Found rather a good little video of Font on youtube, after all it's getting near the time to get psyched for Bouldering, especially those who have a font trip on the cards!

Oh Yeh

Took this photo of two old timers a week or so ago. They'd just climbed Cubic corner at Brimham and were sat chewing the fat. Speaks for it's self really.

Rain, Rain...

Well today it did and tonight it was off to Ilkley Quarry.
Met up with Jamie the vegetarian Welsh sheep farmer, he's quite new to this climbing lark.
I led him up Napoleon, not done that route before and on a hot sunny evening polished quarried grit is bloody hard word. That said I think it was hard for the VS 4c grade!

Al turned up with his mat when I was on the Josephine ledg; "So we're not bouldering then".

Then it was Jamies lead, or as it turned out fiasco on a multi pitch grit severe. nuff said, but the post climbing beer ib Ilkley tasted good.

Here's an old video, quite good. Oh it's me; )

A tricky low traverse avoiding the lagre break above.

Beyond the worls cup!

Well with all the excitement of international football and the demise of the mighty England from the world cup I decided to go climbing amongst other things.

So it's been the usual lunchtime bouldering down at the mighty West Chevin, though recently we've been going to the lower level boulders.

Then there has been the usual flurry of sport climbing at Trollers Gill, need to get back there a get the horrible short intense 6c+ on the right side ticked.

Also there has been a bit of easy trad climbing at Brimmers.

Family wise probably the best thing last Month was a trip to Go Ape at Dalby forest.

Go Ape from Fran Holland on Vimeo.

Bit of a 'Random' week.

Bit of a random week, but done quite a lot and not, does that make any sense, no.

A few more lunchtime trips to West Chevin boulderers, it's becoming quite a habit.
Sam and I have been trying a low level traverse across the Raynman Area boulder. It pretty sequency and really nice climbing and should go at about Font 6b+, but I'm not the best at grading. Anyway constant climbing has made my fingers sore but the balm is helping them to rejuvenate.

Only got out one evening this week with Jamie and Jake, back up to Panorama. we were climbing some easy problems at the far Eastern end when we heard the farmer; "GET OUT, NO CLIMBING NO CLIMBING". So we left, but I'll have to go to chat to him some time re the new guide.

A few minutes later we were at the West end, where the land owner is a nice old chap that showed interest to the climbing on his land. So we got on Phoenix wall, it's nails, Andy Crome on Phoenix wall,
I had been trying it before Andy did it, but he got their first.

Saturday we went sailing on Grimwith resevoir, feck that was cold and wet. It was back to winter and were we glad of Hot Chocolate.

Sunday was a nice local walk and Sunday Up dale day at Middlesmooor, couple of photos below, none of climbing though.

Today I planned to go to Earl with Ben for cornwall, it pissed down!
Updale Day

A 'Power'week.

Had a week of highs and lows climbing this week.
At West Chevin the lunchtime bouldering has continued with Sam. The highlight was probably ticking Time, not that hard. more tricky in the warm conditions. Time
Also we did Unit of Power, bit of an eliminate but very good,Unit of Power.

An evening with Jon mid week led to the usual arse kicking from Slipstones, did the usual warm ups then Steptoe stopped me in my tracks.

Then Saturday was guide book writing duties for the new Yorkshire Gritstone guide, 5000 routes in two volumes. So Jamie, Jake and I went to Panorama Crag above pateley.
Routes we did, probably the most recent ascents for some years were;
Glasshouse Groove, Power Pull and a V diff Rib. Power Pull proved hard at HVS 5c with a grassy knoll at the top which was quite scary.

No photos this week but here's one from last week of a colleague at West Chevin that's pretty good;