Font 3 - Mega(lithe) Fail

Day 3 in font and it's damp. With only a couple of hours til my train ride and with nothing to lose we played for a wild stab in the dark and went back to Megalithe (7c+) at Rocher Greau.

We tried this yesterday and to reiterate I love this problem! Its technical sequence is relentless and the top is high enough to make it very difficult to relax on the bad bad holds. The problem was dryish today, the bottom at least, and after scaring myself immensely straddled atop the boulder trying to dry the finishing holds I gave it half an hour of power.

Sadly it wasn't to be but I learnt a lot and am posting this video to ensure I remember the sequence for my return trip in May...

Font 2 - Rocher Greau and the Magic Circus

Sounds a little like a Harry Potter book...

Day 2 was a good one, although it was close to being a great one. After a bit of a lie-in we headed to Rocher Greau, the home of the mighty Tigre et Dragon (8a). Adam's had this on his radar for a while and today he was on fine form, dispatching the problem in a handful of goes.

We turned our attention to the huge prow of Energie Renouvelable (7b+) - pic right and vid below. What a fantastic feature this is with great moves to match including a lock from the break that is very very close to my limit! I was more than a bit sketchy at the top (it's a little difficult to share beta with a 6ft 4 giant) Adam's face says it all in the video! "You got me?" What a wimp!

Check it out below (Adam also dispatched the assis at 7c+, his Nike 6.0s don't say beast for nothing)...

After that success and some Lindt to celebrate it was on to the impressive Megalithe (7c+) - this is a fantastic line on thin crimps up an arete. I got high really quickly, unlocking the technical sequence high up the arete. Adam stepped in to dispatch and I was robbed of an ascent with my hand practically on the last hold. This one will have to wait but is going down!

We finished up at Paradis, the oddest of areas tucked away in the trees beyond some open fields. We were hunting for the Magic Circus - a huuuge double dyno. In some rather damp conditions both me and the big man tickled the sidepulls but as the rain came pouring we retired for the day and left another project on the list.

Font 1 - Salle Gosse & Mandarin

This is the first of at least 2 font trips I'll be taking this year and it's been a while so I was concerned it could take some time to find the font finesse (as coined by an old bleausard slating Porter's technique!). However it was off to a quick start dispatching the classic Salle Gosse (7c) at Roche aux Sabots, which suited me thanks to my freaky ability to get 3 fingers in 2 fingered pockets! Pic below of Salle Gosse and today's team of Adam, Porter (who insisting on getting some E9 in - on sale at a shop near you) and kiwis Ben and Micky.

After that Adam and I headed off to check out Mandarin (8a) at Oiseaux - which is one of the coolest problems I've ever tried. Here's me on the hard part which is basically getting your foot out and in a position to press to the top (you go off the palm and again with your right - how cool?!?). Would like to do this and it felt very feasible so I may be back.

En Route to Fontainebleau

I've just arrived in Fontainebleau, France where I'm out for a rapide 4 day visit, joining Watson who is on an extended trip in the magic forest.

Thanks to an outrageously good deal I took the Eurostar in, which is great, think I've done more work confined to my seat

on the train than any other day at the office for weeks! I particularly like that you can walk straight out of Gare du Nord into the heart of Paris, and as Adam is providing the mats I thought why not take the stroll down to Gare du Lyon.

This turned out to be rather extended as I was stupid enough not to bring a map and stubborn enough not to want to turn on my 3G - so I followed my nose down the only street I know in that area from a previous visit (Rue La Fayette) on a very indirect route - although it did take me past the impressive Academie de Musique (left) and the apple shop :-)

After a quick cappuccino (which was SO good I nearly turned my 3G back on to tell the world) I arrived at Gare du Lyon (where I realised they can't half build a good train station - right, good clock!) and took a quick ride to Font to be picked up by chauffeur Jeeves...oops sorry Adam.

Anyway I'm babbling - tomorrow I'll tell you about some boulders hopefully!

Preparation H - Northumberland's Finest?

I'm going to continue as though it hasn't been 18 months since my last blog... ;-)

Ok the above statement is bold but it's difficult to find the combination of rock and moves that is quite as good as...Preparation H (bad name though), a recent 8a added to the left of the phenomenal Northern Soul.

Last weekend I had a day of highs and lows in the county, nearly turning my back completely on outdoor climbing after (re-)discovering just how poop Bowden Doors is (I'm sorry it is just soft sandy rubbish) and nearly going home or at least back to the wall! But after tomato and basil soup and a coffee in Wooler I gave the county a second chance, ending up at Hepburn boulders and remembering just how good we have it away from the popular crags. It took me a couple of sessions but I re-found my psych, dragging almost the entire Climb Newcastle team (thanks guys) to spot two days later and send the repeat...

Here's the action...

And is it Northumberland's finest? No probably not, but I reckon you could drive as far south as Fontainebleau til you find rock quality as good as this!

The psych is back...