Last
week saw me heading back to one of my favourite crags, Kilnsey with Orrin
Coley. First on the agenda was to stop off at Manchester so that I could pick
the keys up for my house for next year at uni. We arrived at lunchtime picked the
keys up, nipped to Tesco’s to get food for the trip and killed some time walking
around some park.
The
morning came and we headed off from Manchester towards Kilnsey. Psyched for the
days ahead of us. Already deciding what to get on first. I had a nemesis
project from last year, which I was determined to get back on and hopefully
send. It is called The Bulge F8a and is a line, which has stood out to me ever
since the first time I went to Kilnsey four years ago. I got on the start of
the route a couple of times which is The Bulgelette F6b+ to warm up and then
dogged up The Bulge to put the clips in a re familiarize the moves. I pulled
through each of the sections with relative ease and didn’t find any of it too
hard. I was psyched and ready for some redpoints. I rested and went for a go, I
got right to the top moves which are where I had done before but this time I
had better beta. I pulled and just missed the letterbox crimp slot. I was a
little disappointed but then I was happy with how I felt on the route, I wasn’t
too pumped and I was confident it would go soon. I rested and had another go
but fell at the same point as my left arm just gave in. I decided to have a
little longer in the rest and then went for the third go of the day. I felt
good climbing the bottom took the last good rest and then pressed onto the top.
I arrived at the crux and then pulled through that, feeling fresh still I
arrived at the final few moves where I had fell before. I was boxed now but
managed to latch the hold. I pulled to the next, then the next and then I was
clipping the chains. Super. After this route I decided to get on The Thumb F8a,
as this has also been an inspiring line for a long time. Being short of draws
though I was only able to work half of the route, this was still useful though
so I was psyched for the second day.
We
arrived back at the crag on the second day and I decided to sack off climbing
until the afternoon. This was for two reasons. The first was that Orrin was
working The Bulge and meant I didn’t have the any spare draws. The second was
that it was just too hot. So with this in mind I stuck with belaying for a bit
and before I knew it, Orrin had ticked The Bulge. Props to the boulderer doing
a 26 metre pump fest route. I then got on The Thumb so that I could work the
rest of the route. I got all the moves done, sorted the clips out and rested
for a redpoint. I pulled on and then climbed it well; I got to a section and
just blanked. I had no idea what I was doing and came off. With the section
worked and a rest taken, I was back on for another go. I climbed the bottom
well again and then reached a crux section and couldn’t clip, I almost got it
in and then it slipped. Then with one big effort, I got the clip and was boxed
out of my mind. I extended this clip and this made it so much easier. Lesson
learnt there… That was me done for the day with pretty bad skin.
Second
day was productive training but not good for ticking. I dropped the last move
before the vertical top section that I knew shouldn’t be droppable five times
and called it a day. Good endurance training though.
The
last day arrived and was so psyched to get back on the route. The moves were
sick and the line still looked so impressive. I warmed up and got onto some
redpointing. With some better beta on the last hard move it was on. First go
went and I got massive flash pump. I just thought to myself after this that it
was a good thing; at least that’s out of the way. Second go went and I got a
new highpoint and dropped the very very last hard move. Good. The new beta
works a treat. Third go on and I felt good. I got past the hard move and
latched a jug, took a rest. Pulling through the top wall I decided to take my
time and take every rest going. And with these rests later came the top.
Saweet. Second F8a of the trip. After this we went for one last route called
Hardy Annual F7b. Orrin went for the onsight and had a sick fight on it to clip
the top. I pulled on for a flash and dropped the bouldery start. I pulled back
on after chilling on the ground for a minute or two and got past the hard
bottom and started the upper wall. This was still really quite tricky and I was
getting pumped. Skin hurting I pulled through to the last hold and clipped the
chain. Brilliant.
Really
happy with this trip and was so psyched to get two F8a’s which have been on my tick
list for a long time. Thanks to Orrin for being patient on the belaying front
and making it a sick trip.
Ticks
The Bulge – F8a
The Thumb – F8a
Hardy Annual – F7b
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