Ardnamurchan - 29th April

Lena starting Ring of Fire (HVS 5a**)

We all decided to head back to Meall an Fhir-Eoin for our second day (most people's 3rd day). It's a place where everybody can choose a climb to suit them (lots of slabs, walls, corners, and overhanging cracks), and still chat to the neighbouring teams. Lena started on Ring of Fire which is a varied, excellent HVS - on perfect rock again.

Lena on the hand traverse of Ring of Fire

Lena at the finishing wall of Ring of Fire - even though the friction is huge, there are some tricky 5a moves on the last wall.

Clear blue skies, and normally nobody to be seen for miles, but this weekend there were quite a few teams there.

I'm about to do battle with Mirka (E2 5c**)

It was my turn to choose a lead. I'd been eyeing up a steep overhanging crack called Mirka. I normally avoid anything steep, so it was time to work the weakness! Unfortunately, after the climb, steep and overhanging is still my weakness!! After I finished the pitch, Lena walked up it, cleaning the gear on the way, only pausing for the photos!

Matt cruising Mirka (E2 5c**) - later Ken did the same

Lena about to attack the crack of Etna (E1 5b**)

Lena was now looking for a bigger challenge and so it was time for her first E1 - Etna. The steep wall has a crack which has some steep 5b moves - for most people. I can just get my fingers into the upper crack, but for somebody shorter, it is 5c, needing to put in some additional moves to get to the crack!

The crux of Etna was 5b for me because I could easily reach the upper crack holds, but 5c for Lena, doing 5 intermediate moves!

As the skin on the fingers wore out, so time ran out and we had to leave Ardnamurchan, and it's blue skies.

Back to work this week, but after being on a climbing trip for so long, I think I've forgotten what day it is!! At the moment, every day is a Sunnyday in Fort William.

Catrin and Tanya Day 1 - 9th April

Tanya starting up pitch 1

I met Tanya and Catrin for a week of climbing in North Wales, on the Monday morning - but it turned out to be the worst weather of the week, and it was very tempting to go indoors from the beginning. I wanted to try and find an outdoor alternative which was possibly dry and which would suit everybody. We headed for Carreg Hylldrem and took a look at the Hylldrem Girdle (HVS 5a). The rain was coming down heavy and constant, but the main climbing area on the route was dry. Lena was going to give me a hand today - so she took up position, belaying in the tree at the start of the first pitch and belayed everybody across.

Catrin starting up pitch 1

I led the pitch and found the main holds dry and still chalked up, so all was well, but the rain was being blown into the crag more than usual by the wind, and so much less of the climb was dry compared to doing it in the rain on previous occasions. Catrin was the only person with the wisdom to wear waterproof trousers (!), so possibly she stayed the dryest, and Lena was the wettest, belaying in the tree for so long! The pitch was dry enough to use chalk but my rock shoes were fully saturated.

Lena starting up pitch 1

Tanya had a good fight with the wet holds and damp 5a climbing, she hung around a couple of times but her natural determination got her to the belay. Catrin enjoyed the pitch, but was cold at this point, so did really well making cold hands hold onto the rock. Lena seconded well, being fully cold! This was obviously a hard start to the week, but a good adventure for everybody.

At the end everybody needed to retreat to the comport of warm indoors to try and dry for the next day.

Glen Nevis

SW Buttress - with SW Diagonal (HVS 5b*) across the middle

The weather turned out better than the forecast suggested, so we snatched a couple of hours of climbing in Glen Nevis at SW Buttress and Styx Buttress. I had a go at SW Diagonal, before the OB team turned up for an abseil. As the guide book suggested, there is a hard move at the beginning, but is well protected.

Styx Buttress with Damnation (VS 4c***)

Lena climbed Damnation which is excellent, clean climbing on good holds in an intimidating setting, through a roof - brilliant.


Hopefully the rain and midges will keep away...