Snowdonia 20th-22nd November 20015

As I begin this weeks blog, I’m left feeling that words are somehow inadequate and wondering how I can do justice to the array of amazing photos this weekend?

Pictures speak a thousand words they say? Perhaps this week I'll let the pictures lead a little more and see where that takes me.

This meet to Snowdonia was short a Captain, a Gear Sec and a Training sec, and was instead lead by a girl-strong committee, of myself, Charlie, Marie Katie, with Toby as the token male (Jokes! - he was an invaluable acting-gear sec!) With Katie driving, we had three girls up front for the first time in club history in anyone's memory. It could well have been a real first in fact! It was excellent :) We only got a little lost occasionally and generally had a great time!

 Saturday morning at 8am Wales greeted us with this incredible view as we drove from Capel Curig towards Llanberis pass. Excitement was high as we drove higher and into the snowline. We looked up at the crags of this iconic valley, trying to spot lines, and surveying the exent of the black streaks of seepage that the Winter inevitably brings; were headed for the Dinorwig slate quarries.

  

The day began at then Sidings level up at Australia; slowly as it was more than a bit nippy. As the sun came out and the burns of hot aches receded, we were offered some amazing views and people started to emerge from the comfort of down jackets to got some climbing done. 

 Will, our newest outdoor member, not giving his identity away! - Looking pretty toasty.

 

 Charlie got things going, leading Railway Children, 6a/+, which having failed to second two years ago, she was pretty psyched to lead so easily. This was followed by In Loving Memory, 6b, which being not only delicate, but also a reach-y climb; 'little Charlie' was perhaps even more delighted to lead!

Here she is, trying hard!

 

Katie, climbing with Emma and Will led The Polar Express, 5c and above is seconding a route of the extravagant name: 'Those who climb clearly marked projects are the kind of people who would steal the chocolate bar from a kid's lunch box - selfish tossers - who owe the bolt fund cash.'

 Marie, after leading The Polar Express too, climbed up with Josh to enjoy the sunshine from a higher vantage point in search of a good photo angle.

 

Mo, looks pretty happy here - with good reason too, he had a really good day with Paddy, between them on a mission to tick the crag!  He also did his first outdoor lead of a 5 which he cannot remember the name of..!

What about Paddy? Or Paddy the Punter as he is now known by as some. I must certainly leave some pace for his exploits. Various incidences of not bringing up enough draws for a sport route, and an exhibition on Orangutang Overhang, 6a+ earned him the name Paddy the Punter. Which only became more firmly cemented in our minds, by his evening antics involving an impromptu naked hut run and much more. 'Paddy the Punter strikes again' was the not-infrequent call!

The Orangutang Overhang incident needs elaboration. By around 2pm the weather window had closed down and dark clouds were rolling in. Snow started falling. A great time to begin another climb thought Paddy. Toby trying valiantly to dissuade him was promptly given a £100 deposit at the crag in order to allow Paddy to use Toby's draws and give the route a go anyway.

At the second, fairly spaced bolt, Paddy realising he was in deck-out zone on what was becoming progressively wetter and wetter rock, decided to rethink his boundless enthusiasm: 'Can I drop off here?' The answer being a definite no, he had to sketchily down-climb until a jump off resulted in a pendulum swinging low, a foot off the ground!

 

Looking through the tunnel to the Looning the Tube area.

Chris and I meanwhile trekked up far too many levels with Sam and Anthony in search of The Skyline level.

 

You can just see Anthony in the distance, high up on Clash of the Titans, 6a, which he led with Sam. 

He then led Harri Bach Lllannig, another 6a, which Sam led afterwards. These two both need to start getting on harder some sport routes! 

Chris and I ended up two levels higher than intended. Fed-up of shingle scrambling, Chris  persuaded me to get on an unknown sport route rather than go down again to the route I had planned. 'How hard can it be..? Where is your sense of adventure?!' Yes indeed, here we were in the beautiful slate quarries in the snow with a route waiting to be climbed: best get on it! Next thing we discovered was that foolishly neither of us had a belay plate... 'Well this makes it even more exciting' I thought as I got started, expertly Italian-hitch lead belayed by Chris.

Deciding trad using the same belay method might be a little too adventurous, we borrowed Sam's belay plate for me to lead Digital Delectation, a lovely HVS 5a crack. Lovely, with a large loose block in it near the top for added fun.

Digital Delectation HVS 5a

Next up was Rastaman Vibration, E2 6a, which I spotted as we descended a level. The bit that looked hard had a couple of bolts so I thought it was worth a try. The E2 bit went to plan, and after having underestimated the size of the top crack and pulling some larger gear up on the free rope, I finished it and started belaying Chris. After standing on the bolt (!) Chris, about to mantle up, almost pulled the entirety of the top section off -  which was only slightly unnerving as all of my gear past the bolts were held in place by that rock! 

 We then descended to the Sidings to join the others for lunch and to watch Jack leading The Level Crossing, a long traverse of the Sidings which looked like a hilarious route!

We arrived just in time for the first flakes of snow to start settling. Much to Emma and Adam's annoyance, who after a good morning of seconding had wanted to get on their first leads.

These two however were 'psyched for SNOW!!'

The few flakes rapidly increased. We all, apart from Paddy and poor Toby, headed down to the tunnel by Looning to peer out at the weather...

..which steadily got worse!

Change of plan. Once we'd pursuaded Paddy down from Orangutang, Katie and Marie took half the group to go and warm up and sample the delights of Pete's Eats. Charlie and I meanwhile were psyched for some more adventure and for showing everyone just how cool the slate quarries were! Time for Snakes and Ladders and Tunnels! Sam who had also done it before joined us, and we took Paddy, Will, Mo and Toby accompanied, videoing along the way.

Sam ascending the first of the questionabel ladders

It was so much fun in the snow! Leaving the roped ascent of the chain and the abseils out due to time contsraints, we still had an awesome time exploring the bowels of the slate quarries in the gently falling snow. Through tunnels, up rusting old ladders, and over tottering piles of shingle! Helmets and head-torches were a must!

Paddy 'living and loving the life!'

My tongue-protruding concentration face on a particularly rickety ladder!

Psyched for adventure!!

At the top of all the ladders we explored the old miners huts, and found that plastic sheeting and a wood-burning stove had been put in the largest hut. Sound like a good future trip base anyone?

Here we are, stalwart adventurers at the summit!

After a pleasant wander down some steps back to Looning level, we drove back to peruse the gear shops of Llanberis before heading back to the hut for food, drink to start the evening's entertainment. 

Marie's evening consisted of inhaling Charlie aroma..

 

Ring of fire was hilarious as ever, and Will was well and truly initiated into club lore and tradition by undergoing a naked hut run on his first meet! 'Is this what they are usually like?' he later questioned. More of less, yes is the answer... I hope he comes back and we've not scared him off for life!!

Next morning, a consultation of the weather forecast revealed that Tremadog and the Pass were out and Castle Inn sport venue was probably our best bet.

Arriving at 11am to find 90% wet rock we bailed to Old Colwyn to sample the one and only cafe that it boasted. A beach walk was lovely and windy, and Emma and I, walking some way behind the others, found some incredible sea life! 

 A few hours later, back at Castle Inn we found enough dry rock to get going. Sam got things started, leading Comeback Kid, a 4c arete. (Everything is downgraded on UKC compared to the book and the grades I told you all!) 

Here he is looking awesome in orange on As You Like It, 6b+ which being wet, Sam did not like, and bailed halfway up! He and Anthony then went on to literally tick the crag over at the Lil Marlene area.
Check out Anthony's 'top-rope-hero' antics..

And other slightly more questionable antics..? 

Shenanigans aside, Anthony, got on Indian Summer 6a/+, onsighting it putting the draws in which he was justifiably very pleased with! 

Meanwhile I belayed Will on his first ever lead, of Easy Peasy, 3. This dispatched with ease, he went off with Toby to between them have a remarkably prolific day! One Fine Day 3 (not 4 apparently), Finale 5a and Comeback Kid 4c. Great effort on his first trip outdoors and as the least experienced member on the trip! Toby, with a sore ankle, lead most of these routes too, and between them, it looked like they had a great time! 

Paddy here on Finale, 4, climbed with Mo and got lots done in the afternoon. Most notably he and Mo both had a go at leading Indian Summer, Mo getting it onsight and Paddy coming close! Mo, having only done his first lead on Saturday, was pretty pleased to have fought the 'Elvis leg' to a first clean onsight of a 6a+!

Katie and Marie had a good afternoon too, ticking all three routes on Opera Wall, and Katie leading Ice Cream and Candyfloss, 5c too.

Chris made the most of all of the warmth he could find, taking it easy on boulder pads, smothered in sleeping bags and emergency bags! 

He did eventually decide to do some climbing, but as soon as he'd got me to belay him and was warming up doing star jumps he twisted his ankle! Badly enough to preclude any more climbing unfortunately! So we rested, iced, compressed and elevated his foot and sat him in Jack's car boot with pillows and painkillers! 

Once Chris was comfortably ensconced, and everyone else seemed happy, I decided to have a go at Route 3, 6c. Upon getting stuck not being able to reach a bolt, Jack kindly swung out after doing Route 2, 6a, to put int the crucial draws in for me! That made all the difference and I was able to just about teeter and delicately edge my precarious way to an onsight which I was pretty psyched to get! 

Next Charlie made it halfway though The Cakewalk, 6b+ before deciding that finger injury wasn't worth it and bailing, it was great to see her trying hard on it though and she'll be back for it!

In fact, it was great see everyone trying so hard this meet. There were first leads from Emma and Adam, on Easy Peasy, 3,  followed this with leads of One Fine Day, 3, and TRF, 4a (again, downgraded from 4 and 5 on ukc!). It's really very inspiring seeing people pushing their comfort zones and trying hard, regardless of the grade. Whether that's a first lead, a new grade, or simply coming climbing!

Marie leading on Opera Wall, and Will and Toby getting ready for the nect route.

Considering the weather, and that on Saturday in Wales we'd had one of 2 day days in the last fortnight(!) I think we got pretty to lucky to do any climbing at all! I for one really enjoyed this weekend, and am very psyched for more Snowdonia next meet. 

If you're thinking of coming on one meet, come on Christmas meet, it's awesome!

 Anthony says: 'See you all at Christmas meet for some REAL fun..!'

Big thanks to Charlie, Marie and Sams for some amazing photos! :)

Yorkshire Meet 6th-8th November 2015

Malham Cove

Psych was high for Yorkshire meet. The sign-up was full and we had keen reserves in waiting! It was all looking good, we had hopes for a day of climbing at Almscliffe on Sunday, everything had run smoothly, bus collected, bags collected, people ready…when it all come rather suddenly to grinding halt. At 5.45pm, while Katie was driving Callum and I to meet everyone, while still on campus, the van and a large red concrete bollard collided. The van came emerged considerably the worse off, with a pretty spectacular scrape, a meter in length and about 2 inches indented in places on both panels. Things did not look good, but when we couldn’t get in contact with either the Union or the hire companies breakdown cover, we decided that since it wasn’t affecting the vehicles fitness to travel, we’d go on the meet anyway and deal with it on Monday! 

As we neared Yorkshire, we began to receive some rather concerning texts from Anthony’s car, which had left ahead of us and was already there; something about an Owl? This was confirmed in a phone call from Sam: "There's an owl. There's a fucking owl. In the hut. I've got to go help them get it out. You may not hear from me again…” 

Sam taking on the owl

We did not hear from him again, and approached the hut with caution. However we arrived to an owl-free hut. Sam, Anthony and Connor had survived. It had been a close call, judging by the terror in Connor’s voice in the video someone had taken though, and the chairs somewhat liberally splattered with owl-shit!

In view of the rainy forecast we decided to split into a Malham group and a walking group. I went to Malham with Jo, Chris, Howie and Jack while Charlie led a walk up to Malham tarn.

We headed up to Malham in could only be described as biblical’ even ‘apocalypic’ rain to take shelter from the downpour under Malham’s overhanging limestone. There was a lot of seepage but enough was dry to get on, so Jack put a rope up a Consenting Adults 7a and I put one up Free and Even Easier 7a+ next to it. Jo and I both worked the moves on this, and this being her first time climbing outdoors Jo’s managing of all the moves was really impressive. Amy and Steve also turned up, and got going on Consenting Adults along with Jack and Chris. The ‘old boys,’ Jim, Neil and Frosty and arrived to join the fun, and the crag quickly started filling up, as it is wont to do on rainy day! 

Neil and Jack hanging on bolts

Then we spotted the rest of the club walking up by the river on the start of their walk. The came up to the river, but Connor and Sam didn’t stop here continuing rashly through up to their knees, quite oblivious of our wild gesticulations and shouts for them to take the path up the other side, a nice easy path that didn’t involve a river! We all laughed and Sam looked shamefaced, but Chris didn’t mince his words when Connor arrived: ‘You utter tit! what did you do that for?!’

Chris, after having a go on Consenting, decided he wasn’t psyched for trying hard and found that he, Howie and Connor shared more then a few views on climbing that involves rope, coldness and comfort levels, so they set off to consolidate a friendship based on these shared feelings in the pub, and then café in Malham village.

As for the rest of us, Steve quickly managed to lead ‘Consenting’, and started on ‘Rose Coronary’ with Sam and Amy, and Jack and I worked ‘Free and Even Easier.’ Jo after trying all three routes with a lot of success, went Full Geology on us and walked up above the cove to get her fix of limestone pavement.

Meanwhile, here is Charlie’s account of their walk:

While the lucky few headed off to Malham to actually get some climbing done, the rest of us prepared ourselves both mentally and physically for a rather soggy walk. Paddy, when reading the email from Ellie which had said to bring lots of clothes as it would be wet, decided to pack a coat without a hood - not a good start! After trying to fashion a hood out of a plastic bag rather unsuccessfully, he set off on the walk with a helmet to keep him dry! After depositing Sam and Connor at Malham and a rather slow start (1k in 1.5 hours!) the sun decided to show itself and everybody chirped up a bit. 

Sunshine!

Marie looking happy

Lads on tour

Remy made a suggestion that we quickly head back to try and get some climbing in at Almscliffe, which would involve going back to the hut first to get all the gear and then driving the hour to Malham - this was quickly shut down as it was decided it was almost definitely start raining by the time we arrived! The pace picked up a bit and we made it to Malham Tarn by lunchtime where we sat and watched the sky slowly get greyer. 

Lunchtime

Shortly after heading off the rain began again, and much to the disgust of a couple of walkers I decided to take the long scenic route back to avoid walking along the road. With a fair amount of grumbling from some we carried on through the rain, but we made it back to Malham with some time to spare before the darkness crept in, and the majority of people seemed to have enjoyed themselves. 

 

We did however return to find Chris, Howie and Connor had been sat in the pub since midday! After bundling them into the bus and assuring them we'd had a better day than them despite being distinctly soggier, we made our way back to the hut for a night of debauchery and copious naked hut runs. 

Mo going on an adventure

I’m not sure what was going on, but the club seemed to have reverted back to it’s mentality of the days when there were no females, in an evening where at least 8 people ran the naked hut run, and testicles abounded. Far too many of these were viewed, far too close for comfort in a few unfortunate people’s cases! The fire was kept well stoked with wood, at Frosty’s cry of ‘Moron!/More on!’, and Tom as the dealer was given a particularly hard time on the alcohol front! The infamous table traverse was brought back, and added to with the ‘double traverse,’ ‘the lengthways traverse,’ and the ‘figure of eight traverse.’ I never learn from previous experience not to engage in this admittedly hilarious game and woke up with bruises in incongruous places again.  Much to Frosty’s disgust, most people headed to bed at around midnight, clearly the club isn’t quite all it used to be! 

Double table traverse!

The next day dawned…and I’d love to say clear and sunny… but it didn’t, it dawned wet, wet and with further rain forecast! The walkers, none too keen for a repeat experience so soon after yesterday, decided Awesome Walls Sheffield was the best bet, while Jack and I, being the only ones keen to go back to Malham packed the car chock-a-block full of their bags. 


We’ll begin Charlie’s account of the Awesome Walls day:

After waking up to what seemed like it might actually be a nice day despite forecasts, Remy insisted that we had drive to Almscliff even if it was to get one route in. However, on the way to the crag, the heavens opened and we resigned ourselves to a day at an indoor wall. We headed into Sheffield to check out Awesome Walls which really was, well, awesome! With loads of huge lead walls, plus two bouldering areas and a big training room upstairs it seemed like there should be something for everyone. Toby set off with a few people to go and do some leading whilst Remy and Connor headed to the bouldering with the others. Marie, Jo and I also went to start with some leading, and Jo quickly told me that she was not great at route climbing as she was a boulderer! Despite this she quickly despatched a 5+ and a 6a without any moaning, and later a 6a+ too before deciding to turn in the harness for the day. Chris and Connor appeared rather disgruntled as apparently the bouldering was nowhere near as good as the route climbing! Mo also had a great day, learning to lead belay and even taking a lead fall on his first ever lead climb. He led a few 5's with no issues and even had a go at a 6a which was a good effort. Katie also appeared to be having a good day, having led a few 6a+'s which she was rightfully pretty happy with! 

Awesome Walls

Meanwhile, at Malham, things had got off to a good start, Jack after putting the clips back in had lead ‘Free and Even Easier 7a+ ’ this being his 3^rd (?) redpoint, and an hour or so later, Neil got Consenting Adults 7a and Jim, after several close attempts, and much frustration with this route that he’d started in the summer, ticked ‘7^th Aarvark 7b.’ Damn… the send-train now required me to lead ‘Free and Even Easier’! The moves were all fine, but I knew I’d be lucky if I managed them all together, but after a first lead attempt in 2 sections with a rest, I was ready to give it good go!

Jack trying hard!

That’s when a climber from Sheffield fumbled at clip at the top of a route and as we watched with horror, tumbled downwards, the length of the crag, hitting the ground. He only just hit the ground, at the end of the rope, but it was enough for his ankle to impact with considerable force. We ran over to give him first aid, quickly realising there were lumps in his foot that there really shouldn’t have been there. With minimal movement ability and pain, it was almost certainly a fracture, and we made the call to get Mountain Rescue in.

Psych levels plummeted swiftly after that, as Jack put it, these kinds of incidents make you feel ‘very mortal’, as we now with utmost care picked our way across the Catwalk where we had previously walked freely with little concern for the 20 foot drop below. While we waited for MR to get there I got tied in and tried not to think about the fall as I started my repoint attempt. This worked until I was faced with the crux, and a slightly dynamic move, when all I could think about was the fall (irrationally as I’d previously fallen safely from this point!), but my psych was gone and we had to leave, the route would have to wait for another day!

 The paramedics arrived then in a chopper, a ambulance landrover arrived and there were Mountain Rescue and Cave Rescue everywhere! Jack and I headed back to join the others in Sheffield, leaving Jim to report back. We heard how Cave Rescue lowered him off the Catwalk immobilised in a stretcher in what turned out to be an bit of an epic! 



We met the others at a chippy in Sheffield for some food, which Charlie wasn’t too impressed by

As we heard reports of Ellie and Jack's crazy day we prolonged our stay at the wall with mincing levels increasing dramatically. Upstairs Chris, Howie, Connor and Jo were trying out the campus boards and taking full advantage of the free climbing magazines. More people started to accumulate upstairs until we realised it was probably time to head off. After finding the only open chip shop in Sheffield on a Sunday night we soon learned why - Connor's chips were covered in black spots, Tom's pie looked depressing and uncooked, and Sam couldn't finish his fish because it was so grim...we couldn't even see a hygiene certificate on the wall! Anthony and Katie promptly appeared with Taco Bell making everyone jealous and Ellie and Jack headed next door to get pizza and it became apparent we had definitely picked the wrong place to eat. After everyone finished their sub-standard food and eyed the others food with jealousy, we did a quick gear transfer just as the torrential rain started and headed back to Leicester.

 

Charlie looking atractive..as usual

So all in all, I think it’s fair to say that Yorkshire didn’t go as expected from start to finish; from scraped bus and unexpected Owl, to a broken ankle and a sub-standard chippy! Moral was pretty high for the most part though considering all this combined with the lack of climbing, and we certainly had a lot of fun and an entertaining Saturday evening! 

Don’t worry though guys, ours was small fry beside hockey, who managed to set the union minibus alight and it burnt out on the motorway en-route to a tournament this weekend! R.I.P CJ.

 

And I'll leave you with this delightful offering


  Photo's by Marie​, Jo,​ Callum​ and Connor​ - Thanks :)