Lots of big ticks at Rylstone

After a huge BBQ and sleepover in the van we went over to Rylstone. A fantastic crag where we all climbed excellent routes. Resting my shoulder I went for the bold approach on slabs, Sari and Adam climbed exceptionally hard on steep routes. Well done Adam on a great ascent of Monument Crack. So pleased to finally see you terrified!

Brimham rocks literally

Brimham - what an awesome venue. So friendly, we even had cheerleaders one day. Go Mark, go Mark, go Mark!! 

Over a couple of days with different pals we climbed some great routes. Sari climbed like an absolute demon bagging 3 superb 3 star VS routes and Adam had fun on Love Bug (HVS). The pics show me on the crux of Rough Wall (why is it always at the top).

Back to grit

Couldn't stay away from Gritstone for too long so I followed Rosie & Mark down to N Yorks. 

I was itching to get to Almscliff and the first route was certainly the highlight of the day. 

Check out Adam preparing to stride across the gap!

The BBQ, the bacon and the cheese toastie

Had a wonderful few days relaxing (and climbing a little) in the Lakes with pals.

After a fabulous BBQ with Kirsty, Rob, Emily, Elliott, Tolly & Bailey. It was bacon sarnies the next morning in Ambleside car park with Rosie & Mark. Having spent all my cash in the car park staring at strangers pass by and waiting for the drizzle to subside we moved to Keswick in the hope of climbing something. Shepherd's Crag never disappoints (although the cheese and onion toastie at the farm did). We managed to get an HVS route in each although some much more elegantly than others. The crazy fool that weighted the sling balanced over a rounded hump in desperation - you know who you are! 

Erm...that'll be me then.

My blogs are like buses

So here they all come at once...

Easter Bunny survives big bad wolf in woods shocker!

Today whilst out in the woods a curious incident took place between prey and predator. Bailey found a baby rabbit sitting in broad daylight on top of its burrow and instead of running back down to safety when it saw him approaching, it took the 'play dead' or some might say stupid approach and just sat there blinking! Wolf and bunny now nose to nose...

Bailey carefully picked up dear bunny in his mouth but luckily he isn't in touch with his inner wolf. He hadn't quite worked out that this tasty morsel was indeed edible and placed it back down again. Bunny rabbit reaction - nada! Just continued to sit there and stare back. One flying stick later and the wolf (well hardly) was seen off. Bunny rabbit reaction - nothing, just sat there. I decided to coax it along, just to make sure it could actually move and it just hopped casually back down into the burrow.
So the Easter Bunny lives on but not for much longer if he carries on like that!

Faith in friction

A fabulous day out at Froggatt. After a quick warm up I attempted one of my 'wish list' routes Three Pebble Slab (E1 in my book but think it is HVS now). The crux rock over move took me some time to commit to but the upper slab was a breeze despite the lack of protection - just switch off the rational (I'm going to really hurt myself if I fall off) brain and go for it. Something I didn't seem to have a problem with at all, maybe that side of my brain left years ago!! 

The rest of the day was all about big ticks for Adam and Sari and we bagged Hawks Nest Crack, Valkyrie and Chequers Climb. Well when I say 'bagged', Adam did a good job on Valkyrie whilst Sari and I moaned, grunted and shouted TAKE up most of the initial jamming crack. Who said the crux was near the top, getting off the bloody ground was way harder!

All followed by a pint of Easy Rider (yummy beer) in the Chequers, Sundays don't get much better.

Four good fingers left

These are hardly 'hands that do dishes'. Another great day climbing at Stanage until a fight with a pesky HVS route High Neb Edge on the second relieved me of the final skin from two of my fingertips, blood everywhere. So if you're climbing there I apologize for the profuse amount of blood on the first hold. It gets better after that as only made it to the next hold briefly. The cling film from Adam's lunch and some climbing tape meant that we could climb on. 

I'm now wondering how on earth my fingertips will recover in time for a day out again on Sunday...

Hardly two peas

Another great few days climbing in the Peak with spring sunshine and crazy dogs. We've worked hard this week at Stanage, Birchen and Curbar ticking off lots of classic HS, VS and HVS routes. Culminating yesterday in a triple ascent of The Peapod. What a climb! There was hardly any skin left on my hands by that stage but it didn't matter as this required more bum shuffling and leg work than anything else. I think I can safely say it was a once only experience. Thanks to Adam for leading us up such an excruciating (my back still hurts) route.