Pulling up at Aldery Cliff 20 mins from home in the beautiful White Peak part of the Peak District National park. Must have been,maybe 25 years ago thinking OMG that looks tough climbing. Yep, we moved on to some other crag, who knows were, not i. But stronger wiser more climb cred were back.
So, you guessed it were back at Aldery Cliff.
180 deg shot of the crag face.
Dean making the first move on Clothesline.
Super route with loads to keep you on ya toes. Dean set up an abseil and we rapped back down, no point in using the walk off as it way off to the left.
So, prior to the first route we ripped open a Cranberry flavour bar from Battle Oates. Ok it looks the same, rectangle bar of oaty stuff. So snapped it up into pieces and handed Dean a piece and took a piece for myself. Uhmmm, yes something's different. Smoother, bit tastier, bit different from the old bar. So what's changed, well read the info at the bottom of the BLOG it will tell you all you need to know. But just for the record, it tasted better, smoother, less dry. So thumbs up all round, but does it do the biss. These things are always difficult. First of all I started with a cooked breakfast, mushrooms bacon black pudd and fresh egg from the farm. Took no food to the crag, so had to survive on the battle Oates bar, Must admit I didn't feel hungry and didn't find that I wanted to eat during the climbing session just drank water. I would say we were climbing hard, and burning the calories as we were both leading at HVS 5a throughout the day. Within that time period I felt great, no lack of Gurr and no lack of energy, so the conclusion is they work and work well.
First lead for me on the main face, surface plate HVS 5a. Great route on small wires to start, with a super cam in the brake at around half height. Dean came up on second and loved the route to bits. We set up for the abseil and rapped off back down to Doogle who was waiting patiently at the bottom.
Dean on his way down off Clothesline.
Next route is Deans, broken toe. Superb route, 30m of pure HVS climbing all the way.
Broken toe HVS.
Again, setup an abseil and rapped off to the bottom. Loads of super anchors at the top, mainly trees, actually there all trees. So if you want to get your abseiling skills up, this is the crag. Just make sure you have a rope of a minimum length of 60m, otherwise you will be a little short of the ground.
60m just off the ground.
Next and last routes was mine with (The Fly) at HVS 5a, and worth every penny. Loved this route, really fine climbing with protection low down so you feel pretty exposed. Up onto the slab and into some pretty bad ground. Nettles, blackberry bushes un all sorts. However, what a super route, you've just got to run it out to the top to get the most Awsome feeling. The exposure at the top is fantastic, your on a super hanging belay via a tree stump leaning out off a blank wall.
Looking down from the top, maybe the highest point to date that a Battle Oates bar has been since the new launch (100+ft) unless you know different.
The Packhorse, (http://thepack-horseinn.co.uk/ ) super pint and a razzle in the beer garden with Doogle. He loves to roll round in the grass at high speed.
So, thats our adventure for the day. Go and make your own, and above all scare yourself at least once as it wakes you up.
Go live, but live it your way.
GO CLIMB
