First Tor Outing of the Year

Hi, I have decided to start a blog to record what I have been up to climbing wise and to share beta and information with other climbers. After years of snooping at other climber's blogs I thought it would be cool to actually write down some of my experiences. I have kept up an 8a.nu profile for the last 12 years which I will keep up, see http://www.8a.nu/Index.aspx?CountryCode=GBR. No trad on there but don't worry, all the juicy details will be splashed over here!

So down to business, today was the first day of the Tor season for me. After hearing of tales of Mecca being ticked it was time to get involved. Psyche has been high for grit bouldering this winter with highlights for me being Zorev, Brass Monkeys, Sole Power and other easier stuff. I decided to stick to the Peak this year and have only been over to Llandudno to the Cave once so far. Three years ago, my last full season in the Peak before leaving Manchester to work in Jersey and Dorset for 2 years, I was going to the Orme every weekend but I decided this time to focus on some unfinished business on the gritstone, which has been great. Finishing old projects means starting new ones which keep it interesting and climbing on grit regularly certainly helps with strength, I feel wiped out after a good session on the grit!

I got on Make it Funky after warming up and chatting to all the regulars. It had certainly not got any easier since I had 2 sessions on it in October 2009. Back then I linked a few of the upper moves together so I was keen to see if I could make some headway.The bottom traverse was wet so I tried the middle bulge which is a burly Font 7c. To be honest it felt desparate but I knew that would be the case, I was only going on it to try the moves and to see if my ring finger still fitted into the mono after I hyperextended it and broke it in Ceuse last summer. It fits but not quite as well as before and I couldn't do the mono move after two goes.  Not to worry, I will put this one on the back burner, try and tick some other easier routes and maybe come back to this later in the year. My goals for the spring/ summer are K3 at the Cornice, Full Tilt at Kilnsey and Idefix at Malham. Best get to it!

After the Tor, I went to Gardoms where The Gritstone Treaty was ticked, a nice Font 7b with another mono, not that scary actually with 4 pads. Then I had a go on Heartland, a short Font 7c which is a bit low youth! If this is 7c then the Make it Funky crux is certainly the same grade. I got close but no cigar.

So, that wasn't too hard setting out my first blog post, see more like this soon!