Frances Bensley

Frances started climbing aged 6, which has been driven by a lifelong love of the outdoors that also inspired her to complete a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation.

Primarily a boulderer, Frances is a highly versatile climber who has also climbed 8b+ sport and E5 trad. Her standout achievements include making the first female ascents of Fat Lip (8B) and Keen Roof (8A+/B). She has a deep passion for the projecting process that brings with it the finer nuances of movement, however, a string of minor injuries have led her to shift her focus toward quicker ticks. This adaptable approach has yielded impressive recent highlights, including Cornerstone (an 8A highball) and Seance (7C+/8A) in Rocklands, Pagota (8A) and The Seneca Effect (8A) in Fontainebleau and flashing the iconicHatchling (7C+) in Rocklands.

Looking ahead, Frances is excited to diversify her climbing even further with an upcoming trip to Yosemite, where she will be stepping out of her comfort zone to explore the world of big walling.