Raven's Return

Saturday September 24th

Heavy rain out west on Wednesday so hung on for a couple of days for better weather to dry things out over there.  Early start and a 1 hour fifty minute drive to the inviting walls and arete at;

Raven Crag Walthwaite

Back in late March AT and NB had to abandon and head to Scout Crag (nesting restrictions).  So a repeat visit was always on the cards. Once again time restrictions in play so wasted no time getting on with a warm up lead up Route 1 at S 4a.  Steady climbing with not much gear at all.  

Route 2  P1 and P2 (left)  and Tritus Protus (right)

AT takes a turn to lead P1 on Route 2

(HS 4b)

Another angle reveals the angle  - some fine positions on both pitches

CB gains the blocky groove at the start of P2  ready to head up and right.

Bright sun on belay.

Glorious

12.15 and time for a spot of lunch.

Perfect weather.

Titus Protus combo

HVS 5a

Steep

Good gear and positive holds all the way

Below the groove leading to the roof

AT followed without too much of a struggle

An airy finish

Good hand holds arrive and the heart rate eases off despite the angle.

© Keith Sanders UKC

One more route, Enterprize 

(VS 4b)

AT wandered into the neighbouring route before coming back to join the arete.  Route finding seems to have taken a holiday of late.

Open climbing with some bold bits.

Walking out at 14.30

All go!

Route 2 (L)

Tritus-Protus

(R)

The Peel Deal

Thursday 15th September

  Back from the Riviera to the Côte D'Arlington.   Missed a week on the crag but time to squeeze in a day out, a quick confab with CB and we settled on a return to the quartz dolerite of the Great Whin Sill at;

Peel Crag

A 90 minute drive and a short downhill walk led us to a start climb time of 10.35.

A NW breeze, much cooler than our last trip here a month ago

AT sets off up Meridian (S) - the route crosses Sunset Buttress diagonally right to left.

Should have headed left at this point to join Twin Cracks but couldn't find the move.

The crucial hold was discovered later by CB, hiding behind that bush.

Cue a mini epic up the red line. 

This route now known as "Meanderin" (S)

CB takes a rare turn to lead Sunset

Some excellent positions in between ledges lead to a fine finish up and left

Still gets Severe.

AT wonders what the Greeks ever did for us on Ulysses (VD)

Very amenable slabby climbing, not all that common at this venue

The finish provides plenty to write home about

CB ups the ante with an excellent lead on Jester (VS 5a)

The overlap is no laughing matter but succumbs to a fine layback sequence.

AT follows without (much) drama.

Saving that for the next route.

The lower third of Overhanging Crack (VS 4c) demands precise footwork to make things stick whilst moving up on small holds and side pulls.

A  #6 finds a good home

A few seconds after this image AT's efforts failed to meet the required standard and gravity took over.

Single point of failure (arrow)

Fortunately, the protection is excellent.  As is CB's click-up belay technique.

Nice to know the system works Wing Commander!

Back on the horse and things go much better second time round

After an awkward foot swap the base of the jamming crack can be gained with a tricky move rightwards.

Good gear and solid jams take care of things for a while.

AT looks at the RH finish 

CB suggests hand and toe jamming up the 2m finishing crack on the left

OK Boss!

AT amusing himself trying to get the 360 cm sling into some sort of shape.

That elephant's head of a boulder made for a walloping belay!

A tough route to finish.

Tiger's Overhang VS 4c

And the rest!

If Jester is VS 5a then this grading is a joke.  AT needed more than a tight rope to follow. (Should have read this from the previous attempt).

"For future reference, commit to the rh high foothold and reach for the good spike handhold"

I

I wish I could climb

Like CB

CB can climb

But we can hold it together

Just for one day

Station to Station

 Saturday 3rd September - Tuesday 13th September

The Great Train Job

Paris 3/9

Nice (Cote D'Azur) 4-9

Verona 9-11

Paris 12/9

Darlington 13/9

Saturday

Day 1

Plan goes west at first hurdle

9.30 to KX cancelled.

So jumped on the 08.30 instead, PL got us there just in time.

So got to St Pancras with loads of time before the 14.25 to Paris

Time for an alfresco lunch at Vinotecha on the plaza

Some blagger conned us into a ride across from the Gare du Nord to the Hotel Prince Eugine near the Gare du Lyon

Day 2

The Gare de Lyon has had a big make over since the 2010 trip

All aboard the TGV

10.31 

Some great views of the Cote D'Azur from the train approaching Nice

Made it!

Our spot for 5 nights at the Residence Lamartine

A studio apartment and use of a relaxing garden.

Perfect.

Time for a sally forth

Lovely evening.  Excellent eats at the Femme Boulangerie

Day 3

Monday meander

Round from our gaffe

Memorial 

WW1 and WW2

Lebanese Lunch at Socrates

Evening supper in the Lamartine garden

Day 4 

Up on the Castel Hill

Cool spot

Afternoon trip to Villefranche

Beach more gritty than sandy, too hot to hang about.

Walked round to the old town, grabbed a beer and some lunch in a shady spot looking over the harbour.

Villefranche harbour

Featured in a Bond Movie!

Dinner at Cafe de Nice

Vongole

Salad Nicoise

Day 5

Morning wander along the Promenade d'Anglais

By Opera Plage

Be back there day 6

All this promenading is thirsty work

The new hat is a good look, very Riviera!

Afternoon cruise around to the Cap Farat and Villefranche Bay.

Found some shade 

A bit overcast but very hot!

Above

White square - our place

Red "X"  Villa Nellcôte 

(Exile on Main St)

Red "O"  - Tina Turner's gaffe

Left  and below

Villa Nellcôte 

The Cunard Queen Elizabeth

Supper at La Claire Fontaine, Place Rosetti in the Vieux Ville

Buzzing.

Night life

Day  6

Bus ride to the Arenes de Cimiez

The Matisse Museum

Monastery Gardens

Afternoon at the beach

Blustery, hot

Heavy swell.

All set for travelling tomorrow

Goodnight Nice

Day 7 - Friday 9 September

Caught the 9.31 Ventimiglia train.  It stopped at Menton - breakdown everybody off.  Got on following train - packed!

Arrived late for our Milan connection, but it didn't matter - nationwide train strike!

Made all enquiries on arrival, no chance of making Verona, bought tickets for 15.15  next day arriving Verona 20.30.

Booked into Hotel Posta, last room free, decent hotel

Drinks at 14.00

First beverage since breakfast!

Lunch

Supper

Evening meal at three different venues in this peaceful precinct.

All good!

Day 8

Plenty of time before the train to Verona

Took a walk down the prom.

Reflected on travel options.

Talked it through over a long and delicious Pizza lunch  

Decided one day in Verona not worth the long train trip.  Plus an extended travel day to Paris via Milan, Basel and Strasbourg.

So returned to Nice with a booking at the Hotel Excelsior for 2 nights before our trip back.

Day 9 Sunday

A double beach day

Morning train to Beaulieu Sur Mer

Spectacular setting

Nice beach

Boiling hot

Back to the station by lunch for the Nice train

Jump on the trusty tram and a lazy lunch and afternoon on the Castel beach

Brilliant swimming

Both in

Out of depth in no time

A simple supper from Monoprix back at the hotel room, early night for tomorrow's 07.56 train to Paris

Day 10

Up at 06.30

Train on time

View from TGV near Toulon

Train at 180 mph

Arrive Paris Gare de Lyon on time around 13.30

Taxi ride (G7 very nice) to overnight studio near Place de Clichy.

Solid food across the street from the front door!

Day 11

Breakfast across from the Gare du Nord

Departing 11.25

Mr Speedy

As the French border guard called me as I walked straight past him.

St Pancras

Tuesday 13th

13.30 KGX -DAR

As planned

Makes a change!

A GREAT TRIP!