Unable to commit to a trip to the Alps this summer, due to my 'not quite right' knee, i have been left in the UK, while all the other climbers in the area, including Franco have gone to the continent. Lewis has remained, but i feel he will not have the commitment to journey here, there and everywhere and pay for it! Matthew (mini) Cooper, is a longshot as he is a busy person with commitments over climbing, which is fair enough but i hope to take him climbing in the next few weeks. So as a last resort, hopefully Shaun will be around to go climbing with but as yet i have not received an Email.
The weekend just gone, saw me and mum travel to the lakes to see family. This was quite a nice treat and it allowed me to solo some lines that i probably otherwise would have struggled to have gotten around to. The first evening, i travelled to 'Durple Gill' that small slate quarry near Patterdale and soloed the lines me and Franco established there and also a new direct variant, called 'Stalion Twister', due to the Deep Purple/Stormbringer theme. However, i appear to have lost my Belay plate here as well, though i am unsure as to how?!
The next day was a rest day as i felt a tad undertheweather and it was VERY hot, but the following day Flynn (dog) and I raced up Grisedale and i set about soloing the classic routes there, such as 'Sobrenada' Vs 4c**. This is a terrific route, though i climbed this and it's direct finish with a hanging rope, just in case!
I then worked 'Pericles' HVS 5a* before soloing it, this felt about E1 5a soloing, but a very nice route all the same. Similarly, the route at the right of the crag called, 'Morning Slab' which follows a nice scoop up a buttress, given HVS 4c** i decided it was probably just as well onsight soloing it, but i saw two or three gear placements, including one where i thought the crux was! Even so, the ascent i think merited 5a and probably E1 5a** at that!
I'll be happy if the holidays carry on with ascents such as these, i don't mind reducing my grade, if it allows me to climb such nice routes.
Next trip, the East Pennines, to do some Gritstone soloing at spots such as Goldsborough! (I hope)
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