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 !