Summer 09 season was good and I havn't updated this in forever so this is a brief round up with a lot missed out. I was due to be going back to the University of Chichester but things changed and I decided to stay in Scotland and move to Fort William to finish my degree, not just for its climbing potential, there were other reasons aswell! With the thought of moving to the wettest part of the world at the end of the season I tried to pack a bit in!
Got a good few early season crisp days in ~Glen Nevis (now local crag) did Ausafartenjesusbarten among other things 170m with a total of 14 bits of gear in the route made for an interesting day. Climbed The Palmist (E4 6b) at Cummingston, a route that had always appealed to me but was a shame to discover its just one crux and then loose nothingness above to the topout. In the same week did a new E4 at Tynrich and then climbed the unclimbed start to Trumpet of the Dead which was 8m unprotected slab with a british 6a crux at the top. For that reason I thought it felt necky (at least E5) but apparently Mr Julian Lines of Slab Monsters Limited thought E4, scary and brave man.
Spent two days in Reiff with wee Jamie and had an amazing time and piled in a ridiculous amount of routes including an amazing slab in black rocks, im sure you know the one I mean. Truely awsome experience with big swell and blue skys proving the perfect climbing atmosphere and experience
Between all this managed to fit alot of not climbing in which has been amazing, went to Malta with Jo with the idea of a few bits of dws and chilled out instead! Rockness was amazing we will be back! Jo and I got away in the newly half finished van for a week on the west coast and got perfect weather the whole time and even managed to get Jo on her first outdoor climb over at Tollaidh.
Managed to get a few days over on the west in some amazing conditions, over at Mungasdale both Paul and I climbed Three Kings which comes highly recommended, awsome line and awsome day considering it was Pauls first E5! Then alot happened that I cant remember and I don't seem to have any pictures of but gradually got stronger over the summer and settled into trad then spent a great day at loch Tollaidh up at Fraggle Rock and climbed a crimpy Paul Tattersal route, Tall In The Saddle E6 6b making it my first and achieving the grade which has always been my ultimate goal in climbing grades. Nice to get it done but not for the reason I thought, having achieved my goal it meant I stopped looking at grades and started climbing things because I wanted too! Nice feeling!
Got out for some great days out in Torridon and found a line that I really want to work on, I know the sequence I've got the strength to do it. I just need to work on some serious yoga and core strength to try and stick it. Need to get better and I reckon it will be next years project, it has the line, the location and the right amount of fear inducing positions to make it interesting. Whilst there I held the ropes for Dave whilst he put up a new E8 and E9, Koleus is something I would love to improve enough to climb and I reckon it will be one of my goals for the next 2 to three years. It's the best arete lines I've seen and after seeing it done I want a piece of it. Goal number 2!
Pic by claire Macleod hope you dont mind that I pinched a shot of it.
Got down to the Peak district briefly to catch up with Phil and true to form it rained alot! Good climbing though when it wasnt raining and I have a few things I want to go back to do. Phil was climbing well and kept going back for more totally unphased even after two whippers off of a cool line. Went back in the morning though and he cruised it. This pic is from the night before as he was stripping the gear.
I felt like I was going quite well and came away with my first E7 which was cool. Little Jamie learnt alot about grit and its weirdness we need to go back for unfinished business! Short steep and powerful, which suits my style nicely which helped me out.
Back from the grit, I found a project near by that I set about working on, it may have seemed eliminate to others as I could traversed a few feet to the side and use a big arete but for me that didn't matter I wanted to try and climb this line. Spent forever trying to land a dyno from a two finger one pad undercut and a mono to a slopey jug. It was somewhere in the region of 80 attempts before I stuck it for the first time. So set about trying to lead it, I have now taken the fall from the dyno 8 times... should i get another chance while its dry and im free over in Inv I know I can do it next time.
I've now moved to Fort William and the weather has been dire so I'm hitting Kimbers as much as possible to try and get strong and get ready for whatever may come over the winter (no long walk ins), been getting into paddling as well so at least I now have a sport for when it rains and thankfully the boys I'm going with give me an absolute schooling so I should stay in one piece for the climbing. The weather has been immense the last week and I have been stuck in with suspected flu of the swine so iI've missed it all. Gutted! As soon as im back fit the training begins!
The ultimate fuel!!
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