Impatient

Feeling run down, Some kind of man bug? should rest really? but getting impatient to get on projects, climbing on Saturday took on an outer-body experience, felt totally out of it! and to top it all the project I wanted had not dried, Still, developed some more blocks with James. Got home passed out.

Felt better tonight to work through the Anston proofs, one more full read through and it's going to print.

A classy groove in a woods Steve Phelps showed me, the twin arete to the right looks good, the right end of the block drops down, making the climbing 6 metres, spicing things up a bit for sure.

My down's better than your down

After bailing out from 'plan A' due to icy roads and some scary moments in the car, we decided to go to the coast. James was keen to get on his project arete, which looked brilliant. I've had a dabble, it's really involving climbing from start to finish. When we got there the view was incredible - It felt like one of those once in a lifetime sublime moments. So breath-taking that whether or not we got some climbing done it didn't really matter. But we were going to give it a good try. We all got some lines done. I found one line harder than expected - something to go back for?  I also made a new little red-breasted friend with a better down jacket than mine. The best thing of all though was that just on the verge of leaving, on the shout of "It's time to go" James said to Steve "I'll have to smash this project in now" and to my amazement he did, as I witnessed through the trees! Not bad going in these conditions.

Public footpath or a traverse?

The tops will brush off, honest!

 Two hours later..... success

 Steve climbing on a fine problem, on a block that he has developed

 I was right chuffed with this line, climbing the arete without the left wall or chock-stones

 The best down jacket ever, just look at that fluffy fill quality

James happy to get his arete in the alpine conditions

Pasty Power

Here are a few things I love about the Moors

1. Curry pasties from the garage at Middleton

2. Every venue has a very different feel to it - each one feels like you are in a different area

3. The landscape is stunning

4. A lot of projects to get my teeth into

5. So much to develop, my head's spinning

*** Curry Pasty, a must if in the area

Three months wait and this area was bone dry. Time to warm up and get on a project that's been on my mind since we cleaned it. Bashed a few short projects out on the little block and the slab, to warm up. Then got on with the arete - two hours later after working out the moves, fell off right at the top on the easy bit! Then the snow came bang on time and that was the end of that. Next time....

 Horrendous trip back..... nearly got stuck in the snow in a remote dale, with no houses! 

Setting off on the project. Moves that rely not only on strength but fine balance, you feel like you're falling off all the way up.

Getting worried. Will I make it over to the next valley? It took six attempts to get the Hill!

Could still be up there - frozen!

The Easterly Winds are the Key

It's so good to see lines that look incredible conquered. For me this was one of of those lines. A line that made me realise that the east coast boulders were worth developing, taking me on a journey of exploration along the coast, during which a few times I nearly never made it home (don't tell Lisa). Now four years later....

Mike had worked out the perfect conditions necessary to claim a line under a block that had for once fallen the right way, thus giving the hardest problem on the Moors coast to date: 'Before the Rain 8a+' Well done Mike.

Earlier Blogs

http://betaguides.blogspot.com/2011/02/living-dream.html

http://betaguides.blogspot.com/2011/06/east-coast-bouldering.html

http://betaguides.blogspot.com/2011/07/dip-in-north-sea.html

http://betaguides.blogspot.com/2011/07/before-rains-came-and-coastal-video.html

Before the Rain 8a+ 

An earlier Attempt

A day later, Mike made the most of the easterly winds.