HOLIDAYING IN THE PYRENEES - 7th to 18th July '09

Tues 7th - Arrived in Reus, Spain and am sitting writing this (in a notebook!) as Andy queues for our hire car. Just had a welcome text from Vodaphone, welcoming me to Spain, texts 19ppm blah blah blah.
Plane ride was fun at take off as always and saw some mountains peaking through the clouds as we passed over the Pyrenees.
It's a balmy 23 degrees C at arrivals, RB will probably be boarding her flight to Germany at the moment (I'm going to miss her! Longest we've ever been apart!)
Can see some hills from the airport, Costa De Dariada (climbing there)

Wed 8th - Arrived in Huesca around midnight and slept well after a fitful start (too hot!) Gone for a wander around the town while the guys get packed (I'm ready!) Don't want to wander too far and get hopelessly lost but have managed to find a park in the centre of town. A fair bit of vandalism about (Stop the gran scala. Protest about some sort of casino area they are wanting to build) More trivial graffiti, kids are the same everywhere you go! Today, we are driving to El Bubon and La Grarella to climb, and then booking into our apartment around t-time.

Arrive at El Bubon around midday. Felt awful, absolutely awful! Thumping headache and feeling sick. Painkillers help to take the edge off so I can at least try and climb! I'd have preferred to go to the easiest area first but am outvoted seen as the harder crag is nearer. I can't lead anyway just now cos of my head.
Andy starts off on a 5+ called Neurona Loca which has a tricky middle section and nice slabby top. The rock is a bit polished but I really enjoy the climbing on sharp holds, flakes and pockets. Alf and I do the route on toprope and Andy leads Guille at 6a which isn't much harder, but is more sustained. There is a 6a+ called Ara and Andy tries to toprope it but can't get past the crux due to the polish. I have a go and come off several times at the same spot as Andy, but I'm determined to get up the damn thing and persevere!
Both Alf and I are keen to lead something now, so we head along to the easier crag, called La Grarella, which was only 5minutes away in the end!
We both lead 2x 4+'s, which are pleasant enough, then Alf goes to lead Rupal with an overhanging start. My headache is back with a vengeance, feel spaced out and really sick! More painkillers, lie down and snooze in the shade, too wasted to climb anymore!
Andy leads Luna Llena at 6a+, then we drive over the Pass Portalet at 1794m over into France.
I'm sitting in the back of the car so I don't have to endure Andy's driving on the narrow roads, but the clouds are lower in France so no views of the Pic De Midi D'Ossaou.
Animals seen today were a wee green lizard on the crag, loads of vultures, eagles, kites and a herd of sheep trotting up the road and a herd of cows complete with cow bells! Clouds parting a little, must stop writing and look at all the mountains!
There were gorgeous views up to Telera Pena earlier today, which is a Spanish Pyrenees ice climbing venue, looks gorgeous!

Thurs 9th - Woken up by cloud and wet in Eaux Bonnes! At the moment we are driving up to Gourette to see if the cloud will clear. Our apartment is a bit duff. Smells of fustiness and the bed linen is damp, so had a cold night in an uncomfy bed! We can't figure out the heating and it took about half an hour this morning to sort out the gas for cooking. I wandered off to the hotel for some matches and came back successful but Alf had gone to the empty and unlocked apartment upstairs and found some. Neck is sore this morning and can still feel that headache lingering.
Just passed the local Via Feratta but I'm outvoted again and looks like we may drive back into Spain (ugh more of Andy's driving!) He's used to an automatic car and seems to forget about changing up gears so the car revs like crazy and he's far too jerky with the steering and brakes! I've sat in the back again so it feels less like a roller coaster!

Change of plan! The guy who owns our apartment also owns the local campsite in Eaux Bonnes and we stopped off there for topos, discovering that there are two local crags nearby, one at Laruns and the other at Arudi.
We stop off at Laruns first and HOLY SHIT!!! There's an extremely exposed via ferratta type affair that goes on for about 500m, which is the only way to approach the routes!! You have to hold onto the crag, rope and knots and clip in and out of the rope as you pass by. Andy didn't want me screwing up my screwgates as it's time consuming and he was behind me, being impatient as usual and was starting to get grumpy with me! Of course, this got my temper up, so much so that I cursed at him and decided ENOUGH!!! I won't be bossed about! I wanted to stomp off back to the car but was persuaded to stay.
The via feratta was scary! But before long we were at our section of the crag. Andy led a 5+ called Tes Sangles Longues N'y Pourront Rien Changer (bit of a mouthful!!) which was brutal and steep and pumpy and then another 5+ called Le Pole Desespoir which wasn't as steep but had a huge, reachy start which I couldn't do. After a wee pull I got up eventually! Then Andy led a superb 6a called A Cheval Mesdames and I had my first ever Tufa experience! Afterwards, Alfie found a wire bridge over the gorge. You had to walk across one wire and use the one above for a handrail. Alf wanted some pics of him on it and Andy decided to cross over too, but no way was I going across! Had a think about it, decided that if Andy, with his dodgy balance could do it, then it couldn't be too wibbly and I'd be okay on it.
What a buzz! Then it got a bit scary in the middle as it was more wobbly! Alf then sniffed out another bridge going back across and though this one was shorter it was much scarier! You had to lean right forward to keep the wires tensioned and yourself in balance and it was mega wibbly! Couldn't believe I was crossing it! We then had to via ferratta it back to the car but it seemed less scary on the way back.

Later in the afternoon (after tea and coffee!) we go to Arudi, which the bloke at the campsite called Gloc and we assumed this meant polish as the 1st route we did was horribly polished! A 5a called La Sirene, and the polish was like glass! There was a direct version at 6a which Alf tried on toprope but was too horrible, Andy managed to lead it, but agreed it was minging!
We were about to go when I suggested we have a quick nosey at the next sector along and thankfully I wasn't outvoted this time as this crag was nicer!
I spotted a 5b that looked lovely, Voive Du Soleil. It was Alf's turn to lead so he did it first then pulled the rope through so I could do it too. It was lovely! My favourite route yet, up a wall, then a steep, pocketed slab and then up an overhang, delightful! Andy toproped it up to that point and then led the 6a above called Mercure.
Now 8pm and we've missed the supermarket, so nothing for breakfast unless there is a shop open back in Laruns!
Off there to eat out for tea again. We manage to catch the Transhumance Festival, when the cattle are herded through the town and up into the hills. It's quite a local event, with the locals all out, boozing and music playing.

Fri 10th - Ooooooh fantastique!! My 1st Pyrenean peak! Pene Sarriere at just over 1900m, up into the mountains at last! There was a bit of mist about but the weather station at Gourette reckoned the cloud would clear as the day went on.
We followed a ski tow up and then branched off left and around to the East face, where the whole of the valley D'Uzious opens up like some lush, hidden gem, truly beautiful, with the wispy bits of mist drifting in and out, glowing pure white in the beaming sun!
It takes a while to find the start of our route, The Cara Este Clasica, a D+ with 6 pitches of climbing. The 1st pitch is horrible and I'm not enamoured if this is to be the way of things! Polished, awkward, off balance and reachy!!! The 2nd pitch is scrambling and a bit chossy but I enjoy it more than the first. Alf leads pitches 3 and 4. 3 has some really hard slabby moves on it, with big slabby reaches and rock overs and I find it very hard! The next pitch however is amazing! Superb, flowing climbing on little but positive holds and flakes. I want to lead the next pitch but it looks really slabby so I pass it to Andy, regretting it after as it's not slabby in the friction sense at all! This takes us to a Col and the view to the West opens up so we can see the Pic De Ger and the Pene Medaa, the largest peaks in the Gourette area at 25oom and 26oom.
The last pitch is the steepest and most overhanging III+ I've ever done, it's fantastic, totally jugtastic! Then up a funky wee chimney and that's us at the top.
Oh my, the top is exposed! I'm not really feeling relaxed at all! And as we sit at the edge and eat, I keep feeling a dragging sensation, like I'm going to fall off the edge of the cliff and it makes me feel quite sick! As soon as I've eaten, I decide to cross a slabby narrowing, shuffling down on my bum, where Alfie and Andy walk across quite the thing! Funny how I can walk along that steep wire, but not this! Once across I relax immediately, then follows a scrambly descent, which is nothing like I thought it would be, not hard at all! We then join up with the G10 route, a walk that goes from the Atlantic to the Med and takes 46 days!! Back at Gourette the sun is beaming and it's coke and ice cream time, then shop for gifts!
Forecast for tomorrow and the weekend is more sun, sun, sun, hurrah!

Sat 11th - A day of lows and of highs (2600m to be precise!) Woke up to blue, blue skies in the morning and a 3hr walk in, seen as the ski lifts weren't running! Started walking at 8.30am and set off up the pistes. Ugh, it was brutal, steep and unpleasant, but it did get us high fast! The higher we got the more we saw of the mountains and faced with the Pic De Ger I stopped to take a photo, only to find out I'd left my camera at one of the lift stations! Aaaaaaaarg, you stupid cow!!!!! Bollocks!!!!! I had to dump my sack and run back down for it. Problem was, it wasn't there and that's when I remembered that I'd taken it off at the middle station lower down, just before the steep bit of the piste. I'd taken it off, laid it on top of a pipe and gone for the toilet. So I stomped back up to where Andy was waiting with my sack, torn and utterly gutted! I'd have to go back down for it but there was no way I could go back down and then come back up, it was just too far. I told Andy I'd have to go down and boy he wasn't happy! Then I got even more annoyed! He could still easily catch up with the others and climb, I was the one that was going to miss out, not him! He then had the cheek to say that he'd paid for my holiday so it would be mean of me to go back down!!! I couldn't believe my ears!! I was livid, utterly livid! How dare he try and make me feel guilty when I was feeling crap enough as it was for leaving my camera. I can tell you, he got the sharp end of my tongue for that one!!
I was torn though! It was a camera worth near enough £100 and I havn't even finished paying for it yet! Yet, this was the day where I was going to go the highest of the holiday. Aaaaargggggggg, what to do, what to do, what to do!!!???
I'd walk up a bit, then stop.......unsure..........In the end I carried on, knowing I'd be utterly fed up if I went back down and had to spend the day down in Gourette on my own, knowing the others were up high climbing!
I decided that as soon as I turned an approaching corner I was going to forget about it and enjoy my day. I could rant about it later if it wasn't there anymore on the way down, and I might be lucky! There didn't seem to be much folk about so maybe nobody would notice it sitting there.
Another low - After trying to catch up with Alfie and Gilliermo (young spannish dude, friend of friend of Alfs) we came to a junction in paths. No sign of them ahead and we called out with no success. Took a while to decide which fork to choose and sods law we chose the wrong one! We'd gone up around 100m when we spotted them across the other side of the Coire we'd circled round, going up to a different Col than them, RATS!! Andy's turn to get grumpy now and get all pessimistic that we won't be able to do the route. He suggested we cut across the col, or over the top of the peak between cols to get to the other side, but no way am I taking one of his horrible 'short cuts!' Can anything get worse? Thankfully not!
We end up catching up with Alf and co at the top of the correct col, after huffing and puffing up a horrible scree slope. Now over 2000m and I've lost my stride due to all the upping and downing, and probably starting to be affected a little by the altitude.
Anyway, rest of the day was fab! A wee scramble down to our route and Alf leads up first, Gilliermo following. Andy is straining at the bit to get going as usual, and I'm feeling annoyed that he never has the patience to just chill out and wait, but it's not in his nature to wait! Sometimes I feel guilty at getting annoyed at him, as apart from his bouts of selfishness as regards climbing, he's the most gentlest and kindest man I've ever known and I get torn between annoyance and tenderness towards him (bloomin relationships!) But I'm crazy about the auld loon, even if my temper gets the better of me from time to time!
Moving on........first pitch is pretty awkward and reachy (limestone can be a reachy rocktype at times!) 2nd pitch I want to lead (my first lead on a Pyrenean peak, hurrah!) It's easy enough, up slabs (nice ones though!) which have holds! Hardly any gear though! The route is VERY sparsly bolted with one bolt and peg per belay and only one bolt and rusty peg in my whole pitch which was pretty much a rope length (think I placed one nut as well!)
Andy leads the crux pitch over a bulge on weird, downward pointing undercuts, then up a steep slab. Then I lead another F5 pitch above, 2 pegs about 5m above the belay, one bolt half way up the pitch and that's it for the 50m pitch! Next it's just a scramble up to the top and that's it, The West Ridge at D/D+ of the Amoulet, in the bag.
Ok, next it's time for me to be utterly, utterly crapping myself! We have to descend a short way, down a narrow ridge about 3foot wide to a cairn where we hope there will be a belay. Is there a belay? Nope!!! Fear sets in big time, aaaaarrrrgggggg!!! Are we going to be stuck up here?! I have visions of having to be rescued by helicopter but should have known that Andy and Alf would save the day!
We then have to descend the next part of the ridge, about a foot wide this time!!! It's bum shuffle time! But hurrah! At the bottom they've found the ab station, oh me of little faith! But first, the bum shuffle awaits, then I have to face in and downclimb 2 steps, both a foot wide, death drops either side, f*cking crapping myself!! 2 'abs down of ropes tied together, a scramble of half the distance, a fantastic scree run down the horrendous scree slope we came up, then a plod down the pistes until,
'OH YES, IT'S MY CAMERA!!' YIPEE!!!
That really makes my day! So, so happy that it's still there!
Walk round the corner and a Marmotte pokes his head up, 1st I've ever seen! A perfect finish to the day. Oooooooh, must remember to mention all the beautiful flowers I've seen, Gentains, Hellebores, Rock Roses, Vanilla Orchids, Valerian, Meadowsweet, Alpine Avens and loads, loads more, so green and lush here!

Fri - A horror of a day! We'd planned a harder route and decided on a 4 pitch, bolted route on Pene Sarriere. A much easier walk than yesterday and we knew the area from climbing there the day before. On approach, we saw there were already 2 parties at the bottom of the route, RATS!
One had done our route before and said the pitches were 5+/5+/5+ stroke 6a/6a, but having done the route a few times he thought the whole route was 6a.
I thought about leading the 1st pitch but changed my mind after seeing the leader before really having to stretch for the moves, and she was taller than me! Andy ended up leading it all! The 1st pitch *was* reachy, as well as off balance and slabby! Everything I hate about a route, rolled into one! The 2nd pitch was easier (it actually had holds! And was steep!) Unfortunately, it was also very short! The 3rd pitch started off nicely, but before long it went slabby again and very sustained, definitely 6a! Alf and Gilliermo were on a rope behind us, but Alf backed off, Gilliermo lead, pulling on every bolt!
The top pitch was DESPERATE!!! The hardest thing I've ever climbed! Again, it was very reachy and off balance and worse, was slabby friction climbing and a total sandbag at 6a! Definitely top end 6a+ in my opinion! I had to pull on several quickdraws and was then faced with a traverse! Alf had asked me to drag a rope up behind me so he could be toproped up and at the traverse I had to clip a rope into the quickdraws. I was in a horribly precarious position, with no footholds, relying on friction alone (and the rock was slippy!)
For my hand there was a rounded crimp. I had Alf below me shouting something up and Andy above me shouting something down! So, of course, I didn't have a clue what either of them were saying to me! I lost it then, and snapped at both of them to be quiet and leave me to concentrate! I was terrified, absolutely terrified! There were no footholds, just friction! And just rounded crimps again and the ground was just off vertical! It all got too much, and after snapping I could feel myself fill up with tears! Oh no, this is all I need! I hate crying! Can't remember the last time I actually cried, it was so long ago! I'm usually very happy go lucky, I do get emotional and temperemental but I rarely feel like crying (apart from when there is horrible things involving children in the news) I had to fight really hard to keep it together and not start sobbing! Some tears came out, but I managed to bosh my head off the rock (helmeted of course!), much deep breathing and then pull myself together enough to complete the route! I was so embarrassed to cry en route, felt like a complete wimp and idiot, not a hardened climber at all! But I made it, just one more bulge, then the top, and I could relax a bit more.
All I wanted now was to be off the cliff but there were 2 full length abs ahead instead. The 1st ab took me over a huge roof of the 6b next door, so was free hanging and I ended up with my arm caught between the rope and the rock, bloody hurt! Then I dangled round and round and round until the angle eased enough for me to get back into the rock. I became immensely paranoid because the edge of the roof had sharp edges and I was worried about them cutting the rope. Don't think about it, don't think about it!!! The next ab was easier angled but Gilliermo had started on the ab above and was knocking off some loose stuff (hard not too!) and so I got paranoid again about a rock hitting the rope and cutting it! I ab'd down as fast as I dare, burning my hand in the process! With rocks wooshing down left, right and centre! Andy was well out the way, happily munching on his sarnie, grin on his face, daft bugger! I was so impressed by his lead!!! I could tell he was finding it hard but I'm always impressed by how he can keep himself so under control when things get tough. Wish I could be less volatile in nature at times!
We had thought a front was coming in tomorrow but the hill forecast looks like another stonker of a day to come! Alf is keen to do the traverse of the Pene Sarriere, a total knife edge, at AD+ I'm curious but think I'll find any downhill climbing bits utterly terrifying!

Mon - Well, we went for the knife edge! It's been the shortest hill day so far and the most nervous for me! We walked up via the West Face of the Pene Sarriere and approaching the Col where you ascend up to the ridge, the pinnacles on the traverse appeared, a real knife edge!! OH MY GOD!!!!! I don't think I can do it! I walk up to the start of the ridge though to have a look, NO WAY!!! I just can't do it! The 1st pinnacle is so narrow it's unbelievable! There is a section that is only as narrow as my hand! And that's followed by a section about 20m long that is about half a foot wide. I'm extremely anxious! I remember that sensation the other day, like something is pulling me over the edge and I feel I'm going to get utterly gripped! I just can't do it! Andy starts to strop again, if he has one more strop cos I don't want to do something, I'm going to be furious! He takes things like that far too personally! I put my stuff away, torn between fear and wanting to prove to myself that *I can* do it! But so scared that I'll freeze with fear half way across, burst into tears and make a complete tit of myself! Oh F*ck it!! Andy has done stuff like this before and knows what he's doing, so I get my stuff together again and we walk to the base of the first pinnacle where there is a belay.
There's a bit of faff sorting out where I'm going to be and I can't believe it when Andy takes me off the bloomin belay! That's the 3rd time he's done that this week and it's left me untied to anything, and I'm finding it unacceptable!!! Esp, when he knows I'm terrified as it is! My heart sinks, if Andy is going to lose patience with me and do stuff like this before we're even on the ridge proper, what will happen when we are on the damn thing! I want to go back again, I really really want to go back! So, so, so, so scared! Never been so scared in my life before! I switch off from it all, gotta let myself just get on with it and take it as it comes.
That 1st bit is a climb up to the start of the knife edge, then comes the bit that's a hand width wide! How the hell are you supposed to climb it!? You use it as a handrail, feet below on the main face, near enough 2000m of air below your feet! Then once it goes to a foot wide, you move up and swing your legs over, so you're straddling the ridge like a horse (known as Au Cheval) You then grip as hard or as gentle with your feet, knees and thighs depending on how scared you are and just shuffle your bum along as slow or as fast as you like. There are small vertical steps, where you have to squeeze with you legs and stand up so you can move your bum onto the higher bit, and these bits are totally mental!! I stop half way along, look down and just get a sense of how utterly ridiculous this was!! Here I am, nearly 2000m up, on a ridge about a foot wide, legs dangling over each side, and I just relax into it completely. This is amazing, totally and utterly amazing, I f*cking love it!!! It's so exhilarating! And it's absolutely hilarious! I start laughing,
'this is f*cking mental, woohooooo!'
I'm loving it now! Andy is nearby incase I get stuck, but I'm managing it fine now. After the knife edge is a belay, then a section of V.Diff/Sev type climbing to get to the top. To get down there is a steep slab with a knotted rope in place. It doesn't go right down though and there is a wee downclimb left at the bottom. This is bloody scary! But I manage it. Then a walk down to the 2nd pinnacle. More climbing here and really awkward step down and across to climb a chimney. Then a slab which is just at the angle you can walk down and just stick too.
The route meets up with the last pitch of the 1st route we did here and I want to lead it. It's the hardest bit technically but the least exposed and I remember the top overhanging jugs being ace!
3 French girls are on the route so we stop and have a bite to eat while we wait. Alf decided to solo up so he can chat and flirt with the French girls!
I lead up to the overhang and bring Andy up once the French girls have moved on (they've let Alfie pass) Then I lead up the top pitch. It's ace! Overhang on jugs, then a funky bridging chimney and we're at the top.
I'm so, so glad to have done the route, my 1st proper Alpine style ridge and Andy reckons that I'd be fine on anything the Skye Ridge can throw at me if I managed that 20m knife edge, hurrah!

Tues - Driving to Oloron at the moment to see if the crags at Arguibelle are dry. Cloud is down low in the hills and it's rained through the night. Feeling knackered, battered and bruised and a bit on the hormonal side! Don't know what we will do if the crag is wet. It's Bastille day in France so many places are shut.
Cancel that! There is actually quite a lot open in Oloron and I managed to buy stamps and post my postcards to my folks and to RB. We then sat outside in a cafe and drank tea and croissants proper French stylee! Well, the guys had coffee and I had tea! I did try a mouthfull of Andy's coffee but it was far too strong for me, yuck! The Croissants however, ooooooohhhhhhh god, they are divine!!! Totaly fresh and warm out the oven, gooey pastry and simply orgasmic! My mouth still waters thinking about them!
Also bought 'une pain du chocolate' for lunch, just had to buy a proper French one!

The crag at Arguibelle was lovely but the ascent up was horrible! It's the most disgusting approach I've ever done! A path of pure clay mud to be exact, which clogged up your boots and made it extremely slippery! I had to hold onto clumps of grass to stop myself skiting about and falling into cow shit, nettles or brambles! By the time we got to the top we were soaked and covered in mud!
The climbing made up for it though! No rest for the wicked and straight onto an easy 4a, Les Mousquetons, with just one thoughtfull move. Then was a 5b route called Blairdeaux which was straightforward and we were informed there was a snake near the lower off! It was gone by the time I led it though, however there were lizards skuttling about. After that we did a 2 pitch 5c called Les Kikis. Alf led the 1st pitch and Andy led the second, which was really nice, but quite reachy. It went up a really steep wall and groove, then a layback, then right over a bulge. Good holds though! The routes just got better and better!
I led a superb 5c (never found out the name of it though) which was superb! Over a bulge where I had to do my first dyno on lead!! Then came slabby climbing, but with good flaky holds and pockets and just one friction move, followed by an overlap. This was steep and bulgy but was jugtastic! Each move very powerful but never impossible!
Then Andy led a 6a, again I didn't catch the name and Alf and I toproped it. I didn't enjoy the start that much, but the crux was excellent! Laybacks on fingery flakes but very positive. Smeary for the feet though so very committing!
Watch one of the French girls on the 6a, willing her to do the crux but she didn't make it!
Descent of doom now! More mud, slips and curses! Big welcoming sign at the bottom tells you that the local council paid for the crag to be equiped for climbers. Amazing! No way you'd see that at home!

Wed - Just left the apartment. Feels quite sad to be leaving! It's been so amazing being in France, there is such a blend of old and new here and I love the pace of life, so relaxed! I love the traditions and I love the fact that there is no convience food, frozen meal type things in the shops! Everything is fresh and good. RB would love the little vans on the roads selling local cheese, much like we have vans selling greasy burgers and hotdogs at home!
It's cloudy in France as we leave, the higher hills shrouded in cloud again, with just slithers of blue peeking through.
We're going back to Spain to climb at Forronies.
Passing over into Spain, we stop over a high pass where the clouds have cleared and you can see the impressive Pic De Midi D'ossau and the Pena Foredada, I'd love to climb both of these! I have developed a fascination, rather than a fear now of all these sharp, pointy peaks!

And how I wish I were on a sharp, pointy peak, rather than at Forronies! The route we did is called Capricorn and is supposed to go at 4/5/5+/6a but it's an utter sandbag! The 1st pitch is a slab with tiny finger holds and no foot holds bar the odd tiny thing and it's steep and exactly the sort of climbing I detest! It feels more like 5+ to me and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th pitch all feel like 6a/6a+ to me!
The 2nd goes up a slab to a roof. Start of roof is okay and I'm thinking I like it, but then does it not get ruined by being too bloody reachy!!
'Hand jam' says Andy!
Aye right! My whole arm fits into that crack, too wide for me to jam it!
'Fist jam!' says Andy!
'Don't know how to fist jam!' Aarrrggghhhh!! Get arm in as best I can, still can't bloody reach! and have to be hauled up! F5 aye right!
Next pitch is worse! A back and footing chimney. Ist move ok, 2nd move dubious, 3rd move no way! Haul on a quickdraw, rope tight and I'm hauled up the pitch again! Really not enjoying this one little bit! This is the worst route I've ever done! I wanted to get lowered off after the 1st pitch but Andy did his usual huff when I say I don't want to do it. Well, next time he can just strop all day long, cos I'm damned if I'm suffering the idignity of being hauled up another route!
Of course, I have to suffer the last pitch first! Both Alf and Andy thnk it looks ok, but I know better! It looks hard!! A finger crack up an overhanging wall, where I can't reach the jams higher up, surprise, bloody surprise! Even the ab off is evil! Over a huge roof and Andy is pulling on the rope below (I asked him to hold the ropes for me) too tight so it's hard for me to move. Am birling round again, don't like this, don't like this! At the ab station Andy tips back a little bit and for a brief second I thought he was falling off the cliff! Try my hardest, but it's all too much again and I'm crying AGAIN, uuggghhh! More of a half cry, half nervous,
'don't bloody do that again!' kind of laugh!
Shoulders are killing me, hands are numb, but thankfully the last ab is straight forward but so sore and tired. Even Alf is annoying me! He forgot his water so I said he could drink from my water bottle and asked him 2x to lock the bottle seal afterwards. But twice he through it down into the dirt, totally unlocked, grrrrr!!!
I'm feeling hot, hormonal and grumpy and not enjoying the climbing (there's one route I do like the look of, but am outvoted (again!) and I start to feel like a total winging cow, but this *has* been a crap day on what's been a superb holiday and the 8th day in a row of climbing and unless any routes inspire me, I've now had enough! I need a rest from it! And I've ripped the arse out of one of my new pairs of climbing trousers!

Sitting afterwards in a gorgeous little Spannish village called Panitcosa and I'm much more relaxed. Have a nosey at the local church, forgot my camera which was a shame cos it was a beautiful building with typical garish catholic ornamentation inside. The town itself is delightful! Sat on a hill, with old stone buildings, narrow winding streets and a canal bubbling through.

Thurs - Too hot, too hot, too hot! The temp in Spain has been 37 at the highest, but mostly 35 degrees, for the past 2 days, too hot to function! Sleep was hard to come by last night and Andy and I were up early to avoid the afternoon heat and climb in the shade at Riglos.
Beating the afternoon wasn't to be however! Arriving at the carpark we found 4x army trucks and approaching the Aguja Roja the were the army folk out on our route amongst others! RATS!
They were knocking down stones left, right and centre and one fist sized bit bounced off the ground, flew across and smacked off the bottom of my leg, ouch!! Andy led the 1st pitch of the Normal Route, a 4* classic at 4c, up a chimney. We then had to wait at the belay for what felt like a lifetime whilst some army dudes ab'd down the pitch and another guy to lead the upper pitch. Took about half an hour and all the time I was getting more and more worried about the climbers above, raining stones down while I wanted to lead and knocking either me off, or worse, cutting the rope!
The upper pitch seemed cleaner thankfully and soon it was my turn to set off. The 1st move off the belay ledge was making me nervous (having had too much time to think!) but it was fine in the end, nice steady and thoughtful climbing. The rock here is weird! Conglomerate, limestone rocks, boulders and pebbles in a sandstoney type matrix. Basically looks like a giant pile of rubble all cemented together and left to set!
The 3rd pitch went up another chimney and it was nice, you could bridge all the way up and the last pitch at 4b, that I led was a wee roof/bulge, then a scramble to the top. There was a fair bit of scree and loose stuff at the top and I reckon this was where the rockfall was coming from. At the top I was met with about 10 army dudes all waiting for us to finish the route, which of course meant it was our turn to wait while they all abseiled off! This was going to take forever as they were all beginners with just 2 instructors!
But luck was at hand! 2 Spannish blokes had just climbed a 6b+ on the other side of the tower and they hung around for a while waiting to ab, but decided to ab down the other side and invited us to share their ropes. I was dubious, but then though, 'bugger it!' we'd be waiting here all day in the baking heat otherwise! And we'd not taken up any water or food!
The 1st ab went smoothly, the 2nd ab was steep and it was really hard to keep into the rock, but the 3rd was the hairiest ab I've ever done! Totally free hanging with me moving down, birling round in circles, squeeling like a girly and one of the Spannish dudes having to grab my leg to help pull me in, whilst I tried to swing in to the rock and clip in to the belay bolts! Then I had to hang on the ab while spannish guys did the last ab, which was straight forward in comparison. And boy it was so good to be back on the ground again!!
Another cafe and more coke (don't normally drink the stuff but it's so refreshing out here!) Views of the biggest spires with routes like the famous Fiesta Del a Biceps. That is 7a, and there was a pisstake of it at the crag we were at yesterday, Siesta Del a Biceps at 4b,lol!

Fri - Climbing at Rodellar today. Wow, what a stunning place! Only thing is, it's utterly crap from the low grade climber! But if you were able to climb 6c/7a or above then you'd be in heaven! Steep walls, caves and overhangs abound, all down in a beautiful gorge with a bubbling and sparkly clear river running through. Much gawking was done at all the hard climbers! One thing I've noticed about the Spannish women is that they are all very slim and some positively skinny! I wish I could be like that, and just as strong!
As it was, Andy and I started off on an IV called Mecaguen los Pinchos, which was utterly minging! If they are going to bother bolting low grade stuff, then please atleast make them enjoyable routes! Next Andy led a V+ but as he started he said he remembered climbing it last year. There is a move that is horrendously polished and utterly desperate and it was just as Andy remembered it, so he traversed across and finished up on the V called Ta Fiole con Tonica, which I did on toprope. It was better than the IV, but still badly polished and also very reachy! Andy tried a 6a next but backed off due to polish, then he did another 6a called Siglo XXI which was a total sandbag and felt more like 6a+ to me! The 6a+ next door called Bolskan was toproped by Andy and he thought it more like 6b, bloody spannish grades!
I led an IV+ called Espolon Izquierdo which was a pleasant route but again spoilt by polish then Andy finished off on a V called Grenoulille and yup, you guessed it, it was polished! Below 6a here is like glass! 6a - 6c is marginally better and it's a shame as it really spoils what is otherwise a gorgious venue!
Andy remembered a via feratta from the last time he was here so we finished off the day by doing that. Fun and nicer than the polished sandbags! It goes up a 265m wall and ridge and is equiped with rungs and chains but is pretty steep, some bits even overhanging! At the top sits an old monastrie and lovely views of the gorge below. Then it's a walk back to the car, more cola and then the teriffying road back to the main road!

Sat - Last day in Spain and flight later this evening, hurrah, can't wait to see RB! Have been really, really missing her the past few days! I got quite anxious as Laura had phoned my mobile but I couldn't get to it in time, and they never called back even though I texted them to do so (I didn't have enough credit left to call!) It was silly because if it was something important/an emergency they would have kept trying me, but I couldn't stop worrying regardless and it was always on the back of my mind!
Our flight wasn't until 9.30pm so went for a 3hr walk around the lakes and cliffs at Vadiello. It was nice and chilled and really pretty and again, so damn hot! (even though temp had dropped to high 20's!) We spotted this amazing looking trad route up a rib/arete and then on to a fantastic looking scrambly ridge above. We were amazed to see a couple actually climbing on it just 5mins after spotting it as we hadn't realised it was an established route. Some guy was out running in this heat, they must be used to it! Picked bunches of wild Rosemary, smells delicious! Munching oreos on the way to the airport, feeling crap cos Period started. Belly sore, and feel quite out of it. Stop of at Mont Blanc for tea and catch a bit of some local music festival.
Bet is on, will it be raining in Glasgow or dry? I say rain, Andy says dry and I have to buy him choccy if I lose, he has to buy me crisps. It was dry! We stopped off at a garage outside garage for a drink and I bought him his choccy. 5 mins later it was pissing it down, lol!

Ben Vorlich and Stuic a' Chroin

What fun we've had the past couple of days on what has had to have been the hottest days of the year!

RB got a slackline for her birthday and we played with it Wed (her birthday,) Thursday and Friday!

Wednesday, we were both pretty awful, wibbling and wobbling all over the shop, Thursday was much better though.

I've been getting a whole new kitchen put in and the electricity and water was off for a while and what with the glorious weather, we ended up spending most of the day outdoors in the sun.

The slackline was up first thing and we managed to get it a bit tighter, but discovered courtesy of UKC's slackliners, that the line is supposed to be a bit wibbly, hence the slack bit! We also got tips of knee bending and looking forward to help with balance.

So, by the end of day 2, RB was managing to take 7 steps unaided and I was managing 5 steps unaided. Even one of the workmen was joining in the fun! Some dude who used to do Circus skills in Dundee including tightrope walking and unicycling, but even he couldn't master the slackline! The rest of day 2 was spent swimming in the local river, jumping off rope swing into river and blasting down the rapids.

By the end of day 3, RB was walking the whole length of the line unaided.

So, there is a point to all this....................

I was supposed to be climbing today, but thanks to the slackline I've hurt my neck! Sometimes falling off the line can be a little graceless, especially if you catch your foot on the line, tumble forwards and land awkwardly on your shoulder. If you've been reading my blog, then you'll have probably heard me wittering on about having a twingy neck/sore shoulders/sore elbows/numb fingers from time to time?

Well, around 15 minutes after falling off, something went bad in my neck (it's a disc, I know it! Just know that feeling!) Oh the pain was horrible! I couldn't move my neck at all to the right and I couldn't move it downwards either, it was just locked and really sore. 2x Codeine and 2x Robaxin (muscle relaxant for sprains and strains) later, a light massage with Wintergreen oil (anti-inflammatory) it felt a tad looser and less painful. We decided that going to the river would help with a dip in the icy cold water, followed by an ice pack at home.

Aaaaaarg, how annoying!!! So, I was supposed to be climbing today (Sat) but what do I do. Do I wait until the next day (injury was Thurs) to decide, so if it's still sore, then I rest it. Or do I just climb regardless and risk making it worse and buggering up my holiday. Aaaaarg, I hate these decisions! But it's really not worth risking not being unable to climb while I'm away!

Next day it's much better pain wise and my ROM is much better, but I still can't twist my neck properly to the right and it's still sore to try and do so and as the day goes on it gets stiffer and sorer (though still not as bad) It's definitely one of the discs, but I feel it's a minor 'twang' compared to before as the pain has settled so quickly. It's just going to take time to loosen off fully (back to doing neck and shoulder stretches for me!) and I'm going to have to be careful as regards falling onto my shoulders/neck or back!! (so, I didn't bother with any slacklining on the Friday as tempting as it was!) And no climbing over the weekend either, although once it's eased off more I actually think the stretching etc involved in climbing will help (though the heavy rucksacks probably won't!)

So, decided to go hillwalking today instead, although I'm not sure if walking downhill over rough ground is the best thing for a dodgy disc problem! But hey ho, I just had to go out and do something!

RB wanted to do an easy scramble as well and I was trying to rack my brains of places that weren't mega far to drive and had a mega easy scramble that we could do without rope. Then I remembered Stuic a'Chroin that I hadn't bagged yet. Munro book mentions a scramble that can be avoided, or take the buttress but not for the inexperienced. Sounded just the thing and not too far to drive!

Up at 6.30 am (yawn!) and off to St Fillans and down to South Loch Earn. Now, took a while to find the correct starting point as it's not actually on the map that I have for the area. Arrived at the back of ten, but it was 10.45 by the time we actually set off! RB was huffing and puffing, too tired, too hot and it was hot!! Forecast had been for sunny intervals and light rain showers but the rain never materialised and it varied between hot and muggy and blazing sunshine all day long.

It took about 3/4 of the way up Ben Vorlich for RB to get into her stride and start enjoying the day (after a game to take her mind of the effort!) You have to imagine that money is no object whatsoever, then go though the letters of the alphabet and say what you would want to buy, beginning with A, then B and so forth. Finally at the top and we could see the scramble on the Bealach an Dubh Choirein ahead of us. Some yucky and loose downhill first, along a flat and then up to the scrambly bit. RB and I had a bet as to how many groups of folk would tackle the scramble directly up the NE buttress or how many would skirt around it, taking the steep but easier option to the right. RB thought only the group in front of us would go for the harder option but I guessed that only we would. At first it seemed that the blokes in front were going to go for it, but they veered off to the right and went up the easy way! Not RB and I though, we went left and sniffed out the funnest way, scrambling over big blocks and up steeper walls, with a committing and thin step fairly near the top that was a bit damp and scary with big boots on! RB thoroughly enjoyed it and before long we were on the final leg to bagging Stuc a' Chroin, RB's 10th munro and my 95th.

Then began the long, long descent back down to the car, across the mighty bog of doom (!) around Coire Buidhe (the estate said they'd marked a path with poles where they wanted you to go, but we couldn't see them so just followed a not too eroded path (maybe the sign at the estate gate is old?) The descent down off Stuc a Chroin was steep and loose and yucky, then traversing around underneath the Bealach an Dubh Choirean was the bog of doom! There would be a very short section of okayish path, then a huge section of bog where we'd have to go back up hill to avoid wet feet and then back down again. And the traverse carried on in this fashion for a lifetime! Then after meeting up with the Vorlich path, the going was much better but seemed to take a life time.

But finally back to the car, with sunburnt leggies (didn't put sun cream on calves!) and tired feet. Only a 6 and 1/2 hour day but I must be out of hill condition cos my legs were feeling it!

Long overdue visit to Dunkeld - 28th June '09

No climbing on Saturday.
It is RB's birthday on Wednesday and she'd taken 3 of her friends down to Knockhill for a go on the (50mph) gokarts, the adults getting a go as well!
It nearly got cancelled due to the mist, but went ahead thankfully.
RB was loving it, and overtook me and then kept cutting me off at the corners! Both her and her Dad crashed though, haha! They still both managed to get faster times than me though!
We sat afterwards, eating bacon butties (num!) and drinking tea, watching the proper cars zoom round the fast track. I hadn't realised that you could take your own car on, for a shot of the track. Some of the cars were going mega fast!
I also hadn't realised that my Dad's cousin-in-law was the World Motorbike and sidecar racing champion, before he had a crash and died and now has a memorial race every year at Knockhill, the Jock Taylor Memorial Race.

http://scottishbiker.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/jock-taylor-memorial-sidecar-racing-knockhill-sunday-30th/
Then followed an hour of table tennis and off to Bekah's Gran and Grandad's house in Monifieth for a barbeque. I went out for a quick 3mile run, knackered! And then got absolutely stuffed on barbequed chicken wings, kebabs, pork sausage things, salads and pasta
RB and friends went to her Dad's to stay over and I went back to my folks to collapse into bed for a much needed early night!
Sunday, I met up with Mel in Coupar Angus and we car shared (with Mel driving, I never get to drive!), arriving at Dunkeld around 10.30ish.
It's been ages since I've climbed at Dunkeld. Last time was with Jonathon last summer, shortly after climbing there with Adam a while before. I've always found the routes there quite intimidating, and lacking in enough gear to feel wholly comfortable. So, I was feeling quite nervous but curious to see if my improved climbing confidence and ability would transfer itself to the routes at Dunkeld.
Mel started off (as per agreed last time, seen as she didn't get to lead much at Clova) on Beech Wall. I said the crux was tricky but I didn't mention to her that I had to aid it the last time I was there with Jonathon as I didn't want to put her off. It's weird though, the very first time I did the route, I managed the crux clean. Anyway, Mel did it no bother, after a wee pause and good think about how she was going to tackle it. I ended up falling off the damn thing! Was VERY annoyed! Definitely one of those routes where it's easier to be tall, both Mel and I have to make a couple of moves to reach over the crux crack, involving jamming, smeary laybacks and foot jamming. Unfortunately, I got my hand jam muddled up, slipped off and took a pendulum swing about 2m away from the crux! Woooooooohooooooooooo! What a rush! Had to get my weight off the rope pretty, quick smart though as the rope was digging in a bit to Mel's leg (well held lass!) Then I couldn't get back across so just made a move up the wall to the left of the crux and joined Mel at the belay, miffed at myself for being such a numpty!
Mel led the 2nd pitch as well and because we'd forgotten to check the guide, wasn't sure exactly where the pitch went, but managed to sniff it out in the end. Top bit was nice, but the middle bit was a bit scrambly and vegetated.
I wanted to lead Cuticle Crack next, for an easy warm up lead. And I was curious about the route as I'd seconded it way back in 2005 when I first started climbing and fell off the starting moves (crux) so was interested to see how hard I found it now. It was quite fiddly placing in gear, and took me a wee moment to figure out the moves, but I eventually made upward progress, steep but on humungous jugs! Really, quite a lovely wee route! And I found a no 8 (I think) Wallnut as booty so was chuffed to find my 3rd ever piece of crag swag. Came out with just 3 knocks with the nutkey, really some people will abandon gear far too easily! There is also a cam burried deep into the crack, but Mel tried to get it out, but just couldn't reach far enough into the crack.
After ab'ing down Hairy Gully and having a bite to eat, we decided to do Terminal Buttress at HS 4c. 2 pitches, 1 pitch each. There were a couple of guys doing the route called The End, which shares a belay ledge with our route and by the time Mel had cruised her way up the 1st pitch, the guys were still there. And by the time I'd gotten up, the 2nd was still hanging about waiting for his leader to get over the upper overlap. The belayer had initially tried the crux pitch, but after falling off back onto the belay ledge a couple of times had swapped over leads. So, we waited for him to move off, so I could get his belay placements to back up our belay and serve as a runner.
Just as I was getting myself organised, another person came onto the ledge having done the 1st pitch of The End. I had place one no4 nut, but wanted one in a bit higher, but sod's law the placement would only take another no 4 nut and I only took up one set with me!
The guy who just came up, lent me one of his no4's though, what a gent!
The guide book is confusing as to where the 2nd pitch of Terminal Buttress goes. The description for The End is to climb the bulge via a right facing groove, and the description for Terminal Buttress is to climb through the bulge itself, just to the left of The End. But both routes seem to share the much the same holds, so seems a bit odd!
Anyway, I managed it just fine, just a little committing, but the holds are all good and it's just a one hard move really.
Next is an unprotected slab up to a ledge, and then a step right to a crack in the overlap, which you surmount by a couple of really lovely moves, and then up the slab above.
It was a lovely route!
By the time I'd brought up Mel, we'd dismantled the belay, coiled the ropes, scrambled back down, organised our gear and had a bite to eat, the guys who were behind us on the crux of The End, were still struggling with that move of the ledge!! We both felt quite smug that we'd cruised it, where as both the team of guys before and after us had real trouble with it! I think it's one of those rarer moves where it's actually a real advantage to be short, as you do need to get your feet up quite high, near (ish) to your hands.
By that point it was 4pm and I had to pick up RB and her mates from her Dad's at 5.30, so after a half hearted bit of deliberation as to whether I should bomb up Bollard Buttress at Diff (V.Diff?) we decided against it and called it a day.
A short but fine day's climbing it was, and I've warmed more to Dunkeld after today. Would quite like to get back at some point and sample one of the many VS's there.

Fed up with Kirrie! - 24th June '09

As the title says!
Went to our usual midweek haunt of Kirrie Hill for a spot of bolt clipping and had a really crap evening.
I normally enjoy sport climbing midweek, the ability to squeeze in as many routes as possible in an evening and I normally love the style of climbing at Kirrie. Er, crumbly, dusty, mucky sandstone at it's best. But I like the style, the moves, ledges and blocks, big sandstone rounded horrors of holds, roofs and bulges, little flaky edges and side pulls, it's all good!
I guess I've just not been for ages (compared to last summer anyway, when I was there pretty much every week, pushing myself and enjoying it) I came to find that all the midweek sport was really helping to improve my confidence on trad at the weekend. I knew I could make moves above gear, and I think it was just all that extra mileage that is possible with sport that improved my 'leading head.'
Still, I do have a tendency to find bolted climbing *more* scary than trad climbing. Silly I know, especially seen as Kirrie has got to be the most friendliest bolted crag in Scotland! With trad there may be long run outs, but generally the more cruxy moves are always well protected, with the run outs on easier sections that you don't mind so much. There's nothing quite so satisfying and absorbing and finding that right bit of gear to place, fiddling it in, possibly another piece or 2, or 3 or more if the crux feels really balsy and you're not getting pumped silly for being such a wimp as to want in so much gear!
Anyway, you just don't get that satisfaction with bolts, and because there's nothing to focus on other than the moves, I find 'the fear' creeps in more and it's hard to relax and just enjoy the climbing, instead I'm always thinking,
'gotta reach the next bolt, gotta reach the next bolt!'
But normally I enjoy it nonetheless.
I was probably just having a bad day anyway.
Let's see,
It was cold, not like cold, cold, but the Haar was in from the North Sea and extending far inland, so it was that muggy, damp kind of cold. That kind of cold that seeps into your bones and joints and doesn't seem to leave.
God, was I stiff! I couldn't seem to warm up at all. Didn't seem to help that we were climbing as a 3 (RB, Jonathon and I) so too much hanging around waiting. Especially as RB was really pushing herself this evening on toprope, so taking longer to climb routes.
RB was climbing well! So was Jon. I was struggling to make big moves to try anything harder. My legs wouldn't stretch for high steps and I couldn't get my weight over my feet for rock overs, every time I was stretching for a hold my calf (still tight from the nerve damage 2yrs ago now!!!) would go into cramps (always does that now if it's not warmed up sufficiently)
I seemed to be lacking strength and finding even the 5+'s a struggle and was getting pumped on one move in particular. Jon and RB had led this route first to warm up on (we couldn't warm up on our usual 4+ as someone else was on it. Faffing even more than I do! Think they were fresh out of the wall. Dead funny to see! And it's funny to think that I used to back of 4's like they were doing, everything taking so long. And it's funny how you can tell that folk are complete beginners. All good though! We all get there in the end (mostly!))
So, this move. RB had found it reachy and taken a while over it. Jonathon, of course, had managed to just stand on a ledge and reach a jug over the lip of a bulge. RB and I had to use a rounded side pinch on an arete to the left, use a 2 finger pebble for the right hand (who ever heard of having to use 2 fingers on a 5!!) Then we had to use a smear for the right foot, just leave the left foot dangling and step up on the smear for the juggy ledge above. It was a really committing move with the bolt below (well, obviously not miles below as the bolts at Kirrie never are! But enough to know you were gonna have a wee fall if you came off) When it came to my turn to try it, it took ages to commit. Every time I tried to use the smear, my knee was pushing against the rocky bulge above the smear, meaning it felt like I couldn't trust my feet. And I didn't think I had the strength to hold either the side pinch or the pebble whilst I stood up. All the while I'm getting more and more pumped, and my shoulders are beginning to ache so bad it's painful. I'm doing all my usual groaning and grunting, and finally I know I have to commit or take the swing and rest on the god damn bolt! I refuse to rest, and just go for it, with the usual, 'watch me!'
And it's not easy above either! The next few moves are big moves, and you're always having to keep your body tensioned to keep into the rock. My arms are so tired now, but I just have to keep moving, trusting the friction on the rounded holds will be enough. Until at last I get to a point where I can rest in balance and let my arms recover. I sink into the rock, letting my head rest gently on it, breathing rate and heart rate lowering. Thank god! That was tough for 5+!!! One of those hard for the short routes I think. Both RB and I agreed that the 6a along to the right was easier.
I never really recovered after that. Tried a 6a+ on toprope. One that I'd wanted to lead as my 1st 6a+ onsight. Hah! Glad I didn't! I would have fallen off before even making the first clip! VERY strenuous! Just no strength in this stiff and cold body today! Finally half pull over the roof, but can't get fully over and slump onto the rope in disgust. Too hard, pissed off, lower off. Had enough!
Jon leads a different 6a+ and RB battles her way up it, working out the moves on toprope. I give it a half hearted attempt, a strenuous mantle type move where the rock is steep and slightly bulging, just too much for my protesting wrists! Everything just hurts today, damn damp and cold!
I retreat, tail between my legs, feeling thoroughly miserable now.
I miss the hills, I miss the west coast crags, I miss Andy. Really wishing he was about just now.
Oh well, live for a better day!

Short day cragging at Clova - 20th June '09

It's my Dad's 60th Birthday on Sunday and we're all going for a family meal so I didn't go away for the weekend, but was still desperate to climb locally on the Saturday.

I'd been worried it would rain, or that I wouldn't have a partner to climb with and I'm stressing because I can't get away for any weekends for the next few weeks. Of course, I keep forgetting that I'm going to the Pyrenees to climb for 11days, in a couple of weeks time and will be able to climb loads! But that doesn't make the desperation to climb NOW lessen any, such is the addiction.

I wasn't entirely sure who I'd climb with today. Mel had said she was up for getting out cragging, but I was worried she'd be too tired to go cragging, after spending a couple of days shadowing the guys at the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven, for her Single Pitch Award (SPA.)

So, to make sure I would definitely get out, I also emailed someone called Robbie from UKC, who had put a post up a while ago looking for climbing partners in Dundee. And just in case Robbie turned out to be unreliable, I also put a post up myself on UKC looking for partners, and it turned out that Henning was also looking to get out.

Shameless of me, but I did say I was desperate!

All good though and it meant there were 4 of us out climbing in the end, even numbers are always good.

Robbie turned out to be reliable Robbie, and very keen, Mel was home from her work and keen, and Henning..........well Henning was just up for it and even though he said he was off form, having not climbed much, was still as fit as ever!

I picked Robbie up from Dundee at 8.30am and we met Henning up at Clova and walked up so I could lead Monster's Crack for my warm up.

This would be my hardest warm up to date, normally preferring Severe's now to warm up on. But I hate the severe's at Clova, and reckoned I'd do ok warming up on HS. I do remember Chris saying it was pretty tough for HS and not great as a warm up, but I pushed those thoughts away as I thought it looked a really nice line and that's always a good motivation.

Just 2 moves off the ground though and I'm in an awkward position trying to place some gear, the route is harder than it looks! I'm close to bottling it, a part of me wants to climb back down to the ground and say,

'I can't do it.'

But, I'm getting better at ignoring this negative aspect of my personality when it comes to my climbing and as soon as I dismiss the thought, it doesn't come back again.

The route isn't easy though! I end up laybacking with good hand holds in the crack, but pretty smeary for the feet, and it feels quite committing with gear below me now. Until I reach a wee ledge and can bung in more gear, another committing move and the 1st crack is over and it's just a bit of scrambling to the top section of the route.

You can either scramble off to the left (though why you'd want to I don't know! But for those who bottle out of completing the route, there is this option as an escape) The route doesn't get any stars in the guide book and I guess because it's escapable, it's less of a good line, and the scrambling section spoils it some what too. Nonetheless, I think it worthy of one star, as the climbing is just superb.

The top crack is tough, but very well protected, and didn't it just choose to start raining at the crux! By the time I'd sussed the moves, made them and got the top holds, they were pretty damp, making things just that bit more spicy!

Damn good value for a warm up!

I brought up Robbie and then Henning, and could see Mel arriving in her car, down at the bottom of the cliffs.

Henning was trying to persuade me to lead Cauldron Crack, but nah, not today. It looks an amazing route, and one I really want to keep for the onsight. But I'd need a full day to attempt it, and would have to be well warmed up first.

Robbie started gearing up for Witches' Tooth at E1 5b instead, and Henning belayed whilst I went back to my sack, and to meet Mel who was walking up to the cliffs by this point.

Looked like Robbie was having a bit of a battle, and in the end the Witch won. He was pretty disappointed, which I can totally understand, but he didn't let it ruin his day and I think it was dead keen of him to give it a bash as it's meant to be a right test piece. And he seems to be a quietly confident climber and I think it's nice to see someone try hard stuff (even if they don't manage) as it inspires me very much indeed, to think that there's hope that one day I might be brave enough to be sat on that rope (not on the Witches' Tooth though! It's not a route that sings out to me)

I told Mel I was happy to second Monster's Crack even though I'd just led it. I was happy enough to second her on the Severe's also even though I don't like that horrible chimney at the start of one of them, but she seemed keen to do the HS, and I enjoyed it enough to do it again.

Mel climbed it much better than I did. She seemed to fly up that first crack and did it completely differently to me, using holds on the right wall for her feet and hands, and jamming her foot in the crack. Made it look less of a struggle than laybacking the crack.

When it came to my turn, I tried it the way she did it, and yeuch! Doing it that way wasn't the way for me at all! It felt quite off balance to me, and harder than laybacking, which although was committing and more strenuous, felt more in balance, just the way I like it.

Mel had been really bold on the top section, braver than me! I put in 3 bits of gear, all in different bits of the crack! Mel thought the top out harder than the top out on Lucky Strike, but I didn't think it was that hard when I was leading it, think I was just so focused on lead and desperate to escape the rain! On second, it felt much harder!

Henning and Robbie had gone up to the higher crag and had kindly taken our sacks up with them, so we didn't have to go back down for them, then back up again, as I wanted to lead Alder at VS4c.

I wanted to lead the whole route as one pitch, but Mel's rope is only 50m, and with the route being 40m long, and not knowing how far back the belays were, it was a bit risky. So we just did it in 2 pitches and Mel kindly let me lead both pitches, as I wanted the crux pitch, but that was only 10m, so I'd miss out on leading the beef of the pitch.

What a fab route it is!

I struggled with the 1st pitch, and Mel was slagging me off for placing 5 bits of gear in about a couple of metres. But it looked tough, and I wasn't sure exactly how to do the moves, and I wasn't finding it pumpy so was okay with placing loads of gear, apart from finding my body positions just a bit awkward! Mel said I seemed a bit stressed, and I was, so I remember what she said about breathing to keep calm and together and it really seemed to help! I still found it hard, and still bunged in loads of gear, but the deep breaths helped to keep me focused on the task of getting all that gear in until I was happy enough to commit to figuring out the moves.

With a helpful word from Mel about a ledge for my foot high on the right, and a nod from her that I'd found it okay, as I was placing my foot blindly, I finally made the move. In the end, that one move was dead easy because as soon as you make it, you can reach a brilliant jug!

Mel also said that I missed out a brilliant undercut hold which would have made myself more in balance whilst placing all the gear, ho hum!

Up onto a ledge and peg belay (backed up with a bomber cam as the peg is looking a tad worn!) I brought up Mel, sorted my gear, and Mel ran through the rope so i could lead the 2nd pitch.

Oh the second pitch is amazing! The climbing feels about Diff/V.Diff standard with humongous jugs! Until an overhanging section, which feels about 4a, making the 2nd pitch feel about Severe standard overall.

but it's jug city all the way and the positions and exposure is beautiful!

I'm so glad Mel was happy for me to lead the whole thing, as it wouldn't have been as nice just leading one bit.

Henning and Robbie were just finishing an E2 (which I don't know the name of and forgot to ask) and Mel and I scrambled back down (there's one scary section on the down scramble and I got Mel to guide my foot down from below) whilst Robbie ab'd down to successfully retrieve a cam that had gotten jammed on their route. Mel buried into the undergrowth to find a krab that had fallen from my harness at the top of the route, narrowly missing wacking her whilst I got my shoes off and sorted my gear.

Mel had wanted to go and lead Central Crack, but upon checking the time, it was 2.45pm and Robbie had to be back in Dundee at 4.30 at the latest for work, so we had to call it a day.

I felt pretty guilty for hogging all the lead on Alder after that, and Mel looked disappointed that she wasn't going to get any more leading done and insisted she get the 1st lead when we go out next time.

So, I'll just have to put my nerves aside and go for seconding first for a change. Maybe it will be a good thing anyway, to stop myself being reliant on having that first lead, and to see if it effects my confidence and if I can still get my head into the right place.

First 2 photos courtesy and copyright of Henning.
Rest are mine.

TIME TO COLLAPSE! - Fri 12th June '09

So, so, so, so tired. I'm sitting writing this and half concentrating on what I'm writing and the other half of me is already snuggled under the duvet with a warm cuppa, reading a good thriller!

So, my week has gone something like this;

Mon - 2 and half hour long exam, 4 mile run followed by a fingerboard session.

Tue - 3 mile run in 21 minutes, followed by gym ball exercises.

Wed - 3 mile run, with faster intervals back and forth (probably making it 4miles) Followed by 4 hours climbing at the wall. Several 6b's and 6b+'s

Thurs - 6 mile run, last mile was hard going!

Then today, Friday I went up to Ballater with Mel, to meet George from Glenmore Lodge and Andy decided to come down too, which was ace cos I didn't think we'd see each other this weekend and it meant we were an even number, so more climbing!

The clouds were a bit grey on driving up, and several idiots on the road later we finally made it there, where the clouds blew over and the sun shone. Nice, but the rock was a bit sweaty in places and regardless of slapping on some of Mel's sun block, I still got sun burnt! Can't find my factor 40 anywhere!

Andy appeared just as I was gearing up to warm up. I hadn't been sure what to do for a warm up. Razor's crack at VS seemed a bit too strenuous to start on and I'm sick of Ping Pong now, so Mel persuaded me to warm up on a 'Severe' called After Shave. I'd normally stayed away from this route, hearing tales of how awkward and hard it was for Severe, but Mel convinced me it was okay. 'S only Severe right? Can't be hard!

The starting moves are a bit awkward but on trying to place a bit of gear, I found myself in a horrible and out of balance position, unable to hold on *and* place gear. Hmmm, this one was going to need a rethink!

Andy asked if I wanted him to lead it for the warm up, but no way! If I gave over the lead now, on a Severe, it would be a bad knock to my confidence and I'd not want to lead anything else that day. I had to figure it out!

It just took a wee committing shuffle upwards of the feet, then I felt more in balance, gear in, high step on smeary hold and up for a jug, nae bother!

The top is a bit tricky too though, certainly not plain sailing and I can see why folk think this route is under graded at Severe. Feels more like HS, but I'm unsure if that's cos I'm not warmed up sufficiently.

George was leading Brut at VS 5a whilst I did After Shave and as he'd finished, Andy decided to have a go. He flew up it, with just a little pause at the crux, then it was my go. God it's hard! The holds are horribly polished and crimpy and it all feels really insecure, esp in the heat! Don't think I'll be leading that one any time soon.

Next it was time for Razor's Crack and boy did I faff! Managed to get a cam in from the ground but failed to reach high enough to get in a good hex to protect the crux moves. And then struggled to get down from the move I'd made up. I was up and down like a yoyo trying to place that damn bit of gear, getting more and more flustered all the while! But I finally managed to get it in, and move up. Very strenuous though, and I'd gotten a bit of tunnel vision regarding my foot until Mel, coming back round from leading Ping Pong pointed out that I needed my left foot higher, and had I not forgotten about a big massive foot ledge on the left, doh! Climbed it completely differently from the last time, and had a wee 'moment' trusting myself to get over the top of the bulge, but finally made it, phew! Heart going like the clappers I needed just a wee minute to gather myself before climbing the easy slab above.

Mel and George had moved onto the middle sector, and Andy wanted to do Cowardie Custard. I was keen to second this, as Mel had led it previously as her first HVS lead and had found it enjoyable so I wanted to see what it was like. Over a roof which was good, but the holds looked small to me! Andy took a bit of time figuring the crux and when it was my go, I did it completely differently to him, initially getting my foot too high and not managing to get over the roof, before finding a lower and better hold. I'd like to lead this one day, but not any time too soon!

I wasn't in the mood for Lucky Strike, just didn't feel at my best today. Felt very unfocused and almost like I was reverting back to my days of not feeling confident and bottling things and I seem to be getting easily flustered and forgetting to pack things into my sack when we were moving about.

I'm too harsh on myself though! I can't expect every day to be a good day, and my shoulder was giving me quite a bit of grief, with stabbing pains occurring at the back of my shoulder blade and into the top of my back, and my hands had been numb all morning and weren't showing any signs of clearing up. In the end I decided I'd go for leading Left Hand Crack at VS 4c. Not one that I was dying to do, but it would be an onsight for me, one of the few VS's left at Ballater that are there for the onsight.

Got my first bit of gear in, then climbed back down and gave it a damn good tug to make sure it wasn't going anywhere as it was a pretty crucial runner! Then it's a really good undercut, a high step and a big reach to a good hold, then up to a rounded hold. Eeeeeeek, this didn't feel nice to place gear from! I shuffled my weight more to the right, getting my fingers round a crimpy side pull in a crack and that felt more in balance and more secure, but hell it was PUMPY!!!

C'mon gear, get in, get in! Gear is in, but feck me, what do I do now? Looks a bitty blank for my feet! Can't remember what the hell I did, but sure it involved some trickery, before finally moving up to the most glorious jug ever, followed by a sinker of a nut! OH YEAH!
The next moves were easier and nice climbing, then up a groove/chimney-esque thing to the top. Now that was a nice lead :o)

George had just finished Pink Wall and I got some photos of Mel on her nemesis and then belayed Andy on Flibbertygibbet. It's a fab route! I really wish I'd saved it for the onsight as it's exactly the sort of thing I love. Steep and juggy crux, nice!

I was getting quite knackered by this point and gave over the next lead to Andy, who decided on Black Custard at E1 5b. It looked steep and hard! But the holds looked good. Mel was leading Original Route by this point so after I taking some more photos I went to belay Andy, trying to watch carefully how he did the moves. The start is easier than I thought it would be, need to trust your feet! But the hand holds are good, and they take you into a narrow and precarious groove, where you really feel like you're going to be spat out any minute! I managed to hold myself in though and eventually you can move out of the groove and into overhanging ground above with really good holds. The top is hard though! VERY strenuous, really teeth gritting and gurning stuff! I thought I wasn't going to make it, and came very close to shouting, 'taaaaaaake!' but I was determined to climb it cleanly. What an amazing route!

Time is getting on, so Andy and I went down for me to do Medium Cool, whilst George led Flibbertigibbet. Back down at the Western Sector it seemed to take ages for me to get my gear sorted, then I couldn't find my small cams, then I got the cams Andy had lent me for the route, muddled with his other cams and before I knew it, it was 3.40 and I knew I couldn't lead Medium Cool and be back in time for RB. Annoyed at myself for giving up my earlier lead, but can't be helped! Strip all my gear off and grab Andy's rack to take over to the base of the route where he's sorting the ropes. Andy is going to do Silent Spring at E1 5a instead, eeeeeek E1 slabs!!!

The start follows the same route as Medium Cool and I find it easier and the traverse less scary than first time round, and the overlap just as hard! Then it's up to the tree and up a curving line on utterly blank slabs above. Pure friction climbing, and the foot 'holds' are just clear enough of the black lichen that covers the slabs and I can just make out little nodules and nubbins to use as hand holds. Very tenuous, as only slabs can be, with a couple of reachy rock overs and then I'm up! Ugh, horrid!

Mel zooms me back down the road in time for RB. Quick bite to eat then RB and I head off to AVW in Dundee.

Can I boulder after a day's climbing, no way! So tired! I do try though. Traverse the whole wall, holding holds on each move for 6-7 seconds, holds getting smaller and smaller. Then RB and I have our, add on a hold traverse and we do it a bit differently than normal, adding on fun things like climbing backwards up corners etc. The game terminates with RB on the arch over the roof, doing a figure of four. Hah! I cannae do that! And off I fall!

Next we do an easy 4x4 on 2 VB's and 2 V0's. Pick 4 boulder problems and climb then one after the other, rest for 30 seconds and do it all again, repeating 4x. I'm finding it tiring cos I've been out all day, but know when I'm fresh we'll have to make it a bit harder! Maybe 2 V0's and 2 V1's. That's me knackered now. RB gets in about some volumes, with much wedging and so on but I can't get off the ground.

Tomorrow, I'm going for another run, then out shopping to buy summery clothes for a trip to the Gourette area in the French Pyrenees (watch this space!) and I'm looking forward to having a lazy lie in, sweet!