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!

 

 



 



Bouldering Day

Woke up to glorious sunshine this morning and so decided it was too good an opportunity to miss, no climbing partners available though so bouldering it would have to be.

I headed over to Brownstones, a famous little quarry just outside Bolton in Lancashire. Many a top climber have cut their teeth and honed their skills at Brownstones over the years and there are many test piece problems put up by such Lancs stalwarts as Hank Pasquill to name just one.

The crag is split into a number of sections with lots to go at even at the lower end of the grade scale. I set up camp beside Ash Pit Slab. This is one of the higher stretches of the crag and the problems hereabouts can be considered high ball. A fall from the top moves here is going to hurt a bit definitely.

I warmed up on a couple of problems I'd done before, Analogue and Degree Crack (4c and 5a in old money). Nexus on the overhanging wall adjacent to Ash Pit Slab is a pumpy little number at 4c with a tricky top out especially for harassed climbers!

Then the main event.......I'd come to do Digitation and Directissima. It had been a long time since I could manage these 2 problems so it would be a good indication of how I'm climbing and progress, if any, that has been made. I manage to get Directissima on my 3rd attempt......foot kept slipping off a crucial smear low down but once I managed to stick to this and stand up, the rest was really nice. I flashed Digitation and was delighted! A rarity this problem, a quarried grit slab! Tiny crimps, mostly sloping for the hands and not much more than smears for feet, the first move off the good foothold being the key move, then the trick is to just keep moving and hope the friction holds out!

I did a few more problems after that, Layback at 5a and Parrs Crack at 5c amongst others before warming down on a neat little traverse along one of the side walls. I managed to tick 11 problems and was really pleased with myself.

Lester enjoying the sun whilst Dad falls off stuff!



The evening session saw me team up with Nathan and Matt for a spot of esoterica up at Ashworth Moor between Bury and Rochdale. It's not the biggest bouldering venue in the world but that said, there are some quality problems and we settled on a stretch of wall in the sun! Pretty much the whole of this stretch sees every problem having to surmount a low down roof. Powerful and dynamic moves were the order of the day here.

We managed to tick From Concnetrate sit start at F6a.....it's all about the body position; Yawning Arms sit 5+; Into the Cleft sit 6a quite a fierce layback number; and then the best til last...Black Hole 6a+ which I managed to flash albeit having seen beta from the chaps!

Me spotting Matt on Black Hole 6a+ on a fantastic evening at Ashworth Moor



I had a fantastic day, although it came at a price! Severe tendon problems in both arms now but mainly the right. A combination of over climbing, not resting properly inbetween sessions and not warming up properly has led me to a place where now only complete rest will solve the problem. It may even be worse than that but I'll see where I am in a couple of weeks time and go from there.

Yep, I pushed myself!



Stanage Plantation

Nathan and I headed out to Stanage Plantation last weekend with no particular plan other than to try to avoid at least most of the crowds. Stanage is a wonderful edge with miles of stunning grit lines to choose from and yet there are places along its buttresses which become so jam packed with folk there are literally queues to get on routes......I don't do queuing for routes!

Glorious day at Stanage.....and not a soul about!

Plantation for me is a much better area than the Popular end anyway. Classic routes on magnificent buttresses and the base strewn with some outstanding boulders sporting classic lines themselves including the superb 'Not to be Taken Away', 'Crescent Arete' and 'Brad Pit'.

We made our base camp alongside 'Brad Pit' as it happened and I chose a line as a warm up called 'Hot Spur' HS 4b. Another slabby number (I seem to be favouring the more technical slabby routes at the moment, in love with the grit friction!), it starts from a block below the buttress, a steep step across gets you established on the route proper, then it's just nice climbing finishing with a balancey couple of moves up an exposed rib. A nice pleasant start.......and in no way in keeping with the rest of the day!

Me setting up belay atop Hot Spur HS 4b

In fact, it was probably THE worst warm up route I could have chosen! Nathans lead next and we were both eyeing up another slabby route or two......except that Nathans eye was constantly found wandering over to the magnificent line that is Goliaths Groove! He pondered whether to do something else first and then announced "right, let's do it"!

I'd done GG many moons before although weirdly for such an amazing line, I couldn't remember too much about it. I didn't lead it, I remember that much but as for the route and the climbing itself, nope, nothing! After what was to come, I suspect this may have been a kind of voluntary memory loss!

Nathan 'tooling up' pre battle!

We got the gear sorted and Nathan racked up. He had settled on a plan of attack which basically involved treating the lower wider section of the crack as an off width. He would position his left hand side into the crack itself and face right and so he racked all his gear on his rh side. I suggested he get up to a point, place some gear and then come back down for a breather before setting off for a big push. Nathan agreed and off he went.

What a struggle! There was a fixed wire nut just below the final bulge of the first section that Nathan would clip en route if solid enough. He got to just below this and placed a big cam, clipped and retreated, exhausted! It was slow going and looked extremely hard work. Jam left leg into crack, get some sort of left arm jam and somehow manage to inch upwards! Nothing on the walls either side, no holds no nothing really!

what seemed like hours of struggle and this was our high point!

'no hands' rest above the final bulge!

After a number of attempts this way Nathan retreated and sat slumped below the route absolutely shattered. I'd mentioned trying to layback the thing. It seemed the only logical solution to me so I asked if he minded if I jumped on it and I think he was quite relieved to let someone else get on the sharp end for a while! I decided not to rack up thinking there was no point if I couldn't do the first section, I'd see how it went to the gear Nathan had fixed and if it went ok I'd come back down and gear up. I wasn't sure how it would go really and so set off with no expectations......I certainly wasn't expecting to be at the gear in seconds and surprisingly easily.....but I was! Gear clipped, I returned to ground for a breather. I'd even reached the fixed wire but having no draws on me I couldn't clip it. Buoyed by my small success and some new beta for the route, Nathan, on the verge of admitting defeat, decided he'd like one more go at the thing. Confessing that he hadn't done much laybacking, he set off, like myself, with no expectations at all, in fact probably secretly thinking we'd got no chance on this route, it had beaten us. Not at all! Up he went, reached his gear, past it, managed to clip the fixed wire and he was now in unchartered territory.......this might just go! A couple more moves and he'd be over the first bulge and at a position where he could rest. A big push, words of encouragement from me and he was over and sat on the half way ledge! The crux was done, surely it would be easy from now on in? Not at all. Our previous efforts had clearly taken their toll. Nathan moved up to the second bulge, it was a struggle, he was nearly there and I wasn't about to let him give up now. One more layback, go on, big push and yes, he was over, it was done! It was a fantastic effort really, just sheer tenacity and bloody mindedness got him up it, brilliant stuff!

Nathan on the summit

I seconded it, managing the first section really well but come the second bulge I had nothing left, mentally and physically I felt shot to bits. I had two tries but just couldn't get over the thing. I've analysed this in my head since and this is the honest conclusion I've come to.........after the time we'd spent on the route, I just wanted to get off the thing now, either up or lowered back down. I therefore wasn't thinking about the climbing. I was flailing about up there instead of working the thing out. The upper section walls have holds on, it isn't just a crack up there and I know that if I'd gotten my feet right, my body positioned better, thought about things more, I'd have done this route. It's another learning curve and another lesson I'm happy to take.

I was really pleased for Nathan though. This route is tough, very tough. No one move wonder here, it is relentless and it never stops wanting to hurt you! His sheer determination was to be admired.

So that was us for the day, 2 routes in 6 hours and we were absolutely battered......but that's good isn't it?!

Esoteric Heaven

I love climbing, in case you hadn't noticed! Mostly I enjoy the freedom, being outdoors, the fresh air, the scenery, it all adds to the experience. Occasionally though, I get to visit those less popular crags, the esoteric side of the climbing venue, where beauty is less obvious at first glance.

One such place is Pinfold Quarry in Lancashire. About a 5 minute car journey from the centre of Bury and yet so hidden away, the place is known only to a few die hards and rarely gets a visit.

One of our club members Nathan, has been re discovering Pinfold recently and along with 2 others, Jim and Matt, I decided to tag along with them to see just what Pinfold has to offer.

The crag is small, probably less than 50 or so routes, mainly in the higher grades. The rock is loose in places and care is needed.......that jug you're about to pull on, make sure it's solid and not holding up the rest of the crag! That just adds to the excitement though!

To make matters worse however, it appears that the landowner has dumped what appears to be an oil/fat like substance down some of the walls, making climbing nigh on impossible and definitely not pleasant at all!

In fact, all that is left is a small section of wall capped by a large overhang at mid height. Fortunately, it is this section of wall where the better routes seem to be mainly concentrated and so this is where we set our stall up.

When I arrived, the chaps had already warmed up on a HVS 5a and Nathan was starting his second lead of the day on Necromicon Arete E2 5c. A boulder problem start leads to a ledge. Arrange gear as best you can then make an airy traverse out onto the front face above the overhang then make a difficult rockover onto a decent hold on the arête and finish up this. I watched the others do the route, Jim in particular did really well considering he'd climbed outdoors just 3 times before! Then it was my turn.

The boys had left the gear in to protect the traverse so once I'd removed this, I suddenly became aware just how much of a swing I'd be on if I came off the thing. Falling wasn't really an option. I found the traverse really nice and even managed to do it with a bit of style! Now for the crux rockover......except I couldn't get my 50 year old hips to flex enough to get my foot high on the hold. A crimp for the rh and side pull on the arête for the lh, smear for the right foot and I was up on the hold and route was done. Nice! 5c......well I'd love to say I've ticked my first outdoors 5c for many moons but if I'm honest, I'm not sure it's 5c. Still a very worthwhile route though and that traverse will feel E2 on lead no doubt.

Matt topping out on Necromicon Arete E2 5c 2 scoop takes the thin crack right of the overhang and through the roof above  direct

Next up To Scoop or not 2 scoop E3 5c. This route is nails! Up a thin crack to the overhang then surmount this direct......simple, not! Long story short, none of us managed it, even on a toppie! Nathan managed to 'dog' the route after much huffing and puffing. I managed to get over the roof but not able to stand up above it! So, this is the same grade as the previous route, hmmm, I'm not so sure. One of them if not both, are graded wrong for me and I suspect this route is nearer 6a and maybe harder (I'm in the process of seeing if it's lost a hold or 2 since the FA!).

Finally, Nathan led an E1 5a called Suck it and See. A nice route and bang on the grade I'd say, which was making a refreshing change! again start up a thin crack, over the overlap to the break, traverse this for about 5 metres then tackle the wall direct to the top. Nothing too taxing and the gear Nathan placed looked to be solid. It has no stars this route but I think it's worth one definitely.

And that was it for the afternoon.

In summary, would I visit Pinfold again? Probably not in its current state to be fair but if you've never been and are looking for an afternoons entertainment then it's well worth an hour or two of your time. I understand the chaps from Lancashire Rock Revival are on the case regarding the dumping of the waste material so hopefully something can be done and the rest of the crag opened up for climbing again.

Froggatt Edge, Wonderful Froggatt Edge!

So Nathan and I headed out to Froggatt Edge in the Peak. Our club weekend meet at Pembroke had been cancelled due to the weather ,but with good weather forecast for the Friday, it would be remiss of us not to jump on something!

The weather did not disappoint and neither did the climbing. This was a fantastic day!

In the car on the way over, we were discussing boldness and the importance of the head being in the right place. I KNOW I'm not a bold climber, yet! But it surprised me a little to hear Nathan say he didn't feel like a bold climber either as I'd always thought the opposite in fairness. So we were a little unsure how the day would pan out, we both wanted to push ourselves but let's see where the head is at.

So in the spirit of this pushing ourselves, I jumped straight into a HS 4b, Sunset Crack. Quite a big lead for me, especially as a 'warm up' and this early in the season too. It was excellent! I loved every minute, a great route with a tricky crux at the sharp end although well protected. A nice intro to Froggatt for Nathan aswell, the key to Froggatt being friction trusting, body positioning and footwork. Any weaknesses in technique will be found out quickly and as a side note, later in the day, we saw a chap, 'cheesegrate' his way down a slab a few times due purely and simply to poor technique. His body way to close to the rock for a slab, heels too high so the friction not being allowed to work its magic. A bit of coaching from below and we got him up it! If ever there was an example of an indoor climber not knowing what the hell to do on rock, this was it...folks, climbing on rock is completely different from climbing on those brightly coloured concrete holds at the wall so get yourselves on an indoors to outdoors transition course, you'll enjoy the experience far more and unlike this chap, you'll get to keep the skin on your shins!

Next up was Nathans lead and I think buoyed by my jumping straight in at the deep end, he chose Sunset Slab HVS 4b........yes you heard me right, HVS 4b! Technically no harder than the route I'd lead but, as the grade suggests, a lot bolder! Amble up the lower slab, place last piece of gear at half height and then contemplate the moves onto the unprotected (and desperate to reverse!) upper slab. this was a really good lead by Nathan. I seconded and found the moves really really nice, balancey and with not much for hands, it's all about the feet and friction. I was able to just enjoy the route and the moves being safe but this would be an entirely different proposition on lead so hats off to Nathan!

Sunset Slab, Sunset Crack takes the crack and groove to the right

My turn again and continuing the spirit of pushing ourselves, I chose Allens Slab S 4a. Supposedly 'easier' than my last lead but the guidebook description 'bolder than you might be expecting', was the thing that attracted me, time to get right out of my comfort zone!

The route starts up an easy crack to around half height, all nice and easy and safe. A flake crack veers off to the right and balancy moves up this gain the high horizontal break which traverses right to finish up the final headwall. I fixed my last piece of gear in the safety of the first crack and stepped out onto the flake moving nicely and smoothly up to the break. I was now a good 15ft from my last gear and there was no prospect of any for at least another 10ft or so! Last Summer, I'd have panicked here, no doubt about it. I didn't panic at all though. I spotted a placement lower down on the flake which I'd missed on the way up. I down climbed a couple of moves, placed the gear and moved on, no dramas! The rest was just really nice, another piece in the break and then up the final headwall to the top out. S 4a but I was elated! This was a necky lead for me and I managed to do it with no fuss at all, I was very happy!

Allens Slab....the team to the right are on a VS that I'll be jumping on next visit!

This was now becoming a bit of a competition, the pair of us pushing the other onto bigger and better stuff and Nathan chose the crème de la crème of slab routes as his next lead, the wonderful 3 Pebble Slab HVS 5a. This routes reputation precedes it like maybe no other and its grade has long been a contentious issue.....is it E1 or HVS?! Chatting with climbers who have done the route and you'll get one of 2 reactions, " fantastic route, loved it" or more commonly, " never again!"

Nice moves up the lower slab lead to a slight bulge and a nice pocket for gear......the last piece of gear you'll get by the way! Now the fun starts! This route is not for those who have never climbed grit slabs before, the techniques needed for this climb can never be learned at an indoor wall. Slopey crimps for hands and just pure friction for feet. A high rockover to the right leaves you perched below the final gearless slab. 10-15ft of pure adrenalin fuelled fun complete the route. Nathan stood on the last good foothold for a while contemplating the final moves and composing himself. I saw from below that he'd found what seemed the best 'smear' for his left foot " That's the one, do it, go for it now" I shouted up in encouragement.......and he did, that was all it took! He was up and quite obviously and quite rightly too, very very pleased with himself. A wonderful lead it really was. I seconded and enjoyed of every second of that wonderful climb! If anyone ever asks you what climbing on grit is like, point them in the direction of 3PS!

the wonderful 3PS!

Last route of the day and a warm down route (having had an intensive coaching session the night before, I was by now feeling pretty ruined it has to be said). We decided on Heather Wall HVD 3c and another 3 star classic! A lovely route and just the relaxing climbing we needed for a warm down.

So what had been a day hastily thrown together from the wreckage of a cancelled club meet turned out to be one of the best days climbing I've had, ever. Normally when climbing, I've found it quite rare that all members of the party are feeling, well, up to it so to have a day where both of us were at the top of our game was just fantastic!