Very chuffed! My first 7c+, a great route and only a few hundred yards from my house.  It really comes down to an extended technical boulder problem, maybe V5 or V6 in isoloation but quite tenuous and easy to barn-door off from the crux slap for a tufa.  My only gripe is that someone has added another bolt since the last time I was on it – mid crux, difficult to clip and totally unnecessary in my opinion.  In fact, there are now five bits of metal sticking out of the rock in really quite a tiny area: two new bolts (including the exta one), one old bolt and two bolt stumps.  It’s starting to look a mess.  The same point (although less marked) can be made for many of the recently rebolted routes around the ormes – the old bolts have invariably been left in place which sometimes leaves a rusting and dangerous eyesore.  I suppose not having got of my arse to help with either the rebolting or removing the old bolts, I shouldn’t really criticise, and overall of course the rebolting effort has been amazing and much needed.  But it has got me thinking… how hard can it be to remove / hacksaw off the old bolts or stumps?  I might investigate. 

Anyway, I hope I can stay on a roll and crack on with Over the Moon Direct, I just need the weather and partner on my next day off – tides are good anyway!  I’m definately fit and strong enough to climb 8a at the moment, I just need the opportunity – always the limiting factor with a full time job, young child and the vagracies of the British weather.

I haven’t actually got any photos of the Wirral Whip, but it’s basically the left hand edge of this wall.  Simon and Leanne are climbing the brilliant 6c+, Pearl from the Shell (or Searching, I always forget.  And I can’t be bothered finding the guidebook).

Man, it’s hot. Properly hot. On Friday it hit 39 degrees in Barcelona during the day, the highest recorded temperature for several years. Fortunately, it was the peak of a steady increase, and it came just before a rapid decline – apparently, on Friday evening the temperature dropped 11 degrees C in two hours (to a positively freezing 28!!)

In such conditions climbing is difficult, and hard climbing is even more difficult. And hard climbing after a month of no climbing is impossible. But you can still have fun! PJ and I headed out of the city to a crag called Calders. It’s about an hour from from Barcelona, and on first impressions it looks very impressive, severely overhanging and with that nice white/grey/brown streakiness that is so typical of great limestone. More importantly for us, it’s in the shade in the afternoon!

Unfortunately, on closer inspection, the illusion breaks down. The rock is actually very chossy and all the routes have obviously had to be thoroughly cleaned/trundled before being bolted and climbed. Also, the place is perma-dry – the rain never hits it, and it takes no seepage – so it is incredibly dusty; and all the dust means that the routes polish very easily, which makes it incredibly polished. It all adds up to a crag that a British guidebook would describe as “of local interest only”!!

Nevertheless we had a fun day, and it was great to be climbing back on rock again. What with the conditions and our lack of fitness, we were never going to be climbing hard, and we contentedly bimbled around on a series of 6s until we were quite tired. I never really trust the grades in places like Calders anyway – the routes are short, very steep, and repeatedly climbed by a small set of of locals, which tends to make things very difficult to onsight, yet it’s also very difficult to hang around working moves, because the steepness is so tiring.

Still, a good day was had by all. In preparation for DWS in Mallorca in a fortnight, next Sunday we are going to check out some local DWS near Tossa de Mar, about 90 minutes drive to the north. Looks fun!

I think it’s fair to say that the gritstone beat us up a little. We arrived pretty tired after having climbed on five of the previous 6 days, and it showed. In Wales we had been climbing pretty consistently in the E2-4 bracket, but on the grit we struggled badly and never managed anything harder than E1. Climbing on grit requires a certain style and technique (and bravery close to the ground) which is difficult to fully tap into in just a couple of days – especially if you’re limestone sport-climbing wussies like us!

Still, it was nice to get back on the grit and good to show it to PJ. My biggest disappointment was backing off the final slab of Elegy at the Roaches. I did the lower crux fine but just got too scared on the upper slab (and ended up reversing from half-way up it!). The annoying thing was that as I abbed down from the top to retrieve the gear, I paused where I had got stuck, gave myself plenty of slack on the rope, and proceeded to pad up the slab with no hands. But it’s easier to trust the smears when you have a top-rope!

Overall, we had a great week. I was perhaps a little bit disappointed in Wales, what with not being able to climb in the Llanberis Pass, but we had a great a day at Tremadog. For the sad bean-counters who like stats (i.e. me), PJ and I managed a total of 47 E-points over the week, although that drops to 38 if you (rightly) subtract the routes that we climbed with a fall or rest. And 90% of the total was achieved prior the final two days on grit! But it’s not bad. Thanks to my folks and Jo and Catrin for putting us up, and to Lau for loaning us a tent in the peak.

So now it’s back to the world of bolted limestone, although my next trip, to Mallorca in five week’s time, will not involve any bolts – we’re going Deep Water Soloing!

The week’s ticklist in full:

Despite a good forecast, we drove up the Llanberis pass yesterday and were met by driving horizontal rain. Great. Undeterred, we continued down to Tremadog, home of the last hopes of the rain-soaked Snowdonia climber. Fortunately for us, Tremadog came good again – time to climb!

I must confess that I wasn’t so pleased about going to Tremadog. I have never really got on with the place, as it requires a certain style and finess, which I don’t have. Nevertheless, I ‘warmed up’ with a lead of Falcon on Craig Pant Ifan. It gets E1 5b in the old guide, but it was continuously interesting and sustained, and I wasn’t surprised (and was actually quite pleased) to see that it has been upgraded to E2 5c in the North Wales select guide.

Another upgrade in the select guide is Vulcan, from E3 to E4. PJ tied on to try it, but backed off, and frankly I don’t blame him – it’s nails!! Jo picked up where PJ left off and led it to the top (10 years after he first did it) and I followed, sweating and cursing the whole way. Great route; just bloody hard :D

Then after failing on Pincushion E2 (we’ll gloss over that), and spending a night in the CC hut in Llanberis, we hit the slate today. Highlights for me were onsighting Heading the Shot, which used to get E5 but now is officially given sport 7a. Personally I thought the bolts were too far apart for it to be called a sport route, although it’s almost certainly not E5. E4 6b would be my guess. The climbing is excellent, though really thin.

Finally we dropped down to Never Never Land where I onsighted Kubla Khan E4 6b. I was dead chuffed as it’s the first ‘respectable’ E-grade that I’ve managed this trip, and sad as it sounds, that does make a difference. Jo had a good day too as he made a great lead of ‘Short Stories’ – three bolts in 25m makes it well worth the E4 grade!!

So now PJ and I leave the Land of my Fathers and head east to England. The Roaches tomorrow, and either Stanage or Millstone on Saturday. Can’t wait!

This morning I said to my Mum, “I’m so glad I’m not in Barcelona, because the weather is nice and cool here”. So, of course, today both PJ and I went and got sunburnt!

The weather today was spectacular, and Pembrokeshire was at it’s very best – although it did mean the climbing conditions were a bit greasy and hot. St. Govan’s head was shut by the army today (it’s an army firing range) so we backed up the car and resorted to Plan B: Mother Carey’s Kitchen.

Mother Carey’s (or “Mother Scary’s”, as it’s also known!) has a deserved reputation for being quite a serious cliff. It is a little loose, quite committing, and all none of the routes are soft touches. PJ started up with the excellent The Straight Gate E1, and I ticked the fine arete of Herod E2, great climbing and position, but a bit little blocky and hollow.

Then we tackled the classic E3, Zeppelin. With the tide approaching high-water, it was a quite committing to ab in – sea-cliff climbing at it’s purest. We took a hanging belay off the Rock-Idol ledge and traversed in, to ensure I wouldn’t get wet feet. Zeppelin gets E3, but with the greasy conditions it felt much harder and PJ took a spectacular fall, fortunately onto good gear and into clear air – it’s really steep. Next time he had more luck and we topped out in the evening sun with the satisfaction of having had a bit of an adventure.

Tomorrow is a rest day, so we’re pleased that it’s forecast to rain. We’re driving up north and meeting Jo in Abergele. I spoke to him on the phone just now, and he said that he also took a whipper on Zeppelin when he tried it, which made us feel a little better!

PJ warmed up on Space Cadet, a great E3 at St Govan’s, which is pretty soft touch so good for warming up. I seconded it but found it harder than I remember it being. So I promptly ignored the warning messages and got straight on Test Case, a not-so-easy E3. Greasy conditions saw me slip off a rest hold after the crux, and take a sizeable fall. Rats. I got back on and reached the top, but I shan’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed, I felt robbed.

After a short break, we abbed back down, and PJ, after looking briefly at the classic E5 crack, Get Some In, decided on the slightly easier No Man’s Land, E4 5c. It was a fantastic route, really steep, no particularly hard moves, but it kept coming at you!. Then I finished the day off with War Crime, an absolutely fantastic, juggy E2, which my cramping arms barely managed.

So a great day, but I’m already pretty exhausted, and but I’m not sure if I’m looking forward or dreading going back tomorrow!

This week, PJ and I are doing a road trip around Wales and a bit of England, giving PJ a taste of the British Trad climbing!

Our plan is roughly as follows:

Today and tomorrow = Pembroke: We’re staying with my Ma and Pa Evans at the moment in Swansea, which means a little more driving, but a comfortable bed and nice food in the evenings! I’m going soft…

Tuesday – drive to North Wales, maybe an evening on Llanberis slate. I have my eyes on Poetry Pink on the Rainbow Slab. We’ll see. On Tuesday night we are guests with Jo and family in Abergele.

Wednesday-Thursday: Jo has taken these two days off and so will be joining us to climb in North Wales. No firm plans yet but maybe some sort of adventure up on Cyrn Las, with The Skull? Maybe a day on Scimitar Ridge? Maybe even up to cloggy if it’s dry? We’re staying a night in the CC hut in the pass, and then thursday night back in Abergele.

Friday – drive to the Peak, climb at the Roaches. I have a loong ticklist of slabs there: Elegy, Smear Test, the Swan, Chalkstorm, Track of the Cat, Wings of Unreason etc. Friday night we meet up with Ian, Paul, Fran and Kenny to camp.

Saturday – one of the eastern edges. Probably somewhere like Curbar or Millstone. I should imagine that Stanage will be heaving. Another night in the campsite.

Sunday – lazy morning, maybe a bit of bloddering, drive to airport, home to BCN.

Sounds fun, huh?!

Yesterday we had a quick afternoon on Gower to warm up. PJ did the classics Isis (HVS) and Lazy Sunday Afternoon (E2), and I ticked one of the few routes I hadn’t yet done on Fall Bay Buttress, Seth. It starts up Osiris/L.Sun.Aft. before splitting off right and up a nice crack. It gets E1 5c but at that grade it is a total sandbag, I reckon in another part of the world it would be soft E3!! (Gower is reknowned for it’s stiff-grades – small man syndrome reaction to Pembroke I reckon!)

The tide had come in, and with Yellow Wall still bird-banned, we walked over the other side of the headland to Trial Wall at Rhossili. Very different in style, a smooth quarried wall with some fingery routes. I did the Adulteress E2, which I’d be meaning to do since I saw it on the cover of the 91 guide (20 years ago! – I started climbing a few months after that guide was released!) , and PJ did the semi sport route next door, Blackman’s Pinch. It gets E4 but with a couple of bolts protecting the two cruxes, it feels more like 6c/+. Disappointingly, I fell off when following him, which doesn’t bode too well for the rest of the week!

So, off to Pembroke today, in theory, but would you believe it, it’s raining…

Quick warm up on Hole of Creation – Chris leading:

The Magic Flute is the tufa on the right of this photo, with the top bolt just visible.  This point marks the crux, with your left hand on a shit pinch / crimp on the thin section of tufa in the photo, crimping an intermediate with your right before slapping out rightwards onto an undercut flake.  There is a rest of sorts after this, then a couple of tricky moves to the belay.  To reach this point involves some classic and sustained tufa-style pinching and swinging around… could have been Kalymnos, except that the whole route is only 10m long!

Anyway, onto the main event – Chris just before the hard moves:

We both ballsed-up the first redpoint, Chris because he wasn’t concentrating and me because I didn’t really know what I was doing; at least I got a good sequence down.   Short rest, and no mistakes next time for Chris.  I then found myself in a very familiar place, contemplating another day here, with the terrifying walk in and another partner, again!  Thankfully I heeded a very useful bit of advice and left my bloody chalk bag on the ground… without this distraction I got up and out onto the rest much quicker.  I was still dipping like an idiot behind my back after this though!  Very nice to get a 7c done, they don’t come often.  Very motivating too, for OTMD, which i’m starting to get quite psyched for.

I would agree with Steve’s grade rating – I have seen the steep 6th pitch given variously 6c+ and 7a, but i’m sure off the deck it wouldn’t rate more than 6b+.  It is however, very steep and very exposed and it’s fair to say I was shitting it! How those holds stay put i’ll never know – many are roughly the size and shape of rugby balls, supported by just the point at one end.  There’s no option other than just yarding on them, telling yourself that everyone else has done the same.

This is the view looking up at the route with Alun finishing the first pitch – pretty well chalked line as you can see!

This is me seconding the fifth pitch (I think):

And nearing the belay…

Alun looking pleased with himself!

The next photo is the super steep pitch near the top… We suddenly felt a bit dumb for not bringing any pruissiks! The other climber in the photo is Max (or PJ?), friends of Alun’s from Barcelona who were climbing a route that crossed ours and finished with a F7b roof at the top of the Visera:

Alun’s comment: Look at the rope below me – there was hardly a breath of wind on the day, and yet that rope is hanging free, 10s of metres away from the cliff! That’s how steep it was. Also, what Jo politely doesn’t mention was that, upon starting to second him up this pitch, my left arm cramped completely and just locked up involuntarily! After a couple of minutes of mild panic where I thought I would have to climb the pitch with one arm, the blood started flowing into my cold muscles and things got better. I still had to dog my up to the belay though – a clean ascent of La Fiesta still awaits me. Jo, of course, had no such troubles, so at least Team 8amyarse got the tick!

Unfortunately, back at Rodellar base camp, our big-number ambitions had to be shelved for another year as the rain came pouring down… one day I will climb at Las Ventanas but this time we had to settle for Siurana, no great hardship in the scheme of things! We ended up totally trashed with shredded skin and, despite both of us onsighting/flashing 7b and onsighting a hatful of 7as, for our efforts we were rewarded with a display that confirmed (as if it were needed) that we reside well and truly in the realms of bumbly-punterdom: this is a photo of Max casually cruising a F8b, first redpoint… Bastard!