Climbers Club Aspirants Meet

The Climbers Club is more than 100 years old. It possesses an extensive network of huts throughout the country’s premier climbing venues and produces the majority of climbing guide books in the UK. Despite having over 1000 members however it is often perceived as being closed, restrictive and exclusive. Last weekend I attended their ‘Aspirants’ meet for prospective members in the Peak District to see what the deal was…

Bruce leading ‘Neb Buttress’ HVS 5a at Bamford

I arrived at the R O Downes memorial hut late on Friday night and joined in the inevitable game of car Tetris as 20 people tried to squeeze into a car park the size of a tennis court. Inside the busy, noisy hut I was immediately greeted and allocated an alpine style bunk. The next game was Spot the Aspirant! Members strode about with big smiles and booming voices whilst Aspirants seemed to melt into the background. Wearing nervous fixed smiles we gravitated to walls and benches like sheep keeping out of the sun but soon realised there were a good mix of people and everyone was very welcoming.

‘The Blurter’ HVS 5b at Stanage

During the weekend everyone had a lot of fun in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, no doubt assisted by the free food and drink on Saturday night! I climbed a host of routes with several different CC members, the best of which was probably The Blurter (above) at Stanage, a contrasting route including a thin slabby traverse to start, then more technical and steeper moves up a groove and series of roofs.

The club is definitely not elitist or exclusive, the application form and process is a bit long winded but all they want to check is that you’re a safe and enthusiastic climber who’s friendly and respectful to other members and the huts – the fundamentals we would all look for in any climbing partner. Over the course of the meet I bumped into a couple of ‘big names’ in climbing almost without realising since everyone was so down to earth and inclusive. Hopefully I’ll be a paid up [and hut key carrying :) ] member in the near future!

Welsh Road Trip and Squirrel Alert!

Seems like we’ve been granted an ‘Indian’ summer to make up for July and Augusts' showers. Ellen and I travelled to Wales and took advantage of some rare sunshine in its magnificent national parks but ambitious climbing plans quickly turned into a more chilled out road trip to the beach once I realised my foot still wasn’t up to the challenge!

Setting up camp at Whitesand Bay, St Davids, Pembroke

We started out with good intentions however in Snowdonia and went to Dinas Mot in the Llanberis Pass to climb ‘The Cracks’ HS 5a famous for its inclusion in the book ‘Classic Rock’ and also for its final pitch which provides a steep sting in the tail of an otherwise slabby and amenable route. Sadly after completing the route along with a VS variation on its second pitch I decided my foot needed more rest.

Ellen seconding ‘Lorraine’ VS 4c at Dinas Mot

Since climbing was off the cards we headed down to Pembroke instead and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and some tasty food, (as tasty as a super light gas stove and some plastic wine cups allow anyway!) camping on the beach at St. Davids.

Finally, I learnt an important lesson that you might benefit from! Unlike Alaska with its marauding bears or the Alps with its occasional fox, in the green and tranquil lands of Wales I thought it safe to leave some food in my tent. Unfortunately I hadn’t reckoned on the sly Snowdon squirrel which will stop at nothing in its quest for an afternoon snack, including the inner walls of your tent…

Climbing in August

...has been very limited, especially since I injured my foot last weekend and am resting up whilst some ligaments in my foot try to sort themselves out! I did start the month with a good weekend at the Roaches however and led 'Safety Net' E1 5b as well as some nice problems away from the crowds at the Skyline boulders. The only other memorable moment on rock recently was warming up on 'Omega Crack' at Sheeps Tor which must rate as one of hardest VD's anywhere!

Summer in Menorca, Eco Reserve or Package Hol hell?

Menorca is the small peaceful neighbour of Ibiza and Majorca home to gorgeous beaches, azure seas, and meditterean countryside aswell as delectable gin, ma(h)yonnaise and several intriguing contrasts.

Ellen and I took advantage of a villa there for a genuine summer holiday although incidently there is a spot of sport cimbing to be had as well...

Cala Pregonda

The island is a favourite destination of families from all over Europe but the package tour developments are well contained and Menorca's checkered history and strong individual character help retain its charm despite the influx of visitors. Furthermore ,for those in the know, a short walk is all it takes to find the more deserted and wild beaches.
Away from the handful of crowded resorts on the south coast the island's interior is still dominated by small scale agriculture where grand, old, whitewashed Finca's perch on rolling red hills. Estates are divided up by lush pine forests and deep, rocky gorges both home to a wide array of plant and animal species some of which are unique to the island.
Menorca bursts with evidence of human endevour and conflict from prehistoric man, to Moorish conquest in 903AD and Anglo-French battles for European supremacy throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

'Princesses Tower' originally built by the English to warn of French invasion and later incorporated into the Spanish Fortress at 'La Mola'

Todays battle though is for the preservation of its historical culture and natural environment from those of us who flock to enjoy it. In 1993 Menorca was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve to recognise and protect it's uniquely preserved natural environment and agricultral landscapes. In the light of ineviatably rising visitor numbers this must have been a very welcome measure. Recently though this status seems to have become more of a marketing tool and another feather in the cap of islands tourist board, attracting even more visitors rather than acting as a shield against them. In particular, many 'eco-tourists', walkers and animal lovers now have unprecedented access to the island's treasures thanks to the opening of a wide networks of footpaths (Cami de Cavalls) which penetrate some of the more remote areas of the coast. Of course such conflicts and environmental management challenges are repeated all over the world. It will be interesting to see whether this wider access to and appreciation of Menorca's natural beauty will inspire the respect of visitors and responsibility in policy makers to protect it or lead to further incursions and degradation for the sake of tourism incomes.

June 24th - Lower Sharpnose

Back in June, before a break out the in Med, I visited Sharpnose on North Devon's Culm Coast with Pete. The climbs there scale the steep flanks of three narrow rocky fins that jut out into the Atlantic.

Arriving at the rugged Culm Coast with Pete



Lower Sharpnose fins

On the approach to the cliffs you are struck by the fascinating geological spectacle and stunning sea views but once at the bottom I realised how steep they are and the thought of climbing them was a different drama altogether. Pete led an E1 and an E2 whilst I was content to second on my first visit to the crag.

Me seconding 'Out Of The Blue' E2 5b

Central fin with the ragged diagonal crack of 'The Smile' E1 5a

It was a gorgeous day to be at the coast and as the advancing tide covered the bottom of the climbs we rounded off the day with a swim between the magnificent fins.

Chudleigh Re-match

On Saturday Pete and I visited Chudleigh Rocks. I had a score to settle with 'Logic' E1 5b as I tried it last week but resorted to resting on the rope. This time though it went like a dream and was a great start to the day.

Myself leading 'Logic' E1 5b

Pete's lead next and he chose 'White Edge', another E1 5b although as normal for Chudleigh it was quite tricky and relied solely on a couple of old pegs for protection! After a steep pull over a bulge and an exposed step on a slab the belay was reached.

Pete at the belay on 'White Edge' E1 5b

I then led the second pitch which had some more dodgy peg protection and a short section of 5a/b before topping out in typical Chudleigh fashion:

Topping out White Edge at Chudleigh

To round the day off we also called at Saddle Tor on Dartmoor and I linked the very fine Hidden Traverse V4

Saddle Tor and Bonehill

Yesterday Mark and I did some bouldering and soloing on Dartmoor. Highlights on Bonehill were the 'Dark Side' (V1 5c) and 'Trench' (V1 5b) traverses. We also tried the classic Rippled Wall V4 6b but the tough pull at the start defeated both of us.

Mark attempting the start of Rippled Wall V4 6b at Bonehill Rocks

Later we nipped over to nearby Saddle Tor. Here I soloed the short E1 5b 'Mezzotinter' and we tried 'Bjorn Again' E2 6a but pulling on the tiny crystal slopers proved too much again. Finally we had a bash at 'Hidden Traverse' V4 an excellent sustained problem good for buiding stamina!

Mark hoped odd shoes would improve the tiny crystals holds on Bonehill!

Aerobic Wall

On Friday Ellen and I visited Hound Tor on Dartmoor, we warmed up on a few boulder problems before I set up a top rope (controversial!) on Aerobic Wall, a short but very sharp E2 5c. After a couple of goes on the top rope I set out to lead it but whilst there didn't seem a particularly hard move on it, the route was very steep and 'pumpy' and making it to the top before my arms and fingers gave up was quite problematic! Eventually I led it on pre-placed gear but to improve on this style will take some doing, either a leap in stamina to place gear on lead or some serious bravery/stupidity to solo it ;)

Chudleigh 26th May

On Tuesday the sun was still shining down south so Ellen and I had a days climbing at Chudleigh in Devon. The crag gets some bad press due to polish and the odd bit of vegetation but there are some fantastic technical routes there which are well worth a visit. We climbed Great Western, a VS 5a but it could well deserve HVS. The first pitch encompasses some balancy slab climbing as well as a more strenuous traverse. Then the crux 2nd pitch requires a tricky mantleshelf/rockover move to be performed in some steep teritory. Sadly the last pitch is a little loose and a bit of a jungle. It might have been better, although less ecologically sensitive, to abseil off the tree belay after the crux.

The crux pitch of Great Western VS 5a at Chudleigh

Wye Valley 24th May

I spent the Bank Holiday weekend in the beautiful city of Bath once again. On Saturday though I managed to snatch a day's climbing in the nearby Wye Valley. Ellen and I headed to Shorn Cliff with its high quality pocketed limestone routes. There is a great selection of classic lines around HVS and E1. We'd done a couple of HVS's and the day was going well when suddenly a climber on the route next to me took a bad fall and hit a ledge on his way down. Sadly the rest of the day was spent assisting with his rescue. A stark reminder to not fall on slabs or least dodge the ledges on the way down!

Plastic Pulling

Climbing is always at the mercy of the weather and this week's has been particularly unforgiving so I've been doing a lot of indoor training as a result. To avoid the showers during the week I spent a couple of evenings with Pete at the Barn Climbing Centre near Launceston. Whilst it appears very DIY the route setting at the Barn is awesome and as well as a vicious pump you're sure to find some thought provoking climbing as well.

This weekend I set out on the long journey to Snowdonia but the appalling weather forecast brought us up short in Bath and so I've spent a very civilised couple of days catching up with friends and enjoying some night life for a change! On Saturday we did nip over to The Climbing Academy in Bristol. This was the first time I'd visited the South West's newest and most eagerly awaited indoor centre and I was not to be disappointed. The bouldering circuits were varied and covered a broad range of difficulty with plenty of problems at every level to keep you entertained until your arms and fingers could bear no more! Furthermore, the cafe and facilities were excellent and there was a friendly, helpful atmosphere throughout both the clientele and staff. A big thumbs up and I hope to pay another visit soon.

Hangover

Getting established on the overhanging flakes of Hangover E1.

Nooo, no big night out yesterday but a cracking route at Haytor on Dartmoor. Despite the sunshine down south today the brisk wind across the tor was chilling and fingers and toes soon turned numb. Excellent moves on steep granite made up for this though and surprisingly the route felt easier than it looked, possibly nearer HVS than the E1 given in the guidebook.

Steep finishing moves on Hangover.
Photos Kafoozalem.

Col du Tour Noir

As as our last day in Chamonix dawned so too did more glorious sunshine. Sadly we were not all feeling so energetic, after a weeks skiing a few aches and pains were setting in so Jaime and Si decided to hit Les Gaillands for some sport climbing. Meanwhile Ant, Ollie and myself made an early start and joined the weekend queues at the Grand Montets telepherique, planning a day tour from the Argentiere basin.

Ollie and Ant preparing to skin up the Glacier des Amethystes to the Col du Tour Noir

Our original intention had been to cross the Col du Passon and ski down the Glacier du Tour but scrutiny from the Grand Montets summit showed a plethora of wet snow avalanches from the gullies above this route. Therefore we opted for climbing to the Col du Tour Noir instead.
First of all we had to get down to the Glacier d'Argentiere. On the whole, this descent was a gentle traverse line down and across the Glacier de Rognons but it passed through some staggering and dangerous terrain whilst following a narrow, technical track between crevasses and seracs - really quite fun! :)

Glacier des Rognons descent. Ant and myself next to the big seracs on the right!

Ant and I starting the climb up the Glacier des Amethystes. Grand Montets ridge to the Aig. Verte provides a majestic backdrop. Photos by O Mentz.

After negotiating our way down through the crevasses the skin up the Glacier des Amethystes was a walk in the park although Ant on his big heavy resort ski's did start to feel the 'altitude' a little! Skiing back down from the col after our climb gave us more practice/pain on breakable crust snow although we started to get the hang of it by employing tiring jump turns. Ollie, having only skied for a week or two, struggled more with the snow but deserves congratulations for surviving at all! I did however manage to capture this shot of him looking very composed:

Ollie descending the Glacier des Amethystes with Y Couloir on the Aig. d'Argentiere behind

After completing most of the descent difficulties we stopped for a leisurely lunch break, although we did have to fight off a band of fearless Alpine Choughs who obviously thought our baguettes and sauscisson were fair payment for letting us ski through their glorious habitat.

Ollie and Ant at our lunch stop

Take off in front of the Aig. Verte

"Choughin' 'eck lad, eee's afta ar sarnies"

After lunch all that was left was another glorious run out along the Glacier d'Argentiere, watching the north face of the Droites, the Aig. Verte and the Aig. du Chardonnet all breeze past. We quickly dealt with a section of crevasses and then an exposed traverse above the Refuge de Lognan brought us suddenly back on the pistes above the Lognan telepherique station. A quick carving blast past the holiday makers and then it was skis off for the last time this season. A great day to finish on though!

Myself and Ant slightly in awe on the Glacier d'Argentiere dwarfed by 4000m peaks and enveloped in swirling ephemeral clouds. Photo O Mentz.

This was the last day of my ski touring trip to Chamonix and despite the initial poor weather it was a great week of contrast between joyful powder skiing fun and jaw dropping high mountain itineraries. Ski touring lets you travel quickly through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world and with some great fun descents as well it's got to be one of the best ways to enjoy the hills.

Valle Blanche Ski Traverse and Descent

Jaime overlooking the Mer de Glace. The Dru and Aig. Verte overlooking Jaime!

On Friday morning thanks to the wonders of pharmaceuticals I was raring to go and we all headed up the Aiguille du Midi telepherique to ski the world famous Valle Blanche. There are quite a few pics and a video in this post, I make no apologies for any loading times though, it was such an awesome day it has to be shared :)

To get our touring fix after a few days of lazy lift skiing we also decided to skin across the Geant Glacier to Helbronner on the Italian side of the range before skiing down under the Dent du Geant and following the right bank of the Valle Blanche descent to the Mer de Glace.

Ollie and Ant leaving the ice tunnel from the Aiguille du Midi

First of all we stumbled and slid our way out of the ice tunnel and down the infamous East ridge of the Midi. Whilst gazing over at the towering Mont Blanc du Tacul we popped on our ski's and then descended some steep cruddy snow before cruising over to the Col du Midi.

Looking over to Helbronner past Mont Blanc du Tacul. (Skier bottom right for scale)

Ant coming to a stop near the Col du Midi (Aig. du Midi in background)

From here we had to descend gentle slopes past Pointe Lachenal and the Gervasutti Couloir however we were soon faced with ski mountaineers nemesis: 'breakable crust' - imagine trying to ski on a giant Creme Brulee and you get some idea. The tough snow conditions delayed us a little but eventually we made it down and were putting on our climbing skins under the Aiguille du Diable and Pyramid du Tacul. With skins on we started the climb up to Helbronner past the Aiguille de Toule and Le Grand Flambeau.

Ollie and Jaime skinning past seracs, Les Capucins in the background

Fresh tracks descending from Helbronner

After a quick stop at Helbronner we started our descent and found perfect powder :)

Myself descending from Helbronner. Video L Friel.

Next we had to negotiate a steep pitch of powder and crust and I had to dodge a crevasse at the last minute (thanks guys...). This brought us above the Geant Seracs which we skied past and down onto the Mer de Glace for lunch in a magnificent spot on the moraine.

Myself skiing down past the Geant Seracs

Jaime celebrating at lunch on the Mer de Glace

Skiing down the Mer de Glace was remarkable; effortlessly gliding down miles of pristine glacier whilst rock and ice rose upwards for thousands of metres on either side of us was an unforgettable experience.

Myself, Ant, Lawrence, Jaime and Si on the Mer de Glace. Photo O Mentz.

Sadly it all had to end somewhere and at this time of the season it's impossible to ski all the way back to Chamonix so we rejoined the tourist hordes at Montenvers and caught the historic train down to the valley for tea and medals.

Chamonix Powder

Me making fresh tracks at La Flegere. Photo O Mentz.

I arrived in Chamonix with a group of old uni friends last Saturday evening. Craning our necks skywards to take in the magnificent view of the Chamonix Aiguilles reminded us just how big the mountains are out here. Those of Scotland seem like foothills in comparison. Sadly the view did not last long and there's been dark clouds, high winds and big dumps of snow across the whole Alps this week. The plan was to do some ski touring, possibly the Haute Route between Chamonix and Zermatt or otherwise a series of day tours around the Mont Blanc massif.
Weather conditions have been very poor though and the masses of new snow on the hard icy base has led to a high avalanche risk throughout the area. Consequently we have just been going powder skiing but that's no great hardship! As its the end of the season and visibility has been so poor the mountains have been deserted and we've got plenty of 'freshies' :)

Ant, Jaime, Lawrence and Myself at L'Index. Photo O Mentz.

Lawrence in the trees at Grand Montets

Myself enjoying some atmospheric tree skiing at Grand Montets

Today though the sun finally came out and the skiing was 'all time' lol! Sadly I've no photos of this because I stupidly went for a drop on the first run of the day, got some good air and splashed down into soft powder but as I skied away triumphantly I realised I'd pulled something in my back and was now suffering some muscle spasms which spelled the end of my day. Fingers crossed for a miraculous recovery otherwise I might be flying home on a stretcher!

Sun, Cider and Extreme Rock

A climbing trip to West Cornwall is a special occasion. Of course there are the sheltered sandy coves and clear turquoise seas but a little exploration soon yields the famous golden granite cliffs braced against violent Atlantic swells, always though within distance of a cosy pub or decadent cream tea. On top of the unique surroundings however is the feeling that you've strayed off the beaten track (despite the holiday crowds) and maybe even stepped back in time a little. A time where things move that little bit slower. Sort of like the Caribbean with but cider instead of rum and the Wurzels rather than Bob Marley! Last weekend was no exception:

Me seconding the traverse pitch of Suicide Wall E1 5c at Bosigran

Stuck in traffic near Gurnards Head

An early start Saturday morning and fast roads delivered Pete and I to Carn Barra near Porthgwarra on the south coast. We timed our arrival perfectly and the sun had just about dried off the remains of high tide. A quick abseil got us to the base of the routes and we climbed Axis VS 5a, Dialectic E1 5b (one move wonder) and Fourteen Fathoms E2 5b (tricky but fairly soft for E2).

Me leading Dialectic E1 5b at Carn Barra

The routes here were really good but in the back of my head I was always thinking of something else, that was the classic Bishop's Rib E1 5b at nearby Chair Ladder. I've wanted to test myself against this route for months now, so later in the afternoon as the sun started to wane, we moved over to Chair Ladder and descended to the wave washed ledges underneath one of Cornwall's most famous climbs.

My nerves were kept under control by the need for speed and efficiency in order to complete the route before dark, well, they were until I started the bold delicate traverse of pitch 1 and a hold ripped off in my hand! Eventually I scurried across the poor holds and made it too a rest and good protection. Next came the crux, a couple of hard moves up to a roof and then a strenuous yet balancy pull over it. It was certainly the hardest sequence I've ever led and felt even less secure due to the salty humid air which kept my sweaty hands struggling for grip. A wave of adrenalin and downright fear swept me over the forearm pump and the final few run out moves and suddenly I was at the belay! Relieved and utterly speechless.

Me getting in some much needed gear before the roof on Bishop's Rib E1 5b, Chair Ladder

Walking back through the fishing hamlet of Porthgwarra after climbing at Chair Ladder

Saturday was completed by a few celebratory pints of local 'apple juice' and a live band in the First and Last Inn near Lands End.

The rest of the weekend was spent around Bosigran on the north coast. We climbed Suicide Wall E1 5c which was definitely no easy tick and felt stiff at the grade. There's some classic climbing on it but in serious situations and it felt harder than the grades suggested. I had to resort to resting whilst seconding the hard pitches and battling with Pete's 'well seated' gear. We also did some shorter routes on the west face of Bosigran Ridge ('Commando' Ridge). The highlight of which was Galipolli E1 5c a highly technical but well protected slab route.

After all the hard granite action I'll be giving my fingers a rest and tomorrow I depart for Chamonix to do some ski touring :) Better get my snow legs back again.

Spectacular abseil decent from Bosigran Ridge