Back in the blood

Training is going slow and frequently derailed, not quite enough obsession kicking round to drive me on. Sometimes its too much fun just being Dad, and bouldering requires me to actually be good, at least for the things on my radar.

Luckily I may have stumbled on a solution, with mizzle and other complications I've been stuck for mini adventure Ideas, for when I only have a short window of quixote time. I've therefore set myself a challenge to compile notes for all the changes and additions that have birthed since the Slate guide got published.

This, started as an act of whimsy, has now reached 20 pages and has resulted in some fine stomps. A bizarre side effect has been that I'm actually getting some psyche back for playing in the quarries. After all things Twll Mawr, I kind of felt I'd drawn that chapter to a close, but the jaunts have reinfected me somewhat. Some examples:

Harlod Walmsey's Routes high up in Heavens Cutting. These will be a good adventure for the low grade sport aficionado, providing they don't shed too many holds. However on the opposite side of the cutting are a load of clean highball aretes and slabs with flat landings. Food for thought 

Who bolted this buttress, curious and curiouser

The buttress in question is  in the centre of the pic, above the sadly collapse Alice Springs, a route put up by my dearly departed mate Dave. If I ever bolted again, I'd like to follow that hanging slab left over the void.

Some more of Harold's work. Some really strong looking lines in the middle of Upper Dinorwic in an area he's named Ayer's Rock. The right hand line Kata Tjuta Rib follows an old Giveaway Project of the Month.

The left hand wall of the bay looked familiar. Turns out I soloed through here 15 years ago, what became If you Kill People They Die. Nice to see its still standing.

Looking down into Australia from the adventurous mess that is Upper Diniorwic

Another new development is the Plateau slab. Ian Lloyd Jones secured access to this  area, which was previously banned under the Access agreement negotiated in the late 80's.

2 routes in this area previously left out of the guide were mentioned in the old black book, I was intrigued by Stay Big..

And here it is! This whole section looks ripe for some highballing, but the one pad I'd bought with me wasn't enough to persuade me to engage quite yet.

And so on to the main event! I had been invited to come and play for the morning, by my work mate Alex. What me? going to climb popular classics? I had great fun, leading Pull My Daisy (which I'd last led 20 years previously) and cleanly seconding Splitstream. I was particularly pleased with this as I feel pretty much fresh from the couch, and it also marks my first Redhead route!

So Slates back in the blood. Lets see what adventure awaits!