction and carbon...

Our Three contributors to the Eco Chalk demo day

Eco Chalk review day by Bettybeta at Hautes Plaines. See claims, locations, and prices

Chalk – Another Kill-joy hobby-horse?

As climbers do we need to be responsible about the amount of chalk we use? Is it an environmental menace? how does it impact our crag?

‘Clean’. A beautiful song by Berfin Jung (@berfin.climbs)

‘Clean’. A beautiful song about the forest from a climbers point of view

A blue trail in Fontainebleau Forest through the eyes of a child.

A true story about a story made up on a walk with my children along a blue trail through the forest

Bleau - Poem by Jessica James Reynolds

The timeless emotions of climbing in Font, put beautifully into words by Jessica James Reynolds

Tips for female climbers coming to Fontainebleau

Two great videos on things to think about when visiting Fontainebleau

How to use Betty Beta, Episode 5

Find out how to add beta and videos to Betty Beta to share your ideas with other climbers

How to use Betty Beta, Episode 4

How can you help us? By informing us of everything you've climbed :-)

How to use Betty Beta, Episode 3

Making Betty Beta work for you - 'find your next project' tool

How to use Betty Beta, Episode 2

How can Betty Beta help you have a better climbing day?

How to use Betty Beta, Episode 1

What is Betty Beta, and why do you need it in your life?

Ethics

When climbing outdoors it's important to respect the environment, rock and other people in order to make the experience pleasant for everyone and help to ensure continued access to Fontainebleau...

Do Shoes Really make a difference?

Why are we so obsessed with what we have on our feet? Does it really make a difference what shoes you wear?

Can We Really ‘Leave No Trace’?

Bouldering has it's impact on the forest, no matter how hard we try to 'leave no trace'

Why don't women post videos?

Investigating the reasons why women are less likely to post videos of their own achievements. It seems that social conditioning and modesty play a big part in reticence to share personal...

Does a Climber S**t in the Woods?

The less you can go in the wild, the better. But if nature calls at the crag, do your business right.

Female rivalry: why all women get stung by the queen bee syndrome

As with any other community, relations between climbers are very much a reflection of the good and the bad in society more broadly — and it is no different when it comes to female rivalry.

Contributing to BettyBeta

An active group of supportive women can help us reach the full potential of what this site can be. Here's what you can do to help.

Community Guidelines

There aren't many truly supportive, friendly places on the internet. Let's all go out of our way to be the exception to that rule.

What's in a name?

Why is Bettybeta called Betty Beta? The associations behind the name

The Climbing Girlfriend

There are still too many women with potential following their boyfriends around as a second fiddle.

Pregnancy and Beyond

It doesn't matter how excited you are to fall pregnant, as a climber you cannot help but be a little apprehensive about the changes you will have to make.

Climbing in Fontainebleau - What's the big deal?

For my first few trips here I came with strong climbers, mainly guys, who wanted to go home with a number of 'ticks'. So what changed? CIRCUITS!