Back on it at Horshoe

 

Time to get back on to the blog after a crazy two year break of doing my masters, getting married and some other life changing stuff... I certainty didn't need a reminder of why I will always wear a helmet climbing or just sitting eating my lunch at the crag, but I got one anyway. Lowering off the first route of the day, Neanderthal -a 30m route on probably the worst section of the crag (chocolate Blancmange wall) a big boulder came loose hit my leg.



Neanderthal, 4 & 5 and a nasty boulder on the leg

That was our queue to move onto the better walls of the quarry so headed to the toilet and Androids area. It took a couple of climbs and a change of shoes to get our heads into the polished slippy rock. But there were some great all body working moves on the climbs. We dumped the guidebook and just chose climbs which looked fun. Although after getting the guidebook out at the end of the day we couldn't help but be a little disappointed to find some tricky climbs at lower grades than we predicted. No soft touches here.

The dark tower, 6b+

straight helmet for once

Paul on the directors cut, 6b

Paul on Passage of time, 6b

Neanderthal, 5
Latrine, 5
The Sewer 6a+
Passage of time 6b- second best route of the day
The dark tower, 6b+ -route of the day
The long walk, 6c
Bruce's bonus, 6b
The directors cut, 6b

Kaly 2016

The trip started off great -we were so chuffed to get three routes in on the first day down at Kastelli. After that it did seem to take a few days to settle in- perhaps needing a chance to wind down from work and the journey over! What really took its toll this year was the heat and the approaches- perhaps it was hotter this year than normal in June but we have become very lazy on the approaches favouring the much shorter walk ins. We did go to a couple of new crags this year-Arginonta skyline and Palionisos Bay. This trip I focussed on trying to tick off some of the classic 7as. One of the best days was actually up Kastri where I onsited Gotti 7a, Principessa Giulia 6c+ and Dragons Lair 6c. Another great day was up Ghosts Kitchen, blocked popular routes forced me up some intimating steep stuff on the main wall! Palionisos Bay was a great new crag although not really much left to go back for- very pleased with the onsite of Baden mit end ohie (7a). The climb of the trip probably had to be the onsite of  Prophet Andreas (7a) at Prophitis Andreas.

Ghost kitchen

Gerakios

Kastri

Kastri

Prophet Andreas, 7a

Kastri

Costa Blanca 2016

Managed a cheeky week trip to the Costa blanca, a nice change from our annual El Chorro trip. A great hotel at half board kept us well fed- and Paul just loved driving the fanny 500. Weather was great, so good I've never been dripped on so much by Paul...

Eliea is a route at Altea Coll that I had in mind for this trip (recommended by Frances). I got on this day 2- it was great but frustrating to miss the onsite by one move. Having said that, getting shut down in Spain is just the push needed for continued motivation of the training ready for Kaly in June.

Forada was another place on the list, but saving that for a weekend was a mistake as it was packed with locals- so just managed to get on a single route in the superheroes sector. Gandia lived up to expectations although with the sun being so strong it made it very difficult climbing here. Perhaps the second trip to Gandia on the last day was a bit optimistic for sore arms after a week of climbing!



a classic must at Toix oeste, Energico, 6a+



Eliea, 7b-route of the holiday

hanging out at gandia

Toix TV cliffs: Follow me, 7a

Gandia sun

just about avoiding the sun at gandia, Fisura tal, 6a+

 

Forada, Elios 7a+- so packed the only route I could get on

42 routes in a week
Day 1: Toixe este
Gracias 4+
Grand grill 5+
Lebra  6a
Presto 5+
Energico 6a+
Bedn, 4
la roja quarto 3
Day 4:Altea Col
Altea cato 6a
Lea 6a+
Lea 6a+
Eiliea 7b
Snake cobb 6a
Day 3: Gandia Fundico
Chitiri Chitiri 4+
pepestroiha 6b
Ultima aberc..6c+
Publicasion sin tradis... 7b+
Pere 6c+
La levedad 6a
Day 4: Guadalest
Camillo neure marc 5
Buix la covediab de ...6b+
Pey l'alcali-gusto
Orieta 5
L'an... 5+
Day 5: Forada
De Joan 3
De los quarto 4
Elios 7a+
Las escalates funa felis 5+
Chio 6a
chiri 6a
mujar furira 6a+
Lcostume 5+
Day 6: Guadalest
Snadergat 4
Gufedundel 5
Universal 6a
Follow me 7a+
Terminder 6c+
Daddycool 6a+
Reiger burger 5+
Day 7: Gandia
Fe ra 3+
Carol..5+
Fiscuratal 6a+
Zucaricida 6c
Nina de parcelena 6a+
Pastroi porreta, 6c
Nprillos 5+

Kalymnos 2014

Our third trip to Kalymnos didn't disappoint and was a magical as our first time. Going a few weeks later than last time seem to make all the difference in terms of the climbing crowds at the crags and restaurants. That said, Arginonta seemed packed every time we scooter and skeeter past!

The customary scooter shot of Coll speeding to Kastri

We went to Arginonta a couple of times which required a very early rise to avoid the crowds, but its a worthwhile crag and Collette managed to lead a fair few routes here. I was pleased to onsite lysistrati at 7a+ and came very close to the onsite of No sleep til Hammersmith, 7a+ one to come back to next year. I pretty much dogged Motorhead at 7b but perhaps one to come back to at the start of the day next time

Moving up to the crux on lyristrati, 7a+

No hands and no feet rest after the crux of lyristrati

We finally managed to get to the secret garden. I managed to get on a few routes but the crowds here and the humidity meant that it felt tough going here. We did an afternoon climb at Summertime and at the top of end of the crag (which was quieter) found some great climbs to ourselves. I had felt a bit intimidated by the description of  Toni 7a, being an "old school technical climb" .However I felt relaxed and strong on the climb which summed up the trip for me in terms of feeling that I have consolidated the grade 7a, with 100% 6c onsites and only failing to onsite one 7a this trip.

Kastri was possible my favourite crag this trip- with some great overhanging mid grade climbs and achieving what felt like a very comfortable onsite of Gotti, 7a+

resting on flippper 7a

Dinbren

Dinbren has been a crag on my list for a few years now and I'd been warned it was hard. There's only a couple of routes below 6c, and even warming up on those felt stiff. It felt quite similar to the style of the embankment at chee dale -hidden side pulls, undercuts and technical footwork. Every route felt a challenge and an achievement to reach the top, and it's clear why redpointing is the way to go here. This is difficult for me to get my head round as a climber that really enjoys on sighting. Dyperspace (7c) was one of the harder routes I wanted to try and this was definitey the highlight of the day.  I feel that the redpoint of this route is definitely within reach for next time.

Moving through the roof of Dyperspace 7c

Cutting loose after the dynamic move to the boulder

Under Dyperspace 

Paul on Big mouth strikes again 7a

 

Resist and exist 6b

Where's the presidents brain 6b+

Con dem nation 6c

Dyperspace 7c

Big mouth strikes again 7a

Lucky be damned 7a

Costa blanca 2014: Xalo Valley

My first outdoor climbing trips were around 7 years ago to the costa blanca mainly around the Benidorm area. I was so excited to finally have a trip back given that the last time here I was barely climbing 6b. This time I travelled further North from Alicante to the Xalo valley area staying in a villa around Parcent. As expected with any trip to Spain we managed to get 6 routes in at Alcalali on the first day- a great almost roadside crag just 10 minutes away from base camp.

I've been told on numerous occasions that I must head to costa blanca and climb at L'Oclaive- probably because of my reputation for big overhangs. So I made sure we headed there day 2. The crag is pretty impressive but I was disappointed to find the main cave area full of wasps. Fortunately here was a couple of routes in the lower cave section to give a go; basket case (left hand finish) 7b+ and Ostia spanskie 7b. The last route was particularly interesting given he huge cemented block and glued holds!

Basket case, 7b+

Basket case, 7b+

Ostia spanskie 7b

Ostia spanskie 7b

Ostia spanskie 7b

The following two days were really windy- to the point it was hard to sleep so finding sheltered crags was essential. Alcalali and Murla fit the bill. A notably worthwhile section of Murla was the crazy horse sector with routes crazy crazy 6c, Spanish holiday 6c+ and atchata 7b+. These routes were great with the hardest sections at the start moving over a lip. Red October 6c was also a memorable route along a diagonal crack and because as Chris started it a piece of rock fell on his head!

Coll on unnamed lead

Red October 6c 

On day 5 we travelled to Pego which was a bit further out- and although most routes were instantly forgettable there were a handful of gems-cobra loca felt stiff at 6b and included another couple of glue on holds, Teto 7a+ and muca muca 7a.

Coll on cobra loca 6b

Day 6 We travelled to Gandia which may be the best crag I've visited in costa blanca because of that overhanging terrain full of jugs. I was pleased with consecutive on sites of joc de manos 7a and L'os a top 50 7a which may be the best route I've climbed in the costa blanca. I was disappointed to mess up the on site of dia a borratera 7b. We of course had to get  Coll on the route through the cave at sector hydraulics and I ticked off another great top 50 route el sol finishing the route directly graded at 6c+.

Coll up the cave

Coll the other end of the cave!

Day 7 and we visited font axia, the most disappointing crag of the trip. Rock quality was poor and the windy conditions didn't help. That said there were a couple of worth while very boulders routes gracias frank Marci 7a and loopy Lou 6b which Coll was particularly pleased to clean. 

Day 8 we crossed the final crag in Xalo valley off the list- Pena Roja. This was a great crag and the section to the right felt very intimidating. We warmed up on a great top 50 climb-la libertine 6a+. After this I just got on the routes that looked fun and didn't look in the guide. Pan y circo 7b+, sin tarfeta de persentacian 6c+ and maragna 7c were all challenging routes with sustained technical sections. Post lunch the fingers were sore but I managed to get up de la mispa muted 6c.

Maragna, 6c

The last day of our trip involved a bit of rain dodging so we travelled to Sierra de toix far oeste and got some numbers in. I was pleased to climb the whole creation 6c given years ago I just looked at that route in awe. The friendly slab by climbs meant that Coll could get a number of leads under her belt and I managed to end he trip on a tally of 77 routes over 9 days!

First trip 2014:Wye valley

Feeling blessed that we have good enough weather in March to get this princess out climbing! I've had the harder routes of the upper red dust wall of tintern quarry in my mind since last year- so took the opportunity to get on it with Paul. We must have been too excited to have missed the seven bridge, however we could still pride ourselves on being first at the crag- and making claim to the upper red dust wall for the day. 

Making claim to the red dust wall

Even though it's been dry for a few days dust devil was pretty wet- but the dead vei (7a+) and man in tears (7b+) were fine- if a little blank at the top!

The dead vei 7a+

Ammonite 6b

Abseiling off upper red dust wall

Could be Spain it's so sunny. Off route rock fall dodging made for the adventure climbing tintern is well known for...

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