First Cream Tea of the Season.

The grit season is over, temps have risen and the lime has been called. With the car thermometer showing high-teens temperatures I though I'd celebrate not touching grit until the cooling grasp of Autumn blesses this land by trundling off to...


Almscliff!!
Hey-ho. I only had one thing I wanted to do there and it isn't especially conditionsey so thought I 'd give it a whirl. Spud wanted to head either there or Widdop and Lard was keen to climb anywhere. I didn't fancy Widdop so we loaded up the beast and made tracks (once I'd jump started the flat battery..). Anyway the Cliff was warm, but there was a reasonable cooling breeze so not horrendous. Spud had a go and Lard dug a hole. Then they had some lunch and I went to attack my nemesis. I started with working all the moves, they all went down first time with the exception of the slap to the lip. But a couple of goes working it and this was in the bag, as it's the crux for me I wasn't surprised that it took a couple of goes to get the timing right. Then I had a bit of a rest and went for the link. The start is pretty easy, but steep so a bit draining on the arms. It went smoothly, very smoothly, I was feeling nice and light when I got to the crux slap. Fling for the slap, boosh hit it. Then a tricky foot movement to get a toe lock with my right which is a bit blind. Then a short sequence of moves that need the foot to stick and uber body tension to leave me holding a hold under the roof with my right and a chipped hold with my left. Feet off and lock-off the left arm and bring the right out to match. Feeling tired I somewhat unconfidently slapped for the high pocket which signals the end of the hard climbing Leaving just the awkward top-out. I hit the edge of the pocket, a quick udge and it's in. I fluff about on the top-out for ages, what a goose. All in all probably fifteen minutes at the problem (plus several previous sessions working the sequence).

And the problem? Keelhaul, happy days.

It would seem there may well be a bit of life left in this blog after all...

I celebrated with a cream tea, very nice it was too, roll on summer.