Blogs

Now I have finished my masters I thought I would be blogging more regularly but no. I always find some other mini project. I have been climbing as much as possible at Kilnsey mainly because it is child friendlier. This year I wanted to try The Thumb (8a) because I think it has one of the best lines. The route has great climbing it is a pump fest; I love this sort of climbing. I fell off many times on the same move which is the red point crux but no surprise it’s a long move which is virtually out of sight. Typical having ticked this route Im now trying Subculture(8a). Very different for me the cruxy climbing starts from the ground to about the fourth bolt; big moves but bony on the fingers too.

Just got back from France had a great climbing trip. Got Yasmin a harness and she loved swinging on the ropes. Many people seemed to enjoy watching this three year old “flying like a tinkerbell”. We went to a crag near Annecy called La Balme. We also went there last year but this time there was less easy routes to on-sight. La Balme is mainly tufa climbing on steep rock. You always feel like you are coming off because of the angle but because most of the holds are good you manage to fight and stay on somehow.  This feeling is with you for about 30m all the way to the anchors! I tried a 7c+/8a route the crux is a boulder problem at the top which I could do but since there’s not many opportunities to on-sight back home I left the project; still there for next year. On sighting was much more fun and even after all these years of climbing I am still learning and improving. 7b+ was my maximum but I hope to improve this to 7c next year as I have more free time and Yasmin is getting keener to climb too; crazy she’s not three yet but always wants to climb at the Depot.  

For me the last two years have flown by. I am now very close to finishing my masters, only a week to go and the bulk of it will be finished. Im very excited about climbing again. Although I have been getting out climbing and training I have not been fully focussed. This masters is the most difficult challenge I have ever set myself. It has put so many other things on hold. I want to spend more time with Yasmin and climb loads. Next week I am going to France, a celebration really . This will be my first climbing trip abroad since last August. I love France it is my favourite country. I am flying with Yasmin. She is two and a half now and I think she will love going on a plane.

I love languages and want to improve my French and now I will have more time to do this. And going to France next week could not be any better. Will keep you posted when Im back. Happy climbing.

2009

I know it has been a long time since i’ve blogged, apologies. Since the summer holidays I have been really busy. At the moment I work as a teacher, studying for a masters, have a two year old and try to help out at the climbing depot (not including climbing!). The climbing depot is a great place to train but it’s difficult to fit it in.  At the moment I am doing a teaching placement at a different school as part of my masters and it is full on therefore not climbing too much. Hopefully end of January I will be less busy and can start training again.

Focussing on my weakness at the moment, flexibility. I have a couple of boulder projects on the grit but much more interested in routes. Going to Slovenia for Easter with Yasmin,Steve and Kev this will be my main focus point soon. Really looking forward to this, awesome sport crags but also a beautiful country, will have to get on the big roof at the climbing depot as it is really steep, high and long. A lot of the problems are linkable with knee bars and toe hooks you can always find a rest see www.theclimbingdepot.com.

Dal

Summer arrived with the start of my 6 week holiday. First off I decided to finish off a new link-up I had been working on at Kilnsey. Kilnsey is quite a child friendly crag. It is quite a good link up because it has no good rests and therefore quite sustained, feels about 8a/8a+. From the belay of fifty for five you climb diagonally above the eyes of the ashes. It is quite possible this has been climbed before as there are good holds up there. I also climbed sticky wicket into the ashes first try and this felt way easier (7c+) because here you can rest at the eyes. Having got that out of the way we made tracks to France with the intention of checking out some new areas. Although I had a great time it was definitely not relaxing. My daughter unfortunately broke her leg in two places and I have been carrying her around for the past month up and down crags. She seems happy in herself, which was great for me but still quite knackering and hard to focus on the climbing. I flashed up to 7b+ but feel could have climbed harder. Anyway, feeling quite fit now and ready to start on a new project back home.

Dal