Would you dance with the devil in t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶a̶l̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶o̶n̶l̶i̶g̶h̶t̶ a muddy hole in the ground?
Pretty great way to start my professional unemployment, especially after dropping it HOLDING THE TOP the previous burn. Maybe one of the most fun routes I've ever done, my second of the grade and definitely full value!
Also I banged something out last night about leaving academia and ultimately science and what I'm going to do next, if you're feeling nosy. Link in bio as always.
#dancewiththedevil #devilsgorge #pantymwyn #rockclimbing #dirtbag #sportclimbing #womenclimb
The Quarryman. A route where progress is measured in millimetres and the thrutch is endless, but also endlesly satisfying when you find the trick to it (i.e., make more more one move in a row). Thank you @agua.katito for the inspiration to get on it, and the photos!
Does anyone wanna work it with me now Kat is heading back to the other side of the Atlantic? We has a fantastic session on it last week and I think I've got most of it figured out so I can share beta and it's also highly entertaining to watch me struggle on it.
#betterthantv #thestruggleisreal #thequarryman #dinorwicquarry #tradclimbing #womenclimb #rockclimbing #northwales
Weekend whipper!
Serious airtime on True Grip at Dinas Cromlech last weekend. You know it's a big one when you have time to write your will on the way down. Don't worry, I'm fine!
Ride captured by @dan_out_side .
Spectacular catch by @chris.p.roberts
#letsnottellmymotheraboutthisone #truegrip #dinascromlech #weekendwhipper #tradclimbing #tradisrad #rockclimbing #womenclimb #girlsclimb #climbingfall #llanberispass #northwalesclimbing
Finally did what it says on the tin and wrote some actual notes from a very, very atmospheric belay ledge.
Starting our UK summer wanderings up in the far, far north of Scotland at Sheigra, on some of the most fun sea cliffs I've ever climbed and one of the most exciting belays. And that wasn't even one of the *really* big waves.
Link in bio as per.
Photo: @chris.p.roberts
Route: Geriatrics E2 5b
#tradclimbing
#seacliffclimbing
#sheigra
Trying really, really, really, really hard on hard boulders in Albarracín and not sending a damn thing. Well, one thing, one 7A+ which of course I don't have a photo of.
Promising myself I'm going to write more now we're properly on the road so I wrote a bit about Albarracín and my top tips for visiting, link in bio/stories as usual!
Problem: Traveriso Don Pepo
Thank you for the wonderful photos!:
Photos 1 and 9: @chris.p.roberts
Photos 2 and 3: @canoquijano
#albarracin #bouldering #bigtrip
The elusive crested tit at Loch Garten recently.
I first saw one of these in Chulilla in November in the woods by the van spot. But since that was also where everyone went to dig their holes every morning I didn't want to look like a massive pervert hanging round with my camera. Lucky for me, RSPB Loch Garten has real toilets AND crested tits. What a treat.
#wildlifephotography #crestedtit #lochgarten
Before Tuesday I had seen a grand total of one red squirrel in my whole life. Now I've seen so many I've lost count. I had no idea Ynys Môn was such a red squirrel haven??
Bonus photo of a very pretty blackbird.
#redsquirrel #ynysmon #wildlifephotography #sonya6000
Been a week since we got back from Spain and I don't think it's stopped raining the whole time? Might as well take up deep water soloing.
Stellar weather, top notch social scene, teeming with beautiful scenery and wildlife. Oh, and the climbing was pretty great too. Got my tufa hit for the year, and it inspired me to write a little piece about climbing them. If you'd like to know what it feels like to fight a cliff so hard you basically get a stitch in every part of your body, the link is in my bio. I thought it might work well as a recording so I've done a wee voice over for this one, feedback much appreciated (other than audio quality, I'm well aware!)
#rockclimbing #chulilla
#sportclimbing #tufas #womenclimb
Top or drop. No takes, only glory. Just like a trad route, with the jams to match and all.
Route: Los Franceses, 7c, Chulilla
Photo: @chris.p.roberts
Best belayer in the world: @ro.__.man
#softbutillfuckentakeit #chulilla #sportclimbing #rockclimbing #womenclimb
Almost 5 years to the day since our last epic on this. Since then, Chris has done it several times, but has lost a Casio watch and half a rack of nuts (on separate occasions) to the sea. This is a CURSED ROUTE.
Forecast for light scattered showers and sunshine lead us to believe that we could do something well within our comfort zone, and what better than A Dream of White Horses, since I've never finished it? First two pitches went nicely - very enjoyable jug fests. As Chris joined me at the end of P2, a dark storm cloud was amassing over by the South Stack Lighthouse. Not to worry, the wind is blowing it away from us. Except suddenly it wasn't. The wind changed, it was blowing those clouds directly at us. A couple of drops. And then a couple more. And then it was absolutely sheeting down. The "scattered showers" forecast that had never really appeared had gathered together and released their contents all in one go. Within minutes we had been transported from Wen Slab to the middle of Niagara bloody Falls. It was literally running rivers down cracks and directly into my shoes. Rubber shoes can hold quite a lot of water you know - each foot was in its own private jacuzzi. Meanwhile, the rest of me was in hell - there's nothing I hate more than climbing in the rain. I did a front crawl across P3 soaked through to my knickers, abandoned a stuck nut to the crag in the hope of appeasing the Gods of Gogarth who were evidently furious, but no such luck. By the time I arrived at the belay we were both in full body shivers, and operating carabiners was a herculean task. No longer cared about leading the final pitch, my thoughts were occupied entirely by the diesel heater and dry underwear back in the van. Chris has done it 8 times now and can probably climb the whole thing with his eyes shut, so reasoned that he could get us out of this wet misery faster. P4 is actually stunning, and was relatively dry thanks to the roofs, but I was beyond the capability for appreciation, being borderline hypothermic. As a final insult our bags were also sodden and we had to wring our socks out for the walk out.
Hint taken, Gogarth doesn't want me on this route. The curse remains.
