I'm on the start of Isis (HVS 5a), at Lewes Castle

The upper section of Isis

Below the Crux of Seth (E1 5c)


Still just below the crux

It started to rain as I was standing outside Kwik Fit waiting for my car, so I thought - no climbing tonight then.. But they took longer and longer on my car, and so I had time to watch the rain stop - climbing was on again :)

I felt well rested after a day off - so here we go - catch some climbs before the rain moves in again. With my car off the ramp, I joined up with Claire Sansom and headed for Lewes Castle on Gower.

We started on Isis (HVS 5a) and moved onto Seth (E1 5c, been wanting to do it for ages). Claire found Seth easier!! I found Isis easier, even though it was a little steeper. All awesome limestone climbing. As Claire seconded Seth, the rain came in, and we walked to the car in torrential rain. But I didn't mind because I haven't seen rain in so long !

Another day off tomorrow - so back to Kwik Fit to finish the work :) (I don't mind if it's raining, and I think it'll rain tomorrow)...

A Weekend At Longtown

This weekend I was working for Longtown OEC. I spent the Saturday with the Yr 9, caving. I pushed them hard, and at the end of the day, they still hadn't broken :) - so they had a good adventurous, challenging time. On the Sunday we did high ropes, climbing tower, and the kayak pool... I took lots of photos as usual, but when giving them to the Longtown computer, my card got formatted and I lost all photos :(

Oh well... Technology eh.. Maybe a day off tomorrow?

Abseiling, Swimming, Ducking, Squeezing - Caving !

This is the abseil rig into the right of the twin avens (entrance H)

Today with Year 9, I set off for Porth Yr Ogof. We started the day with an abseil into entrance H, the right twin aven. After this we set about 'The Letterbox', 'The Corkscrew', 'Deathledge 3', 'White Line', 'Sarah's Passage', 'Washing Machine', 'Main Entrance Swim' etc. I even had time to swim the 'Sump 4', upstream - only had to hold breathe for a second :) (not the group !). A better than average day in the cave...

Today I was working for Glasbury House OEC.

22nd, 23rd, 24th, Paddling !

Monmouth to Redbrook

Not what I expected, when thinking about the possible hazards on the river

Tuesday - Hollybush to Hay,

Wednesday - Monmouth to Redbrook

Thursday - Gilwern with Year 6.

A week on canoeing and kayaking !!

21st June, Longtown

Back to Longtown OEC this week in Herefordshire (working for Northamptonshire). Today we kicked the week off with the high ropes course and the climbing tower. Richard and Haydn, if you're reading this, do you remember working on these elements ! , a few years ago!

19th June, Catrin and Tanya Climb On Gower Again

This is Boiler slab on Gower, near Overton. Can you spot Catrin Sage in a white t-shirt on the cliff, and me in blue belaying just below the top? This cliff is about 30m high

Catrin tackling an overlap in fine style - there is no name for this route, I think Catrin called it Apple Pie (or something about food :) lol )

These are Catrin and Tanyas' chalk bags, Catrins' on the left. I had some raspberries for lunch - awesome :)

This was the first route of the day - 'Classic' - up the corner

From the safe ledge at the top, Catrin looks down to her mum, Tanya, following up

Catrin climbing something harder now, and taking the gear out as well

Catrin on a wall of limestone - searching for the small positive holds

Such a stunning view. Catrin hanging over the edge - fearless :) Terrific - a 30m drop below

Catrin showing off her chalk bag

Catrin eyeing up the next piece of gear and the next move to get there

Catrin tackling another overlap (a small overhang), and taking out a piece of gear

Another overlap - Catrin seems to do well on steep overhanging routes ... Will have to think about the next climbs ...

Confidently moving up

One of the many many abseils

Catrin sorts out her own abseil

This is the classic photo of Boiler slab from below


I met up with the Sage family in Overton, and we headed to Boiler Slab, dog, picnic (including raspberries) and all :). We set up camp at the bottom of the cliff and immediately set about the first climb - Let's go...

And so started a day of 8 climbs, from HD up to VS 4c. This time Tanya had to belay me on the lead, and they both had to take the gear out on the second. Tanya even 'had to' abseil again to get the last bits of gear - awesome. Now Tanya has done 6 abseils in total (I think I've counted right) - and this was her second day of outdoor climbing - her first, a stacked ab, with Kenny in Scotland! Catrin has done about a million abseils, and is as relaxed as if she's walking the dog - Meg. On one abseil Catrin spotted an old in situ nut - and traversed to start a salvage operation, but it proved to be too rusted, so she left it to the sea air for the next 20 years. !

An awesome day. How did Catrin manage not to get tired, even at 6pm she would have done another !

18th June, Body Boarding

On Friday I took the group to Port Eynon for their last day and body boarding... They loved it and stayed in the sea for over 3 hours ! There were even some waves to ride - believe it lol... A great way to finish the week ...

17th June, Caving

Here we are - about to go into Porth Yr Ogof

From inside the entrance

A bit of adventure :)

I took the year 6 to Porth yr ogof, for their caving 'adventure' ... Of course they loved it (kinda !)..

16th June, Oxwich Bay

Here's my sit on top for the day - down at Oxwich Bay

Here's the rockfall at Oxwich Bay... You can see the sit on top boats on the shore, and a few people - for scale, gives you an idea of the size of these blocks.. So, anyway, we had lunch here so I could check out the blocks for future climbing potoential :) . Up close and personal, these blocks are massive !

Picturesque

Some interesting neighbours on the water - I wanted a go on this board, thought I was gonna get a go -He was more off than on !

Another rough day at the office ! Today I took the year 6 to Oxwich bay for their waterspaorts day - on sit on tops (or better called 'fall offs'). . .

15th June, Evening On Limestone

Ben from Kilvrough Manor (modern apprentice)

Ben is seconding a Gower classic, Scavenger (VS) on 3 Cliffs - the best route (prob) at 3 Cliffs

Enjoying the immaculate limestone climbing

High up now, beginning on the semi layaway moves - awesome climb

Hold on, the tide is coming in ...... I'm belaying Ben on Scavenger now, and I reckon I've got minutes before getting wet, at least I've got great scenery to enjoy ..

At high tide this 3 Cliffs arch will be nearly full of water. At a high spring tide the sea is up to the roof !! Scavenger starts on the other side of the arch on the left..

Okay here we go. Ben is off and running. The tide did come in whilst I was belaying. I did manage to stand on the ledge 1m above the sand, but still the tide came up to my knees !!! - in the end with climb boots full of water, I started climbing before Ben had me on belay, I'd rather be high on a climb, than swimming with the fishes lol. Well done Ben on leading Scavenger :)

Okay, another climb. The rubber on the outside of my boots had dried. This is Ben seconding Arch Slab (VS). The climb goes over the lip of the arch, then up the upper wall. You can see that the sea has come in now and there are several metres of depth of water where we were standing on sand earlier - but I'm not in it now :)

There's one thin move over the lip of the arch - Ben has passed it now

Awesome limestone - Small uber positive holds

Ben was free for a little climbing after work - so I wanted to go to 3 Cliffs to visit a couple of old favs. Started with Scavenger. Ben had a good night of climbing the night before so he was up for a possible lead of Scavenger -but he wanted to 'see an old pro climb it first' - Cheeky b****r.

When it was his turn to lead - I suddenly realised I was going to get wet wet - and yes I did. So with slippery rubber, soaking rope, hands, trousers etc, it made the smooth limestone - exciting !

We then moved on to Arch Slab (with dry rubber by now) and a full sea below us - I'd rescued my approach shoes :)

A good evening , thank you Ben.

15th June, Climbing Day On Gower

Come on England, man up and score some goals !!

Normal stuff, bottom roping at Southgate on Gower

Another normal day at the office - Southgate, approaching low tide.

After the Centre day yesterday, today I took the year 6 pupils down to Southgate for their Climbing day. We definitely pushed their confidence and tested their courage. They all had fun, after abseiling, climbing, srambling etc - oh and rock pooling, finding crabs and anything else that moved in the pools lol....

14th June, Back To Kilvrough

Kilvrough Manor on the Gower

So this week I find myself back on Gower working at Kilvrough Manor OEC. It'll be good to see some of my old friends, and work at the old venues... Awesome, here we go ...

13th June, Rain At Tremadog

Claire Sansom on Poor Man's Peuterey


Claire being careful with the wet rock

The final short chimney

The day was wet in North Wales :(.... Rain, rain rain, so we decided to search for sun at Tremadog - and we had great climbing plans.. Got there - RAIN :(. Even rain at tremadog. Oh well, keen to do something, we did Poor Man's Peuterey (S), ab'ed down Barbarian and went home... A good weekend of climbing.