UKC

I would have replied on the weekend thread, but it was getting a bit long, and since several people know I had plans, I thought I'd post in a separate thread.

My weekend started last Friday.....

Friday last week - climbing in Peak with Nick. Followed by the BMC guidebook launch, and feeling totally out of place at a small gathering of a who's who of climbing. Hmmm. Still, I was invited, so I went.

Saturday - dashed home, sorted kit, met my mate Paul for a road trip. The main intention was to tick the Classic Rock routes in Wales (Pass and Ogwen) and the Lakes (Pillar), although as you'll see, plans don't always work out....

Sunday - left for North Wales. It was damp in the Pass so went to do Christmas Curry at Tremadog. The Mot was wet so popped into Llanberis to go to the chippy. Drive back along the Pass, watched Tim do Lord of the Flies (tipped off by a call from my bloke who had him as an instructor at PyB that weekend) and bump into him again later in the pub for congratulations.

Monday - Main Wall, Cyrn Las. Last 2 pitches in torrential rain. So wet when walked down that I decided to use a waterfall pool as a jaccuzzi. Naturally, the Mot was still wet, scuppering plans of a longer day, so headed to Pete's for cheese and chips. Bad idea, since we were then too full to eat properly later, so filled up on beer and crisps in the Vaynol.

Tuesday - Low cloud and drizzle. Decided to head for Tryfan and do the 3 classics in a day. Was stressing, thinking we started too late, but then the sun came out. Started on Grooved Arete, no pitching, just moving together alpine style with only one gear changeover. Stupidly fast and lots of fun. Downclimbed North Gully for speed, rather than walk down the South Ridge. Next was First Pinnacle Rib, pitched the Yellow Slab and Thompsons Chimney, but nothing else. Nice and fast. By this time we were getting very sunburnt. Topped out on Tryfan summit to see 3 groups of schoolkids. Jumped across Adam and Eve to a round of applause, then back down North Gully for some lunch, and over to Gashed Crag. Took a while to find the start, pretty tired by now, so pitched the 2 chimney sections and had a bit of a rest on the top. Last trip down the gully, then the descent to the cars took quite a while since we both had sunburn (I have a white diagonal stripe across my back from carrying coils) and very tired sore feet. Drive back along the Pass. The Mot was dry but we were too tired. Arse. Managed to cook dinner on the midgy campsite before heading over to the pub again.

Wednesday - Drizzle. Head to Pete's for breakfast since I need to do some work and sort emails etc. Afternoon - Rain. Drive up the Pass (yes, the Mot was wet) and decide on Tremadog. Manage Valerie's Rib in drizzle before it turned to proper rain. Retreated to campsite and pub.

Thursday - Rain. Real rain. Everything wet. Wander over to Lockwood's Chimney before Paul falls and injured his leg. Limp back in rain to the car, do some work at Pete's, before packing up, having had enough of Welsh rain, and drive to the Lakes instead. Meet my bloke in the pub there, and it decides to rain.

Friday - pouring rain forces retreat to Keswick's cafes and gear shops. Head back to site to meet more mates arriving that evening for a party (Paul's birthday, Flicka's birthday, and supposed end of road-trip celebration) the following evening.

Saturday - Rain. Went scrambling on Base Brown to practise alpine ropework and teach stuff like moving together and body belays etc to the novices. Back to site, a few of the guys went to Keswick to buy supplies, while I hid Paul and Flicka in the pub so they didn't know what was going on. Huge party in the Mothership (our giant blue dome shelter, decorated with fairy lights, streamers etc) with about 15 guests, big buffet, birthday cakes, celebrations etc.

Sunday - late start and low cloud, headed unenthusiastically to Shepherd's, but after a pitch we retreated in heavy rain, and decided that 10 days on the road had taken its toll, and it was time to do battle with the M6 again.

All in all, far less climbing and far worse weather than intended, but still a lot of fun, and better than real life

In reply to Caralynr:

Nice reading your TR but you should have been there in April

In reply to Morgan Woods:

I was in Wales in April as well, including a long weekend in Pembroke that was great. I tend to get out most weekends, but finding partners for things I want to do is hard, so weekends aren't as productive as planned. Such is life though, with the great british waeather!

In reply to Caralynr:

Sounds horrendous.

In reply to Fiend:

LOL! Not your cup of tea, I know. Mountains in good company are better than work though, regardless of weather

In reply to Caralynr:

I wondered where to go for a walk, set off for Ullswater and the heavens opened around Troutbeck so sailed on homewards, to find the sun cracking the flags in Yorkshire.

Good evening, enough to eat and drink, female wrestling, candles on cakes, only marred by my notorious lack of being able to remember names for more than ten minutes. Hamish flummuxed me, had this mental picture of him then he combed his hair and disguised himself.
You will have to put names to the pictures I have, I will mail you them to stick up somewhere.

In reply to sutty:

Cheers Sutty - good to see you again. I'll sort out the pics if you send them. The party was a fitting end to the trip, despite the weather.
Like you, as soon as I left Cumbria, the sun was blazing all the way down the M6. Typical!

In reply to sutty:

My apologies, I have just realised i walked past you on the Shepherd's cafe car park without my saying hello. I did wonder after if it was you.

It was a strange day weather wise, I ended up climbing in the south lakes after lots of tea at the farm.

Regards

Shaw

In reply to Shaw Brown:

Well it was as much my fault as yours, unless I was too busy to look up from my breakfast. Unless you have suddenly got grey hair, wrinkles and walk with a limp.

Yes, the weather was peculiar, damp as hell in Buttermere, dry for a spell in Borrowdale leading to me shedding my jacket and sweater at the cafe then running into a downpour ten miles away.

In reply to Caralynr:

YHM

bluebrad