Charlie Says..................16th/17th May '09

Charlie says...............I've just led Charlie's Corner on Jetty Buttress up Gruinard way, woohoo! This is a VS I've been wanting to lead for a good while now, happy happy!
While the rest of Britain was under heavy rain and gale winds, Chris and I were climbing up in the NW of Scotland, sheltered from the wind and in sunshine!
I drove up to Chris' on Friday evening but was running very late due to seeing someone I know, at first seemingly broken down, on the Dual Carriageway just before Dundee. It was pelting it down with rain, so couldn't leave them there without going back and seeing if they needed a lift or help. It took a while to drive back round and up, and as I parked into a garage across the road an ambulance which had thundered by recently was just pulling up and the person I know was getting in. Cross the Dual to find out if he was OK, and had to wait for ages for him to been seen to and questioned by the police (some guy had shunted into the back of him)
In the end he didn't need help or a lift, so that was precious time wasted, though a good deed for the day! Zooming up to Chris' already late, a tree had blown over in the high winds and blocked access to the Fettercairn, Cairn O Mount road, aaaaaaaarg!!! Managed to find a way through though by a sneaky drive through the Fasque estate and was soon at Chris' By this point though, it was 9pm, still lashing it down and we decided to stay at Chris' house and drive up NW early the next morning.
It rained and it rained and it rained all the way up North, so much so that we were wondering if we'd made the right decision, but thankfully it cleared by the time we'd hit the Braemore Junction and we carried on up to Ullapool to go climbing at Reiff. Driving down the Auchaltibui Road, the rain started again and it was still awfully windy so we about turned and drove back to B.Junction to head to Jetty Crags at North Gruinard, where thankfully it was dry! Warm too, sheltered by the wind and felt really mild.
Hurrah, time to climb at last!
I went for the first lead of the day on the imaginative Route 2, a one starred Severe 4a. Climbs a groove and then onto the arete of the groove, crossing over the top of the groove and onto the slab. Getting onto the slab was the crux and felt thin and very bold for the grade! Quite thin moves higher up also, generally not the kind of moves I like, so good to test myself.
Chris led a HS 4a called Lilly The Pink which I thought was a pretty crap route with no distinct features and no distinct line. Chris found the route finding challenging and said that the 1st ascentionist Jim Bell was well known for route finding through featureless faces or rock.
I wanted to get straight on Charlie's Corner as it's a VS I've liked the look of since I very first saw it, and it didn't disappoint! Bridge up a corner to a text book jug and then came what I found to be the crux. There was a good hold up on the left but it was way out of reach, gggggggrrrrr!! Took me ages to figure out how to make the move after much palming and high stepping this way and that way, I finally found a sequence that would work for me and nailed it onto the left ledge. Next followed sensational climbing up an arete onto another ledge, up a steep groove and onto an even more exposed headwall. It was the most delightful route I've led, I was grinning and oooohing and aaaaaaaahing as I was climbing the top wall, just brilliant :oD
Chris wasn't sure what to do next, he didn't like the look of the polish on the classic Anthrax Flake (I think Charlie's Corner looks a far better route anyway!) and one of the other VS's looked okay, but he decided in the end to go for an HVS 5a called Batty that the guide had as being low in the grade.
Low in the grade? Aye right! It was solid HVS climbing and Chris led it brilliantly! I reckon if he can lead stuff like this, there aren't many of the HVS's that I've seconded that he'd struggle with on lead. The bottom was steep and awkward with hold which weren't great and the top moves up an offwidth type gap forming a detached block, and a blank wall were pretty technical, but in a way that was impossible to do with any finesse! But I don't think off widths and finesse really go together! It was a fun route though, and even though I wasn't keen on the bottom section, the top was fab!
Belly's were rumbling by now and it was getting cooler, the hour was getting on. Time to find a spot to camp and eat and drink. Unfortunately, the spot on a flat grassy bit beside a secluded beach had already been taken, but we managed to find another flat spot. No view of the beach here though, but a nice spot nonetheless. I had no gas canister, so tried using these paraffin blocks that had been given to me, but discovered they are utterly crap as a stove so ended up eating my tea cold as I couldn't be bothered to wait for Chris to finish making his tea. It was nice sitting chilling and drinking wine whilst camping, I've really missed it!
I slept quite well and woke up to a lovely sunny day. We had decided the night before to go check out the Thorsdale Crags south of Gairloch. I'd climbed at Raven's Crag a few years ago but the grades there were all easy, so we wanted to go to Fruity Crag and Druid's Rock which had plenty of severe's to warm up on and loads of VS's and a few HVS's. I'd also seconded an HVS on Fruity a few years ago and remember being intimidated by the routes there but I was only leading V.Diff at the time and the crag, even though very short at 10m is pretty damn steep! After a short run on the beach we drove off to the crags.
I started off on a Severe called Banana which looked straightforward enough, but gave me a bit of trouble at the crux, mainly cos I needed to do a high step with my left leg which I can flex at the hip well at all because of my old back injury and the op. (this is what had caused problems on the crux of Charlie's Corner the day before and made me think that I need to start doing some hip flexor stretches to try and improve my flexibility in that leg. I had been told that I would never be able to touch my toes again, and have proved them wrong with that one, so sure I can gain more flexibility in other parts where it shouldn't be possible. Not entirely sure if it is hip flexors or my hamstrings which make me unable to do these moves. Must find out!)
Anyway, Chris breezed up the route, finding it a doddle and then jumped straight onto a tough VS! I was surprised he was going for this one without warming up as it looked hard. It was a superb route and he led it really well, figuring the moves nicely (and saving me the bother of having to figure them on second!) The moves were very sequencey and technical and it felt very much like a boulder problem but on a cliff face. Then there was a nice ledge, followed by some delicate slabby climbing. No stars in the guide but we both thought it worthy of a couple of stars. And more of a 5a grade, than the 4c given!
I was going to lead another Severe on a slab round the side (to try and get myself used to leading slabs) but decided to go for a VS 4b instead that I like the look of. It followed a thin flake up to a ledge and then up a huge detached flake. This route gave me a real battle, and is def my hardest VS lead to date! The crux moves are never 4b!!! Much more like a 4c (even 5a) move above your gear and into an awkward position, before flinging in another bit of dubious gear. I wasn't 100% sure about any of the gear on the route, bar one bit at the start and knew if I fell and the gear ripped I was facing a ground fall! So, it made those crux moves feel very committing! I guess that's why it gets VS 4b, as even though the moves are harder than 4b, it is a bold route, but it's no way near hard enough to get HVS 4c, and VS 4c doesn't convey it's boldness. But I think I'd def go for VS 4c, with a bit about bold climbing in the guide description. Mind you, the guide for this crag is way, way out and the grades aren't correct at all! There is a photo of the guy in the guide, on some E4 and he is the guy who has done many of the 1st ascents. I had commented that he had really girly looking legs and we said we should phone him and say, 'hey mate, you can't grade for shit and you have legs like a girl!' lol! All meant in good humour of course.
Back to the route.......... It took ages and ages for me to commit and I was having a bit of a problem with the ropes. You had to layback for a couple of moves and every time I leaned off the big flake and tried to move up, the knot of the higher rope kept getting caught on the bottom of the flake, preventing me from moving up, so I would have to climb back down again.
Tried a longer quickdraw, didn't work, climb back down.
Tried extending the quickdraw, didn't work, climb back down.
All the while my arms are getting tired from each attempt.
Thank god for that ledge to stand and recover on though!
Finally made the moves by pulling a big bit of slack over the flake so the rope wouldn't catch. Of course, if I fell, I would fall longer as there was more rope out, but that couldn't be helped! I wasn't even sure if these moves would work and once fully committed, there's no way I felt comfortable enough to reverse the top moves if it wasn't right! Thankfully it did work, phew! But now I was wedged in to the flake in a very awkward position. I could see the move I had to make next but wanted more gear, the last bit now below my feet. I bunged in a quick cam, no time to faff, too awkward! Stress, stress, stress and it came to mind something Andy and I had been discussing about cams. and ease of placement. He had told me that when I started leading harder stuff I would place cams more often as I'd be in too strenuous a position to hold on and faff with other gear. And boy he was right! I just bunged that cam in quick as you like and moved up quickly, going, 'oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!' But what was at the top of the flake but a THANK FUCK JUG! Oh yeah! WOO FUCKING HOO! It's not over yet though, calm yourself, calm yourself. Do some deep breathing, chill, move up again, get in a bomber nut and it's scrambling moves to the top. Safe! I told Chris that if he flew up this route, finding it a doddle, I'd never speak to him again and as soon as he stepped onto the rock he said, 'god, this is dead hard!' Haha!
He did find the crux hard though and could see why I'd struggled with it on lead and agreed it wasn't 4b climbing.
Chris was starting to come down with a cold and was starting to feel pretty rotten (he did look pretty wiped out!) But he wanted to do one more route, so we went to find Druid's Rock. It's not obvious at all how to find it and it took a while to locate! It didn't look that appealing on approach, so rather than walk down and have to walk all the way back up if Chris didn't see a route he wanted to do, we just decided to go back to Fruity. Chris had spotted a VS5a there that he thought looked okay, so we just did that.
There was much up and downing as Chris placed gear and figured the moves, but he got up eventually, not as straight forward as it looked, as per the other routes we'd done so far! And the crux was VERY bold, which it shouldn't be at that grade! Mind you, once the gear is below your feet, you have managed to get better holds, but it's still not easy climbing until you are up on a ledge and by then, if you fall you will pretty much deck out unless the belayer is nifty enough to pull in some rope quick enough and throw themself down! Chris managed the top with no problems and then it was my go. God it was hard! I really struggled with the starting moves and if felt much more like HVS climbing to me! The top was easier though and very nice and again we thought it was a route worthy of a star.
That was us for the day, it was 4 o'clock by now. Every route that day had been a struggle and given us damn good value so had taken more time than normal. We stopped for a brew, and I realised that there was no tea bags for me :o(
Gutted! Was really looking forward to a cuppy. Chris had mentioned something about teabags in the morning and I though he'd said not to bother taking any as he had some, but he had been saying to take mine as all he had was his (which are peppermint!) So, I was stuck with Peppermint tea! Nice as it is, it's just not the same as proper tea, though it did go well with the chocolate rice crispy cake that Chris had.
It was nice sitting there chilling and admiring the view across to Torridon and basking in the sun. The silence was only broken by a Cuckoo, which had annoyingly been cukooing away all day!
My neck was hurting on the drive home and I had a fast developing headache which was building up to migraine status. I necked some painkillers but didn't take them quick enough and starting feeling really spaced and sick. Once we were back at Chris' and I could get out the car and move about, it started to ease off a bit, painkillers finally kicking in. Must remember to take sunglasses out when it's sunny like that. I did remember to use sunblock and to drink plenty, but think the sitting in the car and the glare of the sun, set it off. Feel a lot better today, just niggling in the background and also pretty tired!
Was supposed to climb with Mel today, but was feeling far to crappy when I got home so just couldn't think about climbing. Weather is crap now, so don't feel guilty anymore about letting her down. Might go for a run later if I can work up the energy.

Cummingston - 9th May '09

Decisions, decisions!
Andy is away in Sardinia at the moment and Chris and I used the time to catch up for a climb. The plan had hopefully been for a weekend away doing a mountain route, camping, then cragging but the forecast ruled that out!
A last minute decision saw us decide to head up to Cummingston for the day, with the Moray coast getting the best of the Scottish weather as it often does.
John that we went down to Northumbria with at the end of last summer was out too, as was Mel, who I met up in Polldubh a few years ago. We know a few of the same folk and had chatted down at AVW over the years and had swapped emails of late, so it was nice to finally climb together, and also nice to climb with another woman again.
John and Chris partnered up and went over to the Prophet Walls and Mel and I warmed up on some easier stuff on the Cornflake Walls. I've gotten quite into having the 1st lead of the day so I can get my head into the right place straight away and the anticipation doesn't build up too much and have me a nervous wreck! Mel did her SPA training (Single Pitch Award) at Cummingston back in March and was telling me about a nice Severe that goes up a chimney and then over a roof. I'm not entirely sure I did the Severe variation as that seems to go left over the roof, whereas I went right over the roof onto the top of Doddle Deidre which I think is the V.Diff way, but never mind, it was a nice route and a good one to warm up on.
Mel led Doddle Deidre next, cruising up it no problem at all and that was my 3rd time climbing that route, am going to have to warm up on different Severes next time!
The tide had been coming in when Mel was leading and when we got back down it was about 1foot away from the base of the cliff and moving in fast! But I was desperate to lead Stegosaurus, a 2** VS4c as I had spotted photos of it on UKC and it looked nice and my type of route. Mel was dubious about us managing to get it done in time, with the water approaching nearer and nearer. But she was fantastic! She perched up into the chimney of the V.Diff I had done earlier and flaked the ropes over a pedestal inside the chimney, made herself a hanging belay and made herself as comfy as could be. All the while the waves were starting to splash up and I had to climb up onto the bottom of the cliff to keep my feet dry whilst Mel got me on belay! It was all quite exciting!
The initial moves were easy enough and then I did a cliched thing and faffed getting in a bit of gear whilst in a fairly awkward position, only to make one small move after and find a huge jug in complete balance from where I could have placed my gear in a much comfier position!
Climbed up higher and managed to place a small but good nut in a crack and contemplate the crux above. I could see a big juggy pocket, but it was too far away to reach and it took me a minute or two to find a good intermediate hold, work out where to put my feet and then push up for the better hold. Once I had the pocket, it was just a case of moving feet a bit higher, moving up and grabbing a big spiky jug, ooooooooh yes! I faffed a bit trying to get a sling off my shoulder, flung that round the spike and then it was a steep and bulgy, jug pulling fest right to the top, hurrah, give a few whoops and then top out into the sand! Mel zoomed up on second in no time at all, and we agreed it was quite soft for VS4c. Our ropes were dry, our feet were dry and no epics had ensued.
Next we went over to join Chris and John, where John was climbing the awkward and hard E2, The Prophet. He was trying to figure out the crux moves when we got there, and after a few moves up and down he finally sussed it, and grunted his way in good style over the roof. I was impressed that he was managing to hold on for so long, remembering how awkward and strenuous that route is and how I fell off shortly after not being quick enough to suss the crux and not having the strength to try again.
After a bite to eat, Mel led Centre, sussing the move past the nose without any hassles and then we all sat on the beach for more to eat, and sat......and sat............and sat.............
It was most enjoyable just sitting and relaxing and blethering away about this, that and the next thing and we all started to feel just a bit demotivated to climb, just happy to sit and chill. But that was no good at all, these routes weren't gonna climb themselves!
I was feeling nervous about leading Left and I don't know why seen as I'd found it easy last time. I didn't really want to do it, but felt I should do it, simply *because* I didn't want to do it, how daft is that!!!? I should have jumped straight on it after Mel led Centre because I messed up the crux! There is a jug at the bottom of the crack and after placing a bit of gear, I began to doubt that I had the jug with the correct hand, so I moved that hand up to a smaller jug above and used the lower jug with the other hand, then moved my higher hand even higher into the small crack. But that didn't feel right at all, and I started to doubt was I doing was in any way correct, as using the right wall, then back stepping onto the left wall, like I did it before, just didn't feel right this time at all! So, I moved back down, panicked a little when I couldn't find my foothold, but I was getting more and more pumped, from having too long a break and getting cold, so I shouted 'take' and that was that. I rested on gear for the 1st time ever on a route! I tried to feel positive about it and not see it as a failure, negative thinking never being a good thing! I've never had to rest on my gear before, and even though I should have just gone for the moves, it is good to know that my gear placements are good enough for me to hang off and do the job of protecting me (not quite the same as falling on gear, but still enough to make me more confident of my placements)
And it didn't really matter anyway, because I had just cruised up this route a few weeks before and ticked the onsight, me resting on the gear this time round just meant other factors were at play tiring me out, and not that I couldn't do it. Mel flew up and I asked her how she did the crux moves, as everyone seems to do that bit differently! She uses both her feet at the bottom of the crack before bridging, where as I start bridging straight away, lifting my right foot quite high, probably making it more awkward for myself, but it seems to work for me (well, it did the 1st time when things were flowing better!)
We both decided against the HVS, although I've spotted an amazing looking HVS called The Gripper, what an exciting sounding name! The top out goes over a roof with an 'intriguingly awkward finish!' And I think this route looks much nicer than Right, and more my style. I'll see if I can't get Andy to lead it next time we are there. I might toy with leading an HVS once I've got a few more VS's under my belt, but not quite ready for onsighting one yet!
Wandered back over to the Doubt Wall area, Chris was at the crux on Stegosaurus, the tide going back out again (so I could have left it till later, but glad I did it when i had as it made it more spicy!) Then John tried Deidre of Double Doubt on lead at E2, but didn't make it, so finished off on an HVS instead.
Mel decided on Green Crack. I'd kinda hoped she would lead Old Peg Groove so I could get the lead of Green Crack, but it was her go and I didn't want to quibble as she obviously liked the look of Green Crack better too!
Mel thought it looked quite pumpy though and I toyed with pulling the ropes through after she'd led it, so I could lead it too, but said I'd see how she found it first. If Mel found it pumpy, then I'd just second it as she is stronger than me and it was too late in the day for pumpy for me.
I could tell straight away that Mel *was* finding it pumpy, by the way she was shaking out every so often, saying, 'woooooooo, pumpy!' and when I came to second it, was impressed that she'd held on to rounded holds on such steep ground for long enough to place the gear she did, as it certainly wasn't a restful position! It was a nice route, and a good lead. Solid VS, quite high in the grade I think actually and I enjoyed it enough to want to lead next time, good to have things to go back for!
The wind was picking up and there was a horrible threatening cloud moving in from the West, time for one more quick route! I flew up a severe called Staircase Crack which the guide has as being unpleasant, but which I found nice enough. It was starting to spitter by the time I got to the top and by the time Mel was up, it was raining heavily. We quickly got the ropes together, rushed back down, all got our stuff together and called it a day.
Mel was going to Meikle Partans on the Sunday and invited me along, but after thinking about it, I decided against it, finding the sea cliffs there a bit hit or miss as to whether I'm going to have a good day or not and didn't want the other's to see me at my worst when I'm having a shit day because of the sea. It's quite easy now, just to decide not to bother with the Aberdeen coast and do something else instead.
It was too late when I got home and organised to try finding other folk to climb with, and after initially deciding to go hillwalking up Glen Lyon, I changed my mind with low freezing levels in the morning and rain showers in the afternoon as I was really after a sunny hill day! Will go for a run up Glen Dye tomorrow and potter in the garden and do some studying.
Fingers crossed for a decent forecast next weekend so Chris and I can go play in the mountains.

Logie and Creag Death - 2/3rd May '09

After my Friday evening bouldering sesh of trashing my arms on overhanging V3's I drove up to Andy's where he suggested going to do an HVS on Creag Ghlas up in Strathconon. It took a wee bitty of convincing me, what with it being an HVS *and* a slab! I can't understand why Andy keeps picking slabby routes, when I keep insisting that I don't like slabs! But with more chat about it, I started warming to the idea and even suggesting that I lead the 1st pitch!
Come morning time though the radars said it had been raining in that area and was still raining in that area so that plan got binned! A shame as after my initial hesitation, I was quite psyched for going there. So, we went for the fall back plan of Logie Head. I'd not climbed there since last summer and was keen to try out my new found VS leading skills on Poacher and maybe one of the other VS's there and also to do a Hard Severe called Fisherman's Tail which I had backed off from a few years ago.
I was nervous about doing Poacher's as I've always found it really pumpy and was worried I wouldn't have the stamina to hold on, place gear *and* climb the damn thing too!
Warmed up on the Severe to the left, then Andy led Culinary Delight at VS5a, a route I always seem to struggle on with this time not being an exception! Then I led Fisherman's and laid that old ghost to rest. It was a doddle, funny how a few years can make such a big improvement in performance! Andy led an HVS, but I wanted to save my arms for Poacher so he ab'd for the gear whilst I soloed up the V.Diff to the left of Poacher.
Then did it not start to rain! Aaaaaaaarg, not fair! I REALLY wanted to lead Poacher but I REALLY did not want to lead in when wet! I deliberated for ages and the rain got heavier but not pouring down, so I decided to go for it! If it got soaked I could always lower off, not like I was going to get the onsight anyway, having seconded it a few times before. It's nothing like I remembered it, just a tiny little bit pumpy and I managed to stop and place gear no problem at all. Was really chuffed when I got to the top!
We wanted to get across to the tidal area before the tide came right in and blocked off access. As it was, we ended up having to climb up onto the cliff a little bit to traverse across but I managed it without too much drama! The sea was really calm, the rain had gone and the sun was back out again, so it didn't feel intimidating.
Andy led the HVS beside Moray Eel, the name of which escapes me and I seem to left my NE Outcrops guidebook at his place (I hope!) That was really strenuous and I got Andy to lower me off at the top so I could get back down to lead Fallen Star which I thought looked nicer than Moray Eel.
It felt a bit bold to start but the start was dead easy, then what Andy said was the crux felt really easy, and I thought the top was harder. The moves keep pushing you out on nearer and nearer to the left edge and arete of the cliff face and it becomes more and more exposed, great fun! We lowered again and called it a day (me keeping Moray Eel for next time) then soloed up a Diff called the Black Hole which is basically a hole in the cliff face that you squeeze through onto the other side of the cliff face, which is a promontory out to sea. From the other side you can climb up onto the crest and walk back along to the landward side.
Andy wanted to do a quick couple of routes on the Pinnacle further west but I was knackered now, but happy to belay. He started off on the most amazing looking HVS that looked so good I just had to run back up for my rock shoes to give it a go. It's PUMPTASTIC! Overhanging move after move after move, every hold is good but the moves are big too! I had to rest near the top as my hands were just peeling off by this point, but it was fun!
Andy led the next HVS along, ab'd for the gear, then we called it a day (calling in for some ice cream on the way home of course!)

On Sunday we had been planning to go down to Ballater but Andy had been talking a bit about Creag Dubh. I've always been wary of going here as there isn't much below VS and I assumed easier stuff would be vegetated yuck and the cliff has a reputation for bold and intimidating climbing! In fact climbers nick name it 'Creag Don't' instead of Creag Do, and some even call it Creag Death in reference to the fact that the gear is a bit sparse on some of the routes, with potential for massive falls!
Looking through the guidebook it seemed there *were* a good few easier routes I could try and lead but Andy thought the VS's were quite serious and maybe not suitable for one just breaking into VS and I agreed!
There is a starred Severe called TreeHee but Andy reckoned with the recent rainfall and forecast showers it might be too wet, but the steeper routes aren't much affected by the rain (due to them being steep!) Looking at how bold the start to the other starred severe was (Mirador) I bottled leading it and asked Andy to lead it for a warm up. As he was gearing up, I had all my usual mental arguments and came to the conclusion that it was *only* severe, and it was bound to have *some* gear in it, and I had just soloed a V.Diff which is just one grade easier, the day before, so surely I could cope?'
We swapped the gear over. The starting moves are tough for severe, very steep! But juggy holds when you can reach them, I had to get my feet high so I could avoid using horrible slopey holds and move up for the good ones. But where is the gear?
No gear here, no gear there, 'oh shit!'
'Right Sonya, you can't afford to panic here, you are high up enough now to hurt yourself if you lose it and fall off, keep it together!'
I thoughtfully and carefully move up a couple of moves and finally get some gear in, phew! It's not the bomber placement I would have liked but it was better than nothing. Moving onto the arete was committing and scary but once on it the holds are good and all in balance. Again the gear is sparse though and I wibbled my way up the whole route, thinking
'VS, nae chance!'
Andy decided to lead an HVS 4c, seen as it was next door. I was nervous as hell belaying him on this, it a VERY serious route with potential to deck out if you fluff the moves near the top! Thankfully Andy was fine, I had to remind myself that even though it was HVS, the moves were only 4c so well within Andy's capabilities and within mine to second so I wouldn't get too pumped having not warmed up sufficiently, however exciting the severe had been!
It was a lovely route, brilliant climbing and worthy of more than 1 star I think, but many folk probably don't do it as it's so serious! The ab down was hilarious too! You generally ab off all the routes on Creag Dubh as the top pitches are loose and vegetated and there are loads of trees with insitu tat and mallions etc to ab from. To the left of Fiorella (the HVS) there is a huge Ivy bush that spans nearly the length of the whole pitch and when you ab over a roof there is nothing to use for your feet to keep you away from the Ivy, so you have to abseil through the Ivy and I couldn't stop laughing!
We walked along to the Great Wall next, wanting to do King Bee but there were already folk on it. There were folk on Brute too (another good VS) but they were higher up and the second was just tackling the crux. I watched him rest on the rope, unable to make the moves and thought,
'Hmmm, if he can't get up what chance do I have?!' It never crosses my mind to think, that maybe I'm a better climber so will manage just fine!
The first bit is 4c and trickier than it looks and before you know it you are underneath a big roof which takes a moment or too to figure out, but the holds are good. It's a really thrutchy move but with a bit of heaving and grunting I was over and up to Andy, where we ab'd off.
I'd been eyeing up the 1st pitch of King Bee, thinking it looked really, really nice and just my style of climbing and didn't look too scary, so I decided to lead it. Of course, it *is* 4c climbing so it wasn't as simple as it looked!
There is a move above gear where you have to go out left to below a big tree, and it took me ages to figure out this move. Thankfully, even though the gear was a move below my feet at this point, it was in a restful position so you weren't having to hang on getting pumped while you figure it. It was just a matter of reach and balance for me and I sussed it eventually, giving a whoop as I got up to the tree. Next was the crux of the pitch, but I found this easier than below (but just as committing! With potential of a good fall and swing back to the tree if you come off) Again it's a big reach for good holds and I had to use intermediate ones but sussed a way to do it without the bulging roof throwing me off. Another whoop later and I was at the belay ledge.
Andy led the 5a pitch above, where the climbing was delicate and very exposed but the gear much better than below. It took me a while to figure out the crux, which seemed highly unlikely, but fine once you do it and again well protected. We decided to ab off at this point, the first two pitches done being the best ones. Andy just lowered me down, which was more scary than climbing the route! As a lot of it is free hanging, as the ab is down a very steep E2 route and even though Andy promised me there was enough rope for me to reach the bottom, I was a tad scared when the rope stopped moving, with me dangling in the air, still about 20m from the ground! The rope was caught on something and Andy needed to free it, but before long my feet were safely on the ground and I was chatting to some dude who also goes to the wall at Dundee.
We'd also met a guy called Ken that used to climb with my ex Pete, it's a small world!
I was supposed to being going bouldering at Muchall's with Bekah today, but the forecast was a bit iffy and RB's mate had asked her to go to the pictures, so she did that instead. I was thankful as my arms are needing a rest now, and I'm coming down with a sore throat, feel achy and headachy (hope I'm not growing pig ears, lol!)

RB One, Mum nil, take two! - Sat/Sun 25th/26th April '09

A great weekend for Rebekah saw us drive through to Alien Rock in Edinburgh for the 3rd and final round of this year's Youth Climbing Series. RB was determined to do well and had been training hard on the overhanging lead walls and bouldering walls at AVW.
It was a great final round and the boulder problems in particular looked well 'ard! So hard (and reachy!) in fact, that nobody whatsoever managed to touch the final hold on the 2nd problem and nobody whatsoever managed to touch the 4th hold on the last problem.
By the time it came to the last and hardest route Eleanor, Rachael, Sophie, Bekah and Lyndsey were all tying for 1st place. But an overhanging 7a on tiny holds was sure to sort them out! RB did fantastically! This is just the sort of route that really suits her and the kind she trains on quite regularly and she won her very 1st placing at the YCS of 3rd place, I was so happy for her as she's put in a lot of hard work and it's been really hard to get her to the wall to train with it being so far away and with her being at her Dad's most weekends so unable to train then.
We had one quite disappointing moment however. We hadn't been aware of how the scoring was done over the 3 rounds and just assumed that they would take the scores from all the boulder problems and all of the routes over the 3rounds and add them all up to get the best 3 scores for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. So, with RB doing so well on that last route and being in 3rd position as regards points we thought that meant she would be going down to London for the finals. But it wasn't to be :o(
Had I payed closer attention to the scoring system, I would have realised that they get ranking points, so 1st place gets 100points, 2nd place gets 80 points, 3rd place gets 65 points and 4th place gets 55 points, etc etc etc. So, because RB got 4th place on the previous rounds she had a lower overall ranking score even though her final route/boulder score was really high. It was really close though with her being about 5 points in to 3rd place, but 10 ranking points lower for 3rd place. So, when the awards took place and someone told us how it all worked, RB was quite gutted after being so sure she was in 3rd place and I felt awful for not realising and paying attention to how it all worked! But she's still got her place for the Scottish Championships so she's looking forward to that.
Andy came round on Saturday evening once we were home from the comp and boy I just wasn't in the mood for climbing. Hell knows why as I've been dying to get out, but I was utterly knackered. I've been up late at night studying for a Maths exam and getting stressed about it, one minute thinking it's all going fine, then getting worried I'm going to mess it up. Add to that, getting up really early to be in Edinburgh for 9am, then volunteering to judge for the comp and having to look up nearly all day and concentrate, I was pretty gubbed. Slept like a log on Saturday night though, but was still feeling pretty flat on Sunday morning but dragged myself out as Andy had made the effort to come down for the day and was eager to climb Wandered at Clova and RB wanted to have her 1st rock session of the year too.
It was pretty cold up there and threatening rain all morning, with a little drizzle here and there. We warmed up on Parapet Route, a Severe I hadn't done (and wish I hadn't bothered!) Didn't enjoy the 1st pitch at all (that's all the routes on that wall I haven't liked the 1st pitches of!) The start was ok, until you got to an awkward and steep chimney, which I figured eventually but the next bit was a really undefined line with a few awkward moves. RB figured things out though and climbing with a minimum amount of fuss, unlike her mum who really struggled up the chimney! The top pitch looked nicer though, straight up arete/rib with nice big holds. I decided it looked easy enough to lead, a bit bold near the top but huge holds so I never once felt wibbly.
Andy was keen to get straight on Wandered, I wasn't as keen, not being warmed up enough to jump on HVS but couldn't be bothered 'discussing' it! It was starting to rain just a little as Andy was gearing up, but he decided to go for it anyway, saying he could lower RB off if it got too slippy and then ab for the gear. RB was keen to try it and Andy was going to belay up on the ledge of Beanstalk to keep an eye on her. As it turns out RB flew up the route like a wee rocket! The steep and strenuous nature of the crux posed not a single problem for her at all and she looked really cool headed up there, not like a wall rat at all but like a proper wee climber!
Not so for me though. It was stupid of me to jump on something strenuous like that without being warmed up as when it got to the steep ground my shoulders were killing me. That's the most painful they've ever been when climbing, I was nearly crying at one point from the pain, but refused to give up! Every time there was a rest point I had to let go and just let my arm hang down to release the pain. Pulling up over the crux wasn't too bad as it seemed to stretch them out, but I was bent right over with one leg flagging out into space and couldn't seem to make contact with the rock at all and flailed up a bit ungracefully!
Up on to the belay ledge and the rain started proper. Andy wasn't sure about the proper finish, thinking it might be best to go up Beanstalk finish at 4b seen as the rock was going to be soaked. I persuaded him that the holds were juggy on the 4c arete so he changed his mind and went up that way. But, he didn't go out onto the arete and climbed up the corner and crack above, before going round the arete, placing a bit of gear high up, which meant that I then had to go up that way too! And the way he went was far, far harder than going round the arete! You just need to take one step up, reach around and it's off balance, but there's a massive jug and big ledges for your feet! I ended having to try and climb up for this damn bit of gear, hold on to a high up finger jam to move up higher, but my arms were having none of it and I had to sit on the rope to get the gear out. The rest was easy enough, just needing to stop and hang my arms again to relieve my shoulders and then I was up.
On the way down, I noticed a jammed nut in Witches Tooth and I could see Andy eyeing it up. He didn't say anything as it was raining again but I said he should ab down and get it, if he wanted it. So, RB and I went and got ourselves sorted whilst he went for the booty.
So, I didn't lead much exciting this weekend, but still want to lead Alder and Proud Corner and I think Monster Crack looks really nice too. RB loved the look of Witches Tooth so Andy might give it a bash next time and see if RB can't climb her 1st E1.
A wee looky at the howf then back home for my home made pizza :o)

Cummingston and The Ben - Easter weekend '09

Just back home from Andy's. It is 2 o'clock in the morning and I'm too wired to sleep until I've sat for a while, had a cuppy and chilled. It's been a tiring weekend, but a fantastic one!
I didn't really have any plans in mind when I drove up on Friday evening after a bouldering sesh at AVW, but we decided to go to the Ben on Sunday due to it being forecast for frost Sat night/Sun morning and the weather was really better for cragging on the Moray Coast on Saturday.
I'd been talking about leading 'Centre' for quite some time and I also really fancied leading 'Left' which is a tad harder, HS4b (or MVS) for Centre and VS5a for Left. I was also taken with the route Stegosaurus. All fine and well talking about it, but in the morning I was getting so nervous, the butterflies in my stomach were making me feel sick! I don't understand why I get so nervous and work myself up into such a tizzy, but having climbed for 5yrs now I've just come to accept that I need a few grades in hand at the start of the day to get into the swing of things and get my head in the right place.
We started off with me leading Doddle Deidre (Sev) and I didn't half wobble my way up it. I had to give myself a stern talking to about half way up for being such a wimp and thoughts of, 'pah, you're struggling on a severe, you can forget about VS today!' were on my mind.
Andy led (well, soloed and dragged a rope up for me!) a Severe called Bombproof which was a lovely wee route up a steep wall on humongous jugs, oh jugs are fab! And that was it, time for Centre. I remember 2nding Chris on it last summer and finding it a struggle to reach the nose that juts out the corner, but then finding a hold that allowed me to reach and then struggling to get across and finally shaking my way up the rest of the route, so I was a bitty nervous about leading it. But I knew the gear was good and Andy convinced me that you could fling a sling around the big nose, though I was dubious and thought that once you were holding the nose you were kind of committed and wouldn't have time to faff.
But it was fine! And as it was, I managed to fling a sling round the nose before making the move and once you grab the nose, if you bridge out and lean right out, well you could hang there all day! Dunno why I struggled so on it last year as it really was a doddle! And once you're across you can bridge up the final corner in balance all the way and bung loads of gear in.
Nice!
Andy then led Right, HVS5b. I wasn't sure I'd get up it as it had wee cracks that looked minuscule to me! But I didn't have anything to worry about and although it was strenuous, my fingers can fit into those small cracks quite nicely and even though the route is steep and the holds small, everything is very positive and the friction on the rock is superb, god I love sandstone!
Right, I'm gonna do it! I'd been staring at Left for ages, working out where I was going to place gear and remembering that when I top roped this route with Chris last summer I totally flew up it without a care in the world. It's a tad harder on lead though! Bung in a couple of bits of gear lower down and then move up to the bottom of the crack and you can grab a handle jug (oh yes!) at the bottom of the crack, bridge your foot out on the nose of Centre and fling a bit of gear in the bottom of the crack. Aaaarg, that bit's not fitting! Shite! I've clipped that cam onto my krab with the nuts on it, I need those nuts NOW!!! Sort my faffing out and my arms are feeling it! Gear in, move back down, shake out. Oh no, dunno if I've got the energy for this now! C'mon! You were laybacking a 6b+ at the wall just on Wed, surely you can manage a couple of similar 5a moves on rock, with bomber gear at your waist? I go for it, layback one move, back step with the left foot reach up the crack, sink my fingers in nice and deep, bridge out, reach up again for a jug, bridge up higher, and that's it done! Woooooohooooooo! The rest is easy, easy enough to pose for the camera. Chuffed as hell! Feeling really good about my climbing at the moment. Only my 3rd trad day of the year and I've already led my hardest route ever, happy happy!
We set up a top rope next on The Prophet and have a go on that. Andy gets it on his second go, but I just can't get over the roof and am falling off all over the shop! Jeez, how can folk be good enough to lead this kind of thing?! But after seeing how Andy got it clean, I will know if we ever try it again. Tide is going back out now, but I want to leave Stegosaurus for another day (good to have something to go back for, and after only managing around 5hrs sleep last night, I'm knackered.)

Sunday. Andy suggested going up to the Ben. I knew if I wanted to winter climb then the Ben was pretty much the only option for tomorrow. The though of crowds was making me feel grumpy, but what the hell, I decided to try and be chilled out about it, and just put up with other people being on all the routes (I knew there was no hope in hell of getting Andy to agree to a mega early start! And the forecast looked to be better in the afternoon anyway) It was a lovely drive over. I was tired, having had another bad night's sleep, waking in fits and starts and my mind was in pondering mode. The light shining over and reflecting into Loch Laggan was calming and again I fall in love with our beautiful country. It just doesn't matter the things that go in, in day to day life, simple moments of reflection and beauty will always take my breath away and make me feel so lucky to be able to experience our lovely hills.

We figured that if we actually had a late start, then folks would be well on there way up the routes. And Andy didn't think it would be all that busy, convinced that the majority of folk have given up on the winter.
And he was right. Compared to the last time I was up the Ben 3 years ago, it was deserted! I was assuming there would be queues upon queues for any of the more popular routes, but there wasn't that many teams out at all.
Andy wanted to see if Indicator Wall was in nick. I was highly dubious! Me on grade V ice, yer having a laugh right?! I've seen photos of Indicator Wall and in my mind it's a steep cliff with vertical ice from head to toe! Driving up, and yet again I'm feeling sick with 'the fear'
Forgotten what a slog it is up to the Ben, but we can have a stoppy in the CIC hut for drink, a bite eat, get more clothes on etc before we go on our merry way. I was also pretty excited about the prospect of Indicator Wall and trying a gradeV and was questioning nervously about just how safe it was for me to be there. Belays, good enough if I fall off or need to sit on the rope (not that I'd dare! Can't seem to bring that wall mentality to winter! It's a good thing though I think?) And it's another slog up Observatory Gully. There are 2 teams on Point 5 Gully and the gully looks to be in good condition from what I can see of it. Further up, there is a team on Tower Scoop, a team on Smiths and a team going up Gardyloo Gully, and quite a few folk on Tower Ridge. We can't quite see Indicator Wall until we are in line with the bottom of Tower Scoop, and rats once we can see, there is already someone on it! But, it's not a gully and I'm not too fussed about climbing under someone. It looks amazing and not as steep as I thought it would be (though still steep looking!) so no way do I want to go to our fall back plan of Good Friday Climb. Looking across, there is someone on that already! So, our plan of folk being a long way up stuff if we had a late start, didn't quite work out as planned. But we figured that, by the time we'd geared up and gone up and traversed across to the base of the cliff, the teams would have moved on. Didn't happen though. The team in front were taking a bit of a while and the lower team had to wait for them to move up. Andy, in a rush as ever set off though and joined the 2nd of the lower team at the 1st belay before you could shake a stick! Turns out it was somebody he knew, so it was all very sociable. And secretly, I didn't mind in the slightest! It was quite nice nattering away to folk while your climbing, though I wasn't as keen on the shower of ice that fell down my neck when I was climbing pitch 1, and the bloke above pitch 2. Still, I tucked my head down and thought it could be worse if it was all windy and spindrifty!
The 1st pitch is nice, steep in places but with plenty of gaps between and the ice was so thick that you could often get your foot sideways to rest the calf's.
The 2nd pitch I found hard though! The crux was the steepest ice I have ever climbed! I was convinced it was vertical, but Andy tries to convince me that gradeV ice isn't vertical and the crux was only about 80 degrees. But but but it was super dooper steep and bulgy! Nothing technical though, and I come to realise that there is nothing to this ice climbing other than brute strength and stamina but I'm rather lacking in the strength department and I'm grunting a bit by the time I reach Andy at the second belay.
We don't have enough rope to reach the summit in one more pitch, so Andy leads out 15/20m of easy snow slope (bout grade II angle) and takes a belay there, as I've taken a fancy to leading the last ice pitch. It's nowhere near as steep as the crux and it's much shorter than the 1st pitch. It looked about grade II again from below, but approaching it I can see it's steeper than that! Still, if I can get up gradeV ice, then I can get up this step and hah! there is a perfect nut slot and insitu peg just below the step. Placed a couple of nuts and clipped the peg and the rest was fine and dandy, just pay attention to where you put your feet, the axe placements I don't worry about, they just sink into the ice it's so good! Then it's up a steep snow slope, skirt around the cornice and traversing underneath it on soft and wettish snow is pretty freaky, but take it slowly, making sure each foot step is solid. Snow gives a little and my heart jump out my throat for just a second! But then I'm there, poking my head up and onto the summit. Man it's surreal as anything! There LOADS of people up there! Walkers and tourists and other climbers all milling about taking pics. So weird, being on steep ice one minute and then thrown into public the next!
We decided to traverse around and down to Coire Leis, there was ice all the way up Moon Walk but I can't testify to it's quality! It probably wasn't the best of ideas going down that way as it seemed to take forever. Andy bumslid right down to the Col but I wasn't as brave, what with rocks peeking through (and me remembering the rock incident on Beinn Dearg at New Year!) and a drop down to the left! The snow was quite slippy and slushy and it's that kind of ground that I find horrible descending. Dunno why it is, but my legs can handle normal downhill, or gradeI downhill, but any kind of in between steepness and my legs don't seem to like it! It's like my hips and core/centre goes all weak and taking a step downhill feels all wobbly, and it's only been like that since my back got knackered a couple of years ago. Anyway, I got down to the col eventually where Andy was waiting with a rope.
'It's steeper than I remember it,' he says
Great!
I peer down, not too steep, but I'll take the rope for the top bit cos my wee leggies are tired by this point, and going down, my arms hurt as usual from the repetitive motion of plunging my axe in. It doesn't take long to get to the less steep ground again and Andy is off in shot on his backside again! (no wonder he's wearing a hole in the seat of his troosers!) I decide to try and bumslide too, but only do it in fits and starts. Find myself careening down out of control, try to break, can't get enough pressure on my axe so lean over it, which of course twists me round into full on axe breaking position! So, I half walk, half slide down and once past the snowline I tell Andy to carry on as I'm utterly boiling and need to strip off some layers. Off with my trousers (with leggings on underneath! Not running round the Ben naked, honest!) jacket and fleece, bite to eat and drink and a call of nature, find a wee track through the boulders and down to the CIC hut where Andy has made me a cup of tea (perfect boyfriend material :oD Can take me up grade V's *and* make me a cup of tea at the end of a long day!) and is chatting with Simon Richardson (the real one! That dude that Chris, John and I met down in Northumbria (see Northumbria holiday posts) last year wasn't SR as he isn't about 80 looking and is still def much climbing!) and Robin Clothier about this and that. I'm too knackered to chat much and sit feeling a bit drained, nursing my tea. Down in the car park, we are approached by a couple of folk, one guy who was on Tower Ridge, saying he had photos of us and another guy who was out on his own doing Ledge Route.
Stop off at Roy Bridge for a bar meal (and we're utterly stuffed!) then it's a long drive home for me over the Lecht, trying to dodge all the local wildlife who seem bent on suicidal missions this evening!

2nd round YCS and Clova - Sat 28th March/Sun 5th April '09

Last weekend saw the 2nd round of the YCS, this time held at our local wall Avertical World, in Dundee. The 1st and 2nd route and boulder problem posed no problems for RB but everyone was struggling with the last boulder problem (even the guy who set it!) and the last route was a killer, but fantastic spectator sport!
RB climbed really well considering she had fractured her toe just 4 days before! The nurse advised that if she wanted to climb her comp, then she should take a couple of days off school so she could totally rest her foot, keep it elevated, iced etc. And the bad toe was buddy taped to one of the others to give it some support and it didn't seem to give her too much grief.
JaimeD demo'd the 11-13 final route and found it really tough, about 7b reckoned!! Only one girl managed to complete it, one girl getting the 2nd last hold, the girl in 3rd position touching the hold over the 1st big roof and that put RB in 4th position again. It was a great round, and nice that it was local.
RB and I drove down to Edinburgh the next day to check out Alien Rock where the final round is being held in a few weeks time, but we were both quite tired. Led a couple of 6a's and RB did her 1st lead belay (belaying me up an F5) and she toproped a few 6b's and 6b+'s, finding them pretty tough though.

Having car problems just now so a day on the Ben this weekend was cancelled, gutted, was looking forward to yet another winter's day after being convinced I wouldn't get another! Still, Andy came down to mine and due to crap weather on Saturday we ended up at the wall, doing lot's of leading.

Sunday saw some much needed sunshine at last, hurrah! We drove up to Clova at the late hour of 11am and set off for Flake Route to warm up on. After trying to lead this with Chris last summer and having a 'mare on it, and feeling hormonal/out of it/crampy belly'd blah blah blah, I was keen for Andy to lead up to the Flake, where the guide said you could take a possible belay. I recall the top bit being a bit run out but the climbing being easy enough, and so it was. The start was just as horrible as I remember it, with me being convinced I was going to fall off that off balance, thuggy, udgy, squirmy, yucky chimney at the start, and this made me feel shaky and less confident the whole way up to Andy. Came very close to getting Andy just to lead the whole route, but no, stop thinking too much and just get on with it!! And I was fine, a bit slow to get going, really having to think about each move and convince myself that my feet were going to stick but I got there eventually, happy that I'd made the effort as if I'd bottled it, it would have ruined the whole day for me I think.
Andy wanted to lead Proud Corner next, a bold VS, one that has a reputation for spanking those who aren't confident at the grade! And of course, this made me nervous as hell! Andy seemed to cruise up it though which made it seem not so bad and before long it was my go. WHAT A ROUTE!!! This simply has to be the best VS I've done ever! Move after glorious move on really small but positive holds, steep and sustained but never overhanging. Every move felt good and in balance and the situations were just mind blowing! Beautiful! A climb I will remember for a long time and one that is now firmly embedded on my tick list!
Was feeling good, feeling confident, sun was shining, good memories of The Beanstalk from last year, so I decided I wanted to lead it. Now, there are a choice of 3 finishes at VS4b, VS4c or HVS5a. I sure wasn't doing the HVS finish and I knew there was one reachy move on the 4c that I just couldn't quite get, so I wanted to do the 4b finish, but was unsure where it went. We decided that I would go as far as the big ledge where the route splits after doing the crux and set up a belay there, then Andy would lead the top pitch. It was fun! Up a chimney, with a couple of steep moves near the bottom (gosh, I didn't remember it being this steep!) Then up to a tree and up a giant flake, steep but you can wrap your hands right round the flakes and the climbing just superb. At the top of the flake comes the crux, a huge and committing step leftwards and a massive rock across, all above your gear, I was buzzing! Set up a belay and we were unsure which way to go next. The 4b finish looked pretty dubious at the grade and Andy thought going direct looked more plausible. I was sure the 4b finish must look harder than it actually is, considering I'd already done the crux, but these things are deceptive! Still, the gear looked good going direct. It was steep though, and quite awkward in places, def not 4b that's for sure! Turns out it was the HVS 5a finish.
And speaking of HVS, Andy then wanted to do Wander, an HVS 5a. It looked hard!
'I'm not sure I'll manage this!'
And I didn't.
Andy found it tough and shouted down that the crux was reachy. Great!!! He belayed on a tree so I could have the rope above me on the hard bit and not take a swing if I fell off. I didn't fall off in the end but I needed a god damn tight rope and ended up hauling on a piece of gear as I just couldn't reach a big jug at the top of the overhang, oh to be 5-6 inches taller! And there's no way in hell I could use intermediate pinches and slopers, not with the bulge pushing me outwards.
The tree belay was horrible too, I was feeling pumped, annoyed for aiding, and annoyed at the route full stop! But we got ourselves untangled and it wasn't far for Andy to lead to the top. I got a bit gripped, unsure of how to move across and away from the tree as there didn't seem to be much to hold on to. Ended up stepping down onto a ledge and moving across that way and eventually finding a 'thank god' hold to move up on. The rest of the moves were steep but positive, still reachy, but do-able.
Never want to do that route again though, utterly horrid!
Not horrid enough to spoil what was a fantastic day though. Feeling good about my climbing at the moment. That's 3 trad routes I've led so far this season, a Severe, a Hard Severe and a Very Severe and looking forward to a summer filled with many more :o)
No photos this weekend.

Kirrie Hill, flashing V4, Ardverikie Wall and The Runnel - 22nd March '09

Not all on the same weekend though!
Weekend previously one of my 3 cats had torn his paw open. He likes to lie on top of my computer monitor and sook up the heat but on this occasion his 'thumb' claw got caught on one of the vents and ripped his paw open as he tried to get free. So, bloody cat, bloody computer and bloody walls where he had shaked his paw once free! And me £55 down, with instructions from the vet to keep him indoors for 2-3 days. Bang goes my weekend out on the hill!
Wasn't looking the best weekend for winter climbing anyway with strong winds, so Andy came down to mine and we headed over to Kirrie Hill for the season's 1st cragging session (though Andy had been to Cummingston to solo a few days previously) We were going well, I was nervous about being back on rock after the winter but it didn't feel stiff and unnatural and I was managing to climb 6a so that was good. The next day we picked up RB for a day indoors as she had missed her Wed training session as I had a Uni interview (finger's crossed!) RB decided to boulder mostly whilst Andy and I climbed, me managing a 6b clean that I've struggled on previously and RB flashing her 1st V4!!! And that was followed by cleanly climbing a 6b+, wee monkey!
Made it back out on the hill this weekend thankfully. We'd semi planned on a day out on Braeriach, perhaps to climb Vulcan, a V4, (winter route though, not boulder problem!) but Andy had a call from a mate of his the day before, who was standing above the Coire saying it looked guff, too warm and thawed and with hideous cornices and they were walking back out having not climbed. That was that plan down the drain, so I guess it was a day on a crowded Ben Nevis I had to look forward to. Still, sure Andy could find us something obscure to climb away from the hordes.
Andy had slightly different plans however! I'd mentioned on a previous email that if Braeriach was a no goer, then we could go do an easy mountain rock climb (aka a Diff or something) but that got Andy thinking about Ardverikie Wall on Binnean Shaus, low down, South facing and supposedly a good early rock option. Hmmmmm. I was dubious, had heard it was horrible when wet,
'It won't be wet,' Andy says, 'it's been dry for days.'

I'd heard stories of easier pitches but terribly run out, but sod it I thought, let's do it!
We got up around 7ish and arrived at the carpark maybe about 9ish, to be met with quite a few cars parked, some of which were definitely other climbers, we were going to have company. Still, someone had put a post up on UKC about the route a few days previously so it was inevitable that other folk would find there way there.
It was dank and cloudy on the walk in, with the cloud level getting lower and lower, accompanied by a thin drizzling of rain, great! And it wasn't warm. I hate rock climbing in the cold, the cold is for winter not for rock. Andy reminded me of the cold's great friction on the rock, and I reminded him of numb hands unable to feel anything of the rock. And so it was! What should have been enjoyment of a sunny classic route, was far from. We had to hang about waiting for a wee while in the clag and cold as 2 parties were up above us, but the lower ones weren't too long in moving up and off we set. Andy was to lead the harder pitches and me the easier ones but it didn't quite work out like that. My hands were completely frozen, numb and unable to feel the rock, most off putting and I wasn't enjoying it that much and couldn't really see up ahead or enjoy the surroundings. And the route was all slabby, I don't like slabs! I can climb them really well, but they always feel precarious to me. Still, the 3rd pitch *was* fantastic! Quite involved and very nice climbing indeed, so much so that I forgot about the cold and clag and once I got to Andy, the clag had parted and the sun was starting to peek out. Damn it! Why couldn't it have come out at the bottom of the route! We should have stayed in bed for an hour longer to get the best of the day. As it was the folk who had arrived after us, were catching us up but the sun was out now and I decided to lead the last pitch which was a bit run out in order of the day, but OK enough.
We then zoomed down and as it was early enough, decided to do Kubla Khan also, a ** Hard Severe. Oooooooooh, I did like the look of the 1st pitch! Much steeper than Ardverikie, but much, much more my style of route. It's funny the way some routes just scream out to you to be climbed and others not so much. Up a steep wall with nice little ledges and then up an even steeper wall above, with massive jugs to pull on. Shoved in a hex and a cam and then laybacked 2 steep moves onto another ledge and up another wee bit onto a big ledge to bring up Andy. The top pitch looked nice too. Slabby again, but steeper slab and the rock here is just so clean and the friction just superb. We were up in no time, but next was a dreaded abseil down.
I think Andy had forgotten just how much I hate abseiling, so when I was questioning the anchors, questioning whether the ropes would reach the bottom and then questioned about clipping my prussic into my leg loop (I normally clip it onto my belay loop) he lost his temper with me a bit, which of course fired up my temper as I simply won't be shouted at. I was livid! I ab'd down the route in a fury and still had steam coming out my ears by the time Andy came down.
'Am I forgiven?' There's that cheeky wee smile and sparkling eyes, and god damn, dinnae do that, yer making me laugh and I'm trying so hard to be a stroppy mare here and can't possibly be annoyed when you look at me like that! All forgiven, I can rant on about what a brilliant route that was and Andy points out some of the harder stuff on the crag, one route of which is a mental looking crack up a steep arete and wall, hideous!
The wind is picking up and it's a cold walk out, but the wind is exhilarating and I decide to run the last wee bit back to the car, can't go fast though as the sack weighs me down, but I dump my sack at the car, run back to Andy and then run back to the car again! I'm in the mood for running, all this tread milling at the gym is fine for keeping fit, but I need a run in the hills and soon! I think it is the wind that does it to me, it's fresh and makes me feel so vibrant and alive, that I want to run for the pleasure of feeling free.

Sunday, rock climb? The Ben? Quick day up Sneachda, maybe up the Runnel? Sandy Allan did it the other day with some folk off some Radio show and said there was still ice. Andy preferred to go rock climbing, but I was desperate for just another winter route as I'm not convinced I'll get anything else done this winter. The Runnel it was, neither of us could be bothered with an early start, drive and long walk up to a crowded Ben and the forecast looked better East anyway.

Up at 7am, and gawd I'm tired! Drag myself out of bed and ready, drag myself up to the coire, the wind is picking up and it's spittering rain and graupal. We solo up the start of The Runnel and my poor wee calfs, as usual, just hate this kind of ground. Funny, I can run uphill, I can run with a heavy sack full of climbing gear, I can walk for miles and miles and just keep going, but I can't walk up grade I ground without my lower legs screaming at me. The route was okay, very short lived though! Andy later said it was around 140m but it didn't feel as long as that. It was pleasant though and nice to get my axes into something, though I've decided for definite that I don't like the Grivel Clipper leashes, what a faff they are!

There were steps all the way up the gully and all the way up the ice in the chimney. I placed 2 token bits of gear in the chimney, which we roped up for, which were hard to clip as the wind was battering up the chimney and blowing my quickdraw all over the place! The ice had water running over the top of it and was dirty and cruddy at the top, but solid apart from that.

Rather windy on top! And getting windier, we decided to go down the Goat Track rather than get constantly blown over by going round the top. I was pretty damn nervous though, getting blown off down the Goat Track wasn't my idea of a good day out! I crouched down onto my knees at the top as the wind was relentless and popping over the top came a couple of blokes with a dog. Oh well, if the dog can do it...........

It was slow going at first until I felt more confident that the wind wasn't going to blow me off balance, but speeding up, my shoulder started protesting and protesting some more! Protesting more and more until it was a knot full of burning pain and my arm felt floppy, my hand weak on my axe. So hard to keep hold of it, I lean into the slope and just let my arm hang relaxed for a minute, before carrying on until the pain builds up to unbearable again.

This is infuriating! I wish someone could tell me what the heck is wrong with my shoulder. I think it's some sort of rotator cuff tendinitis but 'they' keep telling me it's from my neck. But my neck feels fine until they get me to do the stupid neck stretches which make my neck feel stiff and sore, not stretched and relaxed in the slightest. Stop the stretches and hey presto my neck is back to feeling normal again, funny that!

Anyway, down off the steepest part of the Goat Track and I can walk down, the wind has calmed just enough that I can keep my balance. It's raining though and Andy's not enjoying the wind and rain, but I feel refreshed and happy to have got out just one more time. I've yet to meet another person who enjoys the hills in the driving wind and rain, surely it's not just me?

We're back at the car for 12.30, not bad for a day's work!

Bekah - 2points, Mother - nil! 8th March '09

Not much to report on the winter climbing front, in fact nothing of interest at all!
Busy on Mum duty at the 1st round of the YCS at Ratho on Saturday, so no climbing. But Sat night I drove (slowly and tiredly) up to Andy's to go climbing on Sunday. Forecast wasn't inspiring, snow showers, blizzard conditions, gusts of 80mph. Nice! But out we went, at least wanting a short day. We could have gone into Sneachda or Lochain but as always new routes lured us over to Lurcher's instead. We had thought about the longer walk in from Rothiemurchus, but decided to risk going over the top as it was a quicker approach for where we wanted to be. Bad choice in the end. The walk in was fine at the start. At 9am the wind was ok, and just little drizzly snow showers, but it was picking up by the time we were walking up and past Lochain.
I got blown over a couple times approaching the cliff top and was finding it very difficult to get my crampons on as I didn't have any thin gloves with me, and find it impossible to do up crampons with thick gloves on. Gloves were off for 10seconds tops before hands became painful, so gloves back on! And it took a while of this on/off process to get the crampons on. Gearing up was going to be a nightmare! Add to that, my duff goggles that I'd gotten which in my few years of winter climbing I'd never yet had to use, managing to grin and bear any previous wind and spindrift episodes.
But, walking directly into the wind, with a front just coming in and with the spindrift howling up the cliff and over the top and right into our faces was too much for my wee eyes, and my eyelids kept threatening to freeze together which wasn't helping matters!
Getting down South Gully was going to be impossible for me, I just wouldn't be able to see! I just couldn't decide what to do though, I've only ever backed off from doing a route once because of crap weather, and I don't like it! I hate the way it makes me feel, torn between wanting to climb and not wanting to have to put up with crap weather, especially when I've had so many wonderful days. Andy decided for me though, and said, 'let's go down,' and I was grateful for him for making it easy for me to choose to go back. I was disappointed though, and spend a lot of the walk out thinking about it, and thinking I should have kept on regardless, esp when we passed other people walking in and knew other folk would be climbing regardless! But they would have sheltered points to gear up, where as we didn't! (although, in retrospect, Andy did later think we might have got shelter at a certain spot on the cliff top, and could have descended down the far end of the cliff, rather than down South Gully. Ho hum, we will remember that next time!)
So, that's that, no climbing for another week. And by next weekend I will be tearing my hair out to get out again! Early indications are that it will be a bit stormy again, hoping that won't be true!

RB has had a much better time of things the past week or two.
The last Friday saw the final round of Avertical World's winter bouldering series and we both took part this time. I wasn't climbing the next day, so felt ok about tiring myself out and my elbow wasn't giving me too much grief either. I did ok, much the same as I normally do, probably a little better on some problems, but crap on others!
Out of all the rounds, RB won 1st place for Junior Girls and won herself £30, she was really chuffed and is putting the money towards getting herself a new pair of climbing shoes as the ones she has are getting a bit tight.

The weekend after saw the 1st round of the YCS at Ratho. 3 boulder problems (with 3 attempts) and 3 routes. There were loads more kids there than last year, which was nice and it was nice for RB to catch up with some of the girls she had met last year.
The first route was really easy for all of them and the first boulder problem too. All the 11-13 girls made it up the 2nd route too but the 2nd boulder problem was causing a few problems for some of them, with only half of them making it first go, and 3rd go! The second route, a 6b, didn't seem to cause any problems for any of them
and they all flew up with ease.
The final boulder problem was tough! An easy start, then onto a horrible rounded and slopery pocket to reach up for a thick horizontal type pinchy thing (and this is where most had trouble) Next it was a big stretch across for a sloper and a struggle to get feet higher and reach up for the next sloper. Most folk came off here (including RB) and only the 2 taller girls completed the problem.
Poor RB though, she was first to go on the hardest route of the day, which she was hoping to avoid, but that's just bad luck.
She flew up the start of the route, making it look like a doddle, the tiny holds posing no problems for her small but strong fingers! She got to the crux but couldn't reach the next hold. I think she just had her 'stretch' for it head on, and in her struggle forgot to think about her feet. I was shouting up, 'fffeeeeeeeeet!' but she didn't hear. There was a hold out to the right and I'm sure if she twisted round, got her foot high on that, she might have been able to reach back and up for it. But so easy for me to say, down on the ground!
All the other girls were struggling at an earlier awkward section and one after one they peeled off, until 2 of the stronger, more technical (and taller!) girls flew past the awkward section and reached through the crux without a thought! Nice to watch! So, RB was 3rd on the hardest route, but one of the other girls had bested her on the hardest boulder problem so RB came 4th overall, missing 3rd place by one point!
Next round on Saturday 28th March at AVW in Dundee.