Sands of Time

The weather window arrived as promised, though it was more like 90 minutes than the 8 hours the BBC had suggested! We legged it up the moor (MUCH further than it looks) to Sandy Crag, cracked of the shots I needed then raced up Angel Fingers ("the best HVS in Northumberland") just as the rain started again.
We ambled back down with the wind over shoulders, chatting away and trying to remember exactly when we were last up there. Back at the pad a check of the guidebook revealed it was September 1979 - half -a-life ago - where does the time go?

Northward one more time

A week in Northumberland was the plan to tie up the loose ends, so we slipped away early, and headed up the A1. A brief detour had me thrashing through the jungles of the Eavestones, and getting blasted on the minor grit of Crag Willas (where is that do I hear you say?) before we hauled up to classic sandstone at Simonseat and Ravensheugh.
Colin arrived and Bruce turned up too; amazingly we had Corby's to ourselves - and on a Saturday - I manage 10 routes, Binky went into overdrive with 16! My tally included Tiger Feet (E1 5a **), Sunshine Superman (HVS 5a ***) and Ranadon (E2 5b ***) all routes I had never done before.
As we packed in and headed for the cottage the rain arrived and much, much more is forecast for the Bank Holiday - especially down south!

Tidying Up

Before the great spring weather decided to break we had another weekend visit to the Dales to start tidying the Yorkshire grit section of the new Northern England guide. Conditions were superb as I skipped round Rocky Vally and Rylstone, getting a nice set of pics of these great cliffs - there were not many climbers about though!
The following week it was still superb so off we went once again - the Chevin, Caley, Earl and Eastby followed by tea and a beer in a boozer in Skipton, then a night's B&B in the pub in Eastby. The next day was another cracker so it was up to Simon's Seat, for photography, sunbathing and a bit of soloing. Its a grim job but someone has to do it!
That just leaves Northumberland to sort out - so that will be Half Term week occupied.

Weekend Shooting

The amazing spring weather continues, as does the galloping round to get all the required photographs for the up-coming volumes. It started Friday with a trip down to Willersley with Graham and Dan - the crag was bone dry and even catching the evening sun. Dan dispatched Great Corner then we move along to Cucumber Groove.
Next it was over to Harborough - Sara had just arrived and we tootled up to find Colin who had beaten us there by ten minutes.
It was a glorious evening and the crag was deserted, some pleasant banter and a clutch of routes, and of course the requist photographs. Then back to Willersley to collect the A team and a pint at Beeley on the way home - very pleasant!

There and Back again

That's that then! Four months away and now it is back to the more mundane world of work - mind you the weather is nice! The hottest day of the year so far and a large, jolly team headed to Staden Quarry, a few others were already there as it is an ideal venue on sultry days.
Most of the classics were ticked in good style and on the way home we stopped at the Red Lion, Litton for a pint in the evening sun - summer has arrived!

Easter in Ariege - the reprise

Colin arrived (and Graham was dropped of - seamless organisation!) at Carcasonne, and through sunny at the airport, in the hills it was still a bit unsettled. We checked into base then decided to head for a couple of hours sport at Arabaux, a small but pleasant limestone crag only fifteen minutes drive from the pad. Eight excellent routes later it was back for a wind-down and an evening meal.
As it turned out it was a good job we did the routes as the next two days were wet and cold, with temeratures around five degrees and snow well down the hillside.
Good Friday was better - a good Friday in fact, so we headed for Sinsat, where we did three fine routes, kicking of with the two pitch outing of ** (5b+, 6a+) quality rock. Then it was the the three pitch classic of Skull Groove (4c,5b,5c) with polished rock and a few damp streaks adding to the fun. The final route was th 35m pitch of ** a sustained and tough 6a+. There was only one other team on the cliff and the outward views were superb. We headed back to the car as big clouds towered overhead and hailstones bounced - time for home!

Vive la Difference!

The steady eight hour drive from the Blanca wasn't quite the chore we had feared, with clear roads and good weather. The Pyrenees were snowy and impressive, and by the time we arrived at Ariege the temperature had dropped to 7 degrees and there was drizzle in the air - we were in a new and different place! Despite the forecast it dawned bright and clear with a good covering of snow on the tops. We headed into the hills and abandoned the car at the end of the cleared road, a steady hour and half plug through the snow led us to a couple of cabins in the woods.
We saw several skiers, a few snow-shoers, and most bizarrely a guy on a dog sled being pulled by six huskies - weird!