Whats not to like?

Next on my list  I think is Cyfrwy Arete on Cader Idris. 12 pitches of mixed mountaineering and climbing. a full day out and a really striking line. I have wanted to do this for a good few years now, ever since I drove past Cader Idris on the way to the Rhinogs.  Oh and if you want some of the best, little known ridgewalking in the UK try the Rhinogs . It blurs the line between climbing and mountaineering and looks like a truly grand day out. Anybody fancy a trip to the Pricipality with a Prince?

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Look to the future now

So whilst I'm sulking with a bad back I had better  try and formalise some of my ideas about next year's list, whilst moping and naval gazing. With a couple of weeks off for injury and less chance of getting out over the next few months my thoughts are turning to next year.

Here's where my thinking is at so far. Ruth should be pleased as a couple will need a rope and if anybody fancies making the trip to what was my favourite cragging spot in the Peak namely Stanage. I would be delighted to point you at what I think are some of the finest routes in the world.

Birch Tree Wall

Birch Tree wall - Brimham. Often touted as Yorkshire's finest VS. A bit run-out but should be well within my capabilities. Looked at this years ago and it looked beyond me. Last time I looked it seemed more reasonable and it looks like with a bit of low cunning it actually pretty protectable.

Demon Wall - Almscliffe.   An Old School classic. Looks reachy, but they do look like big holds if you can reach them. Should be pretty well protected and if you do come off you won't hit anything as its pretty steep. Probably three stars of anyone's money. Classic Almscliffe HVS, about time I lead a HVS again.

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One for your Tick Lists

If you haven't climbed Little Chamonix in the lakes you should. Here is a really nice article about not climbing it.  I hope to let my children take me up it one day in the near distant future.  If I can persuade them climbing is a reasonable use of their time.

http://footlesscrow.blogspot.com/2011/09/bonfires-in-borrowdale.html

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West Chevin Bouldering near Otley

Headed to Otley west chevin today with the family, for a walk and some geocaching, As luck would have it I had my sticky shoes on. So I managed to sneak up the arete of Barndoor which was lovely. A surprising amount of quality problems were lying around in the woods I will be heading back.

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Perceptions of Dawes

Jonny Dawes talked  at the Harrogate Climbing Centre last night. He has a book coming out - Full of Myself and this seemed a chance for him  to build up a head of steam before publication. I had leapt at the chance to see him speak as  the last time was 25 years ago in the back room of a pub in Hathersage when he was the new kid in town and I was just a kid in town. Much had happened to us both since.

He started with some insights into his childhood. I had known he was a posh boy but not how comfortable and glamorous his childhood was. The son of a doctor who had counted John Bonham as a patient "he kept telling him to drink less". His parents were motor sport obsessives and there were pictures of Monaco and Le Mans. He had got in to scrapes at an early age trying to get over a 100 in his dads race prepared Porsche on the family drive. He did, but stopping once he had proved more difficult.

We also got pictures of a young JD stood on a Lilo age maybe 8. Not a trick few of us will ever repeat. He climbed all over his house, prep school and  then did the same at Uppingham. So his talent whilst honed on the grit of the Peak was certainly being trained at a tender age. There seemed a massive dose of natural ability there as well.

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