The rainy forecast did not deter the dedicated team that made our way up to the Lake District on Friday night to celebrate the sunny summer solstice. Finally getting around the A14 traffic crux, Djuke and Jess and I arrived at Alan and Amanda's house in Kendal to find beers already poured for us.
At the crack of noon on Saturday we parked the car in a boggy field in Borrowdale and trekked for an hour through the rain to Raven's Crag, where we could still spot a few orange helmets on the rock through the mist. Our project for the day: an 8-pitch 3(?)-star route called Corvus, come rain or shine or anything else. The rain picked up as we put on harnesses and Djuke cheerfully bounced up the first slabby pitch.
When Jess and I arrived at her belay in a waterfall, we were already soaking and cold. I barely stopped to sort out gear and headed up the next pitch, which began directly up the waterfall for a couple of meters. Grimacing--but a happy grimace, if that's possible--as water rushed down the sleeve of my waterproof while I felt around for the holds, I soon stepped out into a slimy v-crack and got a bomber blue hex in at about shoulder-height which gave me the confidence to finish the pitch up to a flat belay ledge.
The next pitch belonged to Jess, who had climbed this route several years ago and promised us that the views down to Borrowdale were lovely on a clear day. We could only wipe the water out of our eyes and nod as she led off into the cloud, traversing on blocks and then heading up a rib and into a chimney. If my camera had not been buried safely in my rucksack, I could have got a very nice silhouette shot of her perched outside the chimney.
When I reached her at the next belay--a full ledge with a mixture of mud and stone-- I stood around long enough for my numb feet to sink into the mud before shaking out my now-purple fingers and getting moving up the next pitch which was dripping with water. Another soaking belay later, Jess led the hand traverse which would have been delightful on a dry day but in the current conditions was quite the accomplishment as the foot-holds left something to be desired.
We finally topped out at 8pm, celebrated a solid Type 2 Fun day with Jamaican ginger cake (thanks Jess!), and took the long way around to get back to the car by 9pm yet still in relative daylight. At least, it would have been daylight if the clouds had cleared.
We triumphantly made our way back to Kendal to find dinner and good banter waiting for us, and spent the rest of the evening rehydrating with cider and Monkey Whisky after a solid mountain day.
Thus Sunday was a bit of a slow start but along with Amanda, Alan, Tubbs, and Rob we headed for Gouther crag at Swindale, which Amanda promised had the best chance of dry weather anywhere in the Lakes. Fortunately she was right, and we spent a delightful afternoon on Kennel Slab, Left Edge, and some horrible "classic" chimney into which Tubbs disappeared for a decent length of time.
An excellent weekend out, two full days' climbing and good company, what more could you ask for?
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