Peak Pandemonium

 Tuesday 21st June

Just a month short of three years since and Peak District action, finally returned to the same venue as back in July 2019 before anyone had heard of SARS Covid-2.   Good to be back post-pandemic, all was peace and quiet until a bunch of veterans turned up mob-handed and pandemonium broke out.  After putting up with the continuous blather we thought of upping sticks to a nearby venue but said party moved on to Millstone.  Leaving us and another team back in the shady glades that grace the base of the quarried lines on;

Lawrencefield

Heat was building from the get-go, a steady pace and uncomplicated climbing was the order of the day.

Visitors from far afield (Norway and Gloucestershire) enjoying their Peak District debut.

Thanks for use of the ab chaps!

BP kicked our day off with this line (Snail Crack)

Here's the local gang givin' it welly lad!  It wuh reet gudd.

Soon after they headed away for "propuh clarmin" elsewhere.

Peace be with us

AT opts for a wander up Bole Hill.

An awkward mantel at mid height adds interest.

Meanwhile one of ATs shoes went mysteriously missing.

Found hanging off a Norwegian harness!  EH?

BP deals with awkward crux on Nova (HS 4b)

Thought provoking

AT starts the usual gear fest half way up Gingerbread.

Three wires and two cams take care of most of the rest of the route.

No room for error on the final moves.

Belay is bomb proof

Peak debutants going well on Excalibur VS 4c

Sustained climbing.

More sustained stuff.

Great Harry 0

Visitors 2

Floated up it.  Similar to the rock back home?

BP finishes off the day with a fine effort up the corner  of Limpopo Groove.

Hard moves to finish. 

(photo from April 2017)

Locals

Time to head for our own drinking hole.....

Hot Grit

Friday 16th June

CB returns from Peak Sport to get back with a trad programme.  Whitestone Cliff mooted but given the lack of much in the way of routes that long of late, opted for a session at the rarely frequented;

Slipstones

Arrived at the layby 10.30, CB already there fresh from an early appointment in Thirsk.  Dentist had made short work of repairs.  England in grip of a heat wave, but temperatures up north not reaching the southern extremes.  Still pretty warm but there is plenty of friction here.  So hot grit is no excuse to let the grades slip down as the heat goes up.

The back of Bedlin Block was still catching some sun.  AT scuttled up 20 foot crack then CB switched sides to tackle the arete finish on Mantelshelf Wall (VS 4c)

The finish is delicate and run out.

These two obvious lines came next, AT repeated Not So Tight Chimney (climbing needs a good deal more imagination than the name).

After lunch CB waltzed up the big layback to the left.

AT couldn't manage any kind of dance, goes down as a DNF.

Not for the want of trying, four attempts.  Gave it all  physically, but didn't think about options

AT switched to the arete on Bedlin Block and made the delicate footwork stick on Tranmire Arete.

CB moved a few metres right to take on Easy Pickings (VS 4c)

Steep climbing characterises most routes at this crag.  No exception here.

Crux is low down but it keeps going all the way.

AT makes a short traverse to reach the finishing holds of Aces High (VS 4c).

The good ledge on the right was a powerful lure, unfortunately once gained it was too high to reach back right to place good gear in the break at knee height.  So the finish is unnecessarily bold.

Went down and did it again properly with gear in there.   CB belaying from the top.

 

CB still has plenty of gas in the tank to make a clean ascent of Ellingstring (VS 4c).

By this time AT running on fumes and needed a very tight rope and a rest to top it out.

Fortunately refuelling only half an hour away.

Work-rate per meter in the red zone

Released

This day

50 years

Ago

Stuck

on

my 

ears

South Coast Scenes

 June 4th - 12th

Birthday visit (June 5)

Saturday arrival stroll

Cool and Windy

Urchin

Birthday Lunch

Elvis Costello at the Dome

Sunday June 5th

Dione W. on Wednesday

A windy week

West Pier remains

An active week

Meals at Vikki and Pete's

Garden jobs

Town mooching

Promenading

Lunches out

Dorking trip

Two gigs

Meet up Roger and Sue for Curry

Moor Jubilation

 Thursday June 2nd

Finally a settled day in prospect, wind dropping back and a big blue sky greeting the start of the bank holiday Thursday.  God save the Queen and all who sail with her.  Meanwhile the revisionist lackies hatched a plot to man the barricades at;

Scot Crags Scugdale

No bunting bedecking the buttresses of this familiar and ever welcoming venue.  The rock is impeccable, clean, dry and full of friction.  HUZZAH!

After a few solo's here is CB trying out the recently revealed alternative start to Holly Tree Wall.

A few delicate moves up the previously holly festooned slab under the overhang, very nice.

AT is paying attention, honest!

This restored alt-start offers a very different and pleasant approach

AT places more gear to take care of higher moves up Saint's Wall

Oak Tree Wall - BP takes a turn and finds good gear taking care of the rather worrying top-out.

BP follows up Cerberus Crack, been overlooked for too long.

AT threads a way up Whippet Wall

Pet's Corner is inevitably on the list.

Not a corgi in sight.

Bonzo

Shapely

Reachy

CB relaxez-vous on Tooth and Nail

Solid jams take the bite out of the finishing moves 

AT at the almost the same point a little higher up

Jack's Delight gets a look in after being ignored for quite a few visits

Feels quite run out just here

The good thread feels a long way below

The lower break affords friend options

And the holds are positive from now on.

BP launches up the hard moves on the Bulkhead and reaches for the right gear for the next dreadnought placement.

It's all set ready for reinforcements.

CB powers up  - full steam ahead

The holds hereabouts are a little disappointing.  Just have to keep going regardless.

Proper steep.

BP joins CB for a place on the balcony and the adulation of the assembled crowd.

Of one.

Wolf Whistle gets a turn after being second best to Woodpecker Wall for quite a while.

The break has placements for calming devices, just as well as the footholds are friction only.

Romulus is well protected.

By a right royal friend and one good wire where it really matters.

Lovely jubbly.

Moorland scene with climbers

BP follows Nook and Cranny

Corner RH for a change

With thanks to 

TROLL (TM)

Off to the pub!  Jubilation all round!

More pics here