These could be the good old days...

Yeh, so Glasgow Uni has rather wisely decided not to give me any exams this christmas except for one class test worth 0%. The weather has been cold but the sky has been blue and I've had a few really cracking days out bouldering. I've been out of glasgow just about every weekend for the past... ages, and escaped dumby as best I could, I'm not sure I really like it there in winter cos the landings are mud baths and theres not much sun till late in the day. In this case, I'd like to big up a few places we've managed to get to without a car but maybe being prepared to walk further than most... Heath warning: I may have enhanced experiences of these places because they're so different to dumby and I was fed up of the place.

Firstly, Kelvin Hall. Yup, it sucks and is too warm, but for me it's fine. I don't like climbing inside so when Ibrox doesn't give you much change out of a tenner and you need a subway journey too, it leaves you feeling under pressure to have a good session which usually means you can't be bothered... Well that's how I feel anyway. Kelvin Hall is £2 with a student discount card and 10min walk so I feel I can go there and make up problems, feet on feature, etc... and maybe not do much hard stuff but have an ok session. It gets me out the flat, which at this time of year is good cos it's freezing.

We went to Arran - up early, caught a train then a ferry and walked to the Mushroom boulder and Corrie Stones. Missed the bus back but luckily hitched a lift to the harbour. Explaining what the we were doing to the driver was interesting... "we like.. to find boulders and err... climb over them."... "Yup". I don't think he thought we were too weird though, and said there were rocks to cliimb over on Millport. Here's some pics...

Snow?!?

Snow on palm trees?.. wasn't like that on Sauchiehall Street

Mushroom Boulder - It took a while to trust some of the massive holds here and some stuff was wet, but probably worth a trip. Corrie Stones were quality granite though well spread out.

Thirdly, I would like to big up Craigmaddie. Right, I know some people have said that this place was a little disappointing, not much there and so on... well, they're probably right, but use you're imagination!! Look at the place, amazing view, lovely 'fake' gritstone, and a handful of quality problems, it's so different to dumby it has to be worthwhile. You may tick the place really quickly but, for me, climbing on different textures of holds is really important in order to re-awake your finger tips! Having the two contrasting rock types so close to glasgow is ace. You'll end up repeating problems or making up eliminates but I'm finding I end up doing that at Dumby anyway. Obviously it can't replace dumby, but I reckon a couple of trips a semester is ideal. Plus, it only takes like an hour to walk from the train station... err. thats not really a plus.

Farmers Trust (more like 7a+?) on low crag

and again..

Loving the winter sun...

high crag action - check the muppet who thought a quilt would make a good pad..

Boost attempting alchemy

So, I went there with Pete Murray on Saturday and again today with Danny and Nic. Both times had great big blue skins, and short walls were warm in the sun. Climbing in t-shirts, it was quals. I managed the Litster problem, Alchemy, which took a while because I had not done my homework of watching elements for beta. When I work it out, it felt not too desperate so I thought maybe font 7B+ for it. It's a really good problem which needs good timing on the moves to the sidepull crimp and the sloper. Today I managed to traverse the low crag for a new problem which isn't too contrived at all really. The crux is reversing alchemy. Not sure about the grade at all really but I feel bad about downgrading one of bens problems, maybe he can down grade this one?? Though reserving alchemy is pretty damn hard... I'm not actually strong enough to do it, by that I mean, I couldn't actually hold one particular move on it so had to really quickly go to the next move (a jug, thankfully) whilst I was falling off. I figure if I can just go really fast then being weak won't be a problem. And before anyone says I'm not weak, the grand total of arm wrestles I've won in my life is probably 6 or something, and most of them have been against my girlfriend who usually gets disqualified for tickling.

Allakazaam, font 7C+
Start at the right hand side of the crag at a jug, go left along a sensually slopping rail, drop down into alchemy and finish up the brilliant abracadabra.