Its fully cold and the days are so short that by the time you’ve put your pants on its time to take them off and get into bed again. So in the few minute that you have your pants on, the weather is nice and you have enough money to put a bit of juice in your car then its all about getting things done. I’ve been working a lot recently and now the work is dieing down and starting to get the planning head on for winter adventures. I want to go skiing, ice climbing, alpine climbing, Scottish winter climbing and do some courses all before my knees explode and my money runs out, which one will happen first i wonder.
I got out the other day and did the first 4 pitches and and XS finish to The Equator at Avon Gorge, being the longest route on the crag over 300m long on a cliff that is just 60m in height, achieves this by going sideways a lot. Much fun to be had on these short days starting out at 1pm and only having 3 hours of day light but i was happy with getting out in the sun and falling off when i large block became dislodged by my excess mass.
Me just after the fall
Linking the first two pitches
To be the fair the climbing was never hard but nicely sustained at E2 5b and with lots of interest all the way. The light was fading and it was time to get out of there which meant me doing an XS deep bramble scramble of loose blocks, trees and earth, all the way to a large leap and a stretch over the fence at the top much to the amazement of the passers by. This route will be one done in sections over the winter and we will replace some of the belays where we can to help out the Bristol Avon Project. What else I’ve had a group from Explorers Connect for an abseil at Avon Gorge and two clients from Somerset learning to lead. The weather although thrashing it down with rain has left long enough windows to get out and play.
Me on the 3rd pitch
After long traverses and getting excited about the winter weather coming in thick and fast covering our grass with frost it was time to plan some winter action. Scotland winter climbing with Henry Castle in January, awesome. Just booked my Irata level 1 course next week and now all i need is some alpine climbing and a wee spot of skiing and bamm what a month. So lets all keep getting excited about Christmas, getting out climbing, keeping kit all while the mince pies and mulled wine go down. Today i went fora run, the next 3 days climbing and there you go built like desperate Dan, yes.
More of this please and lots of sunshine.
Come on winter
