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| Scratch Arete Photo By Eric |
I had an awesome day trip over to Tremadog a couple of weekends ago to experience the awesome roadside multipichs. If you haven't been and you're in north wales make the journey down, the weather is usually better than in the mountains and there is a great cafe at the base of the crag (currently up for sale). We decided to run through a few classics starting with One Step In The Clouds a VS that I had heard was the best route of its grade in the country. So once Eric had had his fun on the new first pitch( a bit fell down in the past year) I got to run at a pitch which was meant to have breathtaking exposure, technical moves and great positions. But it was a bit too easy and the exposure was a lot less intense than it had built up to being. This got me thinking that maybe it had been built up to much to me and I was expecting a scary and exposed thrill ride at an amenable grade kind of like Tophet Wall, but it just didn't live up to the hype and I was gutted. After a few more classics we ran at Christmas Curry with the Micah Eliminate it gets HS but you can solo the first two pitchs pretty easily and start the tradventure from the 2nd belay. Because of how easy One Step had been and the fact this was a grade below I was expecting a cake walk. I massively underestimated this route, I ran it out a bit up the 3rd pitch and got to the thin crack described in the guidebook, which in reality due to polish only takes micro nuts and is more like a polished seam it took me a good few minutes to work out a sequence. Taking a deep breath I executed what could easily have been a HVS sequence to get to the arete, it was only 10 mts of climbing but I thought it was more intense than One Step and the HVS we had done earlier. I put this down to my expectation of the difficulty being so low, I was sat at the top reflecting on the route and the sequence wasn't that hard, it was just the fact I thought it would be like a ladder but it just wasn't. Overall an awesome day. I'd recommend Christmas Curry with the Micah Eliminate and Scratch Arete( a tasty HVS with all styles of climbing that is pure pleasure).
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| Stepping Into The Clouds Photo By Eric |
Myself and Edwin have had a couple of adventures into the peak district, on of these trips I'd set my sights on soloing an E1(at stanage called Saliva). This may sound stupid (and it kind of was) but the crux moves are about 5mts up so its more like a boulder problem, but I thought it was going to be really easy after the first few moves(as I heard that was the crux). It wasn't I really messed up a couple of sequences and rushing a few due to ever increasing heat from the sun (I'm northern I don't understand sunshine). But once again I'd sandbagged myself by thinking something was going to be easy so being mentally unprepared for the struggle. I did eventually work my way up the E1 with Edwin hastily spotting in case I messed up at the end of the traverse(where it joins a severe for the top 10mts). The latest trip was a chilled one, we started off by missing our train so we went for coffee while waiting for the next train we started discussing the plan for the day. Getting off the train we went straight for tea and chips at the legendary grindleford cafe so we could continue 'planning the days activities. I think we eventually made it to the crag at 2ish a crag called Millstone in the peaks on a Sunday, on a bank holiday weekend. All the classics were occupied apart from the awesome boulder problem that is technical master (V4 boulder problem). I managed to get it after working it for an hour, whereas Edwin almost flashed and spent about 4 hours slowly having a breakdown as each attempt his highpoint got lower. Its so funny when its not you. Once the crowds had dispersed(about 7) I set off up a route called the Mall, a Joe Brown VS. I was scared expecting a disgusting fight, I was pleasantly surprise when it was pretty straightforward if a little awkward. Rounding off the day by running away from midges to a pub, missing another train and then eating cold pasta at hathersage train station.
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| Finding solace amongst the boulders Photo By Me |
Its amazing how the mental aspect really plays into how you climb, you can be an optimist but I find I climb better when I think something is going to be nails but I know I can fight my way up. This puts you in the right mindset to fight through and get to top. This obviously isn't going to work all the time, but sometimes pessimism is key but it has to be blended with a hint of realism and a dash of optimism. Be ambitious but realistic, keep your expectations low but your psyche high. If you expect the unexpected how can it be unexpected?
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