My first winter route of the season, and it was in Wales! Yes Wales of all places. Land of climber, slate, rhyolite and quaztite became the land of ice and snow (at least for a few days). I drove across from stoke after climbing in the peak (and in the cold) with Susie to meet Stewie in Llangollen. We left my car there save taking 2 cars all the way up to Wales.Our sleeping arrangements where pretty much as loose as they could get. We'd taken a tent, and I'd also crammed a bivi bag in and 3 sleeping bags. I think our real plan was to get drunk and hope that the Ceunant took pity on us and let us stay over in thier warm hut. Well we certainly got drunk on many pints of XB and Double Hop. I actually ate in the Vaynol for once. They do really good food. We also did manage to get a place to stay at the Ceunant. So turned in for the night there.
Oh, I've missed something. As we drove up from Llangollen to North Wales it started to rain. I think I sank start into a weather related sulk because of this, but Stewie brought me out by telling me to forget about it and we'd just ahve a good night in the pub! Thankfully the weather predictions where right and the temperature plummetted freezing everything solid. I began smiling.
We hac chosen to climb on the highest crag we could find in the vicinity, the nameless cwm. As, for our pub discussions the night before, everyone else in all of wales seemed to be climbing there we decided to head out early. Early (0640) and verg hungover as it happenend. Stuart also decided in his infinite wisdom that we'd skip breakfast to "save time". Of course it did save time, but I'll be holding it against him forever.
My camera has died by this point, having been left out in the van all night I think the lense has frozen solid. Annoyingly we had no camera at all.
The walk in was long and hard, but just the thing to sort to out a 5 pint hangover. As was walked in the weather was awesome with cold, clear skies and a little winter. Once we'd identified our route (Left Hand Gully) the weather came in. The clag descended and the wind picked up, sort of fitting for out first route. It was very atmospheric.
I took the first pitch and solo'd up on frozen turf placements and torqued axes. It was a great little bit of climbing but I was well aware that I was doing it solo was very careful. I got into the little gully and set about building a belay. Now I know pegs are a last resort in winter, and you should only really use them on "winter crags" but I got a good sling on and had nothing else. I've no doubt th sling would have held, but its not worth the risk so in went my knifeblade. There is nothing more satisfying that bashing something into the rock to make you feel safe! I brought Stewie up, handed him the gear and put on my belay mitts and jacket to settle in for a long belay.
Stewie took a very hard mixed pitch up a groove. Having seen some photos of the route in lean ice conditions it looks like we had a fight on our hands. It took him what seemed like ages so I was glad I was snuggled down in my belay jacket. I've seen Stewie scared many times on a hard lead, either thinking he can't do it or not having enough gear in. As I watched him I was honestly thinking "what is the fuss all about?, its just a little gully with a little ice and snow on it, in the dry it would be easy!". How little did I know.
As Stewie topped out of his gully, he found as much good stuff to belay off as possible, then with a shakey voice he yelled for me to climb. Off came my Dach mitts and snuggley warm belay jacket and back on went my climbing gloves which were now warm (from being stored in my arms pits), but wet none the less. I stripped out my belay losing a ice axe in the process. Annoyed at me loss of piton I climbed up anyway. As I started up the gully my hands started to chill. I was amazed at how hard I was finding this pitch. It gave me alot of admiration of Stewie's ability. I was amazed he's managed to keep a relativly cool head. I don't think I could have lead that pitch. I then got attacked by hot aches half way up. Thus ensued a bout of screaming (from me) and laughing (from Stewie) as my hands rewarmed.
My pitch next and it looked horrendous. I'd been severly brought down to earth about my winter climbing ability and was in too minds as to either keep pushing it up this gearless mixed nightmare of a pitch, and just finding an easier way or even abseiling off. As I decided what I would do, whilst wedged into a chimeny Stewie said "There's no need to be a hero". That sort of settled it for me. He was right of course. The risk was too great, too far. If we'd had to I'm sure we would have managed it but instead there we're other options. I clambered over him, took a difficult step over to the right and romped up a grade III gully instead. I brought him round the corner and then we moved together. I actually got to tackle a short pitch of ice blocking out way (3 metres of vertical solid water ice) so I got to place the screws for a belay for Stewie.
We topped out and wondered to a summit. I say wondered because now it was very claggy with visibility reduced to about 10/15 metres. I knew we where on seniors ridge, somewhere and just made our way down by the easiest path. We dropped out of the clag and could see our defiante path on the way down. We had a little trouble on some icey boulders, but in all we made it back with ease.
This ended our first winter climb of the season, in wales of all places. My head's in gear for winter routes to come and I'm going to refine my rack based on what I learnt on this day. My only annoyance is that my camera broke so theres no pictures. Here's Clogwyn Ddu anyway...
I was climbing with a friend once who used to only use one anchor when he felt it was safe? What actually sparked this off was a sling round a chockstone which was never in a million years going to move, however there was loads of other opptunities for more gear so I pulled him up on it. "Why only use one anchor?". His response was that it was a bomber anchor, it was never going to move and his friend who was an SPA had told him that in his personal climbing, one anchor was fine.
My friend is a good mountaineer and I would never have expected it off him. It actually occured to me he might have done it to annoy me (in a joking way) because it was an easy route which I've also lead before. Admittedly catastrophic anchor failure isn't a commen occurance, but I'd had a belay completly rip out on me before due to 3 bad anchors in shit rock. Building a belay with more than one anchor is also a fundamental skill in climbing. This whole thing got me thinking about anchors, and namely what risks we willing to take?
So there are no rules in climbing? Or are there? I've already pointed out that its a bit of a mess around the area of "rules", but there are rules, maybe they arn't written on a mighty tablet of stone or anything but they are there. Between me and most of my climbing buddies its commenly accepted that we never use one anchor. We always build some form of redundancy into our systems, whether its a massive 4 piece anchor where each piece is a tree or boulder weighing in at 6 tonnes or its 3 pegs and a nut you've hammered in with your nut key because your worried about the pegs. Basically we never accept 1 anchor, no matter how good.
But why not? My friends counter argument was that you only clip in with one 'biner, you only have one belay loop, only wear one harness etc etc. This is a good point, we do only have one of those things, but then again if we had two of everything would it make climbing possible? There is obviously a level of acceptable riska dn this changed from person to person, rope to rope and with the situation. If I'm out rock climbing I'll never use one anchor, because there is no excuse, but scrambling? well thats another matter. For some reason single anchor belays are accpetable. In the alps me and Dan had a rule that there was never less than one anchor between us moving together. Now if we'd have fell off I'd hate to think what would have happened.
Screwgates is another small "rule" thats odd. Uncle Rob carries enough to have one on each piece for a belay, I on the other hand use wiregates. Now my theory (and its not just my theory) is that snapgates are lighter and if you keeping an eye on for anchors then theres no problem. Rob preferes the extra security of screwgates. I also look at this another way. If I carry less screwgates its slightly lighter, this means more wires or protection. Risk goes both ways.
Anyway I guess this rant is coming to an end. For a sport with no rules, there are some rules. These rules may be different for each team, person and environment but they all follow the same principal. The principal that life is not worth the risk. How much your life is worth however is up to you...
(a cold belay, but with 3 anchors at least!)
A friend of mine has been bugging me to put up a post that isn't climbing related for a while now. I have been thinking away and writing somethings but nothing seems to inspire me like climbing to actually write stuff down I end up hitting a wall each time. I'm still trying to find something proper to write about but I've got this for now.
I've been neglecting my aerobic fitness for a while now. I'd like to list off many reasons like I have a job which is hard (sometimes) I'm away each weekend, I'm busy during the week, but the crux of the issue is I'm too lazy to go running or swimming. Running is boring and I only really like doing it in the rain I just haven't been inspired to get outside and run around the streets at night in the dark. I had a plan mind I'd go to football with my Dad.
Now I haven't played football in a while to say the least and I am very competitive when it comes to sport. I was nervous going down to play with a bunch of my Dad's mates who he's played with for nearly 30 years. We got there and he introduced me as his son. I don't think he expected me to remember everybodies name but I managed a few by the end. We played 6 (ish) a-side for about an hour. This I felt had nearly killed me, but I kept going to whole way through. I even scored 5 goals. However my enthusiasm meant I threw myself into every tackle and opptunity, usually coming off worse for wear with the floor!
Needless to say I also managed to trip over my feet after I'd beaten the last man and only had to tap it into an open goal. I'll definatly be going again.
After the hint of maybe some winter conditions in Wales this weekend I've been getting all hopeful about getting out. I'm slowly putting together every topo I can find on Welsh Winter routes and crags that is as up to date as possible. This has pretty much meant that I've been pillaging the welsh winter wiki ( http://welshwinterclimbs.wetpaint.com/ ). I'm probably going to try and get some of the topos laminated at work.
My point is the weather gods, or whatever deity it is that carefully watches over me and plants obstacles in the way of climbing all the time has decided to warm up the weather! Great for winter shopping! not great from winter climbing!
It doesn't even look like it'll be warm and dry, just warm and wet. I'm currently trying to decided what the weather will do and if its even worth the drive. If the weather is good then gogarth is on the cards, but also doing a long and simple mountain route, I don't know! After another week at work I'm again getting down that the weather seems pitted against me.
Seems like its been an ages since I last got out and did some good climbing. I think the last time was probably with Andy going to Gogarth... and that was ages ago! This isn't going to turn into a weather rant (I'm probably due to write one) but the weather has been pretty abismal recently. I'm surprised that I'm not in a fouler moo to be honest, but I've been filling my time with loads of indoor climbing, and finding other things to do like enjoy the German Market in B'ham. I'll put something up proper about it later.
This is actually about the alps of all things, well specifically the french in the alps. I went to an SUMC meet the other night and tested out my old old old harness, actually passed down to me from Doyley. It's similar to Doyley's magic Ronhills, but without the magic and without the belay loop!!! Its an old BD alpine bod but I couldn't resist telling people that I had to cut the loop during an epic (I put them straight afterwards).
I was talking to Sid about the harness and I mentioned the lack of belay loop. Puzzeled he asked the reason why. My explaination was along the lines of
"Its an alpine harness so you don't need one to save weight and you're probably going to be moving together and not belaying so you can usually get away without having one. Plus if your french you don't need one anyway because you can teleport"
"teleport?"
"yeah...errr... teleport... you know like move through space and time to get from one place to another"
"but why?" (this was followed by laughter when he realised what I ment)
"well the french are so quick the only realistic explanation we British can come up with is that you must be able to teleport. I mean its not like your going to be better climbers that us is it?"
Thus followed much laughter at the point I was making. Clearly the french are better at alpining than us on the whole, but we're never going to admit it. I'm glad Sid saw the humourous side to all this.
Well depending on how you look at it I either had a weekend of bodily damage (namely my hands and my liver) and got wet in the rain, or I had a couple of good nights out with friends, pushing it too far on the bouldering wall and went aid climbing because it was raining?
I think I prefere the second viewpoint of the weekend. It was Kendal this weekend. Why did I go? well I went last year but I saw it as a couple of days climbing in the Lakes, not a trip to a film festival. Its not that I dislike it, but it doesn't exactly hold with my idea of climbing and mountaineering. Anyway I said I'd also help Tim with his dissertation. I heard that Kendal was great fun and that I would have really enjoyed the lectures if I went to them. Maybe I'll go next year, then again maybe I'll just go climbing.
So liver damage first up. Student nights out are going to continue being fun when while there is 2 for 1 on drinks, free entry and good mates to go out with. Unfortunatly we were politly asked to leave on account of one the the good mates taken too much adventage of the 2 for 1 offer. Didn't put a downer on the evening just meant that me, Andy and Matt ran for car to car carrying imaginery weapons like soliders acting out a scene from Black Hawk Down. Obviousley we were drunk.
Drunkenness lead to a envitable hangover in the morning but it did encourage a massive fry-up in an attempt to cue it. After what seemed like an ocean of tea, some "call of duty" and ice cream we headed off in an attempt to go climbing in the Peak District. I didn't really expect us to get out doors and pretty much headed straight for the works anyway and had a massive session in there. I think we all went at it a little too hard and fast because even though we tried to take a break about half way through the damage had already been done. We all ended up burning ourselves out and I torn another massive flapper. I've also exacerbated the pulled tendon in my middle finger. I'm seriously thinking of taking time out from climbing till its better.
Another lazy night out at the pub after chinese lead to more soldiering on the journey home. In fact Andy house mate ended up coming downstairs as I carried Andy in the house in a firemans lift. He'd been shot in the femoral artery and sadly bleed out. What a way to end a night!
Sunday had promised us good weather. Apparently you shouldn't make any such promises with sunday because it breaks them. It rained. Tim had to get his dissertation done anyway so we headed out to Aldery Cliff, a small partially quarried crag in the Peak. Its a nice little crag, but a really bad walk off. There is alot of loose rock all over the place and a large area down the one end of seiously unstable rock. I'm pretty sure that bats also live there but I need to check this out as it would probably affect access. Its all well sign posted and we call donned out helmets, bar Toaf of course. His helmet is still "uncool" enough not to wear.
Tim and Toaf set about going to set up abseils for Tim to do his research. Sounds like quite an interesting dissertation he doing looking at the effect climber have on thier environment. While he did that, me and Andy moved the car to the base of the crag so he could sit in the boot and belay and I grabbed my aiders, daisys, pretty much all my gear and headed off a likely looking crack line.
Initially the start was horrible. I'd forgotten anything I'd learned last time I went aiding. It all felt so scary, so odd, so alien. Standing in aiders on gear that I know should hold me prefectly seemed so unnatural. This was a nice slabby crackline that would probably get A1, or C1 seeing as I didn't use any pitons. I started my route with a multidirectional anchor as Andy was belaying from the car, not wanting to stand in the rain. I'm been reading about top stepping (treading on the top step or your aiders so standing higher than your gear). I decided that I would try it so I walked up in my aiders holing my grab loop and eventually got my foot in the top step. My god I felt scared. My only gear was the directional anchor so if that blew I'm deck out. I was sure it was bomber but self doubt always seems creep in. I reached for some small wires on my rack and placed a piece at the tip of my reach. Quickly I clipped in my second daisy/aider and gave it a sharp tug. I stood my foot in the aider and bounced it as much as I dared then visually checked it. It looked good. I stood up on it.
Bugger me! I breathed a sigh of relief and leant down to to unclip my lower gear and attached it to a rope with a quickdraw. It was over. I guess the first move is the hardest sometimes. From here I ran up my aider, top stepped with a little more ease and realised I needed to be that little bit higher. It was still raining, but it didn't matter I was completely focused on this next piece of gear. I needed a little bit more so I clipped my daisy in short, and forced my foot into my grab loop. It gave me that precious 4 inches and I sank in another bomber wire.
I went through the same nervousness as the last time bounce testing my piece of gear. I yarded hard on it and then shifted my weight over. It was getting easier each time. I reached down and unclipped my other aider and clipped the piece into the rope. I was back into the swing of it. Run up my aider, reach up place a piece of gear, clipped it, test and the shift onto it then do all the same again. Even when it came to placing the skyhook I wasn't worried. I made an effort to keep my weight on it so it wouldn't fall off.
Eventually I topped out and rigged my abseil to strip out the route. It seemed like about of effort to go to just to then removed all the gear, but I'd had a great time and got the practise another skill. Hell I thought it was a good use of a wet day.
Eventually Tim finished and we threw all the now wet gear into the boot. On our drive home we stopped off at the highest village shop in england and had a late but well deserved breakfast. Its now been named our cafe of the peak and where we'll always stop on our way through.
So much for a damp weekend in the peak district. In the end I had a good time and I think everyone else did, I hope so anyway!
Headed out to Millstone edge in the peak on Saturday. Was a little bit damp to say the least but we're stubborn! Matt Turner was up and wanted to climb so after a discussion about hand jamming and that fact that Matt couldn't we headed to Millstone Edge. I figured that if we got him on bond street he would either sink or swim.
As it turned out we should have probably stayed in and watched "Return2Sender" instead. If you have not watched this then you should as its got a crack intro to the fundamentals of crack climbing. All in all the film is a little messed up. By this I mean it doesn't really follow a story or a theme (like for example "First Ascent"). You also need to get over Timmy O'Neil pretty quickly as my god he's annoying! Having said that I've watched it enough times that he doesn't bother me. Its got some pretty amazing climbing on it at Indian Creek and some awesome slacklining in the first half of the film.
So what did we get up to at Millstone? Well we did in fact get on bond street. I taped my hands with a wrap around so it covered my palms. Usually I tape just the back of my hands. I'll never be taping up with the wrap around technique again. Its amazing how much friction your naked plams have, and then amazing how insercure you feel without it. As someone who thinks themselves pretty good at jamming I felt like I was going to come off pretty much all the way up. Added to this I taped up too tight and ended up cramping up completely. Mistakes made and lessons learned!
So Turner tied on for a crack-fest and a half. Both me and Prescott started yelling various instructions down (and up) to Matt about how to do it. I don't think we could really get our point across and he fell off quite a few times. This wasn't a worry as he was learning. He topped out and annouced that Jamming was horrible and I think he'll try and avoid it like the plauge. I'll wait till we get some good weather and take him up Hearfords crack in Wales as its a much better route. The problem is that our hands are such a different size that what is a solid jam for me, is a insercure almost off-width jam for him. Between us we probably cover a massive range of cracks at least.
Frenchie was up next. Infact I should use his proper name, its Sid. Now like pretty much all the french people I've met he's awesome. I bloody love the french and france for that matter. Primarily for the fact that life seems so much more chilled out over there. I've tried to explain this to Claire-Line but I can't make my point too well. All I seem to do in france is eat cheese, bread and saucisson (said in Dan's terrible, yet dirty french accent). Sid stepped up to the mark. Now this guy isn't a hardcore frenchie bolt clipping...errr...person. He'd only been climbing in England so I'm trying to instigate some trad climbing into him. I realised that he didn't have any rock shoe and was about to start up a HVS crack climb in bendy trainers. I quickly took mine off and hurled them down to him and off he set...
Well he put in such a good effort. He got two thirds of the way up with little instruction other than brute force and determination. He came off a few times, but said he loved it even though he was pumped out of his mind by the time he gave up. Vive la france is all I can say!
Prescott them tied on and came up, sans tape. He climbed it well and got cold hands in the process. By this time I'd got freezing feet, they'd actually gone blue ans it had started raining. I lowered Prescott off and then rappelled down off Andy's anchors. I got hot aches in my feet which caused me to hobble round screaming and cursing till they settled down.
It seemed like the weather was turning from bad to worse with some constant rain and wind. Andy offered to do a route with me and he choose "The Mall" VS 4c. It was still my lead. I'm glad Andy had chosen it as it turned out to be one of the best routes I've ever done. If I'd have just nipped up this on some sunny day as maybe my last route of the day, a final tick before going home I probably wouldn't have stayed in my memory so much. Instead it turned out to be a crazy thrutch upwards, placing as much gear as I could whilst trying to remain on the polished grit holds. I've not doubt this is only VS but it felt so much harder when done in the rain and wind. I loved every minute of it, every time I moved above my gear and though my feet where going to slip off, every wet hand hold and every loose block. I toppedd out and built my belay using up so much rope ended up pulling it half way up the route. I had to go back and re-arrange it. Andy seconded it and I think he enjoyed it, but found it a struggle at the same time.
Well by this time the rain had got to all of us and it was getting dark so heading back seemed the only option. In the end I'd had an awesome day out at millstone, making the most of the bad weather!
Well I've lost it! I can't find it in between the tidal weekend move of my kit from my room floor to my car. I'm hoping it'll turn up tonight when I tidything up and start repairing all the kit that need its (Bag strap and cam triggers!).
Hopefully I'll find some photos to actually put up or I'll have to sort out getting a new camera! My ice screw budget will not be happy with that!
Well I finaslly got round to doing my SPA. I'll point out right now that I passed the course but defered on my paper work which is probably typical of me. I was absolutley dreading going on the course. I knew my ropework and rigging would be fine (I'm not being big headed but I'm out everyweek climbing so). I was worried about the softer elements of the course, like group work and dealing with problems. These where clearly my weaker elements but at the end of the day I could only do what was sensible and logical.
I arrived late on the wednesday and intended to go down the bar and meet some of the guys on my course. As it happened Ross who I was sharing a room with came up before I'd sort out my kit, but we stayed up going over the homepaper and sharing climbing stories till late.
Obviously breakfast at the Brenin was great (part of the reason I did the course there, the food is excellent). We all met for orientation and meeting out course directors at 9. Because the weather looked good on the thursday we'd do personal climbing then and leave the rigging and problem solving to the friday. We had Andy Teasdale and Kieth Ball as our course directors, both MICs. I figured we'd head to Craig Pant Ifan's upper tier or Lion Rock. We headed to Craig Pant Ifan.
I think over all the day went well. All my anchors where good and I set everything up neatly, quickly and safely. I missed 1 screwgate all day. They where really big on beefing up your anchors. Things like using more places (some of my anchors where like 7 bomber pieces) and using the strongest gear possible. I kept plying them with questions as well trying to learn as much as I can from them. The outdoor session on the second day I tried to put into practise all the things I'd learnt from the first day. Probably seems odd that I was putting into practise what I'd learnt on my first day of assessment, but in all honesty I was a massive leanring experience. I beefed up my anchors and continually ran out of screwgates (I was only carrying 9).
The indoor session was what I was worried about. We where each given a 10 minute slot to deal with 1 aspect of indoor climbing. I got teahcing someone how to belay. This session went well, with us climbing and bouldering and I eventually fumbled through teaching someone to belay. I was pretty nervous, but my technique was sound. This is also probably the session I learnt the most from as I picked up load of idea from everyone else in the room, especially bouldering games.
When it came to results I knew I was going to defere. I hadn't done a first aid course or got my personal profile filled out. There where simply because I completly forgot on my personal profile and because I just havn't need a first aid qualification so I'd let it slip. He said I'd passed the course and done it well. He told me I was safe and my rigging was great. He did say that if I want to go for my MIA I really need to make sure my logbook is in complete order, with everything filled out and in the correct place. This is my next task.
That and doing a first aid course!
After a little bit of planning and a bad weather report for mainland North Wales me and Andy headed out anyway. I specify "mainland" because if you know me you can clearly see whats coming...
Gogarth
Pissing in the wind...
Like most trips away with Andy it started with a phone call early in the morning either waking me up and enquiring where I am. Now I'm usually on time, it just seems that when I'm not it always Andy who I'm late with, always. So I dived out of bed, ran to the car to move it before the parking nazi's in Stoke ticketed me and got moving. So much for the early start in the end. We reasoned that the weather report looked slightly better for the afternoon so we drank tea, pack the car leisurely and headed off.
The drive was like most drives to wales: long, sleepy and annoying. We kept driving through patches of decent weather, only to drive back into progressivly worse weather as we got closer. Eventually we pulled up in Llanberis in the driving rain. I'd had a few the night before so breakfast at Pete's was our first port of call. Eventually we decided to risk it and head to Gogarth as it looked like the only place that would be dry.
Now Andy has never been sea-cliff climbing before, but he's a pretty good climber leading HVS so we went to Castell Helen pretty much because I know where I'm going on the cliff. We walked down and sussed out if it would be ok to climb first. We took a good look at the ocean, the onshore winds and the incoming weather. I sea was low, but the swell high so I reasoned we'd skip the first pitch of the routes or just belay higher up. The wind was strong (40 mph), but dry and blowing inland. It would make communication a problem, but it would also be good practise so, and finally the coming weather? There was alot of cloud, and a few little rainfalls out at sea, but we figured we'd be alright.
So back to the car, quick slash in which we seperatly soaked ourselves and then kitted up and headed down. Our first obstical was getting the abseil rope down. With so much rope we did try a throwing some coils. The wind pretty much carried them horizontal through the air. Next was a rope bomb. This little trick is pretty use full in medium to high wind I've found, but today it was found wanting. I still got the rope down, but it was in a 45 degree line across the cliff. No worries, I would sort it out on the way down.
As the heavier guy (and the one who knew where he was going) I set off first intending to do Rap (VS 4c). Abseiling over the edge in such high wind made me feel incredibly lonely. I knew Andy was just out of few but he could have been miles away. The wind was strong enough to make verbal communication worthless. I abseiled past the belay for the second pitch, watching the waves and tugging the abseil rope from around the cliff. I could see the niche where the route starts was getting washed by the ocean continually. Choosing a hanging but dry stance over an soaking wet one I tried to find out at the base of the groove. I'll admit I was pretty scared at this point dangling above a raging ocean and being blown around by the wind. I couldn't find anything I wanted to commmit myself to belay off and as I struggled to find anchors it started to rain.
Well I just paniced. I'll happily admit it, hanging at the bottom of the cliff in the driving rain I paniced. I tried hauling myself back up the rope but there was too much weight on it and it was too stretchy. I calmed myself down and sorted myself out, attaching another prussice above my device and then getting my weight off it. Eventually I started my slow process of inching my way back up the rope, thank god I'v pracisted prussicing before! At the half way ledge I noticed it had stopped raining and the powerful wind had dried the rocks already. Rather then bail completly I took a stance and gave the rope the good old 3 tugs. Andy swiftly joined me.
Andy took the final pitch Rap (4b) as out first route. It was his first sea cliff lead and quite an intersting route trying to make sure you get in enough gear and extend it well. On the top we decided that all in all it wasn't so bad and I suggested that we do Lighthouse arete (VS 4c). As the sea was bad I opted to avoid the first belay and head to the second ledge. This entailed a crazy slanting abseil across the cliff and I built a hanging belay above the ledge. This proved to be a mistake the ledge was actually dry and out of reach of the sea. As I unclipped from the abseil rope I stupidly let go and it got carried off by the wind, stranding me hanging at the base of the cliff and without having let Andy know I was off the rope so he could come down.
So I dangled away yelling into the wind but Andy didn't come down. In the end I got my phone out and sent him a message, I realised I'd only been there 30 minutes but it felt like hours. Andy didn't actually get my message but just got bored of waited and came down the rope anyway to see where I'd got to. I sent him straight to the ledge and he built his belay and I stripped out my unnessessary hanging one, I joined him and we flaked out the ropes and I set off... as anothe rain storm hit! I climbing as fast as I could while remaining save (I ploughed in alot of gear as I was afraid of slipping off on the wet rock) and got a niche about half way up the pitch. Here out of the wind and rain I belayed and brought up a soaking Andy. He was soaked but still smiling!
Again the weather cleared up and the strong wind dried the rock allowing me to finish my pitch. We swapped leads and Andy took to final to the belay. By now the hero factor was running low so we decided to head back to Llanberis for a victory meal at Pete's. This was then followed by a Lecture by Katherine Shirrmacher at Plas-y-Brenin. Eventually we decided that we should probably find somewhere to sleep. Eric's camping barn seemed a good plan meaning breakfast at erics and climbing on Tremadog, plus the weather was looking a little dodgy so a dry night sleep would have been nice. We arrived at Eric's nice and late to find the cmaping barn booked out, so up went the tents and down to the Golden Fleece for a cheeky pint.
Sunday morning and it was dry! God bless Tremadog. Andy hadn't climbed here either so I spoilt him and headed for Merlin Direct (HVS 5a) as our first route. I let him take the first pitch and the cheeky fellow belayed below the crux! Clearly the hero factor was so high today! He brought me up and I lead a 10ft pitch to the actual belay. Joining me, I salivated over the crack climb that starts off the pitch. I've been wanting to do this route for quite a while (ever since I did Merlin original with Rob). It was an awesome climb starting off with a crack (which I jammed not laybacked) then this petered out to some face
holds before a shift left to gain the thin cracks to finish. I dropped 1 wire fumbling around on the final section but shot up it with no problem. Tremadog definatly takes nut protection over cams!. Andy agreed what a good route it was and we headed for something else.
As our hero factor was feeling pretty low we picked "One Step in the Clouds" (VS 4c). I really was spoiling Andy with his first trip but I gave him the 1st and last pitches saving the middle pitch for me. Again a pitch I've been wanting to lead myself for while. Andy took the first pitch and was slightly stumped by the hand jam crack finish. I seem to rememeber having much smaller hand last time I did this route as my hands didn't fit this time. I took the second pitch which was a delight (I also realised carry up my gogarth rack was not requires as a rack of wire would have sufficed!). Seriously this route ios one of the gems of Tremadog and needs to be done. I hung around in my belay snuggled up in my belay jacket and sent andy off up the final pitch. We abseiled off grim wall in the end, with the ropes just reaching on stretch!
All in all a good weekend, I'll apologise for the photos but like I've said my camera is a little broken so I don't quite know what I'm shooting!
Well that nice rucksack posistioned on the wet floor, just perfect to sit on. Well it also acts as a camera breaking device apparently. So the screen has busted on my camera at the moment, but it still takes pictures, this is just an apology for them as they will either be out of focus, pointing at the wrong thing or just plain crud.
A relaxing weekend in the Lake District. It was supposed to be at the Toc-H hut, but through some very dodgy dealing apparently its been sold, and the club had to fight to get any money back! Instead we were based at the national trust campsite, somewhere I've never stayed before. At £7.50 a night I expected it to be quite good. My expectations were fulfilled with excellent toliets, washing/showering facilities and great pitches. It was also only 5 minutes from the pub (clearly a major selling point). Sadly I only made it up for the saturday morning and missed what sounded like a good night down the pub on the friday.
A day on Pavey...
I'd planned to climb with Sally on Pavey Ark on the Saturday. This had all been arranged over a few text messages and a good weather report. I arrived at 0845 and found some of the club seemed a little worse for wear from the for mentioned Friday night. There were groups heading out walking for the day another heading out for a 7 pitch VD on Bowfell Buttress. Me and Sally stuck with our plan and packed up the car shamelessly driving 5 minutes down the road to the New Dungeon Ghyll car park to start our day. I really need to start walking more as my climbing generated carbon footprint must be massive. We set off up the motorway of a path up to Pavey Ark.
Its a stiff little climb, but I think I'm a little out of shape (too many kit-kats at work). Still I think me and Sal managed it in under the hour. Annoyingly neither of us had a bothered to look at what time we sert off we'd left so don't accurately know how long it took. I've never been to Pavey before, always writing it off due to the walk in, which is odd because it really isn't that bad. I'd chosen to do 2 climbs, one below the Jack's Rake and the second above it. Instead of carrying all our stuff to the base of the climb, we cached it at the end of the rake as this was our descent route.
The nicely named Crescent Slabs (S) was our first climb. I have not climbing with Sally in ages or on Pavey either so I thought this would get us used to each other climbing and get me used to the rock. I was block leading the whole day, with Sally happy to second so we'd brought my rack. I'd ditched the 1,2 & 3 cam in favour of a 1.5, 2.5 & 3.5. In retrospect this was a bad decision. I would have been better just taking either all of them or a 1 to 2.5 (including the half sizes). You live and learn I guess. This would be a good time to mention Sal's only piece of gear she'd brought with her. Its an CCH Alien she'd had for about 8 years. Its just smaller than a size 1.5 but she made me carry it and said I had to place it on route. This little cam turned out the be a crucial runner on several of the pitches that day, good little alien.
Crescent slabs wasn't really hard climbing, but there's not much to say about it. Pitches 1 & 3 had good climbing on them, but 2 & 4 were either jungle bashing or just plain scrambling. Still it was an enjoyable route and a good introduction to Pavey. On the rake we wondered round for a while trying to find the start of the next route (Golden Slipper HVS 5a), hampered by the less than ideal topo and description. Obviously we found it and I started off up a ramp which soon ended up with me on an overhanging crack line doing some sort of bridging with my feet and laybacking with my hands. I stuffed in a cam and moved up, slung a spike and topped out on the next ledge. I wasn't expecting something so big to be honest. A good 1.5 cam and a tree provided a more than adequate belay. I yelled Sal up and she climbed it well considering she doesn't have much arm strenght.
Now this next pitch was to be our crux for the day. At 5a it shouldn't have been a problem (and it wasn't) but the guide book said "protection is available for the deligent". Now I must not be the only person who reads that as "no gear" or "rediculiously hard to place gear"? I set off with all this in mind and started putting in runners as soon as I could, expecting to run out further up. The route took a sweeping buttress with slab start but a steeper wall to finish. In the middle was a slight corner to follow before breaking out across the wall. Like I said I'd been taking advantage of gear where I found it, but I'd only taken 8 runners with me in a effort to save weight. I started running it out a little as the rock was so good you could almost get a handhold anywhere and as for footholds, I think it had more friction that grit!. After running it out a little, I spotted a great crack for a piece of gear and guess what fitted? Sal's little alien sat perfectly in it. The climbing was still about hard 4c on little edges at this point, so happy with my cam placement I carried on up, finding more little slots here and there. By deligent I can only assume that that placements where just not obvious and took some thinking, whilst hanging to "2 finger wide" ledges. The 5a section came as you crossed the wall, and all I could place was a really bad little wired hex. Not to worry as a better piece soon presented itself and I topped out on to a easy slab to the belay. I belayed so I could see Sal climb this and keep and eye on her. She had no problems at all (less than the 4c first pitch). We agreed that it was simply such a good pitch of great climbing, no doubt I'll be going back to do that again.
We'd left our belay jackets or fleeces at the base of the route as it was so warm, but the sun had been behind a cloud for a while and a bitter breeze filled the air. We quickly set off up the last 4a pitch, just a glorified scramble than anything else and we ended up just scrambling off roped together. After a quick chewey bar we headed to the top of Jack's rake. I've never done this scramble before, but its not hard even in descent. I had to wait at couple of points when people coming up barred the way but all in all we made it down pretty quickly. We gathered all our gear from around the base of the crag and got to the bags to decided what we'd do next. As it happened all the other VS climbs where occupied with people climbing slowly or waiting. The sun had also dissappeared behind Harrison Sickle at this point and it was getting cold, so we went for a wander to walk out. This took us away from the crowds and out into the quiet where we could discuss at lenght important ethical issues, namely bolts and bolted abseil stations on Gogarth.
Our wander brought us finally back to the path and to the New Dungeon Ghyll pub where it would have been rude to not stop for a pint. I can't remember what mine was called but it was a hearty dark ale, with lots of body, strong in taste. Just right to finish the day on. We headed back to the campsite to cook up some food, then headed to the Old Dungeon Ghyll pub for an evening beer and the costumary game of Domino's. Domino's is a serious thing within the Wrekin and something I've been forced to learn. Oddly the Domino's quickly becomes more important than the climbing. I was so tired I kept making little mistakes and not adding up properly. We planned for Raven Crag in Walthwaite on Sunday.
I slept in my tent without putting the inner up, just bunged my thermarest on the ground and snuggled into my 2 sleeping bags (I'm still testing this double bagging sleeping bag idea). With no inner I had more room than usual so I settled in with some hot chocolate and a good book till I fell asleep.
Bacon sandwiches for breakfast, cooked in sesame seed oil (from stir fry the night before) so it had abit of a twist. The weather had come in overnight so I woke up to a warmer but damper morning. It seemed like the bad weather that was suposed to come in for the afternoon was a little premature. Me and Sal risked it anyway and we to Raven Crag above Walthwaite, but were rained off after the first pitch. Instead we walked back to the crag and went to Chesters coffee shop to relax the afternoon way drinking tea, eating soup and scones.
Its a hard life being a mountaineer.
eep! Another weekend oout in the cold. It means that winter is coming and its getting closer everyday. I hope I'm not the only person who is getting psyched about rock climbing in the bitter winter cold. It going to be so good. Quiet crags, warm belays, cold pitches, climbing quickly, hot chocolate between (and on) routes, early starts in the dark, finding the sun trap crags, walking out in a headtorch, enjoying a warm pint by the fire. I can't wait.
As for winter climbing! my god its going to be good. We've sorted a place to stay in Aviemore, but have not actually booked it yet. Me and Andy need to sit down and sort out some dates when we are going and make sure we've both got enough funding. I need to buy some ice screws as well. They are going to make a serious dent in my bank account. But in the end it will all be worth it. I'm saving up for winter as well speak so.
Bring on the cold is all I can stay!
Final weekend in the Peak with Dan. Five routes, Five different crags and a nice time of 24 hours to do it all in. This was an epic day 24 hours and I know I for one has come away from it bruised, aching and battered. We may as well start at the beginning...
Best cure for a hangover? well its a massive overhang of course...
So I found myself standing beneath Dan's first tick, Flying Buttress Direct (E1 5b apparently) at Stanage. I'd had already fallen ass over tit on the walk in as I was very hungover, so I was snuggled into my new belay jacket ready for some hardcore belaying. Seriously? massive overhang? First route of the day? What was Dan thinking?. It had to be the first route as the weather had made the decision for us. It was wet over the west peak so we decided to work backwards.
Dan geared up and set off. I was glad it wasn't my lead, I mean I was very hungover. He nipped up the starting slab complaining at how polished it was, popped in some gear then moved under the roof. He added another piece for a little pop out to the lip. Casually he heel hooks the same lip, placed a good cam and then started the next series of moves.
After starting so coolly, I thought He was just going to gun it. The next move however required a horrible lock off (for us mortals). What didn't help was we both just heel hooked the wrong ledge. So he went up for it and... crawled into a break. This isn't a dumb as it sounds as I also did exactly he same thing. I think its just an avoidance reaction to the hard move. Eventually he pumps out and comes off. We pull the ropes through and try again.
Same again, great start, pops for the ledge, heel hook and a toe jam this time and goes for it. I mean he almost got it, must have missed by an inch! He's pumped so he comes down, but the damn toe jam/heel hook has got him pinned! After what I thought was going to be a serious moment, he managed to free his foot and I lowered him off. He can't really move his ankle. I think its not broken, but something looks damaged so I offer to take him to A&E. We get his shoe off and I'm worried. What If his ankle is shot, I mean getting back to the car will be hard enough but what about Kiwi Country. Instead he's stubborn and offers me the lead, which I take...
...So polished slab, clip the gear, pop for the ledge, heel hook, crawl into the break, crawl out of the break, try for the hold (locked off on my left arm) miss, pump out and come down (this involved falling when I realised I couldn't reverse the "pop" out to the lip. Annoyingly I'm so close, but I'm pumped out as well. My arms are massive. Doesn't matter, I shake out, pull the ropes through and get back on. This time I plan on no faffing, I'll just go straight for it. I get the heel hook in, and try and miss.
You can't make it, your not good enough.
I try again and get purchase on something, its a tiny lip, but its enough.
Your going to pump out and come off.
No I'm not, not today. I pull up and get my feet on and find a rest. I start shaking out, mindful that my last piece of gear is quite far away. Its easy climbing now, but my arms are dead. I'm having trouble unclipping the 'biner with my cams on. Trying to put them in is a nightmare. My arms are burning and screaming as I try and squeeze the triggers, I'm so afraid I'm off.
I don't fall off, and I get the cams in. To final section is easy, all on the feet, thank god. So thats it, I top out and think what a hard climb.
It wasn't that bad really was it?
Dan seconds me. His ankle is giving him serious pain as he tops out, but it doesn't seem to matter. We've got a challenge today. We head down to the car and mount up.
Three pebble slab and a Harlequin...
So the next stop is Froggatt, and we're straight in. We know where we heading for, Chequers Buttress (HVS 5b). Next climb on Dan's list. Andy wants to get on Three Pebble Slab (E0 5a) as well, but we head straight to chequers area, which I remember is annoyingly far. Froggatt always seems like such a short walk in my memory. Must be all those trees. We round the corner to Chequers and of course, there someone on the route. No worries, its straight to Three Pebble Slab (TPS) for Andy's big tick of the day.
There was no-one on TPS when we got there so Andy could get right on it. We discussed gear as I flaKed out the ropes and we got kitted up. By this point Laura's hangover had got the better of her and she was snuggled down sleeping on a rock (well she tried to).
After an initial awkward polished start, which required some cleaning as some tit had coated it in chalk. Obviously the individual before us though covering every hold in chalk,including the foot holds. would help! All chalk does is keep your hands dry! (rant over). So he was on, and then I thought he was off. He mantled up onto the first little break and got some gear in. Nice and protected now up into the system of pockets and heading for the next cam (a nice little TCU if I remember correctly). In that went. Andy was still looking a shaky on his feet. If I'm honest I was a little worried, but Dan (who was talking pictures at this point had confidence in him). We yelled encouragement as He stuck his foot on the rock-overy moved. It was tense just belaying him, but he made it with style.
If you've not done TPS before there's a sting in the tail of a smear finish, which after the crux seems unbelievably hard. That is until you trust your first foot and you can move up easy. It took a bit of time for Andy to trust his feet on the grit, but he did it. That was a big tick for the guy, you could tell by the ear to ear smile.
Now to Chequers Buttress. The party already there offers to let us jump ahead so we climbed as quick as we could. It was Dan's lead and what a lead. He looks really confident as he moved out on the stretchy reach across the wall to the arete. On second I realised how much of a committing move this was, and was glad of the top-rope above me. Just after this he let out a yelp of glee. There's a jug, a massive jug, right where you want it. He sank another nut right before the finish and topped out well. I wish I had not climbed Chequer's so quickly. I really missed out on a good route but just going as fast as I could. Least it means I can go back and do it. So where next? Curbar...?
Braiiiins and a longer walk in...
The Brain (VS 4c) was a late addition to Dan's Peak tick list. He dropped it in on the drive up in the morning, with the assumption that Curbar just carries on from Froggat. Well it doesn't. The climbing isn't till quite far away (another +30 minutes walk). We didn't actually have any idea where the climb was as well. We went with the tried and tested method of "stumble around alot and ask loads of people" method, which paid off when we'd eventually found some people.
By the time we where at the base of the route we'd lost Andy and Laura in the undergrowth. Regardless we geared up and Dan lead off. The first part is a slab, then groove and you step out onto the arete. As routes go its a pretty weird one. Dan quickly discovered the non-confidence giving flakes across the unprotectable slab as I tried my hand as some high altitude spotting. 
Dan's a good climber and it was not more than 4a/4b so he nipped across well, sticking some gear being a massive loose block before the groove. Into the groove he climbed and then straight out. Dan quickly figured he'd come out of the groove way too early and reversed this move and tried again further up. Nailing it this time he powered up to finish. I seconded this route, and yeah it was worth the walk. The final arete consisted of some cool mono-pocket-to-a-tufa-like-rib-thing, great finish. Now for the long walk back to the car and our final climb on Saturday... Ilam rock.
A bloody pinnacle...
Easter Island, at E1 5b would be our hardest climb of the day. Dan asked me if I wanted to lead it and I'd accepted. Being honest I wanted to get leading on something and Ilam rock did seem like a cool think to climb. On the walk in I felt a usual feeling of dread. Easter Island was hard and I really didn't want to fall off. I resigned myself to the fact that if I wasn't 100% that I could do it then I wasn't going to attempt it. I'd just back off, it wasn't worth risking it.
It was overhanging! What the hell? Me and Dan had both just assumed that it would be a slab, or at least just steep, not overhanging though. I'm pretty sure I was still residually pumped from Flying Buttress Direct. We checked the route topo and it goes up the slabbier section on the eastern edge, however near the top it steps back out over the edge and onto the overhanging face. I didn't feel good about this at all. Strangely enough I didn't back down. I wanted too, but Dan had a list to tick off and I really wanted him to get all his climbs done. He jokingly told me to just aid it, which would have been an easier proposistion. We geared up and I headed off.
So the start wasn't that hard, but it was well polished. I could find quite a few good holds and good gear placements until I got the the first hard section. I nested some gear here and set of up it with the intention of climbing a little higher, placing another piece, down-climbing and resting then setting off up again. This plan failed when I realised I could not only not down climbing, but also had to hang on long enough to place some gear. I headed for the good ledge praying to the god of friction that the polish wouldn't do me over.
Friction god smiled kindly to me and allowed my feet to stay on thier measily holds. I took this well deserved ledge to put in some protection, namely my number seven nut. I should probably explain about the number seven nut. Its quite simple as me, Dan and Toaf all agree that it is our favourite nut, it never leaves the rack. I found mine on Idwal, Dan found his in the Moelwyns, and I brought Toaf his as a christmas present as he claimed that I'd borrowed and lost his. They are lucky as well. I also placed 2 bomber cams and set off trying to find a way up the next section.
This was the point where the climb was either slabby but harder and runout or easier with protection but overhanging. I knew my arms would allow me to hold on while i got some in, but was afraid of running it out. I tried many time going up each one, failing to commit each time. Eventually I messed up. I just barn-doored off the route (for any non-climbers [parents] basically I missed a hold and swung outwards). That was it, I had enough time to yell "I'm off, take!" to Dan. I also was air born long enough for me to feel me rip out my 2 "bomber" cams. 12ft lower I swore. I'm quite ashamed I swore actually, and I quickly checked around to see if anyone had heard so I could apologise. It was a big fall though. I went back up and checked my gear, lucky number seven. I placed another nut and rescued my number 7 and stripped out my route as I lowered off. I didn't want to leave my lucky nut behind.
Well I'd pushed it? I'd done exactly what I said I wouldn't, but then Dan really wanted to get these climbs done. We sat around discussing what went wrong and whether it would be a good idea to try again. The gear had held, but I still offered Dan the lead. "You want it?" "no mate I think it's beyond me". I was worried with this response as this was on the list and I didn't want to go back without it.
You know that gear held so you can fall on it again, right?
I really didn't want to start thinking about it like that but in the end I figured what the hell, one more try isn't going to hurt. I went back up. I backed it up the nut and built a nest and head off up the slabby (less protectable side). I managed to sneak in my Peenut and reached a massive thread. I had to hug the thing to hold onto it. Now all I had was the final groove, which was very so slightly overhanging. As I moved into it I was very mindful that my last piece of gear was a thread quit far away. Thankfully an in situ nut made for a quick clip and I could get in a piece a little higher. I felt like I was too pumped to continue, but realised I couldn't hang around. I laybacked the groove until I could pull out of it with my arms screaming. I couldn't fall off. I placed the worst nut ever but it gave me some confidence and I made my final moves to the top.
The top, thank god. A little grassy jumble of blocks, that didn't all seem safe. It was also the sharpest limestone I've ever seen or sat on even. I had to belay while being stabbed in the ass. I made myself safe and yelled to Dan. For once I also took of my helmet but stuff on my belay jacket. I'd lugged it up behind me so I was damned if I wasn't going to wear it. I figured as far as my helmet went, I was ontop of the pinnical so the only thing to hit me was bird crap. I still stuffed it back on before Dan arrived.
It was getting quite dark, so I yelled to Dan to grab my headtorch. He was already on the way to get them as it happened. He climbed it well I can assume. He didn't fall off, but I couldn't see him as I couldn't lean over. One amusing moment was him yelling for me to hold him as he got a nut out, I quickly remmeber that it must be the in situ one I'd clipped after the thread and yelled for him not to bother. He'd given it a good whack anyway.
"your a legend mate" is all he said when he sat on the top.
We arranged our abseil off and I tested it all backed up, one of the perks of being the fat guy. Still doesn't take away from the horrible "being the first one the test the rope" feeling. I touched the floor and then Dan followed me down. It was not pitch black and I start to pull down the ropes. They wouldn't budge. I tried flicking them, waggling them, pulling, jerking and then full body weight pulling. They really wouldn't budge.
"I'll do it" was all I said to Dan when we both realised someone would have to go back up.
So I found myself dangling off to loops of 5mm cord, praying they wouldn't slip and hopeing the top would come a littl bit sooner. I was mindfull of the prusic loop I'd left being and kept bouncing on as I inched my way up. I was so tired. I prayed the ropes would be easy to fix. Thankfully they were with just the knot wedged behind a protrustion. I sorted this out and abseiled down for my final time. The rope were still sodding hard to pull through and required both me and Dan to do it. All in all time would have been saved if we'd have thought through our abseil a little more.
We headed to the pub for a cold and well earned pint, and met Andy running down the path to come a rescue us. We had been gone for 3 hours with no phone call. It was back to stoke for a decent nights sleep and an early start for Sunday was sloth day...
"It's easy if you use your loaf..."
The much quoted Whillian's phrase from the first ascent. Dan has been craving this route for a few weeks. In his own words "I can't have lived in Stoke, so close to the Roaches for 4 years and not done the Sloth". I did it a couple of months ago and I think Dan has been trying to fit it in for a few weeks. Last time it was dripping with water, but this time would be his last chance. I told him I'd abseil down and towel it dry if I had to, and I honestly would. It was do or die time, go big or go home (go just go to New Zealand)
The wind was up but the air was dry dispite the annoying few spots of rain. We racked up and donned many jackets while Dan sorted himself out. It actaully looked dry, I mean the wind was keeping the rock pretty dry and it had not really rained the night before. Either way Dan was leading this today so off he went. He took the 5a start just to make things more interesting but carried on up strongly. Having got his sling over the block there was almost no hesitation and he launched out under the roof. Getting closer to the edge he sunk the hand jam and took his time placing a cam and clipping in. Then we relative ease he seemed to pull himself over the roof, get the good hand holds and get his feet up. Then it was an armbar in the final crack and it was all over. He was up. He'd done it.
Both me and Andy seconded him up it and I have to say I think Andy loved it. He sounded so unsure of himself at one point but we encrouaged and goaded him up it.
So 1030, roughly about the time we got out the car to walk into flying buttress 24hours ago. 5/6 routes, 5 seperate crags and an awesome 24 hours spent with Dan and Andy climbing. Not bad for Dan's last week end in the peak!
Me and Toaf went down to the AGM last night. I wanted to show my face at the club and get more involved. About 25 - 30 people actually turned up in the end. Many items were discussed at the meeting. The lack of turn out to some of the club meets (which I know I didn't go to and felt bad about) has made a shift in how the club does things. Before they would book a campsite, but because people didn't turn up we've lost money from this so instead now people will have to book themselves on a campsite. I don't really see this as a bad thing as the club seems to operate pretty well as small independantly units. More club trips to foreign countries are going ahead this year, with a trip to Spain at easter. We organised that tide timetables need to be checked before Sea-cliff climbing weekends.
A new committee was elected and for this I managed to aquire the title "Master of Ceremonies" (for the evening at least). I didn't really want this job, but sort of got pushed into it by Uncle Rob. The criteria for the job seemed to be being able to stand in front of a group and having a big gob. I'll be honest and say I was really scared. It meant that I had to record all the voting in of committe memebers. Stewie is back on the committee, lets see if he does anything this year.
Another thing that came up was allowing younger members into the club. By "younger members" this meant between 16 - 18 years old. Richy Ball took the lead on this seeing as he's got most experiecnce (MIA trained and has been to the BMC meetings and workshops for all this). In the end it was voted that younger members would be allowed to come on some tuesday meets. After seeing how this goes they would be considered to come on sunday meets. No overnight trips obviously. This would mean a change in the informal way everything seems to be organised but I guess its for the best.
Overall I think it was a good meeting and I'm glad I went and got involved. The club needs more younger members as well, something I'm going to try a promote when I can.
