This is well late now but a few weeks back Jack kindly drove
to Horseshoe Quarry in the Peak District with me, Brad and new gear sec James,
not that he knew that at the time. We were all incredibly psyched after an
Easter lacking in climbing combined with revision…apart from Brad who was suffering
from an extreme hangover after his birthday celebrations the night before. We
had already taken pity to a certain extent in agreeing to leave a bit later but
he still curled up in the back with his blanket looking rather worse for wear.
Despite his intermittent complaints we made it to Horseshoe and the sun was out
for the first time in what felt like years. We didn’t hang around a swiftly got
leading, me and Brad on a 6a and James and Jack on a 5+ crack, weirdly. Brad
was modelling his new super swanky orange helmet which blinded everyone in the
nearby vicinity, but the hangover defeated him as he dogged the 6a pretty hard
despite my occasionally abusive encouragement from below. We then moved onto
the Main Wall, where the best rock and therefore routes were. I got stuck into
Megalithic Man 6b+, which went onsight and was an amazing line, before getting
too big for my boots and failing hard on the apparently ‘soft’ 7a (involving painfully
landing on my arse on a ledge after falling) and then the top 50 6c nearby.
Next time for sure.
Jack and James meanwhile were steadily ticking, the best
routes being a long and reachy 6a+ that Jack dispatched with ease and a first
outdoor lead for James- 6a! Despite some sketchy antics at the top, involving
dynoing for the chain rather than the more conventional slinging on method,
this was a serious effort from James. The effect was improved further by him
going TO for the climb- see his FB for more details ladies. Brad’s miserable
climbing day was confirmed by his failing to climb the 6a that James had just
led- it was one of those days for Brad, not that it stopped me and Jack in
particular from laughing at him! Jack then had a complete nightmare on Wall of
Jericho 6b, failing to get more than 2m off the ground, although there is a
suspicion some holds may have gone from the start. After bailing off that
everyone except James, who was still pumped out after his terror at the top of
the 6a, tried Sunday Sport 6b. Despite solid efforts both Jack and Brad pumped
out and greased off halfway up, prompting me to give it a crack and somehow stick the desperate crux move- was bloody scary though. At
that point everyone had pretty much had it and after an explore of the rest of
the quarry we packed up. This is a really good sport climbing venue with plenty
in the lower grades, which the club will definitely see more of next year. :)
Revision was again the main motivator for a trip to Slawston
Bridge last week with Jack and Brad. Brad was AGAIN hungover, but with blanket
in tow he made it! Having got there and parked a group of chavs swiftly left
the bridge, forgetting to pick up their stash of about 40 quid, several ounces
of weed and an ipod. Unfortunately they came back 10 minutes later to retrieve it,
otherwise needless to say money would have been made. After a brief freakout at
the height of the bridge we started ticking the easier problems, the main
concern being the slightly sketchy top outs. However, the good holds were there
if you looked hard enough and didn’t panic, although this was easier said then
done. All 3 of us started on a font 5+, which involved a hard crimp start and
dodgy last hold. Since crimping and running it out are probably my favourite
things I got stuck in, and good beta from Jack and Brad unlocked the route. The
start in particular shut down Jack and Brad though, and we moved on to a font
6a+ which resulted in me taking the first fall from the top of the bridge
without injury before topping out in front of some more weed smoking chavs.
We moved on to the other wall, where Brad and Jack started
work on the font 6b traverse, managing almost all of it apart from the absolutely
nails first move. For the rest of the evening we ticked most of the easier stuff on
the walls, the funnier moments being me falling from the top again after
sticking my hand in a pocket inhabited by a wasp or fly of some kind and
shitting me up completely, along with Jack’s failure to hang onto an absolutely
enormous hold. After getting suitably pumped we headed home- I for one will
definitely be back with my car once exams are over with whoever is interested!
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