Thursday 9 October 2014

Post Summer Scaling Adventures

I've managed to get outside a couple of times in the last 2 weeks just before the turd weather arrived.

Crafnant

Mills & Jack @ Chez Hudssion
A couple of weekends ago, Millso and 8c Jee were over in N Wales, so we got together and hit up Crafnant along with O and Alec.

We were blessed with dry weather and grips, with the lightest of breezes making it bearable and friction-filled-fun!

We started off climbing out of a dank hole, which featured a funky right hand dish and pop to sloper move, then moved over to Grasswind, where Jee and I managed to scramble our way up to the top. The face on go again move is really good.

Some lanky ginge topping out Asswind
After this, it was a short hop, contouring across the sketchy slope to arrive at the main boulder.

Return of The Upton Crimp!
Jee managed a rapid ascent of Wonderwall and I bailed off the top-out after a scream of fearful desperation in failing to turn my right palm as the sun beat down on the slippery top! I slid off into the hands of ace spotter/groper T Mills esq. and survived.

Whilst taking a long rest and waiting for the sun to go behind the hills, Jee did a tour of the boulder ticking off Riley's, Cruella and Special K before departing with Ruby.

O, Alec and Tom all made good progress on Cruella but had to give in with sore skin and dodgy knees/joints. I managed to drag my arse up Wonderwall next go, after a 30 min rest and no rewarm up, which was savage on the fingers and I felt wrecked on the top! We were a right old bunch of semi injured semi veterans.


Maes Newyddion

Louis Start
I was blessed with a dry day off work last Friday and managed to sneak up Maes Newyddion late morning, making the now very familiar treck up the winding road to arrive out of breath as always.

I was determined to crush Grey House into atoms and not have to face that walk again and set about warming up on budha roof until I could feel the blood return to my fingertips from pulling on the sharpness.

To cut a long story short I had lots of shit attempts, then 3 good ones on the house, swinging out and back in only to fall off and finally clung on after about 15 attempts... miraculously without splitting any fingers open (just a hole in my right palm from the top!).

The undercut resting station
I thought it might be 8A after my previous visit but slightly better conditions made it feel more like stout 7C+. I think Buddha Roof in comparison may only be hard 7C but who knows?

I sadly didn't get any footage as I have been a bit lazy in not searching for my dodgy old predator vision camcorder since moving over to Wales. I'll make sure to dust it off and start recording Louis sessions in case I fluke it. I've put some pics up on here so you can see my sneaky weak mans methods!

Comps

Spicy Times
With the inclement weather arriving, I've had a go at the Indy and Beacon winter comps. The setting at both has been good and doing this amount of volume (30-40 problems a session) should be good fitness training for when it stops raining and I can get outside. I've got 1 problem left to do at each but don't fancy I'll finish the Blue 8A/+ at the Indy unless the weather stays shit and I'm forced indoors!







Some House View Pics

I've just realised there has been a lack of new house photos on the blog so far. So here are the views from our living room/kitchen/balcony areas :)

The Conwy Estuary and a distant West Shore

Looking out over the river and into the hills

A sunny back garden!

Conwy Castle from the kitchen window :)