Quick Patio Hit

So since the visit to Tosheroon, I have mainly been working, wrangling the boys, sitting up at 4am with the girl, and following the commands of the wife. So it was with much excitement that I escaped work early today for a play. As I'm still waiting for an action plan for the dicky shoulder, Mymbyr was todays choice, for a swift bit of chucking rocks. Suffice to say, The Cube's patio is beginning to take shape:

The retaining wall was still in place from last visit, so I was able to back fill to get it all level. In reality this meant pulling a rock out the adjacent pile, rolling / chucking it over, dodging the massive boulder I'd dislodged, stabilising the slope.... and repeat. Mymbyr is basically a pile of rubble with a turfy skin, hence it drains well, and occasionally swallows your leg.

The work left to do, I'm about half way there.

An artists impression of the finished article.

I love my gloves.

I.N.S.P.R.E March 2016

This months offering is a criminally neglected classic. First Climbed by Al Harris in the late 60's or so, Harris' Arete has everything you want; respectable difficulty at F6B, sunny aspect, flat landing, a proper line, and high without being highball.

What it lacks is ease of access. Positioned unhelpfully round the back of peoples houses on Fachwen, previous approaches crossed fences and skirted uncomfortably close to the natives. This meant it didn't get he prominence it deserves in guides, (for fear of upsetting access I guess) and generally dropped off the national radar.

However with the following approach, Harris' Arete and its sister boulders can be visited and enjoyed by the discerning off piste boulderer:

Park responsibly at the top of Gallt y Foel (that steep hill on the way to Bus Stop Quarry) and follow the cul de sac that leads off right. Follow this to its end and branch left (at this point the public foot path sign points right and the house sign points left, bet they're both public rights of way).

Anyways you get to this gate:

walk down the path 20m or so and the hill above looks like this:

Walk upto the arrowed notch (I hope you've brought wellies)

Once through the notch, contour round

Head for this arrow..

Which is here, the dip alongside the radio mast (sort of)

Looking downhill from here, pine trees and a notch in the bluff is your target.

And there you go, a pretty walk, 20 mins or so, past some potential boulders, and a nice area to visit at the end. Here is a couple of vids to whet the appetite:

Harris' Arete Stand

Harris' Arete Sit

A bit of a web trawl will also tip the nod that there are some unfinished projects round here too...

Enjoy

T is for Tosheroon

So Today is the first of the dates on the calendar with a T scribbled in. This means I have a tide window to look at Tosheroon.

So the kids were shuttled to school, and I shuffled off to Benllech. I had grand designs to video the route, so I can digest the beta at my leisure...

As you can see it didn't work out as useful as hoped, more of a Giger-esque nightmare really.

Pretty representative of the route I suppose.

Stupidly, as I had a bit of leeway on my timings, I thought I'd try pulling on.

Too early, too cold, not enough warm up, not good enough dicky shoulder.

Ouch.

I have learn't that goals should be tackled in order, with the short term goal of sustainably fixing myself being priority. However there are lots of adventures and antics to involve myself in while waiting for results with goal No. 1


Watch this space

Fatneck gets me Climbing!

A certain frequenter of UKBouldering celebrates the close of the 40th year of his life. The weather is kind AND I'm allowed out for the Whole weekend. It was emotional folks...

The keen of eye will identify our location as Porth Ysgo, not been here for a few years as it doesn't usually fit in with my quick mornings adventure while the kids are at school. Its been Two years or so that I ventured down with Mr Panton and crowd. Back then I climbed a few things and tried a few more that I was keen to complete.

This was one of them(being expertly modelled by TomTom). This time I did Foam Party; my first established 7A+. This has made me think I may have created a few sandbags amongst my harder FA's, as it was not the living end. Also at Porth Ysgo I managed Perrin Crack sit, and to fall on my head in front of the president of the BMC. I was trying to demonstrate my only ysgo FA "The Diminutive Fister", my heel-toes slipped, and I torpedoed into the boulders next to my carefully placed mat. Ho hum, Fatneck was wearing my offwidth helmet at the time too....

The next day was a distinctly crowded Talfarach. Although the location choice was mainly due to Fatneck wanting to go fishing (Did you get any lid?). For those not familiar with this site, its the headland east of ysgo with the big boulders with bad landings.

Many Spotters, Plenty Mats, Mike looks away and Shudders...

My plaything for the day, turned out to be "The Black Pearl" 7B, and distinctly feasible if I ever come back here fresh, and with a mat surplus.

Fun was had, skin used, and psyche regained. Hoever, I also got a bit homesick for the missus and sprogs, so didn't climb until totally trashed.

Roll on this years projects!