Coffee Break

Having a sly blog at work today during my 10am coffee. Just want to give a big shout out to PeterP and his guns of steel for sending 3 7as in Annott. Devestating to go from buzzing your tits off in the mountains to work on a Wednesday morning in the rain! Nice one Pete!

I'm off to the continent myself on Friday. In climbing terms I'm getting three days in Val Di Mello and one in Font. We are camping more or less under the Eiger so there must be stones to play on around Interlaken so maybe will get stuck into some more if Im lucky.

Anyway, gutted for you being back Pete, psyched for you being away Andy. I'll be devestated if you don;t blog your Wales trip baw jaws. Do it from the internet cafe in Llanbaris when it pisses down!!

Well anyway, I'm super psyched for everyones summer trips. October will be here in no time. Flights to Paris are £120 and camping in the woods is free. Get psyched and get on board.

The Whangie

Went for a short wander up The Whangie with Jeeks today. Took the mat and my boots but forgot John Watson's topo. Had a bit of a play around and although there are few strong lines the bouldering is in fact reasonable and the view is worth it by itself. Climbed Rune Wall 6a+ and something which I don't think is recorded. It may have been Fingerripper but I am not sure. It went from sitting at about 6b. A nice evening and I think I will go back with the topo next time I need to blow the cobwebs away. 

Loch Katrine Boulders

Went to the Loch Katrine Boulders after work today. It was windy out so I thought it would be worth risking the midges. I have had my eye on Fight Club 6c+ and hoped it might let me in. The bracken was really high and I warmed up on the usual. Climbed the classic beta intensive Mind Trick 6a first go today which was a new experience. Topping out on that problem was wonderful today. The bracken closes in on you and when you pop up and stand on the boulder, the hills and the loch come into view. Not a soul to be seen. Scottish bouldering at its finest. I moved on the next boulder and set up under HB 6b+ (photo). I'd never done this problem. Pete and I spent time on it years ago (we couldn't climb Mind Trick either) but had no joy. It starts crouched from a letter box and moves leftwards up the s-shaped arete on slopey lay-aways and pinches. I sussed some good dark arts beta and sent it in six goes. I moved on to the main event, fight club. Although I could pull on and take the first hold, I couldn't get my heel into the starting hold. I gave it a bit of skin but it was not going to let me in today! At this point the rain came so I ran under the cover of trees and tried Water Colour Challenge 6a+. I worked out a nice sequence on crimps but a hold snapped halfway up and I quickly lost my psyche for it. On the same boulder is Art School 6b. This is blunt arete, climbed on slopers with a committing move to the final hold. It took a couple of goes to work out the right sequence but when I did I made it through the crux and only slipped off the last hold because it has got mossy and wet. The boulder is obviously neglected and needs a brush on a stick to sort it out. I decided to have a quality rest before trying again. The rain stopped and the wind with it. Before I knew it my legs and arms were covered in midges. I packed and ran. No problem is worth that, especially not a mossy one. All in all a good evening, climbing a long time project and at least touching Fight Club. 

Summer at St Bees

Matt was the consoler of the lonely today, accompanying me to St Bees Head in Cumbria. I got him psyched by the fact that the RSPB own the cliffs. The forecast was positive and so it proved. By the time we had arrived at the lighthouse, the sun was beating down. I got warmed up on some nice V1s and a V2 6a, then moved round for an on-sight attempt of the classic Apairy Arete V1 5c. I started with my hands round the wrong way and blew it. I sent it next go. I then moved round to try a V4 I saw on the UKClimbing photo page. I must admit that I failed pretty miserably on this. It took a while to work out the beta to the second hold but then couldn't power to the top. Powering from right arm crimps and heal hooks is not my strong point. I moved round and climbed another couple of V2s (flashed) before settling on a another problem I saw on the web. Its the short arete in the background of the photo. It goes at V5 from sitting. I nearly flashed it and I think I only fell off out of shock! After that I struggled with the first move but it went in the end.

We picked up our stuff and moved south the Fishermans Steps area. I climbed the classic Fisherman's Dyno V2 6a. An amazing problem and nearly the problem of the day. I tried the V6 arete and was baffled by the baffling start. This area is not as good as the Apairy Wall area so we moved back again. The locals showed me Headbanger. It is a problem Pete and I checked out on that rainy day years ago. It is V8 from sitting, V3 from standing but the locals say it is V5 from crouched. I found it pretty desperate. The burlesque slap with the right hand wasn't sticking. I was psyched though. This was my sharma moment. I gave a power scream and caught the slap, adjusted, made the next two slaps and promptly fell off the rock over top out. I gave it some quality rest manned it up in front of Matt and Team Local (who were also psyched after climbing screaming yellow desert at V8+) . Two V5 ticks. I was pretty sunburnt by now but was psyched for one last problem. got involved with Team Local to try a classic called Undercooke V5/6. What an amazing problem. I slipped off the crux pinch twice but I am so psyched to go back soon to work it fresh.

An amazing day! It takes only minutes longer than a trip to the county and the problems, although fewer, are much better. I can't wait to get back!!

On a separate note, Pete climbed Gorilla V5/6c today. I think I might try and give a bash this week.

The Last Wee While

I’ve not blogged for a while as there hasn’t been much to report. Team Strong + 1 made a trip to Kyloe in the woods where I completely failed to climb Jocks and Geordies 6c/V5. Everyone else got it and I was pretty gutted. Pete has burst through his plateau by virtue of a combination of crash dieting (he looks like a smack head) and lots of training. He is very close to completing Mestizio Traverse 7b/V8 at Dumbarton. Last night, Chris cruised it and fell off the last move of the Mugsy Traverse. I’ve not climbed anything good and new for a while. Work has been getting me down a bit but that shouldn’t be an excuse. Heading out this weekend to somewhere new and I’m getting three days at Val de Mello and one in Font for my summer holiday with Jeeka. What a top slice! Hoping for a trip to Font in October, with or without the Hebsonic Boom. Still not tied a rope on yet this summer and to be fair, I’m pretty devastated about it. Would be psyched to get some HVS/E1 multipitch under my belt this year. Anyway, here are a couple of recent pictures and I’ll hopefully have more to report after this weekend!