The bracken is coming....

Caley today, mileage rather than grade was the objective. We sampled plenty of the easy to mid grade classic problems starting with Mr Smooth (F6a) & the Sit Start (F6b).



Crush Cooper - Mr Smooth SS.

 Onwards to the Flapjack boulder for some more warm ups, plenty of nice easy slabs and home to the excellent Flapjack Traverse (lee's nemesis - no more) After a couple of goes he had his greasy paws on the top with a massive grin on his face.



Lee's Trying Hard Face on Flapjack Traverse

I repeated shortly after & after seeing Lee's beta Ben was keen to give it a go, a few goes later he was latching the top too! Good Lad!


The Dreaded SLAB



Ben on Flapjack Traverse

Pull Through!

Footless - The REAL mans way.

Yule Log Arete (F6c) was on the tick list and despite being in the sun was in decent nick it wasn't long before we'd send it.

Ben on Yule Log

Lunch demolished we headed back up towards the path and had a quick flick through the guide, smear arete looked good with a nice 6b slopey traverse on the next block. This kept us amused for 20 mins or so until we spotted a brutal looking prow, imaginatively called the prow at F7a+. Skin was in short supply and in just a couple of goes on this sharp fridge hugging block i'de gone through a tip, lee ripped a hole in his palm so it was shit canned for a day with more skin.

Actual Footwork. A Rare Sight

We spotted Back Stabber on the way out so had a quick go before heading to the chippy for a well deserved feed!

Cheeky Bum Grab!

Back Stabber (Babba Stabber)

Esoteric

Clemmits is a bouldering venue being developed by Lee of Betaguides & his friends.

Its a sandstone venue on the moors and to date has 50 or so problems and many projects waiting a first ascent. I was invited up yesterday to sample what the venue has to offer, so I packed a couple of cheese butties, a wife beater and the trustly ol whites and set off exploring... Lee has done such a good write up there's hardly any point me waffling on.. click here to read Lee's Blog

I'll just share some of my pics.

Slab 5+-6c problems

Mick on" Micks Shortcut."

Micks Extension



Trying the Bear




Top of Sentinel





Fish n Chips Please Mate!

It started with a txt that said... "Kyloe this weekend big lad?"

It could only have been from Crush Cooper.  It was on.  

Andy Jennings used his spidey sense and called to say he was coming too and even better he's booked us in at the joiners workshop bunkhouse. Star man! Friday eve was a race up north in the mighty derv burner, slowed only by the governments cash convertor's - average speed check. 50mph please and the overwhelming urge to call in at the Wetherby Whaler for an early supper!

Saturday's venue of choice was Kyloe In the Woods - The home of hard bastards like Malc Smith and hard climbing.

Andy Jennings at Kyloe In The Woods

A leisurely pace was set on the warm up's ticking through Bad Company, Bad Finger, Not Bad, Red Rum, Elf Arete all around F6a -F6b+. I felt the need to see if we were stronger than last visit by getting back on Monty Python's Direct at F6c+. A new sequence meant I was at the top in only a couple of goes. A vast improvement on last years 20 odd attempts! The Jennings made it look effortless as always.

Monty Python Direct

 Jocks and Geordies (F6c & F7a s/s) is another classic problem, nice moves laying off a side pull to a massive span to a little crimp high on the crag. Jennings and Lee made short work of it, I had my doubts about the reach to the top, I pulled on and was at the top of the side pull, it looked further than it did from the ground - there was an udge, a bit of finger walking and finally a little pop for the break - Latch & Despatch! I then repeated adding the sit start, it was just as hard second time round but just as satisfying.

Lee had his sights set on Nadster a F7b+ slab climb.. I was not enthused, me, on a slab, with my footwork, your having a laugh pal. 

Andy showed the way catching spotter Lee off guard, he was busy shoving half a loaf of Soreen down! I had a couple of goes at the start and couldn't even get off the deck - it was shit canned and I set to work demolishing lunch. Meanwhile Lee was making excellent progress. 

Stuff that Soreen Lee!

Lee on Nadster F7b+

While stuffing down a some cheese on crackers I had some inspiration to give it another go using some beta from Andy I pulled on and made decent progress I'de got half way up.. nice! A short rest later and I was back on and at the penultimate hold. Maybe, just maybe.. but denied by sweaty palms and fingers! I had the hunger for it now.. it was gonna go! 10 mins later I was back in the same place with the same sweaty palms, but this time it stuck and I latched the top! Victory over slabs - i'll savour this moment as it will be a rare occurrence. 

We came across an Adder (Sid) on the walk out, turned out it was a dead one.. we took the opportunity for some candid photo's and piss taking. 

Sunday we headed and Andy's favourite crag - Bowden.

Many fantastic font style problems along an impressive edge some more routes than problems.

We stared on the lightbulb a wicked little F6a boulder spoiled only by the sandiness, then the classic Childs Play F6b - flashes on both we were on form. The Arete of Playtime gave more of a challenge, denied twice before topping out! 

The Lightbulb

In between sunbathing and eating we also flashed Scooped Wall F6b and Crescent Flake F6a. The sun was starting to take its toll - we were all becoming very lethargic and rest times crept up. 

Andy was practically asleep. Lee and I headed over to Flying Fish... looked good, looked pretty hard and pretty damn high... turned out it gets F6a+ - My Arse. 

As we pulled on the starting undercuts it was clear skin was becoming short in supply, so I put in an all out effort and flashed it, felt harder than its given grade but climbs brilliantly.. The top out was easy but bloody high and sandy. Andy woke up, rubbed his eyes and flashed it.. impressive! He also managed to tick Dog eat Dog too at F7a. I didn't have the skin left to top it out..Gutted! We crashed at the pub for a well earned pint before setting off home, with again only one stop - The Wetherby Whaler! 

Thanks for a great weekend lads! - Until the next one!

Lee on Childsplay

Andy on Staggered F7b

Lee pushed him over.

Childsplay.. Isn't

Cliff Sessions...

Al Smith - Man Of the Match

Tuesday night means Almscliff, and last night was no exception.

Wind was gale force 20, mats were blowing away arete's felt three times as hard as the wind whipped round you but it was a gloriously sunny evening.

Al ticked crucifix traverse - his first F6b! well done Al! Lee and I did some show ponying on demon wall while working demon wall eliminate. Gary almost nailed crucifix traverse but the injured finger is still giving him grief - healing needed before Font in May.

Lee and I did some more work on the Keel - its gonna be hard.. very hard.  Anyhow, enough jibbering from me... a picture speaks a thousand words and all..

Al cruising up Matterhorn Arete.

Tip toeing up Matterhorn.

Gary Traversing

Stretched out on the Keel

Lobster Red.

Jen sunning herself at Shipley Glen

5 Go mad in the Glen.

Shipley Glen is an odd little venue, situated almost in a housing estate just outside of - funnily enough - Shipley. Its problems are more micro routes than boulders.. Some would probably warrant an E number rather than a V. The problems generally vertical wall climbing on small crimpy edges or rounded brakes with good landings or traverses.

Only 5+ but gets pretty high

With the weather being so warm (22degrees!) Jen & Justine set a leisurely pace while Lee, James and I dropped the grade & opted for mileage day - getting plenty in.

Jen eyes up the top

Ticks were flowing on the easy ground, we could hear the girls shouting encouragement at each other and generally waffling, between the 3 of us there was more heckling and piss taking than actual encouragement.

Flashes of Leaper Eliminate Traverse (F6c) and Voodoo (F6b) for us all aswell as countless easier routes, one worth mentioning was Good Evans at F6a, brilliant climbing but definitely a high ball.

Lee and I spotted a nice traverse line on the back of the Leaper boulder, thought it looked pretty good, a quick check in my new guide told me it was an "unnamed F7b".. pah must be wrong, looks piss...  oh how wrong we were. Oh and while i'm on the subject, if your willing to spend time developing a new problem why can't you be bothered to name it?

For the next hour the 3 of us spent time working this "piss" traverse..  although each move in isolation wasn't that hard linking them was. The send train was started when James snatched victory. Shortly afterwards I made the send with a slight change of heel beta. Try as he might lee was just out of engergy, we tried to revive him with Glucose tablets, Coffee, and even some Quavers. But it was just no good, he could not latch the finishing jug. He could get there every time - very unlucky! As the sun was going behind the horizon it was time for an 99 cone to cool down and a pint at the Old Glen Inn to quench our thirsts.

Lee Cooper cruising

Start to Voodoo.

Jen Green on Voodoo. Is hair down a Dab?

Lee on the traverse

Justine cranking hard.

Rest sucks.

Sun Set

Sunday's exploits had left me with a dilemma - do I rest the shoulder and let it heal or do some active recovery? Jen - being the good Gym instructor that she is convinced me to rest this week. So I heeded her advice and took the camera out to Almscliff with Lee Al and Steve - not forgetting Oscar Dog...

Man of the match has to go to strong man Steve Dennison. After watching Lee repeat Demon Wall Roof (F7a+), Dolphin Belly Slap (F7a) & Crucifix Traverse (F7a) and soaking up the beta like a sponge in a puddle he set to work despatching them with ease. Dolphin went 3rd go, he flashed both Demon Wall Roof and Crucifix Traverse. Very Impressive. - He's not getting any more beta. 

Al worked crucifix traverse and had it wired in 2 parts  but didn't have the beans to link it! 

Steve and Lee also spent time on the Keel but no sends. (If steve had flashed that we'd have made him walk home.)

Most of my climbing pictures came out sheeeite last night, having spent all day fiddling with different settings but I did manage to salvage a couple of wildlife ones.

Oscar

Moo!

Shower Time.

Brimham at Sunset

Sunday's forecast was for sunshine and showers, for once, Michael Fish was correct.

We headed to Brimham Rocks with a 6 man & 1 woman team. Its a fantastic venue with problems all across the grade spectrum on every conceivable angle and style. Perfect for our mixed abilities group!

First the classic Arete of Black Dog at F6c got some attention - many sends in varying degrees of finesse were had, mine probably being at the "less" end of the scale. Still a send is a send.

Just right is Pommel Arete (F6b) slightly easier but slightly scarier.

Lee on Pommel Arete.

While James and Lee were on that, Scott and I set to work on a tricky little 7a+ un-named problem in a corner, this was soon despatched with an impeccable lack of footwork, shortly followed by Lee "CRUSH" Cooper!

Scott on Unnamed F7a+

Lee's trying hard face.

Scott then showed us mere mortals an eliminate just right at around F7b-ish - which was tiny crimp - miss out big ledge to poor slopey hold - Top! Impressive.

Scott on Eliminate.

Lunch was next on the agenda - Power cheese and brown sauce was the order of the day, and with stomaches filled it was time to get on to Happy Days Traverse at F7b.

On route Lee ticked The Lost Word at (F7a) just as it started to rain. Once the rain had stopped he joined us on Happy Days.

Initially the traverse was frustrating taking a few goes to get the sequence wired, but eventually the send train was started when Scott snatched top - It was closely followed by Andy Jennings of Font and after an enforced rest, yours truly (only just I may add) after I popped my left shoulder out pressing the out the move what scott is doing in the picture below, and almost loosing it. I honestly have no idea how I held on while it popped back into place? Odd and Ouch. 

Scott making short work of Happy Days

James climbed in "Brokeback" Fancy Dress.

Andy scaring us all to death by topping out Happy Days at E3 6b

Last problem of the day was Fantasy League (F7a+). Andy & Scott set an impressive flash! I took pics and James and Crush set to work.

James - Fantasy League