Yep, work for my 3rd and final year at Leeds is nearing completion, i have an abundance of time compared to when i was trying my best at my Geology Degree, so of course the weather isn't really playing games. Since my return from the Moors, the weather has been woeful. However, the abundance of time has allowed the most of the situation to be made. Some wall trips focused on getting fit for the summer has felt useful. However, climbing is all about what you do outside and we've managed to get a bit done here and there...
Malham Catwalk. Somehow i've never been here in my 2 1/2 years at Leeds and i enjoyed getting back to pulling several moves in a row! After a winter bouldering, i found the climbing easy, but linking it hard! After 'warming up' on Consenting Adults (7a), Sean and I got on Wasted Youth (7b) (tricky), which i enjoyed due to the nature of pulling on holds at the edge of my reach, but couldn't get anywhere near linking. One to give another bash before i leave Leeds and i've done a few more routes! Finished the day on Frankenstein (7a+) which was much more to my liking, crimpy wall climbing with an interesting pull to the chains at the end. It didn't go on the bolt to bolt, i was tired and of poor fitness. But i hoped it would go next time i was there.
A Tuesday at Woodhouse Scar was afforded due to a break in the weather - a warm and sunny day it turned out to be. Anna met us at the crag and a few classics were ticked. Ewan onsight soloed Clingen (E2 5c), while I onsighted Piton Crack (E2 6b) and got Close to the Edge (E2 6b) second go. Both really nice climbs. Finishing the day with a few 6b+ to 7a boulder problems was a nice touch.
Rain swept across the area on Wednesday, but the dry weather the day before meant the Catwalk was bone dry and pretty much deserted. After warming up on 'Consenting...' again, myself and Huw quickly despatched Frankenstein (7a+). Before i had a flash attempt on Rose Coronary (7a) which i fell off on, annoyingly. A quick burn on 'Free and Even Easier' (7a+) finished the day off nicely, with Conor ticking Rose Coronary and Luke Tilley nearly getting Zoolook (8a), but the dampness of some of the route took its toll, unfortunately. The climbing brightened up a rather unpleasant day weather wise. Indeed, the drop into the Gargrave Co-op also brightened up the day; being served by a really pretty girl who knew we were climbers... amazing!
Rounding up the week, Saturday was forecast to be good so we chose Hebden Gill - somewhere i've always wanted to visit. Unfortunately, we arrived to sheet rainfall and winds so just went to have a look about. The VS, 'right of way' does indeed look good. So do the E3's however, Magnificrack (E3 6a) looks really hard and bold to start. I might return but there are other places and time is lacking... The day needed salvaging though, a while sat in the car in the rain, i stumbled across 'Panorama Crag - Pateley Bridge'. 10m solo crag sounded ideal.
We arrived to a dry pinnacle of clean gritstone, surrounded by a pleasant woodland of oak and bluebells. Sitting down putting shoes on you could see Guisecliff on the opposite side of the valley and the light rain was visible but not felt. I warmed up on the E1 5b, which climbs on positive edges to a slightly more rounded but slabbier top section. I quickly did the E2 5b and then the rain began. The buttress didn't seem to get any of the rain, hence why it was so dry when we arrived so i soloed the central E3 5b, which starts with some really cool moves through an overlap and finishes up slopers at the centre of the buttress. Stoked by this enjoyable and lovely climbing, i tried the left arete, which goes at E4 6a. Nice move out to the arete and then a high step and reach leads to the easier top sequence. Nice climbing, certainly soft compared to Yorkshire in general (!) but this is very much my thing.
Malham Catwalk. Somehow i've never been here in my 2 1/2 years at Leeds and i enjoyed getting back to pulling several moves in a row! After a winter bouldering, i found the climbing easy, but linking it hard! After 'warming up' on Consenting Adults (7a), Sean and I got on Wasted Youth (7b) (tricky), which i enjoyed due to the nature of pulling on holds at the edge of my reach, but couldn't get anywhere near linking. One to give another bash before i leave Leeds and i've done a few more routes! Finished the day on Frankenstein (7a+) which was much more to my liking, crimpy wall climbing with an interesting pull to the chains at the end. It didn't go on the bolt to bolt, i was tired and of poor fitness. But i hoped it would go next time i was there.
A Tuesday at Woodhouse Scar was afforded due to a break in the weather - a warm and sunny day it turned out to be. Anna met us at the crag and a few classics were ticked. Ewan onsight soloed Clingen (E2 5c), while I onsighted Piton Crack (E2 6b) and got Close to the Edge (E2 6b) second go. Both really nice climbs. Finishing the day with a few 6b+ to 7a boulder problems was a nice touch.
Rain swept across the area on Wednesday, but the dry weather the day before meant the Catwalk was bone dry and pretty much deserted. After warming up on 'Consenting...' again, myself and Huw quickly despatched Frankenstein (7a+). Before i had a flash attempt on Rose Coronary (7a) which i fell off on, annoyingly. A quick burn on 'Free and Even Easier' (7a+) finished the day off nicely, with Conor ticking Rose Coronary and Luke Tilley nearly getting Zoolook (8a), but the dampness of some of the route took its toll, unfortunately. The climbing brightened up a rather unpleasant day weather wise. Indeed, the drop into the Gargrave Co-op also brightened up the day; being served by a really pretty girl who knew we were climbers... amazing!
Rounding up the week, Saturday was forecast to be good so we chose Hebden Gill - somewhere i've always wanted to visit. Unfortunately, we arrived to sheet rainfall and winds so just went to have a look about. The VS, 'right of way' does indeed look good. So do the E3's however, Magnificrack (E3 6a) looks really hard and bold to start. I might return but there are other places and time is lacking... The day needed salvaging though, a while sat in the car in the rain, i stumbled across 'Panorama Crag - Pateley Bridge'. 10m solo crag sounded ideal.
We arrived to a dry pinnacle of clean gritstone, surrounded by a pleasant woodland of oak and bluebells. Sitting down putting shoes on you could see Guisecliff on the opposite side of the valley and the light rain was visible but not felt. I warmed up on the E1 5b, which climbs on positive edges to a slightly more rounded but slabbier top section. I quickly did the E2 5b and then the rain began. The buttress didn't seem to get any of the rain, hence why it was so dry when we arrived so i soloed the central E3 5b, which starts with some really cool moves through an overlap and finishes up slopers at the centre of the buttress. Stoked by this enjoyable and lovely climbing, i tried the left arete, which goes at E4 6a. Nice move out to the arete and then a high step and reach leads to the easier top sequence. Nice climbing, certainly soft compared to Yorkshire in general (!) but this is very much my thing.
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