So it was
off to Greenland which saw the end of Scottish
winter but certainly not the end of winter for me with a brisk -43 (well, off
the scale). A few more peaks also with
Parnas, Gulehorn, Kathedralen and the north top of the Pothorst Bjerge in Jameson Land and a foray in to the Stauning
Alper on Snekuppel (1480m).
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| Another fine day in East Greenland (view west from point 850, above Permdal) |
Back to
summer and back to rock and a fine list of crags:
Bamford;
and the strenuous Gunpowder Crack, with its tricky 5b start, and the classics
of Gargoyle Buttress and Brown’s Crack gave a great day or Howie, Vidya and
myself,
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| On the final photogenic moves of Gargoyle Flake |
Froggatt
esoterica; starting, after a bit of a search, at Tegness Pinnacle which gave a
great start to the day before moving through some great routes on the more
isolated and secluded cracks and buttresses which eventually led us to a few of
the more classic lines with Howie making a fine lead of Motorcade,
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| Atop the Tegness Pinnacle |
The Lakes;
with Tophet Wall and Eagles Nest Ridge Direct offering the introduction with
Zeb and Drew, a brief adventure in to a sport(ish) quarry in the evening to
meet up with Harry and a run up the Troutdale Pinnacle Superdirect to beat the
weather before beating a retreat back south to Cambridge after a great weekend,
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| Zeb starting up Tophet Wall |
Stanage;
with Cold Turkey and Cave Arete suggesting I might be ready to push my grade,
Dovestones
Tor; saw a good turn out from the CUMC on a baking hot day with Ursula, Drew,
Zeb, Goldie, Ramsay, et al. and a chance to make that leap to E1 with the
‘easiest E1 on grit’, Lancaster Flyby.
Dutifully dispatched it led on to some amazing climbs including Great
Buttress, Thread Flintstone and Route 1 by the Shylock Finish.
Harborough
Rocks; yes, I like grit and this was not going to change my mind but nice to
catch up with Vincent once more and then carry on for some classics at Birchen
in a midge infested evening.
Birchen; a
midge infested evening still better than limestone and ticking a few I have
previously missed (Hammock, Captain’s Perogative) and providing a nice
introduction to grit for a very keen Dutchman – more keen to get to the pub
after he discovered the Black Lurcher at the Three Stags Heads,
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| Almscliff |
Almscliff;
why have I never been there before! Fluted Columns, Square Chimney & Whisky
Crack, The Traditional Climb, Demon Wall and to finish, the stunning
Overhanging Groove which I just managed to hold on to……unlike Demon Wall.
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| Overhanging Grove at Almscliff |
Stanage;
again to round off the gritstone training for Arjan with The Flange providing
the highlight for me and a good lead of Central Trinity from Arjan,
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| Stanage |
Pass of Ballater;
provided another great day of climbing in the north with Medium Cool
challenging the nerve and leading to some intense ‘savouring’ in a slightly
damp state and Lucky Strike and Little Cenotaph showing just how much quality
there is in the pass and much more to come back to. A midsummer blizzard on Lochnagar and it was
off to,
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| After 'savouring' the slab of Maximum Cool, Pass of Ballater |
Sandwood Bay; could be the best climbing
location in the world and a lazy climb up Marram made the finale to an amazing
weekend camped in the dunes.
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| Best view from any climb in the UK? |
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| On the second pitch of Marram |
Then I was
to miss the annual meet to Cornwall with another
trip to Greenland. Oh well.
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| Alpine Hawkweed |
