In reply to UKC Articles:
Ah, home! So many memories.
My first ever rock climb, Classic (VD) at Boiler Slab - on a top rope 35 years ago.
My first ever lead, Scavenger (VS 4c) - it gave me the fright of my life, I barely wobbled up it and felt that all my gear was going to fall out. Several years later I returned on a baking hot day and soloed it to put the memory to rest.
My first HVS (something at Pennard) which I think has since been upgraded to E1. I vividly remember looking back at my last piece of gear (a bomber #9 nut), reaching blindly past the overhang and almost fainting with relief when my hand found a jug.
My first 'real' Extreme, Lazy Sunday Afternoon (E2 5b) - I was repeating Osiris (VS 4c), got to the roof and saw the massive thread and massive jugs, so I thought I'd go for it. I'm glad I did.
Several years later I over-confidently attempted to stroll up Seth (E1 5c), just to the right, and promptly and deservedly got spat off this most classic of sandbags (it would probably be E3 if it were 50 miles further west!).
Falling off Nick'd (E2 5b) at high tide, and having to prussic back up to the rock above a snarling sea.
Ticking both the E2s at Juniper Wall Third Sister to Zulu Zawn (a fantastic and under-rated crag), before going on to take the mother of all whippers off Talons (E2 6a) at Paviland. Fortunately the rather-dubious thread held.
Climbing Power Trap (E3 5c) to confirm that Gower actually does have some really quality Extremes (although I will admit that the best of the climbing is definitely sub-HVS).
Climbing Arch Slab (VS 4c) at high ride in the pissing rain, as part of a mountaineering-style mid-height traverse of Three Cliffs. That step across to the polished foot hold was a proper heart-in-mouth moment, and I was leading mid-extremes regularly by this point!
Completely failing on The Steal (E4 6a), and learning who 'Twizzle' was, and why the old guidebook description mentioned him!
And best of all, wild camping down at West Tor for my birthday, on a baking hot weekend with a big group of friends. We did buckets of sun-baked easy climbing, had beer-fueled long-jump competitions off the edge of dunes, and sat around a driftwood fire, telling stories late into the night.
Post edited at 12:06
