Eventually I got back to Fort William.
The last few days in the Scotia were coolio. Got in a days bouldering at Herring Cove which was tres bonne. Gotta love the granite, even if it doesn't love your skin. A beautiful spot too and pretty nice to have some quiet time to myself after the preceeding carnage. On thursday night I met up with some of the girls from the wedding in Halifax. Corinne, Danielle and Kate took me out on the pop again which was real good and a nice end to the trip. I had a chance to sample the delights of Donair (not Doner) and Poutine, both delectable late night comestibles. Mmm mmm.
After lots of waiting around all over the place I got back to Fort William yesterday morn having spent a night in Edinburgh with Jones and another in Glasgow at my big bro's.
So, back to work and all the usual. SNH contracts, training courses, coffee, research proposals, cheese and pickle sandwhiches. Basically it's the dream.
Yesterday was a peach, weather-wise, so I took myself on a run up Cow Hill behind the house. Its a nice wee run and looks out on the Ben the whole way out. Felt like a man that had spent the last two weeks on his arse drinking Alexander Keiths Indian Pale Ale but pulled through. I'm pretty stoked for a couple of months of hard graft so that Duncan and I can have a blast in the OMM (are you reading Dunc?).
The weather was gash today so I couldn't get down the Glen as hoped. I'm getting seriously itchy fingers for some rock routes, it's been soooo long since I lead anything that actually tested me. Oh well, hopefully it'll be an indian summer.....
Jones is coming up this weekend and we hope to get up to the North West for summat. Fingers crossed for dry rock, otherwise it'll be walking and running and partying with the UCI Mountain Bike World Champs in Fort William.
Sorry about the recent lack of photos but my computer won't connect to the wireless connection (even though it says it is) so I'm writing this from my house-mates comp.
I've put a load of wedding/drunk pics on my facebook page if you can see them and fancy that.
Lots of love.......
Tuesday, 4 September 2007
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Ow, my liver and kidneys hurt
Hey y'all.
I'm still in the Scotia. What a fucking amazing week I just had. Far too much fun to recount but rest assured I have never been on a bender quite like that. 5 out of the 7 nights 'on the Mountain' were very drunk and very messy. I've never met such a friendly, welcoming, hardcore partying bunch of family and friends in my life. It's not the average posse that pretty much has beer for breakfast for a week in a row. Bloody brilliant.
Days were spent with Johns, Ed, Phil and Brim (the latter two I only just met and are wasters of the highest degree, in the best sense) helping clear up the yard and prepare for the wedding, playing keepy-ups and headers and volleys, playing washer-tosser (a quality take on boule using metal washers) and swimming in the lake. Oh and nights were spent drinking. The stag-do went well. Ed broke some-ones door, and Johnsey's boxers are still on the roof of the club in Wolfville.
Johnseys wedding was pretty as a picture. Held in Nancy and George's garden with a big marquee, a pig roast, tears, a hoe down, local hillbillies and a world of alcoholic endeavour. MCing was easy as pie and the speeches were amazing. Phil and Brim, the best men, excelled themselves. By the next day my body wasn't happy though. It all caught up and I was struck with a bout of depression. Mind you, my T-Total vow broke as soon as I got to Halifax last night and we went to visit the Keith's brewery.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to get a bus out to Herring Cove to pull down on some local granite by the sea. Maybe gonna try to hitch down to another spot called Chebucto head for the night (if there is somewhere out of the way to camp/bivi) for another day's cranking. Otherwise there's a friend of Nancy's that I should be able to stay with in Halifax. Then a night and a bit of a day in Halifax again before flying home.
Last night I shared a room with Pete, one of the shirelings who now lives in Dublin. T'was great to have a good catch up and drink the odd beer cos I don't get to see that much of him nowadays.
Anyhoo, I'll catch up and post lots of pictures when I'm back home.
Rave safe now...
I'm still in the Scotia. What a fucking amazing week I just had. Far too much fun to recount but rest assured I have never been on a bender quite like that. 5 out of the 7 nights 'on the Mountain' were very drunk and very messy. I've never met such a friendly, welcoming, hardcore partying bunch of family and friends in my life. It's not the average posse that pretty much has beer for breakfast for a week in a row. Bloody brilliant.
Days were spent with Johns, Ed, Phil and Brim (the latter two I only just met and are wasters of the highest degree, in the best sense) helping clear up the yard and prepare for the wedding, playing keepy-ups and headers and volleys, playing washer-tosser (a quality take on boule using metal washers) and swimming in the lake. Oh and nights were spent drinking. The stag-do went well. Ed broke some-ones door, and Johnsey's boxers are still on the roof of the club in Wolfville.
Johnseys wedding was pretty as a picture. Held in Nancy and George's garden with a big marquee, a pig roast, tears, a hoe down, local hillbillies and a world of alcoholic endeavour. MCing was easy as pie and the speeches were amazing. Phil and Brim, the best men, excelled themselves. By the next day my body wasn't happy though. It all caught up and I was struck with a bout of depression. Mind you, my T-Total vow broke as soon as I got to Halifax last night and we went to visit the Keith's brewery.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to get a bus out to Herring Cove to pull down on some local granite by the sea. Maybe gonna try to hitch down to another spot called Chebucto head for the night (if there is somewhere out of the way to camp/bivi) for another day's cranking. Otherwise there's a friend of Nancy's that I should be able to stay with in Halifax. Then a night and a bit of a day in Halifax again before flying home.
Last night I shared a room with Pete, one of the shirelings who now lives in Dublin. T'was great to have a good catch up and drink the odd beer cos I don't get to see that much of him nowadays.
Anyhoo, I'll catch up and post lots of pictures when I'm back home.
Rave safe now...
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Nova Scotia here I come....
Im excited. I'm flying off to Canada on saturday for two weeks. The centrepeice of the trip is the wedding of one of my best buddies from home life: Tom Johns aka Johnsey.
I've know the lad for a good few years now, drunk many a beer with him, surfed the odd wave, and climbed a good number of esoteric Somerset routes. He's been a ski bum since leaving school over 5 years ago, and is now based in Canada where he is marrying his lady love Lacey Jane Morse from Nova Scotia. Four of us shirelings are flying out to take part in festivities. It's got all the makings of a good old jaunt into the realms of nostalgia and lots of alcohol. Dreamy.
As for the Fort: my car is back on the road with a new clutch. Its driving like a charm now. I'm waiting for the invoice so am not sure if I should be happy with the garage or not!
As predicted, the weekend was very, very wet. Not a huge problem because I sat around and finished The Deathly Hallows. Emotional stuff. I went for a good run on sunday in the pissing rain, over Cow Hill to the Glen, along the West Highland Way and then back up the road from the 'unkown loch'. About 10km and felt good. Just got to keep it up for the OMM. On monday and tuesday (today) I've been bouldering down the Glen after work. I discovered the Sky Pilot area last night. Inspiring to the max. About 40 degrees overhanging all the way. Shit. Lots of strength required for those beasts. But a totally beatutiful place just at the base of the top teir of High Crag, looking out over the ring of Steall, so I'm pretty motivated to get strong! Looking forward to cold, fresh, breezy weekend before winter kicks in with a crash pad, no midges and a flask of tea. Mind you it'll be a while until I'm climbing V9!
Today I went to the Cameron Stone and did NDDB, a V2 next a Jazzamatazz. Its pretty wee but on fairly small holds on a steep wall (for me) so I was pleased. I still can't fathom the mantle at the end of a Dram For Donald (V4), otherwise I can do it!
I'll try to keep you up to date while on the other side.
Photo's aren't uploading the noo.
Bum...
Saturday, 11 August 2007
My car is dead. Long live my car.
Its been a good week one way and another. I've been on a chainsaw course all week, near Lochaline in Morvern. Bloody miles away, but a nice place its fair to say. It didn't rain too much, and in fact it was far too warm some times due to the thick protective trousers, gloves, boots and helmet. Sweaty betty.
A well felled tree. Nice.
Pine Tree Wall and Jones hiding from the midge: The Gutter is the obvious crack system, Pine Tree Wall takes the left arete and slabs left of the crack. Pitch 2 goes up the skyline ridge.
A well felled tree. Nice.I managed a bit of a boulder on Tuesday night, did a good V3 highball slab under Cavalry Buttress, I forget the name but it was fun, if a bit eliminate. Played a bit on the Cameron Stone too.
Jones came up to the Fort on wednesday eve and its been really nice showing her round. Looking forward to her next visit. Along with my housemate Miriam and her sister, Jones went up the Ben on Thursday while I was cutting down trees. It didn't rain so I think they enjoyed it. It is a bloody boring slog though.
A bad thing happened yesterday when the clutch in my car burnt out (or something like that, I don't know much about engines). Bummer. I had to get towed from Lochaline to Fort William, a 120 mile round trip for the pick up lorry. £70. Shit. its in the garage awaiting work.
That meant no car for the evening when I had hoped to head down the glen with Jones and climb an easy classic route or two. We decided to adventure outwards anyhow and ended out walking across Cow Hill into the Glen, then hitching to Polldubh and back. We did Pine Tree Wall on the buttress of the same name. A very nice two pitch Severe next to The Gutter. It was fucking midgy down at the bottom of the crag and Jones looked pleased to get to the halfway belay with a bit of a breeze.
Jones came up to the Fort on wednesday eve and its been really nice showing her round. Looking forward to her next visit. Along with my housemate Miriam and her sister, Jones went up the Ben on Thursday while I was cutting down trees. It didn't rain so I think they enjoyed it. It is a bloody boring slog though.
A bad thing happened yesterday when the clutch in my car burnt out (or something like that, I don't know much about engines). Bummer. I had to get towed from Lochaline to Fort William, a 120 mile round trip for the pick up lorry. £70. Shit. its in the garage awaiting work.
That meant no car for the evening when I had hoped to head down the glen with Jones and climb an easy classic route or two. We decided to adventure outwards anyhow and ended out walking across Cow Hill into the Glen, then hitching to Polldubh and back. We did Pine Tree Wall on the buttress of the same name. A very nice two pitch Severe next to The Gutter. It was fucking midgy down at the bottom of the crag and Jones looked pleased to get to the halfway belay with a bit of a breeze.
Pine Tree Wall and Jones hiding from the midge: The Gutter is the obvious crack system, Pine Tree Wall takes the left arete and slabs left of the crack. Pitch 2 goes up the skyline ridge.
No dice this weekend. Its been properly shitting down all day. Hopefully the car will get fixed soon and I'll be able to go out a few eveings this week.
What fun.
What fun.
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Victory and photo-ma-graphs
News just in. I just did Maisie Gunn on the Heather Hat. Not groundbreaking I'll admit, but it took some fighting and I'm smug as a bug in a rug. I went down straight after work and lo and behold it pissed down so the finishing holds were wet - bummer cos I'd just worked out the moves! I went for a stroll up to Steall Meadows and went home for tea.
Here are a few pics from the last few weeks:
The sun shone as I ate, and, galvanised by a phone call to Jones I decided to head out again to see if the holds had dried. They had! And the sequence worked! Dreamy. Here's a pic of the line, its a sit start from the smaller stones on the ground, then out to the small chalked prow and finishing with a mantle onto the boss/nose.
Here are a few pics from the last few weeks:
Chris surveying Slime Wall on the Buachaille on the eve before our attempt
Chris and I above pitch 1 of Crows Nest Crack, the Buachaille
My new garden: Steall Meadows and Steall Falls
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
I'm back
Well, long time no write. I've connected to the wireless network in the new house at last!
I’m now safely stationed in the Fort, with genuine Lochaber rain dribbling down my window and genuine Lochaber midge bites on my arms.
I started my job last Monday, and all is going well. Nothing too taxing yet, but I’m learning a fair bit and think I’m being of use to Gary. His wife has just had a bairn so I
can imagine he’s grateful for all the help he can get, what with shifting circadian rhythms and all that.
On the climbing side I’ve been up to a wee bit recently. On the Saturday before moving up here Chris and I had a day on Buachaille Etive Mor. We went for Bludgers Revelation on Slime Wall. I was good and ready for it, having not been on a decent sized route for a while and wasn’t too bothered about the very cold hands and general wetness of the first 5a pitch. Chris however had real issues getting off the belay at the start and after a long time I ended up abbing back down and cleaning all the gear. Bummer! It’s weired really, cos Chris is strong, and in isolation could do 5a moves forever. But on this day it just illustrated that there’s much more to mountain routes than just the moves – it’s the early start, the walk in, the cold, the wet rock, the imposing and exposed situations. It rapidly adds up and can easily sap the psyche. It did that for Chris and he clearly wasn’t up for it.
I was keen to do something so as not to waste the day so we walked round to the East Face of North Buttress and climbed Crows Nest Crack, a VS brilliant with two full 40m pitches and a scramble in between them. The first pitch is sustained 4c and number 2 is sustained 4a, what ever that means. Either way, both pitches are easy, with great gear and great holds, fairly steep rock (for the grade) and their length means you get really absorbed. Another bonus was that the psyche fairy wasn’t with Chris so I got to lead both pitches. Definitely three stars, and I’m surprised it doesn’t have more of a reputation as a class route.
Moving to Fort William is definitely a good thing for my climbing. Glen Nevis is just a 10 minute drive away, with its hundreds of amazing routes and boulder problems. I’ve been down after work four times in the last 7 days up here and am getting close to doing Maisie Gunn on the Heather Hat (V4). I’v never really done much roofy stuff so its cool to get on this. I think I’m gonna have to get stronger though before it slips in the bag.
I had one of those awesome “this is why I climb” moments last Tuesday. It was a glorious evening, wall to wall sunshine with no midges, and just a few clouds over the Ben and Stob Ban. I walked up to Pine Tree Wall and soloed The Gutter, a classic easy Diff. It’s a wide crack that splits an easy angled slab for 45m, then a flake in the slab for 20m, the two pitches being separated by a big ledge with a huge Scots Pine on it – a perfect place to sit down and chill out. It felt like a nice welcome to the Fort.
Now all I have to do is make some belay buddies (and normal buddies!) and it’ll start feeling like home. A couple of my house-mates are outdoor instructors/climbers/polar explorers so I’m thinking there’s a good start there – just got to wait til they’re back from work in Svalbard and the East Coast! The other flatmate is a Nevis Radio DJ, a local celeb! Oh yes.
Sweet, I’ll catch up soon. Apologies for the lack of photos, but the camera is in the car. I'll sort it soon.....
I’m now safely stationed in the Fort, with genuine Lochaber rain dribbling down my window and genuine Lochaber midge bites on my arms.
I started my job last Monday, and all is going well. Nothing too taxing yet, but I’m learning a fair bit and think I’m being of use to Gary. His wife has just had a bairn so I
can imagine he’s grateful for all the help he can get, what with shifting circadian rhythms and all that.
On the climbing side I’ve been up to a wee bit recently. On the Saturday before moving up here Chris and I had a day on Buachaille Etive Mor. We went for Bludgers Revelation on Slime Wall. I was good and ready for it, having not been on a decent sized route for a while and wasn’t too bothered about the very cold hands and general wetness of the first 5a pitch. Chris however had real issues getting off the belay at the start and after a long time I ended up abbing back down and cleaning all the gear. Bummer! It’s weired really, cos Chris is strong, and in isolation could do 5a moves forever. But on this day it just illustrated that there’s much more to mountain routes than just the moves – it’s the early start, the walk in, the cold, the wet rock, the imposing and exposed situations. It rapidly adds up and can easily sap the psyche. It did that for Chris and he clearly wasn’t up for it.
I was keen to do something so as not to waste the day so we walked round to the East Face of North Buttress and climbed Crows Nest Crack, a VS brilliant with two full 40m pitches and a scramble in between them. The first pitch is sustained 4c and number 2 is sustained 4a, what ever that means. Either way, both pitches are easy, with great gear and great holds, fairly steep rock (for the grade) and their length means you get really absorbed. Another bonus was that the psyche fairy wasn’t with Chris so I got to lead both pitches. Definitely three stars, and I’m surprised it doesn’t have more of a reputation as a class route.
Moving to Fort William is definitely a good thing for my climbing. Glen Nevis is just a 10 minute drive away, with its hundreds of amazing routes and boulder problems. I’ve been down after work four times in the last 7 days up here and am getting close to doing Maisie Gunn on the Heather Hat (V4). I’v never really done much roofy stuff so its cool to get on this. I think I’m gonna have to get stronger though before it slips in the bag.
I had one of those awesome “this is why I climb” moments last Tuesday. It was a glorious evening, wall to wall sunshine with no midges, and just a few clouds over the Ben and Stob Ban. I walked up to Pine Tree Wall and soloed The Gutter, a classic easy Diff. It’s a wide crack that splits an easy angled slab for 45m, then a flake in the slab for 20m, the two pitches being separated by a big ledge with a huge Scots Pine on it – a perfect place to sit down and chill out. It felt like a nice welcome to the Fort.
Now all I have to do is make some belay buddies (and normal buddies!) and it’ll start feeling like home. A couple of my house-mates are outdoor instructors/climbers/polar explorers so I’m thinking there’s a good start there – just got to wait til they’re back from work in Svalbard and the East Coast! The other flatmate is a Nevis Radio DJ, a local celeb! Oh yes.
Sweet, I’ll catch up soon. Apologies for the lack of photos, but the camera is in the car. I'll sort it soon.....
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Back North
Just a few lines to catch up. I'm back up in Edinburgh. Drove up today via the Lakes. I fancied a wee boulder and wanted to go to the Roaches but it was pissing in Staffordshire so I cracked on up the M6. I scanned my memory for alternatives and remembered the Langdale boulders.
Its a nice wee spot and I met some nice guys down there. Climbed shite, but got up enough to make the detour worthwhile.
A week of climbing and chilling in the city is ahead, then its on up to Fort William on the weekend to start the placement. Cool.
Jones, Chris and I are planning on going somewhere tomorrow but the weather aint looking great. The best bet is the County in the arvo. Psyche. Jones is off work on Tuesday too so we should get another day away.
Cannie wait to see Jones in an hour or so.
Its a nice wee spot and I met some nice guys down there. Climbed shite, but got up enough to make the detour worthwhile.
A week of climbing and chilling in the city is ahead, then its on up to Fort William on the weekend to start the placement. Cool.
Jones, Chris and I are planning on going somewhere tomorrow but the weather aint looking great. The best bet is the County in the arvo. Psyche. Jones is off work on Tuesday too so we should get another day away.
Cannie wait to see Jones in an hour or so.
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