Halt, who goes there.

Quite an appt start for the day. We parked at the car park at the Climb Inn to the side of Vemork Bridge. After Dean did a bit of a recky down the road,The road is very steep, and with the amount of snow we have had it's always good to check. Anyway all was good, as a van flew past down the hill at Norwegian speed. So back in the car and off down the hill, gritting teeth, especially John in the back. Johns still getting to grips with the Norwegian road conditions (bloody scary)

Blood stains in the car park. This is the spot the Gestapo shot the British Commandos after the attack on the heavy water plant hear in Rjukan. Obviously just fake but pretty real looking. A guy in the town who is writing a book on the whole episode told us he had attended the filming that night and it felt beyond real, as if time had shunted backwards.

Looking towards the bridge from the car park. The recent filming in the area has left a couple of props behind. Looks like a scene from 1944 up here. Check out this baby, a ruddy great gun.

Dean checking the range on it, just about to load her up and give her a burst.

After our antics on the very large gun Dean went for a brew in the guard hut, don't think the Germans would have been chuffed, hey, what ever.

Ok, let the climbers through, but shoot the Germans.

Ok, off to the climbs. We headed off down the track to get into the gorge, yep, so we could climb right back out again. 

First route of the day, vemorkbrufoss Vest 3 star WI5.

The route was in great condition with excellent ice. I ran the route clean in one runout. Quite a long route with about 5m of rope left when I got to the top belay. The view down from the first stance was amazing. I took a super shot of some ice shandaliers hanging off the edge.

 On and upwards, just waiting for Cliff to finish the second pitch so I can start my run.

Nice use of an in situ ice anchor (Abalakov) at the first pitch. Plus backup screw just in case. Ok cliff up and over the second pitch. I give a quick call on the radio which we are all carrying and the message good to go is sent back. Moving, setting off up the second pitch,The ropes getting a bit heavy now, full length of ropes and the drag on the ice is quite a weight.

Looking down the first pitch.

Looking up the second pitch as Cliff exits.

Job done, always wanted to do this route but never had the skill or the nerve in past years to do it. Well it's in the bag, plus I had the whole lead to myself. Sat at the top rigging the ropes for the descent the view was stunning. Ropes setup and a quick abseil back down to clear the route of all the gear.

Dean and cliff have moved round the corner to Vemorkbrufoss Ost 3 star WI4. Lots of noise coming from there direction, sounds like someone's in trouble. No, just a load of noisy climbers with very little idea of rope communication ( buy a radio) and keep the noise down. 

Great run on Ost, I just went to the half way point. John decided it wasn't for him so I lowered him back down the route. Cliff and dean appeared after just completing the route. Cliff very kindly belayed me as I had to retrieve my gear. The route I had taken ended in a traverse of about 20ft, this presented a pretty difficult task of gear retreaval due to the nature of gear placement. Anyway cliff prepared the ropes and the correct course of action in which to retrieve the gear. This involved me back climbing the route to the halfway point at which john had been lowered down from. Back climbed, removed the last screw then retraced my steps back up the route removing the screws on the way. Safely back at the stance with cliff, cliff lowered me off the route whilst still setup in the belay. Down on the ground dean makes the suggestion that coffee and cake are the call of the day.

Cliff abseiling off the second stance after the de rigging process.

Heading back up the gorge to claim our coffee and cake.