The Final Mantel

Hello there, first blog in a while. I am approaching the end of my degree at Salford and even though it is a music degree it has been kind of hectic. Because of this climbing has been restricted and I haven't really had time to write. I've now got one exam left and its pretty much the crux of the year, the final mantel.

Despite the finishing a degree I have managed to scrape a few trips together. The weather has been unusually great up until recently, which has made it even more frustrating being stuck trying to do work. I'll start with Easter where I had a trip sport climbing down to Portland and Dorset to clip some bolts in the sun by the sea. I had 1 day where I was climbing well and 3 days of getting schooled. But its fun in the sun and nice place to be. I discovered that spending a winter bouldering and failing to do wet trad climbs is no way to train for endurance based sport climbs. Especially trying to do 4 solid days of sport climbing. I think it must be my over-enthusiasm that means I try really hard and don't take the time to work things out. This was the most important lesson from Southern Sport Sessions taking time to rest and work things out is a great idea. Also limestone is pretty slippy in full sunshine. But overall it was a great trip always repeating the mantra of 'failure is a stepping stone to improvement'.

Sport Climbing in Portland Photo:Emma Lewin

Back to the gritstone. I headed to Stanage to meet some friends and because it was a bank holiday we headed to Stanage North. I had a great day soloed a few classic VS's brimming with enthusiasm I tried my first E3 ( stupidly before my first E2), but after a discussion regarding my foot been off route I bailed off the top onto a HS. Highballed an E2 that was pretty fun if a little intense, riding this wave I got shutdown on 2 HVS'S and an E1. Mainly due to me being unwillingly better at a certain style of climbing. It was a great day got some numbers ticked but mainly I was just enjoying been outside. Because of spending so much time indoors doing work I was only climbing once a week so when I was out I needed to capitalise on it. I went bouldering by myself to Burbage and even though I was in full sun had a great day greasing off some gritstone. Its so amazing to be outside.

Narcissism? Photo: Sophie Higget

I handed in a bunch of assignments recently and to celebrate I went climbing with Edwin and Sophie, we went to Wilton as its 25 minutes from Salford and for some reasons we don't go there often. It was perfect weather just warm enough to climb in a fleece or t-shirt. I lead the classic 999 which was so lovely and had all of the gear. So I coerced Sophie to lead it on pre-placed gear, she may have not enjoyed it as much as I did but mild panic attacks aside she go up it and didn't die which is a bonus. Then we spent a while messing around on this stellar boulder before heading over to the classic HVS Dawn (if I keep using the word classic does it start to lose its meaning?) where Edwin enjoyed getting absolutely pumped out his brain. Learning from his mistakes and the mistakes based around pump in the South I took so much time, taking all of the rests placing all the gear and upon getting to the top I was bemused as I had not got pumped once. Maybe I had learned after all. I finished up on Cameo a bold but easy E1. Heading to the pub for a celebratory pint I had the feeling that you get when you get to close to the top of route but you know the top out is the crux. That yes 2 metres to go then you look up and realise its desperate.

Cameo and Camouflage Photo:Sophie Higget

As its almost an end I find myself reflecting on the adventures I've had at university it may not be the standard trajectory instead of getting waylaid by clubbing I got sidetracked by climbing. My focus may not have always been on my degree and my grade may reflect that. Who knows I tried, I had fun and I've learnt a lot. One more exam and that is me. But whats next. I don't know. At the moment I'm so in the mind set of getting through the exam. Then stepping into the unknown, all I know is I want go climbing and I want to play guitar anything I can do to spend my time doing those thing I'll do. The lessons I've learnt from the past months climbing translate well into my other work. Just take your time shake out, eye up the next move, commit and it'll all work out. Or you'll take a whipper but you only know once you've tried.








Editors Note- A mantel is a climbing move that is very similar to how you get out of a swimming pool, a whipper is a huge fall and the crux is the hardest section of a route.