No Broadband

For 10 whole days as I'm changing providers.

Did everything really always used to be as slow as this? It can't have been it would have driven me nuts!

Spray Paint Artist

This rocks! Enjoy the process as well as the finished result!

Snowdonia, Chapter 2, Return to the Hills!

The trip to snowdonia with the GOC was fantastic. Marvellous food, marvellous company, and great fun all round.

We took a group up Crib Goch, quite a challenge in the wind, fog and rain for those who'd never scrambled before, although members who'd done the ridge before commented that it can be less scary in the fog coz you can't see the drops!

The Snowdon Summit was somewhat dissapointing, having been left with building site surrounded by that wire fencing stuff you get at... er... building sites after the demolision of the cafe! It was amusing though watching lots of fed up tourists in their jeans (shorts in some cases), hoodies and trainers who had ascended the tourist routes discovering that there were no views, no cafe, lots of cold wind and rain, and no train back down!

Anyway, some of the lads seem to have found time and space to take some much better photo's than I ever manage in the hills, and they can be found here, here and here. I wish they'd managed to make me look less podgy and frumpy in all the wet and cold weather gear though. Does anyone know how to wear a buff as a balaclava without making yourself look like an old lady in a head scarf?

A sore knee, lack of fitness and no energy forced a rest day for me on Sunday while others did the North Ridge of Tryfan.

On Monday I did Cniefion Arete with two great lads I arranged to meet with through UKCimbing. As I was unfit and we needed to move fast they kindly carried all the kit on the walk in and walk out leaving me with nothing but lunch tourch water and water-proofs. I'll have to look into the this 'porterage' malachy a little more!

Tuesday saw another meeting up with a random stranger from UKClimbing (oh no, I'm becoming a climbing whore) to do a diff on Tryfan Fach (good consolidation for newly aquired leading skills) before the long drive back south for a lovely rest of the week and weekend with my lovely Girlfriend (mwah).

Spot me I pray thee?

It struck me before that a climber spotting for a partner could be mistaken for a pentecostal Christian praying for said partner.


Thanks Planet Fear for the pics to make my point and accompany your article on The Art of Spotting.

Thanks Dave for making sure that my ankles remained unbroken and my Arse unlanded on earlier today.

I fell off...

Just above here! Will try it again tomorrow. The climb is Central Grove at Dewerstone- Hard Severe at 4b and a fantastic two pitch route (by all accounts)

Climbing

Climbed a hard severe on Friday. Dead chuffed- I would have been chuffed if I'd done that at the end of the summer... now I got time to get further. Perhaps learn to lead?

Climbing

I like the summer! Had a couple of 'afternoon scives' this week and last with my housemate. Plymouth may not be the centre of the universe, but I'm gonna enjoy the summer being half an hour from gorgeous coast path walks and lovelly beach swimming spots.

Yesterday evening I was kindly led up two routes at the Dewerstone for some climbing by a much more experienced climber from UK Climbing.

The routes were only Diff and V diff, but for me, it felt like the first time I'd actually achieved much on 'proper' routes- ie outdoor ones not at the wall! My first Multi-pitches as well even though I was only seconding. I knew I liked climbing but hadn't realised what a great buzz it would be being made safe in a belay halfway up a wall, well above the tree line, to belay the leader on the next pitch! Wicked location and topped out of the last pitch of our second route just as the sun was starting to set. No photo's coz I not good enough to safely carry my camera with me yet! So thanks guys for the evening, and for your patience in teaching a total novice basic things... such as tell the leader the ropes running out BEFORE there's none left.

I wouldn't say I was praying all night... but I knew God last night, in my physical body and the challenges, in the views and the exposure, in the company with snatched conversation while belaying and the longer conversations on the walk out. Feeling pumped but happy... just wish I could have taken Sandee!

And on the subject of climbing this video is ace!

Ogwen Valley

The trip to Snowdon was amazing in many ways, but frustrating in others due to lack of fitness- there was so much I wanted to achieve while there but not enough time/ fitness to do everything. We didn't make Crib Goch which was a big plan, but learned lots about the fab scrambling and challenging route finding to be found on Tryfan. Many days of fun still to be had in this area. Just need to focus on my fitness for the rest of the summer before returning in October.

There was of course, the very embarressing conversation with the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team (oops) the result of underestimating the area... They were fab though and do an amazing job. Gave us cups of tea and fatherly advice when we probably deserved a b*ll*cking! Who wants to come with me next time now that lesson's been learned?

Peak District Piccies

Piccies from the last day

On top of the world on Edale Rocks.
Dave celebrates with his 'king of the world' pose... or maybe he's singing a Delerious song?

'I wish I'd bought my climbing shoes...'




And finally we witness the 'Snooze of the Navigator' er... which way do I go here Dave? Dave? Dave?