Well in the last post i mentioned that me and rupert were heading to Riglos to climb the 270m Fiesta de los Biceps and i can report it was a success abet a hard and emotional day on the wall,

As we drove towards the Village or riglos you can see the amazing looking towers towering above the village from miles away, as we drove closer i though i could see a faint line snaking its way up the face near where we wanted to climb i dismissed it as silly but alass as we drover closer it became more and more defined. As the face is so steep the chalk on the holds never gets washed off so there is a faint line of chalk providing a light snakes trail all the way up the cliff. See photo ( our objective is the red line.)

As soon as we got the the village we rished upto the base of the tower to look and though it doesnt look so high it will be fine. We had heard that Leo holding had done it in 40 minutes then base jumped off the top so figured that 2.5-3 hours would be a good estimate of time for us :) deciding it was way to hot as 3pm to do anything we retreated o the shade of the bar and sat hoping someone would climb sonething so we could watch. Plans were made and a start time of around 8am was agreed on.

In the morning we grogaly awoke to pitch blackness at 7am looking at the stars and drinking coffee we though it may be a little early but not to be held back we started the walk and got to the bottom in time for the sun to be comming up and good light.

The climb itself starts with 2 reasonably easy pitches of 6a then 6a+ which we linked into one long 50m pitch to save time (and keep us on track for a 3 hours ascent). rupert started and with a sterling effort did 50 metres with 9 bolts!!! quickly up with him and noicely warmed i swap the bag im carrying for some quick draws and its my time to lead this time the hardest picth at 7a. I start off and quickly gain ground then come to a fairly blank cooking corner where the bolts sudeenly get really close together. Thats the crux i though to myself and set off bad crimpy slopey holds here reach up getting worse get my feet high look left and see huge foot hold. Left foot on my feet now really wide apart and im in a stable bridged position looking up i can see a good hold comming up a few more tenuous moves nd im there at the end of the crux looking up i can see my next good hold a metre and a bit up, it looks huge between me and it are 2 misserably small crimps grabbing them i setup and lunge it there smiling and only a easy run ahead to the belay.

Ruperts up and were ready now to face the ever steeping face above us. the next pitches are as follows, 6c, 6b+, 6b+, 6c+ then the finnishing 6a+. Rupert pushed on then im up with him swapping leads it all goes by in a blur of big holds and every growing exposure, we can see Vultures circling magestily below us as we inch upwards. The sun is now on us and we can feel the tiredness setting in. I finnish seconding the last 6b+ pitch with the bag on on super steep climbing its so strenious im pumped and spent as i arrive at the belay knowing i now have to push strait on to the second hardest picth, Rupert takes on look and asks if in still good to do the next pitch i say yeah but give me a breather for a few minutes. Rupert then drops the bomshell that hes been thinking and decides that he doesnt like multi pitch climbing and wants to be off the climb now so he doesnt mind leading on and i can rest whale he climbs. Calling him a hero i pass the draws and lead over to him. Pushing on with all the encouragement i can muster hes away and yarding easly up the super steep pitch above us. All to soon and all to easely hes up the top. i begin and with the bag and tiredness playing a part in soon pumped out of my mind hanging on the rope half way up the pitch. With load of encouragement im back on and make it to the top.

After the next easy pitch and a bit of a scramble were sitting at the top, after our speedy ascent in no less than 5 and a half hours :) get in were fast. AFtre a tireing walk back down we are met with a cold beer and tapas spanish style many thinks to lucy for being te treasure that she is for prepairing it. All in all a amazing day super exposed super fun but not something i want to repeat to often.

We have some amazing photos from the climb but they are on ruperts camera and im awaiting them byemail theyle be up ASAP once i get them.

Mental madness

Well Since my last post about my mental battle in Tres ponts i can say that i went back to fight my battle and allas came away empty handed but having learnt alot on the journey. Mainly that i may believe i am a brave climber but when i come across things that intimidate me (namely large overhangs and large runouts ) Ithen i need to focus my attention on it more and make sure im happy or if not happy comfortable with what im doing I think that i need to take the fall before i try and redpoint the climb or il be worrying about it all the time about what could happen and climb like a spanner, also that i should climb the whole sequence quite a few times so i am happy with what i am doing and know that my way is the best way for me, If im not happy with any of the nmoves i need to try all other ideas then commit to the one thats best. but hey a good learning experiance now to find something once we get to rodellar i got a few ideas on possible projects will elaborate more when i know what i like the feel of,

Lucy had a stunning performance that more than made up for my messing around, as we first got the the crag she saw a beautiful Tufa line that made a short bouldery route called "Pan De Puta". Having taken a few days to work out the moves she then took a rest day and switched to linking in having wore herslef out on our second last day and not quite made it she decided to rest all the next day and have one last ditch attempt just before we leave and it gets dark so she could be as fresh as possible.

After a frustraiting day of waiting around she deicdes the time has come, i scamper up the ajacent route and get the camera out, she ties in a gets ready. Pulling on she cruses upto the crux, powering through the bouldery crux sequence she looks relaxed and ready to crush the last bit, she inches up the tufa get into position then makes the clip she has been strugling with. YOu can see the look of relief and suprise in her face. She then looks to be prematurely celibrating looses focus and gets her feet wrong then shes off. After getting oh so close.

Not to be put down and with darkness fast aproaching she decideds to have another go 30 minutes later she back on. But with no time to recover it was a good effort but no where near the first. From this she then retreats from battle proud, tired and looking forward the the tapas james has promised us.

A great end to the trip been gopod climbing with you James

Well earnt Tapas

the crux oif Mites modern

chilling in the car park

Lucy pulling hard

Mental Mind games

Hey all

lots been happening since i wrote last, we had spent about 5 days in rodellar climbing with James, Rupert, Dave, Tom and Rosey from bristol have a really good time Trying lots of fun routes with a good bit of banter inbetween, I belayed Rupert on a really solid send of Lola 8a+, The wether was good and my finger was holding up suprisingly well, James and rupert were heading off on wednesday to go to Tres ponts so we had a good send off climb and planned a drink in the evening when the local Guardia civil ( Comunity suport officers) came round the car park and told everyone that they couldnt stay there anymore and they would be back to fine anyone who stayed there the next night. so a quick decission was made we were off to tres Ponts that day.

Its always exciting to go to a new area provisions were brought and we were off finding a nice little parking spot at a Fresh water sprint/ font in the foothills of the perryniees just down the road from the climbing. James and rupert turned up a bit later and Talk was talked and projects were discussed. Rupert recomended a 8a called "Mites Modernes" for me and james to try SO it was on we had 5 days here till james leaves on tuesday (Tomorrow) so the race was on what could i do in that time on a 8a.

First day i warmed up and got on it pushed up untill the crux have a very half assed attempt to get through it then lowered off having not worked the moves, Its pretty much a 7b/+ to a hard sequence of 6/7 moves then 2 easyer clips to the top, With one bolt in the middle of the crux sequence that you cant clip so have to the the whole lot quite run out. Second go i linked all that i did before then faffed around for ages not really getting anything except scared and intimidated, I worked out a really rubbish sequence then came down.

Second day pretty much went the same my mind wasnt in it as soon as i started climbing i had negative thoughts of my falling me not doing it my sequence not working me slipping everything un usefull so hence another day of not achieving much, i did get a new high point but figured out that my sequence didnt work as there was an impossible foot swap, that with a the little bit of tension from the rope when working it wit the clip above clipped made it possible but on the lead not going to happen. In stead of working out something new i decided it would work and carried on trying getting no further,

Then a rest day then the Climbing time again, And again mentaly im not there i very nearly walked away and gave up on it, but decided to give it one last go and to try to sort out my head I remembered a conversation i had with Robbie thompson about getting agressive on the rock and decided to make myself angry so i would be more focused this worked and i now have a massivley better sequence that i can repeat all the moves easily and reasonably consistantly. + linked the crux in its 2 half so now knowing that i can do all the moves and that my sequence works im no longer mentaly challenged as i know i can climb it so the run out and missing the clip doesnt worry me. Lesson learned once again whjen redpointig something hard make sure your happy with your sequence before you use it or you wont commit. also that i need to man up and just pull hard sometimes, i now have a good method of getting myself angry when im feeling negative and scared so hopefully this will help,

Were just waiting now for the sun to move round off the crag and climbing will comence at around 3-4ish only time will tell what will happen, im confident that aslong as i try hard enough i can climb it il let you know later how it goes.

Also really psyched as once james has gone me and rupert are heading to Riglos to try and climb "Fiesta los biceps" its a 8 pitch 7a that climbs up a huge comglomerate tower above a tiny village in the foot hills north of Huesca. I have wanted to try this route for around 2 years since i saw a photo of it. the rock face is concaved so the first pitches are slaby and technical then the top ones are hugely over hanging and airy cant wait, (photo i got psyched on is below) you can see the trail of chalk twisting away from below.

Lucys Highlights

Lucy Highlights!

Seeing as I havnt done a blog entry for such a long time, I thought I would have a quick chat about what we are up to now and then list my highlights of the trip since my last entry! There will be pics and I do apologize if Simon has already previously put any of them up!

So at the moment we are in Carisolo, Italy where we have ended our mini road trip with the rents. Simons Nonni live here so we have come to visit and we absolutely love it here! We have been doing tons of hiking in the mountains, it is a truly beautiful area! Simon and Dad went on a very long hike today, they left at 6am from the flat in Carisolo at 800m with the intention of reaching the Cima Presanella at 3382m and back round to their starting point in a day. Wouldve loved to go aswell but they go too fast for me! Didn’t want to slow them down so will have to join them another time once I’m faster! So I did my first ever solo ascent of a peak today (well solo plus Tala!) called the Cima Lancia at 2318m also leaving from Carisolo which took me 3 hrs up and 2 hrs down. Not bad for an ameatuer! I will admit I was kinda scared to do it as I have never gone into the mountains on my own before, but am so glad I did go, doing things that scare you really makes u feel alive! And I am still alive, so all good! Haha  Cima Lancia is quite a religious hike I believe, there is a huge cross to mark the summit, some poor guy had to carry that up there at some point! Fair play to him :P Unfortuantely visibility was totally zero at the top!! Although I did get a couple of pics just to prove I did make it! As Tala can’t vouch for me!




Me & Tala at the Summit



So my highlights since my last blog entry, my top 3!

Number 1 - Rodellar!

Defiantly my favourite place so far! Really really beautiful place and the climbing is so much fun! Complete opposite to climbing in the UK really steep lots of big holds! We also had a great little community going on there, met some amazing people and had a lot of fun, on my birthday we all went down to the river and set up a slackline over it which was awesome! I also did my favourite climb so far in Rodellar, it was a 6c+ which started up tufas then had a technical but not too crimpy section then a huge juggy roof! What more could you ask for?! Most fun route ever!



‘Team Rodellar’ Left to right – Ayla (Germany), Me, Mel (Australia), David (Germany), Alex (Sheffield UK), Mark (Also up North! UK), Emmol (Australia) and Simon

  Down by the river on my birthday!

And a couple of pics of me on the 6c+!


 
 
 



Number 2 - Ceuse

Some brilliant climbing at this crag, there is an epic walk in whenever you go to climb but I found this got me much fitter so started enjoying that as well as the climbing! Did my first 7a there which is the hardest grade I have climbed so was really happy about that, I think it was the being fitter from the walk that helped so am trying to keep up my cardio now! Met some really awesome people there so had a good community going on again, stayed here a month and we were destroyed by the end of it!! Good times 
  View of the crag from petit Ceuse!


Me hanging out with Klass & Mich from Belgium
 
Jonathan from The Lake District & Simon…..being……funny?
 

Me & Ania, she is originally from Poland but has been living in Turkey for a long time. Ania is traveling alone with just her backpack, hitching rides and camping wherever she can next to the crag. We originally met her in Siurana, then Margaleff, then Rodellar and then Ceuse! She is so commited when she climbs and has such a positive outlook on life, a real inspiration to me, totally love her!!!

Number Three – Magic Wood

Hadnt been bouldering since we went to Albarracin in February but then spent 2 weeks bouldering here. The rock is totally amazing and has some amazing boulder problems. I did my hardest boulder problems yet and Simon was also doing moves that he defiantly wouldn’t have been able to do at the start of our trip! We saw our friends from Bristol here which was really nice and just generally had a great time! It was perfect for summer as nice and cool amongst the trees and had a glacier river running through the middle of it that u could jump into if u did get 2 hot, very fresh!

Me Bouldering!



Simon Bouldering!





Me in the river with doggy!







Oh and almost forgot! Tala’s Vaccinations have all cleared now, her passport is fully filled out ready for her to enter the UK.  Cannot wait for you all to meet her! Much love from me Simon & Tala

Camping in the mountains

Hey all

Well were still here in Carisolo been enjoying the hiking and i dont think i have mentioned before but i sprained the collateral ligament in my left middle finger, this had made climbing painfull and not very productive so all the long days in the mountains have been great for resting it and letting it recover, as of today it feels loads better i can fully clench my fist and move it around and pull it without any pain and bending it sideways which is what caused the injury produces only mild discomfort instead of shooting pain.

Well its been a pretty active last few days we hiked up into the mountains on friday for a few hours till 2000m and stayed in a little mountain bivi hut with the aim of carrying on further the next day, The location was stunning up on a little crest with a large green meddow stretching away from us criss crossed with crystal clear streams. Back dropped with a bowl of high barren looking peaks, No good photos as with all the camping gear there wasnt any room

We chilled up there for the afternoon and read chatted and played cards then once the sun went down and the temperature soon followed we couped down inside and lit a fire. sitting around this drinking slow Gin feeling perfectly content was amazing, Only to have our peacefull little bubble burst by a group of hunters ariving with the key to the furnished and comfy looking other section of the hut. A quick chat and then back to the warmth and our comfy wooden planks and roll mat.

After not the best nights sleep we arose to a chilled morning with everything dripping with morning dew. After coaxing myself from the comfort of the sleeping bag i rush to get the fire going then to get a cup-o-tea on the go. propper job. At around 9am the sun slowly poked its head and warming rays over the jagged ridge line that had kept us separated for so long, we were off and on our way to lago Laris a 3 hour hike up towards the glacier, burdened by the heavy bags the going was slow but steady. After getting to what looked like the lake for the 4th time we realised this slope roles in and out a lot giveing many false looking tops. With thunder rumbling in the back ground we decide that if the next apparent peak isnt the one we will turn back, success the lake is there. A quick refreshment break and were off on the trip back down.

A Knee aching 4.5 hour downhill slog later were back down to the road in val genova sitting in the Fontana Bona refuge sipping coffee. we decide to try and rase the nonni (granparents) on the phone and get a lift from here after a few attempts and no answer we finnish up and decide we still got another hour and a half to go when like a voice of an angel there they are saying theyre be with us soon. Another coffee and more chatting then were in the car returning. less than a hour after getting to the flat the heavens open and the village is drowing in thunderstorm that lasts all night.

there are a few of my favourite photos from other walks and place we have been to on this trip below so in no particular order here we go.

Carisolo to Coms Presenella

hey all

Well last week me and dad were talking about doing a long all day hike that would be really hard and not nessisarily doable in a day i then kinda got carried away with the planning and it got longer and longer then encompased climbing the tallest mountain peak in this area the "Cima Presenella" at 3558m. normaly you would get drive to near the segantine refuge and park at 1900m then go from there, Us nope we decided to walk from the Village at 800m via a different peak and pass. This gave us a 35km walk with over 3300m of up :) I read about the normal route and time scales then for the section that we were adding picked a figure out of the air of how long it would take and from this we deided to start at 6am, here we go

6am,
Well we have eaten a quick breaky and downed a much needed coffee and were off its still dark and will be for around a hour the first part of our trip is a easy jaunt up a not so steep road to campolo at 1250m, This leg is quickly over our breakfast has gone down so we pick up the pace continuing up this rapidly deteriating track we watch the sun rise over the
glacier.




Continuing on our first target is the "Bocchetta Sarodole" at 2217m the narrow mountain pass just behind the "Cima Lancia" is the easyist way into the next valley however we completly miss this and get the "Pass de la nona" at 2310m at 9am, Here we watch a small group of Camoosh (Mountain Deer) eating and running. and watch the clouds swirl down in the valley







a quick bannana and a drink and were off our next destination Refuge segantini (Arrow in next photo)





10.40am, The sugested time to segantini from where we are is is 2hours 40 minutes, 1 hour 40 later we arrive pretty sweaty at the refuge and take 20 minutes to have some lunch and relax from here we catch the first glimpse of our target its the right and peak of the 2 in the middle of the photo shrouded in the mist





11am, moving on again were quickly covering ground and get much better views of what were up against its the peak just over my shoulder







On from here the ground gets a lot more interesting as we follow the top of a long loose ridge till we clear the grass and all vegatation and only rocks are left. Above us looms the impassable looking granit fortress remembering what I read it is the lowest part in the middle with the loose looking gully that we need to head towards





Leaving the solid rock we head out onto the glacier and continue our approach






Upon arriving at the gully it looks worse than it did from afar it is full of super loose scree and dirt and everything i stand on and hold is moving including the really big boulders as carefully as possible i climb up it ariving a the top im releaved it was a bit of a death trap. we have arrived at the "Bocchetta di mount Nero" at 3078m were nearing the peak.







getting to the top we are greated with the views of a barren loose looking valley with a huge drop below us





After walking along a narrow exposed ledge we get to an old mettle ladder bolted to the wall and down climb this for 25m to the valley edge




by now it is pushing onto 2pm we have been at it for around 8 hours feeling pretty drained and finding everything harder as we get higher. in front of us is a large rising cliff face that apparently has a very easy way to climb it somewhere, deciding to not look at the route description we search around and start up what looks easy 8 metres up we decide to reverse and try again this isnt easy. a few minutes later we find the easy way its 100m to our right getting there we climb up the first 15m then find it gets loads easyer eventualy leading to a rough path that weaves its way up the face, we get to the top and find many patches of snow everywhere trying to move quickly now as we can see a ominus looking cloud forming on the other side of the valley we puch on over the long loose boulder field, its pretty scary when giant multi tonne blocks all move when you stand on them. we carry on and follow the ridge when it suddenly becomes super narrow less than a metre and huge drops each side. after a quick look a easy way is found down climbing 10 metres then an exposed traverse below a load of loose teatering block of rock.





This over we arrive at the "Bivacco Orobica" a small emergancy shelter at 3382 metres. looking back at the clouds were releaved to see that they havent moved closer and appear to be clearing slightly we push on towards the top its only a short way now but is so hard my legs are burning and as i drag myself the last few metres to the top in glad that were finaly there, The views were amazing for the first 30 seconds then were hit by a low cloud and can see 20 metres so heres me at the summet cross and the one shot we got of the glacier





Its 3.30pm its taken us 9and a half hours of walking uphill to get here and its time to go down so were off reversing everything we have done back to the bottom of the mettle ladder on thye boulder field, getting here im super glad that we dont have to down climb the gully instead were heading down this valley that comes out in val genova near cascate nardis. Carrying on down we hear strange sliding noises and on looking around notice that as the sun has reached the far parts of the glacier there are huge mini buss sized blocks of rocks that are moving off there icy pearches and slowly sliding down the glacier playing bumper cars with the other boulders, amazing as it is we decide its best to scamper and get away from all this looseness ASAP, we push on and the valley and the blocks are endless after a few hours walking we have decended over 1000m to 2550m and still moving over boulders when we finaly get our first bit of grass and a properish path that doiesnt involve jumping between endless rock, My legs and knees are killing me but were well on our way now, 100m later the path disapears and the rocks are back . . the mist also decends and wer left trying to look ahead for the next cairne marking the way. soon enough though were past the boulderfield and onto a diecent track, trying to hurry and make good time we plough on soon getting the thte Roberta mountian hut here we have a quick drink and a snack then were on our way its 7pm and were still at 2200 metres.

Moving down we can see the tree line and given that it will be getting dark soon we are convinced that the path must get better and more pronounced there so our aim is to get to the tree line before dark, 20 minutes later were at the tree line and the path is indeed better but there has also been a massive rockfall from the cliffs above that has decimated the whole mountain side, there have been some huge boulders the size of small busses rampaging throiugh the trees. there are some trees a good 30-40cm in diameter that have been hit and ripped in 2 pieces and dashed out the way then huge crators in the ground 30 metres past then more tree distruction. the larges of the pieces looks like it went a good kilometre through trees and bushes before it finaly stopped rolling, pretty impressive. equally anoying as there is no real path any more, another 30 minutes of power walking and were are finaly through the distruction and into the trees and a good well marked path, its just before 8pm and the head torches are out the final bit to be done in the dark,

It takes another hour till we are down at the base of the cascata this part seems to go on forever my legs are dead every steep step downhill makes them ache and hurt, we keep thinking we can hear the river in the base of the valley but each time its the water falls noise bounching off the valley walls somewhere. upon getting to the road its almost done another 30 minutes of power walking and we finaly make it back to the flat and the feast that awaits us, I think the look of discust on everyones face there sums up how much we both smell, all in all a really good day for both of us, its 9.30pm 15.5 hours from when we started. So thats what it takes to go from 800m to 3550m and the top of the presenella. Im absoloutly finnished, it has taken me a good 3 days before im ready to do anything hard or involving walking upill again :)

good times