Mountain pleasure!

So still nursing that dodgy finger! What a pain, all training indoors has been put on hold just been keeping up with the running anf cycling to work (averaging 16mph over 8 miles, not bad ey?).

Well got a day off on Tuesday and so did Roger, so we planned to head over to Wales, to Ogwen to be precise!

Last time we planned to go out we ended up on Catell Helen and freezing then bailing early to the cafe for a coffee.

This time we were lucky with the weather, hoping to climb at Craig Yr Ysfa the sun was shining and the wind wasn't too strong, we went for it and go on with the 1.5hr walk in. Turns out that the walk in isn't too bad, mostly on the road, we reached the top of Ampitheatre Buttress just after midday and little to say i was very intimidated. But the routes looked brilliant, it suggests in the guide to abseil down so we did so instead of taking the loose gully of death!

As we reached the bottom of the climb my feelings turned from nervousness to pure focus on the route! The route in question was Mur y Niwl/ Pinnacle Wall, a route i have wanted to do for a long time now.

WOW was it worth the wait, the first four pitches were all amazing and so different in many ways, i managed to lead a 14m pitch with one piece of gear, which was a number 1 nut ;) . Roger got the second pitch but i have got to say each of them deserve 3 stars!!

Pinnacle wall had some bizzarre climbing and Kirkus deserve some man points for getting the first ascent as a solo!!!!!

What a beast! Time now to focus on the Cornish Granite next weekend!

All the Seven's!

Wow mega psyche at the moment!

Last week proved to be a great two days of sport climbing, although carrying a pulley injury!

So i headed to Kilnsey with Pete and Dave, keen to get on Nerve Ending the 7b but not expecting to see great results, turns out i managed all the moves and just powered out on the jugs at the top, haha. Who says fitness is over rated ;)

Second day on and a different venue, this time with Mike Psyche to Dinbren, i knew these routes suited my style and serious lack of fitness. I went with one goal in mind and that was to do the classic Technicolour Yawn 7a+ this would be my first of this grade.

So we warmed up and then i went and put the clips in and worked the moves, found the bottom section quite hard but then the middle section had an on/off barn door move. After carrying on to the top i decided to practice the move in the middle.

Happy i had done all the moves i came down and had a rest and belayed Mike on Diaperspace 7c. It looks like a brilliant route a hard bouldery start followed by some technical thin climbing. Goes without saying that he walked up it on his first redpoint of the day! I was mega psyched for him as this was his goal for the day.

After the rest i got back on Technicolour Yawn, i was going to top rope it to get the moves but just thought naa will go straight for the lead.... and i got it first red point!!

That being my first 7a+ i was suprised with how easy it felt.

We planned to get out and crush again today checked the forecast and it was on for a good day!

With plans to head back to Yorkshire, last minute change of plan and we were heading back to the Orme.

I had plans and goals last time we went i had a quick play on Julio Juvenito 7a got the moves but was just too tired to get it in one.

Warming up on Contusion 6c i felt good managing to retro flash it. So straight on to Julio, messing up my feet in the mid-section bulge i came off, sorted the move, came down and rested for a while. In the mean time Mike tried to onsight Mayfair 7a+ and just came unstuck near the top, getting it next go however. I jumped back on Julio and crushed it next go. Super pleased to get my first 7a on the Orme and only my second in the UK.

With the mood feeling good i thought i would give The Bloods 7a+ a go. This went pretty swiftly as well, had a top rope on it to get the moves, got it clean. Gets on it for the lead and came off because my feet popped! Argh..

Knowing i didn't have much energy left i knew i needed to get it next go, and i did!!

YES!! Mega psyche another 7a+ in a session.

Need to pull my finger out and get up a 7b ;)