Looking ahead - thinking back

Tophet Wall. Late September 2002. Arrived late, losing the sun, wind getting up. First pitch felt straight in at the deep end after an extra long walk in via Grains Gill. Made the moves, belayed, and upwards and onwards. Led the hand traverse, felt comfortable with the exposure. Peter led the last pitch, all flapping goretex and whipping ropes.

Unforgettable.

October 2006.  Great North Road P2. Colin on belay. "It's up there". Climbed up, small holds, getting smaller, gear in, close to limit, climb down. Look at Colin. He looks back. I gather myself and climb, up past the gear, out over the drop, up under the roof, flap in a wire, useless! Grab a cam, ram it in, clip it and breathe. Breathe some more. Pull up and round, angle eases, more gear in! It's done! Look down and there is my Dad at the bottom of the crag, he'd come along to watch the game, just like he used to do when I was a 16 year old in the first team, sneaked up without saying anything.

Unforgettable.

Another view

© ipfreely

UKC Mar 30 2021