Justified Vagrancy

As I work in a school and have half term off I had ideas of going to Scotland. That was until someone mentioned Siurana and a Spanish bolt clipping holiday.

Ive only been on one sport climbing holiday before to Frankenjura and it had been an enjoyable and beneficial (I was rock fit on my return) so I took the jump and booked flights to Reus for a few bob.

I wasnt sure what to expect or what to do really. How warm will it be? Mileage vs. Redpointing? How much will this cost me? In the end though with it being pretty chilly the first few days and wanting to just climb lots after a mediocre winter of plastic pulling we got on with it and put in the mileage. Getting 41routes in over 6days (Fr5+ - Fr6c+; mostly Fr6a/6b) was pretty cool and made for a tired little boy at the end of the holiday.

Sleeping in lay-bys and under overhangs at the crag made our weight loss plan work out pretty well, losing over half a stone in the time we spent there. Although more could have been shed had it not been for the 6 euros for 28 can beers in the supermarket!! An abandoned building provided ample shelter from the continual winds for the early part of the holiday and made us feel like refugees - which I guess we were, climate refugees.

Flying home on the sat night I felt good and with a partner sorted for the sunday in the Wye, psyce was high. Well it was until I woke up at 6am on sunday wide awake. So using up my time sorting pictures, unpacking, making lunch, tidying kit and repacking for a days trad it was time to head off (not before dropping mike at the train station).

Warming up on a pleasant VS I got it in my head that this would be an easy day getting used to placing gear again and loosening the muscles. Alas it was not to come true. Dave had big ideas for me and suggested I lead both pitches of Tower Route (a route I had previously seconded). With this dispatched and me smiling at the top, I thought I was safe. One hardish route a day, thats about right surely. But after chatting to some other mates at the crag (There were other people at wintours for the first time since November!!) they suggested I get straight on White Feather, a steep 37m E3 the other end of North Wall. So after a tough start (definately stick a wire in the bottom, its much harder than it looks!! - NB: I didnt fall onto the wire but its proper grovelly) the route flowed past and with a handy pull using some new found Siurana strength I reached the top of another quality route that's on my S.Wales ticklist for the year.

Cheers to everyone that belayed me the last week (Sam, Mike, Dave, Random Aussie Guy) made it a quality week that I am definately going to reorganise for next Feb.... If i have any money. As in other news Ive booked flights to California and Argentina for an 18week crush-fest at the end of this year! Let the good times roll!

The Living-Dining-Kitchen Area

Siurana Sunset

Mike happy as ever to wake up at the crag...no walk-ins!!

Spanish weather followed me all the way to the Wye

A Week Of Life

The last 7days have been some of the best ive had in a long time. And it was all down to sacking off all my uni work and jsut getting a 'normal life' for a bit.

On the friday i managed to get on a cheapish train back to Cardiff for a weekend of climbing before my volunteer work kicked in on the monday. As my partner for the two days only had a few hours to spare each day (it was his sons birthday- thats dedication!) we had to go in all guns blazing. So the saturday started us off with a sport climbing session, dogging and attempting a soft touch Fr7b, which i didnt make in the end but got later in the week. The sunday was more of a proper day out as we only had 3 hours and a high tide to play with we did Exposure Explosion. A route ive been meaning and attempting to do for a good few years, despite its easy grade (HVS 5a) i had never managed to get the partner, weather, or tides right before for this 7pitch, rope drag mammoth.

Photo: Puling through the wet look cave crux

The route went really well with me getting the crux wet 5a pitch through wet look cave, it probably isnt 5a moves but the fact its always wet even in the sun makes it feel committing, especially considering you relaly dont wanna fall off at any point on the route. Finishing up the final corner i was pleased that i had finally put the route to bed and get started on my 2011 challenge ticklist..only 24 left to go....

On the monday my volunteer work started at Cardiff Outdoor Activity Team and it was really good, finding out about play centres dotted around cardiff and the work the people in them and behind them do is really inspiring stuff and makes me want to go and help out more there during the summer, which at the moment looks like it might happen. My volunteer work only lasted 3 days and so kind of stopped climbing play aside a quick hit tuesday night where i onsighted my first Fr6c at Taffs Well the route called Daggers goes up a faint groove line and provided ample interest in our game of grab and pull.

After my volunteer work ended on the wednesday i was keen to put Rise Fr7b to rest so phoned around everyone i knew in Cardiff and managed to drag Gary out of his sick-bed to come hold my ropes in exchange for a lift to Cwmaman to tidy up a route that was falling to bits.

After dogging up the route with 2 rests to put the quickdraws in i lowered down the route, and popped on another to get warmed up (only in South Wales do you have to take trad gear for sport routes- am gunna redo the route with jsut trad gear at E2 5c at some point). Had a rest and cruised the route, it felt easy! Redpointing makes stuff that seems impossible, possible. It did all feel a bit hollow though. Ah well another rotue down on the list...now only 23 to go!

Once i was done and had stripped the route we headed over to Cwmaman to do Garys bidding. But when we got there the route was still in the shade, so whilst waiting around i abbed down a Fr7a, his mate had put up the previous summer, to give it a clean. Then did the route on the second attempt with no Top Rope practice, i must either be getting better or jsut hadnt cottoned onto this sport climbing thing before. They were both soft touches and it did feel a bit hollow but was in numbers terms a pretty good day out.

We then got down to the business of cleaning his route. Im not going to go into detail but i climbed it (about Fr6a) and lowered down as someone had said it was in a bad way. I thought it was a bit sketch but made nothing of it. Gary then jumared up the rope and pushed a lot of big blocks off, including one that had previously had a bolt in it. Nice. Heres a video of him cleaning...

After a day of rest i headed back upto Sheffield, the promise of a lift to the Roaches and glorious weather enticing me back up north. Getting to the Roaches on the saturday morning i held a sight before my eyes ive never seen before. The place was crawling. Like Stanage popular on a bank holiday but more so! After eventually doing Valkyrie behind some utter retards (from a London Uni club i might add) we ran away to the upper tier and had a much nicer day soloing about and occasionally getting the rope out for dirty or harder routes.

Good week in all, but am coming crashing back down to Earth now with the prospect of all the work i need to get done before my spring trip to Cham hits home.