A tale of 006, Robin, Watson, Fro-zone and Elastagirl

On saturday I was greated by a most rushed Lee Robinson. He drove in to the drive almost knocking the house over, jumped out of the car and said "quick quick get your bag, no time to loose!" So I grabbed my bag, locked up and jumped in the car, still bewildered as to the cause of this even more exited than usual Lee Robinson. He then told me that Oak wall which was climbed a week or so ago by Mike Gray was about to get its second ascent and so off we raced to blakey ridge. We got out of the car where we met 2 more of Lee's comrades and then left them in a cloud of dust as we ran down the more across all mannor of heather and bog. When we arived the second ascent had just been done by Martin Parker however he was kind and gave us another ascent to see the spectacle! It turns out "The mighty oak" may not be 'that hard' at around font 7a+/7b.

After that we explored more boulders to the south and came across to hard problems on an overhanging boulder with a fused tree! With the easiest line folowing the arete and another harder line up the centre.

Meanwhile, I went wondering for boulders as usual and typical me, fell down a hole and found a new cavesystem!

There are also some good highball slabs in need of some better weather and some good boulders. Then, we saw some fellow in the distance so quickly ran with brush in hand ready to batter this random stranger for trying to nick our posesions. I jumped over the boulder and did a comando roll whilst falcon 1 and eagle three positioned them selves with snypers at the top of the crag. I quickly swyped my nunchucks from my chalk bag ready to give the moreland-wandering theif a good battering.

So after making all that efort to attack what i thought was a member of the castleton mafia, I soon realised it to be another climber and not some toothbrush stealing, matt theifing man. So we all greated him with a hand shake and he told us how he was a friend of the first ascentionist and that he was here to try bag the next ascent. Amazing! Never have i met 6 people at some moors esotorica before!

Then we raced back up on to blakey ridge and boarded for the next destination, Camp Hill. We jumped out of the car and marched to the phelias fog area. Then Martin flashed this (After a quick demonstration by Lee where he demonstrated how not to fall off and subsequently badged his ankles) whilst I had a look round and found more promising lines. After that we trooped back to camp hill crag boulders, Lee trying the 'strict arete' from 'sit' and myself managing my dyno progect second time ofter a tip off from Martin and found it to be around font 6a+ or something like that rather than its expected font 6c+.

Myself (i'm afraid to say) looking a tad campo on the dyno at camp-hill-y-o-no-friends.

Then I returned to my lift home in hope of returning the next day.................................


So the next day came around and the rest of the 'Pickering Massif' wanted to come along so we headed up to Clemmits crag on the other side of the ridge.

There were some good highball slabs to be had...

Font 5+. I also did the central line on the slab at about the same grade.

Jake. On his problem.

err, Tom. doing what he knows best,
eating.

Nice.

We also did some light brushing to some other slabs which did in no way shape or form include, japanese water features, decKing, garden knomes or any other oriental garden features.... We are sure the council will be thrilled with our work and are awaiting our payment, we charge £4.56 per boulder.

After all our hard efforts, we marched back up the hill with no mention of any form of digging object to be greated by the graones of motor bikes and blasts of shotguns.

Soon we were met by some random people wandering the moor with worryingly large rucksacks so I set up my bouldering mat as base and set the heat seeking mortor on the targets. Then we walked back to the car not uttering a word but fairly smug with our antics........

And then we got in the car and drove hope leaving Lee and Mark to talk to our new found friends........

The power of Thor!

Last saturday, we headed to thorgill crag with Lee Robinson (betaguides) for some crag development and a spot of trad, and possibly even a new crag.

First if all, we went to the new crag and found it too have some lines, which were either easy or dangerous to boulder and too short to lead. We also found two boulders which Lee described as "the two greenest boulders I have ever seen in my life!"

So, we moved on to thorgill crag. First of all, I fell over and then me and Jake went to look at the trad. It was crap. But we were adamant to try something so jake had a go at this slab and failed. Then I fell over again and Tom Barr turned up! (without a harness or rock shoes) .Our eyes were now set on the bouldering and Jake began on an arete which is still yet to see a full ascent on the now called 'ore boulders'. Then Lee climbed a awquard 6a+ called 'roasted ore***' which is mint!

Mean while Jake was working on his traverse, 'crossing the rails**' font 5+.
Traversing rightwards across the block and topping out above a soft landing of rocks, boulders, sticks and a hole.

The err, very safe top out, with myself demonstrating the perfect English spotting technique.

jakes honed spotting technique where one folds one's arms and look in the opposite direction. This technique is called 'sacrificial padding'

Tom then worked on a nice right hand arete, on the face of the next boulder which faces this boulder.

Lee and me worked on some overhanging aretes and walls which we ended up leaving for the next man ;) .

After that, I fell over and 'found' another boulder further down the hill, now known as the work break boulder. My problem sit starts under the over hanging wall and climbs it direct using a hand jam and a side pull on the sloping verticle rail. 'A chizel, a pick and a walking stick**' SS font 6b+

Going for the sloping final hold.....

And finaly Lee added the sit start to the already established 'Thorsminde**' SS 6c+ On 'he Thorgill diamond' boulder.

You can find the first draft of the map to the area at  http://betaguides.blogspot.com/2011/03/diamond-under-majestic-oak-and-oak-wall.html.

(mini view)

Aching arms and grated fingers!

Last sunday was the best weather so far this year so me, Jake Hampshire and Tom Barr headed out to the bridestones in Dalby forest.........

We started on boulder one; as you do! We did easy problems to warm up then we all did a good 5c, font 5+. Then we went messed about a bit and Jake found a cool dyno.....

Jake on the dyno

Tom on the dyno

Missing the mat!!!

After that we ventured to the legendary 'pepper pot'

Me after an ascent.

Jake on an attempt.

Do I, don't I?

An attempt, unfortunatley I didn't make it :(

After that, we headed across the valey to the cave boulder and butresses......

Tom on the cave.

A new route on the cave?

Doh?

We finished off on the last boulder and butresses.....

Falling off a highball.

Jakes laying start???????

A good day was had by all!!!

Camp Hill!

We planned to search the next ridge and see what treasure laid ahead in esotorica and so set off to go to Camp Hill!

Lee Robinson (Beta guides) had also planned to head to Camp hill to complete his curcuit.

We turned up and as usual, the weather wasnt the best! We warmed up soloing a nice severe to the leaft of the crag.....

Jake making a mountain out of a mole hile on 'original route' Severe.

Then I had a go at 'cling wrap' HVS 5b which shouldnt be a Massive task!! Well.... It was. I dispatched the bolder tentative lower moves on the slab and reached the flake.

I tentativly placed some dodgy gear in the flake and moved upward.

Then I placed a cam in a pocket mean while my other gear fell out!

After numerous attempts I failed and so the route waits for another day......

Then Jake and Tom climbed ordinary route VS 4c, which has a rather bold top out.

After that I tried HVS 5b. I started well getting over this awkquard wall up to the thin flake crack. It was super pumpy trying to put gear in and eventually I got some tiny wires in. I caried on up and then got stuck on a damp ledge. It wasnt my day for HVS 5b's!! just like how it wasnt my day for VS' the other day! So i sacked that one off aswell. :(

Mean while. Tess modled her new Jacket in luminus green......

From topdog - £3.95

Thank you Tom's dog!

After messing about on the crag we suddenly thought, wheres lee?
Turns out he was scouting out new boulders down neer rosedale. Some turned out to be really big!....

For an ant!

But some of them do look good. Look on http://www.betaguides.com/ for more details!

After climbing, we bouldered around on what turns out to be the strict arete boulder.

Strict arete is the clear arete to the leaft.

A new problem, Captain stapstick  SS font 5/+?  Start with hands on diagonal slopers and move up the sloping rib, lunge for a sloping side pull and a juggy rail. Move up again for another flat rail and get a high right foot alowing for a big strech for the top hold.

Sam's Slaper font 7a?  Unclimbed      Both hands in the LEAFT crack and feet on small sloping edges. Dyno for the top sloper just right of the lowest point.

 Jake and Tom's Eliminate dyno, Dynomite? font 6c? Unclimbed.   Start with both hands in the right hand crack with feet in sloping edges right of those used for the previous dyno. Dyno esentially folowing the line of the arete to a good jug at the top.

Preparation!

going for it....

almost theeeerrree!

hands round the top!

Fail!

Tom Barr

Jake Hampshire

Sam Marks. Me!

The mighty ridge.....

On a damp day in early february, myself and jake hampshire set out yet again to explore the wonders of blakey ridge. The plan was to go to castleton rig quarry and then nip over the rig to have a look at stormy hall.

As we travelled across the ridge, the fog decended. visbility, 30 metres. As we reached the lion in, visibility, 3 metres! we were then dropped off and the east side of the rig and then navigated our way to castlton rigg. We started with a lead of some easy severe and then moved onto 'the sentry box'. Only a HS 4b but made more dificult as it started raining and had to be thruched. After that, we through down the ropes and soloed what we could. Jake soloed 'the slab', HS 4b and I soloed a few slabs and some easy aretes.

The  I had a go at 'the face' 6a.

which I failed.

After that we made our way to stormy hall and stumbled upon a little crag unvisible from the road. About two routes have been put up on the right and the leaft by franco cookson and dave warburton but the rest is untouched. Tune in some time to find out weather anything good lays in wait?!

Maybe?

Maybe not?

Maybe?..................