Stomping grounds

Happened to have some spare time in Leeds
So visited some all our yesterdays spots from 40 years back

Used to be in the Arcades, now in St John's Mall

Initial SC digs in 11A Springfield Mount

Me and Karl had top floor room at back

Hiten and Alex in front

A final year in the small front - forgotten his name - think we drove him mad

Many friendly mice

Back then the best I could manage was half a share in a Triumph Herald soft top

Plus ca change.....

Jeremy in the basement

Stuart on the ground floor

Karl middle

Andy up top

Let's do the Time Warp again!

Finished up at Manor Drive
Eileen in ground floor
Helen and Fuad middle
Me up top again

Plus another bloke Martin, who had noisy sessions with his pneumatic GF

Lots of damp in there, parents freaked out when they visited.

Stair carpet stolen the night of a party

Borrowdale crag hoppers

Tuesday 24th June
Quayfoot Buttress
Quayfoot Buttress (VD) BP, AT
Abberration (MVS 4c) AT, BP
Woden's Face
Woden's Face Direct (Variation 4b) AT, BP
Custard Creme (MVS 4c) BP, AT

After an uncertain weather forecast committed ourselves west and were rewarded with a fine day on two bone dry crags after the recent warm spell.  Was last here 12 years ago (JW).  Abberation has been on the list for a while so it was good to get it done.  Plenty of time for the hop across to Woden's Face, arriving just as the large group was packing up... Great!

Setting out on Quayfoot Buttress P2

First 20m full of star quality.

Much better than Sep 2002, when it was damp and scrappy

P1 is quite ok too.

Abberation P1

Up one more move then delicate transition above gear onto the RH face, then more awkward moves through a short off width to a stance.

Got the kettle boiling a bit.....

Route.
P1 mostly hidden by trees

Pic is from June 2009, CB is on "The Crypt" HVS 5a
with MB and son

P2 crux is at start, committing move to gain the slab

After the crux (bottom centre) it's a while before gear arrives.

BP gets it in

Again from 2009, CB and MB on "Irony" HVS 5a

At the bottom left a climber is mid crux on Abberation P2

Below to the left a climber (another A Thomson!) makes thin moves on "Between the Lines" E2 5c

Chatted to him on belay - his kettle had definitely boiled up!

Woden's Face Direct

Variation surmounts the big block.

AT finds more gear
(then swaps blue for yellow to make sense of the ropes)

Bit of a struggle getting the leg over - had to invoke the famous knee trick.


"Have to go back - Jack - and do it again"

Swoondale hot spot

18th June
Gouther Crag
Truss Buttress (NB, PM, AT)
Missplaced Trussed (NB, AT, PM)
Left Edge (AT, NB)

A warm day that cooked up into quite a scorcher, a very different day out to last weeks big Gimmer effort. Three good routes done between us three.  Perfect for the prevailing very warm conditions.

Unknown climber on Truss Buttress

Our party on Truss Buttress P1

NB on Misplaced Trussed

AT above the harder bits on Left Edge

There is a lot of action in this route

The moves through the notch (top right) are terrific

NB deals with the crux moves further down

Left Edge

At the top of any severe you could mention

All warmed up

Great balls of fire!

More pics here

Immer Gimmer

Thursday 12 June
GIMMER!
A Big Day in the North on
Bracket and Slab (S)         NB AT NB/AT NB with PM

The first BDITN for some time, with a heavy duty walk in through swirling mist creating a big mountain atmosphere as NB set off on P1, continuing for AT and the Battle of the Bracket (PM proving that it can in fact be done in fine style) then clearing up in time for NB to find the way to Amen Corner leaving the NeaT BiT for AT with fabulous views down Langdale and across to Bowfell and the Crinkles, so NB finished off up the RH chimney whilst AT had brief skirmish with the LH chimney but lacked the necessary masochism and backed off in the interests of getting to the pub (not to mention the curry house) before closing time. Fantastic day out.  Fizz O'Meter hard against the stop.

Route (pic from 2009)
(click to hunt for 3 pasted climbers, one on "Crimson Pirate" VS)

Atmospherics in June 2014



Crux moves on P1

NB in fine position, about to switch feet and sort it out.

Belays in the mist below the Bracket

AT pushes the bounds of public decency - needless to say didn't get far with this proposition.

PM finds favour with a much more fluent dialogue and so seduces Madame Brackette

...and looks very happy with the result......

Sun out on a spacious belay

Cordelette and power point - solid!

This feature turned out to be a fine option for an other belay.....

PM making some very neat moves

NB very tidy also

What a spot!!

AT finds his niche with another  bomber power pointed belay

Amenlos, Pixelos, and D'Arbracketagnan

More pics here if you have Google Plus access

Walk in 421m ascent, 1.3km, 1 hr 20m

Walk out (steeper) 1.92km, 1 hour

Royal Bengal for tales of derring do.

Rocking drive home NB DJ

Under a Teesdale Sky

June 11th
Ride out back - 13 miles, an hour or so

Stupendous sky

Bus-less

Sunday June 8th
Walk to Headlam
Planned to catch bus back from Gainford - but timetable changed (road works) so had to walk back!
Good work out

8.2 miles about 3 hours plus 30 mins at Headlam for a cold soda on the patio

Just before Headlam

Drinks at our club....!

Nice spot....

Walk through the grounds of Selaby Hall

NY Rehab

June 6th
Scot Crags - Scugdale

A short day in great weather with lots of climbing packed into 14 routes
Good for getting back some sort of form after last Sunday's somewhat torrid time!

Hadrian's Wall (Another one!)

HS4b

Mr P finishing a fine session with a tidy ascent of Scugdale Wall
(MVS 4b)

Good value and quite sustained.

Eight to the power of two

Thursday June 5th

Lunch at Headlam Hall

Splendid...!