Weekend activities

Today we went climbing in Portland, Dorset.

We've climbed there frequently, it is mostly (perhaps all) sport climbing on short 20-30 meter cliffs with the waves crashing below. Not much of an adrenaline rush, more "soak up the sun" kind of climbing. The worst the kids can do is fall in the sea while they are not climbing.

The rest of the pictures from today are here

On Saturday I went flying. There was some really good discuss launch gliders being flown - similar to these. I was kindly given a Zagi flying wing which I hope to use for slope flying although it needs additional harware and some work before it is ready.

Regarding the the powered flying I added another 2 flights to my flight log, practising dead-stick landings and figure 8's. I hope I'll be able to take the "A" test soon and so be able to fly without needing some-one watching over my shoulder.

Alternate view of lakes

Sophie's take on the same experience

The lakes

With reference to the previous post - It rained.

The tents held out for 36 hours of continuous rain, sometimes light but oftentimes torrential until they started to admit drops of water that in time accumulated into mini-lakes on the floor until they were absorbed by the sleeping bags.

Stephen slipped on a path, dropping the camera and smashing the zoom lens in the process. The subsequent pictures are all wide-angle although we took precious few pictures in the rain.
On a less overcast note - last week I updated my insurance policy to include the camera - will they be suspicious ?

The climbing involved a one and half hour to two hour hike into the mountain. This was punctuated by periods when the sun shone until we crested a spur or rounded a corner and we presented with wind carrying horizontal rain and storm clouds. The climb itself was a little tame with some exposure but not very much adrenaline. We were clustered on a ledge when the wind strengthened and despite a slab of shared chocolate I realised that no-one except me was particularly enjoying the prospect of the additional pitches required to enable a "walk off" from the summit.

We took a vote, qualified with a "no sulk" condition, that only I would complete the next pitch and we would then abseil back down the route and take a direct descent down the mountain to the valley - about 400 metres below the base of the climb. The climbing was easy, finding a abseil point was not. The best I could do was to use an unlikely looking block way off the line and right at the limit of the rope length.

I knew what would happen before I had even returned to the others. The wet rope would not pull around to block and thus could not be retrieved - apart from the value of the rope, this was our only means of safe descent having left the second rope below. My pre-constructed prusik loop is currently serving as an anchor line for my model air-plane, don't ask!, so the only option was a sling based prusik and an aided climb back up to retrieve the rope. This time I left a sling and a pair of carabiners to ensure the rope could be pulled through.

I hate leaving equipment behind but looking down on the rest of the family below I couldn't help thinking that they were nesting eagles waiting for their next rabbit to be brought to them. What I needed to do was bump them off the cliff and catch them on the wing a few times until they had the confidence to fly.

The direct descent followed a stream straight down the mountain side. Usually one slips when not paying attention but the rocks were green with lichen, the grass over run with running streamlets and the ground was soft and spongy underfoot so that we all fell - frontwards, backwards and sidewards many times. Often we all fell in the same spot even when forewarned.

By the time we reclaimed the car we were filthy dirty and soaking wet but miraculously unhurt and in surprisingly good spirits. Also my GPS that I had forgotten in the excitement of the departure was still sitting on the roof of the car - a happy surprise. A quick change of clothes, another family vote and we broke camp in record time, re-packed the car and headed home to the perfect weather in the south-east. It was a 2:30 AM arrival home but the beds were dry and our roof didn't leak.

The rest of the pictures are here

Climbing - Craig yr Ogof

We had a successful days climbing yesterday. Preparation didn't include taking a road map but the navigation system got us as far Llanllyfni (spelling correct) where upon we had to start using our intuition and bland directions to the car park. This process was complicated by the low cloud cover obscuring all the peaks.

This was the road trip

We had to fight our way past these predators on the 60 minute approach route.

One of two lakes below the mountain

Our first sight of the entire climb - it is the peak without cloud cover.

and a few minutes later

View from the base of the climb

Climbing finally - this is first belay position

Despite only starting the climb at mid-day we had a late lunch half way up on a grassy belay stance with beautifully exposed view of the lakes below and the sea in the distance.

Pitch 4 was a complicated by the fact that it was getting late, the wind had come up and I had pushed on past the recommended belay position. Running out of protection and rope I was forced to find a belay stance based on my remaining gear, largely slings and a pair of nuts. The howling wind made communication very difficult and Stephen often mistook the bleating sheep down below as me trying to say something. Thank goodness these were Welsh sheep otherwise they might well have bleated "off belay" or "climbing".

A full six hours and 135 metres later we made it to the top - a most enjoyable climb.

We got back to the car at 7:30pm. During the return trip we stopped off at an Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant that we had noticed 12 hours earlier on the trip. This pushed the estimated arrival time to 2:21AM and feeling really tired, despite stopping often for coffee, we finally gave in to sleep for a couple of hours and subsequently only arrived home at 5:30AM.

The rest of the days pictures are here

Craig yr Ogof

Loft, Skittles and Climbing trip

So the kids are in bed and about to turn in myself. Stephen and I have just completed preparations for a climbing trip tomorrow - The same trip we planned for last weekend. This is a 3.30AM start and a same day, 10PM, return.

I returned home today to discover we now have stairs to a 3rd floor - no need to climb the outside scaffolding, oh and also a note to say we owe the first installment of the building costs from the builders - how touching. I wonder if during the building of the great Cathedrals the Bishop was presentd with a bill each week for the duration of the 100 odd years taken to build them.

Annalise is out partying with work people - supposedly "skittling". Why she can't just settle down and help us with the trip preparations I don't know - something to do with modern decadence and the subsequent decline of the traditional wife.

Good night.

Looking out a rain splatted window

Ever since we got back from camping and climbing in Wales earlier this year I've been hoping to return in order to do some of the longer climbs there.

Unfortunately the rope work is rather complicated for five climbers over six pitches and 120 metres so I thought it best that initially just two of us do a climb or two.

This week Annalise has been sick, otherwise I would have been planning a trip to Craig yr Ogof with Stephen this weekend.

Had I been uncaring enough to even contemplate going I might have realised that we would need to leave at 3:30am in order to travel the 5 plus hours and hike the 45 minute approach route, do the climb and then return by 10pm that evening. I would have known where to park the car, the quickest route and where to fill up with petrol. I would have convinced Stephen that he wanted, and indeed needed, this experience and we might have planned the trip to the minutest detail.

But no I am not uncaring and insensitive. For if I was we would have had to pack rain gear to cope with the 40mm of rain falling today in Wales and predicted again for tomorrow. Had I been the least bit uncaring I might have brought up the time 17 years ago when I cancelled a trip to the Drakensberg mountains on account of her been morning sick with Stephen.

Of course I did none of these things because I CARE.

Day out - Swanage

Yesterday we made the 2.5 hour trip to Swanage, on the Dorset coast to do some sight-seeing and climbing on the sea cliffs. This largely trad-climbing area, ie no fixed bolts, and with access only by abseiling down to just above sea-level.

This means that taking kids is a little more complicated as it is far better to have children running around below the cliffs than above them.

This is above the cliffs

I wasn't able to get many pictures of the actual climbing as the logistics of getting Emily tied in on the cliff edge was to much of challenge.

This is what is over the edge

I dropped an ATC device over here - fortunately it didn't hit Annalise below and Emily could give me her one.

Now she is happy - although a few minutes previously she was shouting from the bottom trying to make herself heard over the crashing waves.

After we had climbed enough we explored Swanage and took an impromptu boat trip to examine the cliffs from below.

This is a view from the sea. This is not that same cliffs we were on as these have nesting birds using them and thus they have climbing restrictions during summer months. Note the lines on the cliff run horizontal and then vertical - a result of plate techtonics.

The rest of the pictures from the day are here

Climbing, Tintern Abbey and Stonehenge

We rose early on Saturday as we took my niece and nephew climbing and sightseeing in Wales. It was Justin and Tamarin's first time rock climbing so we looked for something doable but with good views and an adrenaline rush. Symonds Yat, where we first climbed on arriving in the UK, had potential as it had very accessible climbing, great views and was close to Tintern abbey and Chepstow Castle. We made a full day of it - mixing climbing with sightseeing.

We did an initial small climb to sort out the safety issues and see how people handled the rock and heights.

Tam descending after her climb

Justin at top Sophie doing the same climb Then we moved onto the what we call "the pinnacle". After the lead we set up a top-rope and brought people up one at a time so that we were all on top of the pinnacle, and the world it seemed, - tied onto webbing around the edge of the table top. I got the opportunity for pictures from above as Tamarin, Sophie, Justin and Annalise climbed it. From the top one can see kayakers on the rapids below on the winding Wye river. Tam first Justin next View from the top After a late lunch we drove to Tintern Abbey - this abbey dates from 1131 - more pictures and information here Followed by Chepstow Castle and lastly Stonehenge All the pictures can be seen here, Click the image below. symonds-yat-rock

Bouldering at High Rocks

Weather was so good this week-end so we all had to get out yesterday. That is except for Stephen who claimed to need to do Chemisty and Maths but I suspect wanted to watch the FA cup game between Chelsea and Tottenham (Game analysis if you are interested).

Given that we haven't climbed all winter we thought a little gentle bouldering might be in order.

We went to High Rocks close to Tunbridge Wells which is the closest outdoor climbing to us.




Working out the boulder problem


I did set up top rope but here





Neat thing is the pub across the road





Annalise soaking up some sun afterwards at the pub.



There entire album is here