Cosmo and Mrs Prince swelled the ranks along with an oft present but nevertheless apprehensive Stu who seemed to have a slight air of the condemned man about him. The walk in is steep at least initially and the guide book time of 35 minutes a little ambitious. We doubled it and we didn't really dawdle.
The beautiful summer evening was turning a little fresh by the time we got there. We managed an hour of bouldering. The rock is fantastic; rough as rhino hide with huge pebbles to help you out. It had a real adventure feel about it. Instead of the well worn landings you get used to at Yorkshire's bouldering honey pots, there were bilberry's and heather at the bottom of the problems, the holds had no shine with a coating of lichen and many had tiny millipedes curled up in them.
Nobody really set the world alight but we had some great bumbly fun just trying a few problems and enjoying the enigmatic, wind sculpted rock and soaking in the all enveloping silence. There was an area called the jumble which had a few nice problems and a few to go back for.
It dropped cold about nine and Bryn and Cosmo headed back down. Despite the whole escapade being Bryn's idea he had dogs to walk and couldn't stay. He looked a little disappointed and I think Cosmo though getting cold by now would have a happily stayed too.
Rachael, Stu and Myself passed an agreeable hour nattering. I then failed to ply them with whisky and was left no option but to drink it myself. Rachael suddenly invented extreme knitting and the weather threatened to turn nasty but decided not to.
Night didn't exactly fall but it went a bit darker. The lights on Emley moor transmitter mast reminding us the world was out there. That and everybody on Facebook "liking" Rachael's knitting photo.
A grouse woke us at 4 a clock so we got up, had a brew and headed for the car. We walked through a beautiful mist on the rocks with sun breaking through kind of dawn. Stopping at Simon's Seat for a Geocache.
I was trying to remember how wonderful everything looked in the warm light. It was one of those "never to be forgotten" episodes that are actually really difficult to remember. Maybe thats why I keep wanting to do it again.
