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.
I guess when I was like 12 a good night out was the cinema, then maybe pizza and staying up late. When I was 16 then maybe actually getting served at a bar and staying out a little later, struggling to eat chips intoxicated. At 18 it was pretty much the same, but staying out longer, drinking more and probably stealing a cone (or a sign, flashing light thing etc) before getting more food.
At 22 a good night was biving out on the side of Snowdon with 6 of my friends, praying that it will not rain and my bivi bag will be as breathable as it claims to be (that's not to say I don't still go out on the lash).
As it happened it did rain, but only a little. Its not like we all woke up with hypothermia in soaking bags. Nobody escaped with a completely dry sleeping bag however. This was ok as I was double bagging and had two!. We kicked off the weekend with a night out in stoke which necessitate a later start on Saturday morning. We nipped into Pete's for breakfast (at 2pm) and went and did a little slate climbing for the afternoon. Dan was meeting us later anyway.
We nipped up to Serengeti so Andy could lead Seamstress VS 4c and I could do Seams-a-same (E1 5b). I was tying with the idea of getting on something on Never Never Land (some 6a) but there was something that looked that inspiring and it was a little damp. I have not climbed on slate in a long time but climbing on the small edges came back straight away. After we'd done these two routes I sat around looking for something else to climb. After looking at the groove line to the left of seamstress I checked the guide book. Two routes went up here going at E4 6a. I chose to attempt "the stack of nude books meets the stickman". Primarily because the name is so good.
It mentions in the guide that a couple of side runners in Seamstress reduce the grade and that the difficulties are low down. I tried it direct on my first attempt (thats right, there was more that one attempt). I'd spied a couple of cracks that would take some protection (small) and a ledge for a skyhook. On arriving at this point, the crack wouldn't take anything (bar maybe some copperheads, but thats cheating). So skyhooks it was. I say hooks because I brought up 2 and they where all I had for the crux.
The crux was just above them, which after realising I couldn't do it I backed off quickly and lwer off the top skyhook. I couldn't down climb, it was too hard. As I lowered down, the bloody hook cut the hold off the wall, sending me rather quickly too the floor. My second hook annoying caught me at the floor, as did Prescott who was belaying me. I never did find the hold that came off.
So say I was pretty shaken would be an understatement. I could have had a serious accident but instead I'd been lucky and had a good belayer. I should have walked away and just gave up on this. I couldn't climb it, it was too hard. Instead I put some high side runners in the route to the right, It meant I would take a big swing, but then I wouldn't deck out, in theory.
I went back up, much to the amazement of my friends, and off I came a couple more times before I found out how to do the crux and managed to sling the pipe (the first piece of gear on route worth a damn). The climb was sketchy and on very small edges. It was my feet that kept coming off in the end, and not my hands. I eventually sent it and breathed a sigh of relief. Toaf seconded me and he agreed that the crux had been sodding hard. All in all this was our last climb as Dan had arrived, we headed for a Beer in the vaynol before concocting another scheme.
As the weather seemed alright (it had been brightening up all day) we had our beer, packed up small light sacks with bivi bags the like and headed off up Snowdon for a night out. The plan was for the summit and then we'd find somewhere out of the wind and wake up to watch the sunrise. As we walked in we managed to avoid most of the rain. I stayed close to the group and aquired the dog on account of being scared of the dark. I was surprised at how much the dog helped with this, and he practically dragged all the way up.
As for staying out of the wind and rain, this didn't exactly happen. About an hour in we could see the summit was covered in cloud and we kept having a few showers. Instead we found a flat area just off the path in full view of LLiwedd. The night was really clear so we hardly had to use out head tourches. As all cracked out our bivi bags and snuggled down, me and Andy enjoyed some whiskey, soodley-noop and some brie. Eating just before bed meant that I had many crazy dreams, but also meant that sleep was light enough I woke up when It rained and could zip up my bivi bag and avoid it. I was impressed with how my bivi bag and two sleeping bags managed. In the morning I'd faired pretty well and only the foot section was a little damp (and that was the outer synthetic bag).
I think everyone got a good nights sleep, after we'd managed to ignore Nat's snoring. Prescott was the only one who woke up for sunrise (and asures us that Nat was still snoring then). And it made for a very different yet fun stay in Wales. We headed down to Pete's for break before major deliberation about where to climb. Eventually the weather decided for us and we went back to the slate quarries... and this time it was Dan's lead.
Up into Australia we travelled heading for a classic, Looning the Tube (E1 5b). Dan's never climbed on slate before and I think one of the few experiences he's had is watching me fall of Dervish (which could have been quite off putting). I offered to lead something so he could get s feel for it and I headed up Goose Creature (E3 6a). With three bolts and a the crux excellently protected it seemed like a great climb. On top of that it was way better protected than "stack of nudebooks..." and it was pretty much a sport climb, so I could fall off as much as I like and not feel bad (sport climbing isn't real climbing). As it happened my foot did slip off the 6a moved and a I was off. We went back later so I could get a ground up send of this. Dan decided not to second me as I lowered off and so headed up up "looning...". There was a good moment after he clipped the first bolt where he exclaimed "So where the hell do my feet go now?". Needless to say he was fine and climbed it well. He also felt the top bolt wasn't nessessary (a point of contention for me). Wasn't bad for his first slate lead.
After watching another couple I got on "Gadaffy Duck" after Toaf had lead it. Fro a complete clip up it was still a good route and I enjoyed the moves. Sport climbing doesn't seem that bad, I'd just like it to be kept to area of blank slate (and overhanging limestone) and not become the norm. At this point I was knackered and my brain had started reeling from falling off the other day. I pushed it too far, too dangerous... I'll probably go and do the same thing again next week though.
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.
