Mixed

Some of you may remember this photo which I posted on Flickr back in April.  Stupidly I thought, here we go.  The start of another dry summer in the Scottish mountains.

Glen Nevis in April.  Too hot me me!

However, this photo from Ian Taylor sum’s up well my summer dress for this year.

Not complaining about the crisp red pointing conditions.  (Ian Taylor)

Since returning from the Lakes, I have had only a couple of days out trad climbing which is pretty poor for a tall, lanky, weak Scottish trad climber.  A combination of work, lack of partners but mostly the poor weather has accounted for such a poor tally of days out.  However, the days I have had were superb.  That’s not to say I haven’t been climbing.  I have spent a lot of the time making best use of the fresh conditions by bouldering or clipping bolts.

Passing showers, and a cold biting wind on an attempt at Wolfman.  The Ivy all over the bottom wasn't helping.  Another time... (Gaz Marshall)  

Colin Morrison cruising up 'Jack the Ripper'

Simon Nadin introduced me to a new crag of his up North somewhere.  Don’t ask me where it is as I genuinely have no idea where it is apart from the fact it’s on the Caithness coast line.  I don’t even think Simon knows properly where it is as he missed the little turn off resulting in a rapid handbreak turn in his Berlingo to head south again.  Or maybe that was to distract me from knowing its exact location… 

Despite Simon not being world champion fitness at the moment, it was still pretty impressive watching him onsight a new route which he basically gave a brief eyeball from an ab rope which was in the wrong place.  After watching his steady casual pace, I thought it would be piss easy.  So a lame attempt at tying my rock shoes, I followed.  Elbows touching the skye, shoe laces getting in the way, the whole rack on my harness towards the top and the rock requiring a delicate touch.  All I can say is, never underestimate a ‘Master’! 

Simon following one of his new E3's

Simon on his new route.  E5 6a?

Anyway, my turn for a new route.  I rapped the line and gave it a better look.  It looked easy with good gear.  Just as we went to rap in, we thought we would let the approaching shower pass.  Well, we waited, waited, and waited.  After about 40min we thought it was going to miss so rapped in.  Just as I joined Simon on the platform below, the heavens opened and it pissed down for 30minutes.  So we stood, backs against the wall trying to stay dry.  We looked out to sea, then occasionally turned to each other commenting how shit this was.  Why do we bother?  It passed, I got on with the job.  All went well till the final head wall which I never even bothered to look at earlier.  A steep compact wall covered in that green shitty lichen you get at Gogarth.  Gear way below, ropes waving in the wind and all that, I managed to uncover some sneaky crimps and undercuts.  The top out was nice and wet.  Flopping onto the flat, I was filled with that deep feeling of relief which one only gets from trad climbing.

Me at the top of my new route.  About E5 6a (Simon Nadin)

For one whole day, a ridge of high pressure was forecast.  After a quick swap around of my days at work, Simon and I arranged to meet up at Super Crag.  It was a bit like going winter climbing, you leave the house and its 8 degrees Celsius or something.  You wonder are you just wasting your time.  I drove for almost two hours with the window wipers on full questioning what the hell I was doing.  It wasn’t until we reached the car park that the blue sky appeared.  Gearing up at the top of the crag we still got hit by a heavy passing shower (We learnt our lesson from the previous week, wait).

Anyway, we did some cool routes; Personal Minglay, Moonman, Roda Mhor and TIFS.  TIFS was quite exciting.  An Ian Taylor E6 6b.  The crux is fairly bold, blind and pretty committing above a reasonable cluster of kit.  I wasn’t jumping up and down with excitement to test it really.  At the end of the run out, you can get some small bits of kit in then tackle the bold wall above.  The climbing isn’t as hard.  So I pushed on and reached a crack.  Hanging on with my left arm, I had been camped out on the hold for quite a while trying to fiddle in a wire with my right.  Just as the wire seated, my left hand hold ripped off the wall.  Thankfully I had a nice wiry metallic handhold with my right as I would have taken a pisser down the crag as well as testing some unconvincing kit.  It’s probably fine ;-).  Anyway, I topped out, Simon and I left as the next weather front arrived….  A nice 8.5 hour weather window. 

Simon following 'Moonman' (Ian Taylor)

However, I have had numerous day clipping bolts and opening and closing accounts with harder (for me) local sport routes.  Most of my sport days have been at Creag Nan Cadhag and Zed buttress at Brin

Creag Nan Cadhag (Ian Taylor)

I guess my highlight would be ticking Andrew Wilby’s ‘Game Over Extension’ F8a+ at Creag Nan Cadhag.  Since then,  I have been back there making an attempt at Nuclear Nightmare.  Each time I try the horrific knee wrenching crux, my knee pleas no.  Its not wanting another arthroscopy.  Well that's my excuse ;-).  So some local pumpy link ups have been added to the crag, all bailing up Nuclear Cop Out.    

Some of my time has been spent playing on ‘The Force’ F8b? at Zed buttress.  For me, this is pretty hard.  It requires you to be strong and powerful, not weak with lots of stamina.  But, the other day I made some significant progress.  I need to rest now for a few days as my joints are screaming, my skin is trashed and my shoes are falling apart. 

Lakeland Spanking

Two days before I left the Highlands to visit the Lake District, I managed to campus 1 – 4 – 7 on the campus board at the Inverness Climbing Wall (very unimpressive in the world of climbing, but for a weak trad climber like me, it’s a personal highlight).  However, did this new raw power help the old school Lakes route?  No, I got spanked!

So, Blair and I packed our bags and went on a week long holiday to the Lake District.  To get us into the holiday vibe, Blair explained the theory of spontaneous road jams occurring on motor ways.  He also mentioned how mathematical modelling is now used in town planning to help make traffic flow more efficient .  We also listened to some shit poems.  However that got replaced pretty quickly by some Paul Oakenfold.

Anyway, arriving mid afternoon we did few routes at Reecastle to unwind.  This was my first proper visit to the Lakes.  We had it all in front of us.  Where do you go?   What do you do?  So many options.  We had high pressure forecast for the whole week which made the choice pretty much endless.  The turmoil in my head in choosing venues was painful.  I guess I relaxed during the middle of the week when I realised I can’t tick the Lakes in a week.  We settled with visiting a new crag each day and do a few classics. 

Blair starting us off with 'Guillotine'

So the first rude surprise was the cost of parking at Langdale.  £6 or something… Thankfully the machine was broken. 

Pavey Ark

 One of the routes we did was 'Fallen Angel' E4.  A route that 1-4-7 training had absolutely no use for.  I suspect this is more pleasant than climbing Unicorn in winter.   

Blair on 'Fallen Angel'

Next up was 'Sixpence' E6.  Well this was pretty cool. I was feeling pretty hesitant starting up the flake of Eclipse. I was shocked by how bold/committing the E4 start was.  But once committed, it was actually fine.  From the belay below, I ignored the wall below the groove and just assumed there would be crimps and gear all over it.  Not quite.  Very technical climbing with fiddly kit.  At least I could keep reversing the traverse to a rest.  The guide mentions a jug at the horizontal break.  So finally I committed up the wall and found myself ‘laying one on’ for the break.  I assumed my fingers would curl into a jug.  No they just hit a flat licheness ledge.  My body arced but I stayed on, and found a sort of jug…  Kit arranged I went up and down the groove trying to unlock the tricky sequence.  What naturally felt correct was wrong.  I fell, I failed.  Back on, changed my hand sequence which felt wrong but it worked.  I have made note for next time….and to pack a brush ;-).  The rest of the groove was not a path, but I got up it fine.

Recovering at the break on 'Sixpence'

Blair following 'Sixpence'

I was also educated about the American Civil War, Cold War and The Great War.  If you ask me a question on any of these wars, I won’t know the answer.  Apart from one fact I learned.  Blair explained why prostitutes are called hookers.  For some reason I still remember that.

Mirage E5 on Goat Crag in Borrowdale.  I still feel my fingers creak from that route.  I unfortunately messed up the crux low down and fell off.  Lowered down, ropes pulled, did it next go.  The rest of pitch one was pretty engaging.  I assumed it would be easy.  No.  Spaced small gear along with thin technical climbing.  I approached the belay.  A tip off from Iain and Tony was to link this into the next ‘6a’ pitch.  So on I went.  What a pitch!  A full 60m of pretty technical climbing with a pumpy finish.  I’m sure linking the two pitches together, one could award themselves a harder grade.  But since it’s the Lakes, we will keep it as E5 .

Dove Crag was high on the list as a ‘must visit’.  I felt slightly intimidated standing beneath this imposing buttress of rock.  We found ourselves warming up on the ‘bold and strenuous’ E4 called 'Explosion'.  I can confirm is was bold and strenuous. 

Nice weather.  Dove Crag in the distance.

Bucket City E6.  Yes, there are buckets everywhere except the crux.  I was spat off this one.  Again, mid crux I was hesitant on where to go. Up to the flake? Or continue up the crack?  I hung around faffing then fell. I had a look to see then lowered off. Ropes pulled and despatched next go.  Despite the climbing after the crux being pretty steady and positive, I still found it quite intimidating.  You look up and can’t see any holds.  But then these wonderful in cuts just appear.

Relived to have passed the crux.  

Dove was that good, we were back up the next day.  Tony had recommended not to warm up on ‘Fast and Furious’ with ‘The Fissure Finish’ E5.  Whatever I thought.  Blair had done ‘Fast and Furious’ the previous day so it will be easy then just move right I thought.  So up I went.  At the junction I shaked out.  Glancing up at the groove there was no thread in sight.  Then my eyes caught an obvious little slot where a nice thread would be… Ballocks!  No thread.  Oh well, I’ll give it a shot and run it out or something.  So off I went, peg clipped then up to the slot.  ‘Fuck!’  My elbows were touching the skye.  Somehow I managed to hang on the shit holds, get a rock 7 off my harness, thread that, get a quick draw, clip it onto the wire, clip my rope in, hung on, hung on, then sagged onto the rope. Pumped, screaming in a rage about dirty rock and no threads, I got what I deserve.  My ass kicked.  (Note to self:  Next time, rap down, put a thread in place and give it a quick brush).  'Fear and Fascination' E5/6 went fine.  About time I got up something.

Blair on 'Fast and Furious'  A more appropriate grade would be E5/VII 7.  The top chimney was pretty filthy.

Fear and Fascination 

Kilnsey.  My first visit.  I wish I could pack this crag in my suitecase and take it home with me.  I was seriously impressed by it.  I’m not sure the conditions were primo for our visit.  It had just stopped raining on arrival with the air remaining fairly warm and humid for the rest of the day.  However, it was superb.  Again, my agenda was to ‘tick the crag’ (you know what I mean, do all the routes I can do) but that never quite happened.  'Dominatrix' F7c was the highlight whilst we both provided the locals with a pantomime on ‘Pantomime’ F7b+.  We finished out 9hour day there with me starting up ‘one last route’.  Some 7b on the left hand side.  I was fighting to even get to the first bolt, let alone move past it.  Quoting Dave Douglas ‘I was gone’.  Time to go home.

Blair not sure if Ski Touring was ideal prep for this route.

No slabs

There are many more cool routes to mention but I’ll leave it there.  Our trip was a success mainly due to the fact we had a great place to hang out.  Blair’s friends, Alan and Amanda very kindly offered to let us stay at their house for the week.  I was slightly worried prior to our arrival.  They are both mathematicians.  With Blair being a Dr of snow, I felt my Exercise Physiology background wouldn’t make the make the standard at the dinner table.  However, I was made very welcome and had a great laugh every day.  Thank you!

The Lake District is a wonderful venue.  I can’t wait for my next visit.  I’m keen for some long weekends down there, especially if this crap weather continues here in Scotland.  So get in touch if you are keen.  I’m aware we never even scratched the surface of what’s on offer.  However, this trip was a great introduction and now I have a proper ticklist. 

Yesterday I went for a scramble up Stac Pollaidh with Mhairi.  Skipping along the ridge soaking up the view of Assynt did remind why I live up in the Highlands.

Mhairi on Stac Polliadh

Although the midges are hanging about and it seems to keep raining.  But this crap weather has allowed me to work my weakness. QED is coming along nicely ;-)

Another rain shower whilst fighting with Ivy at Duntelchaig.  (Photo: Gaz Marshall)

Nerve Damage

E6 6a was what Lawrence Hughes lead me to believe in a casual conversation one day.  Then it became ‘maybe its E7 6b’.  There was some strong encouragement for me to give it an onsight attempt.  In the meantime, I thought I would see what the other sandstone technicians in the area thought.   Ian Taylor warned me ‘to be careful with that one’ and Paul Tattersall reminded me that ‘Lawrence is a demon on that stuff’ and ‘would have had it dialled’.    

Time marched on and I was being distracted by other routes.  However, ‘Lawrences Ardmair route’, which is actually called ‘Nerve Damage’, still remained unticked on my scrappy piece of paper.  I still pondered each day whether to try onsight it or rap it to have a look.    Last October, Iain Small paid a visit to Ardmair.  Obviously he showed interest in the route.  All day at work I was suffering from major FOMO.  Then a text from Iain that evening.  In summary, he tried to onsight it, but got shut down.  That was enough for me.  We all know that Iain Small is an onsight weapon and would have dug deeper than anyone else…  He climbed it the following day after rapping it and a play on a top rope.  Comments of ‘slapping for the finishing holds’, ‘its pretty run out’ and ‘you wouldn’t want to fall from the top’ played havoc in my mind.

The winter came and kind of went, this route was still unticked.  We are in the month of May now.  We shouldn’t be considering bold routes on sandstone that require winter friction.  However, we have been blessed by a persistent winter.  Plenty of cold air and fresh snow even to low levels.  Now most of you would think all I would do is moan about how shit this is.  Well you are wrong.  I’m turning negatives into positives here.  These conditions are perfect for working my weaknesses.  Bouldering and considering this route up at Ardmair.

An Teallach looking wintery

One day, I went up to Ardmair armed with everything.  Brushes, bouldering pads, shunt, wires, more wires etc.  You name it, I had it.  Having walked past the boulder problems on Arapiles wall for over 10 years now, I have never tried any of them.  So it was cool to finally mess around on various traverses and up problems.  I think the highlight was ‘Billabong (Font 6b)’.  At the finishing jug, I thought it would be easy to solo on to the big ledge.   I got a bit committed and gripped thinking it would be jugs all the way.  No, just sandy, gritty, licheness rounded holds.  Not helped by the fact the sun came out from behind a cloud and my chalk bag was on the ground.  Ironically ‘Lawrence’s’ crack (Font 7a)’ which actually finishes on the ledge went much easier… I digress.

Rapping down the wall, I spied out various slopey holds and pebbles.  There was a distinct lack of kit though.  I was aware that at ‘the nose’ there was a good cluster of kit.  But that was miles away.  So I played about for a while trying various sequences.  By the end of the day I was spent.  How does a vertical piece of sandstone do that to you?!  Not helped by the fact, the whole thing looks easy from the ground.  Anyway, I left the crag that day feeling psyched.  Late night shopping on a Thursday meant I could splash out and purchase a new Lapiss brush from the shop minutes before they closed.  That’s how psyched I was!

Nerve Damage follows the line of the rope.

Zoomed in.  Good kit at the nose.

Worn out

That night I arranged with Lawrence to go back on Sunday evening as it was forecast to be cold north easterlies .  Everyone told me it was going to rain.  I found a forecast suggesting it wasn’t.  It pissed with rain all day.  

Uisdean Hawthorn had just arrived back from a very successful alpine trip.  I persuaded him up to Ardmair.  I think the main selling point was, the 10m crack of ‘Unleash the Beast’ is more impressive than the Dru Coulier Direct.  Well the climbing will be harder at least ;-)

'Unleash the Beast'.  Much more impressive than...

...This.  Uisdean on Dru Coulier Direct (Photo Guy Steven)

Whilst holding Uisdeans ropes on ‘Totem Pole Crack’, I was busy glancing round the corner at the cool VS called ‘Moondance’.  It just seems like yesterday that I was resting on gear and taking multiple lops of it. 

Giving Nerve Damage a chalk and brush, I played on the moves.  They felt desperate.  What had changed?  Everything was off balance and I kept falling off.  My mind was in turmoil.  Was this going to be another long term thing that I’ll never do?  With a few subtle changes of body position, the sequence was unlocked.  It suddenly felt easy.  However it is still very intricate and one wrong move, you were off.  That was playing at the back of my mind all day.   We stood back and looked at the crag.  ‘What a line’ I said, Uisdean looked at me and just laughed.  ‘Get a grip’ he said.  Playing devil’s advocate with each other all day and winding each other up, beneath it all I could sense his focus on this bigger mountains was beginning to outweigh technical rock climbs.  That boy will go far so keep an eye on him.  Anyway, more to the point, was I going to die if I fell from the crux?  Hard to tell, but you would be taking a ride down the whole crag with 2 ledges to hit.  Without rope stretch you would go miles.  We all fall further than you think.  So it was best not to think about it.  Iain had sent me a reassuring message in the morning, ‘just switch off and go for it!’ 

After some patient waiting, the shade arrived.  Suddenly the fear hit, what was stopping me?  Tying on I could feel a sudden rise in anxiety.  Uisdean broke the silence and said, ‘you’re not falling off, you’ve pissed up it already’.  Wise words from the mountaineer so off I went.  I arranged the crucial kit at the nose then reversed the moves to the ledge.  Suddenly I had that urge which some of you know.  I managed to erase it from my mind by chatting about the Tories and SNP. 

Placing the kit

Ranting about politics.  

Off I went, heel hook in… the next minute I was on the finishing jugs just below the top of the crag.  Yay! I thought.  But I hadn’t actually practiced the top out.  It’s just a typical Ardmair sloping mess.  My Ardmair apprenticeship bailed me out. 

So what do I think?  It’s tough to grade.  I haven’t done much of this head pointing before.  If it all goes well, it feels easy.  But all it takes is one wrong hand or foot position and you are taking the E7/8 ride resulting in some form of Nerve damage…

So here is the route description.  Click on the name and it will take you to an updated guide to the crag along with some cool photo's

45B Nerve Damage

E7/8 6c*** 25m 2011

Well named - an incredible pitch up the obvious blank seamed headwall between Cruel World and Colour Co-ordinated. Desperate, insecure and intricate climbing above tricky micro-gear would make this a very hard onsight, the upgrade from E7 may be conservative! Climb Cruel World and swing right to the ledge. Tricky moves lead to the nose and gear (strenuous to place), then more hard moves gain a standing position and micro-gear (blind to place). Powerful and technical cruxes above lead left and up to good holds just below the top. Pull over with a lot of relief.

Kalymnos

On arrival to the ‘fancy’ studio/apartment thing, it never quite appeared to be the same as what the photos suggested.  Tap water tasting like salt and an electric hob that was pretty much useless, FFS.  Never mind…

I did next to no research about Kalymnos apart from ask Boost what routes were good to do.  I got a vague answer which never really meant much.  So on day one, where do you start?  Mhairi and I walked along the street of Masouri peering up at the crags.  It was that typical view.  Blue sky, sun, big limestone crags.  Not very Scottish.  The Grande Grotta caught my eye.  Very good I thought.  With one whole week what does one do?  Climb lots of routes onsight, or open an account on a project?  My nature is to climb a lot and not sit around resting.  I love mileage. I love feeling wrecked at the end of each day, but just doing one more route and getting away with it.  I love that broken feeling you feel in the morning but just getting on with it.  So that’s what I opted for.  Mhairi joined in.

Masouri with a few crags

I started this blog just before the winter.  My posts so far have included two trad routes and winter days out.  They all have a story behind them, especially my Beinn Bhan days (for me at least).  However, sport climbing is a bit different.  I spend a lot of time clipping bolts but the routes all have a different meaning.  They don’t have such a big impact on me.  As I sit pondering just now about what too write, I can still visualise fighting the vertical soft snow at the top of ‘God Delusion IX,9’ more so than reaching the chains on ‘Daniboy 8a’.  I have put off writing this post as I seem to have struggled to find things to say.  I could write and entire post on the trip minus the climbing.  In saying that a few routes I will remember from Kalymnos which were cool.

Not the best photo, but you get the point. (Photo: Iain Small)

I guess the first ‘harder route’ I did was ‘Priapos 7c’.  The draws were in so it felt rude not to give it a blast.  It certainly was steep.  As the guide book suggests, lots of good rests with some harder climbing  in between them.  I am useless at all this tufa climbing.  I’m sure there are heaps of complete hands off rests.  I never really found them.  I just hung on shaked out and kept going….

Lowering off Priopas 7c.  Brilliant!

Arriving back at the apartment, it did grow on me a bit.  The shower was roasting and powerful.  That’s something.  However the hob still took about 30min to heat water for tea.  Not so good for someone who is constantly gagging for it…

Daniboy 8a.  I did my typical and avoid the issue of getting on it.  I made sure I got my days worth of climbing done before attempting it. Spartacus 7b+ and the other routes at this sector are pretty good.  The draws were in place on Daniboy so I had an advantage.  Somehow I managed to onsight about 2/3rds on the route then fell off.  I read the move from below knowing I needed my left hand in a pocket to reach up right.  But I was totally fucked so went up with my right instead.  I hung there knowing I couldn’t move up or down.  So I waited till all my energy drained and fell off.  I worked out the rest of the route and realised there was still some tricky climbing higher up.  Oh well, I would have never managed that even if I was correct the first time.  Returning the next day, the clips had gone.  That was a good enough excuse not to bother.  I was straining as it was to get the rope clipped the previous day let alone placing the quick draws.  So I shied away, but Mhairi told me to get on with it.  Clips in I went for a red point and fell just above my highpoint the previous day.  Fumbling a hold was my excuse.  I knew it was in the post though.  Despatched next go.  It was funny when I lowered down as a few folk commented on how boring I was to watch climbing.  No knee bars, no grunts and no celebration.  These Polish boys told me to learn to knee bar as they managed to find hands off rests and all that fancy stuff.  What they were getting at was, I could probably climb harder if I had a clue how to rest.  I just hung on and shaked out.  Maybe someone wants to give me a knee pad thing and I’ll learn?  And no celebration.  Well in my eyes, there was no point.  I have more in me to give. 

Sector Spartacus.

Back that the apartment, the shower was not quite as hot, the hob still took an age…

Mhairi made the plan of climbing 6c every day.  She did along with some 6c+ red points.   It was cool to see her tire throughout the trip, but get on with it and surprise herself and still red point hard towards the end.  The power of the mind.  The classic moment was on ‘Feta 6c’.  Too tired and sore skin was the comment as she tied on.  Despatched with no hassle.  Mhairi has a lot in reserve.  There was chat about climbing some 7a’s this year.  I bet you she has 7c ticked by the Autumn.

Mhairi warming up on 'KalyNikhla' on day one

The hob caved in half way through.  It produced no heat.  If I said I was raging, that would have been an understatement.  So upstairs I went with it in my hands to the owner of the place.  I kept my cool, we got a brand new fancy double hob that worked well fast.  I feel sorry for the poor man.  He probably expects all the guests to eat out and never boil water.  Well he is going to have one hell of an electric bill this month.

Before we went to Kalymnos, everyone was banging on about how cheap it was to eat out.  I think there is cheap, then there is tight and then me.  On the first night we ate out.  It was 24 Euros.  That’s not cheap.  It’s a rip off.  I could have made that salad myself for much less.  Anyway we tried again and the second time it came to 14 Euros.  That’s a bit more bearable….  We decided to cook ourselves.   

Cringing at the thought of spending money

One more rant.  We stopped off for a tea/coffee each morning at this café.  I am not going to name it.  So, on our first visit, I had a brilliant mug of tea.  Mhairi had a brilliant coffee.  We even got a free bit of muffin.  Our next visit, the amount of hot water in my mug was less along with no free muffin/cake.  Mhairi still had a brilliant coffee.  Next time, my mug was half full, at least we got a free but of cake.  I had to ask for more hot water.  Fair enough…  Then the next time, I knew the score.  Get my half mug of tea, (for those of you that know me, it doesn’t even touch the sides.  One mouthful and its gone) and then ask for more hot water.  Well it never arrived…  Our final day I thought I will try a different tack.  A fresh fruit juice. So the options.  Fresh orange at 2 euros or fresh orange, mango and peach at 4 Euros.  Hmm, I’m on holiday, last day and all that, I’ll splash out and have the orange, mango and peach.  What a bloody waste.  One, it lasted 20 seconds and two, it tasted of orange.  Fair do’s it had a fancy 2 mm slice of mango decorating the glass suggesting there was some in there.  Ballocks there was.  So I conclude there, my philosophy on eating out wherever in the world, don’t bother.

But, Kalymnos is a brilliant place to hang out.  The weather was perfect, the climbing was superb and the place just felt so friendly.  Every route we both did was good value.  Each day we walked from Masouri which was fine as there was enough climbing to keep us both occupied.  I can definitely see myself booking another trip there in the future. 

The Grande Grotta

I have been back home for 2 weeks.  The weather has been great.  The past few days I have been trad climbing which.  Despite the sun splitting the sky, I still managed to experience damp, seapy, smeggy, cold rock along with hot aches and a cold bighting wind at Shiegra.  Then some rounded gritty licheness rock on some esoteric routes at Ardmair in the baking heat.  It’s good to be home!

Cool dude....

...but not as cool as my wee girl!

Letting Go

I don’t know but is this winter just dragging on or what?  It’s doing my head in!  Almost 2 weeks ago I went out thinking, ‘this was my last day’ and enjoyed it for that reason.  But instead I have been out and climbed 7 routes since then.  I think part of the problem is beneath my superficial moaning and groaning, deep within me I love the Scottish Winter Mountains and struggle to let go of them.

Over the last month I have had a superb mix; soloing easy gullies, pulling hard on mixed moves, pulling hard on crimps, getting pumped on jugs and racing up fat ice with blue sky over head.  I'm sure folk will have seen my Flickr.  I could write a story/rant for every day out.  But I’m not going to, maybe just a summary.

The Northern Corries are great.  Since I live in Inverness, I can get up at a reasonable time, go there, mess around and be home for late afternoon.  One day I went with Roger Webb.  Given the recent crap weather, we figured the safest option was to abseil into Fiacall Buttress and do a few routes.  Our dream of doing 2 routes was spoilt after I topped out from Watchout (VI,8) to discover our abseil station and my gloves stashed next to it had been taken.  Not sure what’s going on there.  We felt it was out of order.  Our packs were close by as well but left untouched.  It makes me wonder are some people just clueless or just cheeky knowing exactly what they are doing. 

Roger following Watchout.

Andy Inglis and Tim Miller very kindly allowed me to join them last minute for a day in Lochan.  Given the recent direction the weather had come from, Andy’s options were black.  However, up in the Hoarmaster/pinnacle area things were white.  So Candy Shop (VII,9), a route put up by Greg Boswell and Guy Robertson a few seasons back gave a shock to the arms.  I highly recommend this route to anyone looking to push their grade.  Safe and hard as the grade suggests.  Straight off the belay the placements are good, but not much for your feet.  You do need to hang on to get the bomber kit in though.  Belaying at the top was quite entertaining.  I sat there in the howling wind and snow freezing my ass off.  Then I began to see one tool, then another.  Then one bare hand holding a tool, then another bare hand holding the other tool.  WTF? Sprang to mind.  As Tim approached me I asked what had happened. I obviously made the assumption he dropped his gloves but he hadn’t.  He was too warm.  Fair enough I thought as the icy wind from the west blasted me with spindrift.  Maybe I’m just soft and young Tim is nails.  Neither Andy nor I fancied barehanded climbing that day!  Much to my disgust, I got home feeling weary from our short intense winter blast.  Not for one moment did I consider Candy Shop to be black.  I spent a lot of energy clearing Ice from cracks, pulling on ledges of neve fighting spindrift and generally faffing about like one does in winter. When I got home, sat down, poured myself some another mug of tea, I uploaded my photos to the laptop.  Black!  What?!  I don’t care, I posted it on flickr and obviously opened myself up for comment.  Andy got in touch commenting I did a fantastic job in posting the worst photo from the day.  Good, I love to cause a bit of controversy.

Tim and I following pitch 1 of Candy Shop.  Looks Wintery.  (Andy Inglis)

Me on pitch 2 of Candy Shop

At 4.04am my phone chirped.  A message from Guy Robertson: “Murdoch hope u get this.  I’ve been up since half two pukin and shitting.  Sorry but I’m in no state to go out”.  I lay in bed and for a moment a wave of joy came over me.  That was it.  No more winter action for me this season.  You absolute bute.  Cheers Guy!  I knew Richie Betts was off bouldering that day in Torridon.  I could join him. Malcs arête could spank me.  Yes!  But after a short while the deep winter psyche forged through my lazy thoughts and said ‘get out in the mountains you lazy shit’.  After a text round and waking everyone up at 5am, Andy was straight back and kindly said to meet him and Neil at 8.30am.  Again, the objectives were looking black.  However the right sight of No.4 buttress kept a wintery look and feel.  We settled for Torquing Heads (VII,7) then a quick blast up Ewen Buttress Direct (IV,5).  Walking out, sun in my face, this is cheating.

Andy on pitch 1 of Torquing Heads.

I first experienced the climbing on Indicator Wall (Ben Nevis) back in 2007.  Back then I worked my way through the classics such as Indicator Wall, Albatross, Psychedelic Wall and Satanic Versus.  I never managed back to do Riders on the Storm.  I guess the picture of Dave Macleod in the guidebook inspired me.  Moving through the overlaps on thin ice just looked so cool.  The opportunity to climb on this wall arose when the recent high pressure pushed in to dominate our weather.  Anyway, I had arranged to climb with Iain for a few days.  Inspecting the ice, it was a bit varied at the base of the wall so much to my delight, we settled for Riders on the Storm (VI,5).  With some healthy runouts and a mix of ice quality I found myself at the first overlap.  Digging for a wire placement, testing it, digging, and testing.  I gave up.  I was conned by frozen mud.  I settled for a screw in a ledge of ice.  Once over the first overlap, I secured a good wire.  The rest of the pitch was steady.  Just don’t fall. Topping out in to the sun with no wind, it feels like a completely different sport.  Back down Tower Gully, Psychedelic Wall (VI,5) just looked so appealing. We had both done it previously but who cares.

Indicator Wall.  The best wall on Ben Nevis?

Me starting up Riders on the Storm.  (Iain Small)

Iain cruising to the top on Riders on the Storm.

Admiring his coils...

Me starting up pitch 2 of Psychedelic Wall.  (Iain Small)

Iain on the top pitch of Psychedelic Wall.

High Pressure, Blue Sky, No wind, Good Ice and it’s the weekend.  The last place I want to be is Ben Nevis.  I can’t handle crowds.  So Iain and I settled for a day at Goat Crag. The highlands at this time of year is the best place to be I think.  Mountains one day followed by cragging or bouldering the next.  Magic.

Primo conditions.

Mhairi bouldering at Ruthven.

Despite telling Caff there was a stove, pots n pans, mugs etc up at the CIC hut, he still packed everything as though we were off camping.  His rucksack was bigger than him.  Unfortunately I have no photo but never mind.  Anyway, you are probably more curious to find out why a F9a sport climber was carrying an expedition sized rucksack (for one night) up to the CIC hut in winter.  Should he not be at Siurana red pointing La Rambla?

Anyway Caff and I had been tasked to model some new RAB kit for next season, whilst Nadir Kahn took photo’s and Guy Steven kept everyone safe. What a laugh is all I can say.  We climbed Hadrians Wall Direct (V,5), walked up and down a slope several times, and ate a superb curry made by Nadir.  The next day we climbed Boomers Requiem (V,5) followed by more walking up and down a slope.  Caff is now inspired to cut his Spanish sport climbing trip short next year to come back for Ben Nevis ice.  

Guy Steven (safety man) making sure we can tie cloves hitches.

We are meant to be Ice Climbing!

A few days later I noticed a facebook post from Emma Twyford of Caff displaying some outrageous colours from RAB.  I too even mustard to confidence to go bright. 

Hero  (Emma Twyford)

Not a hero.  Check those legs ;-)  (Sheila Van Lieshout)

Wednesday saw Uisdean, Guy and me back on the Ben.  We did a cool link up of The Cascade (IV,5), Pink Panther (VI,6), down Tower Gully and up Kellets (VI,6).  The pictures tell it all.  After the last 3 days rock climbing, that is my focus now.  I’m off to Kalymnos soon.  But I notice is getting colder this week.  Maybe, just maybe there is one more route in me…

Me on Pink Panther.  (Guy Steven)

Even I enjoyed the sun. (Guy Steven)

I will miss it when it goes.