The Magic Flute

Went on top of the Little Orme today with the Spide to the Hole of Creation. This is an amazing bit of crag with one trad route and one sport route. Spidey got things going leading The Hole of Creation E3, this is a very atmospheric funky climb. It starts up a big feature before a high crux bridging up a pod. It was cold, i seconded it and it felt hard, cold hands!


Then we got on George Smith's classic 7c tufa The Magic Flute. This is an amazing feature, surely one of the coolest 7c's in Britain. After working it and a couple of duff goes i got it bagged. Very nice and one hard stopper move!


After i bailed to join the masses in the Cave, gettin the love back for the place. Good sesh.

A Day in the Cave

I went to the cave today to meet up with males Robins and Bransby and to get out of the house. I haven't really bouldered properly since summer and it showed. I didn't feel my usual self in there, in fact i felt like i was climbing with a small child on my back. I've been on a real downer with British bouldering recently, maybe its because i've done it too much over the last few years, or maybe its because the majority of it is pretty shit, who knows. I mean when you've been going to the Diamond and then your in the Cave its hard to get psyched. Anyway i brushed off the initial dismay and got stuck in. I felt heavy and weak but it wasn't a disaster. My best effort was probably tickling the shot hole on Trigger Cut. I had only climbed once with Ben on Kudos wall and his climbing dismayed me greatly so i braced myself for more dismay. After warming up he flashed Rockatrocity, dragging every single hold, it was something else. He was shaking out on the last move trying to figure his body position out. I expected him to be powered out and drop the move. HELL NO he finished it off. Pete was working on the project from Bonnie into the left wall, by the end he was dropping what is effectively the last move. This will be a good addition when he does it. By the end of the session i had re-discovered some psyche for bouldering, even if it is to be strong for routes. I would quite like to finish off Halfway snd Broken Heart/Sams finish in the Cave (both of which i dropped the end this year). And then theres always the big link on the Box, Drink Driving/Last Rites is the most inspiring link in Britain for me but the only problem is another level of performance will be required!

Welsh Connections

Out soon is the latest film from Dave Brown now of Bamboo Chicken Productions.
Back in March i did some climbing on Pill Box for Dave's camera. I was impressed with how cool he made the Box look (we all know its a world class bouldering destination). I did a lot of climbing that day and returned in the summer to get Jack the Drunk on film. Dave and his missus Lynwen were genuinely psyched for the Welsh scene and wanted to capture its diversity and some of the years highlights. I've seen the film and was impressed. The film has a different feel to Dave's other big hits which at times were a bit to centered around the big names rather than the experience IMO. I think he's turned it around in this production. Sure some of the big names are still there but the climbing and the experience takes more prominence. The film has a bit of everything bouldering, sport, trad, DWS and is definetely a labour of love i'd say. I also think Dave has made the right choice charging a bit less than the standard 20 notes for his film. I actually think he'll sell more in the long run and 15 nicker is a fair price. You certainly get a lot of quality footage for your money. No surprise that for me the highlight was Pete doing Liquid Ambar, was so nice to see the actual ascent and was good to see a man performing at his limit on what still is a pretty tricky route! So thats it go check it out.

Some Footage:

Jack The Drunk - Chris Doyle from Bamboo Chicken Productions on Vimeo.

Welsh Connections climbing film trailer from Bamboo Chicken Productions on Vimeo.

Good Conditions at Last (but the tides in)!

The last two days down the Diamond were finally climbable. Saturday was still a bit greasy but manageable, today was bone dry but a tad cold on the fingers. In these two days i got to the high redpoint crux twice. Its proving to be a bit of a drag from the ground that move. Still there's not much left to do after it, just need a bit more in the tank and hopefully i'll gain this in the wall in the next week. I really do have to get pumped most days now just to get this bugger in the bag, its within my reach thats for sure! I'm pretty calm about the whole thing really. This is probably the longest i've ever spent on a route i think but a good seige never hurt anyone. I'm enjoying the process, after all it is such a treat climbing on a route of this quality so close to home. Having said that i'm ready to finish it and this will be the end of what has been a good year for my climbing.

First Canine Ascent of the Handline

STRESS!

Times are hard here in Penrhyn Bay. Projecting a route at your limit on the Diamond is proving to be extremely stressful! I'm happy with my efforts and progress on the route what i'm not happy with is the external factors that are beyond my control! Having to contend with the tides is one thing but conditions are so fickle at the bloody place its becoming infuriating. Yesterday i was feeling good but was just greasing off. Any kind of dampness in the air and your buggered! And now it gets dark at five so you get even less time down there! Ahhh!! Deep breaths, must stay positive. I think i'm just gonna train even harder and get the best shape i can then when the good day comes along i'll crush it. I know i can do it.
Tomorrow People:

Nodder making a speedy getaway:

Hysteria Re-equipped

Was at a loose end yesterday morning so went down the Diamond on my tod to glue Hysteria 7b, Pete Harrison drilled it and left a rope in situ making it easy for me. Looks like a fun route, very steep! The weather isn't good for the Diamond right now, hot an damp, yesterday was gopping! Then i jumped ship to the Great Orme to meet Tony S, made a redpoint ascent of Fawcetts testpiece Needle in The Groove 7b+, very nice if shortlived route on mayfair wall. May the lord of the ormes bless us with some good conditions please!