End of Season Review

As the season draws to a close I though it would be a good idea for me to review my climbing year against the goals I set myself at the start of it. It was the first time I'd set myself any clear and focused goals for climbing and I had no idea what I would be physically and logistically capable of. Time and weather being  2 of the logistical factors I couldn't control, so it would be interesting to see how I faired and also to review and learn and then set even more challenging and yet logistically feasible goals for next year.

Before that though, the last few weeks have been very busy in terms of climbing for me. Visits to Gimmer Crag and Gogarth, Stanage, Troy, Burbage and Holyhead Mountain, have all been made and all have a tale worth telling.

Gimmer Crag - with Ian from The Lancs Climbing and Caving Club for the day and we headed up to The Langdales in The Lakes and Gimmer Crag. Steeped in climbing history and folklore, this famous old crag has plenty of classic multi pitch routes of all grades and all in a mountain setting. We chose Ash Tree Slabs VD up to Ash Tree Ledge and then from there 'F' route VS 4c. It was a super day it really was. I didn't lead anything so I was able to just enjoy the whole experience and concentrate on just the climbing. I can't thank Ian enough for this.

ATS is a nice intro to climbing on this crag. At first look, this route appears harder than VD, a lot harder, and protection appears sparse to say the least. However, once on the route, holds appear as if by magic, as do various half hidden spots for pro. It is just a delightful route and highly recommended for anyone venturing into trad multi pitch.

The main event though was 'F' Route! The gentle slabs below lead to Ash Tree Ledge, a narrow band of grassy rock which splits the crag in 2 at half height. From here, the angle of the rock steepens and it is plainly obvious that things get more serious from here. 'F' Route follows a 'hanging' right angled corner, capped by an overhang at its top. To reach the corner, a crimpy wall must first be climbed for about 10 metres. We chose to do the start of another route, which follows a thin crack, precarious and balancey, constantly it tries to 'barn door' you off it and careful footwork and body positioning is required, up to a break and then a short traverse left to the corner itself. From here, the climbing becomes different, with laybacking and jamming become more necessary in places, making the 2 linked together, a beautifully varied outing. I set off after Ian a little nervously I must confess, but this soon disappeared as I set about the moves. It was superb! Interest is maintained throughout, never too difficult but also never easy, keeping you on your toes right to the top out. Very highly recommended!

Gogarth - I have done a separate blog as guest for Holdbreaker on this trip so here is the link. to sum the trip up though....simply magnificent! https://www.holdbreaker.com/blogs/news/gogarth-school-bullies-and-white-horses

Burbage - 8 of us visited Burbage and hardly any of us had met before! It was a super relaxing day, so much fun and into double figures for routes done, though nothing harder than sever by me. I climbed with Oliver who was fairly new to outdoor climbing and had only led once before. So it was a pleasure to pass on some of my experience, when asked for of course! We shared lead throughout the day and it culminated for Ollie, in a lead of Green Crack VS 4b, a great effort! I met new friends, they all fell in love with Lester, good times!

Denham - an evening club meet saw me team up with Tim. Tim led Mad Karoo HVS 5a, a good lead as the crux for me is an unprotected move off a ledge to the first gear! The rest of the route is nice and steady, good crimps and enough gear. He also led Mohammed the Mad Monk from the Moorside Home for Mental Misfits VS 4c and surely a contender for the world's best named route?! This is a 3 star classic, with interest maintained all the way to an airy crux finish on sandy slopey holds. Great stuff! I led Concvae Wall S 4a and Main Break HS 4a. The former I found lovely, easy to be fair, prob HVD. The latter was also pleasant although gear is sparse, right up until the waterfall pouring down the last few feet of the route! I had to ask for TR. I had no gear, my last placement far below me and a ground fall was a certainty. the holds were soaking and not just with water, it was like a mud. I feel I did the sensible thing, it didn't feel like a 'back off' and Tim seconding confirmed he thought it horrible! Dry, I'd have completed the route no problem, and would have been pleased with the lead, as the top half of the route above my gear, was basically a solo.

Wilton 3 - a brief visit with Matt. He wanted to have a bash at Shivers Arete E1 5b. It turned into a bit of an epic! Shivers is one of those routes that look a bit 'soft' at the grade from the ground. It isn't! There is peg protection below the crux sequence which is a layaway off the arête with smears only for feet. It's very committing and perhaps a bit too much for Matt at this stage. He backed off and traversed into another route to finish. At this stage, a thunderstorm was getting ever closer to us. It was the most spectacular storm I've ever seen in this country and by the time I started up to strip the gear, the thing was right above us! I've never climbed so fast. I ran down, literally threw my kit into my sack and then sprinted for the car, Lester under one arm and my pack in the other! Very scary!

Troy 1 - Another evening meet with the club and a date for me with a route I backed off when I was having 'head' problems. Rapunzle is VS 5a. I'd struggled with some gear, got pumped and backed off, time to see if my new approach was working. I literally flew up it, absolutely no problems whatsoever! The breathing, the focusing on the climbing, it was all working.....and I have to say I let out a little whoop on topping out! I also led Troy Groove VS 4b, on sight and again with no issues at all. This was a good evening!

Troy 2 - the club had a meet at Tremadog which I couldn't attend (absolutely gutted!) and so I arranged a visit to Troy with Ian and Adam. I led Stacked Deck HS 4b to start then Adam led his first quarry route in Right Siamese Twin S 4a waltzing up it like a pro! Ian then went for Mucky Pups HVS 5a. He got to just below the crux before backing off. It seems that at any 1 time, there are a couple of my climbing friends going through the head thing! Ian is a top climber, the perfect climbing partner, very steady, very controlled and very experienced. He can lead E1 and second harder. But, he'd had a ground fall weeks earlier, snapping a hold off a route and ripping 3 pieces of gear before bouncing off a ledge and hitting the deck from around 40 feet. He was very lucky to have escaped with a few bruises. This hadn't affected him initially (his lead of 'F' Route proving that!) but I always suspected it might do at a later date. I have this theory that as climbers, our bodies are that used to the movement that it becomes almost automatic. So, jumping back on a route straight away, the body just does what it is supposed to. The brain however, takes a bit of time to process and analyse what has just happened and then when it has, when it has assimilated all the data, it sends a signal to the body basically saying 'what the hell are you doing, you do just realise we nearly died'?! Ian was at this point. But you CAN re train the mind again, as I was about to prove. I got on the route and finished it. I was so pleased, first HVS lead for 30 years! And again I led it well. Ian decided not to climb again that day so adam led Troy Groove VS 4b and I finished with Cracked Wall VS 4c. again no problems....for me.....Adam however had the misfortune to second it during a downpour which finished off our climbing for the day.

Stanage High Neb -  a club meet and a great turn out on a fantastic day weather wise for October. I climbed with Pete, a guest from Lancashire Mountaineering Club. We ticked off 6 routes between Severe and VS, including the classic Inaccessible Crack VS 4c. I backed off a Sever 4b, Cave Buttress. No gear big enough for the crux traverse right. I could've kicked myself, the move was easy really, a tricky one move step right to a jug. I'd figured out where my fear comes from.....it is the fear of the unknown! Because I couldn't see the jug, because I couldn't see gear after the crux, that set the doubts going! It is a good lesson for me to remember in future and I will be better prepared and focused on this sort of 'blind' route in future.

Stanage Popular - an opportunity to climb midweek saw myself Chris and Adam visit Stanage Popular, a place I normally avoid like the plague due to the crowds! Today, we virtually had the place to ourselves and it was fantastic. It was Adam and Chris's first visit to Stanage and so I led Flying Buttress HVD 4a to start with, a 'top 50' absolute classic! Chris seconded and had a bit of a moment accessing the slab which is the crux......climbing indoors does not prepare you for 'holdless' grit! He soon figured it out though. I then put chris on his first ever outdoor lead, Grotto Slab D. He led this with no problems and after I'd set his belay up, Adam seconded him. Adams lead next and another top 50 classic in Christmas Crack S 4b. This was a step up on lead for Adam and he passed with flying colours. I could see him thinking carefully about things like what quickdraw to use to counter rope drag etc, always a good sign that someone is in control. A very good lead! My turn again and I chose a route I'd backed off at the back end of the year before, Heather Wall VS 4c. 5 minutes and just 2 pieces of gear later and I was up it! Fantastic, I was really pleased with this lead! We finished off with me putting Chris on a VD lead.......well, I told him it was VD, it was actually S 4b! But, I knew the route, knew it had bomber gear, as much as you could place and it was above your head on the crux, I knew he could do it. He had a moment on the crux but worked it out superbly and topped out. The look on his face when I told him he'd just led his first Severe, priceless!

I'm hoping to get in one or two more outdoor days but I'm acutely aware that the weather will close in anytime now and that will be that til March! So, the review of my goals?

I aimed to lead 20 VS's this year - I've led 16 so far

I aimed to lead 1 HVS - I led Mucky Pups (which got downgraded to VS in the new Lancs guide but is still HVS on UKC so I'm claiming it!)

I aimed to lead 3 multi pitch routes - I failed with this but more because of lack of opportunity to get on multi pitch crags (only 3 visits managed this year!). I countered this though by the routes done on Gimmer and Gogarth. so much I'd forgotten re learnt, prussiks, abseils, hanging belays, it was all there and I can't wait now to lead next year! I'm happy with my progress over all, really pleased in fact. I've learnt or re learnt so much this year, visited some fantastic places, been in amazing positions and climbed some superb routes, what's not to be happy about?!

So, goals for next year -

Consolidate VS - I want to be really comfortable at this grade next year, including multi pitch. The  routes I really want to tick are Valkyrie Roaches, Lighthouse Arete Gogarth, 'F' Route at Gimmer, Crooked Crack at Wilton, Frightful Fred at Wilton and both Hargreaves and High Neb at Stanage.

Lead 6 HVS routes - including Canopy at Wilton

Lead 1 E1

You read it here first!

~I hope you all have had as good a year as I have, here's to next season :)

One step back, two steps forward!

It has been a while since my last post, deliberately so. Having found myself really struggling mentally to lead anything, it has been a case of stripping everything back to basics and really examining, truthfully and honestly, what my issues are.

I first had to look at why I climb. I had to really question my motives. Is it the challenge? Is it being outside in the fresh air? Is it the physical workout and health benefits? Is it the movement, the satisfaction of solving a particular problem? Over the last few weeks, I have analysed these questions every time I have climbed and have been both surprised and pleased with the answers I have come up with.

I've climbed numerous times since my (what felt like at the time) disastrous visit to Bamford (see last post). I won't chronicle them all in detail here, that would bore me never mind you! So here is a snapshot of what I've been up to.

Witches Quarry

An evening session with the club. 5 routes done, grades up to HVS 5b, one lead which was Cracklap HS 4b. My first lead since Bamford, belayed by Ian Selby from the club who was an absolute star, encouraging me, cajoling me and just generally making me feel relaxed. I got the sincere feeling that all that mattered to Ian was that I got up it......which I did, pretty comfortably as it happens. I really focused on every feeling I was having on this route, taking my time. I noticed, probably for the first time properly, my breathing, how I became short breathed as any anxiety closed in. So I focused on controlling my breathing, concentrating on deep steady breathing throughout the route. I also focused on rationalising any fear, actually working on forcing any rising anxieties back down to where they came from. It was working. Ian led the 5b route and I seconded. I managed all the moves but not particularly stylishly or comfortably. I got pumped, started to panic a little and noticed straight away how my technique completely disappeared when stressed. I had my hands on the top when I asked Ian to 'take me'. He talked me through it brilliantly, the things I was working on, hearing them from someone else, was very reassuring. 'Breathe Andy, you're fine, get your feet sorted', 'there you go, you've done it, no problem'. It literally was as simple as that, breathe, calm your mind, stay relaxed.

From here on in, these are the things I would focus on, at every climbing session. The mind can be trained just like the body right?

me leading Cracklap HS 4b

Raven Crag

A multi pitch day up in The Langdales and superb it was too although cut short by the weather! 3 of us, Rob and Anita and myself did Revelation HS 4b, a 3 pitch route although we climbed it as a 2. Lovely climbing with one steep pull over an overlap at the start of pitch 2 which tested the technique especially as it rained the whole time I was on the pitch, making some of the already polished footholds feel a little precarious. This was my first multi pitch for some years and I really enjoyed myself, a cracking day! Climbing wise, I didn't lead and so was happy to just enjoy the experience, leaving the hard work to Rob and Anita!

The Langdales from our walk up to Raven, stunning!

me going over the final bulge on Revelation HS 4b

Stanage Edge

This was a joint meet between our club and the Lancashire Mountaineering Club. We met at the Pool Café in Hathersage, always a good starting point, full English included! We chose to visit Stanage Popular, not normally a place I enjoy, mainly due to the crowds! However, it turned into a superb day out. There was a poor turnout from our club so I ended up tagging along in a 3 with 2 chaps from the LMC, Pete and Darren. We shared leads on 6 routes and managed to tick 3 top 50's (Hargreaves Original VS 4c, April Crack HS 4a and Christmas Crack HS 4b) as well as RH Trinity a 2 * HS 4b, Narrow Slab VS 4c and finally Oblique Crack S 4a. My leads were RH Trinity and Oblique Crack, the former I found no problem at all and in fact really enjoyed the route. The latter, I had a problem placing gear. I learned another lesson here. Having been focusing on climbing and breathing and staying relaxed, I found that this 'outside' influence, really irritated me! I got annoyed with myself, the gear, the route. I came down and quickly realised what I should have done.....move up to the next gear placement, don't hang around trying to place gear where gear won't go. So, off I set again, this time climbing higher, reaching a place where I could more easily place a good piece and finishing the route with no problems. Another lesson learnt and hopefully now wired in!
But I was enjoying climbing again. These new mind control skills I was learning, it was enjoyable again. And being in control was in and of itself extremely satisfying!
Stanage itself, although busy as usual, also felt different, more relaxed and although we got a fair bit done, it was all very chilled and relaxed.......the banter flying back and forth helps and I loved the way everyone supported each other, with new leaders on the first routes being encouraged and cajoled up, experienced leaders moving up a grade being pushed along, as I say, a superb day!

me about to set off up Narrow Buttress VS 4c

Darren seconding me up RH Trinity HS 4b

Wilton 3

a fun few hours with Tim working one of his projects here. No leading, lots of belaying by me although I did have one go on the potential new route. A blank looking wall leads to a sloping ledge capped by a bulging wall. The start was bouldery, maybe V5/6. Very crimpy but the holds are there, no gear though so it will be a scary lead without a pad. Getting onto the ledge however is a different proposition and I reckon the first crux. I'd need to go back and have a proper go really. Still a fun few hours and a pint in the Wilton Arms after always welcome.

Harcles Quarry

Hmmm, one to forget for me this one, and for once, not because of the climbing! Long story short, this little trip ended up costing me far more than it should on account of this muppet losing his keys......car, house, the lot! I can't even say I enjoyed my first visit to Harcles in terms of purely climbing. It isn't the most inspiring place for me although I accept my judgement may be a tad clouded and I probably should re visit at some point. I was pleased to jump on a TR Tim had rigged up on some E5 6a/b and actually get quite high on it. That particular wall being host to the best lines on the crag, steep, hard but clean at least. The rest of the crag needs traffic and plenty of it, plenty of bush bashing still to be had here!

Armathwaite Crag

Situated in the beautiful Eden Valley in Cumbria just north of Penrith, this little gem of a sandstone outcrop was a cracking find by Elliot, one of our club members. 5 of us made the trip and it was well worth it, 2 of them even wild camping overnight. Surprisingly, I've never climbed on sandstone before, so this was a whole new experience. As Nathan and I walked along the crag base, the first good buttress we came to sported a superb looking slab. Both our eyes lit up but unfortunately it was very wet and although we checked again later in the day, it remained so and therefore will have to be re visited another time! However, we found the group already ensconced on what basically became our private 'beach' for the day, a sandy bay enclosed on 2 sides by the crag and one side by the river. It was just a stunning location to climb and anyone looking for a family friendly climbing day could do much worse than visit this place.......bring a picnic! Climbing wise, I led a MVS 4b Glenwhillie Grooves. Steady climbing with good but fairly spaced gear to a final overhanging wall which I found tricky. It didn't help that as I moved up, the rope seemed to be jamming somewhere below me dragging me back. We sorted that and then once I committed it was fine. I seconded Matt on another couple of routes before having a play on another E4 6a TR set up by Elliot. I was pleased to do the crux move in one flash attempt although I flunked the next move despite the beta being shouted from below (not that left your other left!).
We finished off the day by going for a swim. The look on my dogs face as I dived off a rock and disappeared under water was priceless, he swims all the time but he's never seen me go in before......very funny! to be fair, it was bloody freezing and I jumped back out probably quicker than I got in! Fair play to Matt who then decided to take the plunge from the top of the crag!

'are you sure, it looks freezing'!!

The stunning location that is Armathwaite Crag on the river Eden
 

Wilton 3

Back to the Lancs quarries for an evening session and what a turnout! Apart from at Wiltonfest, I've never seen this place so busy. There was representation from 3 different clubs plus a spattering of solo groups and pretty much all but the really hard stuff got climbed, superb! I climbed with Kate from LMC who I've never climbed with before and we got 4 routes done, 2 leads each, nothing more than VS 4b. Connies weren't the best it being warm and muggy, so friction was at a premium and in fact non existent on the more polished routes making them feel hard for the grade. Had great fun though and was particularly pleased to lead Tea Leaf VS 4b. No gear til about 2/3rds height so it was good to get out of my comfort zone and see how the head training was going. It was fine, no problems at all. We then watched a 3 months pregnant Kate flash an E3 6a on TR, very very impressive!

a very busy Wilton 3, me seconding Kate on Justine S 4a

So, in summary, where am I at? to be fair, I'm in a good place right now. I feel things are working. I've identified my mental weaknesses and have a plan and some techniques to work on and that is making me feel a whole lot better about this climbing malarkey. For the first time in a wee while, I'm really enjoying myself!

Crossroads

The last 2 climbing trips I've been on have been, well, at best confusing and at worst down right disheartening!

We went to Bamford Edge with the Lancashire Climbing and Caving club, an organised meet. The weather was fantastic, dry and sunny, a miracle having just had what has seemed like weeks of solid rain. I was feeling good, my shoulder completely healed and feeling stronger by the minute, I was also climbing well (relatively speaking of course!).

Bamford is a beautiful spot and generally can be found to be quiet as it tends to be overlooked in favour of its more famous Hathersage neighbours. It's small stature both in number of routes and their length can also see fingers flip through the Bamford pages of the guide, looking for something more adventurous. Well it is their loss those who don't visit Bamford for it is a cracking crag, with some fine routes at all grades and photo opportunities galore!

First up, Nathan lead Browns Crack HS 4b thinking that a certain Joe Brown had put up the first ascent however this isn't the case and it is another less well known Mr Brown who had the honour on this particular grit crack! It's a good route, 3 stars, solid jamming and bridging and plenty of gear.

Nathan on the crux of Browns Crack HS 4b

I then went to lead Bilberry Crack VS 5a. Again jamming and bridging all the way and again with good gear, although the jams are a little thinner on this route. I bailed half way. I wasn't happy either! Mentally I didn't feel good at all, scared even, old leading demons were definitely reappearing! I lowered off and Nathan completed the lead. On second I had absolutely no problem with the route, it was lovely if a little short and would definitely get 3 stars instead of its 2, if it were just 10 feet taller!

Gary belaying Nathan on VS 5a

We then moved onto Quien Sabe? VS 4c. Nathan lead and another 3 star classic. I loved this route, I like routes with variety of climbing and this one packs a lot into such a short space. It starts with jamming up Browns Crack before traversing out along a slab to another crack and a crux layback sequence to the top out. It feels committing below the crux but once you get going on the sequence, it is all there and the gear is good. This was my favourite route of the day.



Me on the crux of Quien Sabe? VS 4c

Next up was THE classic of the crag, which Nathan lead and I managed to capture the ubiquitous 'Hollywood shot' ! Gargoyle Flake VS 4c. I didn't follow. By now my head was in a bad place, beating myself up about not being able to lead........ In all honesty I was terrified that leading just isn't for me anymore!

Nathan in a fantastic position on Gargoyle Flake VS 4c

 

inspired enough to dust off my brushes!

 

We moved onto Bamford Wall, At Severe 4a this should have been well within my leading capabilities. I backed off this too, I was in a mess! Again Nathan kindly finished off the lead and I followed. I didn't enjoy the experience at all. I was getting frustrated at the slightest thing to the point where I was getting angry, with myself, with climbing, with everything!

Last night the club held an impromptu evening meet at Troy quarry in Lancashire. I've chronicled Troy before, a fantastic quarry and a superb spot, very picturesque and perfect for a summers eve climb.

I partnered Ian and Matt and we started on Sounder HVS 5a which Ian lead. The first few moves I think are the technical crux with a particularly thin section where the sequence is all important. although quite sustained, the rest of the route is fairly straightforward and there is good gear to be had.

I then tried to lead Rapunzle VS 5a and again bailed at mid height, the crux done! Matt completed the lead and I then followed, with no problems. All in the head! It's horrible, I'm sat here kicking myself typing this!

Ian then lead Jussy HVS 5b. I flew up this, seriously! Really nice moves, sustained and the crux near the top, I enjoyed this route.

I had to get back on lead, on anything! I chose Little Sneak VS 4c a route I'd lead last year, my first VS 4c. No problems at all, but then it is a short route, 25 ft at most. And there lies the issue. When seconding, I get to just concentrate on climbing, I'm not even aware of how high stuff is. As soon as I get on the sharp end however, the height, the exposure, all of these things suddenly get thrust to the front of my mind, doubts creep in and I'm defeated even before I start to climb!

I'm being as honest as I can with myself here and the truth is I don't have any answers. Having believed I was over this fear, to have it suddenly appear again has really taken me aback and knocked me for 6 really. So, I'm going to get my thinking cap on over the next few weeks, to see what I can do to get over this barrier. I'm determined to do this and the thing is, ironically, I'm really enjoying my climbing! I'm climbing as well as I've done for a long long time, enjoying the movement, enjoying the problem solving, I just need to transfer this into leading!

A Cracking Day!

When Barrie, one of the members of The Flashers climbing social group and who I'd never climbed with (or met for that matter!), posted a Facebook message looking for folk to join him on a crack practice mission to Burbage North, I jumped right in!

Grit is my favourite rock and although I prefer technical slabby routes, I'm not averse to getting battered and bloodied occasionally and that's certainly what happened here.

I recruited Nathan (who also didn't need much persuading!) and we met Barrie down at the crag where we decided to base ourselves initially beneath Long Tall Sally Buttress. More of this route later!

Lester 'guarding' Long Tall Sally buttress me belaying Barrie on his gnarly off width!

Nathan was first up and lead............ HS 4b which Barrie then seconded and I followed up after, all without any dramas. It's a nice route although it's very difficult to climb as a pure crack, the plentiful holds being just too tempting to ignore. Why put yourself through pain right?! In fact I don't remember using a single jam on it. I enjoyed it!

Next up was my lead and I chose Green Crack VS 4b on the same buttress. Don't let the name put you off, it was bone dry. The green stain gives testament to the fact that it isn't always so but it was for us and it's a super little route. I actually did use a jam or 3 on this route, especially low down, which is quite steep and pretty holdless. Higher up, on the slab section, there are holds but not necessarily usable so it takes a bit of figuring out. Indeed I fell (hardly a fall really and not far) from the top move. I'd latched the top with my right hand but too hastily, a lunge, summit fever and my feet were never in position. I had a shake out ~(head mainly!) and then finished it off as I should have done first time round. A nice route, disappointed not to have got it clean but also really pleased for quickly giving my head a wobble and getting back on it.

 

loving the gritstone jamming!

 

So, onto Barrie's lead and he chose Obscenity VS 4c, a nasty looking off width which there was absolutely no chance of me following. I loathe off widths! I subscribe to Pamela Shanti Packs Twitter and Facebook pages. All she climbs pretty much are gnarly off widths. I watch with a mixture of deep admiration and the question 'is this woman all there?'! My stock quote on off widths is 'if I wanted to crawl inside stuff I'd have been a caver'!

So I watched with great delight as first Barrie and then Nathan, squirmed their way up the horrible thing. they claimed to have had fun, I still think they are lying! At one point, Nathan pretty much disappeared inside the thing. I doubted he'd make it back out again, I was already deciding which bits of his gear I was having if I never saw him again! Re appear he did though and to be fair, they both climbed it with about as much style as you're ever going to be able to muster on an off width.

Nathan 'immersing' himself into off width hell!

So onto route No 4 and Nathans lead again. He chose Long Tall Sally E1 5b, I knew he would, in fact the only surprise was he didn't go for this one first, he normally does! It looked hard. I remarked that even getting off the ground would be difficult with a couple of steep moves on sloping crimps which also happened to be soaking wet! Indeed it proved to be the case with Nathan taking time to work out the sequence and get established on the first slab. The climbing is thin from here on in. Too shallow finger jams and smears for feet and gear fiddly to place and sometimes not as good as you'd like! The bulge sequence is the crux, getting established on the upper slab and then the following move up to the first decent holds. Nathan worked it out and once over the crux, summited easily. Barrie followed and in some style, although he did confess to having done the route a couple of times previously. My turn and I struggled from the off! Both the guys had used a foothold high up in a shallow crack which my little legs just couldn't get high enough up to for it to be of any real use. I eventually spotted a tiny pocket low down to my left which I dried furiously with a towel. Getting my left foot on this first gave me just enough extra height to then make use of the crack hold and get established. The next section was all good and now I was at the bulge.......which I just could not for the life of me work out. I had plenty of attempts, in all sorts of ways, but I just couldn't seem to find a sequence that worked for me. It was nothing to do with trying hard, simply that my problem solving skills were obviously not up to scratch this day!

walk like an Egyptian!

So I was keen to jump on lead again, best antidote for a failure is a success no?! I opted for ............ only S 4a but it was about the route not the grade. It looked varied with a steep crack for the lower section up to a break, a traverse along this and then a finish up a slabby groove/flake system. It was good, although the huge mid height ledge spoils it a little, it would be 3 * but for this I think. At S 4a, it would a be a good route for a new ish leader with some care needed in ropework.

And that was us done. A great day and another new climbing buddy met! Burbage is a cracking little venue. Not huge, either in the number of routes or it's stature but there is plenty of quality here in grades form Moderate to E8! When we climbed, we had the place to ourselves, even though round the corner, Stanage popular was, well, popular! If you're visiting in midge season, do take repellent, vicious little critters here!

Castle Naze

I was struggling to think of somewhere new, somewhere quiet but with good routes to try. The usual names kept jumping into my head and then from nowhere appeared Castle Naze. I'd visited this place once before......and hated every second of it! That day, we managed one route before retreating, wind battered, to the pub. It is very exposed to the elements is Castle Naze, perched high above Whaley Bridge so with the weather being perfect (sunshine and no wind!), now would be a good time to give this place a proper looking over.

The 2 'classics' of the crag are Scoop Face HVS 5a and Nozag VS 4c. I knew Nathan had Scoop on his tick list and so I had in my mind that he would lead that and I would give Nozag a go.

Nathan being Nathan, he was straight away gearing up for Scoop, no warm up route here, straight into the deep end! I have to say this route looks a lot easier than it is! It is also deceptive in terms of the type of climbing required. It looks for all intents and purposes like a nice gentle slab climb, which it is for a couple of moves or so, but there is much more to it than smearing! The start is quite steep and unprotected, up a short wall on polished slopers (I slipped off one hold just as I managed to latch onto the next!). This brings you to the slab section and the first gear. An offset in a shallow crack and a good friend in a break and then a pad across the slab to another thin crack. Up this to another break and gear before moving back left and a finish up a short steep headwall. I won't spoil it for you but the crux is right at the top and the top out itself.....well let's just say if you're harassed, a lunge for the top might not yield what you hope for! It's a marvellous route though and well worth its classic status.

Unlike Nathan, I need a warm up route, not necessarily for the body but for the mind! I chose Studio as my first lead., HS 4b. Steady at the grade really, a mid height crux and good gear throughout, a nice little route.

Next up and Nathans lead again, was Nozag VS 4c. Now as I mentioned earlier, I'd had my eye on this to lead for a while but I'm actually glad I didn't on this particular day if I'm honest. Fairly straightforward climbing brings you to a crack slanting off diagonally to the right. Nozag climbs over this and onto the slabby head wall above. Here the route becomes more technical and balancey, on slopers for the most part. It felt bold even seconding and as with Scoop, the crux is right at the sharp end! A great route which felt harder than Scoop to me, definitely top end VS this, but one I'll be back to lead for sure!

Last up and my lead was Scoop Arete VS 4b. I wanted to lead something a bit bolder and so chose this, the first few moves being completely unprotected. Nice route although I ended up finishing it up a corner as I'd got myself completely on the wrong side of the arête!

A decent day all in all and my faith in Castle Naze was restored! On still summers days, this is a cracking little crag!

A Dream of Wild Camping, A Nightmare of White Horses

This is my first post for a while, no climbing due to injury still (complete rest now for 6 weeks, 3 of which are up) and a lack of opportunity to get out anywhere. It's all been very frustrating, the enforced rest coming after a disastrous (for me!) visit to Witches Quarry with Nathan ( who creamed everything but then had to ab and strip his own gear, my arm having just simply given up). There have been a cracking couple of club meets I've had to miss aswell, one on the slate in Llanberis, which I've never climbed on and so was just gutted to miss it and the other at Gogarth.

Now I have climbed at Gogarth before on a few occasions but one route I've never done and the one route in the country I just have to tick, is Dream of White Horses HVS 4c. Ever since seeing the Ed Drummond 1st ascent photo, probably in High Magazine or something like that at the time, it has been at the top of my wish list! I first went to Gogarth as a 14 year old with our school climbing club and one of our team was lucky enough to accompany a lone climber who'd asked for a second on the route. I didn't know the route at the time, then I saw the Drummond pic and I was smitten!

So, when I learned my regular climbing buddy Nathan and another member of our club, Rob, had done the route, I was sent into this weird state of being both supremely happy for both of them to have done the route and at the same time very low at having been stupid to try and climb through an injury and then having to miss this!

But, head shake time! The route isn't going anywhere and I WILL do it one day.....in fact to spur me on, here's a couple of pics of both Rob and Nathan on it :)

Anyway, enough moaning, because this weekend, I HAVE had the chance to get and I decided to tick one of the requirements for my Mountain Leader course, wild camping!

I have wild camped a fair bit in the past but it has been a good while and never really anything adventurous. So I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, but at the same time, not put myself under too much pressure in terms of goals. Get out into the hills, walk a bit, wild camp, walk a bit more etc I planned a sort of route, a horseshoe if you will, over 2 nights and 3 days but I had no idea how the first night would go. Did I have enough food, water? Could I even carry my pack any distance as it weighed a ton!

The route I had planned started in Whinlatter forest and I parked up around 7pm. I decided I'd walk for a couple of hours and then set up camp for the night. I set off through the forest, emerging after a half hour or so, out onto Grisedale Pike. I had trouble finding a discernible path and with nothing showing on my OS map, I traversed the edge of the Forest until I reached a decent path up the fell. My first error of the day came here, not checking when sunset was to be that evening. Having got about 3/4 of the way up the fell, there was just a short steep section to go. the problem was, that then led onto a ridge and I couldn't see any place on the route where it would be remotely possible to set up a tent. Having not done this route before ( maybe another mistake right there!), I also wasn't sure what the terrain would be like after the ridge. It was by now 8.30/9pm ish and not knowing how much daylight I had left ( I really didn't want to be traversing that ridge in the dark!) and also where I was currently standing being a fairly flat section, perfect for a camp, I decided to stop here for the night. As it happens, I had at least another 1 and half hours left and probably could have seen off the ridge in plenty of time. I'd erred on the side of caution though and am pretty comfortable with my choice on reflection.

In no time I'd set up camp and Lester and I settled in for the night. It wasn't the best nights sleep I've ever had I've got to say. I was also a tad disappointed not to see a spectacular sunset!

However, the next morning reminded me exactly why trips like this are worth any effort and just why I love the outdoors so much. The sunrise was pretty amazing! Night clouds breaking up in the valleys and the sun breaking through the morning mist on the peaks, it really is just magical.

I ate breakfast whilst watching the sun rise over mighty Blencathra, burning through the mist and revealing its summit like a magician removing his cape, I could almost hear the 'et voila'!

It was just stunning and such a grounding experience, the simplicity of it all, it really focuses the mind as to what matters and just how lucky we really are.

 

 

I packed everything away mindful of the 'leave no trace' mantra of wild camping and set off to complete the fell. Low on water and with the heat and Lester to think about, I knew I'd have to cut short my intended route. A quick scan of the map showed me I could summit via a ridge line and then loop back down to the valley where the path would take me back to Braithwaite and a couple of hours later I was back.

 

 

 

So, all in all an interesting trip and definitely a learning curve with many lessons learnt. I now know I need to get my pack weight down and I need to seriously plan water stops. I also know that sun rise in The Lakes is one of the most stunning things I'll ever see!

 

*Adendum* - as a footnote to injury comments above, my shoulder has been feeling much better of late and so with the club organising an impromptu evening meet at Anglezarke Quarry this week and I decided to tag along with no real expectations other than to get shut down yet again. But to my complete surprise and delight, I managed to climb and climb ok too. I seconded Brian on Many Happy Returns E1 5a and then led Metamorphosis VS 4c, a 3* route which I haven't done before and so was really chuffed to get the o/s. It's quite a bold number too, which is what pleased me most, knowing that despite my lay off and injury doubts, my climbing head was actually still in pretty good shape.

 

The route starts at an arête for a few feet, nut placement, step up and then balance left and up to an old peg. More balancey moves lead up to a break and welcome gear before finishing on dirty but good holds.

 

The 2 Robs were just finishing off 'Wedge' HS and so kindly dropped a rope down for me to quickly skip up it and then I joined forces with Elliot on Terra Cotta HVS 5a after which rain stopped play. But happy days! I can climb again!



Birchen Edge Lead Training Day

If you read my last post re bouldering, you'll know I'm currently injured. However, a couple of friends of mine were looking at leading their first routes outdoors and so we'd set up this trip a couple of weeks ago. I didn't want to cancel and also figured that if I chose the right venue, somewhere slabby, strain on my arms would be minimal.

So I settled on Birchen Edge, which turned out to be the perfect choice!

Unfortunately, one of the guys had to drop out which left myself, Adam and Nathan. We set up below Trafalgar Wall. Nathan had decided he didn't want to be on routes so much today and was happy to just potter around with the bouldering mat and so it was myself and Adam who set up for the first route.

Trafalgar Wall....Trafalgar Crack takes the, well, crack. The party to the left are on Camperdown Crawl with Trafalgar Wall taking the rh side of the slab direct.

I put a bit of thought into what routes to do. Adam had only climbed outdoors once before and that was on quarried grit on a 'transition to rock' one day course. Climbing 6b+/6c indoors and bouldering up to V5 ish, I knew he could climb. But, and it's a big but.......climbing on grit edges is different and particularly on cracks and slabs, where everything you've ever been taught about indoor wall climbing techniques, pretty much goes out of the window! So it would be good for Adam not just from a technical perspective (setting up belays, placing gear etc) but also from a climbing technique view point. I chose first to lead Trafalgar Wall itself at S 4b. This route is all about slopers for hands and grit friction for feet. I ran through some tips for Adam....keep your heels low and your body away for the rock, think about where your centre of gravity is and position yourself accordingly, shoulders back on slopers etc. We were both up in no time!

Next up, time to get Adam on his first lead. We ran through gear placement tips and then Adam set off up Trafalgar Crack at VDiff. Nice climbing with lots of gear and a variety of gear too with opportunities to place hexes, nuts and cams. Adam was soon up with no problems at all and so I made my way up to join him and set up the belay. We went through the mechanics of belays, the thought processes in terms of set up, fall directions, load factors etc. We used different knots and I explained why we use them and when. I really enjoy passing on all I've learnt over the years!

By the time we were down, Nathan had re joined us. I think he had been put off a little by Birchen's reputation for being a 'beginners crag' and was maybe expecting all easy routes and queues for each! However, having walked the crag, I think he was pleasantly surprised! He asked if he could join in and chose a line also along Trafalgar Wall which is Camperdown Crawl HS 4c. The crux is low down, a steep pull off a sloping ledge via thin crack and onto the slab itself. I opted out of this one due to the steep pull and really not wanting to aggravate my already aching tendons any further however, both Nathan followed by Adam, really enjoyed the route.

 

Adam cruising Camperdown Crawl HS4c



Next up was Promenade Direct HVD 4a which I chose to lead. Unprotected balancy slab moves lead to a break and gear then a step right to finish up the exposed arête. A really nice route which probably deserves Severe.

 



 

 

Promenade Direct HVD 4a



We then moved further along the crag to the Emmas Slab area and with Adams lead again, I pointed him in the Direction of Emmas Dilemma at S4a. It's a tough little severe this one and although there is lots of gear, in places it's quite difficult to place and really involves good foot and body positioning to find the most comfortable position. A calm head is needed in these situations and I thought it would be good experience for Adam. A steep pull onto the wall gains the crack which is then followed throughout with a tricky bulge at half height. Placing gear to protect the bulge move is where its awkward but Adam managed it no problem at all!

 

 









 









Adam setting up belay after solving the mystery of Emmas Dilemma S4a

 

It was now Nathans lead again and he chose another slabby number in The Crow Nest VS4c. After yet another steep pull onto the wall (a theme of this crag is that the starts of routes tend to be steep and sometimes even undercut and so the crux's tend to be low down sometimes giving the routes lopsided grades like HS 5c!) the slab climbing that follows is really cool and well protected, a cracking route for any aspirant VS leader maybe new to leading grit slabs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belaying Nathan on The Crows Nest VS 4c

 

 

We saved the best til last and our final 2 routes of the day would be on Sail Buttress. There are 3 Birchen routes in Ken Wilsons tickfest that is Classic Rock - Powder Monkey Parade; Sail Buttress and Topsail. I chose to lead Topsail at VS 4c. A short groove leads to a superb thread runner before a steep pull over a roof and a pad up the finishing slab to safety. It's no pushover despite its stature and as with all overhangs, footwork is the key! It's a little gem of a route and a must tick for any VS leader.

 

 



Finishing off the top slab on Topsail VS 4c

Committing moves over the roof on Topsail VS 4c

Last route of the day and it was only fitting that it should be Adams lead. Sail Buttress is a cracking HS 4b that starts with a difficult mantle onto a ledge and then an airy traverse out above the big roof and onto the slabby arête up which it finishes. Again the crux moves on the traverse are well protected but it's still a committing sequence and would be a test for a new leader. Adam strolled up it, a perfect finish to a cracking day!

 

 

 

Adam polishing off the crux sequence on Sail Buttress HS 4b

 

Adam on the top slab of Sail Buttress HS 4b

 

 

 

Birchen Edge is a marvellous little crag. Yes the routes are on the short side but you know, sometimes good things come in small packages so don't let stature cloud your judgement over quality because you'll be missing out!