UKC

My First Outdoor Lead (72) - Shepherds Crag in the Rain

© Lagavulin

photo
Skiddaw and Derwent water, from Shepherds Crag, Lake District
© Lagavulin
Being from London I didn't get the chance to climb outdoors much as there's not much outdoors to be climbed. I'd been climbing for about six years on and off when I went to University in Manchester; I was eager to keep at climbing as I enjoyed indoor so much and planned to move to outdoor climbing as well.

I had just found UKClimbing.com that Monday following a bouldering weekend in Llanberis and had arranged to go on a picnic to the Lakes on the Friday. After terrible weather on Saturday where we didn't do any climbing, the weather cleared up by Sunday and we went to Shepherds Crag. After seconding a few routes I was offered a lead and with a gulp and a little uneasiness I accepted.

I carefully placed all the gear on my harness, trying to remember where it all went and what it all was for. Just as I wiped the mud off my climbing shoes and made the first couple of moves it started to rain. The rain didn't faze me much, although it did make the holds a little slippy. I managed to push myself into a corner to ward off the rain and kept on going. I don't remember feeling scared or as though I was about to fall until I got to the top. I wasn't particularly sure what to do rigging wise when I got to the top; I think I put a sling around a conveniently placed tree and belayed off my harness. I do remember thinking that I might be pulled off the ledge I was sat on if my second fell and that my bum was getting wet sat in a puddle.

My second made it fairly quickly to the top, commenting that my gear placements were pretty good but in some weird places, he seemed reassuring in his tone that most of them would have held me if I fell. We tied both half ropes together with a European death knot and abseiled off the same tree, which suddenly looked much thinner than it did then when I was using it as an anchor. Ten minutes later we were packing everything up to get out of the rain. We then went to a café at the bottom of the crag where John Dittman (UKC forum regular) bought me a nice warm cup of tea and we talked about climbing for about an hour or so before starting our journey home.

A weekend well remembered.

dmm-writing_comp

www.dmmclimbing.com

Write approximately 500 words about your first outdoor lead and supply an image of you climbing (not necessarily your first lead) and submit to: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/send.html

The competition will be judged by us here at DMM and the winner announced on Monday 24th December and will win a complete DMM rack worth £500.

But more than that, everyone who submits an essay will receive a spot prize.

More details HERE


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