Rich and Margaret Best have just come back from a great week in the Lake District Rock Climbing. It was only the second time on the rock for Margaret this year, but she quickly got back to form and ticked off a whole host of Lakes classics including Jean Jeanie at Trowbarrow, Asterisk (MVS), The Crack (VS) and Kipling Groove (HVS) on Gimmer, Murrays Direct (VS), Leopard Crawl (HVS), and Tarkus (E1) on Dow, and some excellent bouldering on Eskdale granite at Fisherground.

A fantastic week – cheers Marg!

Margaret Best on Asterisk – Gimmer Crag

Margaret on crux of Kipling Groove – Gimmer Crag

Rich has been enjoying plenty of good autumn rock hits lately, with a very productive trip down to Pembroke with Jonny Morgan last week and 2 days out guiding in Wales with Duncan Smith this week – long may the weather continue…

Duncan on Idwal Slabs, N Wales

Rich has just returned from a brilliant sunny trip to the Lakes with Duncan Smith. Warm dry weather allowed visits to some of the famous mountain crags including Dow Crag, Pavey ark and White Ghyll. Classic routes enjoyed were Eliminate A (VS), White Ghyll Wall (VS), Slip Knot (VS), Crescent Slabs (HS), with the highlight being the superb Golden Slipper (HVS) on Pavey. Just in time – the mountains are probably a bit damp up there by now!

In the last week of May Rich, along with a team of fellow Sheffield climbers (plus one American…), went to the remote Hebridean island of Pabbay in search of steep rock, sunshine and sheep ticks. They found everything they were looking for!

Pabbay is an amazing place, only a few miles long but with a series of stunning cliffs set amongst the rugged coastline. More of an expedition than a rock trip, the long drive to Oban leads to a 5 hour ferry journey, before the rough ride in a local fishing boat leads to the final destination. We waved our captain off ‘hopefully see you in a week then’, and we were suddenly alone on our desert island.

An amazing 6 days of sunshine followed, with ascents of many island classics including the magnificent ‘Prophesy of Drowning’, surely amongst the best E2′s in the UK. Highlights included Nick Sellars and Tom Briggs’ new 3 star E6 on the right hand side of the Great Arch (of Dave Cuthbertson/Lynn Hill fame), Rich and Tuftys battle with the Ancient Mariner (E4/E5) on the Pink Walls, and showing off our national treasures to Jeff (the visiting Yank).  An essential experience for sea cliff lovers – we vowed to return…

Endolphin, E4

 

Prophecy Of Drowning, E2

Sugar Cane Country, E4/5

A quick report and photos from Ian Hey, our North Wales rock instructor on this weekends bespoke rock coaching course.

Saturday – A very windy day at upper tier of Tremadoc. Covered all the basics, did lots of climbing finishing with a VS, abseiling with and without prussick and started looking at the ropework for setting up top ropes.

Sunday - Sunny day at Tremadoc. Christmas Curry with Rob and Karen simu leading and belaying each other. Shadrach in parallel to finish off the day.