Not much to report in terms of outdoor climbing as the silly clocks have gone back as they do and we all start dreaming of next Spring and get downcast going to indoor climbing walls ad infinitum! No, not true really – we have had to resort to Ingleton and Preston walls a lot in the last few weeks but we’ve been pleased to welcome two new climbers, Matt and Sophie from Clitheroe, who have returned from a massive world tour of climbing, taking in such exotic locations as Australia, Thailand and China. How tame things must seem around here!
In mid-October the Beer and Curry Night was a great success with 21 climbers and walkers turning up and getting to know each other. The 21st “member” was a complete surprise, being a young Latvian work colleague of Howard’s who decided to join us at the last minute. He was eye candy (allegedly) and none of the ladies present objected to squeezing an extra person onto our table booked for 20!
A climbing club should be greater than the sum of its parts and it is good to report that contacts and friendships are being made within the group which enable folk to get together and climb at times when no club meets are scheduled. Andrew and Buxy recently met up during a short holiday break and climbed the classic Middlefell Buttress in Langdale; the happily retired bunch of Chris and myself, Mark and Bern have benefited from the settled autumn conditions and tried out plenty of the recent additions to Giggleswick North (see UKC and Leeds Wall websites for details) and very soon Bern, Chris and myself will be tackling Tenerife’s demanding gems.
Piccies from indoor climbing wall sessions are hardly inspiring, so I’ve added some of a young Sheffield climber indulging in one of the most fun-orientated branches of our amazing sport: deep water soloing. It’s nearly winter but we can still dream . . .
He actually completed the climb after several falls and several changes of shorts, rock boots and chalk bags!!
Cheers for now, Rob Smitton
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