With a great weather report forecasted, we decided to head to the Peak District for some bouldering at Stanage Plantation.
During the long drive up the M1, with the sun blazing, we talked climbing and how psyched we were to be climbing in the sun for the first time this year. But we arrived at Stanage, greeted by grey skies and bitter gale force winds. The forecast could not of been more wrong.
Not to be beaten we headed straight to the crag and started to warm up. The boulder mats were being lifted and blown away by the huge gusts of wind, it was going to be an interesting day climbing, as we needed people to act as pegs to keep the mats down.
Keeping warm was also a challenge and keeping the the hands protected from the wind was essential. The only bonus to the epic weather was with the chill created great friction on the grit - a silver lining!
After a good warm up we tried some tougher problems and then headed to an ideal project for the morning, a classic line called 'The Green Traverse', a V6 grade. A tough traverse made tougher with it being directly in the firing line of the wind. But after a few attempts, we decided to head to a more sheltered face and find another challenge, one were we could concentrate on the climbing rather than the weather.
I managed to flash a V3, V4 and a V5 and worked the first section of deliverance V8. I just need to get my feet into a position to have a big pop to the top. It will go, but question is when? Practice, perseverance and patience.
It was a great day out in the Peaks and looking forward to returning once the fingers have recovered. A tick fest of lower grade problems on the cards and I have my eye on some V5 & V6 projects.
Big thanks to Robin, Rowland, Sam, James and everyone else that we climbed with, a good day and psyched for more.
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