Wahts been Cranking

So then since my last post I've been getting out a bit, not as much as I would like but who ever gets out as much as they like.

the main trip I've done in the last few weeks was up in the infamous Peak District, I woke up on the Wednesday and looked at the weather around the country and saw that condition where going to be prime up there so I asked Drew if he wanted to crank his way up to the peak.

With his well know knowledge of the area it would be the best person to go with. On the Friday we headed up from the sunny south coast up to the Roaches one of Drew's favourite areas. we got the for about lunch time and went for a boulder, we warmed up on a cool bloc with the first problem being pocket wall a v1, with it being my first time on the grit for a very long time I was sceptical on how I would get on. after a failed attempt I got up it and then started to smash some other problems out. We then headed up to some high ball/ Solo problems and that was something different all together that I don't ever do, Drew cruised up them and then it was my go and little to say I  was bricking it even though it was easy climbing.

Then next day we had plans to head to Burbage but when we arrived we found two inches of snow on the deck and water running everywhere so we headed over to Cratcliffe and robin hoods stride, and amazing bouldering area it seems. What a day we had with sending lots of routes and my favourite would of had to been T-Crack one of the best problems I've done for a long time.

On the last day we headed over to Curbar for some more bouldering and that was another sweet place to visit and made me so jealous that there where so many awesome areas in such a small area.

 

Drew on Razor Roof

 

 



Drew on Road Rage 7b+

Me on maybe one of the best routes on Portland "road rage"

Photo Tommy Harris

Now back on the south coast it has been none stop rain floods and horrible weather fingers crossed it gets better.

o well off to font next week AHHHHHHHHHHH

New year

So then that's it another year has come and gone quicker than you can think. This year has been hectic with all sorts of things happening for me my main one is getting married (climbing my first 7c+ really but she could read this).
I hope that this year can bring a lot more adventures and climbing, my main thing to do this year is to travel to different areas and try and improve my climbing with more experience. All we need now is this rain to stop!!!!!

Hope everyone has a good year and lets see happens......

The new toy

So then what did Santa bring you at Christmas, because I was a good boy he got me a new GoPro Hero 3 black edition. I knew right away I needed to get out at try it out so today I headed down to the cuttings for some bouldering. With nothing hard in mind I headed to a new boulder my friend drew found last week and thought I would get on it and film the FA. Well its not going to be in next years Reel Rock Tour but it's a start to getting a video series of the bouldering in Dorset.

lets see how we go....... 

Blood Blister

Coronal Mass Ejection V5

 

Nu Breed V4

 

What's been cranking Vol 2

The Cranking has been continuing throughout the last few weekend at Dorset. Ive been trying to push my grade up and try and find out my own limit. I am very psyched at the moment, and I wanted to take advantage of it and keep the momentum going. Me and my friend Drew have spent the last few weekends down at the sweet crag of Winspit, even though not the best crag in the world it certainly has it gems. I remember looking at its south face and thinking wow those routes look hard and never really thought I would ever be at a level to try them. That was then and this is now so times are different and my level of climbing has risen since then and I managed to tick the hardest route of the crag "Souls of Mischief" F7c+. The following week I wanted to try the route to the right given F7c "Luancy booth" after working the crux out and working the rest I only had a little amount of time before the dark kicked in to send it, sadly this didn't happen. The following week we headed down with Drew's 50ft clip stick to clip the first half of the route (crux) from the ground. After warming up I had a fight of a go and it finally went first go of the day.

Its also good to see the legend Pete Oxley is still putting up new lines in Dorset as he has bolted a couple of new routes on the crag.

I also headed down to the Cuttings a main sport crag of Portland, my Friend's James a Vera, he had his eyes on a F7b+ "sign of the Vulcan" with a crux pull of a Vulcan style hold to a good side pull jug. After seeing Jame's work the crux I thought I would have a go at flashing it with a few grunts and a few hard pulls I got through the Vulcan and up to the finishing hold to find my self clipping the lower off. Super psyched.


I'm supper happy with where my climbing is taking me and where it might head to this year.... 

 Sign of the Vulcan

Photo Vera Cady

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