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.