http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123 Climber | the latest entries from OFF THE WALL's blog post http://www.climber.co.uk/img/rss/rss_icon.gif http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123 88 31 en-gb Copyright 2005-2013 Warners Group Publications plc. All Rights Reserved. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:29:45 GMT 5 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1593 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1593 In the back garden fat bees come out of their holes and plants put on inches as I watch. I sink into lunchtime sun and my body breathes out after months of wearing chest armour against cold. And I Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:28:47 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1586 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1586 Winter weekends: warm Scotland; windy avalanche prone Scotland; Snowdonia with a bit of snow here and there. All a bit like last summer’s season – not quite doing it. Not feeding the rat. Easter Sun, 31 Mar 2013 22:37:27 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1577 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1577 Another cold grey February day. 2°C. I pack to run away; to chase the sun. T shirt, sunglasses, new shorts … and thermal leggings – there are mountains over 1000ft. You never know. We soar Sun, 3 Mar 2013 16:48:49 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1569 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1569 ‘How are you getting on up there?’ read the text from the City Gent. I instantly replied: ‘I’ve seen more sunshine in the last 4 days than I’ve seen in the rest of January. And I’ve enjoyed an ice Sat, 2 Feb 2013 21:33:33 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1560 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1560 ‘Manky’ pronounced my companion. We looked up to where the summits of Stob Coire Nan Lochan should have been. Thick cloud and an excitable wind crowded them, while the same wind hit us about the Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:01:12 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1547 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1547 This year please can you bring me: Three micro cams – shining, colourful, precision instruments of sleek perfection. They will adorn my harness to make me look even more like a badly dressed Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:01:20 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1535 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1535 Not midges but tiny shards of ice snow. Not rain. Not hail. Biting into eyes, nose and mouth. November moody mountains and Carnedd Llewelyn in all its autumn glory of copper, bronze and gold. Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:17:56 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1523 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1523 This was the year that came and went- The year that ignored me and found something better to do; the year where I almost found something better to do. The weeks of long light days flickered and Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:21:59 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1487 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1487 And it rained. And rained. And rained. In between showers and deluge were the bijoux sea cliffs of Box Bay; old school Symonds Yat ; ugly Goblin Combe and the hard bitten Suspension Bridge Sun, 1 Jul 2012 13:17:38 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1413 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1413 Bitey cold April day: Sunshine bouncing off the heaps of slag dumped in the quarry; clouds running like crazy sheep overhead. From the fug of the car it looks like the perfect day for shaking off Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:02:41 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1390 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1390 February: grey drizzly damp and cold days. Short days that have to begin early because they close early. I wrapped myself in the cocoon of winter layers. Then I packed hat, gloves and buff in the top Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:10:51 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1378 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1378 The dull grip of January has passed and teasing February has come. February is cruel. It offers a sun warming day, then a promise of ice and snow but in reality it’s just persistent Bristol drizzle Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:51:19 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1368 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1368 It was a good start, despite the 12 months gap. Blue blue Italian skies, deep deep snow and a wall of glacier hanging from the white peaks at the far end of the valley - It all looked exactly the Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:10:53 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1354 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1354 People were staring. I felt guilt; shame. Could I really go through with this? A dull dreary damp grey Christmas Eve. Not much good for anything but oddly perfect for relentless rehab exercises. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:57:58 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1344 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1344 Shoulder still whinging so it’s a no climbing trip to Snowdonia. No matter: It’s November and it’s all wet and greasy. ‘-What shall we do? -Let’s wander about a bit. -What? No summit chasing and Sun, 20 Nov 2011 13:20:34 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1332 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1332 Head fights don’t just happen in climbing. In this case it’s not the ‘I can’t’ when I can, it’s ‘I can’, when I can’t. I’m an expert in the art of denial. Aches and pains are part of an active Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:06:42 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1323 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1323 ‘I did the half marathon last week...thinking of having a go at a full one this term. How you getting on with the Badminton Club?’ ‘Yeah. Great. I thought I might try the hockey team this term. Wed, 5 Oct 2011 13:26:24 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1315 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1315 Here I am again, pressing the parsley between my fingertips and sniffing its sweet sharpness. I still don’t understand how it grows here. All summer I’ve moaned and groaned about missed opportunities Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:48:34 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1297 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1297 I returned to my roots. I had been feeling out of sorts with this strange vertically placed activity. The fact I was seeing it as ‘strange’ indicated all was not well. For some months now the fun Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:20:46 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1287 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=1287 I’ve lost my Alpine virginity. I wanted to know what the fuss was about; I wanted to be one of the grown ups but I was too immature last year. This year I was ready... and I made it there and back Mon, 8 Aug 2011 19:58:38 GMT