Into the Valley

A convoy of vans twists its way down 'The pass', windows wound down, heads craned up and eyes darting between outcrops like midgies round your head. With a couple of days to climb and prepare for an SPA assessment, these are the good days.

We started, as any good trip should, by generally messing around. Mid day got too warm so a swim across one of the lakes seemed to be the only real option for our lunch time recreation and then on. Different should be tried, so with slate virgins amongst us we had no choice but to head up to Bus Stop Quarry. The climbing was excellent, a local set a good tone leading a near vertical wall with sky hooks round a flake that felt like it was ready to pop off the rock and land you 25 foot below. Some sheep got out, they had to be herded back and then started the evening ritual, head in hands, running like children, pancaking like puppets being played with. The midges had found us!

The next day proved a good adventure, after starting up on the first pitch of our climb I stumbled upon an entire rack left in a couple of cracks (good placements), so I did what any self respecting climber would, clip in to it and carry on. When Lloyed joined me he filled me in, a chap below had dislocated his shoulder (it had popped itself back in) and thought that this was a good sign to ab off. We had now turned into the rescue crew and swiftly got up and back down. We managed a 4 pitch climb in 2 pitches which defiantly helped, but not quick enough, back to the bottom and coiling ropes while scurrying away.

The next couple of days consisted of the assessment with Andy Newton, we had a good laugh, got some climbing in and confirmed what we all thought, we could place gear. The second day confirmed we could deal with groups and then let us climb a bit more.

All in a fantastic trip that will be savored as most of my current time is taken by university applications, moving house, fixing my poor poor car and working. Still some climbing over the deep blue soon.