NYM on a Whim

Saturday 2nd April

Incoming message from BP at 09.01 offering a session up on the NY Moors.  Replied with the GO-CODE at 09.06 and by 09.24 the fix was in.  An afternoon visit to the go-to crag of the decade;

Scot Crags Scugdale

Setting out from York and Darlington, the weather was glorious.  Swainby on the other hand was in its own microclimate, as is often the case.  The rope was out from the off, seemed sensible given the contradiction of bright sun and intermittent showers - rice-grain pellets of hard white sleet.  Persistence paid off as things got better and by 2pm all was optimal.  Warm rock, blue sky, no wind, and satisfying rock action.

AT ready for climb #3 as the weather improves.

Up to then it was a bit gnarly.

After wasting a few minutes trying to start Saints Wall, AT gave up praying and settled for a pleasant lead on Oak Tree Wall.

BP duly showed the way up the awkward start up SW, seen here with belay and matching beard.

At managed to get up Pets Corner without drama

Then BP got another entry in the dogbook, 

 .....with a steady lead up Pups Climb at 4b

The finishing moves are gratefully well protected after some thin moves above good gear where offsets rule.

Look at that sky, life's begun.

Woodpecker Wall has nothing going for all those wires and bongs cluttering AT's harness.  

But good friends come in handy, and the added gear adds weight to the training element.

Remus is always worth roamin' up

Towards 5pm conditions now near perfect for a few of the regular routes at the right hand end.

Rude not to.

Time to repair to the Black Horse for a sunny libation in the outside garden

Marvellous