Tuesday 17 December 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month, and 2013's Giveaway list!

Right, a good year was had; The last 2 personal projects were sent, (Big Bad Bari and The Beast in Me) and all others have been given away.... On the negative side, concentrating on these has probably reduce my climbing time this year to an all time dribble, but that means that 2014 can be all about getting out, enjoying repeats and reducing obsession... a bit.
However, If you are too slack I might have to revisit some of these Giveaways... Speaking of which:
This little buttress is between Crib Goch and Crib y Ddysgl, and boasts a "fear of infection" style pitch just left of centre of the photo. Mountaineering in approach (especially this time of year) but a stout pitch nonetheless. There seem to be many single pitch possibilities on this crag, so maybe a leisurely visit is in order...

This Years other Giveaways

November
Red wall Promontory Trad Action

October
Mordor groove slate sport potential

September
Lost world slate slab.. May have sprung bolts already so hold back for news...

August
Dinas Mot Trad arete

July
Cwm Uchaf Highball Craglet

June
The Upper boulder field of Dyffryn Mymbyr

May
The Thin slate crack of Heavens cutting

April
The Boulder keel next to Big Bad Bari

March
The multi pitch dolerite vein of Scrag End

February
Scrag end slate sport project

January
The overhanging slate wall sport project of Vilca Pampa



Enjoy!

Friday 22 November 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month - November

Well as I've just been there and have now done the research, it seems fitting that this months giveaway is on the Red Wall Promontory:

I spent a happy afternoon traversing the base here. Into the light looks really nice and has the appearance of a nice VS... The groove I intended to use as an alternative to jugging the ropes (below the n of Promontory) turns out to be a well protected E4.. Its clear that appearances can be deceptive on the promontory.

There are a few variations of Into the light that probably aren't worth a separate name, but might amuse some on a sunny day, they involve a hand crack in a deep groove and a hanging fin. However, this months giveaway is the entire Righthand Red wall side of the Promontory! A tad generous I grant you, but its almost overhanging enough to DWS and festooned with Jug "like" holds. The rock on the Promontory is good, more Holyhead Mountain than Red Walls, and unlike the slabby side, it has plenty of cracks for gear. I can only imagine the slight inconvenience of access is the reason it remains clear of routes thus far.

Enjoy

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Hat's out, all out

Hat came out of the box today, Two weeks later than the last year, due to warmth and wetness. Today was sunny and crisp, and I wasn't at work.. HOORAY!!! I was given strict instructions by my lovely wife to go out and have fun, and as luck would have it.. I did.

Messrs Caffity and Cal were having a crack at some hard thing on the red walls promontory, Woo was along as lensman, and I was invited as general chummer company and passenger.

The sun was balmy, the rock solid, the project nails. I enjoyed traversing back and forth along the lower fringes of the promontory, soaking rays and spotting lines (more research needed) as Caff looked for handholds (small) and footholds (poor). There was even some insitu gear (rusty). Cal had a play on top rope and then they thought they'ed let the passenger have a go. Blow me, I even managed to climb some of it....

Anyhoo, Caff then dispatched it with minimal fuss and the long jug back to red walls began, tiring for someone who's only trained for trying hard over a max of 10 meters. The real treat was that Caff pottered up Anarchist in his trainers dragging a rope, and therefore I got to experience red wall for the first time ( I know, I've a lot of non quarry experience to catch up on..) By Light house and sunset, up an amazingly enjoyable, interesting and a little adventurous route.

Yes I need to get out more, and I think I will.

happy place

Thursday 17 October 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month - October

With the Beast now a reality, who want's the animal next door?
You'll probably be more on the arete than the groove, but the rocks good, and the neighbors are nice..

This is very useful for cleaning slate projects

Enjoy

Friday 11 October 2013

Tea and Medals

A.K.A. Closure

This week started rubbish as I had a stinking cold and sore throat. Come the day of operation photoshoot, I was still horse and feeble acting, and the day was cold and grey. No rain though, so a quit the whinging was called for, as a bunch of very nice people had come along to make the day happen. Here's the Result:
Not only did I get to pose, I also got the Groove all clean and tidy, no banging metalwork or throwing toys out the pram (third go anyway). The cold temps and my general grottieness made it feel slippery and hard today, the day of the send I was a wheel spinning hot rod, today I was more of a rusty landrover. But Chug up it I did.
Happy Days. One Chapter over, and I'm looking forward to starting the next with some new endeavour, like repeating some well trod classics maybe....

Watch this space!

Thursday 26 September 2013

The Beast in Chains

So after a few days reflection I realized someone might want to actually repeat it, so I thought I had better include a description:

The Beast in Me - Hard Very Marvelous F7+ 20m

The Offwidth groove system leaving the tunnel of the penultimate belay of Scorpion- Mordor side.
Approach by abseil, climbing Scorpion, or deathly traverse (Twll mawr Side).

Protection is bolts and a Cam#2.

Climb the bolted offwidth groove to the Eagle's nest. Rest, then boulder past the roof to the highboard. Ponder, then tech your way to the summit via a jam or two (cam), some head scratching (bolt) and some welcome jugs (a way above the bolt).

Mark Dicken 24/9/2013


The timid could reduce the run out with a fiddly wire, but they are unlikely to arrive at this point.

The Collected Saga in Posts
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/brewing-next-years-psyche.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/getting-beasted.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/initial-tickle.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/block-talk.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/beast-in-me.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/back-on-beast.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/the-beast-is-caged.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/brewing-up.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/building-bigger-anvil.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/first-blood.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/twilight-shunt.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/red-point-1-hosey-nil.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/september-sessions-day-one.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/september-sessions-day-two.html
http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/september-sessions-day-3-of-3.html

I guess looking back at all the nerding and noodling certain lessons could be learnt:

1) Know yourself and accept yourself. I'm not the lunatic I once was, I don't think I could have ever climbed it trad, and no one would be bothered to repeat it anyway.
2) Accept pain.
3) Refining technique and protecting your skin is a lot more valuable than dangling from a wooden box.
4) Flexibility is great, but technique and craftiness is easier.

I intend to return at some point to see if I can improve my style on the vice section, and I'd like to get some piccies as a memento, so watch this space.

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” 
― Ernest Hemingway



Tuesday 24 September 2013

September Sessions - Day 3 (of 3!)

"I'm getting too old for this shit"
-Roger Murtaugh; Lethal Weapon

The Deed is done. I hitched a lift to Bus Stop and met my belayer Ben, Then made my way via all the little rituals on the way. Looning the tube  col, touch my toes, up to the coat huts, touch toes again... abb in and do my kicks and flicks. Tape my elbow, tape my knee. squeak my boots...

In the end it was straight forward, as often these practiced things are, although the panic as I popped out the end of the offwidth section, and the scrabbling for the eagle's nest provided an ethical dilemma. My foot scuffed the bolt below me as I lurched to match the exit crimp. I didn't fully weight my foot but it still wigged me out, spoiling my pure ascent. In the end my solution was to down climb back to left hand on the crimp, hang it footless and swung into the match before climbing back to the nest a little bit happier, if panting a little harder.

So 2-3 years later The Beast in Me is a reality. Hard Very Marvelous 20m 5 bolts and a Cam#2, draws in place on the bolts, Cam placed on lead. All my favorite flavors in one route; offwidth, boulder, technical and a little bit of bold.

The Giveaways have left this my Last Project, and while I'm looking forward to getting on some classics and enjoying other people's work, it felt a bit weird finishing off the last runout.
Flopping onto the top, so in control and titanium, this sense of detachment troubled me. Now that all the adrenaline and bull has worn off, however, I see its just the tension between wanting the project to be over, and wanting the buzz of the chase to continue.

The game is still afoot, just with less cleaning and more stars...

Wednesday 18 September 2013

September Sessions - Day Two

"Let's go to Work"
-Joe Cabot; Reservoir Dogs

8 Days later and I'm back on the Fox Path. I've a bit of a cold, my scabs are still healing and its drizzling on and off.

No more excuses, lets put some effort in. In reality the meat of the route overhangs enough to keep dry in the rain, and the top half soon dries in the breeze. More experimentation with tape; wider on the elbow and a upper calf band to steady the kneebar (too much geeking on Widefetish). I also fitted in a warm up.
Bang! First melee straight through to last foot hold, hand in pocket. That's a bit more positive, and my preclimb burn on the upper crux had felt smooth despite my tiredness, its beginning to dial in. From the pocket to the eagle's nest is a short fight through a gurka bar. but I get there with a third of the rests of last time, and a whole lot of data to process. After a moments cogitating (and panting) I drop down to below the pocket and try to chunk it together. Bam. Minimal fuss and I'm savoring through to the belay.

So with efficient taping, Intelligent foot and bar work, and a very small amount of blood I've whittled the living end down to two overlapping segments.

Time to lead me thinks... However next sesh is set to be next Tuesday, if the weather doesn't play ball or belayer doesn't land it'll be fitness sesh or another shunt.

happy happy joy joy..

Sunday 15 September 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month- September

On my stroll into the Beast I spotted this continuous slab stretching 3 levels at the back of Heavens walls.
 Easy access top and bottom, the ledge at 2 thirds height would suggest it would suit a 2-3 pitch bolted route rather than a single pitch. However, its what you make of it really. Unlike the south wall of Twll Mawr, this bit also gets a fair bit of sun (and less punters throwing rocks...)

Enjoy...

Friday 13 September 2013

September Sessions- Day One

"Desire is repressed fire, Drinking gasoline"
-Soul Coughing

1st session on the Beast last Tuesday, I was more keen to find out whether my pitiful efforts at stretching had any effect than getting any real progress. I was felling tired from childcare anyway, and I needed to develop some strategies for a prolonged siege.
Step one - The rig. I played with a mini traxion on the static with a shunt backup on a dynamic next door. This allowed free movement on the linked sections but I guess any mucking around on your own above a big hole feels wiggy.
Step two - Elbow protection. I'm not going to get many goes if I keep mashing what skin I have left. Neoprene turned out to be too slippy, and it came back to a good old fashioned tape job to allow some skin retention.
Step three- The Link. On the way down I did my usual play on the top section crux. This felt harder than usual, so I knew not to be too disheartened on my attempts below...

I still felt like giving up, but only for a moment, as the positives started to stack up.
1) a poor intermediate foothold, that allows me to reach a more solid bar, cut everything else loose, and lift the damn hoof onto the hold (If its good enough for Caff...)
2) the whole 8 or so meters has now been wriggled up in overlapping sections.
3) finding lots of poor scuffy foot torques that give a lot more than dragging up an open flared knee bar
4) my fingers have improved, so I can hold the poor pocket and cut loose onto the top crimp one handed without pinging off.

Small negatives like needing 10+ rests in 8m, and still aching 2 days later are going to have to be ignored, I'm back up there next week after all..

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month - August

Well its been a fun August getting terribly weak, but now being able to touch my toes.. My Matinee due to punterdom (placed cam in final crucial jam slot) and demonstrated my lack of trad mileage by backing off Commander Energy from above the flake. However, I did sow my old age wiles by lacing Round Table with giant cams for a proud send (FA on the day I was born too..) Such Fun.
So while I steel myself for a September siege of the Beast, lets keep out the quarries and head off to the Pass.

This overhanging micro route is about 100m above the top of Jammed Boulder Gully. It shows signs of gnarly microtrad potential.

Enjoy.

Thursday 1 August 2013

Another Giveaway becomes Reality!

Giveaway Project of the Month November 2011

Is now

Ayers and Graces


Boom! The system works...

Assuming the First Ascentionist is a reader of course, and why wouldn't he be ;-)

...oh, apparently he isn't. Never the less, the system abides...

Sunday 21 July 2013

Red point 1 : Hosey nil

Well I've finally got round to tying on chancing my arm. Plus points are that the first two clips are unproblematic i'm strong on the moves to the point where I need to highstep. The negatives... I'm still not flexible unough, and its pointless returning until I am. I got quite down about this but at least it releases me to ignore it until i'm ready. I should go and enjoy some climbing elsewhere. I did go on to second my patient belayer on journey to the centre of the earth. However, midges dictated I didn't hang around and did so in my trainers, which provided some comedy. Logan has also killed the laptop,so this post is off my phone please forgive the awkward syntax. Better get back to stretching...

Friday 12 July 2013

Getting out, and Giveaway Project of the Month - July

This week has been one of sun, blue skies and heat. I've been psyched for my first red point on the Beast, but dragging a belayer to lost world is rather difficult in this heat. I was all set up to pop up with Wolf on Tuesday eve, but his work commitments got in the way so I was at a loose end. Did I mope about? yes, but knowing that a couple of my friends were up at cloggy slaying demons, I decided to try and join them. To get some climbing in I chose to  pop up the Pass, and mountaineer myself up. This was inspired by a similar trip I'd made about 10 years ago, some Facebook pics of Gambit climb, and a recommendation of Jammed Boulder Gully (Thanks Ug!).
Didn't remember to take pics until I was in Cwm Uchaf however.

Crib y Ddysgl

The Boulders above Diffws ddwr

The view down Western Gully.


Llyn Glas from above a nice V groove on Crib y Ddysgl

Of course I didn't top Garnedd Ugain until everybody had headed off home, but the return trip down Gyrn Las was really enjoyable too..

The Spiky Gyrn Las


Pretty flowers, I'm sure someone know what sort....

Now the giveaway is in Cym Uchaf, just up the re-entrant from llyn Glas. sort of in-between a highball and a route, I'd bring a TR rig for the first visit to cut down on the luggage. Anyhoo, this buttress looks nice and interesting..


The second shot was from Western Gully. There's a small amount of bouldering here abouts, but the main attraction is the surrounding beauty. Enjoy.


Wednesday 19 June 2013

Giveaway of the Month - June

Here is a Piccy of the Upper boulder field of Dyffryn Mymbyr, below Big Bad Bari. The overhanging fridge is Man like me, and the scoop to its right is this months givaway.
A bit 3D and a good bit of fun, I never got round to pulling on seriously as the pull of Bad Bari was to strong...

Enjoy

Monday 10 June 2013

Twilight Shunt

Went Billy no mates on the Beast last night. Due to child wrangling duties I did't get out the house until 1930, so the light was lovely (if fleeting). The main purposes of the session were to assess a top roping rig, make a kit list for the ascent, dial the top section and have a proper grind on the crux section. As such it was a success. Midges provided ample abuse and drive, I now know the numbers on the upper sections crux and I learnt lots about the crux section; "The Vice".

1) I managed all moves bar 1.5 or so, abet with multiple rests.
2) My upper body strength is now amply sufficient.
3) I'm only let down by a) leg flexibility, and b) leg power.

Thus topping out at 2245, I decided the following changes to the training plan.
1) Rest. the session completely funsted me.
2) Upper body regime can be reduced to some flesh conditioning in the Coffee table, and "climbing".
3) Need to get serious with the lower limb flexibility.
4) Put the poorest Miniwave I can find on a slab, and do some one legged squats.


Happy Training!

Thursday 6 June 2013

First Blood

First attempt at training with the Offwidth Machine today.

Its been christened "the coffee table" by the workshop, due to them utilising it as such as they restart the build of the Beacons Routing Roof (last time I store it there).

I've set the crack to 26cm (coincidentally the distance from my elbow to the base of my palm, for those of you playing along) which seems to give a non-mechanical but not too painful chicken wing.

First attempts were a little amusing..


However, by the end of the session I'd managed to complete a series of sets of 10 curls. Working both arms, first with both feet on and then with just one foot on the same side as the armbar. I'm painfully aware that I need to ease myself into this, as I have a history of funny bone issues and need to build up some skin.

Happy Training!

Tuesday 4 June 2013

Checking in

Got out today with Ben and Charlotte. It was good fun giving them a tour of Mymbyr blocs, with Happy Feet and Quack Crack providing much hilarity.
I'm finding that many of the problems I clawed my way up back in the day somewhat harder than I remembered. The Heel Keel in particular feels a lot harder than 6C and I need a third visit to knock out a full repeat.

I currently, therefore, should not be trusted with any of my current grading and please just repeat things that look pretty and decide for yourself.

So we started trying the wall to the right of Fat Duck Arête. Ben And Charlotte were giving it much blood and passion, but I got competitive. This resulted in Duck Life. Start off the obvious slopey rail and blast to the top via more slopey ledges. Probably 6A+ but as stated above, what do I know.

Contemplated the line of the bloc, but couldn't even transfer body weight onto the crux position.

Did my first set of 50 wide press ups tonight. It seems particularly hard to crawl on all fours after this activity.

Keep training!

Sunday 2 June 2013

Minnesota Loon

An empty Beacon meant I was surplus to requirements today. Instead I went back to Quack Crack Bloc and nailed the sit start to the shield on the right.

Minnesota Loon is about 6C+ and starts with the right hand side pull of Fat Duck Arête, and rather than a pinch, the left utilises an uppercut fist Jam.
Managed to get a vid from just after the starting move (typical amateur production I'm afraid..).

It looks like there is going to be a team of us going up here Tuesday Morning, so come along if you're at a loose end.
More hands to catch Ben as he attempts the Highball slab the merrier...

Saturday 1 June 2013

Building a Bigger Anvil

For Liquid Armbar, I built this training device.

For The Beast in Me, I felt Something bigger is required....


Its going to be fun beating myself up! 

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month May

Keeping in the region of Lost World, Here's the crack of Heaven's Cutting:



Its probably about 12m high and would suit as an aid or trad project. Good hard slate but mainly in the RP1-3 range, and requires a good wind to dry. Its 2 Levels above the suspended railway on the same side. Approach either as for Lost World, or via the Coat Hut Level through Heaven's rickety shelf.

Enjoy

Monday 20 May 2013

Brewing up!

More Psyche!

Today was a play day for me. Dropped Logan in school then high tailed it to Lost World to give the Beast a spring clean. The winter had done its work and loosened the wobbly bits..

All it took was a bit of work with my precision cleaning tool (Ice Axe)...

An off she peeled..

All that remained was a bit of descabbing, and giving the lower wing section a proper scrub.

Brush, Ecover cleaning spray, brush, towel, and repeat.

Now none of my piccies of the Beast seem to give a clear impression of the project, so here's a Vid:
The bench below the route is part of the flake above. Yes you can now find this beauty, but most of the thugs I know are gentleman, and The Beast is a blue collar bar brawl; complete with gouging and lots of stamping.
Once clean and dry, and I'd had a cup of tea, it was time for the first proper working session. The initial 6-8m to the eagle's nest is a right wing fest, with minimal for the left limbs to grapple with. I fondled the moves but my feebleness prevented actual movement. However, with all the footholds spied, I pressed on. Pockets and gymnastics lead to the high board, and a long long rest if I get here on lead. The newly solidified section above is hand jams and splits, to the last bolt. Funky feet and arête moves push on into the runout, which just becomes unreasonable as the jugs kick in. I made all the moves post eagles nest, and am well chuffed.

This project has every element I love in routes, and if I never do another new route after this, it will be enough.

Watch this Space.
(I need chicken wing exercises folks)

Friday 3 May 2013

Quack Crack Bloc


Here is the Quack Crack bloc:
The central crack is Quack Crack F6B+, which goes from a sitter. The overhanging nature of this boulder, coupled with its annoying dearth of foot holds make most of the sitter's very hard indeed. I was up here again yesterday playing on a few problems and managed only one other sitter; Fat Duck Arête F6B on the left hand side starting off a pinch on the arête and a side pull for the right hand. Good boppy fun. I also did a stand start on the shield immediately left off opposing arête's. I played on both finishes (the righthand exit is best) and almost linked it from a sitter similar to fat duck arête, although a fist jam replaced the pinch. I was thinking, although fun, my jumpy moves into the standing start position was a bit eliminate, as you could just slope up the right arête. However, looking back at the pic's I think a toe hook could make going into the standing start position the more sensible method.
A couple of stander's on the left hand side; Ball's Groove F6A+ takes the obvious clean hanging groove, and starts with hands on the left arête. The Chalked crimps to the right of the groove are the start of a Fast Cars type thing - Love Battery F6C finishes out right on the nose. Linking into this from the start of Quack Crack would be the send of the Bloc.

I'm quite keen to return with a wad to tidy up some of these bits, let me know if you're up for it.

Tuesday 30 April 2013

More Mymbyr Info

Well here is the missing piece of the puzzle, the rest of the locations for the Mymbyr bouldering I know of.
This Link has your starters and basic approach, The Mighty 'Tashe is to the left of the stream and visible below the highball slab (this looked about F6a+ last visit but I've yet to fully commit). To the left of this is the boulders in the photo's above:
A) The sentinel boulder, start of the upper boulder field and just in front of Man Like Me.
B) Is Big Bad Bari at the top of the boulder field
C) The Quack Crack boulder, 30m further on from the Mighty 'Tashe.

Let me know what you think.

Enjoy

Saturday 27 April 2013

Big Bad Bari Lives & Giveaway Project of The Month - April


Here he is. One session cleaning, one flabby session working and Today...
I managed to get up it. It seems that 4 consecutive days route setting at the Beacon, and a minor nod to improving my flexibility, is enough to make the difference. I warmed up on the top out, then linked from the chockstone into this. Then it was time to ride the Rig...

Big Bad Bari Font 6C+ish
Start from a hand fist stack at the obvious constriction at the back of the crack, invert and shuffle to the chockstone, swing round on undercut jams and yard up to the top.

The Boulder itself is also Big, Bad and home to Bari. This Months giveaway is the compression, slopey slappy thing that rears out from below Bari. It will be hard. It should also be very good. Get it touch for details.

Enjoy

Sunday 31 March 2013

The Joys of Getting Beaten up

Yesterday was My first day out climbing since, I think, November. This has been due to bad things such as injury, weather and illness in the family, and the good things that having a family of three wild boys brings.
By 1130 I was stepping out the car, strapping on the gaitors and a pad stack and stomping up to Dyffryn Mymbyr. The goal was this, which in my mind has become Big Bad Bari. The snow was very patchy and generally avoided, but those bits I had to tussle with were of unpredictable depth and firmness. All good adventure. I stopped at the Mighty 'Tashe to warm up. This was lovely and warm in the sun and apart from a drippy philtrum was bone dry.
However, its extreme slopeyness meant it wasn't that great for a warm up. maybe back when I was a feidr fw devotee I could have lapped a few things. But I'm soft. Like Feta. Shame too as the snow had made a great platform under the crux section of the traverse.
I repacked everything and slogged up the snow encrusted heather to the main event. Good news; it was dry and snow free, and all it took was a little light brushing to return it to condition.
With my Borrowed pad, I had enough encouragement to give it a proper try. The first tussle commenced, or rather would have commenced if I could have seated the initial stack properly. Soft hands along with a soft body, not enough fighting, too much playing. A tighter fist and an enquiring eye, lock thumb against extensors and rotate. Feet are up and Wales is upside down once more.
Thrust legs deep, crunch the flabby core into action, hands grapple and crush untempered holds, but the memory of ability kicks my abbs back into gear and hands back into action. Lungs and Lactic, however, drop me to the pads.
Promising, I pant for a while and flex wooden digits, water and cake imbibed I bury my limbs into the duvet jacket. I Wait.
Round two. Stack and kick, keep the stack and pike thrust deep. Dangle and reset, clamp, thrust, shuffle, release, flick. I've got the pinch on the Chock.
Nice moment, pause, hooray..(small h)
Time reconvenes. My gut is taking a punching, lead legs swing and stab, a constricted upper cut gains a pinky bar. crap. Flailing fists gain flared pinky first cup jams. Rubbish, stab, crunch, swipe..
Splat.
Well that was interesting, the pinky bar was just an inch below a proper pinky jam, The game changer was just out of reach that attempt. I wait, raw hands throbbing under the duvet. Extend, retract, repeat. Flush out the lactic and lymph, slow the breathing.
Round three. Couldn't lift my legs in.
Knock out.
Bruised and Battered, I grinned my way back down the slope, wading the drifts and skidding over the weepy bogs, my head now throbbing with all familiar exertion, (no puking this trip). Deep breaths over the pass and off to bed, an hour sleep.
Next time I hope to catch Bari. a bit more sleep beforehand, a lack of lurgy, and maybe some more effective fitness and I'll flipping 'ave 'im.
I've realised looking back on past endeavours how much of an effective training ground Feidr Fw was, I was nursing pulley injuries at the time and was seeking jamming as a distraction, so nearly all    the climbing I was doing was out here rather than indoors. I spent a lot of time up on the hillside, So much that a friend rang my missus worried that I'd disappeared  as every time he drove to work at the Brennin, my car was in the same place. A lot of effort, but my futile return trips to try problems I did at the time has shown it certainly toughened me up, like its Vedauwoo namesake, I think I'll be making more regular trips there now, to see if it will redo its magic.

Thursday 28 March 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month - March

Scrag end. The left overs of the quarry- a series of isolated buttresses below the entrance to Twll Mawr, Golgotha.


After the sport offerings of last month I thought I'd offer something more trad. Most pitches here that are trad suitable are a bit chinese takaway; nice at the time but ultimately disposable. However there is a vein of dolerite that starts next to Chitra and could be linked up all the way to Golgotha. Individual pitches that may be fun at the time (in fact I think the 1st pitch may have been done) but together as a ground up experience would be something special. With all pitches being not completely inaccessible from top and bottom, its even on the right side of committing too.

Enjoy

Friday 15 March 2013

Fight the Apathy

No Finger Board? Rented House?
Old rope and roof joists mean total upper body and core punishment can be yours!

A plus is it can be hidden away from the kids.

Tuesday 12 March 2013

giveaway update

Just looked out the window, and it seems the current cold conditions has meant that this Ice Fall has formed.

Not sure how thick it is but Its probably worth a punt

Friday 1 March 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month - Feburary

well.. Sort of, (a Day Late)

Scrag End. The Lost levels of Rainbow, snipped off below Golgotha. Best accessed by entering Twll Mawr and foraging around the base of Running Scared for the boulder squeeze into the rear entrance of Scrag End, This Was Joe Browns original passage into Twll Mawr on his foraging, before bits dropped off.

All These levels are unclimbed (or unclaimed) and this particular wall seems to lack seepage, gets the sun, has an open aspect and a view. What it doesn't yet have is bolts.
Enjoy

Saturday 5 January 2013

Giveaway Project of the Month -January

The Friday before Christmas saw me with a small window of opportunity, a few hours to tramp in the quarries with my camera, and enjoy revisiting some old haunts. The fact that the cloud base was barely above Vivian did little to staunch my enthusiasm, and I soon found myself well wrapped up and negotiating the new gates up lon garret. I swear one day those wall will bury someone's car...

Its changed very little since my previous ramblings along the levels, a few more bolts and a bit more wall on the floor, the tunnel through to Gorbals seemed a bit easier to negotiate, and the Oil drum glacier started off being fairly benevolent.. Until it tried to eat me. Roll with the boulder, support it and slow it, discourage others from following. The old routine and only a grazed shin. I swear it never used to happen, but I dimly remember always losing some blood every quarry adventure (milk blood to keep from running out) Still the glacier was hauntingly beautiful in the mist.

A wade across the tepui landscape of the salt pans was followed by one of Australia's fancy tricks; a 30 second cloud clearance. The fog basically buggers off out the bowl causing you to fumble for your camera, only to flood back in again.. See.
 Anyway, I got some photo's of this months giveaway, somewhat mist shrouded, but enough to peek interest. a viable line for a sport route, straight up a steep wall, with maybe some recourse to the arête (your call).


The ladder down to Vilcapampa is now leaning about 3-4ft further to the side from when I ascended it, and no longer on anything even vaguely anchoring. So I would definitely avoid it now, Instead use the crevasse wall approach (another well known wall of potential).

Enjoy