Michael Lee, Climbing?

Font 1

2011-11-16T19:54:00.007Z

For a range of pitiful reasons (laziness), I'd never been to Fontainbleau. So when my office buddy/climbing friend Arran asked if I wanted to go with him John and another Inverness Mike, I needed a bit of persuading. Particularly with a danger of having to share a double bed with Arran, I eventually agreed.

People say, "Font is the best". As I really like other places, I didn't want these to suddenly seem crap compared to Font. Better to stay at home? It took me a while (years), but I realise that whatever Font is is irrelevant, what matters is one's relationship with place. With this in mind, I could fearlessly travel to Le Bleau knowing my cherished memories of Duntelchaig were safe. Also there are no good photos of Font as cameras can't capture the light and dark at all well compared to the eye.

The team:

I was the youngest, with 3 of our year of births following the 11 times table 66, 77, 88. John having fantastic knowledge of the forest which saved so much faff and probably doubled the amount of climbing we did. Mike had an excellent vocabulary which turned bumps in to crenulations and others things which I've sadly forgotten. Arran brought an SLR so I'll ask him for some pics which are better than mine above. I brought "business" jokes; here's examples:

-I'm in business

-Oh really, what business you in?

-The magic business

-Nice, hows it going?

-Tricky

-I'm in business

-Oh really, what business you in?

-The see saw business

-Nice, hows it going?

-has it's ups and downs

-I'm in business

-Oh really, what business you in?

-We sell sea shells by the sea shore

-Nice, hows it going?

-Hard to say

The highlight had to be finding a board game in the gite, Peak Experience, tag line: "you don't need to be an expert climber to play Peak Experience!". Sure, you could in principle play; answer multiple choice questions to make it to the summit of K2. I arrived at base camp a good while behind the others (slowed by my sampling too much of the local food and trying to burn animal dung) only for bad weather to push me back 2 places. Mike battled for a number of turns to get off the summit, at one point forced down climbing the top pitch of his chosen route. John eventually glissaded down the descent to victory. The next night we got a 5l barrel of wine.

Real climbing wise, I adopted the adage, "a 7a a day keeps the doctor away". It worked; none of us needed medical attention. Most of the time was spent amongst the mushrooms, lost in the woods, cleaning sand off from everywhere. I got scared on some highballs, learnt a bit more about slabs, the difference between dry and clean shoes and how not to mantel. Sabbot, Elephant/Cuvier, Apermont - just three days climbing; my appetite whetted for Font 2.

Looking back/forward

2011-10-23T17:08:00.005+01:00

So, since last time. Well, the climbing flat, my home for the past four years, has ended. That is the occupants have moved out rather than the flat has burned down... although that nearly happened at the end of year one there. There were certainly plenty of good times there.

For those were around, I'm thinking of Murdoch being a Christmas tree, Murdoch and Ben's climbing debates, building a woodie, learning to juggle, the day King Lines arrived, putting up the finger board, drinking a bottle of Jameson with Danny, Boost buying a red light bulb for the bathroom, Boost putting his lecture notes in the bin, the man downstairs complaining about my dancing shaking a picture off his wall, Stew throwing a Mars bar at the guy downstair's window, going round to the girl next door's flat party and not fitting in.... ooo we had a blast! The three of us (Nic, Murdoch and I) have moved on to new things. For me, I've moved in with my girlfriend which I think was very brave. I've only slept on the couch once and that was because Cath was away and I was drunk. Anyway, my new flat is dead close to Hynland Railway station which is great for getting out to Dumby (I'm still waiting for some good weather to get there though), or to the Kilpatricks, where I've done some running.

On the climbing front, well my skateboarding injury is pretty much mended... I have a good bit of keenness to get out climbing after a year of basically nothing. The first year of PhD-ing has been good fun, but on reflection I could've done more climbing. In recognition of this, a couple of weeks ago I bunked off work at short notice and headed to the peak with Cath. This was the first trip where there was no rain the entire time. What a lot of blue sky! As such, the tempo of the days was slow and peaceful, I meandered up a few easy solos and took Cath up some of the Diff's.

Next up is trying to get as much into my days as possible. Getting a few things done this year of my PhD will set things up for an good final year, hard work now will certainly pay off. Also, I'd like to work on my music skills, and chess skills, and get in shape for climbing hard projects. Optimism... It might happen!

Kennedy Boulder

2011-08-09T18:53:00.004+01:00

The Kennedy boulder is the big one in the middle. 2 howff boulders to the left of it are big, left again this boulder has easy slab, good arete and crimpy wall. In front are 2 boulders with easier stuff though mossy. Out of shot on the left is a roof problem which looks good (desperate) and further downhill is another large boulder. Up hill from here looks like boulder jumble choas.

Impressed is how I'd describe myself when I first looked at the Kennedy boulder. That was yesterday, when I paid a visit to the Glen Croe giant. Firstly, the walk is fine. I've been on much more epic walks to bouldering and the stuff here is not bad at all. What else is there are more boulders here than the Kennedy boulder, and not in as much of a "despora" as the north side of the glen. Add to that mostly flat grassy landing around most of the blocks, range of grades (beginners welcome), open hillside for midge beating breezes, good rock if a bit mossy in places, and it's what an hours drive from Glasgow? Sounds to me like a great venue.

Also, I broke a hold on The Nuclear Button, the second crimp which used to be in-cut is now slopey. I couldn't pull off the floor so how much it's changed, I don't know.

P.S. If you enjoyed the music in that video, it's probably because the backing guitar is played by Nic Duboust...

I need to climb more

2011-07-28T21:42:00.005+01:00

My mum bought me a second hand book; "The New Encylopedia of Knots". Written by Derek E. Avery in 1988, it's a 1998 reprint. One useful knot found in there was the French bowline, basically a bowline with two loops. After that, I spent a while this evening trying to remember how to tie a double loop figure 8. I've made it now, and I'm thinking about what other handy S.P.A. things I've forgotten. The reason being that past few times I've been climbing, I've been out with people from work. I had 7 folk out top roping it up at craigmore last week, putting my S.P.A. skills to the test. I never got round to doing to S.P.A. assessment, and my two year time window is just about up.

Yesterday, I had a top evening on the Cobbler, where it was NOT windy. We did incubator into Wither Wether. And we ran back to the car on the backside of the hill. Evening climbing is so nice, and runnning down the hill in the gloaming reminded me of evening sessions at Ceuse.

Water will cleanse your skin

2011-05-30T11:25:00.006+01:00

Charles Dickens. That is probably the most useful thing I'll take away from last weeks trip into the north and west. We walked from Poolewe to Carnmore in rain then walked from Carnmore to Poolewe in more rain. It's about a 5 hour walk so quite depressing really.

Uncharacteristically, the complaining will get cut short there and here are the good bits. One, Charles Dickens is a good writer isn't he? In the Carnmore barn I found a copy of his "Hard Times". As the roof has some clear-ish panels to let light in, and as they and the other corrugated roofing materials were put-put-putting to the rain, I read a couple of chapters. Very good, I must pay a visit to Waterstones.

Two, and interestingly to readers of this blog perhaps, is the existence of a boulder jumble half way to the bothy, so about 2 hours from Poolewe. Mythology and bouldering in Scotland go hand in hand. Everyone's heard of the boulders at the Shelterstone, maybe even slept under them, seen pictures of the masses of boulders under Ben Allign, have a mate who's been to Coire Lagan, or the Lost Valley, is waiting for Dave Macloed to reveal the location of a new world class venue, got some wee venue of their own, is planning a trip to Torridon, and such. Well, here's my attempt to add "the Boulders on the path into Carnmore" to the list. On account of the pouring rain, I didn't climb or spent much time looking around. Lot's of roofs dry though (with holds), there was a Dumby esque feel to it, but it's in the middle of nowhere. Couple of good Howffs with sheep poo on the floor. Overhangs, caves, some things look more like sport routes. Worth a visit really. If it was in the peak...

Three, singing Randolph's Leap songs can cheer you up.

I wish there were more bad times

2011-05-12T20:48:00.000+01:00

That was sarcastic. Everything's gone wrong. My ankle is the size of a melon and the colour of plum following a football tackle. My thumb's too sore to hold a pencil after trying to look cool on a skateboard, and incident that also bruised my elbow so badly I can only now do a pull up after two weeks of pain.

In the enforced rest, I look to the future and think what would I like to do in climbing. Sport 8b, E5 onsight (shamefully not done this yet), boulder something good.

El tiempo es terrible!

2011-04-29T15:03:00.005+01:00

That's what I heard on Spanish T.V. whilst out visiting Danny out in Huesca. "Tiempo" means "time" but in this context it meant "weather", which explains why I was watching Spanish T.V. in the first place.

In fairness, the Spanish definition of terrible is not quite the same as ours; it didn't rain all the time, it was mostly sunny. But Danny told that the past month has been blue skies non stop, which made me think my trip was badly timed.

We had three days at Los Mallos at Riglos, which are mega conglomerate towers. The climbing style here is interesting - The massive holds look very much detached from the wall, and a bit of rain would wash the place away. So you over grip every hold so that if it were to come loose, you'd probably still hold up in place. Mostly the holds were good, but I remember doing one looser pitch - 20m, one bolt! Very scary stuff. It turned out that I'd actually climbed past a bolt on that bit, which was because of another feature of the style at Riglos - there are too many holds. On that occasion they lead me well off route. But having so many holds, footwork seems to get neglected or harder. A typical route is bulge to ledge to bulge to ledge.... So a lot of the time you can't see your feet, and it seems really clunky climbing. I think I got into it a bit more by the end of the trip in a "I know what's coming here" way.

On rest days we played football in the park. This was pretty good, managing a record 26 header rally and defeating some Spanish 15 year olds easily. Other interesting things were the Easter celebration which looked like the Klu Klux Klan, the egg and potato combination, and learning un poco espanol. For good pics see Danny's Flickr

Back in Scotland and the weather is great, though cloudy today. However, I can't enjoy it in the way I'd like, thanks to a skateboarding accident which I'm still taking pain killers for! I've hurt my thumbs so I can't grip, my elbow so I can't pull and my hip so I can't walk without hobbling. The good weather is passing me by, but hopefully May will work out well and I'll get to my favourite climbing places around here, up north and down south.

Craigmore

2011-03-27T16:06:00.004+01:00

Just like the music of Noah and the Whale, Craigmore has been missing from my life until recently.

Some in my situation would be saddened by the amount of time spent not at Craigmore, and not listening to noah and the whale. But the sun is shining, the clocks have changed to summer time, I've had my haircut and done some laundry. I can live with it.

Muons, Dynos, Snow and a Plan

2011-03-12T12:49:00.005Z

Testament to the waned interest in climbing blogs in Scotland (or perhaps my blog in particular), not one person wanted the guidebooks offered in a previous blog post. That's ok, luckily I have contacts outside the so-called "blogosphere", meaning I could relieve my slightly suspect bookshelves (let's just say they wouldn't have survived the past few days in Japan) of their presence by leaving them at the door of a climbing particle physist (yes, I was just as surprised at their existence as they were at the existence of the muon - the "Who ordered that?" particle) rather like an unwanted child in a wicker basket.

Anyway, here's a video of the dyno I blogged about last time.

Even as I wrote that last blog, optimistically calling an end to hiberation, I suspected winter wasn't through. Today, my hunch has been proved right, with disgusting wet slugs of sleet being blown into people faces as they walk by my window. I braved the weather briefly to pick up some dry cleaning, and I'm reasonably sure it's time to begin hibernating once again. Lamentably, I never actually wrote that winter would be back so can't technically say I told you so.

One final thing, stirring optimism once again (but this time I'm including the suspicion that it'll rain the whole time), is that I've booked a weeks trip to Huesca, Spain to visit Danny over Easter. Should be excellent; I really hope it is!

Hibernation Ends

2011-02-27T19:13:00.003Z

Like a lot of people, today was the first touch of the Dumby rocks for the year for me. Loads of people there. At first the holds were cold and glassy, and the chalkless Railings was the living end. As the sun slid around the castle, genuine warmth was felt for the first time since what seems like a very long winter began - I think the last time I visited Dumby was September. I never quite managed slap happy, to be expected, however, I succeeded on doing something new. Too eliminate to be a problem on its own, basically right of Home Rule, from chest height crimps, dyno to the good ledge. Same line as Bob's Problem really without the slopey right hand hold by the arete. It's around 180cm, 7A+ ish. New-ness was a theme for the day with Steve Richardson on abseil inspection of a new line, Henners attempting another link up on the sufferance wall. I tried High Flyer for the first time, a crazy jump off a boulder to an out of reach jug. Sadly, I was wearing trainers at the time so never topped out, I should've put my climbing shoes on.

Free guides!!

2011-02-22T23:47:00.005Z

Not exactly a competition, but I've been given these two books recently and, well, I've got the new versions so don't need them. So I'm looking to pass them on to someone who would use them. If you think your such a person drop me a line...

Fundamentals

2011-01-23T15:33:00.003Z

It's a strange thing, when I was in 2nd year undergrad, a course text book was "Advanced Calculus" by Dr Ian Murphy, a superb lecturer whose most iconic moment was in a lecture full of lethargic and drowsy students. He stopped mid way, turned, and did a handstand, his feet against the chalk boards! So the rumour goes anyway... The point I was going to make was that now, as a post grad, the textbook titles are Fundamentals of Light Microscopy... Which is isn't the best for morale but I guess only because of the synonym with beginner.

Dr Murphy

For the first time in some years, I've bought a wall pass. One month of climbing paid for in advance, and I hope to make the most of it. I even went as far as looking up some sport science although my flatmate Murdoch laughed at me and my sources.

If I was to write a book about climbing fundamentals, chapter one would be on free body diagrams, climbing statics and climbing dynamics. Chapter two on muscles, which I don't understand and would get Murdoch to write. That'd be it I think. I wouldn't have a chapter telling people what to do psychologically, other than you need to be able to do handstands. That could be in prologue.

December

2011-01-02T11:53:00.005Z

Look, the point of this blog is to tell the story no one else is going to tell if I don't. So here are the things I got up in December, of which very little was climbing, but that's O.K. because climbing is boring to read most of the time.

I've been learning new stuff. In order of difficulty, Physics is the hardest. My Ph.D. has taken up more time than anything over the past 3 months and I'm pretty useless at it compared to other people in the group, so very difficult. So what is my Ph.D. on? Imagine it's a hot sunny day, bare with me, and you go to the park. There are people sunbathing. Are they standing up whilst doing it? No, of course, they're lying down. Why are they lying down? If I told you it's because photons from the sun are hitting them strongly enough to make them weak at the knees, you wouldn't believe me (hopefully). Obviously people don't get really pushed around by light, but it's true that light does have a small pressure, which is more obvious on small objects (one fiftyth a human hair, visible under microscope.) So my Ph.D. is on pushing tiny things around with a laser in a basement with no windows.

The second hardest thing has been learning the violin. It's verryy hard. I've needed to be much more rigorous with my learning of this than with anything I can remember. One mistake and you've had it, start again. I've found I can't just wing it as I would playing chords on the guitar, my guesses are always wrong. A moments hesitation is costly, as I learnt whilst trying to play Auld Lang Syne at the bells to my embarrassment. My knowledge of musical theory is minimum but I am learning, and trying to read music leaves me feeling a feeling of hopelessness which will take a lot of will power to overcome. I think I'll get lessons soon.

The third hardest thing I was learning in December was unicycling. Sounds a bit weird, but there's a unicclcing fraternity in the optics group with I feel I must join in order to be fully engaged with the world around me. And because it's really cool. I reckon it took me two weeks of concentrated effort (30mins at the end of each day) to get a good grasp of the Unicycle, I can go the length of corridor about one time in two with no falls and turn the corner one in four. I've still a long way to go, but getting up to a reasonable standard is not too far away.

The fourth thing, and the easiest thing I learnt was how to ski. Skiing was very easy in comparison to unicycling where I only had 2 days in Glen Shee. I think also Skiing was the most fun I had, being completely new to me, and fast and dangerous. However, I did find the poma tows particularly boring and I wonder, if in a different life were I spent most of my time skiing, I'd get bored quite quickly. Different scenery can only do so much, and competition has never been a long term motivation for me. Keeping skiing as something which is fun for a change seems the way to go.

The fifth thing, which is just about impossible was bouldering in the snow at about minus 10 in Torridon. None the less my hands are tingling as I write this thinking about the prospect of sessions there in May when the weather is jaw dropping and I have NO EXAMS!

Happy new year to you all.

November

2010-11-30T20:27:00.003Z

Better post something for November, sorry for this being terrible: A new low has been reached in my years climbing. The number of hours spent climbing in the month of November is exactly zero. Contributing factors have been: PhD during week, being too stubborn to go to the wall in evenings, reluctance to use Woodie in evenings due to falling off probably annoys the man downstairs, and being drunk/hungover/doing laundry at weekends. Hmm. I guess at this time of year there's a choice of "train" or "do nothing". Thusly I have opted into the "do nothing" camp, I guess as a result of my continued disillusionment with climbing.

October

2010-10-31T23:36:00.002Z

Went to Kelvinhall twice. Just back from North West sporting. I could feel the weakness seeping through my fingers, made worse by a fearful observation that I'd put on weight. It's not been a good month.

September

2010-10-09T13:38:00.003+01:00

At times, I feel confused. It really annoys me when I read news or politics. What you get is two people's opinion, both of whom are trying to convince you that they're right. Neither of them is looking for the truth, just how best to cover their backs or get your vote. Also, T.V. adverts - I don't understand them, why do people buy toilet paper because there's a puppy rolling around in the stuff? Do people not know that puppies arses are amoungst the foulest places know to man?I've noticed that very few (read: none) adverts appeal to me, which has made me think I'm out of touch with the common person. Maybe there's a massive amount of strange, wealthy people who respond to adverts by buying what I would consider to be shit. We're sold anti-ageing products with the suppressed premise that "You don't want to look old" which is unkind. Although I don't need to worry about looking old just at the moment; "Do you have any ID?"... sad times.

September... Once again my memory isn't vivid, though there are things I recall with clarity. A theme was pets. I took a week or so in Inverness where I looked after my mum's cat. I had access to a car so made trips westward, to the luxury quality Torridonian sandstone. I'll echo Alan Cassidy here and say that this rock is brilliant, however I'm going to keep up the reputation of the lost generation. I just bouldered. No big ticks, but good times were had at the Celtic Boulders and Kishorn. I remember racing Anna's dog across the beach, and getting an earful of tongue from Dave's dog.

I've tried Tolerance a bit, but I don't think my motivation is deep enough for it, unlike someone... I've climbed once since getting back to Glasgow, which was a trip to Bowden Doors, which I liked. But the sandstone was clearly inferior to the north west, with some feeling like soggy cardboard and most holds being sandy, and a bunch of Uni club wanks bumbling over the place... I've recently told myself to stop looking for criticisms and concentrate on the good bits; that last sentence was a bit of a fail.

August

2010-09-04T14:06:00.007+01:00

Hazy memories of August... Not sure if I've actually done anything, as what I remember is blurred with alcohol and hangovers. I've sorted out a Ph.D. for the next few years so keeping the student dream going, right?

Ah I went to Reiff. Can't really remember what I was doing there, why I was in Inverness in the first place. I remember having a curry and a night out with my dad. Hmmm... Not going into the details too much there. But the next day, I was at Reiff which was really hot. I had a sore head and smelt badly of B.O.. Impressively, I managed to climb an E3 - not bad.

Reiff - Picture from Murdoch Jamieson

A bad part of my visit to Reiff was hurting my foot trying to jump between two wave cut platforms. I'm just about fixed, 2 weeks later.

I cycled to Duntelchaig. I figured I can cycle, I can climb, but I can't really walk so it would be worth a try. There was this man fishing in the loch; he was like: "sore foot?", "yep", "looks sore", "not too bad"... hobble, hobble, hobble. I did some top rope roping and took some photos for this guide so not a complete waste of time. I loved cycling down hill really fast as well.

Video: Mark McGowan

Back in Glasgow, I've joined the routes crazy at Dumby. Tolerance is my route of choice, and I've been working on it with Nic. It's going ok, expect from holds breaking. I'm inexperienced at knowing exactly when to have an attempt. The trade off between recovering between last go, and getting cold is pretty tricky to master and I seem to end up with cold hands quite easily.

Stamina is improving nonetheless, with a trip to Dunkeld where I got Silk Teddies 2nd go.

Just received a new desk - Nice! It has drawers and a slidey bit for my keyboard. The bad part is that it takes up more of my room and what with Dumbuck II, I need to keep things tidy or it'll get out of hand really quickly.

June

2010-08-03T21:11:00.007+01:00

Like most people, I find two things having the same name confusing. The observant amongst you will have notice the neglecting of June in this year of monthly blog posts. To rectify the situation, this month's edition will be named slightly misleadingly as events about to be described have all actually happened in the month of July, but in my opinion this is better than having two July's.

2 main things happened in... the past month. 1) a trip to the Cornice and 2) building a woodie.

1) There are two "Cornices" in the Peak district, obviously the Peak Lime pioneers didn't have the same foresight as I do. We just went to the Chee Dale Cornice.

This is us after a sweaty walk back to Dave's van, seen on the right. I'm tensing my abs but the other two aren't (supposedly). On my first time down into the gorge, I was getting quite depressed - waste high vegetation, ankle deep mud, humidity collecting in the trees, closed in, no sun - even if the crag was brilliant, spending a day down here was going to be shit.

Well, it wasn't as bad as I expected, and as soon as I'd done a route I realised it was quite good. It's more open than I'd expected around the crag, and there was a patch of grass where I could lie down. I basically did a 7a or two each day to warm up (or more like redpoint), then spent the rest of the time failing on Cry of Despair, Powerplant or Nemisis. One particular highlight was falling off a 7a+ having skipped the last clip and ending up most of the way down the crag... Another good moment of the trip was at Raven Tor where I tried a route called In Brine or Sardine or something, around 7B. It was an excellent battle and I fought through so much pump but fell just below the top.

So I feel I've had a good Peak Lime experience, complete with a night's sleep under Ben's Roof. The main things I liked about Limestone were getting pumped, taking falls, onsighting and Malc's one armer. As someone who loves bouldering, I get disillusioned by doing easy moves and I think I did ok avoiding that on this trip.

2) Woodies... I tried to write this bit as a series woodie/penis jokes, in keeping with the entries theme of things with the same name, but I'd just embarrass myself. Anyway, the woodie has been erected ... in my room, and I'm making more holds for it now. It's made me realise something which is climbing is a really dynamic object, which can flow into so many places. All we've done is get some timber from a wood recycling place, applied some ideas, built a wall - it's still the same wood, but it now has the essence of climbing. I used to think climbing walls were shit, but now I realise they're just pieces of plastic (ie quite cool).

The woodie was named Dumbuck II.

July

2010-07-03T14:29:00.002+01:00

Student! Expired!

Some of the month of June was spent in a tent. Other times I was in the pub watching football and going to parties, indeed I'm hungover just now. In between these two great activities, I've climbed on Ben Nevis and Malham. The main theme of both those trips was waking up early. Ha very early. Dan and I got up at about 4am to do Centurion, only to find it complete soaking and misty. On the 2nd pitch I ran out of draws and started wigging myself out that I was gona slip off the wet holds, not have enough rope for the belay, etc etc - the kind of stuff boulderers should get slagged for. It was even mistier by the time we made it to the ledge and I started to worry about getting lost going down. So, we abbed off, and by about 730am we were packing up the tent for a bus at 5pm. Wondering aimlessly around the corrie for a few hours in waterproofs, and a with a Soreen malt loaf to share, we didn't get too depressed which I think was partly due to pretending we were characters from Lord of the Rings... The trip wasn't all bad, we had a great experience on the Bullroar which involved lots of exciting traverses.

The earliest I woke at Malham was the morning after a pub quiz at the Buck Inn. After a few pints, the idea of sleeping outside seemed pretty good. I woke up soaked with dew at about 4. Doom and gloom came quickly as I realised it wouldn't go away till the sun got going in 5 hours time. It was too late to retreat to the tent. The only option was more Aimless Wondering, so I put my boots on and enjoyed a good 3 hour tour up to Malham, down to Gordale, onwards to Malham Tarn and back down the Penine way. Quite nice, but I was knacked for that day's climbing. Climbing at Malham was a kick up the arse, I'm unfit. I need an old fashioned climbing binge to get my act together.

I've just been through the surreal experience of graduation. I'm now a proud owner of a sheet of paper with Latin writing rolled up in a red cardboard tube. I've already accidentally sat on it.

May

2010-06-01T18:08:00.004+01:00

Well that's Uni over. I feel like making some concluding remarks about the thing so here goes. (Skip ahead to the ******* if you get bored of the physics)

So I did Physics. Sometimes I think Physics statements are just statements of the obvious. Like Newton's laws of motion... "Stuff's movement changes when you push it". That's basically all there is. F = ma, where F is the push, a is the change in movement (or acceleration) and m is just a constant. I look out my window and I can see loads of F=ma. Rain bouncing off peoples umbrellas, peoples feet pushing the world backwards, wheels on cars around round in an angular adaption, a brick's weight on other bricks which push back up due to electromagnetic interactions so there's no net push.

I think one of the main differences between physics and engineering is that physics is obsessed with the simple rules, whereas engineers look at more and more complicated examples of the rule.

There's a quite a lot of statements of the obvious, particularly thermal physics which somehow really confused me. The rule is like "cold things don't make hot things hotter". But the thing that makes such statements meaningful is that they are all testable. It's not like theology. Newton tested his law and so did a lot of other people. The tests worked and they saw that the rule was good... kinda... It doesn't work at really high speeds or really small scales.

My favourite stuff in the course was Quantum Mechanics, which is changes you need for small scale. The rules are still simple but they sound funny. Here's one: "To every observable there corresponds a hermitian linear operator that acts on the wavefunction of the system". An observable is something like position. So "position operator acting on the wavefunction of an electron" is a typical sum we would do in class. The answer to the sum is not where the electron is but where it is likely to be. That's the best you can do.

Where is the electron???

So in the picture the electron is likely to be around position 5, but it could be anywhere. The wavefunction contains all the information there is about the system. So even with all the information possible, you can only get a probability of where the electron is. The wavefunction is found by looking at by looking at boundary conditions, the limiting factors. What happens when you look directly at the electron itself? You find out where it is of course! I'm getting carried away a little bit here...

Gotcha

The most important part of it all is that before you look, there is absolutely no way of knowing where the particle is, which has some really crazy consequences. All the stuff you might've heard about things being in two places at once, alive and dead cats, quantum tunnelling and more.
It seems strange that there is no way of knowing, and you might wonder why that is the case. One of my favourite quotes from being an undergraduate is "Shut up and calculate!" from David Mermin, which helped me get to work on the problems and stop thinking about that kind of stuff, safe in the knowledge that no one knows what's going on.

*******

Uni in general has been great, in particular this last year where I've got to know all my class mates and had good fun. I maybe should've joined the mountaineering club but got the impression they were a bunch of bumblies. It could've been fun, but I reckon my 1st year trips with Danny where just as good. I'm remembering the Cobbler cave, Glen Coe, the Peak, Dunkeld, DWS festivals and Auchinstarry trips.

Most of my climbing time was spent at Dumby, and I'm so glad that I went there over climbing walls, even if it meant climbing less often. My first day there I almost died topping out an E1 on wet grass. That was the only time I've done trad there, which is a bit of a disaster! I remember sending sufferance with a preplaced beer at the top, walking back down that hill over and over after falling off consolidated all the time, doing Hoop with Ben being just good fun, falling off 2HB and landing on the tree, doing the Shield as a first Brit 7a, then lapping it, Pongo Sitter as the hardest and best thing I've climbed and Sabotage feeling easy. Other than the hard stuff, I don't regret just arsing around in good weather, even if I don't remember it as clearly.

At the end of exams I went to Torridon with Cath. Weather was mixed: we had sun, wind, rain, hail, snow, fog and midge weather. Made it up Beinn Alligin and Ben Eighe. Eating supernoodles under the triple buttress was a definite highlight...

In the evenings I went bouldering at the Celtic Boulders. I got quite into making patios and spent a lot of time doing that. One patio in particular was a work of art. It sits under an arete which initially had a terrible landing with knee deep cervasses between pointy boulders. I should've taken before and after photos, it really is something. I then climbed the arete from a sitter, which made a really good problem, like a mini Careless Torque, the crux is getting your foot up to start laybacking.

Up the slope from the ship, just below the crag I found a boulder which had a landing which needed a bit of patio-ing so got stuck in. The problem turned out to be a holdless slab which you could almost walk up - but not quite! At one point I was falling backwards on to the new landing but managed to swing my arms like propellers and regain balance. It reminded me of that wee slab at Burbage North, right of Remergance. That boulder also had a face problem and good arete.

One evening I tried to tick every possible problem on the Celtic boulders below 7a. I got about 30 done but reckon I was only half way. People around Glasgow sometimes ask if it's any good there and the answer I think is yes. There's still scope for "questing" but the stuff that's there will keep most people busy for the weekend.

They're all great problems. There's loads of easier stuff which isn't to be missed either. And if you do go questing, remember patio-ing is very time consuming!

April

2010-05-02T12:06:00.003+01:00

Just a quick post cos I'm meant to be revising... err so the main climbing thing was doing Sabotage. The next day it got downgraded which was a complete bummer. Yeah, with modern beta it's fine, once I got over the fact that's it's hard it became a lot easier. Will got it on video, and when I watched it back I thought "Haha, Will thanks very much for putting in fast motion, making me look stupid" but turns out I was just climbing fast and I look stupid of my own accord, but I'd guess it helps.

I went lambing. This time I got as far as pulling a lamb out, but still too frightened to go "elbow deep in sheep" like the pro's. I named my pet lamb Buttons.

Had an interesting trip to Dumby. Two nights before, I'd been in the ABC nightclub and had got a donner, chips and cheese with sauce on the way home from a Kebab Palace run by a man called "Bob". The mates I was with were regulars, it was my first time. The Palace was shut, but a polite knock on the door, and it was open again. Nothing has ever tasted so good.

No surprises then that I spent the next few days on the toilet. Before going to Dumby I was sure that my tummy was empty and that I didn't eat or drink anything, hoping that I wouldn't get caught short. I took some toilet paper just in case. Here's the vid of that day. You can tell by the end that I'm tired - it's because I'm dehydrated. I had to stop at the co-op for a juice on the way home... The ticket man on the train said there was no toilet. I was pretty much running up the stairs to my flat!

Been to Dumbuck a few times and did an excellent route called House of Pain, which had (unusually for dumbuck) a vertical section.

I'm going to be slightly controversial and write about something that happened in May, despite this being April's post. Yesterday I finally nailed So Be It. Getting this route in the bag was great because it felt hard. Sometimes when you redpoint something it ends up feeling easy, but on this I felt like I was taking chances and getting lucky, making mistakes, shaking through the crux - it felt like what climbing should. A good end to the project which started, in a wet November I think. Ha ha oh yeh, thanks to Nic who let me borrow his shoes, chalk bag and harness as I forgot all mine. We made a belay harness out of rope which was pretty good.

March

2010-03-31T10:32:00.000+01:00

Since last month, things have progressed a little. Le Tour de Technique now has a sit start thanks to Malc Smith, Le Saboteur - very good! I talked about liking the consolidated wall and I put together a colour coded topo earlier... just a bit of fun really.

It makes a change from the warm-up wall, which is quite nice...

Did the top out to Sabotage which it pretty classic on its own I reckon. Managed the cut loose section and am quite psyched... My temptation is to drop everything and get it done which I'm trying to resist with final exams coming right up!

Headed to Dumbuck where I got back on So Be It. I made it up to last year's highpoint. Limiting factors seem to be dodgy heel-hooking technique to get past the crux, power fad during crux set up and a lack of confidence, which is better than it being soaking wet. My plan is to try some of the other routes there for a bit, to try and avoid complete tunnel vision.

More Recently, Cath and I headed to Glen Lednock. I probably deserve a bit of a slagging because I spent most of my time brushing up an unclimbed wall instead of doing the classics. I just got my brush out and started cleaning, which made a good warm up. I think I started suffering from a mild case of obsessive compulsive disorder and couldn't stop cleaning and trying it - the landing was not safe! I tried to patio out the blocks underneath but they were pretty big. I could've crushed my hand if one of the blocks slipped, like that guy who had to cut his own arm off in some Utah canyon. There was this sheep that kept going BAA!! as if saying "Don't do that!". Shut up sheep. I gave up on the patio and padded the blocks as best I could.

I had one sore fall on/off the pads and rolled down the slope over a pointy rock and through a pile of sheep poo. I reckoned with myself that I was ok, and body reluctantly agreed. Eventually, I made it too the top and silently said "woo!" to myself. Then I realised there was no one around for miles, and there was a great big dam to my left. I shouted "Woo!" and got a good echo from the dam in reply. I don't usually talk to dams, however, having just spoken to my sore back and a sheep, it seemed appropriate and very pleasing. It's called "Afraid of the wave" and I don't know how hard it is.

I tried to do some other problems but made a mess of most of them: I think I topped out too soon for the tick on Breaking Wave, 7a, Tried to do a V4 dyno barefoot but had to put my shoes on, couldn't get off the ground on Reiver's Logic and Manic Stupor was a bit wet and had too much of a 'hole in the ground' feel (but would be good if it was dry). My climbing was a bit clumsy that day...

Oh yes, and I entered a doubles badminton tournament! I teamed up with this guy called Ivor who was from China. We made a good team, narrowly missing progression from the group stages by one point! That point is going to haunt me for a while yet... flip.

Uni courses are over, just 9 exams to look forward to in a months time... ug.

... flip.

February

2010-03-04T22:44:00.003Z

The Start of the month was pretty good if I remember. I went through a rare psyched patch at dumby and got that lip traverse, Le Tour de Technique (must've thought I was in France). By psyched, I mean psyched for something specific, which is what was rare... Anyway, had a few sessions on somethings... I like the consolidated wall quite a lot now. I picked up litter at Dumby and found 2 umbrellas. Leaving Dumby clean as a whistle was pretty good, but the very next day there had been a party in Firestarter cave meaning more litter. That day, I tried to climb stuff but found my ankle got sore. Since then I've been playing badminton with Dan and Ping Pong with Nic, but most of all I was working at uni.

Sometimes I get really psyched to do something at dumby, like Le tour de technique, and at these times I've dropped lectures and stuff to get it done. But most of the time at Dumby I'm happy doing not much, eating scotch eggs, climbing whatever. I've no motivation to get a project because I know I won't get up it. I'm a very motivation dependant person and really struggle to force myself to do things, especially at dumby where I find it easy to take stuff for granted. But the trade off for that is when I am motivated for something it seems to go quite well. Shrug. I hope I don't regret not trying when I grow up, but hopefully I wont forget who I was just now. Message for me when I'm older: "hello, sorry I didn't really try, but I couldn't be arsed!"

January

2010-02-01T13:39:00.003Z

For climbing, this has been a bad start to the year. Starting out in Inverness I went to Brin and am fasagadh but didn't do much. Since coming back to Glasgow I've been to the wall once and dumby once.

A goal for this year is to climb an 8a+ route and I should be 1/12 the way there by now. In fact I would say I've actually got worse so reckon current progress is at minus 10%. I'm hoping next month will be better, but uni work is increasing so will have to put some effort in if I want to achieve another of my goals which is to get a degree.

Christmas and New Year

2010-01-13T20:09:00.003Z

Got a bit of climbing in over the Christmas hols around Inverness. With the snow, options were limited for rock climbing I think I did ok considering.

Headed to Brin a few times, with all the snow it was great fun to begin with, following deer and rabbit tracks around the wood and sledging down the hill on pads. It was pretty cold though. I got one good tick - Pitbull 7B+, a Dave Redpath problem from a while ago. A vid is here which also shows snow going into my wellies from crossing the treacherous field. Here's a not so good video of a different trip to brin. Enjoy... well, I say enjoy...

I think I had fun that day despite not really climbing. Just brushed up the problem which turned out to be too hard for me. Then went home. err

Another place I went was Am Fasgadh which probably has been one of the most popular Scottish crags over the past few weeks. Some of the routes were seeping and there was a risk of being impaled by fallen icicles, but apart from that, it was good fun.

Back in Glasgow now and here's a taste of life in my flat:

aww, it was misty

2009-12-12T20:31:00.002Z

Hope these dumbuck posts aren't bugging you. Don't mean to bug ya. Headed back there today with Nic and Dave. SBI is still out of reach and it's easy to blame conditions. Think I'm also really weak; on Dave's porta-fingerboard I could only manage a handful of pull ups. The route had a wet bottom which made for wet hands and shoes once again. Got the feeling the crag was out to get us when I slipped off clipping the 3rd bolt. Hit the floor on rope stretch and crushed Boost's supply of chocolate peanuts for the day. Chocolate peanuts are a sort of secret weapon to use against Dumbuck. The fall also ripped a flapper on a crucial bit of skin. I have no doubt the crag knew what it was doing. Like a moody teenager, Dumbuck was sneering. It got to me, and I couldn't help but feel sick on my next go. What I was doing there, man?

The mist rolled in and I pulled out the classic joke about what causes mist "...I haven't the foggiest" which lightened the vibe, obviously. The top bit of the route is brilliant fun, reckon there's equally as many toe-hooks, heel hooks and regular feet, along with a great drop knee move. The last heel hook keeps slipping on links which is a bit worrying. As the mist became thicker and the afternoon gloomier, the chalked up holds looked like constellations in the nights sky. I joined the dots of So Be It and got a snake which probably wasn't that imaginative.

So it's a relationship of contrast that I've got going with Dumbuck. I left the crag filthy with mud and with pretty cold feet, and that's that. Would rather be in Spain, but whatcha gonna do?

Dumbuck!!

2009-12-10T17:53:00.005Z

Another day at dumbuck at this time there was some dryness. Me and Boost going for it on So Be It for about 3 redpoints each. Each redpoint involved a lot of drying holds and warming hands. The crag was mostly dry and should be good for the weekend. Anyway, My best redpoint hit the hold that you throw for, (I throw for most holds, but you know the one I mean... the big one, with the dimple bit), it's tricky for sure. Being able to start off without getting wet feet and hands will make a difference I think. With wet and cold hands and wet shoes, its desperate.

Looking forward to the weekend, I reckon my chances of So Be It are higher than that of winning the lottery. I bought a ticket for the first time earlier this week. I found out after that the probability of that is one in 14 million... I got no numbers. You can't predict the lottery but my prediction for this weekend dumbuck action is that it's going to be happenin'. nuff said.

Dumbuck Devastation!!

2009-12-05T13:35:00.006Z

I'm not in a good mood with Dumbuck toDAY.

It was along WAY to go. (though chess was good on the train)

I hope next DAY is better than TODAY (though it wouldn't be difficult).

PLease ooo Please be dry for me Dumbuck, PLEASE.

On another note, I am also devastated becuase my team, ITALIA 90 got to the final of the '6 a side' glasgow football league. We LOst! In the final 5-4...

I-TAL-IA!

I'm absolutely knackered.

Co-author: Duboust

Zoo

2009-11-22T21:01:00.006Z

Nice

Apes were my favourite

I knew this blog was needing a few pics to brighten it up.

Blogpost 101

2009-10-21T13:58:00.004+01:00

This works out as blog post 101, but only cos I've written some and not posted them. I've not read 1984, so this isn't going to be some parady or tribute. It's going to be about the Peak, cos I went there last weekend with Dan.

Bit epic, think on this: I had borrowed Nic's big Moon bouldering pad which has a protective cover. The cover is too big for the pad so I thought I'd stuff it full of other things that I needed. These were:
Alpkit bouldering pad
Tent
Sleeping bag
Shoes and chalk
Bit of food

Looked a bit silly, like a giant bodybag for spongebob square pants. We wanted to go to Froggat so got off the train at Grindelford. It was midnight, raining and we had no clue which way froggat was. We had crappy guidebook maps which didn't mark on all the roads. We made it to a signpost which said Froggat was through a field, but it was pretty dark and we couldn't see a path due to dim head torches. I found I had a good/terrible combination of being bent double from carrying the pads and only being able to see a few feet infront, meaning I could at least see the ground. At one point we ended up surrounded by cows, there eyes reflecting off our almost-out-of-battery headlamps. One started towards us and we made a hasty retreat. At about 2am we got to the crag and put the tent up.

Froggat wasn't that good for bouldering and I joined in with Dan on some solos, Downhill racer and Great Slab were highlights. It's interesting. On routes like this where it's easy climbing, you can see the move in your minds eye. From here, whether or not you do is just mental. Being able to trust your minds eye seems to only happen when you turn your brain off which is a bit of a contradiction. You never know if you can trust your minds eye untill after! One thing that helped me get up stuff was thinking about a highball project in inverness; I needed to practice being bold. We got some banter with a team of bumblies. Our hankerings after a lift not registering with them, goddamnit.

We did some more walking, this time to Burbage. Bouldering here was better and did some pretty special arete problems around 7a. The next day we had short sessions mixed up with a trip to hathersage for cakes. I was trying Blind Date and got all the moves but couldn't get it in the bag for some reason. I think it's a bit easier than QED at Ruthven, so reckon 7C for QED is ok. Soloing The Knock that evening was pretty good aswell. We had pads, but I still reckon you'd be crippled if you blew the top; good training.

Next day, I went up to a problem called West Side Story which I tried in January in the snow. Conditions were maybe too hot this time... but I didn't care. It's brilliant to feel warm after freezing in a tent all night. I was trying WSS, but just in a pottering about kind of way. I took a photo of it on my phone and made it my wallpaper. Did the top out, but my feel were sore and my skin was thin and red. That was the end of the trip.

I do wonder if I'm getting too old for this kind of thing. Me and Dan were both longing to have a car on this trip... we did so much trekking around the peak and wasted time waiting for late buses. We just got knackered. Suppose it helped pace the climbing so skin held on to the end, but it was pretty miserable at times. Maybe walking at the side of the road was the worst bit.

Dominos

2009-10-06T18:28:00.003+01:00

I never used to like pizza when I was a kid. Didn't eat much food except cereal and pasta and cheese. Today is tuesday which can only mean one thing - Dominos two for one. One for dinner, one for breakfast tomorrow. The order is on it's way. Times have changed and I think I've gone too far the other way. I think I'll end up like dave douglas.

Keeping this blog uptodate is a pain in butt, but here's what happened since last time. Don't think pongo is 8a. Did SPA training. Got the ruthven project in the bag after about 3 years trying it on and off, it's not 8a either, but don't let that put you off. I'd like some more repeaters of my problems please!! risking sounding like a dweeb, but at least I'm not like Will who leave anon comments trying to get people psyched for his problems! Only joking. Go check out Electric Feel next time your at Uppercave crag, it's almost permadry I reckon, no run off. If you need directions I wrote them on an old blog post or just go hunting below the crag. Get lost in the woods. It's fun. Better than waiting for them top roping idiots puntering hamish teds to get out the way.

Murdoch Danny Andy and I went to France on a tour de tout le best escalade et half cooked attempts at speaking en francais (french). We went Verdon to Ceuse to Chateuxvert. Key themes were ping pong epics up to 5 (win by two clear points), A big orange tarp called the BOOST 600, at verdon we had epics where SPA skills came in handy (esp italian hitch), at Ceuse I felt great after getting Changement de Look done and at chateuxvert I found I was still too tired after the walk-in sometimes.

Got pretty weak again since, just with uni starting and bad weather - I've been to dumby twice and that's about it. Good thing about being weak is getting that 'worked' feeling is pretty easy. I know I'll be better next time.

Pizza's here....

Pongo

2009-08-25T10:36:00.003+01:00

Managed Pongo (8A version) yesterday! Get in. Probably one of the most focused efforts in terms of tactics and dedication I've done - I wanted to get it in the bag before I turned 21 on the 27th.

Went out on Saturday with my bro so spent most my time showing him around, doing classics that I've not done in ages. I'm going to big up "lunik" as a good problem here. So when I went out yesterday I was hoping for some good karma. The crack was weeping. Got it reasonably dry and managed to get pongo (6C+ version (more like 7a)) first go. Got the jump from the block start pretty quickly, then worked out the stand start move and topped that out. With the forecast bad till the 27th I didn't have much choice but to go for it until my body gave in. Got to work on the sitter moves and started slapping at the crux. Eventually stuck the hold, made loads of small mistakes which all added up and almost blew it topping out, my chalk felt like tiny ball bearings rolling me off the jugs, not nice! I ended up throwing myself at something I'd never used before and luckily it was good - maybe thanks to karma in the end.

Pretty made up about it and hopefully on track to catch up with the rest of the Dumby youth scene. Guess Sabotage next... ugg. Although turning 21, I'm not sure if I qualify as a youth anymore... double uggg!

Getting back into it

2009-08-18T11:50:00.005+01:00

Had a bit of a blip in my climbing keen-ness for the past wee while, probably for longer than I think because time seems to be flying by and I'm at the end of the summer hols already. I made a decision to stay down in Glasgow this summer because I thought it'd be easier to get a job. Can't really compare it, but once again I didn't really get what I wanted in the job department. Just now I'm cleaning an office 6 hours a week which is at least something.

In a bid to bulk up my C.V. I went to some volunteering website and clicked "apply" to everything I had the remotest interest in. So now I'm a volunteer boxing coach at a kids boxing club at Whiteinch. Now, I have a mate who's into boxing, but that's about as far as my interest goes. Nonetheless I said I'd give it a go which seemed fine to the coach and there I was, trying to take part in the warm up amongst these local youths... I never mastered the skipping rope at primary school, and I kept tripping over it here. Managed to play it cool and got away with it. Anyway, quite good fun to be feeling out my depth, there were little jobs that kept me busy, and also punched a bag a bit.

Also had a couple trips to dumby, I'm on pongo sit start. Seems like this is becoming a trade route with a good handful of guys getting up it. It's amazing how different a scene dumby has compared to the rest of Scottish bouldering. That pongo boulder must be one of the busiest bits of rock in the UK.

I'm making progress on pongo, and just want to put now a marker now so I can look back. My best link so far is to jump start from the block to the flange, crimp it, foot in crack, cross over to pinch, foot up to block, up to left hand sloper, and fall off trying to get the finger lock match. I think my next link has got to be link the jump start to the top, then from the stand start, then back a move at a time. I really don't want to fall off the top section! Could so easily be done... Anyway I'm back checking forecasts, getting anal about skin and hanging on some finger board holds that I made the other week:

Nice! Click on it for a larger view.

So the problem generally, that knuckle jam - There's no way I could use it unless I taped up and sponged out my fingers. Well there might be a way. I don't really care. I take the "I-want-to-do-what-malc-smith-did" approach, in which i think crimping the top on the block is acceptable seeing as it's just a different way of holding the same hold. I think what's going on is the sense of sentimentality is out-weighing the sense of contrivancy which is why a lot of people are going for the original sequence. Not a bad thing.

Bit of coe action

2009-07-08T18:26:00.005+01:00

I reckon I've climbed at tunnel wall 5 or 6 times now and still not done a route. It just isn't my thing. Meh, what you gonna do. I'm getting pretty close to Admission now, learning redpoint tactics from the master redpointer, Dave Redpath. Yup, flicking between holds and getting camped into rests are now part of my skill repertoire. Doing moves that you find easy over and over again can be a bit boring, and I'm not sure if it'll be worth it having never done a mega stamina fest before, but I'm quite psyched to get at least one under my belt. Other good bits about my day at tunnel wall were getting ski jump legs and star jump arms going at the same time, and swinging between Fated Mission and Admission to get the clips out.

The next day we made it up to the lost valley amid lots of funny looks from the tourists and odd comments such as 'now that's a rucksack!' from some walkers. This was because we were carrying boulder pads! Worth it? I thought so! Though Dave spent most of the time asleep, I got stuck into the leaning blocks crimps. Diesel Canary and Helipad are both quality problems and better from sitters. I had a minor epic on Helipad sitter, I think I put a tick mark in the wrong place. Eventually stuck the move but fell off the next move. Got it in the bag after working the next move without using the ground to jump.

I headed over the Glass Is Greener, which gets 7C,(7C+ when you factor in the walk). It took me a while to have a proper go at it, I couldn't find any real footholds. I never actually fully worked out the beta, until I stuck the first move to the micro crimp. From here I looked down at my feet. My right was on a tiny edge, I reckoned I needed it on the next one up. In the mean time I needed to find a left foothold. There wasn't any so I stuck it on the one earmarked for my right. Suddenly the problem made sense, I could stand up on my left and get my right just below my hand on a good foothold. Went for the sharp finger jug from here, my foot popped and I was left hanging by some skin which had caught the sharp lip... nice! I got my foot back on and went to re-adjust when my skin ripped and I was off. Gutted, but even more gutted when I looked at my finger which had lost a chunk of skin and was bleeding.

Dave had arisen at this point and was going to wait for me in the car. I figured ripping a flapper is probably a good point to call it a day, and still be psyched to go back!

Jawa Boulder

2009-06-15T11:44:00.002+01:00

Went out bouldering the other day with Cath, made another vid. I don't like this one as much, it's too long. I wanted to show how fustrating I found these problems, but I think with these vids the best bet is to keep um short, sweet and simple.

Anvil

2009-06-12T10:55:00.005+01:00

That walk doesn't get shorter second time round, goddamit!!

What's up everyone? Yesterday I was at the anvil which means I had 2 days sport climbing on the trot. Was out out with Nic, Ben, Stew and Dave Redpath. Obviously with so much clipping and hanging on a rope I was bit spiritually a-miss and went back to my comfort zone of bouldering!

Those two problems are on the steep wall just next to the Anvil. Landings are good but for one boulder which I padded out with my rucksack, jacket and midge net. The first one is a brilliant one mover off some crimps which are a bit small. Boost told me I was too weak to pull on them which got me psyched. It climbs like the Shield at dumby 'cept it's not hard to get your foot up, and the top hold is a finger jug so it's a bit easier. The second one, I wanted to climb the arete but it didn't turn out like that. There are no holds on the arete higher up, so did a cool windmill move up to a good crimp then traversed back to the arete.

I realise no one is going to take bouldering seriously at the Anvil so that why I'm going to call them silly names... What about; Raindrops on Roses, Font 7A+ for the first one, and Whiskers on Kittens, Font 7A for the arete-ish one and I've just guessed the grades, hahaha.

After this I was persuaded to try an 8b on account of it has a really hard boulder problem unfortunately located above a big hole. That got me psyched; good effort from the Redpath on the FA, sounded like a real battle. With little skin, I managed all the moves on spitfire again tho still no decent sized links.

P.S. I told everyone to do a mass blogging but I think I might get left hanging...!!

Dumbuck Psyche

2009-06-10T21:22:00.006+01:00

Finally made it to Dumbuck. I've obviously known about this crag for about 3 years but never been up. Bit pathetic really. Anyway, I'm in glasgow just now, unemployed, so have got too much free time almost.

Boost and I have headed up to the crag twice now and I think it's ace! The routes are basically long boulder problems so that means I can actually do them, with the pump only just coming in on the last moves. Today I managed 2 really nice 7c+'s, but really it should've been one because I fell off the top move of Flesh For Fantasy the day before. The other route was Awaken which I thought was a bit easier once you work out what to do, but still good. Nonetheless, I'm taking it as my best ever day sport climbing tick-wise and not a bad day for other things either. We made it up the hill much easier than previously, and we had a couple of Yazoo's chocolate milkshakes which were on offer at a shop on the way.

World tour of Scotland

2009-06-01T11:28:00.009+01:00

Had a busy week or so cruising around Scotland in a Ford Ka. The weather was a bit mixed but we had a good time doing some touristy and some not so touristy things. Mostly just driving around but tried to stop as much as possible... Here's some pics that I didn't put on flickr.

Driving up the North East coast didn't have much rock to distract me from driving. Stopped in Helmsdale for some trifle and chocolate mouse made by Cath's mum.

We went to Orkney. Here's Cath at Skara Brae. She found cows more interesting than the 5000 year old settlement.

Neanderthals can't grade for shit.

There was one missing.

After Orkney we drove along the north coast for a bit. Stopping here to work on my handstand. Still not quite getting it.

Impressive Smoo Cave would make an amazing sport crag... Bit ming tho.

Made it to the bloodstone for a quick boulder.

And on to this place.

I liked Sandwood bay. It's just massive. There's a line in Stone Country guide, 'even the most dedicated boulderer might be distracted by grander things!' and I was determined to not get distracted.

Some excellent rock here, enough to keep me occupied for a day. The best thing about the place is simply exploring the Geos and crags. I remember at one point just running the length of an empty bay as fast as I could for no real reason. Maybe did get distracted a bit. Could describe more of the climbing but the best bit is exploring yourself so not going to.

I loved the waves here. The sun was setting and back lit the crests giving them an amazing green-blue colour. Camera doesn't do it justice.

Got soaked walking out of Sandwood bay, then we got a flat tyre.

This is Cleric's Wall at Rhue. Rate this venue pretty highly. Went to Ullapool after this for a pub supper then back to Inverness.

Next day we headed to Cummingston for some trad. Is it just me, or have a load of pebbles disappeared from the beach?

Then, finally, headed to Dunkeld for some unfinished business...

Enjoying some victory custard after climbing the problem at dunkeld. Well, it's there, somewhere in the woods. If your looking for it, find the direct approach path to uppercave and follow it downhill till you get to a big broadleafed tree bout half way to the main path. It's just the other side of that.

Think it looks a bit like a lightning bolt which made be want to call it something like pikachu or harry potters forehead. I've managed to refrain however, and have thought of the name Electric Feel. Struggled to grade it... It's around 7B/+ i think.

Also discovered super macro setting:

Procrastinating...

2009-05-16T12:41:00.009+01:00

Still in the thick of exams, Optics this morning - it's amazing how much you think you've learnt about lasers in a day only to find that you don't really know it at all, goddamit!

Taken a couple of afternoons off to head to dumby.

Looking out the window on the train I reckoned you get a decent cross sectional impression of Glasgow. High rise flats juxtaposed with tenements, the big cranes on the clyde of the past, the Scotston sports thing getting done up for 2014, loads of trampolines in gardens and a saltire on the roof of a garden shed. On the way back, I alighted a station early. I felt like a prat asking for directions with a massive bouldering pad... It's easy to think you're getting on fine when in fact you're living in a bubble or a looking through a window. Even though I've lived here for 3 years I don't really know much about the place (eg apparently theres a park the size of the west end somewhere) and I feel this is a poor effort. Next year is my last at uni so will try to engage more with this place but i'm not sure what that would actually involve doing.

Anyway, at Dumby I found that I was not as weak as I had feared! I managed a move on sabotage which got me quite excited. Also tried the B.N.I. lip traverse which I'm sure was done years ago but I've never heard anyone talk about it which makes me feel like a true pioneer and visonary. None of the holds are independent but there's some new moves to work out... The first move is the crux involving a dynamic throw to the BNI direct crimp which is just made for catching! The rest is ok except the top out... I worried I'm turning into a lowballer, not comfortable high up anymore...

Unlike:

Yes, I've put some procrastinating to good use and put together a clip of last years trip to Sagres.

Now, Quantum Mechanics... er...

There is no easy bread

2009-04-18T19:47:00.009+01:00

I think that's a polish saying, even if it isn't I think it's more resonant if you say it (out loud or otherwise) with an eastern European accent. Basically, I'm trying to motivate myself to work for exams. What I think I've learnt is no matter how many times you say you 'should' do something you're talking shit so shut up and get on with it. 'Should' is the least convincing word. As soon as someone says they should do something, you know they won't or at least they don't want to...

Which brings me on to will power. I tried to give up chocolate for lent, I don't eat loads of chocolate in the first place, so easy peasy self gratification. I had it up till a few days before Easter when i tucked into an Easter egg. Rather than admit failure, I'm blaming the fact that I didn't really care about it... I only gave it up as a joke, so who cares? What I'm trying to say is that is probably more important to do the things you don't care about because if you do care about something you'll probably going to do it anyway. Take blogs, I don't really care about blogs, but I'm trying to do a post here.

So what climbing has been going down since last post? Well, not Terradets. Ticket booking cock up. Just as well, that training plan was a bit crazy.

Found a bad ass boulder problem near upper cave crag. Some people may think bouldering next to amazing sport and trad routes is silly, but they're just short sighted! I'm dead keen to get back there... Put it this way, I know first ascent mongering isn't everything, when you don't have you're trad rack, and the sport wall is occupied, whatcha gonna doo?

Went to the Anvil for the first time with the J-Dawg and Dave Redpath. It's super cool, the cave is mega and the side wall is of excellent quality. I did a 7a, the all the moves on Spitfire but nowhere near linking them together... Had a play on a 8b+ (Bodyspitblowswervefire) and did 2 moves which i thought wasn't a bad effort. Only a couple more then a big jug, followed by an 8a+.... Psyched to go back there as well.

Blog fans will remember the past couple of years I've spent a few days as a budding lamb farmer person and this year was no different. My favourite jobs are catching sheep, using the crook, feeding the orphan pet lambs and bedding pens with straw. My Least favourite jobs are castration of male lambs, anything to do with poo (smelly), disinfecting pens (boring) and feeding sheep the yucky silage. I'm yet to actually properly lamb a sheep, basically because I'm scared of getting my arm stuck or something.

This fine looking lamb was found down a rabbit hole, chilled and nearly dead. I'm pretty sure I single handedly saved it with TLC, the use of the heat box (lamb oven) and some tasty milk. Word is, she's now running around the hills as happy as can be... Not baaad, eh?

I went back to Inverness for Easter and had three days climbing, one at Duntelchaig, one at Glen Nevis and another at Torridon.

At Duntelchaig, the boost and I went up to pinnacle crag where we top roped Sare which used to be E4 but now is harder because holds and pegs have come off. After linking it on a top rope after a while I went for it as a highball boulder problem. There is a small nut to be placed which would great if you thought you'd blow the top move. But it's also great not to bother, but also pretty silly... or is it??

At Glen Nevis, Boost and I, Murdo and Pete enjoyed some excellent sunshine, first at polldudh where Boost and I did some bouldering and then The Fang which was good fun seeing as it was a bit wet. We then power walked up the glen (or my case struggled - an old grannie we passed said something like "go on, you can run up there!" I was like argg I'm pooped... - not to self: remember boulderers can't keep up with winter climbers at walk-ins, it's knackering, humiliating and sweaty. Best to just take an easy pace) and me and Boost went for Cosmopolitan. The top crack is a sandbag, especially when it's wet and we had ran out of chalk. The escape route was sketchy, traversing right across the crag on mossy, loose looking rock.

Rich and I headed out to Torridon to meet Dan, one of those wad types who had come up from the south for some bouldering action. Had a great time on the blocs, Malc's Arete is amazing after the hold broke, maybe even better. I fell off the top move a couple of times and thanks to some sloppy pad positioning from Rich, landed in the bog. On my third go, Rich assured me he had the mat manourvers mastered which must have given me extra confidence because I stuck the top sloper. Super classic.

So this wad from England had been busy putting up loads of hard stuff with a calculated and precise style and it was great to see someone super strong, super psyched to climb here. That day, the action was taking place is a secret cave, near the ship. I'd seen this cave before but though it looked impossibly blank. Suppose you just need a bit of vision (not just by letting you're eyes adjust to the gloom) and some climbing skills and the impossible becomes possible. Dan had managed a 7C and was close to another before needing to leave... nice.

Rich and I were left trying a few things, There was a kinda cool thing we did, cool if you like caving, it basically climbs the roof of a narrow through hole and tops out by a tree. Gonna call it Ha-Ha Haar, it's about 7A. Next we climbed the sad piano. After that, I wanted to try Vapour Trail, a mega highball arete. Got psyched... and I was just about at the top when I bottled it. Ahh the stress! I started getting cramp in my elbow and didn't like the slopers so tried to down climb but fell a bit further than I'd have liked to, narrowly missed a boulder ('good skills' said rich) but still manage to hurt my ankle. I think that put me off and the next couple of times I was getting scared because it was windy or because I didn't get my hand in my chalk bag first time...

Since then I'm back in glasgow, doing good amounts of work for my 8 exams. I think one of the most important things of education is that it forces you into situations where there is no way around it but to work hard. That said, I been bowling on the greens at Kelvingrove park a couple of times and finding an excellent stress relief... For now though, back to the books.

~Training plan~

2009-02-17T19:38:00.003Z

Booked a trip to terradets this easter, it's only for a week so I need to make sure I'm totally ready - I wanted to perfect my onsighting skills as this seems to be a cool thing to do at the moment, but looking at the topo, I'll need to pull out all the stops just to onsight the warm which boost tells me is 7b.

Diet: I'm one of the lucky ones in that i eat a load of shit and dont put on much weight, nonetheless I should be careful. I counted the Kcals today and I'm on 2400 so far but I'm going to top that with a Indian later on. I'm sure there's room for impovement here and I'm going to see if i can crank it up a notch over the few weeks. I figure I'm going to eat a lot of shit whilst on holiday, maybe even some beer - so am bound to put on a few kgs. If I'm 60kg and go up to say 63 - thats a 5% increase, my peformance will suffer. However, if i get up to say 100kg, that same 3kg increase is only now 3% and much more managable.

Gym: I'm hoping to be down the gym a lot. The plan is to maybe do a few lengths, nothing too strenuous, then head for the sauna. I really suffer in the heat and tire easily. I'm going to try and structure this as best I can, aim for 15mins on the top seat, 10mins on the middle then 5 on the lowest, go for a drink of water and repeat. This should help me get used to the heat. The reason I do a few lengths is so I don't look like an idiot.

Pumped: Got this covered aswell. I always get pumped on just about every route ever so nothing I can do about this, I'm pretty good a shouting "take", so no problems here.

Sore Shoulder: My shoulder is a bit sore, I think this could be arthritis so a few oily fish and I'll be ok. As a back up I'm going to be working on my one-handed skills.

Shiggading.

Peak trip number 4 (i think)

2009-02-02T21:38:00.006Z

Went to the Peak this weekend past, on the back of a surge of psyche which set me back £63 in train tickets but the wave of keenness could not be damped. haha.

I think I can't be arsed with the 6 o'clock news style blog (this is what I did, here's a pic, it was quite good...) look at Danny's flickr for some pics. So here we go, not with the events but with the emotional development including a lack of vocabulary and spelling... Blogs are ace, eh?

Sigh.....

oh?

you bet!

lalalala Uylsees!

zzz

midnight

bog

burr

dawn

cold

a sense of purpose

an understanding

a few press ups

take my fist

psyche for you

up and down

up and down

chills

crag banter

4 pints in 6 hours... hardcore.

"I wonder what's happening on scottish climbs"

Not keenness

Midnight

cold.

some soul searching

inspiration from an amazing line

a split tip

a big yorkshire pudding

a long journey

Midnight

sore.

Car

2009-01-15T19:27:00.005Z

The first time I drove a car on my own was the start of the Christmas holidays, around a month ago. My mum's Volvo N-reg, with spoiler for going round corners faster. After picking up P-plates, I drove straight to the Ruthven Boulder. It was soaking wet and really cold, so I drove away. Awesome.... I got lost driving around scrouguie but eventually made it to a steep conglomerate wall in the woods. I split a tip here, but my girlfriend was arriving by bus in 10 mins which meant I had to leave anyway, and I could grow skin whilst she was up. Car parks... waahhh.

A few days later, a swift interchange of girlfriend for climbing mate Danny meant I was back climbing. We went cruising round the bouldering hot spots of Jamie Boulder (mini trad climbing), Brin, and Ruthven. Had a wet morning at Duntelchaig followed by a pumping afternoon in the garage... Went to cummingston and got sore skin and a few good ticks.

Jamie Boulder

Returned to finish the scrouguie project... Walk the Dog - Font 7B+, there's a vid on youtube.

Watch out for dogshit here

After Christmas I went on a road trip, first to Aberdeen to check out the sea washed schist. It was really cold with the wind coming of the sea. But once warmed up by running and jumping I had some good fun at portlethen where I was spanked by kayla but did something like Georgie Boy but not entirely sure and I probably cheated. Boltsheugh was next and I found it hard to warm up here until getting on some highballs which got the blood racing. At Cammachmore, it was cold as well but I was keen to try Optimus Prime. It looked good but I couldn't warm up at all really, the wind was awfy cauld ken fit like min .... Aberdonian for cold.... and the best bit about the day was scrambling along the coast and also trying to sneak a rock in Nic Duboust's bag... This time though, surprisingly, he was too attentative! I suppose even Boost couldn't miss Dunford giggling like a 5 year old girl... Clashfaquahar was our final destinatation, I'll remember that day the most I think. A big choppy sea with a pale winter sun milking light down between dark clouds made the wave cut platform an atmospheric place to boulder. Oh Yes. Rock was better and the problems were ace, Clash arete and others.

Stormy at Clashfarquahar

Cammachmore Banter!

Boltsheugh

Back on the road and I wanted to drive to my girlfriends but before long I realised I'd taken a wrong turn and was driving back to Aberdeen. Anyway, I made it, and had New Year in Glasgow. After this I hit the A9 and was back in Inverness for more climbing action.

HNY

Torridon was were I remember going next with Boost. It was a beautiful day and the glen looked stunning as I drove.. up the road... and... into the...verge... and couldn't drive out again. Just as I thought there was no hope a man turned up in his big truck, and out we went with only a flat tyre and a minor bump to the front fog light.... Got to the Ship just as the sun disappeared behind a mountain, and hurray! the bog was frozen solid. Did Squelch, Malcs Arete and the Mission without losing too much skin and was really made up. After Nic ruined Malcs arete ;), we had a great time keeping warm by running around, climbing anything that looked good or was just there in front of you.

Didn't do much climbing after that thanks to all the rock being wet. I even went to the wall. I was even more impressed with myself that night when I managed to hold down 7 pints!! what's going on there?

Anyway, I think having a car is really good. But expensive. And I think im quite a stressful driver. Doesn't really matter right now as I'm not going to get a car whilst at uni.

These could be the good old days...

2008-12-09T20:06:00.004Z

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.

Stuff at Dumby

2008-11-17T13:51:00.004Z

That's a rubbish title, I'm sorry.

Can't be bothered with projects once again. This is probably because I'm too weak and also because I need variation in my climbing and Dumby all the time just sucks. But recently I've had a trip to the peak and Brin which allowed my feelings for Dumby to breathe a bit.

Back to just arsing around and stuff. This has led me to do some wacky shit, I've got good beta on Deo Gratis left handed (that's the slab right of Imposter's arete by the way), went up and down slap happy for the first time, campusing mugsy is coming along nicely (one foothold allowed) and my bare foot tick list would make you wet your pants. You might think my motiviation for this kind of stuff will wear off (again) but it's actually not just a piss about. At times I'm motivated for grades , but having my own things that I like doing makes my relationship with climbing more personal and involved than if I was just to slug it out with the rest of them on saboutage, and that's what I'm into.

Weather Woes

2008-10-16T18:59:00.006+01:00

Not done a whole lot of climbing of late, instead I've taken up the new sports of volleyball and tennis! Also scored a hat trick in last weeks 6-side football game (15-10 to us, the final score) Weather has been pretty shit which is depressing but when I've got amazing volleyball to look forward to it's alright. Some days I've gone to the wall but I think it's a waste of money for me as I don't really like it. Volleyball and Tennis are free so it's good.

Been to dumby a bit and managed the Shield without that undercut which I think is pretty cool considering how impossible it felt when I first tried to pull on. I don't think I've got much stronger since then but understand dumby a bit more and figured out the way to pull on holds a bit more, I don't know if anyone feels me on that one. Anyway, this takes me another step towards some kind of made-up set of boulder problems that I reckon are big ticks. Since last post, arsing around on the dumby 'playground' problems has lost it's appeal. Doing the shield has made me realise there's also something to get out of a project. With the weather also pretty wack, now probably is a good time to crawl under a roof and see if I can climb out by Christmas.

However the otherside of the coin is that I'm pining for somewhere new to climb, but it's too easy to get disheartened by the forecast.

3rd year Uni

2008-09-25T16:52:00.002+01:00

Just tucking in to some ice cream after passing my driving test. "Tastes like victory". I had had three dreams about the test, one I passed, one I failed because I had my boulder pad on the back seat and couldn't see, and one strange one where we drove to Magic Wood. Hmm. Now, I just need a car/insurance/good crags to drive to, and my life is complete... 1/4 isn't too bad.

Back in Glasgow at the start of term which means I have the false hope that I'm going to actually work this year and also that I'm getting a spanking from Dumby projects. I want to complain about the grades here, even though I like the whole "Dumby grades" and "No ego-ticks here, sunshine". But I think maybe I'm more up for arsing about than getting stuck in to projects, so I only have myself to blame for not making much progress. Like, I've got a bare foot tick list going...

... I can't help myself - If In Bloom is 7C then fuckin hap slappy is 7A+, Precious is 7B and everything I've climbed in inverness at 7C can come down a grade too! HA.

More Bouldering...

2008-09-14T18:39:00.002+01:00

Another day at Dunty on the boulders today with the boost. Was pretty chilled, going around dodging midges climbing the odd problem. I initiated him in to the experience that is knifewound wall. He seemed impressed but the usual sore skin stopped us after a while. Nic repeated the Richie Betts classic of dagger and nearly did The untrained ear. I managed a problem which I'd been looking at for a while but not really tried. It climbs the Dagger for a bit but keeps going right to the Rope. It's a great problem, with a dynamic throw at the end. The Stabber, probably 7B, to be honest I don't have a clue about grades. It's only a few moves longer than the dagger but deserves a name better than "Dagger extension" in my opinion... partly because the landing is terrible.

Back to Bouldering

2008-09-12T09:43:00.004+01:00

Pics from Richies flickr...

Last night was bouldering with Richie is his new van (nice!!). I'd come quite close to a line on knifewound wall before heading to Portugal and was really psyched to do it before going back to uni. I was concerned that I would have lost some crimping strength after arsing around on jugs for 2 weeks. There's still no path to the wall, but to my mind it's the best spot for hard bouldering in the area. I couldn't pull off the ground on Wooden Nickles, but that was maybe because I hadn't warmed up. We tried a counter diagonal line to knifewound, another project for the future.

The line I wanted to try consisted of a small mid height roof, one properly tiny crimp and an funky hanging arete to finish. It's great, if a little sharp. And hard, i think... yeh, hard... err.

It something went like this:

"Richie, can you work out the start moves for me, i'm struggling to get a sequence"
"Sure Mike I'll see what I can do"
"Gee, thanks Rich!"
...
"I can't work out what to do..."
"Ah... will I show you what I've got so far?"
"Yes please"
...
"Was that it? Did I actually start from the start??"
"Err yeah, nice one"
"Ah, good."

It was like that on the thing at Farr, I couldn't remember actually starting the problem. Or any of the moves, but, must've done them, you know... how else did I get here? Weird.

The Settler, Font 7C, maybe 7C+, but probably 7C.

DWS - Portugal

2008-09-11T09:58:00.005+01:00

Sagres, Portugal, that pointy bit that sticks out into the atlantic, no, not that close to Africa really. Dry red earth and shrubs split by a road upon which we walk from the camping to the limestone sea cliffs. The sky is blue, the sun is hot and it's windy too.

DWS... I had a good idea that ditching the ropes would make things easier... but after 2 weeks of swimming, getting soaked, drying, climbing for a few moves falling in, swim back.. repeat, I think hanging on bolts makes climbing to the top of something way easier. Initailly I could accept falling off everything above 6b+, it takes a bit of getting used to right... but by the end I still took falls of just about anything. It got quite upsetting but couldn't do much about it, so decided to skip 7a+, 7b, and 7b+ and try to ground up a 7c. If I was going to fall off I may as well be falling off something hard...

Ponta Garcia is somewhere for more experienced DWSists so the week we spent there was a struggle, various reasons for this: 1. swimming in to routes. hard to have a good go at a route after a 60m swim through water which, ok wasn't the north sea, but should've been warmer by my reckoning. 2. No chalk on holds. shouldn't really complain about this but I've not done much 'proper onsighting' ever and it makes it harder, but it was a good experience to try climbing like this. 3. Condensation. what a pain this was, the caves and roofs were pretty wet most of the time. 4. some holds had bird poo on them. 5. tides. They weren't big, but they swallowed dry-bag legdes greedily.

Excuses out of the way, I had a good time here, some ticks that I'm pleased with, some quality lines and excitement getting pumped on a traverse, going off route and into desperateness quite a lot. Routes here are a good height mostly and the rock was pretty good. We had a day at Fossile cave, didn't get on that well with it but probably needs a bigger effort to get into the routes here (and to clean the bird poo of the holds).

Match of the Day was my favourite route here even though I didn't actually get very close to it. It's a big overhanging wall with jugs. It feels high, which it is, but the fear is definately there from the start so every move is exciting. The time I climbed my highest, on our last day there, I went left instead of right and in to big undercling moves which increased the fear and down I went, splash... your not supposed to look down when you hit the water but that's harder than you'd think - you get a face full and a fat lip. Compare this to slumping on to a bolt. Then you've got a 60m swim out.

Ingrina was supposed to save us from the difficulties of Ponta Garcia. Not as far a walk, walk-ins to routes, good stuff. It was really cool. One of the crags, the smiley face, was found to have fallen into the sea but there was still plenty to go at for the week, and could've stayed another few days to try the projects and other stuff that's in the Rockfax guide. After spending a few days falling off 6c+'s, enough was enough and I got on superbock, a 7c. It's a 6c for 7m to a through cave, then goes out horizontally for 4m or something. The strategy was to get a little further every time which seemed to work... Eventually making it to the lip of the cave with a good piece of toehooking beta. Cutting loose I fell twice, third go I found a good incut for my left and swang out quite a bit. Held it though and sketched up the slab to the top. Jumping in after, I face planted badly, was quite sore really.

That was on the last day and didn't climb after that accept a climb up a classic called Dromedario for reflections sake, it's a fantastic route.

P.S. Hopefully a film to follow if I can get it to work...

The Bunnet Stane

2008-08-01T19:14:00.004+01:00

Wooden Nickles, about 7B

Thanks to Jamie for these pics

These pics were taken on a really warm day at duntelchaig last week.

Since then I've been to Ruthven and repeated the Dude direct which is maybe 7B+ for taller people. Also linked "Mike's problem" from the same sit start as the big lobowski, which is worthwhile to do because it's quite a hard link to make but probably still 7a+ I think? Decided that it deserves a proper name, White Russian. If you've not seen the film The big Lobowski, then rent it from Blockbuster. It should provide entertainment as well as insight to some of the problem names... After that I tried to repeat every other problem at ruthven in the rest of the session. I was thwarted by Ged's Traverse/Crystal Maze whatever it's called and also by not knowing where Pinch Punch goes (didn't have guide). Doing this was a fun challenge for me as I had to get really psyched to do problems first go even if they were hard, or I couldn't remember them, or both. It was pretty dark before I gave up on Ged's Traverse and the midge were being a pain.

I was upset to see that the flake on the underside of the ruthven project is really creaky now and a jammed block has fallen out has the flake flexs. This leaves a good incut but I'm too scared to pull on incase it falls off. Not too sure what to do about it really.

Road Trip

2008-07-27T21:12:00.005+01:00

Since last entry I've actually had a job. It only lasted 8 days but this is a good effort for me nonetheless, speaking to some other people, everyone found it hard to get a job this summer. Thinking about it, 8 days of work a year doesn't sound like much, but at the time it was a nightmare. I don't know how people stick at it. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that I was leaving at the end of the week...

Well, the week before the Ordeal started, I was psyched to go climbing so push-biked it out to Farr. Those who have been following the blog since it began might recall I cycled out to Brin last year... A year to recover is just about long enough. It takes that long to forget how soul destroying a journey it is. With a boulder pad, in the sun, sweat, sore ass, swear. Add to that an embarrassing number of funny looks - what? what? you're acting like you've never seen a boulder mat before? Or is it the lego hair?? - well, I suppose it was worth it, I did the project at the farr boulder, it's really cool; if anyone's reading this blog any more, you should get on it! Also, a big thanks to Jamie for doing a brilliant brush up.

Betts collection

If you look really closely at the pic you might just see a rather good effort at patching up my trousers. There was a big rip in bottom so I asked to my gran to show the ways of the needle and thread and stitched the left pocket over the torn area. My mum still wants me to throw them out.

I can't really remember what else I've been doing... I do remember doing le tour de dunty with Rich. By local standards there's some good bouldering to be had for sure, I liked The Untrained Ear, 7a, and Trenchmark, 6c, both good problems, and the possibly possible Impossible Wall. We also went to knife wound wall and got wet feet as well as humbled by the sharp, small holds.

Untrained Ear, Betts col.

Last week I spent my unemployed days on a road trip with my friends Murdo and Danny. It involved trad climbing and some sport climbing. On the first first day I met a psyched murdo and danny under a big blue sky in car park. Quickly, we made our way out to the West coast and to Tollie crags. This is where the road trip '07 began, but that's the only time I've been there. So had a lot to do as did Danny, but Murdo knew all the beta, all the gear placements, had ticked all the routes and left me wondering if he'd prefer somewhere else... But he seemed keen for Dan and I to get on Water Lily and Buena Vista, the two classics of the crag. Compared to other Trad climbs of that crag, I only found them slightly boring. Rain threatened... Murdo managed to find an E3 he hadn't climbed and Danny ditched the ropes to solo E3, he said it was brilliant fun. I took his word for it.

Murdo then took us to try an E4, Macdonald, but for him it looked difficult and he backed off. For it it looked bouldery. I went for it and did the initial boulder wall quickly enough but spent ages on the rest of the wall, trying to recover and places gear. What a fight. Staying motivated to fiddle in a wire, to rest, to find holds etc is a hard for me anyway, but I wouldn't trad climb any other way. If I want to climb hard I can go bouldering or sport climbing, it's the onsight factor that makes trad challenging and interesting. You just don't know what lies ahead.

Next day we went sport climbing. After two sessions I managed to do one move. Result! Murdo climbed ???. It rained.

Next day Danny and I were kindly dropped off at Tollie by Murdo who had some guiding to do. The weather was looking shit but soon brightened into some superb midge-less sunshine. We tried to get psyched for some trad but our routes were wet so we had a soloing trip. Soloing makes E1 much less boring, you're free to enjoy and appreciate the moves, placing gear - what that all about? This freedom was prehaps short lived, I got psyched to try an E5 called dangerous legions, a route directly up the middle of a really cool wall. I surmised I'd better rack up but tried to retain the soloing mindset. I think I'd describe it as confident, curious and worried.

It wasn't to be, I think the worry overcame me and I down climbed to some shoddy gear that held my weight as I lowered off, pumped from trying to rest and place shit mircowires on crimps. I abbed down to get the gear and, yeh, if I'd know I was 2m away from a jug, the top out and a bomber size 2 nut I maybe should've gone for it. That doesn't bother me too much, E5 onsight is something I'd love to do, but from this experience I think I've learnt you need to be absolutely confident. Placing better gear might help too...

Congrats to Danny for crushing his first E4 onsight, you looked steady all the way.

Another E1 and it was time to lazy about in the sun with an excellent apricot cake and meet back up with Murdo and back home.

Friday, I got in touch with Jamie who told me my blog has been a loss to his psyche levels recently and we headed back to knife wound wall. It was hot, shirt off psyche. Thankfully, the wall caught the shade and we had a good short session before our skin wore out. I repeated my problem from last year, had attempts at richie's new 7A, magic streets, another betts tall man sandbag. Also managed to do a obvious sit start to a problem starting at a good quartz hold which basically involving pulling really hard on a small crimp side pull for a long time until the quartz hold is in reach. I thought it was about 7B, and pushed it all the way to a highball-ish topout. I think I'll call it Wooden Nickles on account of the Eels are gooood.

So that takes us up to this weekend and although I've not done any climbing, I've had a really good time with my girlfriend. Plans for the next few weeks are few and far between, maybe get another job if I'm erm... lucky?

Stuff

2008-06-24T12:46:00.004+01:00

Hello everyone. Sorry, no pictures today.

I've been trying to write a blog entry for a few days now, party because I have so much free time, but also because I can't seem to find the words. Blogging just doesn't do it for me anymore boohoo. But I'm told I won't remember stuff unless I keep a note but I think the time has arrived to invest in a camera. I'd like to express feelings here but I'm struggling so I guess pictures would be better because at the moment it's just words. Anyhoo...

Not much has changed it seems from this time a year ago. I have no job, no car but enough student loan left to tempt me not to bother with either of those things and go to Ceuse.

hmm...

... Anyway since arriving back in Inverness after a 10 day cruise of the med I was concerned that I was weak. This wasn't too much of a problem thanks to the amazing bathroom door frame edge. All the door frames in my house are good first joint edges but the bathroom has tiles which half the width, making it just about holdable but not too painful. Yes!

A few nights ago, I was out with Rich looking at the new "Jamie" Boulder near Farr. I read on Jamie's blog that there was a project that would only be possible if you had the strength of Macleod or Sharma. Big talk, but it got me psyched. The rock of the boulder is really nice, higher quality than Brin or Ruthven and has had a really good cleaning job. The project is pretty good too and still is a project because my foot popped when I was holding the last hold... As if this wasn't upsetting enough, further attempts wore through my tips and they started to bleed.

We then went to Ruthven. I really rate this boulder as one of the best I've been to in Britain. ok, there are lots of places I haven't been, but how many individual boulders are there that have half a dozen or so independent lines at 7a or above, good amount of quality problems below that, perfect landings, good height, really nice setting and reduced risk of midges? The rock itself only gets 6.8/10 because it's so painful... but at least it has holds!

Anyway, we added a new problem on the back wall just left of razors edge. It's another 7a+ to add to the list and is a crimpy wall thing.

Today Murdo and I headed in to the Cairngorms for some mountain trad. I've not done any of this for over a year so was pretty keen to get out, even though the crags would be probably wet.

We walked into Hell's Lum and I quickly got left behind as murdo "don't like walking up hills so just run up them" ... prick. Sure enough the crag was pretty wet but we got up an HVS which had one really good pitch (wet) and 2 vegetated pieces of... but all in the name of Mountain Trad right?

We then walked down to get a good look at the Shelterstone. It looks amazing. No, not the crag, the boulder underneath it. And all it's boulder nieghbours. Unfortunately most the amazing steep ultra classic lines are blank. But it would be an awesome place to boulder and spend a few nights at, maybe even take a trad rack, who knows? In fairness the Shelterstone crag is probably the best mountain crag I've seen and really inspiring and all that, just I seem really up for no faff climbing. At the moment at least.

Walking out, Murdo becomes a distant figure again. By a boulder, I stop for breath. Around me the sound of a roaring stream, full with melted snow. Above me, the huge crags tower, unchanged for thousands of years. hmm...

Mull

2008-05-31T19:04:00.002+01:00

Cartwheels

DWS on Erraid - amazing!!

Bouldering at Fidden beach - I've not been to portlethen though imagine it to be something like this...

Cool basalt wall near Loch Buie: holds? maybe...

Barefoot climbing at Fionnphort.

Went with on a road trip/holiday with cath to Mull. It was a really relaxing time which was good after exams. Had a couple of days at fidden campsite and and 2 nights at loch buie. Did some really cool bouldering though midgeys ate me some of the time though not too bad. DWS at erraid was really cool. The wall doesn't look too intimidating from the beach but as soon as I went over to the top of the crag it seemed a lot bigger. so was pretty nervous about falling in, it's a long way to the beach... Went for Brine Shine which was amazing really but I made a desperate bit for safety at the top and wriggled into the horizontal crack you can see in the pic and unfortunatley got stuck. Some 10mins of squirming later and I was very glad to top out. However I was not glad to have scratches all over so did not want to rub salt in my wounds (cringe) and the next line!

So pretty good trip just looking forward to summer now. dunno exactly what im doing though hopefully involve DWS and mountain trad (roadtrip!!!!)

Magic Wood

2008-04-02T19:32:00.000+01:00

Danny on a 7a traverse

Hohendrausch - a great problem

Alpine conditions

Ben on his project - Jacks broken heart

Chris on a 7a

Swimming here was not a good idea

Melted snow/poor substitute for a shower

Nice hair - project denied

c-c-cold....

Supernova - amazing
Warmth of a fire... greatly appreciated!

Photos thanks very much to Stew and Ben

Just got back from Magic Wood a couple of days ago. It's such an amazing place, really beautiful and everything from trying so hard on a project to simply chilling out by the river seems easy, you can do whatever inspires you. The main feature of the trip was lots of snow, and freezing temps. Waking up with shoes frozen solid seemed funny at first but the novelty quickly wore out as they thawed and another pair of socks were soaked. But the cold also meant mint friction, the snow meant getting around was a something of a winter mountaineering experience, so what worked best was to get stuck into some projects for the week. For me, I was keen to do Supernova, which is a slopey ramp/roof feature. I think throwing for slopers/heel hooks/roofs are a my weaknesses on account of there is nothing like that at the Inverness Wall where I learnt to climb. I really struggled with the boulder and it became a mental test more than anything towards the end but managed to keep cool and climb it on my last day.

Another project was Piranja. This was much more my bag, slightly overhanging crimp fest! You gotta love it... Welll - I did, and got my first 7C+.

Octapussy is an 8A that ben did last year, I tried that for a few days but upsidedown heelhooking slaps again proved tough but this time too tough - one to come back for.

Other amazing climbs that really inspired me were Blown Away which is beautiful rising ramp feature on a 50 degree boulder the size of a house... Hohenrausch, a perfect face with a highball feel and an amazing crimpy sequence.

The bouldering there seems to just get better and better the harder you're climbing which is just so inspiring - the stuff around 7B is incredible anyway...

New Shoes?

2008-03-15T18:24:00.000Z

"Put your new shoes on" - V9

Ruthven thing

I'm back up the road in Inverness for the weekend and this means trying to... sort of settle the score with some climbs that have been nagging me at Brin and Ruthven. Being in Glasgow most the time I end up getting really motivated for the stuff up here not just because there's some excellent problems up here but also because I don't get much chance to try them. When I do, it feels like a real privilege and I get very psyched... It's good fun haha..

Well murdo is recovering from his back injury, luckily he can still drive and was kind enough to give me a lift. I don't like taking advantage of cripples normally but he said he gets fed up at home and was up for spending a day at the crag.

We went to brin and Murdo seemed impressed with some of the problems. I was very keen to do Ben's problem from last year, New Shoes, so just headed straight to that after showing Murdo around a bit. After maybe an hour I eventually managed to keep my heel on, cut loose, and enjoy the very funky finishing moves. Tried Richie's new problem the Scientist but its desperate... definate tall mans problem.

Went to Ruthven to try a problem that I've been trying for ages but, after splitting 2 tips, gave up... It's hard.

The Inspiring words of "Stone Play"

2008-02-18T19:57:00.000Z

The flat was generously given a copy of Stone Country's "Stone Play" and, as I was heading to Dumby solo once again, I decided to read it in the train.

I wasn't sure what I'd think of it... I think John said once that it was "more waffle" but I really liked it. over the past year I think bouldering has become my main focus in climbing so its interesting to read a book like this and see written down things that I had picked up on but not had the wisdom or vocabuary to write like that. So... pretty cool.

Inspired by such creative writing and really nice pictures I joined Michael on Silverback. 7C's are finally becoming more straight forward but I'd been trying this problem for ages and a definate barrier to overcome. To be honest, when I did it, it felt kinda easy and left me wondering what I'd been doing wrong... Pretty good to get it - chuffed.

Then I saw the 1990 trav was well chalked up so went for the flash but fell off. So spent couple of tries getting the moves and got through the hard climbing first go after that... but I didn't know where to finish so shouted down to danny who had his guide at the Sea Boulder and he said that it finished up 2HB, a problem which I hadn't done since my first day at D-bart (to keep in the nu skool hip lingo) but luckily topped it in belly flop stylee.

Anyway, another good day but this blog... I duno if I can be arsed anymore. It's not as fun really... But achh... I don't seem to care much for it...

Good Sesh at D-Bart

2008-02-13T14:24:00.000Z

D-Bart is the new hip and happ'nin' name for Dumby, it's fresh from the world of sk8rs and sick music, like Metallica and Avril Lavirine... Rad.

I went out there yesterday without my crew, who were doing other things like uni... Luckily the climbers of D-Bart were numerous and happy to be in the sunshine so I wasn't stuck doing power pockets sitstart due to only one pad... for most the time anyway. Not that power pockets s/s is a terrible problem - it's not really a line, but an arbitrary piece difficulty which, if you're trying to climb something new, makes an ok challenge untill your stronger/have more pads to do the better lines, am I right?!

After failing on power pockets, I tried Consolidated extension. After going over the last wee bit a few times I made the slippery walk to the start of the traverse and (hurray!) made it to the end. This was very pleasing and says to me, "if you want better stamina, do some maximum intensity bouldering!!"

After that I felt like sitting in the sun all day but tried a few things... Saboutage is just to weird a sequence to get sorted, and I can't do the second move on pongo, though can get the first every time...

Resisting temptation to go back on power pockets, I went to see what the Watson was up to round the corner. He wasn't really up to much... but going round the corner made me want to try Spam which is a cool roof problem on crimps. With only one pad, I didn't fancy the fall, so just had fun doing the last move. Then a new buddy called Andy offered me use of his pad and after only one big dab per attempt, it was on... Eventually manged to keep my feet on by being super agressive and over crimping, luckily, wasn't too nervous for the top. Delighted, I did a small dance.

Decided to call it a day there. 2 V9's in a sesh.... Can't wait for Magic Wood...

Glen Croe

2008-02-09T20:09:00.001Z

Thought I'd update this slowly deterriorating blog while I'm in a good mood. Went to Glen Croe with the team... Thanks to Stew's dad for the lift out! Hopefully the photos (thanks to Ben's flash new camera) show that we had an excellent time, this was my first Croe experience.

The boulders are on the backside of the Cobbler and don't get too much sun this time of year. What they do get is a lot of rain, and it wasn't too much of a surprise to find the whole area very boggy. Foolishly, I'd left my wellies in inverness. Wet socks - one of the worst experinces known to man... the thought of them now makes me cringe and wimper slightly.

Anyway, the boulders were (mostly) dry and we had a tarp to keep things from being soggy/lost into a bog. Ben cruised Precious and I came pretty close, falling off on the finishing jug... just have to go back and try again, I suppose.

Then we went to the cutting room boulder. It's pretty cool - we all made ascents of The Nose problem. I wanted to flash the Cutting Room which is 7B or something so got psyched, got some sort of beta and pulled on. Before I knew what was what I was back on the floor, having pulled off the starting side pull... oopsie, it's now quite hard to get off the ground. Eventually got up the problem but not before falling off the finishing jug!

I think Dumbarton is a bad place for training... mental training anyway - you forget what its like to actually do problems, so get lost and confused when you're done the hard climbing and all that's left to do is match that massive hold... and you fall. Something odd is going on, I have a terrible case of summit fever or something.

Next we did Swap Meet, kinda cool problem which seemed really hard for me until I worked out a good bit of beta and sent.

We did some stuff on Fernandez boulder and took a look at Turbinal Nose (yes, it was wet) and went home (to bed).

Cummy and Brin

2008-01-22T14:33:00.000Z

Well, exams finished last friday and I agreed with myself that it was time to go home for a bath and home cooked food...

It also meant some bouldering at Cummingston and Brin on saturday and sunday with Inverness bouldering's legend-in-the-making, Richie betts!

Cummingston is a good wet weather venue and since it was raining when we left inverness we went there... Most the day was spent in the cave, I was psyched to do Richies new problem and we worked a really hard project --- details of which in the up and coming Bouldering in Scotland guide...!!

Sunday, we went to brin. The weather again looked not so nice but we decided "let's do this thang!" and headed out.

I borrowed these pics from Richies flickr page...

This arete is an excellent feature and has holds!

Richie seems on top form at the moment and crushed one of the big arete projects detailed in the scottish climbs guide. He used a combination of shirts-off-psyche and tall-man-beta to jump past a section Ben and I tried to use technique to overcome. Anyway, I was very impressed especially with the top out on soaking moss, grass and mud. (it needs a rope to clean it, but it shall be a classic!)

We tried New Shoes, which I think has the best rock of all the problems at brin. I linked it in 2 sections but the law of diminishing returns set in...

Next we went to look at a problem that a few of us brushed up over winter but we were too scared to climb. It's a very bold arete and is very imposing. The landing is awful... Couldn't be too much worse. I was trying to chalk up the top out out holds when, richie's hand appeared on it. Puzzled, I peered around the arete to see richie sketching about for footholds. I pointed out a jug handhold and he was up. He said that that was silly. I agreed. I tried to climb it and had one of the scariest, sketchiest and committed bouldering experences I've ever had! It made archangle feel like an afternoon stroll along a beach in summer... or something. It's only like V3, but V3 XXS.

Prehaps the most striking line at brin?

Video from Richie

2008-01-17T10:36:00.000Z

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=3019316677662772719&hl=en-GB

Richie Betts just sent me this link to a short clip he took of a climb at Duntelchaig last summer. It's an Ian Taylor route from a few years ago, but since then a jug and a peg have fallen off and leaves a protectionless boulder problem to a juggy rail with an ok micro wire. From here it's a scary and hard move to the top. Since the jug has gone, no one's climbed it, except for a man in his late 40s who was doing laps on it, according to one local... hmm...

Anyway, it got me psyched for climbing at home and took me away from horrible revision. I have two exams tomorrow and I'm not confident on either of them. It was nice to remember a time when getting eating by midges was my only concern, and I lay in bed at night thinking about nothing but climbing, individual holds and doing hard moves. But now I'm going to force myself back to studying, I feel I'm under some pressure to pass - not least because resits clash with a DWS trip to Portugal!!

Winter Sessions - Third and Final Part

2008-01-03T14:42:00.000Z

Happy New Year

Been climbing a bit recently, Danny and Stew were up for the first annual Brin winter session which went really well I think... except for Ben who woke up with serious man flu. Good turn out - 7 people!! and we all had a good time running around the forest doing some problems though top outs were mostly wet, yuck. I did a hard new problem - the Guillotine sit start which Dave the Budda pointed out to me a while back... It felt desperate but it also felt like I didn't do the easiest sequence and a hold was running with water, so think its V7? The, "If in doubt - footless" philosophy seemed to work pretty well. We also brushed up perhaps the best line in the forest (ergo the world??)... Won't give too much away but think Archangel on Stanage, only better.

Had a good New Year but I'm a bit of a light weight and couldn't hold down 4 and a half pints!! Oh dear... Maybe better luck next year?

Went to Am fasgadh yesterday with a few people. It was very cold and wintry which made for good friction but hard to feel anything with hands like ice cubes. I did a 7c 2nd go of the day though been on it about a year ago.

Today went to Moy Rock today with Jamie, who's sport climbings most recent convert. Didn't really do anything though tried the Seer but it seemed too hard for my cold fingers.

Now I have to go revise!! Exams start on Monday wahhhh...

Winter Sessions Part 2

2007-12-21T12:07:00.000Z

This fantastic winter weather continues but today is an enforced rest day - I have no skin and have to wrap up some Christmas presents!

Yesterday though was amazing!!! Richie, Ben and I headed out to Rieff in the Woods with a car stuffed full of boulder pads! On the way the psyche built up with talk of repeating of the Main Issue, font 7b, a Richie Betts classic...

We arrived and it was freezing... Many of the boulders had frost covered top out so we brushed it off and did a wee warm up circuit. There's some really funky problems here!

A forsty morning (pics from Betts)

Still quite cold but even more psyched we went to try the Main Issue. There's a bit of stigma around such a great line - It was unrepeated (as far as we knew), it's high and scary, we all know Richie is the king of the dyno and it took him a few trips to stick the jump! But the friction was excellent... It took a few goes to be able to fully commit to the dyno because there's a tree and a boulder to land on. Soon, I stuck the move but had a bit of an Ethan Pringle moment topping out - my excuse was the small sloper you use to pull over was covered in ice!! I think the frost had melted a wee bit when we brushed it off then turned to ice... Luckily, I had my hold brushing bitch (sorry Rich!) on hand to clean the hold and topped out rather shaken. Ben did it soon after, topping out in a far more manly fashion!

Dunno if that works so here's a link: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=5707079817429080123

We then tried a new problem by Lawrence just left of the Main Issue which seemed pretty tough! After working out the top part I came so close to sending it falling off holding the last jug! doh!

We moved round to try a V6 arete called Clach mheallian where I fell off the last move again and was thinking this just wasn't my day for topping out! Worst of all I started bleeding from my finger tip which made me sooo upset, but gave it another shot and sent it to hell!!!

I decided to give up for the rest of today and take photos. We went across to see the Crack, font 7a+. Rich managed it and I got psyched to flash it and with that and good beta and encouragement, I topped out first try.

Betts sending the Crack

The way home was eventful - we heard Murdoch had an accident winter climbing (Get better soon dude!), saw a guy crash his car and it was on fire, and decided a night time boulder sesh at Scatwell was a good idea!!

It was very dark and spooky, especially when Richie told us there may or may not have been a massacre here...

The friction was mint. Ben and I were psyched to repeat 2 unrepeated Betts classic in a day and set to work on The Road to Domestos.

The camera flash makes it look like day time here...

I found it pretty tough (all worries of sore skin were gone - we were psychedd!!!! haha) but Ben did it quickly and set to work on the Catch. He made the crux look easy but struggled to find a short person sequence for the top...

Ben on the Catch

Click here for a vid http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=8615597734113067337

We did Scatwell Massacre which is something of a superb problem! Then I decided it was time I took my tampon out and at last managed The Road to Domestos! We then tried Flytip Lip, a good problem but we couldn't really see what we were doing so called it a night!

That's probably all blog updates for a while, so to all blog fans - have a good Christmas!

Mike

Brin Video

2007-12-18T23:02:00.000Z

Had a bash at making a film of today... the main problem was neither of us could seem to climb whilst being filmed... So its a bit pieced together and jerky... Enjoy!!

Brin Winter Sessions (Part 1)

2007-12-18T17:17:00.000Z

Brin Rock - what a place.

Ben at Brin

This is the Magic Wood of the North and has some really cool funky boulders. Ben and I were dropped off by our mothers and trekked across the field at dawn on the extra frosty morning. We warmed up with a dose of Hit Me then went project hunting! First we found a nice vertical wall, 20m to the left of the Block which, faces up hill. We did 2 new lines Business Time V4, the left arete, and Part Time Model, V5, climbs the middle, both from sitters. Then we went exploring deep into the wood, running around and checking anything that caught our eye. There's lots to do...

When we found an amazing overhanging roof we decided to start here and work our way back. This boulder is obvious if you go 10m further along than the den and look up hill, it looks like a Crocodile's snout...

The Crocodile Boulder

Beneath the roof we climbed a crimpy V8 testpiece from two opposing crimps, throw up a heel and crimp your way to the snout. I named it Crocabot... But the main project takes the right hand side and looks very hard indeed.

Ambiance

Then it was up hill and right slightly for a super cool blunt arete problem...

Old Love, V6

Then more hiking through the forest...

...To the big overhanging arete project...

Project...

It's big and bold, do-able but maybe only just...

Then more walking in the woods and back to the happy boulder where I retro-flashed Spirited V5. Then, we gazed in awe at the big black roof project... The King Project...

Home Again

2007-12-16T23:30:00.000Z

I'm up the road for Christmas now which is excellent - food, warmth, and more than one place to climb at... WOO!

Only bad thing is I dropped my phone on the way up the road but luckily my amazing girlfriend cath found it and and is bring it to me this weekend. So if you need to get in touch phone my home number or leave a comment or something...

I suppose the so called secret sport crag is out on Scottish Climbs so I suppose its ok to tell those with their ears to the ground that I went to Moy Rock today. It has a good spread of grades and some popping pebbles but managed to flash the 5 routes on the big flat face which was quite strange... I haven't gone a day without falling off for a long time!

Brin Winter Sessions look set to start with great temps for sending hard projects. To my mind Brin is the best bouldering venue around, despite one comment that "its the Mecca of places which are close enough that your mother doesn't mind dropping you off at". This kind of attitude is part of the reason Brin hasn't received world class status, the other part being that it rains, its midgey, its boggy, the landings are bad, the problems are covered in moss... BUT the cleaned problems are ace!

Brin Winter sessions - be there or go to Torridon with an O.G.

2007-12-11T18:07:00.000Z

This is me all alone in the flat: I'm wearing my blue dressing gown on top of my clothes, its pretty cold in here - we keep the heating off. I'm eating my dinner which is not going down very well - I've decided to try and not shop from now until I go home on Saturday... I need to rethink this, I'll either starve or throw up from combining foods that definitely shouldn't go together (I'll spare the details). I'm listening to a random selection of music on my comp. Just now, the Beatles - Girl. Nice.... next, The Saw Doctors - N17. Excellent!! I'm reading the Deep Water book. It's really good, it's been a long time since I've been so absorbed in a guide. The Master plan is to go Portugal in august/September and tear it up with the sun, sand, sea, rock, cheap flights and an airport transfer to the crag! The second master plan is to go to Swissy in March and get a tour of Magic Wood from Ben who spent a few months there last Easter. Ben says he loves it out there, psyched. This means training. By now I've discarded what remains of my "meal" and chalking up for a fingerboard sesh. Guide book left open... Breath visible in the cold... Song - "If Tomorrow Never Comes", Ronan Keating... err...

...

2007-11-17T15:04:00.000Z

Recently things have been going backwards.

I've gone off blog posts it seems, probably for a variety of reasons. Mostly I've just been lazy, but also I've got climber's around me you know all the time. last year and over the summer in murano street and Inverness, if I wanted to express a climbing feeling... but here I have climbing buds in my flat, which takes something away from sitting down and hitting keys... What's the point? Well just now I'm all alone for a wee while in the flat so I can let my mind wonder for a bit.

Yesterday was maybe a recoil of a lot of things that have been building up for a while. I bought a new pair of climbing shoes. This has been on the cards for a long time since all my shoes have holes in them. Expensive things. I switched to 5.10s from scarpas so thats pretty cool. The sales assistant in tiso told me if I bought them I'd be up climbing V6 by the end of the week. Thats what sold them.

Also, we went out... This is strickly against everything... bad for the health, bad for the soul, bad for my reputation as an old man. Yup, the climber's flat did some socail stuff for once. We had a go at being students. If you resist something so much for so long, it can sneak up on you and attack when your guard is down. Next thing we knew we were on vodkas, wearing shirts and... dancing.

Climbing. Well since I bought a month pass ive been trying to head to the wall a lot. Not soo good for my uni course, seeing as its class test time. I dont really like the wall but I did manage to campus 1-3-5-7-9 for the first time yesterday... I like Dumbarton but have been feeling antipsyche (the force which makes you fall off) and havn't climbed anything much. So I've spent a lot of time going back and doing classics, highball slabs (though BNI is still too 'out there'), one handed stuff and traversing the sea boulder in my trainers.

So my feeling at the moment is if you stick at something through gritted teeth which isn't quite in your nature then your nature will backlash and you'll some get "negetive" consquences.

Mike

King Lines

2007-10-27T20:02:00.000+01:00

It's saturday night and it's raining. This is a bummer for two reasons. one - its night time and two - its raining. I'M SO PSYCHED!!!!!! I want to go climbing. I want to go to Ceuse and Majorca and Buttermilks and.. I want to hang by my finger tips and say send it and do really cool power screams. This is because... I've just watched King Lines, three times.

It better be dry tomorrow.

Blog War

2007-10-12T20:14:00.000+01:00

You may have read Ben's blog where he makes reference to a 'funny hole' in my chest. Said hole is perfectly normal and makes me look like I've got big pecks. Ben is jealous and his comments are not well received thus a blog war has started. Ben is an attention seeking, uncouth know it all, who can't climb for shit unless he's wear his 'sending trousers' which have a hole in the arse. This hole is far more embarrassing and funny then the afore mention hole in my chest which really isn't much of a hole anyway - more of a concave area. Why GBen makes a big deal of it, I don't know, though, frankly, I'm going to suggest he has some deep emotional problems which he can only vent by taking it out on those with a slight tiny difference cos he's so perfect. NOT.

So if you were looking for a nice story about my amazing psyche full day at dumby (where I repeated consolidated and sent my first dumby V9) well... I'm in a bad mood so no nice story. Blame ben for this please.

Oh yeh the spelling on ben's blog is even worse than mine.

Glasgow

2007-09-30T15:01:00.000+01:00

Well, after an epic search, the climber's flat has now been established. The Climbers are:

Me - legoman haircut/lanky youth
Ben Litster - fresh from 5 months in europe, Chris Sharma.
Murdo Jamieson - All rounder, likes winter climbing (yeuch) and very tall.

Honorary member - Danny Laing - adventurist and keen

This is excellent and seems the psyche levels will be tip top through out the year.

On the crest of the psyche wave was a send of Dum Dum Boys 7c+ by Ben and I. This is a line just left of sufference and is of similar difficulty. It's also bad ass - some of the holds are no so good crimps and beta from Alan Cassidy was excellent. Ben sent it with out much trouble, despite climbing the top out onsight. I'd done the bottom section clean but with the 4th bolt preclipped so was very nervous not to fall off here. Luckily I managed to do so, but it was not smooth at all. I missed the crux move twice before eventually grasping the ok sloper. Soon after this I was lying on the ledge whilst being jeered by the unhelpful Alan and Niall for poor style...

Good to do it in a day, as it took me so long to do sufference. Tarrier next!!!

Susurrus Photos

2007-09-12T16:53:00.000+01:00

Cath took some pic's when Ben and I were working the big roof. They were on my bro's camera who left for Uni. Luckily, he is a legend and was able to send me the best ones. Unluckily, dodgey light levels (poor photographer) mean there not top quality but ok nonetheless:

Across the roof...
This shows the beta for the start quite nicely for anyone nonlocal keen to repeat...
Cutting loose!
Ben
Quite a good pic of ben here!

Was bored today so started a flickr thing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeleepics/

The Susurrus

2007-09-10T21:04:00.000+01:00

My dad phones, he just got my text, its 5pm but he's up for giving me a lift to Brin Boulders at about 6. I give Nic Duboust a call, not seen him in a while, keen to climb with an actual climber, the project might go...

We arrive a Brin, the promising breeze dies as we enter the woods, the midge arrive, my dad retreats. We pad out the Big Roof boulder with pads belonging to a variety of different climbers, 6 pads in total, each one definately needed. I put my shoes on whilst desperatly slapping midgies. My skin regrown, I pull on the first moves and climb through the intial boulder problem to get to the roof and get to the lip. I'm not really warmed up so not really suprised that I dont make it. I let my breathing recover and try again. And again. Again.

Midgies are eating my face by now, Nick has put his shoes on. I've just fallen off slapping the top sloper and decide if it doesn't go this time I'm getting out of this motherfuckingshithole. Breathing back to normal, I crawl back into the lying start, get the heel toe in and lie back, chalk up, and go. The first hard move, a throw to a slopey slide sloper is stuck. Foot up and now the crux rock over kinda move to a small crimp. I overcook it a wee bit and twist outward but regain purchase and move to the incut flake. My fingers are too fat to really make the most of this so I quickly move to the next good incut and then onto the good hold on the lip. This is where my feet come off, No more foothold till your rocking over the top. I campus in to match the hold, out with my left to a side pull, adjust right slightly and campus! The top sloper is stuck, but only just. Still, I can't believe it!! I bump my hand up and, with a wee power grunt, I'm in. I campus to cross over and match, then again to correct the cross over, and again to gain the jugs. Rock over using grass. Excellent!!!! Wooo!! Yeessss! Woooo!!

However, I feel like I stole Ben's project. We were both working it to together, both falling off at the crux campus. It would of been a close thing to see would do it first and it would've been cool to have a climb off with him for the FA. He also was kind enough to give me lifts and beta and use of pads, so, Ben - Thanks! (ben is in England). Note to Ben: I think it took me 4/5 attempts today so try and beat that! It also sucks cos now I have to grade it - think V9 is probably fair, though I've never done one. (reasoning is that I think its V8 to get to the roof). Chose to call it The Susurrus, which is a pretty cool word reflecting the idea that the project had been whispering/murmuring in my mind for like a week! Crazy.

I'm so psyched...

Pic's will hopefully follow...

Peak review

2007-09-09T15:47:00.000+01:00

Long time coming, I cant really be arsed writing this but I'm pretty bored.

Good things about the peak:

- Gritstone
- Soloing
- The Banter
- Pub Meals
- Bouldering four V8's
- Shit load of other bouldering
- E4 onsight
- Archangel!!
- The Rasp
- Soloing the Asp
- A few health falls for increased confidence
- Meeting some good bumblies at Stanage and local's at Higgar
- Strange Dave
- Attempting Deliverance (One to go back for)
- Outside
- Frisby
- My Birthday
- Bridge
- Frijj
- The [Crap] Road to [Boredom] 100 e points [the worst game you'll ever play!] (a board game I made up)(title rubbished by Danny Laing)

Bad things about the Peak:

- The Rain
- Waiting 2.5 days for some skin only to start bleeding again after one boulder problem.
- No skin, ever.
- Walking, everywhere, twice, everyday.
- Losing Wallet (found by a nice woman)
- Lack of 'abundant climbing' feeling (due to weather and no skin)
- Count's Buttress
- Bumblies
- Pasta

Some Pics:

The Rasp, E2

Millstone

Stanage

Simon

Owen

The depressing weather in the first week led to some awesome poetry. Here's a taste:

Rain

Rain, rain, your such a pain,

I rather wish I'd gone to Spain.

Or anywhere just not here,

Because it seems to just rain all year.

I like to climb in the sun,

But it only rains, its not much fun.

My feet are wet, my clothes are damp,

And the people won't let us stay and camp

Rain... Rain... Rain...

The Biscuits here are really nice,

But the past gets boring, so does the rice.

Our tent is full of bugs and stuff,

Camping here is really rough.

The beer is flat, our mouths are dry,

Sometimes I want to cry

Cry... Cry... :'(

By Danny Laing

I'm a Bumbly

I'm a Bumbly! I'm a Bumbly!

From the Popular End!

I can't do high step up,

For my knees, they don't bend!

I have a red helmut!

and hexes galore!

But when I try a server,

I can't get off the floor!

I dream one day,

To climb a V Diff onsight!

Last time I tried,

I had to back off in fright!

I'm a Bumbly! I'm a Bumbly!

I can't climb for shit

Try as I might,

I look like a tit.

By Mike and Danny

Back in Inverness my skin has yet to fully recover. My hands always smell sweetly due to the Norwegian Formula hand cream. This hasn't stopped me and my best bud Ben attempting the Brin roof Project. It's a beast. Last move is a brittish 6c campus! nasty.

Anyway I'm for a jam sesh with my wee bro. Steel string guitars are good for the skin aye??

Peak

2007-08-30T22:20:00.000+01:00

I went t' peak and got rained on then, when it brightened, I lost all my skin within a session - I blame lack of veg. more on this when I can be arsed

Aberdeen DWS

2007-08-30T21:47:00.000+01:00

I went to Aberdeen. I think DWS is MEGA.

I was Working.. But then I got Psyched!!

2007-08-09T09:39:00.000+01:00

Today is my last day of work before I jack it in. "Why are you jacking it in?" I hear you ask... Well, it's because I'm PSYCHED!!

Working for me is a nightmare. It feels like I'm wasting my time. I end up thinking about different moves and projects and the feeling of psyche builds and builds. If it's sunny outside, I'm even more psyched - I might actually go climbing! But I can never be sure - I don't drive and there's only about 3/4 people I cant hope to get a lift climbing with. This uncertainty makes me even more psyched because I have to make the most of every opportunity! It gets to the point where I have to go climbing, nothing else for it. This usually means going to the wall. But last night, it meant a trip to Cummingston...

Rob and I drive out to Cummingston after work, and every farmer seems to be out in their tractors, not that i dislike farmers of course! We get to Cummy and meet Rich and Dave and start climbing. I've never bouldered much here before so it was a real treat to be shown round all the classics by expert local Dave. Tempts were top, the friction sweet and the climbing delightful. I always thought of the bouldering here as mainly traverses and eliminates, and maybe thats true, but I didnt realise how worthwhile a venue it is reguardless. We went round all the cool lines, the highlights for me being a flash of Match and Snatch font 7b (I think thats its name), and a kinda flash of Finger Licker font 7b (tried it years ago). All thanks to enthusiastic beta from Dave and shouts of alle! from rich and rob. Lowlights were coming off the last move of a overhanging arete and narrowly missing a flash on the Nest font 7a (dunno if thats what its called).

Anyway, gotta finish packing because tonight I leave for my girlfriends Birthday! then on to Aberdeen for the Deep Water Soloing Fest! After this I'm heading down t peak for 16 days. With so much climbing on offer, I'm gonna try and relax and enjoy it as a holiday instead of climbing climbing climbing climbing... which I hope will be refreshing change. Probably end up getting psyched though.

Cheerio, Mike

Huntly's Cave

2007-08-05T11:11:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I when to Huntly's Cave with a brand new climbing bud, Ben. He'd slept in having been out most of the night and we didn't head out till 2pm. When we arrived (watch out the car park is different now so remember to stop even if you dont recognise it) Ben climbed double over hang then I had a score settled on Pete's Wall. Last time I was on it resulted in server pump and my first leader fall. Yesterday it felt like a piece of piss, maybe only E1, but I'll happily take the 2 E points. Ben's elbow was fucked from arm wrestling and he couldn't second and that was his climbing over for the rest of the day. I then attempted Bo Po Crack. I'd tried it before arsing around one day, going on it again it felt like an onsight. A few timid attempts at getting over the roof were reversed until Ben said he was getting eaten alive by midge. I decided to go for it and pull over the roof but the temps were not good and I greased off. Got it next try... am def taking the e points on that one too.

What people don't seem to get is that it is my e point league, I make the rules, and one of the rules is that the best looking climber will win!!

Edit: Murdoch had this to say about my ascent of Bo Po Crack: "get my fucking name on ur blog then" as he gave me knowledge of where the good hold were. Sorry Murdo, Thanks for the beta... Ya needy person!

Double Repeated (almost!)

2007-07-30T19:31:00.000+01:00

Last Sunday I came close to repeating my greatest ever climbing feat - climbing E5 and 8a (the double) in one weekend.

My radio alarm went off at 6.30am to the tune of some christian lord praising number. I hadn't bothered to tune my radio to anything in particular the night before and as luck would have it I woke with the good news that God sent his own son to die for my sins - a huge relief.

With a morally clear mind I made it into town to catch the Scotbus at 8am. It didnt turn up till 8.20am though it still seemed to think £2.80 to get to dingwall was just.

From Dingwall, Andy picked me up with Clare and Murdoch and we headed west.

Weather: suspiciously overcast

We arrived at Tolliadh Crags and walked through a squelchy bog (wellies - I cant get enough of them at the moment - superb) Andy Lead an E1 which we all had a bash at seconding, but my eye had been drawn to an uncomprimising E5 called Crossroads going over a steep overhanging buldge. Short, well protected, 6b. I hoped I would suit me due to the bouldering spree I've been on. I set off on the lead having been lowered off for a wee look at it. Weather: Raining. Backed off to don my waterproof trousers and gave it another bash. I established on a poor sidepull, worked my feet up, and threw to a 2 finger slot in a crack. Unfortunatly I only caught it with one finger and didnt have the tension to 'bounce' to get another finger in. I fell off and almost kicked Murdoch in the head. Dejected, I restorted to tried and tested headpoint tactics, which worked! Pulling on to the jugs above the buldge, sunlight found its way through the dark clouds and I felt its pleasant warmth on my face. It's always nice when that happens. I need more mileage, thats obvious to me. But at the same time I want to climb routes to remember. I dont get trad climbing very much so I'm always tempted to go for hard stuff just incase I might get a breakthrough send and all of a sudden I'll have the ability and knowledge to onsight E4's, E5's... regularly. I'm going to the peak in August and I've promised myself to do loads and loads of E1's, E2's and E3's so see what happens.

Weather update: pishing with rain.

I'm sitting in the car with Murdoch and Megan, who turned up 'for the banter'. I find a book on the backseat which takes my mind off the rain for a while. It's an I spy affair, I have to locate various fairy tale characters hidden within a picture. Murdoch has trouble with it, he doesn't know what tom thumb looks like. The rain clears but so has the breeze. We are soon sorting out gear for some afternoon sport climbing when here come the midges. Oh God. Noooooo!! Jesus fucking Christ fuck midges I hate them. The Faith I found this morning seems to have gone out the window. I'm sorry, how can I love all creatures great and small when there are midges biting my face and neck and hands, and, moreover, what kind of God would create such foul monsters! Not a very good one, that much is obvious. I run round in a circle in hope of making the buggers dizzy but it doesnt work.

We arrive a top secret west coast sport climbing crag called Kuhjo Crag. Topo out soon though! I try a project which has the suggested grade of 8a. It takes me a while, but I think I get all the moves. I'm too pooped to go for a redpoint. The top out feels desperate but might not be too bad with after a rest. One thing is for sure - it will go. They always do.

Thanks to Murdoch for heroic belaying both on the E5 and project!

Travelling back now. I fall asleep in the car. Home. Dinner. Bath. Bed.

Psyche(d a)Gain!

2007-07-18T22:35:00.001+01:00

Tonight I met Richie Betts and he was truely buzzing with psyche. We quickly dismissed an indoor sesh on Andys wall in favour of the Scatwell Boulder, bravely risking the threat of rain and a midge-fest in search of hard projects!!

The boulder is another find by Richie, and its a good 'un, as my grannie sometimes says, though she's not into bouldering. She has climbed Sydney Harbour bridge, however.

Anyway the psyche did the business. I managed to almost tick the boulder but it's intense! The first problem i tried was the weird but wonderful "The Alcove" - V3, which took numberous attempts to get my head around, then my arms and body and finally my legs. Next was a burly V5 - "Scatwell Masacre" which I was psyched to try and flash but my feet came off and campusing, surpisingly, did not provide the send. A couple of tries later, it was ticked!

Next problem to suffer the psyche was The Project up the center of the face. It involved using opposing crimps to make a hard hard move to small incut. A heel hook and rock over provided the solution, though from here it was by no means over, on account of I couldnt reach the next hold. The tension required to keep the heel hook in place failed, resulting in an impossible to hold outward swing and graceful landing on the pads. Eventually though, I managed to link it to a sit start giving the boulder its hardest problem - The Catch V8 (V7 from standing).

Crux rock over of The Catch

Richie then got very psyched for another new line, previously dismissed. But with surplus psyche he manged to pull over the bulgde. At the final moment his foot spat off in a moment of sheer disbelief and landed flat on his back... A thinking and a suss out of a better finish and the psyche was back on, and the problem was sent to hell!

Richie setting up for the crux throw on his new problem, around V6/7

I then tried the Flytip Lip, V6, but my arms were wasted and couldn't stay composed on the strenuous moves. A good sesh nonetheless! The boulder is well worth is visit if your travelling out west - its 2mins from the road, skin friendly and, in my opinion, as good as Ardmair beach. Drop me an email if your psyched for this place!

Psyche loss

2007-07-18T16:19:00.000+01:00

Last weekend, I came 27th outta around 60 in the BBC.... ok but, add that to the depressing nature of comps and my general down beat mood at the moment, and the psyche was definatly missing.

But am going to the peak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ben Nevis

2007-07-11T10:36:00.000+01:00

Khaiser approachs the ice

Onlookers can hardly believe what they're seeing

Free soloing, -20 degrees C, 3000ft up, no crampons, no tools...

Doom and Gloom

2007-07-09T21:42:00.000+01:00

My mood is not brilliant. The day I start work is the first day of sunny weather in living memory. Its not that I mind helping customers by providing a conclusive sales service, today I just felt tired afterwards. This was not help by a boring wall sesh this evening. I tried helping my bro and a couple of his mates by providing a mike lee masterclass. I sorta wondered how someone like Mr Muir can devote so much time to helping kids. I am always tooo psyched for the climbs I'm involved with to give tips on a V1. Dunno if that's elitist or selfish or just psyched - I enjoy climbing rock, not so much watching others. But I've found if your really tired and lack psyche is good to explain the wonderous drop knee or whatever, definatly picks the psyche up a bit.

Yesterday Rich and I went to Glen Nevis where we got (very) wet and 3 ticks (2 boulder problems and Edgehog). We bailed just after 3pm to the sunny Ruthven boulder where Rich had a go at everything, though the big 3 (razor's edge V7, Barry Manilow V6, and the Big Lobowski V6) remain for him to do. The Project still remains; estimated grade - V10; total number of moves done - 2; estimated number of moves at 6b or above - 7. Very hard indeed if you ask me.

Mazie Gun at Glen Nevis. The flash was on, then it was off (because I fell).

This is the steep back wall of the same boulder. Does anyone know name/grade?

Rich flashed Night Moves at Ruthven. Dunno how... I havn't been able to do it since doing it.

Waily waily waily

2007-07-06T17:22:00.000+01:00

Bad news. I have a job, driving lessons and also am tutoring. All this equals less time for climbing and seeing Cath, add that to the shittiest weather ever and you've got a very miserable situation.
But it gets worse - I managed to sneak a lift of my mum out to dunty for a boulder sesh with Edd (doesn't sound too bad? well read on...). I managed nothing - couldn't repeat the Dagger, which is now definatly back up to V6. Did a new problem but it sucks and is dangerous as donuts. Note to Rich: its the slopey ramp/arete between the dagger and the warm up. Call it: The Rope, grade it: V3. Tried the left arete project but couldn't top out. This sucks - its the same top out as the Dagger which I flashed!! Curses!! Couldn't remember how to do it. I hurt my hand too. We were getting midged and Edd was struggling to send anything, we decided to bugger off. As we packed up - here comes the worst bit - I dropped my phone down a void between too boulders. Managed to fish it out, but it was soaked and seriously wonky. We were screwed. Couldn't phone for a lift home so we decided to walk.

It started raining. Heavily. Eventually we made it to Dunlichity House (an excellent looking 4 star hotel with superb outlooks and very friendly - well worth a visit if your in the area) where a kind woman leant us a phone. We thanked her very much and waited for my mum to arrive by hiding under a tree to keep "dry".

So my phone is broken :( untill further notice. phone my house - 01463 242001 or drop a comment...

Anna and I, My dad, Edd, Calum and Rich went to Dunty early this week. I led Dracula (which has ferns growing in it - its a classic! Why does it not get climbed???) for my first time which was really fun as I only had 3 cams! Anna 2nded smoothly then Edd and calum tried to top rope it which resulted in kamakazee swings! Went to pinnicle for a bit after. Only really put this on because Anna was desperate for a mention.... Oh and a big shout out to Dad's Jen who complained she didn't hasn't got a mention. Hi.

Where is the sun?

Creag Nan Luch

2007-07-01T20:35:00.000+01:00

I like Creag Nan Luch.

After a week of no much climbing I was fortunate to have good friends offer me a lift to some hard Wester Ross projects on Sunday. I was delighted to accept the invitation, though the forecast was questionable, and I was soon travelling along the A832 in the backseat of Andy's Megane with Murdoch, Rich and Andy (who fortunately wasn't in the back seat).

We arrived at Creag Nan Luch just as the sun left the crag. To warm up, I tried to onsight Walkaway 7a+, so called because once you do it, you'll never want to do it again... The climbing is dead easy up to a desperate move off crimps which felt very greasy. This is where I promptly got stuck in a tenuous position, resulted to throwing for what looked like an ok hold, and fell off. Bugger. After working the move out, it was dispatched second try.

Walkaway 7a+ (all photos: Rich Betts)

The day was interspersed with boulder seshs on the boulders below the crag. Rich and I repeated The Best Boulder Problem in Wester Ross, V4/5 ish?, which Murdoch raved about, it is indeed a good problem, though where the boundary of wester ross lies is still a debate (Rich proclaimed the testpieces of Torridon were far superior). Rich also found and brushed an arete which was easy enough but had a scary landing and highball feel. ("If I was half my age I'd have no problem at all committing to the move" said Rich, "I guess I have no excuses then" I said) I managed it in my bare feet, woo! Toilet Arete V3, named after Murdoch's nearby shitpit, heehee!

Rich Bouldering at Creag nan Luch

Andy interrupted the sesh by saying there was a perfectly good crag right next to us. We agreed and got back to clipping bolts. Jim B and Rich's boss Mark and Mark's wife turned up, this created a very social atmosphere. Rich and I managed to redpoint Shootabeena, 7b+, Andy came agonisingly close to sending Superblue, also 7b+.

Andy on Superblue

My highlight of the day was a flash of Superblue, thanks to superb Beta from Andy. This involved climbing up through the crux to a ledge fairly swiftly and unconsciously. At the ledge, all I remember thinking was don't mess up this last bit to the chain... I tried to take it slow and climbed up a bit to scope out the holds - the next thing I know I'm committed onto the the climb, past the point where I could return to the ledge. I was up by the chain, stretching to clip the 'draw in what felt like a tenuous position, 2 inches to go, I though shit, I can't reach it - but managed to hold on just long enough to clip with much relief all round.

The Flash Attempt

After this the rain came on and it was back to Andy's for a short sesh on his home wall. This made Murdoch very psyched but his injured body stopped him from doing much more than sitting on a patio chair, shouting abuse at the struggling climbers.

Check out Wild West Topos for a pic of Murdoch's scar and an awesome poster of Creag nan Luch!

I'm genuinely surprised at the number of views this blog gets! Unless there's some cock sucker sitting at home pressing refresh over and over!

Mike

Update

2007-06-29T13:51:00.000+01:00

Hello, I am at home, about to eventually sort out driving lessons (at last!), but first a quick run down of last weeks climbing action.

There was none.

This was because Cath was not psyched for standing round watching climbing in the rain, and I was keen to keep her happy, not only because she was a tad unhappy about a previous blog post, but also because seeing her happy makes me happy too. :)

However, Last night I had a monster sesh on Andy's new home wall. On it, I have yet to set a problem that anyone can do. This is because people can't seem to hold slopers on a roof with no feet... Thanks goes to Andy for a superbly defrosted Spaghetti bolognese and for letting me crash!

Other good news is I found out how to put a counter onto my blog - scroll down the bottom of this page to see it. This way I can keep up to date with how popular I am and also let everyone else know too! Excellent. I was going to start the counter at a modest 100,000 views, but thought 0 is plenty.

The Misty Boulders

2007-06-20T22:48:00.000+01:00

I was about to go to the wall when I received a text from Richie Betts. All of a sudden the wall was no longer an option and we were heading out through some fog to duntelchaig. We agreed to go check out Richie's new problem the Dagger. The weather was marginal but the psyche levels were sufficently high that we made the walk through some boggy heather. We had a quick warm up, then Rich ran me through the beta of the Dagger. Could it be a historic flashed second ascent?

The flash attempt

I made it through the intail moves really quickly thanks to the top notch beta. Then looked up to the sloper on the lip. It looked a long way off. Nonetheless, I gave it some welly and was lucky enough to stick the move. Woo!! Rich and I had a think about the grade, reckon its maybe slightly easier - maybe V5 but probably V6 for the short.

We were midway through cleaning up another line (the arete you can see in the above photo) when it started to rain. Packing up seemed like the sensible option but we thought we'd check out the overhanging wall further along. ("Hey Mike - this wall looks dry" - "I think we should get rock shoes back on as soon as possible, Rich!")

The fog was very thick which made conditions not too ideal for sending but the midges had a great time. Not only that, my pinky finger started to bleed from too much cracking. But we got a few sends - the finest being this here crack:

Knife Wound - V7

Name inspired by the awesome line of the Dagger and the fact that my pinky was bleeding quite badly at the time. I think its about V7 - the hold my left hand is on is really hard to catch, then you have to match it! Probably a sandbag for the short again...

We thought it had never been visited before but I've been speaking to Andrew - sounded like he'd been up there so maybe its been climbed a bit but seems unlikely... In the car on the way back we agreed we need a couple more seshions to tidy the place up etc then a topo will be made! Watch this space!

Ruthven part 2

2007-06-19T23:03:00.000+01:00

Done all the lines on the Ruthven boulder that I know about - woo! - Must ask John Watson is there are any additions to the Stone country guide...

No Job still.

Weeded the garden/meadow.

Confused by bolt debate on SC - how can someone be so stubborn as to remove bolts from a naff crag? If he was that psyched for these routes, why wait 3 years? 3 years!! Thats a sixth of my life! If I had a trad project and someone bolted it, I would be pure raggin'! Something doesn't quite add up. And I'm also amazed people are so worked up about such an uninspiring piece of rock. It's really all quite... bitter.

I need to focus on getting really psyched for Goat Prow. I'll hopefully get another go at the route this weekend. But Cath's coming up and the grand garden opening (open invite to climbing buds!) is on saturday night so might be eating and drinking too much for an ideal preparation!

Gonna go for a bath I think to get the bits of meadow and mud out my hair.

Days of climbing freedom coming to an end?

2007-06-16T20:24:00.000+01:00

Bad news, I had a job interview at Tesco. This means my days of freely running off with anyone who is kind enough to give me a lift could be over. This brings a tear to my eye as I think about it. A bright sunny day - a text from a climbing bud - "do you want a climb" - A sorry reply - "I have to stack shelves"...

But the cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done! If this is to be my end, though I hope and pray it not, then I should make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance!

Yeah. So yesterday was an hour interview for a shelf stacker job followed by a trip to Brin Rock for some afternoon bouldering with Andy. It was Andy's first time at the boulders and I was keen to see what he thought of the place. It's obvious the place is firmly on the bottom of pile of places people want to go climbing due to the waist high bracken along the path and many of the boulders. I hope the new Stone Country guide paints a good picture of the place and sparks more interest - The place is Brinming with projects (albeit under 2 foot of moss) and loads of good problems already. Andy was surprised by boulders, having always thought the area to be midge invested, tick invested, overgrown and miserable. I think he had a good time, climbing the classic Spank the Ramp and attempting Brin Done Before and loads of other stuff. I tried Put My New Shoes On again and got a bit further than last time but couldn't find a way to move my heel across and ended up elongated along the lip, completely stuck. Also may have done a new problem - Sit start on a low rail right of Spank the Ramp (on the lip of the small cave) and use razor sharp crimps to make painful progress first right then back left to a good sharp sloper near the top of the Ramp. About V4? Much harder if your skin is sore! And watch you don't crack your head if you fall...

Today it was back to what I've come to know as West Coast Climbing Banter. Anyone can experience this - simply drive to Gruinard, enjoy being there, the climbs you climb and the people your with. Andy drove the Meagan first to Jetty crag (where the midges swarmed) and then away from there pretty quickly to Goat crag which is higher up and fortunately caught a good breeze which kept the midge away and the temps good for some attempts on Goat Prow LH. But first, I warmed up by climbing Teepee and a 6c variation in my walking boots and midge net. Was no easy at all considering I couldn't see nor use any footholds but somehow thugged my way up it.

Goat Prow LH is a belter of a route. It's particularly difficult to repoint due to the Fear. You can only stay hanging from the rope for a short time before the Fear grips and you can't move freely or link moves. You don't want to go any higher and your body resists any upwards movement. The origin of the Fear is unknown. You're a long way up, though the bolts are nicely spaced. It's very airy up there, there feels like a lot of fresh air around, you feel like your very much on the edge of things. The Fear, overlook it at your peril. If you dog it to the top out section, good luck with what feels like a very long run out to the chain.

As I type, I still can feel the pump in my forearms from my redpoint attempts. The ways things worked out, I had time for 2 good goes of sending it. The first went well until the hard throw out to the top out crack. At this point the foot holds turn to shite and I did my best but came off. Attempt 2 was more controlled and thinking I could battle through the pump I threw myself at good incut which was the end of the hard climbing. But it wasn't too be. I dirted a bit disappointed not to sent it as it's awesome. I blamed my lack of stamina on bouldering too much at dumby, to which Andy replied: "your getting higher than me, and I've been route climbing for months!". Andy did well on the route as well, smashing his previous high point and getting to within a few moves of the 'easy' climbing top out.

Back home now and I have a day of rest planned tomorrow, dreading getting a phone call from Tesco. But it hopefully wont be too bad, I have already booked a week off starting on Friday because Cath's coming to visit. Should be good.

The Ruth-ven Boulder

2007-06-14T10:26:00.000+01:00

Hello!

If your wondering: 'Why, Mike, have you hyphenated "Ruthven"? Surely its not another spelling mistake which your blog is becoming renowned for?' Well the answer is that the hyphen is indeed deliberate. All will be revealed as the story unfolds...

I need driving lessons so I thought, I know - why not next some of my good old school buddy's, to see who they recommend. Within seconds of sending out texts, I was bombarded with replies, owing to the fact that I'm still immensely popular with these people, despite not speaking to them much for about a year. One reply was from a girl called.... Ruth... who I used to go out with back in the day. I hadn't seen her much since she ---- ruthlessly dumped me a year ago, so when she asked if I 'wana do sumfin?', I debated with myself how much my girlfriend Cath, would mind. Seeing as she knows I'm a trustworthy kinda guy I decided that it wouldn't be too bad an idea to see her again. I was kinda bored sitting at home and should've been looking for a job so a distraction wouldn't be too bad ayee?

Ruth picked me up outside Tesco and I complemented her on her new set of wheels. She asked, 'where do you want to go?' and I kindly suggested going out to the Ruthven boulder. ('I thought we'd go get a coffee or something?' - 'No'). All went fine, the car journey went with out breaking down and we caught up. She told me about how she was desperate for a boyfriend to which I replied 'Sorry love, you've missed your chance with me'. I thought it'd be best to clear that up sooner, rather than later. Being the caring kinda guy that I am, I didn't want her to build up any false hope.

This blog entry could maybe turn a little uncouth, so its at this point we arrive at the boulder and Ruth goes for away a walk, the climbing begins. I've done most the problems here but it was ace to go there and get most of them first or second try of the day. Problems like Sloping off, V4, The Cheeky Girls, V3, Razor's Edge, V7, and Barry Manilow, V6, were done in this fashion. I then tried some that I hadn't climbed, but had tried before. I did the Big Lobowski, V6, after a few tries to work out a good sequence, and then the sit start just to the right of Big Lobo on small crimps. Ben showed it me last year though I couldn't remember the name or grade but think it was about V7 and definitely not one for sore skin.

It was then project time and bugger me, this project is hard.... Excellent. The holds are barely holdable and there is a notable lack of them at the crucial moment. But I'm sure there's a way, it will go - because they always do.

Ruth, by this point had returned from her walk and said she was cold. Courageously, I suggested we should head home. On the way I remembered I was meeting Andy at the wall so it was back to my house to pick up a sandwich, my harness and my wee bro (who's becoming a climbing machine) and onward towards the sports centre. On the way, Edd said 'Mike, what's Cath gonna think about you spending all your time with your ex' which made Ruth all defensive which made me slightly worried which made Edd laugh. Getting out of the car I thanked Ruth very much for what must have been a 25 mile round trip.

On the way up the ramp, Edd asked where I went to day and I told him. 'You went to Ruthven with Ruth?' - 'Yes, what's so funny about that?... o wait - Ruthven hahaha, Edd! What a good joke!!'

Cheerio Team,
Mike

Day Trip

2007-06-09T21:53:00.000+01:00

Richie Betts, pioneer, picked me up this morning at 8.30 which in my opinion is far too early. However, it was Andy Wilby, the machine, who made the decision as it was his first Saturday off in a month. We arrived at Andy's and he introduced his dad, Ray, the wise and I said hello to Clare, the bear, who is Andy's woman friend.

I didn't really know where we were going other than "Torridon", but on the way Rich and I had an ethics debate involving Scott Muir, Si O'Conor, mountain bolts, dry tools, patios, boulder pads and that I was gonna flash Riches boulder problem - The Mission. (I know its not ethics but it was discussed in the car, so seems apt to add that bit in here)

The crag of the day is both unpronounceable and unspellable so I'm not going even try. It's the crag with The Torridonian. It's a good crag with a bastard of a walk in. Rich and I tanked 11 e-points between us, the finest being Riches dogged fight up the Torridonian, E3 6a. The going was initially good with the crag being in the shade but the sun soon strolled round the corner which was actually quite nice but pretty soon it became really hot and the pace of the day slowed. Andy had poor showing falling off every route he tried. Cursing his bad luck, he said the only way that the day could be saved was if he too flashed The Mission.

We went down for a swim in the river which was good fun because I like splashing and stuff. We then made the short journey to the Ship boulder which is absolutely mega. With the beta from Rich, I set about my flash attempt. I fell off the first move... It's hard stuff, but a great line and after a few more attempts, I stuck the first move. Then tried Malc's Arete which is also an amazing problem but I couldn't make the last move. Still a very cool boulder, one which gets Rich very psyched. Andy didn't flash nor send anything and we were munched by midges.

A few days off climbing now, I'm going to visit my sheep.

The Road Trip

2007-06-08T12:57:00.000+01:00

This eve's yarn is of a road trip of incomparable enjoyment and climbing pleasure. Indeed, it had everything - Sunshine, Trad, Sport, Bouldering, Indoor Seshes, Midges... It was the shizzle to my nizzle.

Myself, Donald and his dad cruised out to Tollaidh Crags and met up with Murdoch and Megan who were understandably taking it easy after doing 3 routes. Donald led Assault slab, a V Diff, then we walked over to Dinosaur Buttress which provided great enjoyment! I led Scarlatina E2, In the Pink, HVS, and Rouged-up, the E3 variation, (I need the e-points to catch up!!) Donald conquered his first HVS trad lead - a fine effort up the well protected Flushed-out.

Donald departed and Murdoch and I went for a cruise around the area after dropping Megan off. We went round all the top secret crags and bouldering venues* trying to escape to midges and eventually we arrived at a place known to locals as Colin's Bouldering wall at the Mountain Rescue Base... Murdoch, being a member of the mountain rescue team, said we could camp here for the night. We set up camp by carrying through armchairs and putting on some Primal Screen at this amazing, overhanging woody and had a yummy plate of pasta with chopped veg and pasta sauce. A hard boulder sesh ensued and I managed a problem that I set last time I was there involving a clever knee bar and wild campus move! Soon it was time for bed (which was no thermarest, but Jim B's mattress come boulder mat!).

Next day - Ardmair! It was hot. Murdoch cruised up Friends Retrieval, which I thought was excellent E1 climbing, then I climbed Colour Co-ordinated, E1. We were then joined by Rob, A colleague of Murdoch's, with a very dirty mind - shocking. Murdoch is keen to try and tick the crag and he's done most the stuff below E5 so he attempted Thorn in My Side, an E3. After a fluff up on route reading, he was going well until he got to the undercut, top out slab. Complaining that the rock was too hot, his hands were too greasy and the crack too wide for a good jam, the climbing too damn hard, he retreated up an E1 corner chimney, swearing a lot. When he made it to the top, it was my turn to second ("Watch out Rob - this crack is wet" - "In any other situation, that would be a good thing, Mike" - "Eh? how is a wet cra.... oh. Good one, Rob!") Then I got stuck in the chimney ("How the fuck did you get up here Murdoch?" - "Aye, it's a fucking fight! How do you think I felt with a shit load of drag!")

After abbing off we agreed it was far too hot for cragging so we went for a boulder sesh on the beach in hope of catching a sea breeze to keep us cool. On the way, we each bought an ice cream from the campsite - mmmmmm! It was a good sesh - I did a few of the harder problems though there is still stuff to do. Like most boulder seshs, conversation turned to the myth of Si O'Conor. Murdoch was adamant that the man was a legend for stirring up so much shit and getting a lot of people pissed off. He said that Si will always get the last laugh. I was partial to agree with him, though I thought, what does it matter, as the great Dawes said: "people seem away all the time... They should just do their own thing!". I added perhaps a new problem, might have been done before, on an undercut pebbly boulder 15-20m left of the main wall. It starts from a sloper near the lip on the bottom right of the boulder, then you use a left heal hook to gain two slopey pockets and then throw for another sloper come jug. Rob and I worked the problem together and he got it first try after me - good effort!! I gave it V16 originally, though I think V5/font 6C is more accurate. The name Teo Sio is an abbreviation, good luck guessing what it means!

After shredding our tips on the beach, the three of us scrambled along the Rhue coast line, past some amazing jutting prows and roofs. We sat in the evening sun for a bit then, on our way back, we saw Lawrence Hughes and his wife, Liz, on some bouldering on top of the hill so joined them for a while. Lawrence showed us an amazing cave which goes right through the hill side for 30 metres or so, with an excellent on-the-belly top out. He then gave us a quick tour of the problems, saying it was a great place to come after work, especially if you work 5 mins away...

After a well earned fish and chips in Ullapool, Murdoch and I headed back to the base. On the way I asked him how he thought the road trip was going. He said, "Amazing, apart from I haven't done any climbing yet!" We both agreed that when the weather's good, there's no better place than the West, and we certainly weren't jealous of Ben and Nick in Ceuse.

This lack of climbing soon came to an end on day three - Creag Nan Luch! This crag is described in the guide as one of the finest sport crags in Scotland, though I'd only been there once before where I only climbed on the upper tier. Today though, I wanted to get some hard onsighting on the lower tier. We arrived with Megan just as the sun disappeared behind the hillside giving us shade and sending temps, unlike the day before's furness. I warmed up with onsights of Ni Dubh, 6b, psychopomp, 6b, and Toss, 6c+, which was a particularly excellent climb. I then fell off the last move of Unfinished Business, 7a+ (marked as 'project' in the guide), though got it next try and came really close to flashing Shottabeena, 7b+ (7c in the guide, but easier with the discovery of a hidden pocket), falling whilst trying to clip the penultimate draw. A thanks goes to Murdoch for a topnotch belay, taking in a yard of slack as I fell! The rest of the day was spent trying to redpoint Shottabeena though the smoothness and concentration which I had for my flash attempt had disappeared off somewhere, though on my last attempt of the day I was going for the finishing jug when I remembered Murdoch saying "I once fell off the last move on the redpoint" and I thought "Yeah, only an idiot would fall off hereeee - fucckkkkkkkkkk!!!" and was none too happy when I didn't stick the move... Murdoch did well to repeat Shottabeena and came close to repeating Superblue, 7b+. Megan also was climbing well on the 6b's before mentioned, thwarted only by maybe a slight laps in concentration.

We headed to Loch Marie to arse around for a bit and were promptly eaten by swarms of midges.

Next destination on the the road trip was the long anticipated opening of Andy Wilby's garage bouldering wall. Murdoch and I doubted how much pulling we'd be able to muster, having not had much to eat and a hard day climbing, but the sight of the wall and a slice of pizza soon put tired arms and sore skin to the back of our minds. The Wall was christened 'Witness the Fitness' and is a well constructed wall indeed. Soon there were loads of gnarly problems being put up by Rich Betts, Rob, Murdoch, Andy and myself. Andy has no excuses now, unless the dreaded tendonitis kicks in from over use!

Anyway, sorry that there's no pictures, that's all from me now...
Cheerio, Mike

*A top secret guide will be available soon containing all the the secret crags priced at a mere £500. In order to maintain secrecy, it is written in ink which is only visible in light of a full moon reflected off Loch Marie at the Easter equinox. Or so I'm told. Sounds a bit fishy to me really. £500? Who has that kinda money??

2007-06-03T19:32:00.000+01:00

Dear blog, Mood: down hearted.

It's raining. I have an umbrella but it's no use when I want to go climbing... or is it...

Idea one.

Maybe not...

Even then I still don't have a fast enough way of getting somewhere before its time to go home.... Or do i....

Idea two

I'm a bit bored.

On the plus, my house here in Inverness has much more user friendly door frames which I have been using to develop one arm skills which appear to be lacking.

On the down, It's raining.

As an after thought - I'm so impressed with my wee cartoons, I'm gonna send them to gravity magazine.

Surmations

2007-06-02T14:42:00.000+01:00

No, I'm not sure if thats a word.

Last september I left my home in Inverness for Glasgow in search of hard projects. Now, I'm back in Inverness, it's time to re-adjust to cooked meals and a double bed. But first I think a few reflections on the past months. As with everything, things seemed to have occured with good thing having a complementary bad thing so I've tried to twin them together in hope of a humerous effect:

plus: Meeting loads of psyched climberscat Ibrox
minus: Finding out that they're all wall rats!!

plus: Dumby
minus: every other crag in the lowlands

plus: Climbing Sufferance
minus: trying to climb sufference in shit freezing weather

Minus: running out of money to go to the Ibrox
Plus: Saving money by going to dumby
Minus: the weather being 10 times worse at dumby than at the wall
Plus: a handful of nice evenings.

Plus: 2 cakes for a pound at the co-op near Dumby
Minus: the day the offer went away.

Plus: sleeping in a cave on the Cobbler
Minus: not getting to sleep in a cave on the Cobbler

Plus: Glen Coe!
Minus: Tunnel wall epic

Plus: Stanage
Minus: Rain

Plus: the Auchy - Dumby Double
Minus: Taking 3 hours to find Auchy

Plus: Julian Lines Lecture
Minus: catching the last bus back to glasgow afterwards with a weegie drunk

Plus: Doing all the moves of my flat traverse
Minus: Failing to link it on my last day in Glasgow.

Plus: Dumby Banter with Danny, Simon, Dave Mac, John, Peter, Stewart, Stewart, Ross H, the neds, others...
Minus: Ibrox banter with people more psyched for going round and round the 45 board than hard projects.

Plus: Going to the pub with danny after hard dumby sesh
Minus: Getting wasted after 3 pints!

Plus: Mike - "Fuck it - I'm not gonna do it..."
Minus: Dave Mac - "That's not an E11 quote!"

Plus: Getting Stew Brown Psyched!!
Minus: None

I'm sure there were plenty other highlights and lowlights but my mum is wanting me to help in the garden - moving railway sleepers to make a wall of sorts I believe. Could be good training?

Also if anyone knows of any good jobs going for a young man like myself in inverness - drop me a comment please!

Also, I don't seem to have a driving liscense yet and my regular partner up here has gone to ceuse for the summer, so, am looking to make a few new buds in Inverness s'long as they have a car - drop a comment!!!

Gotta Go BYEEE!

The 'E point' League

2007-05-14T13:30:00.000+01:00

Hey everyone,

Introducing a new feature to improve your blog reading experience - If you would like to enter the 2007 E point league drop me a comment with a name you would like to be known by and the number of E points you've gained since January 1st 2007.

E1 = 1 point
E2 = 2 points
E3 = 3 points
E4 = 4 points

...get the idea?

Onsights, solos, ground ups, headpoints all get awarded the same points for a particular route. Top ropes, Pre-placed gear and repeats of routes you've done already are not in!

'It's like 8a.nu for Trad'

Hard Grit

2007-05-14T10:48:00.000+01:00

Ay up, everyone!

Well, exam revision is in full swing, but with an offer of a lift from Climber Dude, Paul, down to the Peak District, I (somehow) managed to talk myself into putting down the notes and pack the harness for a weekend of Grit stone fun with Danny.

Dumby Dan (to give him his new nickname), often talked passionately about the climbing in the Peak, telling stories of how he was reduced to Server climbs when he first tussled with its delights, how he was benighted on a roof with the rope stuck in a crack... With this is mind I was maybe slightly puzzled - he seemed to love it.

I'd climbed on Grit once before when I was about 12 or 13, returning from a B.R.Y.C.S. final in Sheffield with Mr Mackenzie and the Scotland North team. Just topping roping easier climbing and I barely remember it - not the Hard Grit experience I was looking for from this trip.

We arrived at North Lees campsite in the dark and the pouring rain. In our haste to put the tent up and with the lack of being able to see, we pitched it on the only piece of ground with molehills. ("Mike, this is really uncomfortable" - "Danny, stop making a mountain out of a molehill").

After a brilliant nights sleep, and a delicious breakfast we trekked up to Stanage. Heading past the swarms of Bumblys at the popular end, I was drawn to the awesome looking roof of Flying Buttress. This brought back another grit horror story for Danny, involving super pump and a promise he made to himself never to go up there again... Undeterred I went for it and managed to top it by not too heavily contemplating the 'Pendulum of Pain' fall if I came off going over the lip.
Danny then attempted the groove on the right but I can't remember what its called. He couldn't make it over the steep rock (a recurring theme) which meant another E point of me - woo!

After this I climbed a lovely E2 with a hard boulder V3 problem start, probably my favourite grit route so far, and I've done 8 routes so we're talking creme de la creme.
By recommendation, I then climbed Wuthering, an E2 providing interesting climbing with yet another 'Pendulum of Pain' if you were to fall popping across on the the slab from the chimney. I was pretty close to the fall, but somehow managed to hold an ominous feeling barn door. As I topped out on the slab, the rain came on (another recurring theme). After a while of hiding, I figured I'd be easier for me to ab to get the gear than for Danny to climb the slab, come water slide. This made for an interesting time trying to get a nut out from the deep chimney... Guess you have to know the route to see what I'm on about, but it felt quite scary.

I had a go at onsighting the E5 between the two famous Unconquerable routes. It seemed like it might go - well protected though a biggish fall, one British 6b stopper move and hopefully easier ground to the top. I warmed up by doing a wee hand traverse ("How did you sleep last night, Seb?" - "Haha, pretty bad, I never sleep well before a dodgy ascent!"). As it happened, I fell below the stopper move but maybe if I had a bit more luck on my side it might've gone... Certainly felt quite close, perhaps E5 on my first day on grit is too much to ask!

After another shower we walked to Crescent Arete, E1/V2, which we both sent after a few attempts were backed off. We then took a look a the striking Archangel, an E3 which gave me the heebee-geebees just looking at it. The rain come on again and we enjoyed a good soaking as we made our way back to the drying room (or the 'not wet room') at the campsite. Back in the tent, despite being rained on for most of the day, I thoroughly agree with Danny - Grit stone is amazing!

The following day was not so good however. I climbed Right Unconquerable to 'warm up' where I got extremely pumped and did not enjoy the top out one bit. Danny the tried an E2 where the only gear was a number 2 nut behind a flake which got wider and wider as you tried to set the nut untill it fell out the bottom. With a really bad landing, we both agreed to move on.

I tried an E3 pebble pulling slab. This didn't work out so well as I tried jumping for the out-of-reach break. My paaps has told me to leave the scary bits out of the blog, so all I'll say is the result of the leap made the return car journey particularly uncomfortable.
Danny lead August Arete at HVS as the rain came on. We hid in a cave for a while before deciding there was no point as the rain wasn't stopping. Yet again, we got soaked as we walked back to the tent.

We made our way to Harrosage where Climber Dude, Paul, picked us up and we were soon heading up north back to Glasgow. I revised some cosmology in the car (to keep my dad happy) and I better get back to the books just now, though I could struggle as my room is now more the outside of a trying tent than a study - not the best learning environment! :(

Cheerio Team,
Mike

The Cobbler and other things

2007-04-28T23:03:00.000+01:00

Some dismissed it instantly, others rolled their eyes in disbelief - but it happened, Danny and I spent a night in a cave below the North Peak of the Cobbler. In April. It can snow in April. I wouldn't have been surprised if did snow. It was bloody cold.

I'm not quite sure why we thought it would be a good idea... but it was along the same thinking that sent us up there at the beginning of March (in a storm) looking to do the same thing... Thinking about that now, it was a pretty stupid thing to do, and I'm sure in a month, looking back on this trip, I'll be thinking 'how daft can you get?!' but the thing about these trips is - they don't feel daft at the time.

So, up you go. This was my fourth attempt to top out on the Cobbler, previous attempts being shut down by gales, sleet, snow, rain and myself getting upset about bad weather... This time, however, blue skies overhead made us optimistic about our chances as we set off on the well rehearsed strenuous moves up the path. Before long we were up the gully/path below the North peak and all of a sudden the enclosed feeling was replaced with an open aspect and spectacular scenery. From here the awesome triple peak formation of the mountain can be taken in. Danny commented "Right now, we are in one of the most beautiful places in the world." I fully agreed.

We found an excellent looking place to sleep under a big boulder. It came fully fitted with old candles and other litter debris which gave the place an authentic feel. The rubbish reminded be of the boulders at Dumbarton - a home from home. I wasn't too impressed.

We dumped our stuff and headed up to take advantage of the last of the light and climb Recess Route. A Classic going deep into a chimney on the North peak. The climbing style was fast with Danny setting the pace on the on pitch one placing a total of zero pieces of gear. I bettered him by managing to place a thread on the second. Danny equalled my record by clipping a piece of tat on a combination of the last two pitches.

We made our way down to the cave and settling in for what was anticipated to be a sterling nights sleep. Not the case. I spent the night cowering in my bivi bag, throwing on as many clothes as I had (including my towel) to keep warm. At times I heard Danny snoring and the jealousy made me think 'what a complete bastard'.

After this superb nights sleep we 'dragged' ourselves out of the cave ("thank fuck we're out of that shit hole" - "I'm looking forward to sleeping there tonight... I don't think!"). We headed for Punster's Crack, another classic - which went really well apart from Danny getting stuck at the '6b' bridging move, and myself getting shivery cold with the wait ("Are you up for winter climbing next season, Mike?" - "Argrgrghghhhghhhh noooooooo!!!!"). After this we topped out on the Middle peak - completing my headpoint ascent of the mountain. Yes! We then descended to the south peak where we cruised up Argantian Arete I think it was called.

I couldn't help wanting to climb the awesome looking steep slab of Osiris. It's E4 and that's harder than I've ever onsighted before but, you know, I was climbing well... That week I'd managed to send one of my Dumby projects Totality which has 6c moves on it and the slab had, by the looks of it, one 6a move low down over an overlap and then maybe 5c or 5b moves to the top. And there were pegs, albeit rusty looking ones... So I thought I'd give it a go. Within 5 seconds, I'd fallen off. Put that down to the move off the ground being harder than I thought.

"That bit's VS!" Danny helpfully pointed out.

After that I manged to get over the overlap in a on-er but my foot slipped clipping the peg which lead to a swinging (but not too violent) fall. I pulled up on the rope and manged to get establish on the slab and make a series of ever more scary moves higher and higher above the good thread... After careful consideration I decided I would not be going any higher and I probably could down climb to the gear.

"I'm not up for it, Danny"

I hastily started reversing finger tip mantles. Before long my foot stepped on the rope and down I came with an eyes-closed fall. Danny lowered me to the ground where I lay with my face in the grass trying to regain the mental composure to be at head height was more.

After a recuperation session involving some good banter and a cereal bar, Danny lead off on the classic E1 - Gladiator's Groove. It says in the guide 'a confident approach is needed' so I was really quite relieved when Danny took pitch one. After some 15m of climbing he yelled down "Yes, some gear!" He then tussled with the traverse, some 10m to the right of his gear before finding a neat cam placement which gave him the confidence to complete the pitch. I was enjoying the climbing on the second pitch until a large flat ledge appeared and require a fair amount of groping and grunting to surmount!

Once we'd topped out we lay on the rocks above the crag in the sun. This provided welcome relief from the son-of-a-bitch wind and a chance to rest weary heads (surprising after such a great nights sleep!)

Here, we decided that sleeping in the cave would not be a good idea for the night so left the peak early to eat the remains of our food ratios and pack up our stuff. I've never been so glad to leave a mountain. Nor have I been so glad of a comfy and warm bed to sleep in. I now have a great respect to the shipbuilders of the Clyde who stayed on the mountain before Thermarests!

The other things are basically that I went to Dumby on Tuesday. It was really nice and sunny which is always good for bringing the local youths out to play. I'm starting to be able to classify them as follows:

Idiots: older neds with bottles of Buckfast an a keen interest in climbing. Will always ask if you've climbed that [pointing to Requiem] and will look at you as if they're trying to decide if your a circus freak or top end sports person. Will also ask questions like 'Uni, eh?'.

Crazies: NITs (Neds In Training) wearing Celtic tops, who run around playing a violent version of hide and seek. you'll recognise one from E11. They climb up the back of the Eagle Boulder in Nike trainers with alarming boldness. They need to invest in a pair of 5.10's in my opinion.

Fire-starters: To be avoided/dreaded.

I managed to get a project which I first tried in September on my first visit to Dumbarton - the super sweet Consolidated. Yasss!! Also got a 7b sport route - Half Breed on my 4th go or something which was a bit of a disappointment.

Anyway, I need to start studying for Uni exams so the blog might get sidelined for a while :( but hopefully the climbing won't - trip to the peak next weekend!

Cheerio, Mike

Review of Dumbarton weekend

2007-04-23T17:01:00.000+01:00

'Where were you all?' is all I can say. I thought there would be masses of climbers heading to the boulders for what one blog fan elegantly called a 'Pilgrimage'. Thanks to those who did make it, namely Danny, Stewart and Climber Dude Paul. The rain held off for most of the afternoon and we were surprised that there were no other boulders around. Maybe no one reads my blog, or everyone does, and think I'm an asshole? Don't know which would be worse.... ;-)

Danny has a tweaked finger and consequently couldn't pull very hard but seemed to enjoy the one handed climbing fun on the Sea boulder. He also seems a lot steadier when throwing for the side pull on Gorilla - I'm sure it'll go by the summer so make sure your finger heals asap! I got a text from him that evening which read 'Cheers for an excellent Barbecue!' - no problem Danny, glad you enjoyed it!

Stewart was fresh from a week climbing in Font, however not so fresh from what sounded like a rather heavy drinking sesh on Friday where he said there were at least 30 fair game lesbians... nice. However, the 2 day hang over didn't do his climbing any favours, falling on the 4c slab after doing the sit start to Silver's Route (font 6c+) and ran out of time to get the problem before the tide came in. Never mind, Stew... He then tried Gorilla (hanging start), a cool problem which really works the stomach muscles. He came agonisingly close, falling from the big side pull and catching a nasty flapper on his knuckle in the process. Hard luck, Stew. He then tried the Shield but couldn't pull on. Next time, Stew! You may ask why Stewart is getting a hard time in this blog entry - it's because he told me of his plan to launch a rival blog which takes the piss out of mine. I want him to know what he's in for him if he ever does such a diabolical thing!

Climber Dude, Paul turned up mid-way through the sesh and worked a 6a project from last year which he seemed really close to. He also gave Gorilla his best shot, finding it easier to get the side pull from a jump start... impressive!

I wasn't on the best of form, having been out a friends flat party on Saturday night. Perhaps the dehydration after a night drinking made me that bit lighter as I seemed to be able to send 2 hard problems! I tried Dave's new sit start to Tam's Route, hoping for a quick send to start off the day, but couldn't make a move of the sitter :(. Danny and I then headed across to the Sea Boulder where we had a proper warm up and I managed Silver's Route Sitter without too much hassle and to climb (but not top out!) Erewhon, a 5c arete, with one hand!! While Stewart continued to work Silver's Route, I went across to have a few attempts on (one of my many) projects - Silverback. I surprised myself by making it out to the crimp on the arete - one whole move further than previous sessions! This brought a smile to my face but I could only repeat the feat a couple of times before I ran out of crimping power :(. Stewart then came across from the Sea Boulder, reporting no success, but that he was sure he'd get the hanging start to Gorilla. Intrigued, I asked him for the sequence. After some good beta and a series of ever closer attempts, I was able to get the problem much to his dismay!

After this the dehydration started to give a sore head and I lay on the boulder mats exhausted. I decided that if I couldn't climb hard, then I'd climb bold, and headed for the B.N.I slab. I don't see how anyone has the bottle to commit on to the slab - I certainly don't. Instead, I climbed Imposters Arete and soon wished I hadn't due to the descent being greener than snotters. Yum.

The rain came back on in the evening and I left the boulders with the usual feeling of tiredness with the not so usual feeling of success!

All the best Blog Readers,
Mike

Dumby on Sundy

2007-04-20T15:19:00.000+01:00

If the weather's nice on Sunday (or not nice which looks more likely), I'm going to go to Dumbarton and would like to invite all blog readers to come along! There will be a BBQ on top of Eagle boulder and I will be laying down a few beats on the guitar to create the 'E11' feel. I'll also be giving signed photographs of myself out to the first 100 boulderers!

See you then! Mike

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