A couple of Short Sessions

I said in my last post, about bouldering at the Bowderstone, that I was working for two days and that I'd be sure to grab a cheeky apres-work climbing session. To be honest, it looked doubtful. Saturday turned into a bit of a washout; it decided to rain for a couple of hours, which killed all motivation for climbing and probably soaked the rock and then Sunday came. The weather was much better, but after a nine-and-three-quarter hour shift, which started at 9:30am, energy and motivation, for that matter, was a bit low for climbing. However, I managed to find some motivation and a little bit of energy and I found myself pulling off the ground, once again, at the Bowderstone. I didn't get much done. I repeated the direct (V5) and super direct (V6) link ups with The Crack (V4) before working the moves on the two V7's I worked on my previous visit, before trundling home to Carlisle.

The Crack Super Direct (V6) taken during Friday's session.

I had a bit of a lazy morning today so that I could recover from the short Bowderstone session, but in the afternoon I was heading south, back into the Borrowdale Valley for some trad action on Quayfoot Buttress, which is little more than a stones throw from the Bowderstone.

Poking through the trees: the top of Quayfoot Buttress, from the Bowderstone car park, with climbers on Mandrake (HVS).

It was nice to be back on the rock, with a rope tied around the waist, making moves on some excellent rhyolite. Like the previous evening's session little was done. I lead the two pitches of Abberation (MVS) and then seconded the three pitches of Quayfoot Buttress. Even though neither of these climbs were technically challenging, it was nice to be moving over the rock with little difficulty, whilst enjoying the sheer simplicity of it all.

On the first pitch of Quayfoot Buttress' Quayfoot Butress (VD).

Another afternoon session will be occurring tomorrow and it looks like Black Crag will be the stage for such a session.

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain