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Weather/Conditions: Cold,
clear weather with a foot or more of snow everywhere.
Accompanying: Ian
Routes:
Flake Route w/ P.
Corner finish (15m? Severe, seconded)
Flake Route w/ P. Corner finish (15m? Severe, First lead) |
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It was Neilston again.
After taking the wrong road, we arrived no too long behind schedule. New
snow had fallen and the quarry was underneath a foot of snow... This
wasn't a problem since the rock was dry, but rock shoes on snow are a
lethal combination because no matter how hard you try, you can't help
but slip on your arse. And hopefully not over the cliff edge.
It was a good day's climbing - Ian climbed the route first, which was a
kind of combination of the two routes. Flake Route is graded V.Diff
though I find it's last move more difficult than anything in P Corner,
which is Severe. Once he had brought me up on second, I decided to lead
it. I initially had a go at going up Flake route although without
guaranteed protection, I couldn't do it. My last nut (or was it a hex?)
was below on the horizontal crack, and the rock there was loose. Below
that I'd hit the ground. So I changed plans and headed to the Corner and
just made it up (nearly slipped in the process) but was mighty happy to
finally have completed my first lead climb. I spent a long long time
sorting out the anchor at the top, then more time was waster while
misunderstandings in communication left both of us sitting, waiting for the other
to call back.
Anyway, Ian came up eventually and after that we didn't care to climb
much more. Spent a lot of time chatting at the top of the time, then
packed up and headed for home. It was a good day and my grief over
Michael had subsided too (check the last Neilston report for more on
that...). Always positive.
But writing in September '10, I haven't been back to Neilston since.
It's good, but a bit dank and the rock it sometimes loose or wet. I
guess it isn't inspiring and it's quite a long way away too. Well, maybe
one day...
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