Spring time cragging

Every year or so a few friends write a list of routes. Now these can be any route we choose, however the other people writing their own lists can veto them if they think you're selling yourself short or will complete your list too easily (and of course win the coveted and seemingly unattainable prize money of ~£20). My list last year got off to a good start but a lack of motivation and life events conspired to put me out of the game with only 50% of my list completed.

This year seems to be a better bet. The routes on the list will push me, hence some training over the winter rather than the normal running, and are a little far flung from sheltered South Wales but so far I have had a great time chasing these lines around the crags of the country. Starting with Chullila down at Brean and yesterday getting Propaganda done at Cwmaman. The routes between these two (all 5 of them) have all been ambitions for a while.

The biggest of which was the Assassin down at Gogarth. This route used to intimidate me somewhat, the picture of Lee Roberts in the Ground Up guide making it look "way out there" and above my pay grade at the time when I lived there. Years passed and that ember to climb it and the shadows that scared me were still present but on a glorious weekend in late March I had a brilliant couple of days mincing my way up various routes with good friends both old and new. I finally got on the Assassin. It was amazing, both the climbing and the situation in the middle of Main cliff with the sun on the sea and hunger in my belly adding to the atmosphere of a great day. So here's to more brilliant days this year and the years to come.

Me seconding the Strand as our warm up before heading over to the Main event (© Tom Ripley)

Beginnings of Spring

So what with work, climbing and general busyness I've neglected posting. Ah well

More groups are coming in thick and fast in work now so I've got less time to get out for myself especially when the weather is constantly refusing to play along with my scheming. However I have managed a good few days out on the hills and crags up and down the country.

The first was half term where I drove over to Sheffield for a bit of Grit climbing and some drinking too! After getting some routes in we packed the car and headed north to a grim looking forecast on the Ben. 2 half decent days on the hill and the weather was due to turn properly shit so after a 12hour day I drove back down to Sheffield. Ended up being pretty wasted and spent a wet day the following day watching shitty films and getting drunk! Yay for cosmopolitan life!

Dragging myself out of this funk , we went to Stanage for a gorgeous day on the grit again! Ticking Telli and some other classic routes. Then jumping back in the car for another drive back to the Cott. Basically I did a lot of driving around during the half term but i guess it was worth it, the weather in North Wales being even more shocking I was told! Below is a short video of our 'adventures'. Its not particularly good but shows what we got upto in a more detailed way.



So back into work and a good week with a different group of kids I managed to get to the wall but nothing else. It rained a lot that week! But am thoroughly enjoying this 'teaching' stuff and am applying for related jobs next year in part to help fund travels and also to build on my experience for a future career path (shock horror!). No worries though that wont be for a while, living to climb and travel will come first for a good few years yet!

The weekend forecast was good for a change so plans were hatched and partners found. The saturday was a classic, going to the Big-G and getting straight on Resolution Direct then Park Lane/Doomsville both brilliant E2s on a brilliant crag.

Me on P1 of Doomsville (Photo: T.Livingstone)

The following day on the Sunday I got out again with the infamous Tom Ripley and headed to Tremadog. Pant Ifan proved to be a bit moist so we stomped over to Craig y Castell, but because of Ripleys inability to climb popular routes we ended up on stuff no one else has heard of. And I'm glad we did! It was class! The rock was a bit friable at times but superb friction and no one else to fight off ab points! Quality day! We got a good few routes in; Pwyll for me was the highlight as it was excellent climbing but with not loads of gear for a bit of added spiceyness. Fun times!

Me post physco-crux on Pwyll with the best climbing still to come! (Photo: T.Ripley)

Back in work on the monday with a steaming hangover (Balsfords birthday drinks ended in 10cans...) and plans were hatched for the following afternoon. But with initial ideas put to rest by the weather (again), Livingstone and me armed in just our trainers ran up Grooved Arete in search of crag swag! Got a good haul of a few wires and a quickdraw (who leaves those!?). The rock was pretty damp and greasy which only added to the lunacy of racing the dark with no headtorches. Good craic all round!

Finally a morning at the Big-G saw us get on Emulator and Bezel, an ok day but the weather had decided to flee and we were in the clag most of the time. Fucking weather!!! 

You can probably tell a theme running through my life at the moment! Whenever I try to organise something the weather has other ideas, but I guess its just a test of motivation! Gotta keep on going or I'll end up crushed and miserable!

Late Starts, Early Starts

The plan for Thursday was to get upto Pen-y-Pass and race up Crib Goch and be stood under Reades Route at about 2. In reality we left the car park at 2 as Toms lecture had dragged a bit, so going at a reasonable pace meant we were under the route at about 4, not ideal really. 30mins a pitch...for leader and second.....shit.

Uber-Alpinist Tom showing how to carry bags for light and fast ascents

After dispatching the first pitch without too much huffing and puffing. Tom had the lead, which from where I was sat (yes it was a sitting belay overlooking the Pass....Fricking amazing!) looked- and later felt- desperate! Hats off for that one! When he finally reached the top and the ropes went tight on the belay it was most definately dark. So head torch switched on I started up. Now climbing in the dark is all well and good if your head torch lights stuff up enough for it to look like daylight, mine however is less bright than a lunar eclipse, and so finding edges for the feet and hooks proved to be quite tricky at times but none the less I managed to haul my carcass up the route! Stellar!

Tom after eating a shit load of mental-mint cake

Rock and roll.....lads on tour

So after finishing the route to screams of 'Run Ueli, Run' we kept going heading over Crib y Drysgl and Snowdon. According to a wandering soul (who we did escourt off the hill safely...ML practice) who had a thermometer but no idea, it was -8 on the top, probably a bit more in the wind....Cool.

So getting back to the Cott at 10.30 I was pretty tired but had a note off another instructor (Poppy) about going open boating at 8am the next day. Who was I to say no, and it would be a good excuse for a rest day! Getting up shattered and feeling increasingly ill the next morning I crawled to the kitchen, and had a shed full of coffee and weetabix. Buzzing!

Heading to the Dee river we got waylaid but some old fisherman person (fucking hell they're uptight!) so had to move on and get on a bit further along. Ah well. Paddling these tank boats is not to bad really, aside getting freezing cold feet its ok, you can wear Dachstein mitts for a start and look like a proper hero. Because obviously its all about the image of paddling. As we floated down - well I was mostly floating and trying hard to avoid rocks whilst the other 2 stylishly went around on the river - we saw what has been called 'the most scenic and beautiful river in North Wales'. It may well be in autumn but in winter its just a river with loads of dead trees on the banks....

It has been  a pretty full on week to say the least so I think some beer drinking and rugby watching is the next port of call for this wayfaring jippo.

First Welsh Winter Routes – Ironic

So after catching up on some much needed sleep Monday night and a swift Indy session on Tuesday plans were hatched to head up to the East face of Bristly ridge on Wednesday and prospect for some new stuff. With Gaz leading the way we got upto the routes at 930… this welsh winter stuff is pretty laid back! We went straight for the Giants steps route, well I say straight it took a sliht detour as Baggy was sat under the route Gaz had first had in mind. But we got the better route in the end.

Climbing the first pitch quickly and smoothly it was no time until I was shoved onto the sharp end or my first welsh winter route with the prospect of it becoming a new route at the same time! So with some bomber hooks and half frozen turf I swung out onto the side of the pinnacle, a high step later I was crouched in a small cave contemplating the next few moves. Leaning further and further out on a shit hand jam, I managed to scrabble together a hook for both axes. Lurching my feet higher in the cave now and pulling up to lock off the axes to bring my feet up again onto a small edge and a smear out left. I was up and over. Bit overhangy that!

Me on the crux pitch of Dwarf Steps Variation

Chucking in some gear for good measure it was a pleasant mixed romp for another 20 metres to the ridge proper and the end of our route….Dwarf Steps Variation (IV,5).

Gaz heading back to the East face for more climbing

Heading down the ridge we decided it was too early to head back so abbed off the ridge back onto the grassy eastern slopes and belayed under a summer VDiff rib. It was Gaz’s lead and so he racked up and hooked and smeared his was up another new IV,5 Grooved Buttress (it follows the summer route), a good little route! Baggy joined us on this last route as his partner was ill so had left after finishing their route.

Gaz starting up Grooved Buttress

All in all not a bad intro to Welsh winter with the first routes ive done being new ones, ironic really. Theres so much potential for new lines it’s a bit crazy really. Keen to become normal tomorrow and head to the more classic lines that people actually know what they are. 

Praying to the Weather Gods

As usual the weather pretty much dictates everything! Over the last week or so its gone from clag and mingingness, to glorious sunshine, to ming again. But in that time funsies were had!

During the first week of ming, I managed to get out walking and scrambling everyday and also had a good root around in the hills for aircraft wrecks, of which there is a list here. Some I found others had apparently been cleared in the 80's something I found after spending time looking for them...D'oh.

With the weather promising to pick up dramatically over the weekend, eager Friday night plans were hatched and rehashed according to who was free and who had remembered that they had work. So finally I ended up at the bottom of Yellow walls on South stack with someone to climb with. It all looked promising! And it was! For a change! We did 2 brilliant routes The Savage and Creeping Leema. The exposure on both is unbelievable, with a drop of 100ft from the heels of your feet to the sea straight down, the hanging slabs on these routes made them and both had very apt names in my opinion. There is a photo on the link above of the pitch 2 crux of CL where a lurch leftwards results in you hanging off a jug feet dangling in space with the sea crashing a good way below you. Brilliant route!

The evening wasn't too shabby either, with a mates birthday and buffet curry organised a good night was had, culminating in a Greek Taverna playing reggae music.....they assure me this is normal in Bangor, aye.

Hungover bouldering the next day was enjoyed by few but the bitter temps at the Cromlech made it all to easy to slink off back to the Cott....only after flashing a V5 might I add. Getting back home and feeling ashamded at being so lazy I headed off to Tryfan to do the Wrinkled slab, a decent SCG3/Mod route up the west face leading to the summit. Was a tad icey and frozen on the ascent and descent, but was worth it as no one else was around (something that's pretty rare on a clear day) and felt satisfied with my weekend for the first time in a while.

Back to the ming weather now though. Hopefully a weekend in Scotland and some more paddling will do the trick and keep my levels of motivation up! Im sure they will!

Some pictures for your perusal.

Rhoscolyn with weather how it should be!

Carnedd Dafydd aircraft wreck from 1944 

Sunset off Tryfan on an icy evening scrambling 

Duncan mid-way down off Snowdon during our pleasant 2hour jaunt

All I Wanted for Christmas was Winter....Fuck you Santa.

Taking a trainee instructors role in North Wales I hoped that the last two years snow fall and freezing temperatures would continue and give me at least a couple of Welsh winter routes in the bag by the time I headed home for Christmas. But alas it wasn’t to be with driving rain and high winds characterising our winter through December. So planning ahead I got myself and a friend organised for a trip up north to Scotland for some education on becoming squalor proof following on from last winters trips.

It wasn’t to be however with the early Scottish conditions disappearing with sky rocketing temperatures across Scotland and as only 2 days possible climbing would be gained I stay home and did battle with the shite weather, mostly by drinking and seeing old friends.

Managing to get only 4 days out climbing in 3 weeks if fucking shocking especially as they were all rock days- no ice to speak of! Unheard of for me- particularly in the last few years. Its pretty depressing really and the only thin making me not top myself is…. Laziness probably because this ‘winter’ is actually looking that bad!

Driving back north to the Cott today I was surprised at how down I was feeling, Ive had a few phases of being very down just before Christmas but that was to do with feeling useless and lost mostly. And I guess it’s the same now, if I cant go climbing and often go for days without seeing friends or speaking to anyone but myself what the fuck am I doing here. Im here to work my balls off and get as much personal and leader experience as I can over the next few months. So my New years resolution is to firstly GO BIG or GO HOME! And secondly to treat this opportunity as I did when I first got to North Wales and do everything I possibly can to have fun and go to bed at the end of everyday tired from exertion not essay writing.

Boom. So Happy New Year everyone and hopefully the next posts you read will be of adventures come what my regarding the bollocks British Weather. Either that or ill divulge some of my Christmas antics involving golf.

For now enjoy some pictures from the festive period and a video a friend made of our trip to Frankenjura in the summer.

On Khartoum (E2 5a - but could have been F9a for all it mattered as none of the rock where i am in this picture was stuck to anything else, it was like trying to swim up overhanging weetabix....not ideal)

Ian abseiling into Ogmore for his first fun times experience

Rob on a F6a+ at Portland (Consumme)

Frankenjura from Michael Bamford on Vimeo.

New Beginnings

Well yer, the whole more posting thing didn’t really kick off too well. In my defence I have been climbing and also moved house.

The new mansion is in the Ogwen Valley in North Wales. Its pretty ideally located and the work is not too bad either. Sound people and that.

Before actually starting work I managed to get into the cottage a few days early and so got some good climbing and bouldering in before it all kicked off. Carreg Hylldrem bouldering will no doubt become a regular place to train, its steep and full of eliminates.

In moving to a new place you have to find new people to climb with which is much harder than I first thought. My first port of call was friends of friends and when that failed (they have families and are much busier than me) UKC. This is something I didn’t do lightly, there are some proper weirdos on that website. I should know, one of them went to uni with me. So I first met up with one of the UKCites, and to my surprise he was oright, a bumbly but an eager bumbly who can belay. All I ask really. So managing to get a few routes in with this guy, Sam. And also some really good hill days in (Snowdon via Crib Goch and Crib y Drysygll in 2hours then onto Moel Elio and down to Llanberis in 5hours total time, with winds at 70mph on the ridges and tops, and persistent heavy rain…its one for the logbook and sheer audacity.)

But the highlight / brain fuck was trying to solo superdirect on the Milestone buttress of Tryfan. After a training day in Birmingham (causing a 5am start) I wanted to take advantage of the first dry weather since I got here a week ago. So running to the car and nailing it down to the car park I looked up to see trees on the buttress being flung about like pieces of cloth in the wind. Not exactly ideal but I thought it would be ok. Ploughing up the first two pitches was fine, whenever the wind picked up more than usual I could hunker down or torque my arm into a crack an hold on through the worst of it. By the time I reached the final crux pitch the wind was really going for it, clouds of spray could be seen curling around the lake 100m below me. A tad disconcerting really. Never-the-less I began the crux, fingertips curling behind a thin flake, edging upwards I began to think it wasn’t the right choice. But no time for that now. Before I knew it my right foot was up high and transferring my weight onto it I edged up the wall. Just as I started inching my way out left to the blunt arête and safety of the corner (I think its safe not been up there before) the wind hit me. Pushing me bodily off the wall. I was in trouble. The ‘ground’ below was a long way off and a green corner would undoubtedly make sure I didn’t hit it pencil straight.

Fuck.

Just about clinging on I managed to swing back right and make a dash for the ledge. Sitting down looking at the route, I was being shoved with great force off the ledge! Enough of this shit, I was out of there, traversing across the VD and HS wall to the decent gully back to my bag at the bottom of the route. Fuck! Fucking Wind! I kept shouting at the air around me! Willing it to stop just for a moment for me to finish what I had come to do. But we all need to learn lessons in the hills. Having the audacity to try something out there for yourself and properly commiting yourself and reap great rewards, but the punishment for failure will be certain. Learning where the limits are is a valuable skill in the hills, when to push through and when to leave it for another day.

My aim this year is to push the boundaries I have in my mind. To climb harder, run faster and go out into the hills in the worst possible conditions I can. To test myself. To find myself wanting.

Photo: The Front garden

Photo: The Back garden