May bank holiday / Half term

Iain on Embankment 2, E1 5B

Iain and Amanda came up to stay with us for the weekend and Lanky and Anja were up to stay with Nick and Becky. Between showers we all climbed at Millstone, that is apart from Nick who is still broken from the Font. trip. He was amused by playing with Iain's new BIG camera...So here are some more of his pictures: ...or there would be if they weren't so big and un-uploadable.

Lovely BBQ at Nicks on Saturday night and more consumption on Sunday (bowling, Thai and pub) were enforced due to rain.

The rest of the week should be used stripping, filling and painting the atic. Needs must.

Charlotte and Dan's Wedding

Sunday 6th May

Aah, what a gorgous car.... I mean couple. ;-)

Since last summer

The day after our wedding we took a flight to the Red Sea resort of Sharm. We both dived for the first time and took the Open Water course. Photos show these things best.

This looked like an absolutely massive eel, which at this point I thought was about to swallow my head.

Jo found all the diving OK (!!) and enjoyed being the class swot in all the tests (she can burn me off on something at last).

We took a two day trip to Cairo to see the Pyramids, Sphinx and took a dinner cruise on the Nile.

No fun allowed though - No Climbing. The police have guns but seem to prefer to throw rocks at people - we saw it happen!

And that the publishable highlights of our honeymoon.

Due to having to work (tut) the next trip was in October, to Portugal. Having not been on a climbing trip since Easter I envisaged this to be a climbing trip rather than a family holiday for Jo's family to get to know us (or me). The camera was broken so no pics.

My highlight were climbing Carpe Diem 6c, Kamet 7a and Finger Party 7a all at the local crag of Rocha Da Pena.

The trip was dogged by rain and a bit of tense family stuff.

27th January

Jono and Clare's Wedding

A FANTASTIC day, great to share your happy day.

Easter 4-9 April Fontainbleau.

Excellent fun being with friends in the non-serious forest of Font. Never have I been an a climbing trip were so many managed to break themselves. Good effort on Nicks crutch though lads.

Pembroke 11-15 April

Amazing! Steep, massive holds, good gear, atmosphere AND sun.

Can't believe we've missed out on this place 'till now.

Managed to climb Deranged E2 5b, Rock Idol E1 5b (but steep as..) and Clean Hand Blues Band E2 5b (or c) as well as a load of easier routes. There can be no bigger difference between Font. and Pembroke climbing.

High Tor 21 April

Got spanked by 'Darius' E2 5c. 2/3 of the way up and had a bit of an epic - rubbish gear, heavy arms, rope drag and rusty old pegs. Need a return match.

Cloggy 28 April

Jim and I made an early start and managed the 1 1/2 hr walk in by 10am. Absailed into the East Gully Wall and climbed Shrike E2 5c. I've wanted to do this for years. Jim took the first short hard pitch taking a lead fall on the way and I took the long wandering top pitch. Wow what a pitch... fully made up with it, big smiles all around.


We also did Great Slab VS and had a good un.


29 April Clogwyn Grochan


An easier day - Nea** VS 4b,4a,4b... and Brant** VS 4c.



5 May Millstone

Sunny as it turned out.

Supra Direct and Dexterity both E1 5b provided my exercise. Dextrous Hare was the target for others but success was not always given.