http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/default.asp Climber | the latest entries from latest blog post http://www.climber.co.uk/img/rss/rss_icon.gif http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/default.asp 88 31 en-gb Copyright 2005-2010 Warners Group Publications plc. All Rights Reserved. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:48:24 GMT 5 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=973 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=973 I seem to have developed a habit of finding the bad weather lately. Extreme dampness in Llanberis a couple of weeks ago resulted in gear shopping, and last weekend in Dolgellau looked likely to go Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:47:44 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=967 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=967 Well I'm back in Bishkek now after the evacuation of a fellow climber (luckily it turned out to be nothing more than a nasty bump on the head). For nearly three weeks we were out in remoteness of the Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:00:45 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=957 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=957 ‘Polished, unprotected AND balancy. Am I masochistic or am I masochistic?’ I say to no one in particular as I sit at the belay, surveying the sweeping summer view of the Brecons from a wide ledge Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:30:59 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=944 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=944 Here we go, wish us luck! My next blog will be in 28 days time, hopefully reporting on what an amazing, totally awesome trip we've just had! Jamie Mon, 5 Jul 2010 18:01:47 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=942 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=942 I've had an ace weekend out in the mountains with the Alpine Fund charity, Got a new quality boulder problem sent, and even put a rope on to do a bit of sports climbing; wow this trip must be good Sun, 4 Jul 2010 14:33:18 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=940 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=940 I'm now staying in a Soviet high-rise tower block in the middle of Bishkek and haven't seen another Westerner for the entire (very long) day. Wow, finally somewhere the Lonely Planet hordes have yet Thu, 1 Jul 2010 17:44:51 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=934 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=934 That's right, this Wednesday (the 30th) - after all our planning and all this waiting - I'll finally be flying out to Kyrgyzstan! Time has rushed so rapidly past that it seems as if it was only Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:26:59 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=926 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=926 This is how to do it. Delete the initial disenchanting acquaintance. This is how to introduce a newcomer to Tremadog: Take a mid-week early evening in June when the mountains are gold and green Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:52:29 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=918 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=918 The rumours are wrong: a cup of coffee in Chamonix costs €3.50 not £8. I’m sitting in a café in this playground for the wealthy indulging in a rare shot of caffeine and a melting Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:52:39 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=911 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=911 These past few weeks have been absolutely, mind-bogglingly hectic. Kyrgyzstan’s a go: the flights have been booked, the gear’s largely been bought and I’ll be out there for the start of July. I’ve Sat, 12 Jun 2010 13:08:33 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=900 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=900 ‘The harder you are to kill, the longer you will last in the mountains’ – Extreme Alpinism. M F Twight and J Martin A small idea has morphed into a towering monolith that’s keeping me awake at Mon, 31 May 2010 20:21:58 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=894 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=894 I failed to get to the top of a route a couple of weeks ago. This isn't particularly unusual in itself, but on this occasion I failed to get up a route because I am fat. I had thought that I was Tue, 25 May 2010 13:51:24 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=883 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=883 If you can't climb, then train; if you can't train, then give up. Well, at least give up hope of staying at your strongest for any long length of time. Devoid of the first option, I've been working Thu, 20 May 2010 19:25:00 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=882 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=882 ‘There are BLACK clouds out here. I’m just passing through town and they’re BLACK. What’s it like with you?’ The plan is for him to lead Limbo, an E1 5b under the Bristol Suspension Bridge. He’s Wed, 19 May 2010 22:36:31 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=874 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=874 The chalk bucket makes a soft thud as it crashes back to earth, returned from the heavens I had so angrily booted it to. For today has probably seen me reach my highest peak of frustration since I Wed, 12 May 2010 17:40:34 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=867 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=133&post=867 The grants are in place, the flights are (nearly) booked and the time's flying by. For, in two short months, I'll be on my way to furthest-flung Kyrgyzstan. This will be in the capacity of official Sat, 8 May 2010 19:55:33 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=189&post=865 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=189&post=865 We woke as soon as the sun hit the roof of the van. It was a tight squeeze lying side by side in the back of my old escort on an old mattress. Newly converted it was it’s first trip abroad. So far it Sat, 8 May 2010 10:44:04 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=863 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=863 I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to climb Commando Ridge at Bosigran a few weeks ago. What a route! The day started out looking somewhat unpromising, with drizzle and mist filling the Thu, 6 May 2010 16:12:28 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=860 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=123&post=860 I need a long lie-down after a weekend of making up for lost time. The Welsh weather gods smiled on me. It was a delicious irony that England soaked while Wales basked: this is the 6th time I’ve Thu, 6 May 2010 09:56:40 GMT http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=859 http://www.climber.co.uk/blogs/blogShow.asp?blog=187&post=859 WARNING: This is one of those tedious reminiscence type posts that I want to get out of the way as quickly as possible so that I can get on with some new stuff. Sometimes everything goes to plan, Wed, 5 May 2010 21:38:57 GMT