UKC

Hi All. Thanks AJM for filling in and, in doing so, upping the standard of statting last week!

Currently statting from a rainy Harris, but it's more family holiday than climbing trip, so not too fed up!

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week's activity. UKC fit club is a rich community with posters sharing their goals, noting successes and failures and offering support to those struggling to maintain motivation. Anyone interested in starting is very welcome to join, but to get the most of UKC fit club you should aim to post each week, every week, however little or much you have done. By making such a regular public record of your activities and by restating your goals every week this new habit will hopefully improve your training habits and drive you towards achieving your goals whatever the level of your chosen activity.

For those wanting to find out more about training for climbing a number of physical training articles are linked here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=274502 1

Last week’s thread can be found here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_week_640-7064...

Posters:

AJM: To paraphrase a wise climber 'it's not about good plans or bad plans, just about keeping making plans'! Has this week seen more plans come to fruition? Hopefully the shiny new FC email list will help a little with the partners thing.

Powderpuff: Sounds like solid holidaying! I agree with AJM that it can definitely be counted as part of the structure of your training -you just need to give it the right spin!

AlanLittle: I like the 'things can only get better' mentality! The lower the starting point the more impressive your evolution to Megos-like strength and power will be. Good to hear you're getting well stuck in to the strength work.

Somerset swede basher: Firstly, excellent Matrix training reference! Secondly, GUTTED for you with the finger. Bloody typical when you were going so well. I take it you've had finger injuries before and so are all over the recovery plan?

Ally Smith: commiserations on the Kilnsey line! STGs now include prioritising tying up a few other potential newbies?! Intrigued by the BFR stuff... it may be a bit 'marginal gains' to apply to many of us, but keep us posted for interests sake.

SFrancis: Assuming you have a) recovered and b) are ripping it up in Cham. Hope you manage to get the Cordier done? A beaut addition to the CV.

Lornajkelly: So, did you go for that job as an excuse to get further away from the grit?! ;-p I lived near St Helens for a while and learnt to love Pex Hill, Frodsham and Helsby, but N Wales isn't a bad second choice! Well done on keeping on track with the running plan last week.

Ianstevens: So how was the Cadair loop? And did you manage to get some sneaky bouldering in? Terminator sounds fun... everyone loves a grass pitch!

the sheep: Good work putting in to practice the training for different water cons. Does it mess with your 'lap times' or how you feel much? I have tried to alter my running style a few times and got injured almost immediately each time... I trust there's no issue with this and your swimming style?

Niall_li: Love the mental picture I've got of your Saturday bouldering sesh… At least you were resting properly between attempts! Glad that Font has boosted the training psyche. Make sure you build that injury prevention in if you're upping the training pre-trip.

Jackob: Nice work on Raindogs… sounds like impressive links already. Has working it highlighted any specific areas to work on? Glasto definitely counts as a power endurance work out! Enjoy! 

David Staples: I can see an addiction to that 40deg board developing! Watch those elbows! Sounds like a solid mix of training and outdoor mileage. More of the same this week?

Outdoors.nick: Great week of climbing... you're right to be chuffed about Commander Energy -classic of the genre! I'd never heard of Question Time but it sounds ace. Now you've smashed in to the E2s, what's next?

Ardo: In terms of priorities between training, van and climbing, I'd say you definitely have them in the right order. An 11 route day is good going. That mileage is probably more productive than any training would be? Or has it thrown up anything that you think needs a bit of work?

biscuit: Great week on the Trad! Nice one. Re gear selection, I find it improves rapidly for any one rock type, but getting slicker on one rock type doesn't necessarily translate to getting slicker on another type! I guess that just highlights the benefits of mixing up the rock you climb on? Liking your 'year of the...' plans!

Rebecca Ting: for a minute I thought your Grandmother had been hogging the fingerboard! What did you get up to at Ogmore? Also, I just call your Wednesday run 'running'!

Bones: good self-awareness re the finger tweaks -it's so easy to ignore until the tweaks are more troublesome! Maybe having a climbing-light week is no bad thing? 

MIA: Tyler, Tom Green, mattrm, alexm, cyan.

Yeah, the important thing is not giving up!

This week was a lot better, yes, thanks. If variety is the spice of life, then by comparison with the full breadth of the climbing experience I had at least a korma within the narrower confines of the U.K. summer rock experience, maybe optimistically pushing towards a madras

Wednesday - The DWS. Faithful friend Lulworth. Very aggressive seagulls on the way down to Horny, proper close passes on the down climb which was actually a bit sketch. I fell in off Horny, which is most embarrassing (I probably did it ten times last year and didn’t fall in once I don’t think, and I floated across it with no bother in May this year). Feeling very clunky, I think I just hadn’t really warmed up my movement, no flow. 3/4 of the team took a dunk. Then onto Animal Magnetism (7a+). Again 3/4 of the team took a dunk. But this time the 1 was me - lots more flow, remembered my sequence reasonably well and all’s good. Such a fun route. Even if on bolts, everyone at the grade should give it a go.

Friday - The Sport Climbing. With the scorching inferno upon us, we went to Blacknor North to hide in the shade for as long as possible. Usually bunch of warmups, then onsighted Wolfgang Forever (7a), which I’m very pleased with, wanted to do it for a while. Then did a new 6a and 6b in the last of the shade, the 6a (Mother's Milk (6a)) being particularly good, jugs ahoy up a steep crack.

Sunday - The Adventure Trad. Off to Avon, got on Yellow Edge (E3 5c). One of my “2013: The ones that got away” ticklist, from the last time I was trad climbing well, wanted to do it for ages. It has to be said, it didn’t feel like the bottom end E3 the graded list promises, but I’m putting some of that down to the fact I’ve not done any classic Avon ledge shuffling for 6 years nearly. South West Climbs says that “ambitious and experienced E2 climbers should not consider it beyond them” - to which I think the caveat is probably that that experience should probably include decent familiarity with classic Avon (I.e. not the suspension bridge or the ramp) terrain. Dave pulled a hold off just above the bolt on p1 and took to the air, so in the end I led p1 and p3 (the technical crux and the airy pitch, leaving the cheesiest pitch to Dave). Took some while, the “believing between footholds” climbing was in force, the gear is generally fairly spaced, and the rock is a bit shaley in places. Gogarth-upon-Avon. But a grand adventure, topped off nicely with ice cream at the summit (in the car park at the top). Although any feeling of achievement was obviously put into the shade by looking at my logbook and realising that Duncan (my Fairhead climbing partner) had soloed it the year I was born. Knarly! 

Another decent week for building momentum - a bit more DWS, another 7a onsight, and another E3. Got Tuesday afternoon, and Fri/Sat, for climbing, I hope. Ought to try an E4 again soon, I guess!

STG: Frankenjura thugging project. Re-establish regular stretching habit.
MTG (2019): Double digit 7's including Frankenjura 7b+ project. Currently: 2
LTG (2021): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60

A low activity week. On family support duties for my son's exams, and it was too hot to even contemplate getting on a bike.

M: 
T:    Beastmaker max hangs. Mobility & shoulder prehab between sets
W: Half an hour stretching & shoulder prehab
T:    Beastmaker max hangs.
F: 
S:    Beastmaker max hangs. 
S: Wall, Freimann. High temperature aerobic mileage - 10 pitches ca 6b/+. 
    After today I will never again think I face any significant challenges in my climbing. A young asian woman with no legs rolled up to the wall in her wheelchair and proceeded to campus her way up multiple routes. On lead.

Thanks Tom. I was a little despondent at the end of last week but then I remembered the wise words of Alfred:'why do we fall Mr. Wayne?' Bruce Wayne: 'I don't know Alfred'. Alfred:'so that we can learn to pick ourselves back up!' I've injured both ring fingers in the past so am good with rehab.

Mon. Pull ups on massive jugs. A few to warm up then pyramid set up to 8 and back. 60 in total, same again in press-ups. 

Tues. 2km swim.

Wed. Circuit board but just on the easy stuff. Managed a few laps of the 7a+ with some crazy go agains and cross throughs to avoid any small holds with the left hand. Quite good fun actually! 

Thurs. Run. Only 7km but over 300m ascent taking in a grade 1 scramble. 

Fri. Crimped extended core then some rings work. 

Sat. Rest. 

Sun. Did some trad at Chatsworth Edge. Seconded some stuff I've done before.  Lead a couple of HVSs and an E1 and also a VS that I backed off when soloing on a previous visit. Everything covered in lichen and scrittly so felt quite adventurous despite the relatively short length of the routes. 

Finger feeling a lot better by the end of the week. Obviously still in the red zone for making it worse again so will avoid using it again this week. 

That's sound like a brilliant week! 

...yes.  The fact that it's one of the only places to do gene therapy R&D outside of Oxford, Cambridge or London helped very much too, but it actually was spurred on by better climbing options!  I was raised on Pex so I'm looking forward to that.

I've also finally, at long last (after two years of trying) finished couch to 5k.  I've a little upgrading to do - at the moment the 5k distance includes 5 minutes warm up walk and another 5 minutes cool down walk, 40 minutes total, so I'll continue building until I'm running 5km.  Next I'll work in bike sessions and a swim, and see about that triathlon in September.  

Tu:  Couch to 5k week 9 

F:  Couch to 5k week 9

Sa:  Missed wall session to go to Wales

Su:  Couch to 5k week 9 and a swim in Bala.

STG (end of July):  lead 5 VDiffs onsight, no repeats.

MTG (week 666, end of 2019):  lead a VS

LTG (35th birthday, end of 2021):  comes the dervish

Pretty solid this week again on getting my sessions in. bouncing to get climbing outside! have Fairhead this weekend and Glendalough the weekened after so should get my fill (and hopefully Eat It ticked)

M - Climbfit, good session was feeling strong. 25KG on the pullups and 9kg on the dips

T - Pilates

W - Anaerobic session (4x4), fingerboarding (finally), really struggle on the 10mm edge feels horrific but need to stick with it (in the hopes it eventually feels less horrible)

T - Boulderworld trying hard problems and baking in the heat

F - rest

S - Off on a stag. more beers than i'd care to count

Su - not as hungover as expected...but still too hungover to do anything much. Last of these type of things for a while so can go live my best non-hungover life!

Have a benchmarking session with a coach on Tuesday this week and getting him to put together a training plan. Then it's all down to me to stick to it!

Cheers Tom, have been trying to keep the pace up whilst altering style. However it wasnt a particularly clever move as you found it leads to injury. Nothing serious, just some pain in my left shoulder. A more considered approach is going to be required. Going to work on the technique first and add pace later. 

Anyway with a race coming at the end of the week it was always going to be a light week training wise.

Monday, 1km swim

Tuesday, 1km swim

Wednesday, 0.5km swim

Thursday, gentle run helping out with the run clubs youth group

Friday, lovely 27km ride in the sunshine. However a dark cloud was cast over the day as the race event organisers e mailed to inform competitors that the swim leg wouldnt take place due to an excess of wed in the lake. The race would instead be a duathlon or competitors could transfer to another race which I have done. 

Saturday was going to be a nice healthy pre race day, however as the sun was out it turned into a BBQ beer and gin day 

Sunday, glad it transferred my race entry as woke up full of cold and snot. Not good but at least i wasnt trying to race feeling like crap 

Hey Tom, I hope the rain has stopped!

I feel a lot better after a little time off. Fingers are still a bit sore if I squeeze them or climb on slopers but when I tape the worst offenders they seem fine. I had a lot of rest last week too:

Mon: leg day at the gym and bouldering at the castle on the wave. Haven't done any wave climbing for a while but haven't got worse (or better). Will make an effort to work on the wave or the woody at Barber's each week.

Tues: Pretty solid one leg squat/pistol squat on right leg. Still not doing it on the left! Despite doing more reps than on the right, but it's getting there.

Weds: gym, front lever, core work.

Thurs: rest

Fri: gym - New muscle up intermediate exercise which is a pull-up then one leg over the bar, swing the other one and with the momentum get your body over the bar for the end of a muscle up. Also, 65kg 40 metre carries (the tire). Then assault course style stuff.

Sat: Climbing at Harrisons - brilliant day out. Managed to find a couple of crack climbs and some slopers, mainly slopers.

Sun: rest

STG - 14st

MTG - Goblin Girl (6b) 6c at Navigation, then WFD

LTG - Definitely bouldering, bearing in mind Trad will be hard for the next few years...

Weight - 14st 5lbs 

M - 3 miles walk

T - 4 miles walk

W - 3 miles walk

T - 3 miles walk

F - S - Rest

May - 38%

June - 50%

YTD Avg - 40%

The 50% in June was a welcome increase.  I did actually do another 50% already, so things aren't as dire as I'd thought.  But still not great.  You'll possibly note no scuba on Thursday, I wasn't feeling it to be honest.  After a lot of dithering, I decided that picking up another expensive, time consuming and relatively dangerous hobby isn't really fair on my family.  I really should actually make the most of the hills behind my house and the climbing 10 minutes down the road.  So I've pretty much stopped.  I'd still like to do the dive in Orkney, so I'll still have to get the asthma test done.  But after that, I think I'm going to give it a miss.

M:  Rest
T: Gym & Swim
W: Gym
T: Soloed Weaver's Wall (E3 5b)  Didn't find it to bad actually, after a couple of top rope goes. Right up my street and it has some really nice moves.
F: Gym
S: Far too hot for exercise. Went for a hike.  
S: Had a laugh up at  Alderman Rocks with the other half. Turns out the crag description of "windy" is an understatement.  

So, my psyche is quite high for the slabby stuff on Western Grit. While the summer's still here I'm going to stick with that and try to continue with trying hard on slabs when I get outside.

Training continues this week with strength - weighted pull ups and fingerboarding this week. Haven't climbed indoors in a month! Also need to log what I'm doing better as I've just been scribbling it down on paper - Need to make myself some sort of excel chart.  

Need to also start looking at goal setting. Would love to get a weekend away on the slate this summer.  

Cheers Tom. 'Year of' comes from learning that I can't get better at more than one sport at a time. There's no point focussing on one sport for a short while as it won't be long enough to make real improvements.

I've had a word with myself about Trad and I just need to E2 and not talk myself out of it. I never felt pumped, in trouble, didn't know what to do or anything like that last week so I just need to get on.

Scafell at the weekend hopefully, or Eskdale, or both. E2 must happen. 

This weeks has not been outdoorsy at all. 

Two repeater sessions. Used the small holds on a BM1000. Felt hard.

One good wall session at The Depot. Finished off the SBL problems. Surprised myself by getting 27 and 29 (both after a fair few goes) but that's by far the best I've ever done. It's obviously a soft set but i'm feeling pretty strong and feel like i'm moving pretty well atm.

I do have a little niggle in my left arm but it's settling. 

New little short term goal of pistol squat on both legs. Right is not far off, left is waaaay off.

Last week(ish) - 

Pabbay Trip.

Friday - Pack four people and their gear for a week long expedition into a Yeti. Drive to Oban, stay overnight in the SYHA. Overenthusiastic plans to do some cragging went unsurprisingly out the car window. Witnessed the aftermath of the Great Oban Jellyfish Invasion of 2019. It did not appear to go well for the jellyfish.

Saturday - Investigate parking options for the week. Ask three separate Oban residents about where to leave the car, get three separate and contradictory answers. Drop off passengers and gear at the ferry and eventually find some free off-street parking about 20 mins walk away. 5 hour ferry to Oban, 40 minutes on the boat to Pabbay. We are, apparently, the only group on the island. Assemble tents, chill out. Enthusiasts go soloing on some nearby crags, I can't be arsed. It's about 23:30 and it's still light enough to climb. Check that the Satphone works, manage to send and receive an SMS and drain about half the battery.

Sunday - Go for swim. Could basically just do this all week and f*ck the climbing. Matt wants to do Prophecy of Drowning or something. I'm suggesting maybe something a bit lower key to get the lay of the land. We go to the Eastern end of Banded Geo and do some easy stuff. I do a direct and obvious finish to Tide Race (VS 4b) at about HVS that isn't in the guide book. Make a mental note to send it to the SMC with a stupid name.

Monday - Banded Geo again I think. Several attempts seconding climbers trying to find the right line to Spring Squill (E1 5b) and/or Stealing a Seal's Gaze (E1 5b). Get back to the campsite and THE ENTIRE WORLD HAS COME TO PABBAY.

Tuesday - Banded Geo. Again. Led Spring Squill (E1 5b) and found what I think is the right, and obvious, line. Found all the features described apart from the 'short crux crack'. At some point also led Shipping Views (E1 5b) and used my chin to get a 'Five point hold'.

Wednesday - What it's all been about. Team ascent of Prophecy of Drowning (E2 5c), Matt insists he's not bothered about what pitches he leads, not sure I believe him but take advantage and so I take the P1 (5b) and P3 (5c). Just. Spectacular. My 2nd E2 and 1st E2 5c, undeniably a soft touch but such great climbing. Attempt to solo a severe at The Poop Deck and need to be rescued by top rope. Swings and roundabouts. https://www.instagram.com/p/BzSZFL3DZgp

Thursday - Matt and Neil go to do Ui - ei or whatever the hell it's called. I'd like to do it too but decide to leave it for another trip, still on a bit of a high after Prophecy. Climb some 2* VS on Shag's Geo apparently made entirely of choss and Fulmars. Make point to review it as such on UKC. See in the guidebook that a lot of the nearby routes were climbed by some friends from Edinburgh, tempted to downgrade them all but really can't bear to go down the cliff again. See a shag on the headland and am mentally going through all the available puns. There are many. Back at the campsite, barter away a can of beer for some freshly caught Pollock from some visiting Sea Kayakers. Mental note to learn to fish. Final night on Pabbay, have a surprisingly effective fire on the beach, finish off the Octomore. Matt swigs it from the bottle and I go ballistic. No one else seems to get why. Admittedly I'm drinking it from a Women's Trad Festival mug but still, it's a single malt. Philistines. I sleep on the beach. It never gets dark.

Friday - Last day on Pabbay. We go to The Bay Area. Have a go at Sea An-enema (E1 5b) but eventually come down not quite having the will to go for the crux. Second it but Matt goes off-route potentially leaving it for another day. Go back to Castlebay, eat curry, drink beer and doss by the ferry which departs for Oban in the morning. Make mental note to bring more socks next time.

Looking back I probably could have climbed a lot more than I actually did. I think I only led four routes during the week, but then I think back to the position I was in in January lying on a hospital bed screaming for some pain relief and I think I'm pretty fortunate that I managed to go at all. I'm still struggling with walking and couldn't really keep up with the other climbers even on the relatively modest walkins on Pabbay. The idea of running fills me with horror.

STG

• Benchmarks. Retest Alpine Combine, max hangs etc.
• Put together a training plan for Sport climbing trip to Antalya
• Make appointment at the GP to see if I can get the metalwork removed from my leg.

MTG

Sport climbing trip to Antalya in November

Dear UKC Admins

This is a ridiculous state of affairs: why am I only allowed to give planetmarshall's Pabay trip report one Like? 

Yrs etc

Alan

Hey Tom, Hope you're having a great holiday, and the weather improves for you and family.

Eat too much crap , drank way too much booze but good to have a break from the daily routine....all part of the planned training structure!

Managed a fingerboard session on Sunday, 6 or 8 can't remember? ?? Max hangs on bm2000 slopers with a bit of assistance.Then 26 pull ups...that's the most pull ups I've ever done in a row! Probably as I'm fresh having not climbed for a week. 

Alot of thoughts milling around my head at the moment. Went to climbing wall yesterday and it was boiling. Need to mix up walls to avoid demotivation and injury. I'm playing around with ketogenic diet, I'll never be strict but trying to reduce grains and too much fruit  and increase fats and veg. Weirdly I sometimes find summer a trudge so need to mix things up to keep up motivation and keep on an even keel. Weight 11st 8

Hope everyone has a good week. Pull hard people!

Tototally agree with Alan. Best post I've every read on fit club! Apart from my own of course  

I can help you with that if you ever come to South Wales.  

I agree with the others tho, we need to be able to give more likes.  The idea of spending a week on an island with nothing to do but sleep and do some other stuff, maybe climbing who knows sounds flipping amazing.

Hey Tom, ta for stats. Two issues, one physical, one mental: 1) was boxed after big crag day, so more endurance and general fitness training required; b) there's a difference between knowing and believing! I know I can climb E1/E2 and the right E3s, but the belief I can needs to happen.

Not much to report from last week as severely weather affected.

General walking and sorting out Mon to Thu.

Fri: drive to Lakes to beta test van layout. ~6 mile hill walk, 2 Wainwright's.

Sat: visit family in Carlisle and ~4 mile country walk, followed by too much food and drink.

Sun: barely moved, apart from moving blue Stilton from plate to mouth repeatedly.

This week's plan is back into Lakes to walk and climb, so if anyone fancies getting out just let me know.

Was hoping the photo was going to be the rescue from a severe.

Complete agreement re single malt. This should be taught in school as an essential life skill: you can swig beer, but single malt is to be savoured.

Haha... no way I'm having photo evidence of that.

A slight addiction to the 40 degree board but at the moment still manageable. Doubt i'm at cold turkey stage if I go without for a while. Having said that I did have several good sessions on it this last week gone!

Mon - Indoor bouldering - A good evening workout. Started in the main bouldering arena with a good hour trying various problems after warming up. Then a long 1+ hour session on the 40 degree board working on power. Trying several hard problems with Will at Rockburn. Felt beasted but good after. 

Tue - Indoor bouldering - Shorter session just trying some nice problems for about an hour(ish) followed by some antagonist training.

Wed - Walk around town followed by a cider at the pub with the Mrs.

Thurs - BBQ and a few more ciders

Fri - Sport - Evening mileage at Blacknor North, Portland. Was pretty warm but managed a few nice easy 6's in the heat. As the sun started setting we jumped on a nice little 7a+ called England's Dreaming but it was still a bit warm to make progress.

Sat - DWS at Portland Bill - Nothing super hard so managed to stay dry despite wanting to jump in at a few points when it was really hot.

Sun - Had a headache so bailed on DWS down Lulworth which was a tad annoying that I missed out.

Despite the headache I felt it was a pretty good week.  I have missed out on several fingerboard sessions due to squeezing in evenings out with the Mrs or climbing. At this point though I am happy about this as my right middle finger is feeling a tad sore so probably a good idea to leave off for a bit. I'm also lacking on doing my core sessions as well. I think a drill instructor might be needed.

I hope you are enjoying the islands and are able to squeeze in a few days of climbing in between showers and outbreaks of the wee bastards.

Cheers

I'm away this weekend but will be hoping to get out Tuesday evening (after work) to try some DWS somewhere if weather permits. Looking at the tides it'll be quite low water so would assume probably Lulworth stuff, either lowball things or stuff above deep water. I can give a shout if you're interested.

http://www.ukho.gov.uk/easytide/easytide/ShowPrediction.aspx?PortID=0034&am...

Hey man that could work out ok next week. I am down Lulworth tomorrow evening with a mate but in this heat would be keen to get out next week as well. If you want add me on Facebook and keep me posted as I don't always get chance to check UKC every day

Cheers

Addendum. Simon has accepted my new route for next year's SMC Journal. "Oban Jellyfish Apocalypse", HVS 5a, 2*

Hi Tom, thanks for statting and your continuing patience with my flakiness :/ Very little idea what I did last week...

Mon: Probably rest.

Tues: Wall. I think. Can't remember any detail.

Wedns: Wall. Tired and feeling a bit battered.

Thurs: ?Short wall session... Can't remember.

Fri: Rest.

Sat: Frogatt. Frying hot. Took some wall buddies trad climbing for the first time, super impressed with how they got on. Did Chequers Buttress, fab. Seconded it more than ten years ago, didn't remember a whole lot!

Sun: Millstone. Great North Road, seconded Time for Tea Original which felt a bit desperate.

Lost track of the weeks a bit, so not going to try to back-post for MIA weeks. Suffice to say, with work, family hols, etc training has been a bit hit and miss, but not terrible.

Week 26:

M: Road Run. 25min Z3 -5km at avg pace 4:54. Slightly hilly. Can't remember the last time I did any running that wasn't Z1/2 and it felt absolutely heinous! Post run swim in the (exceptionally cold) sea.

T: Chilled day with two hour walk to check out the approach to Gars Bhein.

W: Cuillin Ridge traverse attempt. Unsuccessful but great day. About 24km, 2000m vert gain.

Highlights were: not dying soloing out of the TD gap (got pretty scared trying to arm bar up to the good holds whilst my rucksack forced me out of the groove -not convinced I'll push my luck by soloing this when I go back for the rematch), the gorgeous climbing on the King's Chimney, chatting to some nice folk on top of the In Pinn (some of only about ten people I met all day), realising that I'd done ten munros and still felt quite fresh.

Less good bits were: foolishly allowing myself to get fairly badly sunburnt, seeing thick cloud come down just as I was leaving Sgurr a Mhaidaidh and having a fairly major sense of humour failure after climbing in to dead ends twice in the mist on the first Bidein summit. It was at this point that I decided that, although I wasn't feeling too ruined it was probably a good time to bail. Retraced ridge back to Mhaidaidh and dropped off north side to walk back to Glen Brittle. 

Possibly should have just pushed on, as although I'd lost a bit of time getting lost in the clag, I still had plenty of day left. However, it was such a fun day that I wasn't particularly gutted. Think solo, in a day is definitely the way to go. Now I have some beta I'd expect to get the whole thing done next go, assuming the cons are ok (20 degrees was a bit much! Although equally, the early afternoon cloud wasn't that helpful).

T: Felt miles better than expected after the ridge attempt. Went for a swim in an awesome waterfall plunge pool. Ate a lot.

F: Mega-DOMS. Quad DOMs like I've never had before. Shoulder prehab.

S: Beach day. Rest.

S: Beach day. Shoulder prehab.

The day after we did the ridge my mate‘s girlfriend drove us into Portree for a rest day. We parked on the quay, and failed to walk up the steps into the town. How she larfed