Crafting Contentment amidst Caca

 It's actually been a pretty ok year. On paper it looks utter dog shit of course.

Having to move house, stress at work, serious family illness and the day to day struggles of neurodiverse kids have meant the minor snatches of adventure have been gold dust. Both in value and scarcity. 

To top it all off a niggling wrist flared up and then POp another pulley injury. Quite possibly the cortisol contributed.

So how's it been ok? Well I've found treasure in the small things, prior to temporarily disabling myself it was easy days bouldering with friends, daft mini adventures with the kids. Post injury it's the planning...

Next year I turn 50. I'm a little fed up with the last two years of injury, and have decided to do something about it.

All my life I've saught adventure, when the going got hard I specifically excersised to overcome the chosen objective, but there wasn't a culture training as we know it. 

Consequently I'm ashamed to admit there's many gaps in my climbing game, and it's quite possible that as I'm no longer "just climbing lots" I'm cashing cheques I can't write ( flip I'm showing my age). 

First I asked a physio to hold me accountable with bi monthly check ups.

Secondly I goal set; to get back to 7B and hopefully beyond by my birthday.

This means infiltrating my life with a culture of training. Not sure what that looks like yet.

Thirdly, as I can't climb yet, I need to have alternative adventures!

Cue digging Binky the Wonder Boat out of storage..

The target was Craig y llam, the site of my first ill fated coasteering session, and source of a massive niggle of unfinished business. I'm sure there's some projects waiting for me.

First thing I learnt was I've forgotten how to row. It may not have helped that the electric pump didn't quite have the guts to get it totally rigid, so the oar holes were flapping a bit.

It took quite a lot of whirligig type buffoonery to get round the fishing rock and to the cliff proper.

Some signs of DWS potential 

Ahoy! An offwidth memory from 14 years ago 

All I have to do now is work out how to pull on. Water seems deep enough and walls are all at least vertical. The chimney extends to an unknown depth within the cliff.

I didn't want to risk popping Binky trying to row to the back. It just occurred to me that I could have swum in, but I had nothing to moor to in any case.

Basically I need to visit in the company of fellow adventurers. Unfortunately being a very birdy cliff, this probably means next autumn.

At least I'll be a 7B boulderer by then.

Keep Exploring 

Giveaway project of the Month - February and March

February got a bit mad, with training being replaced by hard graft at work. To reward your patience, here are a couple of Piccies I was keeping to myself. Craig y Llam is the home of 2 routes, a lot of unclimbed rock, and one previous Giveaway. the downside is that the unclimbed rock is probably best approched by boatand has a summer bird ban. It has therefore been ignored in rock rich North Wales. The upside is that its solid, futuristic and extensive.



The obvious chimney line drew me here - A tip off from Martin Crook

This wall is smooth, steep, and has a platform at low tide.

There are loads more features and lines, mainly one pitch of rock to one of scrambling, but high adventure none the less.

enjoy

Giveaway Project of the Month -August

The Venue this month, is Craig y Llam, the place of my baptism into sea level traversing. As promised this months humble offering is a potential route, good and proper.

This little bay is just round the corner from the beach start, and could be walked to at low spring tide. The 45 degree overhanging face is spit by a thin crack which widens to hands near the top, before giving way to less vertical ramblings. The seagulls give scale, and also fair warning..

Enjoy!

Day One - 7 days of Adventure!

Its finally, arrived, My first week off work where I'm not running kids climbing competitions or moving house!

Its my intention to get an adventure in Every day, even if it has to be snatched from between the jaws of day to day chores..

Day One

Coasteering round Craig y Llam, near Nefyn. This was brought about via a train journey and a chance meeting with Martin Crook. He had mentioned a chimney in the vicinity of Fantan B, that might be worth a look. I decided to take in the whole headland, Starting on the Nefyn side.

I managed to stay dry the whole of the first gap, Making fine use of limpets and barnacles for holds. Many a flared groove gave way to a limpet mono, and I often forsake crimps for a barnacle sloper.

Eventually, the swimming started. Now as a exponent of the doggy paddle, this was a little alarming

Its not the getting in, or the vauge flailing in the general direction whilst waves do their best to send you in the other direction, It the trying to get out that provided the most dread. Rebounding waves not only snatch holds away, but can be an arse if your trying to catch a breath. Mantleshelving became the skill of the day, along with getting your body in exactly the right shape to stick to the available holds. A bit like one of those sticky toys you throw at windows.

Anyhoo, apart from killer waves, menacing seals, and the excreta of a million seabirds, It was quite a fun trip, Even found the chimneys! Saving for later tho I think.