Liam Copley's Climbing Blog: 2009 Grit Trip No.1

Day One :

Got up up at 5:45AM and set off to Stanage Plantation at about 7AM, warmed up and then attempted to hold the crimps on 'The Joker' , which went well and eventually ended up with me and Brandon stripping to just our boxers to loose weight, and then attempting to actually do the move (campus method). We could pull on and then slap up (right hand) to about half way to the top, but the holds were also a bit sweaty as it was a pretty hot day. we then tried 'Brass Monkeys' (Font 7c) which is one of the coolest problems on grit, I didn't do it though, it has a pretty hard crux move, but I did all the other moves, which are really good! , I then almost did 'The Green Traverse' footless which was fun to try. by this time the sun was on full power so we just chilled out for the rest of the day, I also seconded 'Flying Buttress Direct' which has some awesome moves on it, Dan Lane filmed me climb it as I gave a fairly comical commentary whilst climbing it. Eventually Brandon and Dan Lane went home and left me and Tom Fenwick to set up camp next to The Pebble...

Day Two:

We was awoken at 6:20AM by the warden who informed us that it was illegal to pitch a tent at Stanage Plantation, which we knew before hand anyway but we didn't think he would be such an early bird! The rest of the day I just took it easy, as I had decided to rest my skin for the following morning, because I planned to get up real early and attempt Brad Pit, which used to look nails ages ago but now looks more than 'do-able'. So me and Tom settled down for an early night, bivvying underneath The Pebble, accompanied by a gang of Mozes's. All was well until....

Day Three:

At 5AM, the clouds dropped all their bombs, within about 15 minutes my bed (Moon Warrior Bouldering Pad) was so wet that if you pressed your hand on it your hand would get covered in a litre of water, now, put yourself in my position, you are wearing the best present you ever got given (for Christmas), a £200 Rab down jacket, and you are half inside a soaking wet sleeping bag, half of your jacket is now horrendously wet, I knew what it would do to the down material, and this frustrated me alot. Basically getting from that position, to being stood up with your shoes on was a difficult task. I was wedged underneath a boulder and the floor outside was soaking, and I was forced to 'sideways floor traverse' with my hands on the gravel outside to bring me close to my trainers, but I wasn't close enough, so I had to man-up and slide on the soaking grass to grab my shoes and then come outside to put them on, now, I know what your thinking, your thinking why didn't you just take your down jacket off? well, there was not enough room underneath The Pebble to undergo such a complex task. I think you have a good feel for the experience now. We ended up gruesomely walking back to Hathersage, and then having a fry up at the Outside Cafe, which reminds me, I would just like to point out something, when they put the word 'Sausage' on the menu board (for the £3.50 English breakfast) they mean 'Party Sausage Slightly Burnt and Full of Air', sorry Outside, but it's your fault for taking so long with delivering products, it been 3 and a half weeks and I still don't have my guidebook. Anyway enough ranting,

So, it was actually a decent trip, just being able to feel the moves on the grit any time you want to, meeting some new people, and generally gaining experiences and memories, and even though this morning was horrible, looking back on it now, it's already a funny memory, and it hasn't even been a full day since then!....But I guess I wouldn't be laughing if I was still in the peak, wondering if it will happen again tomorrow. Anyway, it was a good break, back to training on my new wall now, and then to Parisella's Cave sometime in the near future. Below is a link to a video of Tom Fenwick attempting to onsight a route at Stanage, filmed by me and edited by Dan Lane, and also there are some pics of my new steep wall, which I will be extending soon (I made it steeper so I could also make it longer, two birds with one stone you see).

P.S. in the pictures the wall looks no way near as steep as it really is, just thought i'd clear that up.....keep the psyche!