Kalymnos 2013

Last time we went to Kalymnos 3 years ago I left feeling inspired to train harder so I could return to try harder overhaning routes which I had felt were beyond me at the time. My agenda for this trip was to try and get on more routes above my limit (armed with mallions) and to clock up onsites at my limit and try to push for a first 7b onsite. Although if you ask Coll, this wasn't really meant to be a "climbing trip"...

Spartacus 7b+

Spartacus 7b+, daniboy (8a) to the left

Although we wanted to explore new crags we did re-visit some crags form our previous trip. It was pleasing to see progress from 3 years ago. This was most evident at sector Arhi. Here I breezed up Kastor (7a) which I had to take 2 stops on 3 years ago.

Kerveros 7a onsite, Spartacus

Dafni 6c+  onsite at Ghosts Kitchen 

A 7b onsite did evade this trip me but trying harder routes I found that i was losing the onsights because of my route reading more than anything else!

Red monkey 7a, Upper Cave

Helios 8a+, North Cape

In grande grotta I had wanted to try Aegalis 7c+ but it was really dissapointing to see the place packed! Whats more some guys on Aegalis said the bolts were lose and they were fixing the top anchor- this put me right off!  The only route I was able to get on was Ivi 7a+ (groups were hogging all other lines) which was great but it was fustrating that I wasnt able to do any other routes here!

Ivi 7a+, Grande Grotta

The highlight of this trip has to be getting on Daniboy (8a) at sector Spartacus. I first heard of this route online and I had seen a couple of videos of people sending the route. It looked like the exact type of route which motivates me and seemed like a perfect 8a for me to try. 

The start of Daniboy

 Once I found this route, it did not disappoint! Right from the start the it was challenging. I took a first rest just under half way coming out of the cave, I felt this was more for nerves as there were plenty of holds. As I came over the lip I found myself at a bolt but unable to clip and as i moved out left i slipped and took a huge whipper. Once I got back on and made it past this stage I think it was definately the crux. Past here I really enjoyed the last section of the climb, two monos, a tufa.... and I was delighted to reach the lower off. My first 8a. I was really pleased and whats more, I felt that the route was well within my limits.  Okay i didnt get an onsite but i am confident that i could red point the route. However as much as i want to climb an 8a (clean) i didnt really want to spend the trip trying to get just one route clean, plus Coll was not too pleased with the walk in to this sector!



Dani boy 8a

This was another great trip, time to get looking for flights back out there!

Cocktails!

Burbage North

With only a few days to go before Kalymnos i thought a day on trad would be great to get the head sorted. I'd never been to Burbage North before and I was suprised to see so many people out it was like a tourist spot. The plan was for me to just second routes but after a couple I was edging to get some leads in. Paul lead Knights move but I didnt think i was quite ready for that just yet, but was a fun second!



Paul seconding up on a nice easy lead for me

Some of the climbs:

 

• Wall Corner HVD 4a
• Knight move HVS 5a
• Falstaff's Innominate S 4b *
• Ash Tree Wall HVD **
• Ash Tree Crack VD *
• Bilberry Crack (Burbage North) VD *
• Bilberry Face VD
• Falstaff's Chimney HD
• The Chimney D
• Falstaff's Crack



Climb of the day: Knights move, HVS 5a

 

El Chorro Jan 2013

Luckily the heavy snow didn't delay our flight out to Malaga - which went very smooth with even managing to get the clipstick checked in although it was sticking out of Pauls bag!  The train to Alora from the airport was so easy i don't think I'll ever hire a car for El Chorro ever again.  The first day we even managed to get 6 routes in over the road from the Olive branch at las enchantadas.

The second day we headed to sector Suizo on Frontales, one of my favourite crags and a nice sun spot.  The strategy was to play around on the 7s ready for Makinodromo the next day - I love the routes there - nice and slightly overhanging - perfect for me. On day 3 even though the police were around the train tunnels we managed to  sneak through the tunnels - but after the 2.5 hour walk to makinodromo Lourdes was seeping wet! A bit of a shame as that was my planned route of the trip. The whole crag was busier than I'd ever seen it so we headed up further to do a 6b warm up and then onto a section not even in the guide called Mini-Maki to try out some other routes.

Paul playing around at Mini Maki

Pauls 47th birthday was a pretty good day over at sector castrojo (day 4).  By not letting him know the grades he lead his first 6b+ and then I went onto get little brown baby clean (7a+)-I was particularly pleased given it felt something like 25 deg C.

Poema de roca is always a must but in the heat I felt like it was a bit of struggle  on day 5. I enjoyed getting on talisbana again the most achievable 7c I've ever been on a the bottom of the cave.  I also got back on slimbo a crack line (7b) I stuggled on this last year - and it felt just at bad!  Perhaps one to avoid on my next trip...

Wheres Wally? Poem de roca

Feeling a bit sunstroke on day 6 we headed up to the steps (escaler arabe) - a usually windy venue it was supsiciously still.  Therefore it was the perfect opportunity to get up on the pinnacle for a nice photo shot!

on top of the... El Ehorro

Day 7 we tried abercones a crag sheltered form the sun - this was some really nice rock - with the exception of an undercut snappin off on a hard onsite attempt.  By the time we moved onto sector Suizo for the afternoon my hands were battered, but still had a nice play on the slippy tufa routes in the sun.

Sector Suizo slippy tufas!

Nicking a November day at chedale

In light of my progression indoors I have been desperate to get some routing in outdoors, and although El Chorro is booked for the end of January I couldnt wait that long.  A break in the wet weather gave Paul and I a chance to head up to chee dale and start at the embankment again. Considering it was cold it didnt take too long to get feeling in the fingers!!!



Paul on 6c+, nice new jacket

We spent most the time just working routes on top-rope, particularly as the rock wasnt in perfect condition. Paul came really close to cleaning his 6c+ (cant remember the name), and i managed to clean a 7a+(cant remmeber the name) on the third or fourth attempt.

My new Beta-clipstick in all its glory

8a

I have finally reached a milestone in my climbing with a redpoint of an 8a route at pinnacle climbing centre and thought it was worthy of a post.  Having not really been outdoors much over the past few months due to house extension works and bad weather i have been getting quick sessions in down the wall as i can.  I first tried the 8a  route with a couple of stops in lead - and cleaned it on a second  the attempt on the second.  Two weeks later I lead the route with 1 stop.  Two weeks after this i cleaned the route on lead :).
Then with the 8a+ route left at the wall i managed to work all the moves and will be looking for a redpoint on this route on my next visit!

Chee dale: The embankment

It didnt take me too long after my first trip to chee dale to return - about 39 hours!  This time we ended up at Max wall for a warm up  - as the most polished route I've ever done and graded at just 6b this felt incredibly hard.  Trying to escape the polish we headed up to the embankment to tackle the very technical routes - although only graded at 7a+ these were really tough.  I dogged up the first route - Bream in black and managed to clean it second attempt.  The next route- The Barracuda bass sound along seemed much harder for the same 7a+ grade and took   3 or 4 attempts to get clean (I guess it did say high in the grade in the guide book...).  These routes are tough to read and to find the holds so it was great practice and I really need to start reading routes better.



The Barracuda bass sound , 7a+ looking friendlier in the photos

The Barracuda bass sound , 7a+, trying to sort those feet out after the relief of clipping the second bolt!

The intensity of the side pulls and crimps was greater than I have ever experienced on rock anywhere and I can see great gains to be made by getting alot more mileage in at this venue.  At Chee dale I have found that getting the first couple of clips is a bit stressful, so I think a clipstick must be on the shopping list and as Steve McClure (who was at the crag) said 'everyclimber needs one' - then I can really start pushing my grade further:)

Cavewoman tying on ready to crush...

Chee dale, the most idylic climbing spot in the UK?

Another break in the Brtisih summer and it was time to explore another area of my new peak limestone book.  I have always wanted to climb at Chee Dale but looking at the grades in previous years I had felt a bit imtimidated by it, with very hard overhanging limestone rumoured to be littered with tough side pulls and small polished crimps.  However if I want to improve my climbing it seems that this is the place to head to, and I wasnt dissapointed.  We headed to Blackwell Halt for a warm up before moving onto Max wall and the embankment.

Paul seconding the arapahoe collection, 6b+ at Blackwell Halt. I had taken a whipper on this after passing the crux and reading the route wrong at the top doh!



Side pulls forcing me into horizontal positions on Max pax em in, 7a



Technical on the footwork

Leading Max pax em in 7a, Max wall

All the routes ranging 6b-7a that we climbed were challenging and technical albeit with some very polished rock and dirty rock in parts.  That said, the limestone was still the best I have climbed in the peak (and the closest to home...) and with the routes currently in condition this is a venue I definatley want to continue to come back to with so many potential projects to focus on.  Areas such as max wall were very unique next to the wye river and make this place such a special setting to climb in.

Picturesque Max wall