Holy Rock

19th September
Recovered from Thursdays bake off - climate returning to seasonal averages thank God - so in that spirit set the co-ordinates for St John's in the Vale and a repeat visit to.....
Church Crag
NB and PM a visited few weeks ago,
NB and AT back in a very cold Feb 2103

Unfortunately pics somewhat AT-centric
Will have to invest in some remote control bluetooth triggered gadget

Playground LR
Cottontail VD
Carricks Climb D
Confidence D
Roger Rabbit VS 4b
Flopsy MVS 4b
All about 12m and with very shiny bolt belays all across the top made for a user friendly session and satisfying climbing

AT bolted in at top of Cottontail.
Blencathra provides an omnipotent background.

Confidence building. Faith in friction is easy to find in this micro-granite medium.

Roger Rabbit at VS 4b looked in need of a bit of a fettle before getting on the lead

Finally found something useable to provide an acceptable margin of safety. a number 2 wire and a medium cam combo.

So

Gear in

Chalk up

A couple more moves and .........

.....prayers answered with two more God-given placements

That old time religion is good enough for me



It's good enough for you

Photomontage alert

Crux on Flopsy
One good wire, made sure it set, didn't kick it out.
(cf last visit)


Holds are up there

All you got to do is believe

Just a quickstep to the right then time for a big
PHEW!

A full 7 minute walk back to the car
Bramcrag Quarry, with its fully bolted Devil's work, catches the late sun left of centre
Get behind me Satan.

Horse and Farrier - outlook

Best not to mention the bench episode

Various Guitar Greats

Best of the West

Saturday 17th September

Been back a week time for a Lakes fix.  Perfect weather for a stride out down the west side, a regular route that never fails to deliver - today it looks as good as it can ever be.

No parties on the crag!

Plenty on the shore

Lunch spot

Bird on the scrounge for left over scraps




Last leg - Skiddaw heather starting to show

9km

Just caught 15.20 bus back to Grange

Cracking day out up there with the best

Sticky Rock

Thursday 15th September
Back from the South - a day out long overdue (+4 weeks) - getting a bit twitchy.  The summer keeps on giving with another warm week.  PM last man standing and well up for action.  Had thought about a session at WF but given possible limitations opted for the much loved
Castle Rock of Triermainagain

One other party present, arrived in a bit of a lather with humidity up near 100%, and when the sun came out properly things got really sticky - fortunately the rock retained its wonderful frictional properties and provided the usual superb climbing and entertainment.

AT steams up the second route of the day

The oddly named Slab Climb

(given the fnish is up a very steep corner)

Beta Alert

(As provided later to AH)

Move up

Side pull on the right
Right foot into base of corner
Left foot onto hold out left

Rock over

Keep calm and carry on

Spirits high in the tropical heat

Next up
Yew Tree Climb P2



PM on a very sharp end

Slabby moves lead to
a steep groove

Juggy

Great gear

Despatched

No fuss

No frenzy

Just sticky

From the belay

View across to today's company on Via Media

Blencathra lost in the humid haze

More company

Uncle Al again!!

Had a look at the bold steep corner

Then opts for a safer finish up Lilith

Wall climb

With one point of Adobe aid

Final scramble to finish a well paced session on quite a challenging day given the heat and humidity

 Uncle Al just visible at he start of Gangway Climb
(by the tree just right of the centre sky line)

Next stop

The Sportsman!

All route lengths are as per guide book so we claim 113m!

Indian Summer in the Wild West

Tuesday 13th September

Mini Heatwave - up to 25

Repeat the walk done earlier with H*2

No mud on the tracks here

Tees

 Teesdale

Romaldkirk

And a welcome refreshment at the Rose and Crown

Seaside and Out

Extended stay coming to a close, what a spell!
Great weather mostly
Together the People Festival Sunday 5th
Abortive attempt to ride the i360 (It broke down!)
Trip to Arundel
Walking the Devils Dike on the Downs
Cinema One More Time with Feeling
Eats at Polpos, Planet India again, exchanging meals in with V&P
Visit Hove Art Gallery
Cheerio Amber and Tom at #5
SWIMMING!! with V and B
Work on bathroom under  way
Sofa no show!!!
Apart from last item ALL GOOD!

Together The People

Hooky rocks Preston Park!










Beach life

We're Domed!

 

Down the Devil Dike Drive

Plenty scope for good days out up here!

Nice pub down round the corner in the valley

Arundel

More pics here

One More Time with Feeling

iPhone lens not up to a right angle for the i360

Blowing a hooly on the front
Hat tied on tight