WMC Bala Weekend

Three sessions of climbing this week and I ran Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to 11.84 miles on the Wednesday.  I was supposed to be doing the Telford Athletics Club's Shropshire 4 but because I'd ran each day my legs were feeling tired so I only did 10 min/miles and ended up walking after 10 miles.  I also climbed on Tuesday with Graham and Chris at Newport and had a good session lasting about 3 hours.  I ended up going to meet Graham again at Wolf Mountain on Thursday who was with Lawson and another friend whose name I can't remember.  I teamed up with Lawson and did 1 or 2 6a routes before jumping on a 6c!  I did the first hard move and got onto a balancing move above ready to start the next move but was pumped out after having to try the first move so many times.  When I came down my elbow was killing as I hadn't warmed up properly even after thinking over and over that I need to warm up more but enthusiasm got the better of me!  It took about another 45 minutes and Snickers before I could effectively climb again failing a 5+.  After this I got on a 6b on the slab and climbed it clean, I think that was definitely a step up in grade.  The others left and I went to do some bouldering to finish off.

I had the car packed reasonably well on Friday morning and set off to work with a plan to drive straight through from Coventry to Bala after work.  I didn't plan any routes, in fact I wasn't even sure if there would be anyone to climb with but knew that Lawson was making an appearance so I was hopeful!  I'd also asked Richie Ball to bring the Meirionnydd guide.  When I arrived there where a quite a few people there and I had a chat with Paul and Rebecca about there plans for Saturday and agreed we'd tag along to Clogwyn yr Oen in the Moelwyns.  That night as the Bala weekends are famous for we headed to the shore of the lake and sat around a fire drinking and chatting.

Classic WMC Bala weekend fire on the shore

I hadn't really had chance to get any food on the way, but I called in and picked up 4 bottles of ale.  By the end of the night I was feeling a bit p***ed to be honest and felt a bit gruff in the morning.  After refusing Lawson's muesli for breakfast I decide to wait until I hit the cafe I'd been told about in Blaenau Festiniog (or just up the road).  I had a large breakfast which after I wasn't sure was a good idea but it didn't come back to haunt me!

After a short walk up a road we were at the bottom of the Clogwyn yr Oen.  Paul and Rebecca had picked Kirkus's Climb Direct (S 4a) so me and Lawson faffed around looking in the book before deciding to take on the next climb called Block (S 4a).  The first pitch is in the book at 37m although I think it was longer as I belayed from the end of the first pitch of Kirkus's Climb rather than at the bottom of the next pitch.  The hardest bit of the first pitch was stepping off a flake onto the upper slab.  I struggled with protection on this pitch and didn't really have a great deal of confidence in about 70% of it!  I met Paul and Rebecca at the belay and then bought up Lawson.

Lawson on the upper slab of pitch 1 of Block (S 4a)

Lawson then went on to lead the second pitch and found much better gear, which losing the skin off my knuckles bashing away with a nutkey can testify to!  This pitch was fairly simple but Lawson tried to make it as interesting as possible.  I followed up trying to stay as close to the arete as possible which I think made it harder. 

Lawson placing some gear on pitch 2 under a perfect blue sky

This was only a short pitch and the next one was short too according to the book so Lawson lead the next pitch too which was much harder, starting with a short layback and then going onto to a steep wall working a crack.  It was a great start and we returned to the start to find that Paul and Rebecca had gone down to the next crag down by the old quarry train.  First thing I wanted to do was get as much water down me as possible!  It was so hot and after the beer last night I was absolutely hanging after half way up the first pitch!  After taking on some water we decided to try Bent (S 4a), Lawson linked the first two pitches together which were basically a slab to set up a nice exposed belay on a ledge with a tree.  Before I set off I slapped a bit of suncream on my neck.

Lawson on the first pitch of Bent (S 4a), you can see the belay at the tree at the top.

Me at the belay, hanging off the tree

There was a Landrover 110 full of people from Plas y Brenin on the crag and one of the guides was teaching a couple of people, he'd asked if he could abseil off the tree, it seemed they were in a rush to be back for 5pm.  I climbed around the tree and over the flake so the guide could ab off, I got some really good gear into pockets above and moved up a short slab to move over on the main slab.  The next photo is taken from the belay point and shows Lawson on the traverse of the slab. which was quite exposed by fairly easy and quite easy to protect.

Taken from the belay, looking back at the slab traverse of pitch 3 (we did 1 & 2 together)

After the traverse of this slab you work up the edge of the wall which isn't quite straight forward but doable until you reach a crack which runs straight up and is quite deep but fairly narrow (you could fit two arms in it).  The problem was it was tricky to get started on it as there was a little lip you had to get on by bridging from the slab.  I got a hex in and then moved up but I was scared!  I got cam in above it and committed to the move which seemed very awkward and definitely not 4a ground.  I was pumping out but farting around trying to put in another cam because of the massive exposure.  I realised I was going to fall off if I hung around anymore and I couldn't just step off as I was fully committed so I rocked on.  I think I'm slowly getting more confidence in gear placements and knew the hex was bomber but it was very high and exposed!  I've drawn a line parallel with the crack on the photo below.  I was very, very relieved to make the belay and pumped and hyped up!  The photo also shows the pinnacle, and Lawson worked up the chimney behind it.

PyB guide in the foreground, the red line shows the crack of pitch 3 and the dark crack above it being pitch 4 which Lawson led.

Lawson went on to lead the final pitch which was mostly just the chimney, which was poorly protected but fairly easy but exposed.  By this point I'd noticed my arms had caught the sun and I was feeling pretty thirsty again having drunk all the water before starting out.  We got down again using the same scree decent route and made a sharp exit as we were under siege from the midges!  It had to happen at some point in Wales on a hot day!  It was a cracking day and I felt pushed but not too much (nearly though! ;)

We picked up some beers and got back to the campsite to sit and listen to the poor show from England against USA in the world cup with a chilli sausage bap and Pot Noodle swilled down with some Magners Pear Cider.  Someone in the other field had a TV set up so I managed to catch the second half for what it was worth.  I then headed back for round 2 at the shoreline of the lake with a huge fire and more booze!

Bigger fire, but not the best photography unfortunately - it's hard with a long exposure!

The fire got ran and jumped a couple of times but I wasn't having any of that!  The trunk you can see sticking out the end was fully burnt through by morning.  After 5 large bottles I decided I'd try and stay in bed as long as possible but by 9:30 it was time to get up.  The fire was still going so I cooked some more sausages and then jumped in one of the kayaks.  I love having a go as I used to do it a lot when I was a kid.  My stroke technique has gone quite a lot but I managed to do a load of rolls with no drama.  This wasn't the case when I tried a hand roll, I nearly ended up swallowing half the lake!