Binnein Shuas crag, 11th August 2012

Left bright and early to climb Ardverikie Wall - Hard Severe (185m). Weather was fantastically sunny all day, my ankles are still healing from bad sunburn, blistered a week later?!!, will not neglect the lotion on them again in a hurry.

Note to self: need to buy new rock shoes as my current tight-ish pair are really not ideal for long multi-pitches that have easy foot-holds anyhow. (Nick also complained about his feet hurting but only after we'd topped-out, he is probably so focussed while actually climbing that he doesn't feel pain)

So it was a great route even with painful feet, although way too busy - this is a route to try when weather conditions are less than perfect (drizzle could be nice). There looked to be other decent routes on the crag that aren't on the big 'tick lists' so definitely will be worth coming back whatever the weather.

Fell off my bike on the way back, it has slick-ish tires on that are great on the road but not so great when cornering at speed on a dirt-track. Fractured 2 molars but brain seems okay, if anything I think I've actually become smarter - so that's my medical recommendation for this week. The bike is totally wrecked.

Cabin in Laggan, 13-15th April 2012

Weekend trip using a JMCS Edina hut at Laggan near Newtonmore as a base: on Friday went straight into the climbing at Glen Nevis and climbed Drizzle (HS 4b) on Cavalry Crack Buttress in the Pol Dubh area. It had a bold-ish start not helped by vegetation but overall a decent climb. The route finished with a slightly overhanging, quartz smattered, pinnacle with hidden jugs. Called it a day as hail came down heavily on the descent.

Due to an emergency at home my climbing partner had to leave suddenly. I decided that I might as well stay and do some walking as the weather was great. Went up A' Chailleach of the Monadh Liath on Saturday.Views were beautiful and when the snowing clouds closed in I put on my goggles and pretended I was an astronaut (I'm laughing at myself as I write this but in my defence it did feel "other-worldly", just look at the pictures).

After helping to clean up the Cabin on Sunday and removing my baggage, I parked at Laggan Dam. From there I walked up Beinn Teallach, then Beinn a' Chaorainn, which has large cliffs that went as close to as I dared - i.e. made sure I wasn't standing on a ledge of snow.

Dovecot Crag, English Lakes, 6-8th August 2010

Went to the Lakes with Nigel S, stayed in Buttermere but didn't climb there unfortunately - the crags were high up and the long walk in made them a risky choice given the weather.

The first day was raining so stuck to VDiffs and Severes on some little crag in Borrowdale. Saturday was better and again in Borrowdale we climbed a great route on Dovecot Crag that involved old school technique in a slightly slimy chimney leading to a wee cave.

The last day was really sunny and we climbed a route near Ullswater on Gawbarrow Crag, it was graded Severe in an old guide but has been re-graded Very Severe recently. The second pitch, descending and then traversing out 7m for the first bit of gear that fell out, encompassed a strange wide worm-like crack leading to a really awkward narrow chimney, but - with not much scope for turning back - I heroicly overcame these obstacles.

Only have pictures from Saturday.

Dovecot Crag

Start of climb

Mess of ropes when gaining the chimney

Slimey but fun

Looking out of the cave