Pain.....

Down the road just now staying with Kirsty for a couple of weeks getting some climbing in in a different area.Went to Birnam Quarry a week ago as it is slabby which i like, its a slate quarry which iv never climber on so always good to try something abit different. The amount of broken bits of slate under the crag should have been an indication of what was to come but its another skill learnd the hard way.





Notice the size of the blocks behind me and to the left side of my head in this picture the amount of loose chunks that i would imagine used to be attached as holds....







Trying to onsight more E3's and hopefully E4's later this year so got on Counting out time which gets 2 stars??? For what!? Lower crack was filled with crap and beasties looks like it hasnt been climbed in a while but reasonable balancy moves on rubbish friction, the guide book says the rock had nearly frictionless qualitys and it is spot on yet again. A few flakey slices were occasionaly coming off but nothing too unsetteling. Got past the peg which is still solid and would be an insane route without, up to the overlap where a couple of bold hard moves leads to the exit crack. Got a cam in below the overlap using pauls theory of better than a kick in the t*ts, and then moved over to point where you pass the overlap.



Tried one way and pulled on a very large VERY loose block and thaught i was going with it, luckily i got off it in time and tried a metre further to the side, found one good hold that i was matched on, right on the lip of the overhang so i was flat back and next thing i knew all four limbs pointing at the sky as the holds and a block about the size of my head were headed southwards along with me. Fell between 6 and 7m before i hit a slabby ledge with full force of my hip/bum. The cam gave way and whipped down the rope at me cutting a nice lump out of one of my knuckles,that was abit of a back fire!!!

Fresh holds from the overlap, now decorate the ground

A scary moment all round as Kirsty who was belaying was pulled forward into the slab and dragged up over a metre off the floor, thankfully managing to hold the rope the whole time she was obviously fine as she started laughing, not sure if it was at me or what....

Not sure if the grade will be any different for whoever gets on it next but there are still plenty loose parts and one very big loose block ready to come off make sure the belayer stands well to the side, dont think a helmet would do much if one of them hit you, either way you would end up with a bent head! Enjoy!

I dont really bruise and cant ever really remember having a bruise! Its a week since it happened and having spent most of the week with a dead leg and a limp I still have 1 bum cheek that is notisably larger than the other, it is also completely yellowy purple green to boot! Thankfully the cuts have stopped seaping so i dont have to stick to everything i wear.Rekon im up to some trad again with a further 2 days planned this week Kirsty and then back up North or maybe west for the weekend. Not sure how my head will be, iv never considered trad to be dangerous but that one shook me abit...