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!

THE SWORD OF GIDEON - 6/7th June '09

Having thought this weekend was going to be a washout, imagine my delight to find yet again that the NW of Scotland was going to be dry and possibly even sunny! Andy and I had planned a day on Beinn Eighe followed by a day down in Applecross to let me lead my dream VS, Sword of Gideon on Sgurr a' Chaorachain. Unfortunately, the forecast for the higher hills was a bit on the cold side so Beinn Eighe was out, but we decided to bet on Applecross, and it didn't fail to disappoint!
I was more nervous that usual, because I was so psyched to do this route.
'What if it was too hard and I couldn't do it though?'
'What if it didn't look as nice as I thought it would?'
'What if I bottled it?'
Pressure or what!?
The drive across to Applecross is stunning, over the Bealach na Ba, the highest road in Scotland, hairpin bends on an extremely narrow road, surrounded by stunning scenery.
We were there, and there was the buttress, just a 10 minute walk from the car!
'Eeeeek!'
I'd asked Andy if he minded if I led the crux pitch and he insisted that I lead the whole route and I wasn't going to refuse! The 1st pitch is a bit scrappy and you can leave it out and traverse along a terrace to start on the route proper above, but I wanted to do every single pitch on the route so we started off right at the bottom.
I'd heard that the 1st pitch was about Severe, but don't know where I heard that from as it certainly wasn't severe, more like scrambling! One bit of gear in the whole thing saw me reach the Terrace and there was the crux pitch.
'Gulp!'
It's steeper than I had thought it would be! And there's no gear in the initial moves off the ground, 'double gulp!'
There is however a fantastic jug, and though it's a tad on the wobbly side I decide it's good enough to pull up on, and that's it, I'm committed.
It's harder climbing that I thought it would be, a couple of tricky sections, with moves which feel quite committing and gear under my feet. But I'm finally at the top of the groove and faced with a gearless traverse across a slab. There's nothing juggy here! And it's quite committing again, with typical rounded sandstone holds but excellent friction, and there I'm at the belay ledge!
The next pitch is utterly delightful! Laybacking on steep jugs, excellent climbing and the sort of stuff I could climb all day long, so nice! But before long it's all over with just an easy scramble to the top and that's it, my dream route done! I feel wonderful, but as always after doing a route I've dreamed of, I feel a touch of sadness that I can no longer have it to look forward to. Forever onwards onto the next route, the next dream! The thirst is never quenched!
Andy's mate John, had climbed at Applecross a couple of days before and had done amongst other things a VS called Anduril, but they'd abandoned ship after the 3rd pitch and Andy couldn't remember why, but decided to have a look at the route. I can see why the bailed! The first pitch was wet! The 2nd pitch was covered with black lichen and the 3rd pitch was completely and utterly artificial and pointless. In fact, all bottom 3 pitches were a waste of time!
However, the route made up for it, by presenting a quite excellent 4th and 5th pitch. I'd recommend anyone doing this route to traverse along the Terrace and not bother with the pitches 1,2 and 3 as the real and good climbing lies above. Really sustained VS climbing, move after move of it, and I found it really tough!
Back to the sacks and I took some photos of some other climbers on Sword. We were in good time in the morning, as there were 2 other parties that climbed it after us. I didn't feel pressurised though as the party after us was much slower.
We decided to call it a day after that and after finding a spot to camp, on a roadside beach just the other side of Applecross, we went for a meal in the Applecross Hotel, which was lovely. Back to the beach where we drank wine in the setting sun, with views across to Skye and no midgies!
We didn't escape the midgies the next morning though. I wasn't finding them too bad, but Andy was getting bothered by them so we moved quickly. We drove right round the peninsula and across to Torridon to climb at Diabaig. I'd never climbed here before, nothing much worth doing below VS, and the best of the routes at HVS and above has always meant it was a venue too hard for me. But Andy was keen to show me it and said there was a VS I could lead there called Boab's Corner.
I was dubious about the top pitch, as the guide mentioned 'hard for the short'
But Andy couldn't remember it being that reachy so we went to have a look. I really didn't like the look of it! The bottom corner was a bit mucky and then above looked suspiciously like a nasty blank slab to me! AAAARRRRRGGGGGGG!!!! Why does he keep recommending slabs to me, when he knows fine well I don't like slab climbing! I gave the lead to Andy, no way I'm doing that for a warm up, didn't like the look of it one bit.
The start was easy, but the slab above was tenuous, reachy rock overs and tenuous climbing, yuck! I don't' mind slabs so much if there are small flakes and cracks I can hold on to, and if the moves are small, but there seemed to be some big reaches and big, slabby moves and I never once felt secure and was forever struggling to keep in balance.
The top pitch looked even blanker, so I said, 'no thanks!'
And the crux was awfully reachy! There is a big block that you have to surmount and there are jugs on the arete of the block that you can work your hands up, then you have to bridge across and just heave over. Problem though, Andy seemed to think that the reachy move was reaching over the block, but that was actually easy! The reachy bit was actually grabbing the arete as when I was as high as I could possibly get below the block, with nothing left to hold onto, no cracks or nubbins, the arete was still about a foot away from me! I ended up being hauled up so I could reach the arete, then I managed to get the jugs and brutally get myself over the block.
Not a route I enjoyed one little bit!
The descent was horrible too. Scrambling down moderate ground and then down a steep, muddy slope, followed by wading through chest high bracken!
I wasn't happy. This isn't a venue for the VS and below leader. All the really nice looking routes here are really hard and all the easier things are slabby. There is a gorgeous looking VS however that goes up over steep ground,with cracks and overhangs that looks just superb! But unfortunately it starts by having to scramble up a horrible slime covered wall and there's no way to get to the base of the route without getting your feet wet. And I wasn't in the mood for leading anyway. Felt too tired and just not psyched by the place and baffled why Andy keeps trying to get me to lead stuff that I insist I don't like and trying to put me off stuff that I think looks amazing by saying it's really hard! We just seem to get on better with different styles of climbing and I think Andy just assumes, like most people, that because I'm a woman that I will like slabs better because they're not steep. But I like steep! I don't like all this precarious, teetering about and relying wholly on balance that you seem to do with slabs, find it too unnerving.
I was all for giving up for the day and just belaying Andy on something, but I knew Andy was disappointed that I didn't like the previous route, and was getting stroppy, so I made an effort and said I'd try Route 2 to give the place a chance. And I'm glad I did! The first pitch of Route 2 is lovely! (marred by one reachy move, but if I'd made more of an effort I'd have found a good sequence to get the jug before the crack) It's steep, the holds are good and even though sometimes there isn't much for your feet, the hand holds are always good enough to feel that you're not teetering and you can jam your feet in the crack a plenty.
The top pitch is different though, harder! Lots of jamming which was ok, but sometimes you have to jam with one foot, smear with the other, whilst having a hand in the crack on holds which feel polished and rounded and not that positive at all. Very sustained and I found the climbing right at my limit and very strenuous, didn't enjoy it as much as the first pitch.
A couple of blokes that Andy knows turned up and did Route 1 which Andy thinks I might be able to lead. The start certainly looks ok (with flakes!) and the crux is a roof/overlap by a holly bush which looks interesting! But I'm not sure about the next section. I might give it a go if I'm feeling brave enough and there is ok gear as once you hit that slabbier bit, it's not far to the belay ledge. We'll see!
I belayed Andy on an E1 5c called Black Streak, but decided not to bother seconding it as I find 5b a struggle enough and couldn't be bothered with having to fight and dog my way up a route.
We called it a day after that so I could get home a bit earlier than normal.
Final exam today, then free for the summer, hurrah!

Scottish Youth Climbing Championships and Cracks of Magic! 30th/31st May '08

Finally, the weekend of the Scottish Youth Climbing Championships that RB qualified for after coming 4th in the Youth Climbing Series this year. We'd been looking forward to it but both felt a bit dubious as to how well she'd do seen as we'd done hardly any indoor climbing since the last round of the YCS at Alien, and RB had done hardly any rock climbing either midweek due to me having my exams. We'd gone down to the wall a couple of times but only climbed half heartedly, neither of us really wanting to be indoors (with me sighing in relief that RB has been much preferring to climb outside!)
The format of the comp was that there were 15 boulder problems and short routes and RB had to try them all onsight and a judge scoring each problem would mark her score sheet. So, not only were they being tested on their climbing, but also on their ability to read the routes and read which ones were best to go for first and which ones to save until they had warmed up sufficiently. The comp was held at Extreme Dream in Aviemore, which although is a short wall, packs in a hell of a lot and has roofs and overhangs galore!
She got through everything in good time, but had a few slip ups on stuff she would normally fly up! Don't know if she was rushing too much or feeling over confident on stuff she thought looked easy but which was harder than it looked! But on other things which did look hard, she'd do really, really well! We thought it would be 50/50 whether she got through to the semi finals, but get through she did! I was so chuffed for her, and she was absolutely delighted and really put her all into next part of the comp, I think it really boosted her confidence!
The semi final was just one route and everyone who managed to top out would get through to the finals, where they would battle it out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The semi final route was up a slab, onto a roof and then crossing the roof to a volume and the finish and they had 2minutes to complete the route or the were out, so the pressure was on! They all managed to complete it and so all got through to the finals and they decided that the only way to make it challenging enough for them was to have them lead across the big roof that the older age category had just done for their semi's.
All 5 of them were put into isolation so they couldn't watch each other climb. RB was really nervous, never having led (or climbed!) a big roof like that. She's climbed over the roof on the bouldering wall at Dundee, but this was longer and was leading too. RB commented that it was today she was going to be taking her 1st leader fall. 'Just do your best,' I said and don't worry about falling, it's totally safe, just a little swing. 'Just keep climbing till you can't hold on. Don't bottle it and come off at the clip, but keep going.' Easy for me to say!
The 2 girls who were battling it out for 1st place nearly managed to complete the route, with the winner Nikki holding the last hold before falling and Rachael in 2nd place not far behind! Dawn who came 3rd reached the 1st volume, RB was one hold behind her and Lyndsey a couple of holds behind RB, so it was all very close! RB's feet cut loose at the 1st tough bit but she managed to get them back up again, make a couple more moves and another clip before her feet swung loose again. She couldn't get them back up this time, but she damn well tried! And off she came taking her 1st leader fall, which she said was actually rather fun! Such a good effort from her, especially as she doesn't get to train or climb half as much as most of them and I was so happy for her!

Sunday, we'd originally planned to go cragging and let RB do her 1st unsupervised trad leads. She's led a few Diffs and V.Diffs before but always with someone beside her and she was keen to do it on her own and I finally relented, now that she's a bit more mature and I know her gear has always been good and she understands how everything works.
But in the end, it was just far too good a day to be cragging and we wanted to be up the hills as it was just so hot a day forecast. So, we were supposed to be doing something easy so RB could possibly lead, but with supervision seen as it was more complicated being multipitch. But Andy somehow managed to wheedle his way into us all doing something hard!! I was a tad annoyed at first, as I wanted the day to be for RB, but she seemed keen to try something harder and was happy to postpone her leading practise so I mellowed to the idea and we all went up to Sneachda to do Magic Crack at HVS 5a. I was still dubious about it as it was HVS and by all intents and purposes it's a slab! Okay, it's a steep slab but it's still a slab and I hate slabs! I've been really getting into my leading of late and don't want to start off a thing where we are always doing stuff that's too hard for me to lead so I don't get the chance, so I was asking a billion questions about the route, pondering on whether I could manage to lead one of the pitches
As it turns out though, we had to start up the 1st pitch of the Genie to avoid a snow patch and I wasn't that inspired by it as the bottom was a bit dirty but once we got higher up the climbing was nice and once at the 2nd pitch before I knew what I was saying it just slipped out,
'I'll lead this one,'
Aaaarg, what are you doing! You hate slabs! Why have you just volunteered yourself to do a 5a slab right at your leading limit! Dafty! But I don't think about it, I just want to do it.
Approaching the slab I gulp, what have I let myself in for! But standing underneath the steep and thin crack that goes up the slab I can pick out little features for my feet and nubbins in the crack for my hands and I can lace it with gear! The start is easy enough and it gets harder the higher up you go, until at the top it gets pretty blank and you have to trust your feet in a couple of dubious looking half jams in the crack with little finger jams and edges at the side of the crack. It's lovely though and for some reason I don't get scared, I'm just purely focused on the climbing! Once past the crux of that pitch it eases off to a ledge and then a corner and flake above which just has one thoughtful move. And that's it! My first lead on an HVS, although my pitch was only really VS, it's still a 5a pitch and probably my best lead to date, if not my hardest.
RB manages it just fine, just getting her feet muddled a little but she's really trusting the rock and the friction and she knows what to do with the crack and how to climb it.
The next pitch is a lot more sustained though! The start is easy, then a very thin section which I'd have found pretty scary on lead, then it gets easier again at the top of the magic crack and once past the crack, the top bit is utterly amazing climbing, really beautiful moves across the rock! I could quite happily go and do that route all over again, simply for those top moves, lovely lovely! I was thinking the route was only worth 2 stars as the crack and slab climbing is all a bit samey, samey but that top bit is worth 3 stars alone it was so good! If you get a route that had pitches upon pitches of climbing like that, then god that'd be a billion star route!
Next we have to ab down at the side of the route. RB was a bit nervous about the ab, but once she set off she did it just fine, with me waiting for her at the top while Andy went down first, then Andy holding the ropes at the bottom, keeping her safe. Andy had shouted up and asked if we wanted to just ab down one ropes length and then climb the crux pitch of another HVS called Damnation. I thought it looked hard as anything, but both Andy and RB were keen to give it a go. I was more keen to get back to the sacks for a drink as it was so hot, but didn't want to spoil the fun! And was also a bit miffed that again, we had been conned into doing another hard route!
But I'm glad we did it in the end as there none of had realised just how much time was ticking on, and we wouldn't have had time to go back down and walk along to Mess of Pottage to have RB and me lead something easy. The crux on Damnation goes at 5b and it was pretty tricky! Especially as the very thin finger crack was wet and filled with mud!!! You had to jam your fingers and layback your feet up the corner for just a couple of moves, but the moves above and below were sustained and not a push over either! But once up the corner crack, you got to do the brilliant top bit of Magic Crack all over again!
This time we ab'd down to the top of the 1st pitch of Magic Crack, but not quite! I'd been dubious that we'd be able to ab' that far as I was sure the guide had mentioned the last 2 pitches were around 30m each, meaning the 50m ropes weren't long enough but Andy was insistent they were long enough! When it was my turn to ab and I arrived at the stance, Andy was looking a bit sheepish and admitted that the ropes hadn't been long enough! We were in a safe position though, it was just a 10ft scramble down to the proper ab' point so all was okay. I scrambled down with a body belay from Andy above, RB got lowered down as the down climbing moves were a bit stretchy! And Andy scrambled down after, then we all ab'd down the final pitch, finally back to the sacks and my much longed for water!
Surprisingly it was 4.30, too late to do another route and have RB home in good time for school the next day so we decided to call it a day.
It was a fab day though and RB had a wonderful time and it was ace to see her climbing so well outdoors and feeling confident on multipitch routes, and I'm finally coming round to the idea that slabs arn't so bad

Pass of Ballater - 24th May '09

Last minute arrangements as usual saw Mel and I with a plan for Ballater, with Mel picking me up at 9am.
'Ah, I'll get a nice lie in I thought.'
Not to be with a text from Chris waking me up at 7am saying he could manage it out climbing today too. We met up at the car park at 10.30, each with a mission in mind! Chris for Medium Groove, Mel for Lucky Strike and me for Original Route.
Started off with my usual Severe warm up which Mel didn't want to do as she'd done it last time she was there. That's the 4th time I've done it now, but there's not much else there to warm up on and it's a good and easy route to get my head in the right place. There was much discussion as to what to do next. Mel didn't want to jump on Lucky Strike straight away and Chris didn't want to jump on Medium Groove straight away either. There is another VS called Razor's Crack, low in the grade, which I wanted to lead too but was happy to give it over for their warm up as I was more keen for Original Route and it would save time with backwarding and forwarding to different parts of the cliff.
So Chris led Razor's and Mel showed my how to do the starting moves with a bit more ease than I remember! The first time I seconded this route was not long after I started climbing and I remember the guy Pete who led it putting in some gear way out to the left, making it really awkward for me to reach, so much so that I had to heel hook to keep in balance. I then just heaved and rocked over and found it all a bit of a struggle! The next time I tried it was when my spine was injured and I had to rest on the rope, finding it difficult in my weakness. This time I was up it in a flash! And it also means I've got something to go back and lead.
Mel went on Lucky Strike next and did a brilliant job of it! She's dead keen and bold and it's been ace climbing with her. I really like having another woman to climb with, especially one that can climb a bit harder than me and can inspire, motivate and encourage me! Lucky Strike is quite bold to start off, but Mel climbed it confidently, giving an 'oh yeah' of delight upon reaching the 1st jug! I moved back to take some photos and before long Chris was on his way and had found a brilliant side pull that he'd never noticed before at the start of the route. Then it was my go! I was really nervous about trying it. Chris had pointed out the better way to start it, avoiding all the polished and horrible crimpy holds and moving straight up right, before heading over left. When I did this route a couple of years ago, again when my back was bad, the guys I'd done it with had gone left too soon, making it LOADS harder! It's just one small crimpy move to the good side pull, then it's one more easy move and you've got the huge jug!
Then the crux is getting onto the 1st ledge which is quite awkward! Then follows a steep layback and we all used knees to get onto a big ledge with a tree. I struggled with the top crack, unable to find anything useful for my feet and try as I might, I can't remember how I got up that bit, but I do remember there was much grunting!
I was feeling nervous as hell about leading Original Route. I wasn't feeling that confidence that I have been feeling of late, and was feeling edgy and hormonal and full of negative thoughts. But I decided just to get on it anyway, telling myself the thoughts would go away once I was on the route, which they did as usual!
Took me 2 attempts to get the starting move, bung in some gear higher up and then I was on the ledge below the crux, twin cracks. This was yet another route that I'd struggled with on second so it took me a while to psych myself up for it! I had 2 good bits of gear, a bomber nut and a good hex. Found a hand jam low down, but then found an even better and utterly solid hand jam higher up. Moved my right foot onto a rounded edge at the bottom of the wall, moved up higher and got my left foot jammed in the left crack. This position was quite awkward, but ok enough to get in another good cam, get my right leg high onto a smaller sloping ledge on the wall and then try to move up. But aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggggg, that foot jam is fecking stuck!!! I can't move!!! This is bloody annoying! My position isn't so bad that I'm in imminent danger of falling, but my right foot is very high and I don't feel I can reverse the move enough to release my jammed foot! I curse some more and then relax my leg enough, taking the weight more onto my arms and other leg, enough to sink my heel low to untwist the foot jam and it finally pops out! Phew, that was getting a bit hairy! Then there's a crimp, another move up and a rounded but good hold at the top. WOOHOO AND YAY! My second VS5a in the bag, hurrah!
Chris's lead next and after some food we all went down to the base of Medium Cool. Hmmmmm, this looks 'interesting!'
It involves a pull up and rock over onto a slab, then a huge hand traverse, pulling over an overlap, then another traverse back rightwards before climbing up an easier but gearless slab! It took some time for Chris to lead, must have been bold as get oot! The traverse is very delicate for the feet and it's not until half way across that you feel fully secure on the hand holds. The crux is quite committing. There is a rounded crack that you have to walk your hands along, whilst getting your feet high enough that you can throw one over the overlap, trust the friction of the rock and then rock over. Then it's slab padding for a couple of moves, then easy to the top. A brilliant lead by Chris and another route I'd love to have a go of leading!
Next, Mel went to have a look at Pink Wall. It's given VS5a in the guide but has been upgraded to HVS5a. Mel thought it looked not too bad with positive holds. I thought the holds looked positive, but thought it looked bloody steep! Mel got a bit of gear in, then moved up but struggled to find anything good for her left hand and felt really off balance. She came off, landing on her feet, and then over onto the bottom of her back! Ouch! In hindsight, we should have spotted her until she got the first positive hold and got higher gear in, but hindsight is a great thing!
She picked herself up and tried again. Putting in more gear, it whipped out and she smacked her elbow off the wall, grimacing in pain! That was her for the day. She was exhausted. A day of fun competition speed climbing and belaying the day before, having the cold and being up late with a hacking cough was making her feel really rough, and she looked in loads of pain where she's smacked her back!
Chris and I had a wander to look at Flibbertigibbet and Left Hand Crack but neither of us felt motivated and I didn't really think it was a good idea anyway for Mel to hang about for much longer as she was obviously suffering, so we were all happy to call it a day. Chris took Mel's rope so she didn't have to carry it and I offered to take her gear, but she wouldn't let me, stubborn mare!

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.