A weekend in the Ogwen Valley.

So braving a pretty bad weather report off me and Rach set to North Wales. The journey there was a little interesting seeing as V festival traffic meant we too a detour round via Bridgenorth, then due to me jabbering on in the car I missed the turning on the A5 to Llangollen. Never mind eh? well we arrived to find Toaf in his car and we started to snuggle down under the boulders, soon to be joined by Tim, Andy and Matt. Believe me when I sat it was cosy under the boulders.

Saturday came around with good weather actually (we were all expecting it to be quite bad) so after meeting everyone at Pete's we ended up at the base of Idwal Slabs. Me and Rach set off up Hope (VD) with me leading the first pitch and Rach snagging the "twin cracks" second pitch. I then did a variation on the third pitch, taking a blank slab section before Rach lead us to the ledge. We then did Enola Gay (E1 5c). It was a pretty contrived route but good climbing. Both Rach and JD (using a sling as a harness) followed. Then Rach did Groove Above (S) with Matt Snell and Me and Toaf attempted a line not in the guidebook. It was pretty run out, not more than solo line but it went at about 5a. It was alright.

After walking down JD and Toaf spent some time bouldering at the Cromlech as the rest of us ate. Then it was time for a night in the Vaynol, so 6 pints later I stumbled back to my tent. Sunday started with Pete's (again!) and then off to Milestone Buttress.

Andy, Snell and Tim lead the Superdirect (HVS 5a) up until the final pitch and then too the Direct route chimney. Me and Rach did the Direct Route (VD) which was awesome. It's been ages since I've done it, but any climb that require jamming most of the limbs in various crags and salmoning up most of the route is fine by me. Rach also loved it, saying it was the most fun she's had on a day's out climbing. Considering our hangovers we headed back then, thus ending another weekend in wales.

A day in wales and a day at skyline...

It's raining, so I've managed to get to my computer and I've also managed to not finish 2 E4's recently, which is very annoying.

It started with a fun day of climbing with Soames in Wales. We headed up for the day and settled on some single pitching in Ogwen valley (Wales has actually got tonnes of single pitch crags, you just need a bit of nouse and a definitive guidebook to find them). We went to a little crag called Craig Caseg Fraith Isaf and started ticking through the routes. First up Soames lead Hollt Lydan (S) with a little 5a start, then I took Bulge (VS 5a). Soames them did Canol (HVS 5a) and I did Llech (HVS 5b). All the climbing was on good rock and pretty much good gear all the way up.

We headed up the crag a little to what looked in the guide book like another slab buttress with a little break at half height. The "little break" was a ledge you could have slept on and gave some broken but fun routes. Soames took A5 (HS) and I lead Olwthio (HVS 5b).

Then I jumped on Leaning Crack (E4 6a), which looked like a really nice little line. We spent a long while looked at the gear before I actually go on it. Eventually I had to. The first few moves where easy and then it became super intense for a short way and I had to place a cam really blind on the crux. I was pumped out and lowered off before jumping back on and having another go. This time I was over the crux, but with my feet wrong! I should have had them the other way around and it would all have been gravy baby but nope. As I made a really balancy move for a good hold, my feet slipped off and down I went... and out came my cam and one of the nuts beneath it. I slid down the slab pretty hard before landing with Soames (airborn at this point) about a foot off the floor.

Pretty bumped and scraped I stumbled away from the crag, humbled but happy.

Night passes and I headed up to skyline with Rach with nothing in mind. I guess my mind had other things planned and I got it into my head to try Wings of Unreason (E4 6a). Off we set with a pad, trad rack and a full flask of coffee. The wind was up and we had managed to dodge the worst of the rain by the time we got to the bottom of the route, not with me sliding leg first down a gully. It took me a while to crack the first move/sequence and I tried it a couple of times down climbing each time to reassess. Eventually I committed myself to it (accidentally) and found myself above a irreversable move. So onward and upward.

I got a good cam in a low pocket slightly off route and then made the middle pockets and the final piece of gear. From he I rocked into the pocket and ditched the rest of my gear. And here is pretty much where I stayed. I couldn't bring myself to do the last move. Rach recons I spent about 2 hours on these ledges trying to convince myself to make the final move.
[BETA ALERT]
I'll point out that the final move is a dyno (well for me at least). It should have been pretty simple as it's not very far, but I didn't have it in my. Talk about no having your head in gear!

And thus ended our jaunt to skyline as I backed off sheepishly. It's still been an awesome couple of days as climbing isn't about how many grades you tick off or how hard you climbing, but about having the most fun, and for me finding out as much as you can about yourself.

I'll have to go back and do Wings of Unreason though.

Cornwall, a southern adventure

Been kicking it in Cornwall for the past few days. I say cornwall but what I mean in Devon, Cornwall and Avon. Me, Sid and Rach drove down after picking up Rach from work at like 2230 on the monday night, meaning we had a nice arrival time of 3am, and to top it off it was pelting down with rain!

The Tuesday came around proper and it was still pretty wet. We made a break for the nearest foodery (ASDA) and ended up in the town of Bude. The rain held off long enough for us to get out for a walk along the beach. Then it cleared up and we made for Compass point but although the weather had cleared up sadly the tide was rapidly coming in. This was the first time this trip the tide was a problem for us. Instead Rachel (as a sea-faring hobbit) offered to teach me and Sid how to row, so we hired a boat and took it out on Bude canal whilst me and Sid learned to master the ocean, or try at least.

Wednesday was a nice bright sunny day so off we went to Baggy Point (Devon). We'd planned to climb in both Scrattling Zawn and Promontary Cliffs but the tide was massive and quick so we headed staright to Scrattling Zawn. This was Sid's first sea cliff climbing experience. We got down to the area we had decided to climb in and Rach had Sid's eyes lit up when he saw Scrattling Crack (VD). As he was worried about building a belay at the top f the route I said I'd jug back up the abseil rope and meet him at the top. So as he climbed up, I set off up the ab rope.

Sid had no problems leading the crack and topped out just fine. After a while we found enough anchors for him to construct a decent belay out of and up cam Rach. Not bad for Sid's 2nd lead. We had a spot of bread and cheese for lunch before another rapid descent down the abseil rope so I could get on Chiounard's Yard 1 (HVS 5a). I'm not a great big fan of the rockfax guidebooks as they just feel a little off to me, but the little symbol for this climb was "fluttery". I'd definatly say it was fluttery climbing because I have 6 pieces of gear in for the whole 40 metre route! Three of these were bomber, but all at or above half height of the route. Either way the route was pretty fantastic on compact sandstone. It had a few loose holds (both me and Rach pulled one off) and was beautifully exposed. I loved it, so did Rach and Sid.

With the tide hot on our tails be decided not to abseil back in but take a walk back to Croyde bay, foraging blackberries so Rach could make some jam on the way.

Thursday and off we set to Vicarage Cliff. The weather was looking a little overcast, but it didn't really threaten to rain. We parked up at the Tea Room and dashed off to the cliff. Alas us being so eager hadn't taken into account that the tide would be in. We had a choice of sitting and waiting staring out into the ocean, or sitting and waiting in the tea room. I think you can see that the choice was clear, so me and sid enjoyed a nice pot of tea and a warm scone with clotted cream, while Rach had coffee and coffee cake!

Off to the crag we went, take two! The walk in for Vicarage cliff is a little interesting. Finding it is damn awkward as the guidebook isn't too clear on where the descent is. It was only really by chance that I'd spotted the guiderope from the cliff top before that we found it. The descent has a couple of old pieces of cord to act as guideropes that end in a giant orange bouy, probably so you can see the damn thing when your running back across the beach from the tide!

Sid geared up for Tombstone (S 4a), his third lead and without any means for me to get to the top and check his belay, he was flying solo on this one. He lead it really well, with pretty much good gear all the way up. On the crux I was so nervous that his foot would slip off I actually almost couldn't watch, but he did it and was beaming with relief when he got to the top. I seconded this and concluded that it was not easy at all, so good effort Sid.

I then jumped on Harpoon (E2 5b). This was serious climbing, all about 5b on pretty bad gear. There was nothing larger than a size 3 nut, and mostly it was rusty old pegs. Having said that I got to place my tiny little yellow zero cam, something I've not really placed much and it was a crucial runner (thought it did reduce my finger hole to a mono in the process). The route itself wandered up the slab, using a little arete for part of it but it was mainly smearing for the feet and crimps and two/one finger pockets/edges for the hands. It was a great experience climbing something that you couldn't really afford to fall off. It's just something I haven't done for a while.
We then bugged out as the tide was coming in again and scrambled back up the dire walk-in.

Are final day in Cornwall (or was it Devon?) we packed up all the tentage and camping equipement and set off home early, but with a plan. Rach had not got to lead anything this trip os far so we where heading to Avon gorge on the way back. If we'd staying in Cornwall we'd never have got any climbing done because of the tides anyway. We ended up on The Arete (VD). Rach ran both pitch 1 & 2 together and sid took the second pitch, while I came along as a passanger (or and Uncle Rob would call it "technical support") and dutifully carried up a bad full of the food. The ledge that the route finishes on is called lunchtime ledge anyway so it had to be done! After a spot of lunch we abseiled off and got back in the car for the final journey home.

All in all it was a pretty cool trip down south. I've never really climbed in Devon before or along the Culm Coast so it was awesome to get on some sandstone like that. We took my camera and spent the whole trip filming everything with could so I've been trying to put it all together in a short film. I'll post it on here when I can!

A long over due post...

It’s been a long time since I’ve actually posted anything. I’m sat in Redpoint Climbing Centre after getting changed out the boot of my car (new car, which I’ll get to later). I’m on 1gram of something called Naproxen (which will give me stomach ulcers among other things if I don’t take them with food) for tendon/ligament and muscle damage in my thigh. I’m also toting a black eye, the relic of a vicious trampoline/ paddling pool/ bouncy castle incident (yes, alcohol was involved and no, it wasn’t malicious).

I’d love to say I’ve been climbing super hard in excellent weather, but the weathers been bad and I’ve not been out climbing as much as I’d like. I’ve been filling my time with other things…

I’ve brought a new car. Jess (tiny little red 1litre polo) which has served me, and all my friends above and beyond the call of duty over the last 3-4 years is suffering. Her little 1litre engine cannot cope with 35000 miles a year, mostly full of kit and people on the motorway. She’s been through a lot (sliding off the road in Scotland, keys lost in the snow, bouncing on barriers) and generally kept me alive and got me climbing. She’s now been passed on to my brother, who will hopefully have a few year good service out of her. I’ve not got a Ford Focus, unimaginative named Jess 2. So far she’s performing well!

I’ll try and fill in on what climbing I’ve been up to recently in the next few posts…

Idwal Slabs (3rd - 4th May)

I've been out climbing almost every weekend but I've not really been getting much done recently. As it happened it was only me and Toaf heading out for a couple of days in wales, pretty stoked to get on some harder trad routes and a day sport climbing in the quarries. As we drove over we also realised that we'd completly left the tent behind, but had rememeber the bivi bags so settled for the cromlech boulders as a place to say.

It was raining on the drive over, so while nursing a pint in the Vaynol we discussed options for the saturday if the weather was bad in the mountains. I wanted to head up to Idwal and check out a route called Javelin Airglider (E2 5c). It was only put up last year, so had a little "unconfirmed grade" symbols next to it in the guide book. I was thinking it could be 5b/5c or maybe 6a and maybe E2/E3, either way I planned to find out. As the weather did look bad Toaf actually volunteered the idea of going to Wen Zawn and doing something like QuartzIcicle or similar. I thought he was joking as Gogarth is not his favourite place... I guess he was just well stoked to go climbing!

As it happened we woke to an excellent days weather and dutifully scampered out from under our boulder and nipped round to Idwal (we've not found a boulder in the Ogwen Valley to bivi under yet, but I'm always on the look out). We actually breakfasted at ogwen, on some seriously expensive marple syrup cornflakes (Toaf is a sucker for anything that labelled up nice) and off we set.

On every walk in to Idwal slabs I'm reminded of my first trip, where climbing up Idwal slabs was a big deal for me and how that is diminishing each time. It's still an excellent day out, but it's getting closer to the road with every trip and my objectives are getting harder and higher up the cliff. This walk in was no different as we watched the skies and discussed the lack of waterproof trousers in our sacks, or any spare clothing for that matter.

We nipped up Charity (severe), quite literally. I actually just soloed up the route with rucksack on our backs to get to the ledge below Holly Tree Wall, where Javelin Airglider starts. We actually over took quite a few parties doing so form of alps training (all of which seemed to be moving a little slow). With the ledge pretty much to ourselves, we geared up properly and set about climbing the Airglider.

It takes the start of Javelin Direct (a VS) then breaks out towards Javelin Blade but when you arrive at the thread you go straight up the slab, leaving your gear behind. I backed up the thread with 2 slings fearing I might fall on it a couple of times, and found some more gear in the form of a HB brass offset and my largest RP (size 2!) slightly higher up before I commmited to standing on this flake above. It was all so simple in my head, just boldly head up the slab above, but it turned out that this slab was pretty steep and the moves unobvious, I'll happily admit that I paniced a little.

I started arguing with myself about whether I could actually make the next few moves. It looked so thin! in the end for settled for a series of little moves each on bad holds but good enough to make the next one, eventually I got a decent hold (1cm deep crimp/sidepull) which I could really move up on to reach the ledge I was aiming for. It's a pretty magical experience being on rhyolite thats got more friction than grit, so as I slapped for this sloper ledge and palm stuck I was stoked (especially because I didn't fall off!). This was mantled and I could move off on (phew) easy terrain as I ran it out to finish. At the belay I realised I was shaking.

I think the fact that it was an unconfirmed grade is what got me scared. It was just harder than any 5c I've done, but in my heart I know it wasn't 6a. I recon that in reality it's not actually that harder either because I was just over-psyched on the lead. Toaf managed the crux by different way, making a tenuous balancy move. I guess having a top-rope is a benefit.

We chilled on some bread & cheese and tesco's finest chocolate brownie, before startung up our second route Rampart Corner (E1 5c). The team next to us said they'd done the route a week before and thought it was excellent. I found the hardest more not in the actual corners (where the crux was suposed to be) but actually on the slab getting up to the corners. It went pretty eaisly though and didn't feel 5c.

More bread, cheese and socialising with people topping out off the slabs. Gobagape (E2 5c) was finally free, not that there was anyone actually on it, but it crosses the Original Route and I didn't really want to end up in a tangle of ropes. Either way it was now free so we could jump on it. It's a pretty wicked route, that has an awesome move to gain a pocketed area of rhyolite. The gear however was not to be desired, namely a couple of RP's and my smallest ones at that. Still the moves after this were awesome, proper slabby where you could get a hand off rest on every move. Definatly one to do if you like runout slabs.

We'd done 4 routes so far today and our rat's where almost full but Toaf had his eye on The Scone Run (E2 5c). I didn't know it but this would be our final route of the day (don't worry nothing happened!). It was another long route (40 metres) with a crux at half height which we'd seen another team become a little unstuck on earlier. The route was pretty sustained and definatly the hardest of the day. It was interetsing from the word go and the crux was excellent. You climbed up a rib with bad foothold and just as bad hand holds (like a massive pinch grip) Then you had to actually pull on a pinch grip to get your feet up over the top. What a move, made all the more interesting by having to place gear at the crux! I loved it as it was right out there for me. The party who we'd seen before us congratulated us on the our quick ascent of it too.

I was pretty made up now have done 5 routes, E grades, one "unconfirmed grade" and not falled off on any of it. Time to head off down we thought! We took a pretty lazy walk back round the other side of Llyn Idwal and scoped out some more routes on the massive cliffs dominating our view. After a day of hard work we nipped into Llanberis for some fast-food (bad bad climbers) but it supported local industry (good climbers). As we wondered what to do with the rest of our afternoon (it was too early to hit the pub) I suggested haveing a wander into the slate quarries and seeing if we could find our way into Twll Mawr via the tunnel through the front.

To cut a long walk short, we found it, quite easily and the walk in isn't all that bad. There is only 1 section of slate seracs that all seem to threaten to collapse at any moment. We'd made it through into the ledge opposite the north wall of Twll Mawr. This story actually starts the night before in the pub (where all good climbing stories should start) and for some unknown reason we'd planned to have a go at one of the big routes in Twll Mawr, well planned at least. I figured we could use this trip as a recon of what the north wall looked like. Gaining access is pretty easy, and the tunnels again are pretty easy to get into (though some new tat for the abseil would be a good idea), then you nip across the floor of the quarry... and then stare in horror at the north wall as it rises up in front of you. I'm not sure what part of me expected it to be small, but it sure as hell isn't and added to this that fact that it is loose, the grades are changable, there are not many repeat ascents... it looks like an awesome place to climb!

I guess we'll get on it sometime later this summer, so watch this space!

After scaring ourselves with the prospect of the hardest and scariest routes we've ever considered, we needed that beer so settled for a couple at the vaynol before a retreat to the boulders. The morning was wet, as in driving rain wet so all we could do was bug out and head home thus ending a quick, but very productive trip in wales!

Exploring more of wales... (26th - 27th June)

... or trying too. Good weather, so back in wales with Rach and Andy. We ended up at Dinas Mot's Western flank on the saturday as part of my quest to find new cliffs each weekend. The plan was to do [route name] on the west face but as we arrived Rach was quite ill and there was already a part on route. Instead we took Western Rib (HVS 5a) that runs up the side of the nose.

Today I was sporting a very fine pair of black spandex trousers. Yes, worryingly enough they were skin tight, and no they do not improve your climibng ability. However I thought in my head that I looked very cool and they where the best things I've ever climbed in, I think. I figure that you can get away with skin tight lyrca only if it is in garish colours and your on something hard, therefore people will think your mad anyway. I was actually told I was very brave for wearing them, but to soldiers from yorkshire!

Andy took thie first pitch, which I'm pretty sure we started wrong as it quite hard for 4c. Then again maybe we're just a bit crap. He seemed to be having quite a hard time moving his hands around a loose block (which also appeared to have all his gear behind and be the handhold) till he could mantle off to the left. He yelled the climbing was easier and shot up to a belay. I say "a" belay, and not the belay because the actual belay was beneath him by 5 ft. I'm not into slagging people off on my blog, but it meant the second pitch was quite a bit more serious for me.

Western Rib, as the name suggests takes the rib that you move out onto. You'd be amazed how often I miss something like that and not click that because rib is in the name, it'll include a rib in the climb. It was this rib that took the 5a pitch. Because of the belay I had to down climb, traverse across and then set off up without any protection in until I got level with the belay to try and limit rope drag. The pitch was pretty awesome either way, and the gear was alright but I didn't really place too much. It sort of eased up as I got closer to the next belay. I arrived after clipping nothing but one of my half ropes to protect the traverse for Andy, slammed in my guide plate and yelled to climb.

He seconded it fine, and we checked the guidebook for the last pitch. This wondered around the corner out of my view before taking a crack system full of loose flakes. Andy dissappeared from view for quite a while. Then he came back and went up the final pitch of Western Slabs, and then came down back to the belay. I tied on the sharp end and headed on up (promising not to do the final pitch of The Chain, which looked immense a 5b finger crack) and went round the corner, found the crack with loose flakes, jammed, layed and squirmed my way up, trying not to to pull or stand on anything too much then mantled of it and ran up the slab to finish. Andy admitted later that he'd actually found the crack, but thought "bugger leading that" on account of the flakes.

It's 2 rappells to get down, we found out. And I almost got the rope jammed! Still it's a really good route, I just want to get back and do the Chain now!

The west flank of the nose on Dinas mot isn't exactly a new crag, but Carreg Wasted is which is where we headed. Simply it was cold at Dinas Mot. At Wasted we aimed to do Ribstone Crack, but I knew Andy wanted to do Crackstone Rib (S) so off I set up this instead. Before I knew it I'd done the traverse with some incredible rope drag. Literally I was pulling a few feet of rope though and then climbing up, then repeating this.

Andy took the final pitch, all 10 metre's of it, but it was a classic route and good fun in the sweltering heat. We bugged out as the heat seemed against us and headed for the beach, which was closed! Instead we camped up at Eric's Cafe and had a little campfire to keep the midges at bay.

We settled for a lazy day in the Moelwyn's for sunday, and lazy it was. We climbed on Craig Y Clipau doing to classic White streak/ Honeysuckle Corner (HS 4a) route. I took the first pitch on the slab, knowing that even though the climbing is easy, it is on pretty small gear. Andy did the 2nd pitch in good style for such a hard corner.

I didn't realise how much I love climbing here, nestled away from the crowds in a quiet corner of wales. As you climb over the top and descend into the abandoned quarry you have to walk through a tunnel along an incline to get back down (best walk off ever!) but there is a whole quarry to explore. I'm planning on getting a serious head torch so I can go exploring some of these mines. I had a quick look into one of the tunnel entrances but disturbed a family of choughs which then started squarking like mad. Being alone up in the quarry at the time made it a pretty creepy place to be.

About now our drive to climb had pretty much died. Instead we sat around and watched a heather fire develop until we realised it wasn't a controlled burn and called the firebrigade. This was very exciting to watch from our high point as one firefighter seemed to take out over half the blaze on his own. It was an interesting end to a weekend where I'd planned to search out more new crags for me. I've found some hard looking single pitch routes in the quarry above Clipau which I'll be heading back to, if only because it's a very atmospheric place!

Afterwork climbing (22.June.2010)

Sweet, so it's the summer again and that means that we've got long summer evenings to take adventage of, especially if there's no midges! After a couple of people bailing on us it ended up with Stewie, Tim and I at the Roaches for a spot of afterwork fun.

We kicked off with a blast up Chalkstorm (E3 5c). It's the second time I've lead it but this time I decided to do it with gear in the break and nothing else. It's a serious route with some big fall potential and a nasty landing from the top. It didn't matter because I just didn't fall off. It was really warm and sweaty though and I didn't feel 100% sercure on it.

Then we did Saul's Crack (HVS 5a) as Stewie's lead for the evening. He started really well but was done over by the crux and slipped off. He had a bit of fun surmounting the overhang (a perfect example of the advanced technique of "salmoning"). Me and Tim seconded and climbed in it slightly better style. What joy it is to do something on top rope!

I took up the sharp end for my final climb, Rusco's Wall (HVS 5b). I've bouldered the start of this before, but this time I just went for it. I had Tim spot me on the first move and used new boots. The first boulder problem moves it wicked and you gain a good hand hold and some needed gear (poor size 2 peenut!?) then you move up the slightly over hanging wall, placing as much gear as you think you need or can hang on to place. Then follow the final holds to glory. It's an awesome route and doesn't look like it'll be the grade it is from the ground.

I wish climbing after work was always this good, rather than being stuck in a gym!

A lead, a second and a fall...

Only a couple of days in the Peak this weekend. I'll start with sunday as it was less eventful and I namely lay around in the sun and ate, recovering from saturday. I did Portfolio (HVS 5b) which is a excellent little route, with an interesting top move sequence. Then I did Arete Direct (E1 5b) which the guidebook describes as a solo pretty much as the first move is unprotectable. Unprotectable my arse, that is if your packing a rack of odd shaped wires, RP's and Brass offsets. I was to it made the move pretty well protected. It was still a powerful little move though! Still a great route. Then Route 1 (VS 5a), again not well protected, until I figured out some gnarly little opposed wires (large RP and a curve nut). Also again a powerful move but it was worth it. Sadly I didn't have my camera with me but these where all pretty photogenic routes so looks like I'll have to head back to windgather.

Saturday then and a lead, a second and a fall, pretty much all in that order...

A Lead:

So I jumped on Smear Test at the lower tier. It weighs in at E3 6a, which is at the height of the grade I've lead but I've been thinking 'bout it since I did Ascent of Man. It's descibed as an awesome route and a great introduction to the other smeary slab routes in the area. Andy's just tried Pincer and backed off and offered me a belay for it so I jumped on it.

The route takes the start of the Pincer with the wicked little bouldery 5a move off. You start pulling off a crimps and a tiny jug then rockover on your feet. It helps if you think about your feet alot when you do it as you need to flag a foot out to stop yourself barn-dooring off. Then the fun begins. I messed up getting to the crux of the Mincer and almost screwed up my onsight by falling off. I seriously thought I was going to fall but managed to keep it together got to the correct place. Then came the actual line I was supposed to take, bringing me below the mincer roof crux. I'd been here before, I'd fallen off this crux before.

This time I did it in style. I'm not being big headed but I did. I laybacked my way around the roof, on slopey holds for my hands, almost messing my my feet butI did it. It was so happy as I was really worried I wouldn't managed this and miss my shot at the 6a slab.

Then the ledge, a host of gear and major rope drag. There wasn't much I could do about the rope drag other than pray so after a bit of talking between everyone who was there I launched out across the slab. The first hold was actually quite big (from what I was expecting) but then it petered out. I searched for some handholds and found a couple of pebbles. Pebbles man! not the think to e pulling up on. Normally I'd freak out at this with almost nothing to hold on to. This time it felt really good. I took little steps up with my feet, holding my pebbles tight and searching out the best friction with my toes. I could see a "massive" hold I was aiming for (1 whole cm deep, and badly sloping!) I knew if I just got my hand on it I'd be fine. The slab was acutely changing in angle and getting less steep as I moved further from my gear.

I got it, and matched both my hands on it, moving my feet quicker. The next hand hold came in the form of the petered out crack I was aiming for, and some gear? I sort of laybacked the crack as it wasn't deep enough for anything else and went to place a cam as... my foot slipped off on the lichen. It's been so dry all the lichen has dryed and is quick slippy. I didn't fall off and placed my cam, clipped it in and shot up the crack to finish. What a route!

A second:

Slippery Jim (HVS 5a). This was Laura's lead and like Smear Test has been something eating away at me, S.Jim has been eating away at Laura. It's only a short route, maybe 8/9 metres, but it's far from easy. It's also one of Laura's few HVS 5a leads as she's just breaking into the grade. She'd racked up with a load of gear, enough to climb El Cap we kept joking! but she manged to place enough it on lead. A second I really enjoyed the climb, prefering to layback instead of the thrutchy Whillians-esque technique that Laura used. It was a pretty cool route.

A fall:

It's said that "pride comes before a fall", and in this case it was exactly that. I jumped on Akit (HVS 5b) after bailing of an E5 next to it and whacking my rear end something rotten when I slipped on the landing. The bruise has meant that I can't sit on my right butt cheek and belay! I jumped on Akit thinking it was only a "mere" 5b climb, boyed up on my 6a lead earlier in the day. I climbed it really well, but I totally didn't give it the respect it deserved and was spat off by the dry lichen just after the first bludge (1st crux). Straight back up I tackled this buldge better and headed to the second one. I was climbing like an idiot and not thinking at all, so was spat off again this time, landing on the first buldge, then hitting the slab and bashing myself up quite a bit.

Humbled, I rigged an abseil to rescue my gear, without even finishing the route, but I'll be back.

So another hardest send for me (Smear Test) and a very humbling experience falling off Akit. I have no eqipped my rack with a brush, mainly for those mountain routes, hell I might just add the tooth brush so I can carry it all the time. I guess I still need to learn to give the rock the respect it deserves... and the lichen apparently.

Tremadog, Llanberis Pass & the Beach!

Lazy weekend mainly spent dogding a bad weather report. We ended up at Tremadog after a lesuirely drive over from stoke stopping at Llangollen. Here I took adventage of all the fresh produce available and stocked up on fresh bread, fruit and cheese for the coming weekend. Having had to meet friends we ended up heading to Tremadog. I've been here loads recently so resided myself to pottering around on route I'd done before and keeping an eye on everything.

Me and Andy teamed up for Meshach as Tim and Killan aimed to do The Brother's Start. Andy set off well, taking my rack ask he wanted to try my nuts out. It was a crazy hot day and we met loads of people down at the bottom of the crag. We met a nice team climbing Grim Wall next to us, and I ended up lending them my guidebook so they could see where the final pitch went, under the assumption that we'd sharing the same belay stance (both it is the same for Meshach and Grim wall). As it happened Andy missed the diagonal line of Meshach and ended up doing a variation of the first pitch of Shadrach (VS 4c) . No worries as it was much more interesting than the actual first pitch and I seconded up quickly, another leader hot on my tail. We had a lightening quick change over (alpine style with a mess of gear on a bandolier) and I was off racing up the second pitch. I wanted to get Andy off before the next guy arrived. My guidebook was now somewhere else on the crag with a random party. I had to yell to them to take it up and bring it back when they could!

The second pitch of Shadrach isn't a push over my no means, but I raced up in the in the heat of the day. I topped out and quickly whipped off my boots and my feet started to burn in them as the rubber heated up. Andy flew up the pitch as well and we found some shade to hide under and escape the midday sun! While we where doing this we found another abseil off Grim Wall area of Tremadog but we sat down to watch Tim and Killian. Arriving at the belay we suddenly heard "Crap!" and off Tim's belay device went to be eaten by the undergrowth! We all laughed at his misfortune and we abseiled off. I actually left my rack behind but Andy picked it up for me.

I then found Tim's belay device in the grass by at the base of my abseil, what luck! Tim and Killian headed down to get some food and Me and Andy did Grim Wall Direct (E1 5b). The first pitch was harder than I'd expected and I didn't think that my new shoes actually performed that well on it. The gear was worse than I remembered as well and the runout long enough to make my a little nervous, but I enjoyed it. Andy seconded it well without any problems. We met a team abseiling off the abseil station above Grim Wall and like most of the teams they were doing it in 2 abseils. Now I know full well my 50 metre rope will reach, just about saving the faff!

Then I took the second pitch and after an awkward start I got moving well under the little roof and then shot up the final layback crack, complaining that I couldn't get my fat fingers behind the flake at places. Andy again enjoyed it and climbed really well. We rappelled down from Grim Wall and Andy set up the abseil.

Arriving at the base Andy said he's ok another couple of people coming down my ropes. Now I'm not against people using my ropes but I'd rather ok it rather than someone else. It's happened before and really slowed me down by people being too slow to abseil. This time however my ropes got stuck and it too the weight of three of us to unstick it, which then snapped off a rock that came piling down and nearly put one of us in hospital. It was serious big rock!

After this my psyche for climbing and died a little so we all met up and headed down to the beach! Me and Andy took a swim in the ocean. We actually ended up at the beach all night to escape the midges so sat around cooking up with a campfire.

Sunday morning Andy suggested Llanberis Pass so off we set. We ended up heading to clogwyn Llo which is just opposite Clogwyn y Gochan. I've not noticed this crag before and I can pick out one single reason for this... North Wales Rock. This is a wicked cool book and give great climbing across the whole of North Wales, but I'm starting to find limitations. This is probably because, for someone like me who spends alot of time climbing in North Wales, it is a select guidebook. I've been struggling to get inspired to head to Ogwen and Llanberis Pass as nothing has caught my eye. However the gaining of the new CC guide has got me re-psyched to get out there.

So I looked in the guide book for a crag close to the road, with some interesting looking routes on it and ended up heading here. It's seriously only 10 minutes from the road (looks like it should be half an hour). The walkin alone was really nice, with no well worn path winding its way through the scree slopes, but instead dodging the patches of marsh and damp in my trainers and walking through knee deep bracken, jumping old walls and sheep folds. It was a day for exploring.

We kind of knew the weather would break later and I suggested a climb called The Wrath of Grapes 2 (HVS 5b). I would lead it too. I've not done The Wrath of Grapes 1 but I'm going to find it out and do it next time I'm there. This crag is well worth it just for the route names; Lore and Hor d'eorves and Leurve Shack to name a few. Anyway I kicked off by scrambling up this groove until I found the base of the climb and we moved the ropes and belay, not the good start (!). The climb too and little groove in the arete, then broke out across the slab. It was covered in a fine spread of dried lichen which made me wish I was packin' a brush on my harness (serious consideration!). Up the groove bridged like mad, on lichen covered holds (eek!) and placing some "interesting" gear. Andy agreed after that it looked sh*te but he recons it would have held, I just planned not to fall off. Then a better piece above it as I moved up and... what?

I had to move out across the slab, but where? and on what? It wasn't like it was lacking in holds but they where all bad and seems to have been placed at the wrong angle, then sprayed with lichen! Never fear as I gung hoe'd my onto the slab then realised that I was well and truely stuck and I was probably looking at falling off. The shakes started, adrenaline was released and a muttered something that was suppposed the be "watch me here" but in reality came out like a squeak to Andy.

Bloody hell it was hard, it's not 5b now way? maybe I'm off route? crap crap crap...

Pull yourself together, you idiot. you climbed up here and you've no choice but to keep climbing...

So I did. I felt my arms pumping as I placed a decent piece and made the balancey moved I needed too, then moved up and rocked over with my hands on slopers, praying that dry lichen has good frictional properties. It has and that was the 5b move over. The rest of the climb was pretty sustained 4c+/5a but it was a little non-descript. Never-the-less it was a great route. Andy seconded it with no problems what so ever. Seriously, his climbing has just come on leaps and bounds in the last 3 months. Spanking 5a on top-rope and leading it well and seconding 5b with no issues...time for a trip to Gogarth again me thinks.

Then it rained. We'd already hunkered down under a boulder and watched it come up the pass. After calling up Tim for an evac (ie a lift) when packed up and ran down through the bracken, which now soaked our legs and found another boulder to shelter from the weather till our lift arrived, thus ending another weekend in wales.

Another weekend in wales and you'd think I'd be bored of it by now. I read a quote the other day (another Stevie Haston artical) that said if you climb on all the rock in North wales then it'll prepare you for climbing anywhere in the world. I don't know if it's true, but I'd still like to climb on all the rock in north wales at least. It seems that new guide books have lead me to find out the climbs that I should be doing, and visiting the less frequented crags and finding those little gems of a climb. I'd adding a brush to my rack in preparation for this...

Wales, trip 2...

The Friday was my birthday and I've attained the grand old age of 23, but it wasn't a day of rest and relaxing as Rachel had work and I needed to get home to see my family. However I was suposed to back in wales that night for another couple of days away climbing with a load of friends so leaving my tent up at the campsite and storing my food, sleeping stuff and clothes there we set off. Traffic was terrible but I managed a BBQ with my family and picking up a few presents (some new rock boots & guidebooks!) then it was off to Stoke for a pick up.

Me, Sidney, Andy and Laura piled into my car in stoke and then headed up to Wales late on the Friday night. Andy was anxious to make last order, and to be honest so was I. We made it to the pub for and 1045, thinking last orders would be 11. Apparently we where wrong so 4 pints later we stumbled back to the campsite and put up the tents in the dark, before snuggling down.

Everyone else arrived around 9ish at Pete's eats on the Saturday morning. Loads of people turned up and picking a crag to go to and getting moving proved a bit of a hassle. We settled on The Glyder Facet because theres loads of routes and loads of different grades. We had a rather mixed group with us from boulderers, climbers who'll lead, new guys who have just got into climbing and a few who just couldn't climb but came for the hell of it! I managed Llynn (HS) and Flake Wall (VS 4c) with Sidney and Matt before we switched crag. Llynn was my first route in my new boots, which took a little getting used too but it was a good introduction to the cliff. Then Flake Wall, which Matt thought I was mad for climbing. You climb a crag, then a slight off width into a chimeny made by a pinnical of rock but get this... the pinnical is loose! You end up back and footing but this chinmeny and it rocking behind you, then you have to stand off it! It's a cool route which I really enjoyed! Matt looked like he was going to kill me when I brought him up, but said he was really glad he forced himself to do it. Sidney just sort of walked up it, struggling with the last move but he didn't seem too bothered by the massive loose flake.

We then moved round to Clogwyn Bustach, which I told them was about 5 minutes just around the corner, just a long 5 minutes. We moves because the route were a little shorter and single pitch, which should have meant more climbing for less time? Well it also meant I could jump on a couple of harder routes and really feild test my new shoes. I got a Waltz in Black (E1 5b) because it took and nice line up the "slab" and had a wicked name. Tim belayed me, which was cool as I like Tim's belaying when I'm on something hard, there's no worry in the back of my mind. I had a good look at the route before I set off, noting there was no larger gear needed at all, so I left it behind. I nipped up the first bit with ease (as it was easy!) and placed a few bits of gear before I blundered striaght into the crux! I didn't expect it to be so low down. I backed up my gear and fumbled around for a bit trying to work out how to do it. I could see a jug to aim for but it was out of my reach. After puzzeling for a bit I found a great sequnece of holds to pull away on thwn a heel hook to keep my balance meaning I could reach the jug. I moved up on this and placed another few pieces enjoying the now slab climbing above the crux. I then hit a second crux which required a delicate traverse to gain a quartizite ledge. Now the gear was starting to get a little thin and the climb a little unclean. I cleaned a crack with my nutkey for RP placement and carried on up, finding less gear, but easy climbing. Having now run out of quickdraws I ran it out to the top.

What a great route. I couldn't believe I got a sneaky heel hook on a slab of all things. So what was next? Well thumbing through the guide book didn't pull up anymore nice looking E1 5b climbs, but it did pull up The Wrack (E2 5c). New boots and not exactly in top condition didn't stop me, and once again Tim stood up to belay me as I set off. This wasn'd going to be a nice slabby route, but a hanging groove with an arete to move round on the left. Again the heel hook proved useful on the arete from balance but the climbing was had and technical from the start. There was pretty good gear all the way up, but I messed up placing one of my piece and it gave me aweful ropedrag. However I couldn't down climb and sort it out so I just carried on anyway. Soon the climbing eased up and the angle of the climb relented, which was good as again I was running out of quickdraws. Tim seconded me up the route, and James walked round to join me on the top.

I had not realised but it was like 2100 by now and everyone was getting hungry so the majority of us went back to camp. I feasted on a massive spread of cheeses, saucisson, salad and some boiled potatos before turning in due to tiredness and the infernal midges.

It looked like Pete's again from breakfast, well for everyone else. We ended up in Llanberis pass for the day and at Clogwyn Gochan on Keiserberge Wall. The weather didn't look too hot so I dived on a single pitch route called Wind (HVS 5b). This rocked! This was sustained and pumpy especially having to hang around and put gear in for the first 15 metres, but then again it soon relented as you crossed the halfway mark. The climbing again was really technical, with loads of little foot movements and sidepulls as apose to just jugging up on crappy small holds. Claire and Toaf seconded me and claimed it was super sustained, but then again I think thats because Toaf spends too much time bouldering and can't handle a route with more than 10 moves (joke!). Either way we rappelled off before the rain hit us, but waited around from Matt Snell and Andy who where on pitch 3 of Nea (VS 4c) when the weather hit.

We just waited around to make sure they got off ok, hiding from the weather. It's also the last time I leave my waterproof jacket in the car thinking "if it rains I'll just run back down to the car", I didn't exactly factor in standing in the rain waiting around! Andy and Matt were fine, with Matt bailing off his first route and havign to abseil off. Needless to say we got no more climbig done today and instead went to Pete's for a brew, then the Padarn Castle to play chilsih games like Tag and Stuck in the Mud.

Considering the not great weather report and the amount of people who turned up I have a great weekend. Having a few new guide books has got me super-psyched to get into Llanberis Pass and Ogwen and explore loads of new routes and crags and push my grade more on the fantastic rhyolite. Just need to get back out there now!

Wales, trip 1

So after a day at home recovering with an elbow injury, possible broken toe, tired muscles and getting kit cleaned I headed out again. I didn't really want to miss out on the good weather and I was climbing with a new partner, Rachel. Rach is scared of ropes. She's good at rock climbing, but scared of ropes... but she wants to climb at Gogarth on big multi-pitch routes so I figured that we'd start on something small...

...Idwal slabs.

I remember when Idwal slabs was a really big deal for me. I remember having to learn the hard way about route finding on a big cliff. Like it or not Idwal is a big cliff, but it's slabby and covered in ameanably graded routes. It also looks really impressive, but not that high up once your on it. And she did say drop her in at the deep end, right?

We headed over with the new Ogwen Guide (which I'll write a first impression of later). This so much better than the old guide and the first time I've had a definitive guide book to Idwal. I chose Charity (severe) as our first route. It looked hard enough to be interesting but easy enough that we'd have no problems on it. The first pitch should have provided the hardest climbing, especially since it was polished to high heaven. That didn't matter much thought and I belayed at the massive stance. The second pitch is what threw me a little. I'd warned Rach that the "white stuff", quartzite would be very slipped when wet. Had I engaged my brain when looking up at the route, I'd have noticed that the second pitch ran straight over a soaking wet quarzite band. Thankfully there is a dirth of good incut handholds to pull on and she was fine.

I then tried to make it too the top in 1 rope lenght... apparently this isn't possible from the second stance so a little down climbing ensued to gain a good ledge. We topped out in good time. Considering Rach had threatened to cry on me, she done really well and actually enojyed herself.

The walk off from idwal is something I dislike. Hence carrying trainers for the walk off up with us. Considering the grade of some of the routes on the slabs, it is probably the hardest bit of the climbing. After descending we consulted the guide book for a harder more challenging route settling The Other Direct Start to Tennis Shoe (E1 5a). This took a blank looking groove until you made a hard move to gain the slab. The gear could have been considered unnerving but I like shoddy gear as it focuses the mind. I'd left all my 2 really small cams behind as I figured I wouldn't need them
(planning on only climb severes and VS's all day) They would have made the route quite a bit safer. I looked at my nest RP's and brass offsets and decided not to fall off.

The route was awesome! Considering that Idwal gets quite bad press as somewhere thats pretty polished I was amazed at the friction on this route. It was as good as grit and with the added pockets & edges to crimp on it made a great route and a good end to the day. We decided against finsihing off Tennis Shoe and Rachel abseiled off from the frist pitch stance climbed the ordinary route. I even found a size 7 wallnut on the ledge!

We walked out enjoying the setting evening sun. I might have swam out to the little Island in Lyn Idwal, because I've been meaning to for a while. It's further than you think when you have to swim back! Then a well earned beer (or three) in the Vaynol.

I woke up at flippin' 6am to a strong orange glow in the tent. The sun was already up streaming in through the orange fabric, also heating up the inside like a cooker. I tried to get some more sleep hiding under my sleeping bag, but to no avail and was eventually forced out of the tent to cool down... and get some breakfast.

We went slate climbing for an easy day out, but it was just too hot in Bus Stop Quarry and a little too hard. Instead we bailed for an a shady crag and something with a bit of friction. We headed into Llanberis Pass and up to Dinas Mot. The whole place is pretty slabby so picking a route wasn't really going to be a problem, but I wanted a challenge for Rach. After reading the descrition of Lorraine Direct (HVS 5a) described as one of the best pitches on the nose, I had to go for it. It takes the line of Lorraine to the first stance, then breaks off from there.

It's a 40 metre pitch. Not that I'm against long pitches. I prefere them. The experience is longer and normally a little more run out. You have to choose your gear placements well and conserve your runners more menaing you need to try and read the route more. It's not a short grit route thats going to be over in 10 moves but a more protracted afair. The actually line takes a slabby groove trending diagonally right, then you surmount an over lap and carry on my a slab to the belay. It's a pretty awesome pitch as the gear is good, but spaced. The climbing is quite technical, especially at the overlap above not the most inspiring gear. I was actually a little nervous while I was climbing it. I was worried that I wouldn't manage it which then got me worrying that Rach wouldn't manage it. Not the best things to have on your mind whilst climbing!

Either way the climb soon relented. It was still awesome climbing, but now a little bit less runout. I belayed and Rach started climbing. She did really well considering she's not a fan of heights and this was a much steeper route than I'd anticipated. After arriving at the belay shaking but nothing more we carried on up and abseiled down the left hand gully off Dinas Mot.

This was our last climb for the day as I we'd faffed around on slate earlier and the route had taken a little longer than expected. Not bad for Rachel's first trip to wales though.

Wrekin M.C. Peak District Trip...

Day 1: And into the Peak for a very hungover Saturday morning. Again it seemed the pharse "best cure for a hangover is a massive overhang" came about, with a spot of wet weather aid climbing in Dove Holes. Having been aid climbing before I knew what I was letting in for, and suffering from my current hangover decided a day spent sitting around drinking tea and eating bread & cheese was on the cards. We met Stewie, Rob, Soames, Becky, Paul, Darren and Mick in the first cave. Stewie was gearing up to do The Ball, a A2 aid route that runs across the roof. It actually quite a hard proposistion and with no knowledge of aid climbing, Stewie, armed with slings, 'biners and the ability to fudge it no matter what dove straight in. It was an awesome effort and he missed the last bolt by inches before bailing. Soames set about stripping the route out and I figured that as bad as my hangover was I'd have another crack at The Bat.

I've tried The Bat (A2) before, as my first aid route, festooned with daisy chains, aiders and god knows what else. Now I found myself hanging in a borrowed harness, with borrowed gear and slings to stand in with only 1 daisy chain. I got up to my high point from my last attempt and reached for the next bolt which I couldn't reach last time. Now either I've grown a couple of inches (I doubt) or I actually had a better technique but I manged it and thus finally completed the entire route.

Aid climbing is a good laugh if your ever stuck in the Peak on a wet with nothing else to do. I really did enjoy myself and I'm pretty psyched to go to thor's cave and do the A3 in there now. We made a tactical retreat to the campsite for an good meal cooked by Soames and then the pub. I ashamedly only manged 2 pints before bailing and getting some sleep.

Day 2 heralded some sunshine and better weather. We ended up at Lawrencfield Quarry where I fell off Billy Whizz (E2 5c) and couldn't complete it. I don't even know why I jumped on the route. I'm not a big fan of Lawrencefield quarry and totally wasn't psyched for the route, instead letting myself get goaded into it. Instead I ended up soloing the gearless slab route Eclaire (E1 5b). I did this sort of without thinking, intending only to boulder the start. I recievec alot of encouragement from Rob, Mick and Toaf and a billion other people at the crag watching. Was kind of nice to be congratulated on my solo by a load of random people when I topped out.

From here, tired of Lawrencefield I headed over to Millstone across the road to play in another quarry. I ended up on leading a very dirty Gimcrack (VS 4c). Sadly this was a good route, but I was covered in mud and dust so I didn't really enjoy it. Mick and Paul who seconded me did which made me feel a little better, probably because I cleaned alot of it (joke!). Then I fell asleep curled up in a ball in the quarry and everyone piled the bags on me. For some reason I was dog tired, probably something to do with the hangover that I was still suffering.

Finally I was roused from my slumber and coaxed into doing a route. I chose Great Portland Street (HVS 5b) and what a route! For me who was on a complete downer about climbing that day this route really picked me up. It was quite a technical climb following a hangin groove that you mantled into. The moves were great and odd, requiring you to think and oppose forces of each wall to keep the weight off your hands. It's a great route so go and do it if you can.

Having done a good route at the end of the day, and feeling much better after sleeping most of the afternoon I made it to the pub for some a few beers and a pint of lurcher (8.6%). This beer probably gets E1 just for managing a glass of it!

Day 3: Pack up, dive into the "younderman cafe" breakfast, suffer from a Lurcher hangover and find a crag. The one place I didn't want to head was Froggatt, so where did we head off... Froggatt of course. Thankfully its a bit of a slab haven so after I got rescued trying to onsight solo The Great Slab (E3 5b) the spitting my dummy out and telling everyone I was going home I actually manned up and lead Alpha (HVS 5b). It's a bit of a contrived line, but provides a good outing above some crap gear (host of RP's and micronuts). Then we sort of went slab routing with me leading Three Pebble Slab (HVS 5a), then Four Pebble Slab (E3 5c). Three. was as good as it always is (having done it before) but I found Four. a little weak. I couldn't find what I'd class as a 5c move on it, but it definatly warrented the E3. The hard move was protected by a crud tri-cam and the runout was big enough to deckout from.

Then we did CMD (HVS 5a) with no side runner, making it a solo proposistion, but "I lead it without gear". I'd have regraded it E1 without gear, because the crux move is ook, you just have to cope with it. Then we did Motorcade (E1 5a) which I've done before and aced that (the crux gear is a host of RP's & a Peenut). We then packed up to head off and find Stewie and Soames. We found them as Stewie had just lead Sundowner (E2 5a) with side runners, bringing the grade to HVS. It's still an awesome lead with a technical little crux.

I finished my day, in my rockboots and chalkbag soloing What's Up Doc (E2 5b). It was maybe a little reckless or stupid, but it was how I wanted to climb it and I managed it fine. The 5b move is almost the last one and Stewie was hanging around at the top just incase I did need a hand. We headed to Grindleford cafe for a brew before the drive home. If you can find this cafe, go there as it's awesome!

I came away from the weekend feeling like I could have done a load more climbing, but just didn't have the drive or passion for it. I guess I've been hitting the peak district a little bit to much recently, I don't know though. I did realise something though. I fell off Billy Whizz because I could. I knew I shouldn't but the gear was completely bomber and the fall nice and safe and small. There was no danger and I could afford to fall off. I figured our that I perform much much better if the gear isn't very good, and I can't afford to fall off. It's a very saddening thing to realise.