Quito, city of 2.4m, and growing. 2,850m. Pic here of Cotopaxi, i hope it settles down a bit. http://t.co/JK5gl9cC -- Rob Shaw (@terragait)

Sunday 29th - Quito

First day in Quito, great little hotel, shame its got no water! Oh well shower this evening, maybe

Snowdon Cloudscape 22nd July

Some stunning cloud formations over Snowdonia today

Trevor Rocks - 28th June & 5th July

Managed to get 2 consecutive Thursday evenings at Trevor.

The first Thursday we were bit late getting there, but still worth the travel. Started off with some easy stuff on Suspect Wall. Clue So 4, & Forensic Science 5 and Proven Guilty 5, then progressed onto the gnarly Suspect Criminal 6b*, the finish of which is now a tad harder after crimpy chunk of rock came off in Matts hand. Great night out and a long time coming, with all the lousy weather we've been avin.

PS thanks to the bolt fund crew for some nice new metal work  http://www.sportsclimbs.co.uk/

Last Thursday 5th July we got our act together a bit earlier and managed to get there for a more sensible 7.45ish. A front of low cloud was burgeoning over the mountain just a mile or so further to the west, hiding a slowly sinking sun. Walking a bit further over to Fudd wall area, Deej & Tom started with Chocolate Fudd 6a+, with Me and Gaz on All Fudd Up 6a, then onto Fudd Off 6b*, a nice little fingery line, just to the left of the middle crack. Andy M and Matt had been messing around on Hot Dog just round the the right before Andy led the trad VS middle crack.

Tom and Deej soon got tired of the lack of sheer grunt and pain available on Fudd and moved over to Compact Wall. Margin of Error 6c* is ones on Deej faves, the first crux move of letting go of the under cut flake to get passed the slight bulge only leads onto the further manic fumblings on the top section. Lovely stuff. As music rose from the valley floor all too soon it was dark.......... 'time for beer' said Zebedee.

Send more sheeps....

Wales last Sunday...stop...send more sheeps...stop....grass is growing faster than the sheep can eat it..stop http://t.co/GLu3Vra5 -- Rob Shaw (@terragait)

No Direction Home Festival - 31st May - 2nd June

First festival of the year proper and what an expected surprise, the EOTR folks sure know how to pick a venue. After the 2 mile drive in down the Estate road you soon start to forget the hours spent on the M1. Welbeck Abbey is on the northern extremities of Sherwood Forest, with tree's at all points as far as the eye can see. The recent wet weather could have dampened our spirits but on catching 'Urusen' http://www.urusen.co.uk/ playing as a Threesome in the Rough Trade tent, it set the tone of the festival. They played a few tracks from their new album 'This Is Where We Meet' definitely worth checking out at the Boathouse Stage on Saturday.

So Friday we opted for Diagrams, Dad Rocks!, Django Django, a bit of Dirty Three and The Low Anthem. On wandering back we stumbled on Austra..... err not quite sure if they were being serious, bit too much arm waving for my liking.

 

Anyway Saturday, highlights were a few cups of tea at the Dish Cafe, followed by a Moorish Chicken Bourek, mmmmmmm the NDH Festival Ale was pretty good as well.

Urusen

Dad Rocks!

A Friend of ours Deej was running the Mural painting workshop, after a busy but wet day on Friday, most of the painting ran off with the showers, Saturday was a great day, with plenty of Artists!!!!  It slowly all went a bit mad with not a blank bit of canvas left, it ended up a Hieronymus Bosch, while i was painting another masterpiece a five year old behind me was painting the back of me, grrr pesky kids.

 

Oh the music yeah, our highlights were Laish, Ichi (weird or what), Other Lives, Urusen, Andrew Bird & lastly The Pyramids (AKA Archie Bronson Oufit) Sleeeeep ohh and once more into the Sirens installation.

 

Sunday SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

A lazy afternoon with Martin Carthy, love the Omlet song, unfortunately no time to stay late so back down the lane, past the BIG lake and home

 

Thanks for another great little festival... see you next year

http://nodirectionhomefestival.com/

A late run to Pontesford - Thurs 24th May



Damian on crux, oooh nice 



After a bum day at work, i headed off late to catch up with everyone for an evening on the rock at Pontesford.

Eventually rolled up arround 8.30pm with only an hour left of daylight. But it was just worth going to take a few pics and have a nice walk. 

Following the familiar clanking of hexes i picked them out on the Fifty Foot Wall, looked like they were just finishing Varsity Buttress VS 4b, I didn't expect to get a climb so snapped away for them.




4 daft Monkeys

 

Ay Dog, where yow bin, you wanna climb?.... yeah sure.... Deej & Len lower Daymo back down to the start an i tie on. Cheers Daymo.

Jesus! i thought this rock had been cleaned last year, with all the rain we have had, it didnt take long to grow back. Still loads of fun on a toppy to make the most of the route in 1 pitch. couple of little crux's with a nice finish. Accompanied by lots of swearing Andy and Matt have a go at East Climb S.

Ahh good to be back at Pont on evening, and Matt rescues a sheep, but thats the sort of thing he does.



Me on the pull round from the niche crux of Varsity Butress



Just heard this band on the wireless. Rather fine little track

Watch "METRIC - Youth Without Youth - NEW SINGLE - Official Lyric Video" on YouTube

It's Grit O'clock - Sat 12th May

Tom on Narrow Buttress

Finally got onto some grit at last, probably the best weekend weather for about a month.
The preference was for Stanage Popular! Go Figure. Anyway, expecting crowds the chaps opted for an early start, i said i'd head on up afterwards, as i had been promised to take the Mother in Law to pick up a particular plant she had on order from the local the Garden centre. Unfortunately the Nursery owner wasn't prepared to open at 6am in the morning just for two £8 plants. Honestly some people, he could have gone back to bed for couple of hours afterwards.
Time dragged on and after several minutes of heated debate about the lack of vigorous variegation on the actual plant leaf compared to the picture in the book the goods were purchased and Nan was driven back home.

Dam, it was 10 past grit o'clock already, and  time to put the pedal to the metal. From Stourbridge it's always the best bet to take the M42 and head up towards the M1,
leaving at Junc 29 for Chesterfield. Last year they finished putting in the overhead speed restriction gantries just North of Nottingham as far as J28 the Alfreton turn off, this used to be a familiar run when i was doing some work up this way, only now its a drudge.
I timidly pootle along at 75mph, whilst quite a few cars and White vans hurtle passed at the environmentally friendly 90mph, some local folks obviously know that the speed cameras aren't hooked up yet, or else they don't give a shit.



Len & Deej



I find a quicker route by-passing the centre of Chesterfield to the top car park of Ringing Low road. Keep on the Sheffield road A61 as far as the Barlow roundabout and turn off onto the B6050 then the B6051, you end up by the Peacock Inn. Well this is a quicker route if your not stuck behind a myopic bellend in a Nissan Micra doing 25mpm all the way.

My hands tightened on the wheel....I can now see the grit.







Daymo On Flying Buttress



I get there about 12.30 slam gear into a bag and head of towards popular. Allo lads, ow bin ya,
turns out it's Stourbridge on grit Saturday, everbody had the same idea, and why not. Deej has already thumped out an E1 with Len following on, i tag on to HVDiff for a warm up on Matt's lead, Right Wall Route Rugosity Crack, and bollocks if I've forgotten how to climb on grit.
Fair play it's an awkward exit and topout. I bumble over the top to meet Daymo who's just finished the ' Very Good'  VS Narrow Buttress and is being seconded by Tom. Daymo kindly gives me a second warm up on it, again another juggy finish. Heading down Deej is having a pop at Queersville HVS 5a, and Daymo opts for Flying Buttress whilst its free, i take few pics and the head back over to Matt and Andy.



Deej on Queersville



Andy has just finished leading Niche Wall Direct HS 4b Matt seconds then i have lead on it ooooh so nice to use a number 3 cam, feels like cheating. Whilst i'm up there I set up a belay over the HVS 5b Rugosity Crack, nice little finger jam lay back crack. Matt and Andy have go, Deej is tempted and top ropes it clean. I look over and Daymo is avin fun on Manchester Buttress HS 4b. With the rope still on Rugosity Crack i have a go and surprise myself with a clean second.
 
The weather has been typical for grit, hot the bottom when the sun is out and cold with a biting wind at the top. Can't grumble it's perfect, NOOOOOOO RRRRAAAIN

 

Matt  on Niche

 



Daymo on Manchester



Grabbing a brew i lead the short but delicate Hoaxer's Crack HS 5b on Mantelpiece Buttress.
Last climbs of the day and it's no so crowded so we swing a rope over The 3D Wall E2 6b
Deej does clean toppy and even i manage to fudge me way up it. Very last climb and Tom has another go at the E2, having been punished for failure earlier on, It's payback time.
Finding the top of the raised angled edge allows slightly more purchase with the right hand,
he swings his leg onto the short ledge to gain mid height, another balance move take him above the featureless face to slightly easier ground, GO TOM..........
Its 6.30 past Grit O'clock and we head back, not via the A38.







My grip tightens on the steering wheel........i can smell the grit.

End of April - more music, less mountains

Managed to catch  few days down in Dorset after Easter, all the bad weather held back just North of Nine Barrow Down, the massive Chalk ridge running from Old Harry in the East to Tyneham Cap in the West. It's a physical barrier that separates Purbeck proper from the wilds of Wareham and the rest of Eastern Dorset. I can't count the times when all of southern England has been suffering howling gales yet this little bit of heaven remains stubbornly tranquil.

Yet again, a great night of music at the Square & Compass. Woody Pines all the way from North Carolina http://www.woodypines.com/ Viper Jazz, Ragtime and more. There still in the UK during May, well worth a trip.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz4ZuQ6wHpQ

Still managed to fit in a day in North Wales, the only dry bit being around Yr Aran.

It was the midland final of the BMC Youth Climbing Series at Wolf Mountain on April 21st, Two of the girls who train at our sessions at the Crystal climbing wall achieved a brilliant a 2nd & 3rd place. so will now be going to the Grand Final will be held on Saturday 23 June 2012 at EICA Ratho. Ok it's a good venue but a hell of an expense for most to get there. What with accommodation and fuel, a friend spent in excess of £400 last time it was held their.

http://www.thebmc.co.uk/results-bmc-youth-climbing-series-2012

Went to the BMC Midland area meeting at Wolf on the Tuesday to see Gary Gibsons slide show, quite a history and some great annecdotes. Think i've got some loud Lycra in the bottom of box somwhere, must give it an airing.

Another wet weekend at the end of April meant sitting the storms out with a big fire in the back room. Finnished of last Sunday going to see New Order at the Ballroom in Brm, great gig, place may have had a lick of paint but the floors still sticks like super glue ......Up down turn around please don't let me hit the ground.....Is it a song about safe belaying?

Easter 2012 - Wet

Well i recon the Easter 2012 will go down as a wet one, other the other hand, a careful study of the forecast still left  few options open. 

The Easter weekend started definitely 'Spaced Out' on Thurs evening, playing on the new Amphitheatre wall at Creation Climbing Centre in Brm, http://www.creationwall.co.uk/amphitheatre.html, the massive intimidating 18ft overhang looks quite daunting at first until you get to grips with it, a lot of the holds at the lower grades are full on juicy jugs. Deej was first up trying the awkward Blue route on the left hand side, once warmed up the rest of us had a go at the Green 6a+ on the right hand side. Loads more fun to be had on the other routes.

Tom & Deej had penciled in Lliwedd for Saturday as this was looking to be the driest of the weekend, some pics came through Sunday evening looks like they had an awesome day on Avalanche Wall and Terminal Arete. 

Saturday morning here in the Midlands started wet. The only chance of sun looked like South West Wales so we opted to head down to the Gower.

Whooop the sun came out, went for a stroll over Rhossili Down a onto to Fall Bay, for some nice warm rock. As we were coming back up it looked like there was a rescue underway, Six people pulled from Worm's Head. Maybe they were caught out by the spring tides.

 

Sunday wasn't so bad either, ended up and around Hebog area looking for some of the less well known routes.