Sunshine on Scotland

The weekend before last we had a fabulous day in Glen Coe. Diff was filming and I tagged along to carry bags, with the promise of a day's climbing in Glen Nevis on the Sunday.

We were in Glen Coe by 08.30 on Saturday, and had the most perfect weather imaginable. Enough breeze to keep the midges away most of the time, as well as glorious sunshine all day. It was hot and sweaty work carrying film kit up Buachaille Etive Mor, but the views from the top were undoubtedly rewarding.

How often do you see the whole of Scotland spread out before you, tops as far as the eye can see, the sea in one direction and Rannoch Moor in the other. Even the Ben was cloud free. Incredible.

We were exhausted by the time we headed to our digs in Fort William. We had chips to keep us going, sat on the harbour wall, wondering who the hell thought it was a good idea to concrete over Fort William's greatest asset - it's sea loch frontage. Sometimes I despair at the shortsightedness of urban planners and developers. And while I'm having a whinge, why is there nowhere decent to eat in Fort William?? Curry, Chinese, a chippy and everything else looked as though it had come from a Brake Bros. refrigerated van. If we missed something, recommendations on a postcard please.

And on Sunday it rained. No climbing :-( We were so disappointed and frustrated, but it just wasn't going to happen. We went to the Oban Sealife Sanctuary instead, and tried to learn 11 things for the £11 each it cost us. Did you know, for example, that there is a 1 in 10 million chance of a baby cod making it to adulthood? And did you know that 150,000 sea turtles are killed accidentally by fishing nets and the like, each year.

It's a beautiful spot and they do some good work there rescuing seals and returning them to the wild. By the time we headed down the road to Glen Ogle to check out some of the crags there it was bright sunshine, but all the crags were running with water. We strolled along the disused railway and ate wild strawberries. Not quite the day we had hoped for, but we felt better for being out and about.

Did I miss the Oscars?

I have never had aspirations to being a movie star but sometimes these things just happen. I guess I now have to get used to being chased by paparazzi and must steel myself to comments levelled by the critics. No doubt I can only go out now disguised as Victoria Beckham in a big hat, huge sunglasses and a false moustache.

Diff has put together a wee home movie of my 7b effort, Gurungos, in Siurana. Seeing myself on camera still makes me squirm (why does one say such inane things when the camera is on??) but for me this is a fabulous reminder of a brilliant day. I think as I said at the time, I was higher than 7b will ever get me!

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Gurungos

In spite of my cavalier approach to climbing goals for the season, promises of 7c by Christmas etc, I don´t think I really believed it would ever be possible. Pipe dreams, I thought... but if you don´t believe it, it won´t ever happen. So having done 7a+ on a third redpoint, I thought that maybe Dave´s suggestion of 7b wasn´t so unrealistic after all. We had several discussions over which route to try and concluded that Gurungos, on Campi qui Puigi at Siurana was probably best, despite the comments about it in the Rockfax guide ("not one for the nervous..." - ha ha ha!). Granted, it seems to be (by concensus, not by me!) hard 7b, but having worked the moves, taken 7 falls off the crux move whilst just doing bolt-to-bolt, it went second redpoint on Tuesday.

Tea - makes you strong!

Pulling the top rope

Clipping the first clip - a boulder problem start on very sharp crimps

Since we were leaving Siurana on Wednesday, I really didn´t want to leave it unfinished, so on Tuesday Campi qui Puigi was Last Chance Saloon. It´s a long route, 27m, with a fingertip-scraping bouldery start, followed by a short easy section to the bottom of a flat vertical wall with small crimps (crux). Above that is a small overhang with some good holds and a bolt above. The top section is supposed to be easy, but frankly, holding it together up there was almost as hard as the crux. The sequence on the top section is not obvious, and I did it a different way every time. The big holds appear to be spread liberally across a rough, sharp and bumpy expanse of blankness, with the odd small, not-so-good hold hiding away. Fortunately, my pixie-sized fingers were able to make use of the small holds to get me across the blank expanses between the good holds! Phew!

Flying lessons off 7b...that's a screaming face not a laughing face

Some cunning redpoint tactics included a down climb to a ledge from the clip before the crux. First redpoint went well: up to the 4th clip and then down climb to the ledge, long rest ("look mummy, no hands!"). But then the crux move went a bit wrong, and ended in a proper scream several feet lower than where I wanted to be.

The crux move - catching the tiny triangle with one finger

It´s awkward to catch a tiny sloping triangular crimp with one finger, nudge a second finger onto it, and then pull hard. I needed to lunge for this one off a small left hand crimp (sorry, that´s a terrible word but I can´t think of a better one - that´s how it felt anyway!) because it was a long way up. Apparently tall people keep their feet much lower on better holds, but that just wasn't an option for me. Second redpoint nearly went wrong when I almost forgot to put my right foot out on the small smear in order to reach up for the aforementioned sloping crimp. There is always that little bit of amazement when a hard move like that is successful. I almost didn´t know what to do next. I guess that´s where the "practice" kicks in.

Then you get both hands on this big ledge...

...and shake out above the crux

Top out - higher than 27 metres will ever get you!

Thanks to Dave and Caroline for patient belaying, to Dave for the loan of his psyche and to Diff and Dave for the pictures. I had a brilliant week with you all and the climbing doesn't get much better than this for me!

Now we are on the final leg of our trip, on the Costa Blanca, there is still time for my "7c by Christmas" pipe dream to become reality. I think it's unlikely, but you never know until you try...

Part 3: Filming Epics

At last, a week late, I find time to write up the final episode of the North Wales filming trip. In fact, I was browsing through the photographs and realised there were more I wanted to flaunt across the Interwebnet, so I will need to be creative with the threads of a story to weave them together. Bear with me...

So the Big Film Day arrived. It seemed that Dave had been lining up appointments with climbers nicely (by now I was starting to understand his talent for logistics!) and we had fixtures with Jude Spanken first, onsighting Lord of the Flies, followed closely (but on the hillside opposite) by Dave Macleod on Trauma.

For Jude's onsight I was stationed at the belay - a lovely wee spot in the sun for a while, where I got a good view of the....er.... underneath of both climber and camera crew.

Looking up the length of Cenotaph Corner

In order to rig this, Diff led Cenotaph Corner, and I seconded (actually, maybe this was on our recce mission the day before...). What a great route! I feel as though I cocked it up a little bit by being a bit freaked by the exposure, and letting my usual fear of corners get in the way of enjoying it. The top section felt very sketchy until I realised what I needed to do (i.e. put my head in a box and switch my brain off for about 30 seconds). I need to do it again, once I've given myself a good talking to.

During the 80 minutes or so that Jude hung on to Lord of the Flies (yes, 80 minutes. Now there is some stamina to aspire to!) I took a couple of pictures of the rock, since I was tethered to it, and it wasn't far from my nose. Fascinating stuff, Rhyolite. I've never come across it before. As you can tell from the first picture above, there looks to be nothing whatsoever to hold on to. But once you get a horizontal, close-up view, there's plenty...albeit sometimes small!

Little holly tree in a pocket. Future belay point?

Very bizarre rock, Rhyolite

After Jude's roaring success we legged it down the hill, via the car for some warm water and a minor re-pack, and up the other side to Trauma. There was certainly trauma for me when I got walloped by a small rock hurtling down the gully. It missed my head by about 2 inches and bounced off my forearm. Ouch.

Anyway, this was where things got exciting for me. I was stationed at the top of the route, on abseil, with the small camera (it's got some smart name, but I can't remember it. Let's call it handycam for the moment!) to capture Dave's rapturous and relieved face as he topped out. What a moment! I gather I missed all the exciting climbing lower down (because I couldn't see far enough over the edge) but I still think I got the best bit. One hand... then the other hand....and then a face, serene with concentration, appearing as if from the Great Beyond. Magic.

Dave and Diff, in postition on Trauma, waiting for their cue

It was a fabulous day, and by the end of it I fully understood how much hard work it is filming out and about.

When I got home, I then had this mess to deal with:

My (emptied) bags at home....

Having said that filming climbers was hard, today I was tasked with filming Gordon's 4th Birthday Party. Fifteen 4 year olds, a 2 year old and a bouncy castle. Did you know that children this age just RUN? Everywhere. Randomly. It's like some kind of human Brownian Motion. Filming them was a nightmare. Give me an abseil any day! Maybe I was just distracted by the fact that the bouncy castle and said 4 year olds were in Inverness Leisure Centre.... in the very same room as the climbing wall. And I wasn't allowed to play (and I don't mean on the bouncy castle) :-( It was yukky weather so I had a perfect excuse for climbing indoors. Feeling buoyed by a good session at Alien 2 on Saturday, a new wall looked like a good challenge. But it wasn't to be....

Sorry - story-telling skills are sapped tonight after timeout with tiny tots!

Part 2: On Location

Tuesday brought Reality. In summary, we packed ENORMOUS sacks of ropes, film gear, food and thermals, took the train (phew!) half way up Snowdon and walked to the bottom of the Clogwyn slabs. It is truly a spectacular spot to be "on location" (ooh, how cool does that sound?!)

Shanks' pony wasn't working today so we took the train....

Cloggy

Dave Macleod was here to check out Indian Face. If you want all the gory details on this, check the HotAches blog and Dave's blog. From my novice perspective, the whole two days stationed at the bottom of Cloggy was fascinating. The Indian Face is a vast expanse of nothingness, Dave's climbing is impressive to say the least, and the film guys go to unimaginable lengths to produce film which keeps the rest of us entertained, breathless and on the edge of our seats.

Can you see what he's standing on? I couldn't, and I was there!

While I knew that there was lots of rigging required to film climbing, I don't think I had any real comprehension of how much effort this entailed. Having carried the 100m static rope to the bottom of various crags in Llanberis Pass, I have a greater appreciation of exactly what it takes to film climbers. And I managed to escape the 50m jumar!

Being in the right place at the right time, and ready to roll when the climber is ready to climb is a logistical challenge when "on location" means being 2500 feet above sea level, on a 100ft high rock face, at the top of a 40 degree slope. Over the last week I have been increasingly impressed by the energy and professionalism displayed by the Hot Aches team. Jude Spanken put it very well when she told us she was quite worried about being filmed when onsighting Lord of the Flies. She doesn't like people watching when she climbs, but she came down from the route saying that she had totally forgotten the cameras were there.

There is certainly blood and sweat, and probably tears (but they're men, so they'd never admit to it!) spilt in the making of HotAches films. As far as I can see they deserve an award for just trying. It was a privilege to be allowed to help out.

Hanging out at the bottom of Cloggy

As I had been warned, there was a lot of hanging around, which didn't bother me in the slightest. Rather hang out there than be sat at my desk. On Wednesday when Dave was toproping the route, I took the opportunity to head to the top of the mountain. Whiling away the hours I also had time to reflect exactly how busy Snowdon is. It has to be the busiest mountain in the world!! Trains every 30 mins, grinding their way up the hill, whistles blowing, the smell of coal smoke and sulphur drifting across on the wind, helicopters buzzing around (I'm sure they were just having a nosy at doings on Indian Face!), tourists chattering, the clink of gear from other climbers, sheep.....and that was before I got to the top:

The summit of Snowdon

It was like Oxford Circus on the last shopping day before Christmas while a new gas main is being laid! But warmer. I'm very glad I didn't expend more effort than necessary to get to the top. I don't ever want to go back, unless it's in beautiful snow conditions and there are no people. It was horrific. And they're building a new train station there.

I found it bizarre that amongst the JCB diggers, reinforced steel joists, portacabins and fluorescent jackets, sat a small, antiquated steam engine. Tried and tested technology (or maybe not.... isn't technology something that doesn't work yet?). I was reminded of Ivor the Engine.

More on the epics of filming two routes in one day later.... but one statement to close. We had 6 WHOLE DAYS of glorious sunshine. In Wales. I kid you not.

Part 1: Change of lifestyle

What a week! Time away from my desk is always a pleasure, but this was a "holiday" with a difference. I've spent the last week carrying kit for HotAches as they ventured forth to film some more epic climbing. I even got to film too! It's always interesting to watch other people at work; the grass is always greener, as they say, and true to this, a HotAches job seems infinitely more exciting and rewarding than mine. Having said that, it's much harder work.... as I found out first hand.

We headed to the Peak District first. After a morning cruising around this pre-historic landscape, I was starting to think this filming lark was pretty good. Beautiful weather, some good company, the prospect of food and beer while chilling in the evening sunshine really sold it to me. Yeah, I could do this, I thought blithely.

Men at Work....?

Filming....feet firmly on the ground

Making friends with the locals

We spent the afternoon bouldering at Stanage Plantation. This was only my second experience of scraping my skin to the bone on grit. I had forgotten how hot England can be, although I'm sure that with my southern blood I ought to be able to withstand greater temperatures than we had on Saturday.

Now I know what all the fuss is about when I hear hardcore climbers talking about it being "too warm for grit". It's true. You just slide off, shaving off the last remnants of your fingerprints as you go. Since we didn't have a guidebook, I've no idea what I climbed: some easy stuff that I could do, some hard stuff I fell off, lots of heel hooks (and consequently a scraped ankle), a scary arete and some interesting leaps from the ground to a high sidepull that only a bit of "French-style assistance" (is that what you call it, Dave?) would overcome - a doubled over bouldering mat (well, I'm just ickle!). (Photos soon I hope...)

The Green Traverse was interesting. Tough, but interesting. If I'd had any skin left I might have made more progress, but my fingertips were redder than they've ever been (see previous posts!). Tired, sweaty, scraped and sore but very happy, we headed off in the sunset. Lovely.

Looking back at Stanage Edge

On Sunday afternoon we headed for Llanberis in north Wales, leaving glorious sunshine for an ever-blackening cloud. At the time I started to think that maybe England was the place to be, after all! Right enough, it rained heavily on the way, and it was raining (ok, just a teeny bit) when we got to Llanberis. But hey, this film crew lifestyle was still working for me. The first thing we did was stop at the Cromlech Boulders (in the rain) and find out what roadside polish was all about.

Cromlech Boulders

Continuing the theme of "filming is fun", we then realised we had Monday off! So we went climbing. This was another new experience for me: climbing on quarried slate. We started at Bustop Quarry. Given that I (still) had no skin on my fingertips, even the smoothness of slate was challenging the pain barrier. Monday was another scorcher (in Wales?? Yes!!), so my fingertips were visibly sweating. Does this happen to others or am I weird?? I got totally spanked by a 6c, which Diff and Dave both waltzed up with great aplomb. Sarah was working a slab of 7c blankness, so we had a shot at Geordie War Cry at F7a+. Dave led, boldly rushing in where angels were watching him carefully.

Of many possible excuses one might have needed on such a route, the fact that it was in full hot sun was definitely a big factor. I had a pop at it on toprope and just kept sliding off. No amount of chalk could counteract the sweatiness of my thin-skinned fingers and the heat of the day. But then, I'm not yet competent enough to climb 7a+ on rock I've never attempted to climb before. Having said that, it was an interesting route with some interesting and very bold moves on it. Definitely one to come back to.

Another tired but happy day. Maybe I was deliberately being lulled into a false sense of tranquillity....