Pre Cairngorms

Not to much to write, but hopefully plenty in the next few days. We are heading up to the Cairngorm national park for a bit of winter climbing, and with luck a bit of winter sun. Should be interesting as I will be testing out the new purchases from Montane. http://www.montane.co.uk/ the new Flux jacket and the North Star jacket. Going to climb in the Flux and warm up in the North Star. So, should be a great BLOG with a bit of review material as well.

Dean and I are heading up with Cliff of Roxcool http://clifflowtherroxcoolblog.blogspot.co.uk/ so an interesting trip will en sue. 

http://visitcairngorms.com/hostels

http://visitcairngorms.com/

We are going to stay at the Aviemore Bunkhouse which looks to be in a super spot just past the roundabout before you enter into Aviemore it's self.

http://www.aviemore-bunkhouse.com/

This will be a super site on Monday night when we get back in from the climb, uhhhm bed.

Ski centre parking.

So, check in later to see what we get up to.

Post Masson

The vision of those boots started to play on my mind, the Scarpa Rebel Ice. So, it's up and off to the Outside Shop at Hathersage Derbyshire. http://www.outside.co.uk/

After our trip out to Masson Lees on Sat I realized it was time to buy new boots.

http://www.scarpa.co.uk/

http://www.scarpa.co.uk/climb/rebel-ice/

Mostly due to the fact that they looked amazing, plus they have some super benefits. The new boot has a far better ankle support than my current boots and a fantastic lace setup. The lace setup is a corsett type system called (boa closure system) which provides equal pressure across the top of the foot. Looking forward to taking the boots to Norway this Febuary, will be interesting to see the thermal quality and the general style of boot fitting into the Norwegein winter. I will definitely be getting some mixed routes in around Fision bowl in Rjukan along side many other super routes.

Get me out of ear

Total chaos, ended up ram raiding the automatic tills @ sainsburys. Didn't realise you had to que, well if you don't move forward I'll just move round you. 

Think I was havin one of those senior days. Deàn had to listen to the, ooh rude man, wat a q jumper,oops

so, wats it all about. Well we're off to Masson Lees to run some routes, with coisonts fresh from the patisary dept. 

Met some Macc lads running the roof route (sub rosa) when we arrived.

We started on warm up route at a nice grade of M6, lead of course and ground up. We didn't clip, or I didn't clip the first two bolts, so it was a clean run.

We ran this route several times, then moved over to the right of the crag and top ropped the next route which had a tricky start at about M7. Got boxed out after several runs, great route done it many times before.

Banana Rama

STOP card here, personnel joke (Tom)

The guys from Macc were sporting some nice Rebel Ice Boots, fresh in at Outside Shop.

END OF STORY

OMG its DT heaven

Saturday morning arrived after a full week of earlies, one more get up. This ones a bit different, we are off to WALES. The drytooling location we are off to has been given the premier site in the UK tag, so we are off to see for ourselves. Ps, the bloody car is solid in frost. It's about -5 here in the Peak and the bloody car door won't open.

First things first, brek,brek . Unbelievable  I made a bit of a location calculation cock up. The cafe we were going to was no where near were we were going. Oh well not to worry, as it turned out we got the better result. We ended up in Betsewycoed at a super cafe near the railway,what a great find.

And the breakfast was super good. http://www.alpinecoffeeshop.net/

Yummmmmmm yumm yummmmmy.

So breky over, off to DT heaven.

Moving away from Betsy and into some stunning mountain scenery.

Take the road out from Trefriw up the hill in front of the Fairy Falls Hotel.

http://www.visitllandudno.org.uk/things-to-do/food-and-drink/the-fairy-falls-p285611

Then follow the road to the very end past Llyn Crafnant, and park through the gate. Remember to be curtious and respect the local environment.

Follow the route on the card in UKC, and don't stra off into private land.

An amazing transformation as you drive from Trefriw village to Clogwyn Mannod. The change in landscape is awesome, flat flood plain to majestic mountains and typical Welsh crags. 

So, let's find some parking. Parking is a bit scarce but available in small quantities.

Passing, parking place.

Tools of the trade in hand, and we are off up the hill.

The track leading upto the crag.

Alls looking good.

Yep, if you wanna climb here this is the way in. Tight un very ohhhh long way down. No scaff tag required.

Yep, it's uh big un.

Tom belaying Pete on the Dragons lair M8+

A couple of guys climbing, Pete Harrison and a chap called Tom from plas y brenin.

Yep, that's a FBW. SOMETHING BIG WALL.

The pictures don't capture the awesome size of these walls. If you reckon your up for it, get yourself down here. This place is an absolute credit to the guys who found it and bolted it, one guy for starters who we met is Pete Harrison. The walls here are 30 meter plus, with extensions out to make longer routes. The whole place is a Mecca for major run outs, not found anywhere else.

This is the way in, a long decent into the pit via a notted line.

Super ferns in the cave area.

The only light, window to the outside world.

 

Me on Slate O the art, after my initial lead. We are doing sets of three to get burned out.

Finding the pre drilled pockets is tricky as the whole wall is wet and dark, not easy to see the pockets.

Dean high up in the gods, coming down after one of his sets of three burn runs.

First route of the day, (Slate O the art) M5+ . Well graded, and certainly worth its star.

Belay stance in the bowls of the cave.

One great bit of information, I didn't take much food on the trip. Well in fact it amounted to one CHIA CHARGE http://www.chiacharge.co.uk/ bar, (seed flapjack) between two. So one bar is a bought 80g, split two ways. We lead an M5+  25 meters ish each then did sets of three up and down the route to burn out, and I must admit it kept us going all the way, well impressed.

Super bar, and tastes great.

Admit, not many pictures of us climbing, this is due to another cockup. Còckup number two, always bring the lead which connects power pack to phone. Oh yeh, plus take less shots leaves more power in phone for later, lesson over.

We ran slate O the art as a lead route first, then ran it out in set of three. The sets of three were to burn out and get pumped. By the time we had done two leads and six runs we were pretty well out of time. Dusk was on its way, time for home. This is an area we will be back to, lots of un finished business here.

Now it's off to buy pies http://www.bodnant-welshfood.co.uk/

WALES calling.

Hitting the slate at Mannod

Breakfast STOP

Sat will see a visit to the new developed Drytooling venue called Clogwyn Mannod.

Basically, we carnt wait. So log in TOMOZ to see some great pictures and a super review.

Ay up Mr White Stuff

Looks like we are to have a little flutter here in the High Peak on Sunday following through to Monday late afternoon.

Double trainnnnnnnning session

So, double sesh it is. Called in at the log shed on the way home to do an hours training on the Drytooling board. Great session which also included fixing a section of roof with some roofing felt to stop the rain coming in through the gap.

Training over and it's back home.

Super jacket  from montane   http://www.montane.co.uk/    for resting your tired nomics on. http://www.petzl.com/en?l=INT#.VHza9qv46rU The jackets going to Rjukan Norway this season, will be interesting how it performs, expecting great things from it. The compactability will be a great advantage.

So got home and the phone went, fancy a session at Awesome Walls, ok great bouldering it is http://www.awesomewalls.co.uk/home did some great routes till I was boxed. 

Tonight's fuel was a super Chia bar, really tasty. http://chiacharge.co.uk/ . Must admit thou I do love the Blueberry Cliff bars made by Cliff @    

http://www.clifbar.com/

Plus a nice bit of jerky for the arm chair relax session.

@the shed

Super session at the shed today, planned to meet john and dean at the shed for 11:30 but spent a sleepless night coughing and feeling sorry for ones self, so had to cancel.

However, by about 12:30 felt a lot better. Dean rang and said he was on his way up to the shed. Well, had to go if only to spot.

Super shot, dean going for a high placement.

I'll just chill for a while.

Tools of the trade.

Head to toe protection.

Well used kick block.