ndcc roadtrip weekender

oh yes..four of the team got time off work-bunkhouse booked-routes decided-provisions

bought-transport sorted-one small thing we did overlook-THE worst weather we have ever

seen...nasty stuff-so four pouting punters looking out of the powdermills window at some

not so happy rambler-types being blown south by storm force north westerly winds,had to

decide on some sort of venue, and not pub-based

leigh tor had south facing walls and was near, so that was our first port of call-when fabs

brakes had stopped smoking (nearly ended up in the water at dartmeet) we stood on the

crag and ummed and ahhed about it’s potential but it started raining again-time for plan b

we dived in the car and headed for chudleigh-there

would be something dry there-we only got lost once

by the time we got there it looked promising-it was

a sketchy crawl down the wet/polished limestone to

pixies hole-the upper crag was dripping wet so we

ended up bouldering routes from sd+d guidebook to

“if I don’t get down now,I’m gonna die”height-also

a great eliminate problem that ended up at a very

worrying altitude on “sarcophagus”much fun-and

no casualties

good day that-back to the bunkhouse,food,drink,crank up

the logburner-happy campers!

day two-we knew exactly what to do today-the weather

was blowing a navigation training group (and a dog) to

the west at a brisk pace so we all agreed-simon’s place

then-another hour of my life discarded in morrisons and

off to the second installment of the barn-what can I say

about this place-if you know what simon does with

wood, then this place will come as no surprise-a “tor” sized freestanding boulder-walls for

leading and bottom roping-gear shop-facilities-this place is awesome-we wasted no time

attacking the boulder-the problems were as you would expect, typical simon problems-all

challenging but enough to give you a great big grin when you top out on them-fab said it

looked like a martian moonscape-we must have climbed for hours-I did some filming-fab

danced around like the easter bunny giving away doughnuts-weeman looked worried,but

sussed out a very committed move on the arete-and nic finally topped out on a yellow route

that had caused her some problems earlier- by now the place was busy, difficult to tell as

the boulder blocks the view so you can always find a quiet corner to play-we were all really

pumped-time to say our goodbyes until next time-deposit weeman at tavvy and go home

there will be an in-depth feature on altus coming soon-so more pictures-more words-more

climbing-blah blah blah-it’s the climbing that does me-filthy job but someone has to do it!

mca