10 weekends

Its now soon to be the new year, I never usually look at climbing by years or by going with the idea of this year I want to do this, I want to do that. At the moment on the other hand I have been sucked into this way of thinking. I want to try and tick a hard route by the end of the year. I have never spent time on a route and i think this process will be hard to deal with at first as I don't know how to deal with being shut down on a single route for such a period of time. I guess with progression come a means of sacrifice and time will have to be it.

After tonight I have a renewed psyche as Ive just got back from watching the Reel Rock 8 Film Tour in Southampton and to watch climbers with such passion has made me look at myself and realise that I have the same amount as passion as them but I'm not a F*****G BEAST.

Time to look at the guide book ready for the weekend.....

!!!!!PSYCHED!!!!!!

Off Too Wales

With a week left on my holiday at work i decided to use it or lose it and head up to north wales.

 

 

Me and Tommy headed up on the Sunday morning in the blue monster off Tommy's work truck and got there with time to fit a bit of evening bouldering in at the famous Cromlech boulders. Ive had a small taste of these fine climbs before but nothing that testing. I warmed up on some of the easy classics of the bloc and headed round the back to try a v8 that Tommy had found in the book, I gave it a few goes before getting shutdown as well as wanting to save a bit of energy for Jerry's roof. I had seen this problem for years and have always wanted to try it but only had time for a few goes. Sadly no tick went on this problem on the day but one to come back for.

 

the next day the weather wasn't that great so we headed to where every one heads to on a rainy day parislas cave, I had seen this place on DVD's and on friends vids of the amazing lines that come out of this cave. We arrived at the crag and I was amazed about the small island that its situated on the other crags looked sweet and I was psyched to get my rope out. We went in the cave to boulder to start with and got completely shut down on the steepness and the power required for the harder lines. My friend Drew told me that I should try a 8a down at LPT just down the cliff from the cave so I asked Tommy if he would belay me and we headed down after a going bolt to bolt the tide was coming in and it was getting late so didn't have time to give it a bash but this is a place I will be back too for sure.

 

I think i did some climbing this week......

 

The next day we headed up to slate with not much of a idea on what it was going to be like. The smooth slaby nature of the rock is not my style at all but it didn't matter i was psyched and ready to climb. We headed to bus stop quarry to start with and did most of the classics on the crag and then headed over to the Australia crag. I wanted to try a E1 called looning the tube, I had seen photos of this crazy line with a 6 inch pipe leading you off onto the climb and needed to do it.

 

I headed back after an amazing day for a warm shower and some nice food form the local pub to find that the weather was going to get bad again for the next day. I had one thought in the back of my mind SNAKES AND LADDERS!!!!!. no this isn't a board game, this is a 2hour long route that runs through most of the crags on the slate. Up and down chains and ladders and through caves.

 

We woke up to 40mph gusts and a big down fall of rain, PRIME. we went for it and what a day it was. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good time. sadly my phone got completely soaked and is still not even turning on but it was worth it for sure.

 

The last day we headed back up to the slate as it was the only place dry for a 5 pitch 6b , Grand Day Out. By far some of the best bolted climbing Ive done in the UK the climbing on the top pitches are absolute brilliant.

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

Photo: Tommy Harris

Hello There Punter

On Saturday me, Dan and Ben headed down to Blacknor Far South, I haven't really been to this crag that much which is a shame as after this visit I will be heading back a lot more. The crag is not like most of the other crags at Portland as when you first see it all you can see is plain black faces with bolts in, most of the hard routes look nuts.

We warmed up on a couple of routes to then go and try a route called no body's hero a 6c up a groove. My first go I got high up into the groove and got my self a bit bamboozled at what I had to do. I saw a couple of holds out left with chalk on and this caused me to fall off by getting sucked into someone else mistake. After pulling up on the rope I found the correct sequence and ticked it next go.

I was a bit pissed at my self as this is only a 6c and that i should have been able to onsight this, o well.

I then tried a 7a called Mechanoids one of the easiest routes up the blank faces, I got high up on this one too and tried to mantle up with me finally popping off, after resting I did it next go and must say that this has had to be one of the best 7a's I have done on Portland.

I only have a week at work then a week off up to north wales or the peak for a bit of sport/ trad and bouldering fingers crossed for good weather.

 

Dan half way up Mechanoids