E1 5b your joking...

Hello! As part of the usual climbing week we go out to a crag with Ash this week we went to Armathwaite. Having done the good climbs on the left side of the crag like Glenwillie Grooves, Flasherman and blah blah blah, we moved to the far right hand side where the is a big slab with some tough routes on, none below E1. YIKES! First was Barnacle Bill a one starred E1 5b, it starts laybacking up a good corner, the only protection you possibly get get so far would be a really small cam, but none of us have one. Once you have laybacked up the the triangle shaped roof you traverse under it using a poor hold on the lip and a tiny layaway, this takes you to the sanctuary of the exit crack where you can throw in some pro if you want but remember Armathwaite is sandstone and not too compact so your pro even if it seems bomber may just pop out, not good that. Ash was considering soloing it but thankfully he didn't, its not that high but a fall would do some potentially serious damage.

My Dad had a few cracks at it but the crux traverse under the roof was too much. The video is him swinging off yeah its a bit lame but deal with it.

There are two other lines on the main slab, Andy's Slab E3 6a and Smear or Die which hasn't been led but has a tech grade of 6b. My Dad didn't fancy his chances on either so he belayed. Andy's Slab is a unstarred route but i think it deserves at least one. It is very delicate climbing on smear and involves a tasty rock over to gain the main slab which is BLANK, you have to rely on friction to carry you up until you gain the horribly sloping gangway gaing it is the crux from there you reach a big ledge on which to have a rest then blast through the top moves. After a couple of goes Ash came down, with the beta i was feeling optimistic and it went brilliantly clean first go the holds were very dusty and covered in some sort of licheny moss type stuff, but it wasn't as bad as Smear or Die. It starts up Andy's Slab to a hold out left which you rock over onto a sort of dish like featurechalk up rest then follow poor holds to a scoop and from there finish up Barnacle Bill. I toproped it cleaning as i went with only one fall. i reckon its probaly E5/E6 to lead but i wouldn't fancy that.

Codpiece Left Hand E1 5b 1 star looks really easy but its not, in another guide it gets HVS 5c. Me Dad was spat off at about 3 meters while trying to get his foot up. Ash then did it cleanly first go but couldn't believe the grade i then followed and have to agree it was desparate.

Heading off we stopped for a quick boulder at one of Armathwaites many bays, i chickened out of the circuit Ash showed us and contented myself by walking up a slab with no hands! Ash said he did the circuit 10 times in a row PHEW! I couldn't even do it once!

We left the bouldering and Ash soloed a Diff (Thirty Nine Steps) while we took the path it could be his last climb for a while as his wifes having a baby (congratulations).

So its Saturday iv'e got Coursewrok to do.....nah il go to Windmore i think.

Fairy Steps!

G'Day! Sunday the 8th of June 2008 i made my first visit to Fairy Steps to do some bouldering with Sean. Really nice day with the trees providing some nice shade and a little bit of a breeze to blow the pesky midges away. After having a look at the Lakesbloc guide and Lancs Rock we decided to head to the Upper Right/Left Section to climb on the Taliesin/Fantasy area. We did a quick warm up solo of Puck (M) then headed for the good stuff. Firstly we climbed Merlin a lovely V0 on good holds, Problem 4 (V0) was next i just managed to flash it, it was really polished and the footholds were like glass, Sean struggled with the polish (a big problem as the day continued) and was spat off several times. The next climb was the lovely Rheaed a V1 that went up the arete on good holds we both flashed it with ease. Woodbind is a fantastic problem and goes at V0, getting stood up on the tree stump was quite worrying as you were holding a wobbly jug with both hands. Woodbind Traverse V2 was next you climbed Woodbind to the stump then stepped left and followed the break to Celtica then finish up there, quite tough for V2 with the polish, although it could have been then lack of a decent warm up, who knows! Next we tried the Mote of Mark a V1 that we both failed on, poor finger jamming technique or the polish? I'll go with the polish lol. After failing on a measly V1 i wanted to boost my morale by attemping to flash Problem 8 a fingery, crimpy V4 (just my style). I came so close with my hand on the hold and about to match before my feet popped off and i landed in a heap on the mat. Underterred i despatched it 3rd go the 2nd attempt resulting in me landing on the mat arse first. Next was the nice Caerliol which although looked to be solved with a dynamic slap it went easier statically after working your feet up onto better holds. We both sent it a good V1. Problem 10 went without trouble a mediocre V1 but on polished holds so i don't think it really deserves its one star. Next was Down the Edifice a V2 traverse across the break similar to Woodbind Traverse, i flashed it but Sean pumped out and couldn't quite get it. We then headed to the Upper Left section, it wasn't as good as theUpper Right but we both sent new problems Seans went at V1, a awkward top out through thick branches, and mine a V3, Technical Dusting, named because the climbing was technical and i was dusting the holds as i went. It takes a layback up a slightly overhanging wall on poorish holds, delicate footwork allows you the solace of a good crimp then a tough dirty top out.

Kwlio

This past month

Hello!

Well its been along time since i posted on the blog so i thought i'd better write another one sometime. I've been getting out regulary since my last post, Castle Rock, Gouther, Windmore, Hoff and Lops Wath of course the wall and its been good! At Gouther i did my first multipitch, Truss Buttress VDiff which was fantastic! We also climbed Scabby Horse a VS 4c which was a good and suprisingly unstarred route. That was a brilliant evenings climbing after a stressful school day in which i had 2 Spanish exams (aiy aiy aiy).

Castle Rock was awesome, at first we couldn't find it (how thick were we?!!) but after we found it and made the 15 minute slog up it was unbelievable! Kleine Rinne which according to Babelfish means Small Gutter (VS 4c) was briliant, my Dad found it abit tricky and couldn't make moves stepping out of the groove its an absolutely fantastic climb an the view from the belay is superb! After this we climbed Via Media (S) which is normally climbed in more than one pitch but Ashley linked it all in one, its a fantastic climb, Dad fell on it (it wasn't a good night for him)

Been up to Windmore End several times not alot to say really it a good crag but if its windy at Brough up ther its like a tornado. The Hoff is good I top roped some E3 6a but forgot my wires so i couldn't lead anything. Last Thursday me and Dad went up to have a look at Lops Wath, a small grit outcrop about 6 miles from Kirkby Stephen, its nice its right next to the road and has good solid rock. On the topo it looks small and the crag itself it no more than 7 or 8 metres high but the ground below the crag drops steeply away making it feel much much scarier. There are still a few gaps left to be filled in, the Nose hasn't been climbed direct, there is a blank slab that could be about E3 possibly harder and a big little roof with only one line that follows a crack at the right hand side that could be tricky. Right next to the road there is a big bunch of boulders that could give some very good problems with a bit of cleaning. A climbed 2 new problems on the boulder near the old carriage. The first is a sitting start on good holds then a slap to a hold on the lip then rock over to top out, bit of a one move wonder and is probaly only V1. The other problem is on the other side of the boulder it goes from standing at V1 (height dependent im 5ft 7in). There are two slopey indents that you do a dynamic move from to reach the lip then just top out, a fun variation is to try it only using one hand.

So thats whats been going on this past month in my climbing life its half term this week so im going to be climbing loads.

Bye Bye

Armathwaite!

Hey, last Thursday me, my Dad and Ashley went climbing to Armathwaite. for those of you who don't know where or what Armathwaite is its a crag in the village of wait for it... Armathwaite! I think it is really called Coombs Crag but im not sure, its sandstone rock and is by the River Eden there is some really nice bouldering as well as routes but they can be abit greasy! Anyway it was a fantastic evening, we were planning to go to Gouther near Swindale but it was pissing down so we retreated to the shelter of Armathwaite.
Starting off with some bouldering with me and Ashley quickly sending problems 2,3,4,5 all in the V2-V5 range. Then moving onto some leading we climbed Flasherman a really good VS 4c that has some good exosure further up and the start is quite tasty too! Then we moved to the next line along Erection *lol* which is a fantastic climb with a rather nice and exposed crux which involved traversing under some blocks using some handjams with your left foot on some ledges stretching and your right foot stretched out on an edge feeling rather insecure you swing out to a good holds then power up past this and your away. All at the grade of HVS 5a. Feeling rather chuffed we moved to the Red Buttress to have a play on Paper Moon a classic E3 5c and some other climbs on the slab Devil Moon 6b/6c and New Moon E5 6b both havent seen repeats in a long time. We didn't get to try the last two but cruised Paper Moon on toprope it would be a whole new game though on the lead or solo which would better more efficient! Paper Moon isa delicate slab climb which is about F6b+/c on toprope, it is unprotected until past the crux even then its dubious. Following the over lap round using marginal holds and smears which results in a long reach to a crack far out to the right then a rather scary rock over into the groove and to the top.
With the daylight fading fast we headed back to Glenwillie Grooves, climbing this was very exciting we climbed with our big backpacks on in darkness feeling for handholds rather than looking, thankfully it is easy but it was hellish funespecially the tricky biy where have to heave yourself onto a ledge just before the top which turns out is hard with a backpack on that makes you twice as wide! We walked off back to the cars happy and discussing the panther that supposedly roams the woods and the ghost of the poor lady who died several months ago kayaking on the river.
Unfortunately the computer doesn't seem to recognised the pictures and they come up as pixelated messes!

Climbing

Climbing is one of the very few sports im quite good at along with football and tennis but they aren't as interesting to be honest. I have climbed since i was 10 after i went on a school residential and loved it! I started going to Kendal Wall soon after and have been going ever since and have made some good mates through it Sean, Dan and Jason legends with pasty. The staff at the wall are also cool Mark Dez and George are all very inspring George is a bloody good climber!

Since last Summer i started trad climbing outdoors, id sport climbed before a fair bit outside but trad is inexplicably fun. Some people may say sport climbing is crap and theres no good side to it, the same can be said of indoor climbing and even bouldering. But they let you focus on moving on the rock (or plastic) without having to wrry about dodgy gear or where the route goes. I consider my self to be an average climber i no im not fantastic but i hope to be one day. A few climbs im particulary proud of are- Cruxaki (free no aid whoop) f7a, Beanz Meanz E2 5b Squeeze My Lemon VS 5a and doing what i think is the first ascent of a boulder problem which is the Far Wall section of Windmore End (my local crag) which i think but this will need clarifying is V5/6 onsighting the crux moves.

Indoor climbing is good fun i dont care what people say its a laugh and now im laughing cos Man Utd just missed a penalty hahaha. Anyway indoor climbing good fun i have redpointed f7a and onsighted lots of 6b+ and 6c's.

Im now bored and astonished that i typed so much without giving up and going on the Wii.

Cya

Itsa Blog!

Hello! I don't no why i have set this blog up i'll probably forget about after today but i will try and update it but be warned i will most likely forget.