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Club report for Grip 2007
Over the summer many of our members were involved in alpine
Hello and welcome to the all the Members of LSMC, both ex mountaineering, from personal climbing to attending organised
and current. It has been a remarkable year for the club and courses in alpine mountaineering, such as the Jonathan
there is, as ever plenty to tell you about. Conville courses. There was also a course run locally in
outdoor first aid and I am pleased to say 10 of our members
Since taking over in March 2006 life in camp LSMC has been a passed this course. During the next month, we will be sending 4
rollercoaster of highs and lows. Last year saw a significant members of the club to attend an SPA training course, bringing
number of regular, experienced members leave the club. This the total number of trained members (this year) up to 8!
left the club in a situation where there was much to learn with
high expectations from the previous year. We have struggled The Fresher’s Bazaar was another success, the portable wall,
with a brand new committee of new members, but this has not ice axes and ‘pimpin’ videos being used to their full potential in
stopped us becoming a close knit; enthusiastic team, producing drawing in the members. My thanks go out to all who helped on
good results. We have had a fantastic year, lots has been that day and successfully filled the club so we can be as active
achieved and at this point I would like to thank the committee as we have been. My apologies for being extraordinarily hung-
for all the hard work that has been devoted to the rough/smooth over.
running of the club.
Within the University, the use of the EHB has continued to be a
An extra lengthy budget request was submitted and produced popular pastime. Last years addition of the keypad has enabled
pleasing results, so we are ever thankful to the support that we access easily and is much appreciated. This year sees the
continue to receive from the Athletic Union. fantastic work of Ben and Tom (and all others involved) re-
covering the floor matting and re painting the walls. A recent
We were able to continue the ever popular Climbers vs Bikers introduction of a Route ‘map’ on the wall has proven another
event with the Cycling club. In this head to head event, we great success.
were challenged in climbing and biking alongside the guys from
the cycling club. Reports show it was a tough weekend and I We have had some ‘interesting’ and ‘different’ socials, with
am very proud to congratulate all competitors on the VICTORY Rocky roaming the streets in the path of Goose and Maverick;
over the bikers! I do hope this event continues and we can flocks of Bunnies hopping off to hey ewe, Cowboys and
develop some more equally exhilarating competitions. Carrying Mexicans drinking in harmony and a rather interesting Little
on the note of the ‘non-climbing’ fixtures, this years LSMC vs Britain theme at the Christmas Dinner. Eh Eh ehhhhhhh. Some
Ju-Jitsu Rugby match proved to be another almighty success. really good times which will stick with me forever. And well done
on the turn-out at the re-fresher’s social, I counted 30+ training last month – I noticed an enormous turnout and was
members! very impressed by the commitment and passion put into training
by all members. I would also like to thank JD and Jono who
The Christmas dinner was something a bit different this year, have done a great job with the running of the invaluable LSMC
with a weekend spent in Somerset – with limited climbing in website.
Cheddar Gorge. Unfortunately, more of a social venue than a
climbing venue, but once again; an enjoyable time had by all. I One of the clubs development targets was to perform better in
would like to thank all the committee and drivers at this point on BUSA. BUSA is coming up shortly (next weekend), I would like
your time in the organisation of this event. to wish all competitors good luck. We have a really strong team
this year and we have true potential! Well done on the team for
With thanks to Phil Emmot (chairman 05/06), 6 club members committing to the team, I know the training will pay off.
enjoyed the first LSMC Alps club trip in the summer. The 2
weeks spent in La Berarde (Ecrins National park) allowed the Lastly I’d like to thank YOU, the members for making it such
group to practice new skills, develop independence in the Alps good fun. Without you there is no club. I’ve had an amazing
and bag some beautiful summits. Well done, I hope to be year as chair and I wish the new committee every success in
repeating the experience with a larger group this summer. their work.
Looking to the future we have an official club trip to Have an excellent annual dinner and safe climbing. Now can I
Fontainebleau to go bouldering in Easter and an Alps trip as a please go for a drink?
club in the summer. This is of course in addition to the usual
festivities of UK based climbing and mountaineering.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the committee; Alex Guy Wilson
for his work in organising the meets (not an easy task!), Rich for
his passion in writing, Tom for keeping an eagles eye on the LSMC Chairman 2006-07
books, making sure that every penny of the members money is
being put to good use, Ben for diligently spending all of that
money of shiny things, Ollie for bullying all members into
socialising and getting involved and last but by no means least
to Ben who has worked really hard week after week ensuring
that training was run efficiently. On one of my regular visits to
Editor’s Note: Minibus drivers: Scotty, Lewis, Emma, Luke (you’re supposed
to stop when the light’s red and go when it’s green by the way),
Yo! Sorry about the lack of pictures in this issue of grip, and the Stan, Rich Barrett
re-use of old pictures. Due to the problems we’ve been having
with the club website, I haven’t been able to access many of the Tom “Creeky” Mumby: Everyone’s favourite white van man
online galleries of this years’ pictures. Hope this doesn’t spoil keeping team LSMC on the move!
your viewing experience. Apart from this, the articles are top
notch! Not:
Ollie Tom “Creeky” Mumby: Breaking man rules and continuing his
x tradition of falling off his bike whilst inebriated.
Who’s hot and who’s not in LSMC: Phil “Grandad” Johnson: Getting busted by campus security
for stealing road signs even though he’s not a student and
Hot: rendering his house’s staircase unusable with vomit after a club
social.
Graeme Hammond: Reportedly now Soloing HVS, nutter!
Owain “Fresher” Atkins: Repeated fresher bullying at the
The BUSA team: Respect! Xmas dinner earned this dude the nickname “Fresher”.
People who’ve learned to lead outside: Jools, Stan, Twisty, Chewy: In an email to Alex Prain: (paraphrased) “Are
Paul to name a few, I’m sure there are more, sorry if I forgot profiteroles vegetarian?”
you!
Tom O’ Loughlin: This unfortunate bunny was subjected to
JD: For finally leaving uni and becoming James Bond, good brutal treatment in the union on the bunny social after trying to
effort! get on stage. Prejudice against transsexuals must be stopped!!!
Guy “Willy” Wilson: Shortly to be moving to Hathersage; Echos: Scene of so many carnage filled LSMC nights; now
“Willy’s free Bunkhouse; Coming soon”. tragically closed.
Climbers vs Bikers peoples forks finding it hard to deal with the conditions (mine
included!!). The Downhill race proved to be a festival of
Back in December, LSMC proved that we are the best extreme testosterone with the captains arguing about what course to
club in Lufbra after taking the cycling club to the cleaners in the run. I eventually lost and we ended up racing on the harder
2nd Climbers vs Bikers competition. The event took a similar “black graded” course, to give the bikers an “advantage” due to
format to last time, with a bouldering comp at Nottingham and a large dropoff at the end of the course. Unfortunately this
then a day’s riding; XC and DH at Cannock Chase. backfired on the bikers, as LSMC proved its big balls with a
large number of climbers completing the course in good time,
The climbing including doing the dropoff, resulting in a number of open
comp was a mouthed “bikers” at the bottom who didn’t have the stones to do
complete it themselves. Phil Baxter was LSMC’s top downhiller coming in
whitewash for 6th place, nuff respect! Tom Mumby, Ollie Keeler, Paul Dewey
LSMC, MiniBen and Laura Plackett also beat most of the “bikers” down the
Freeman downhill course.
victorious for
LSMC, backed SuperDan’s much vaunted ***Allstars*** team, or “Team
up by Graeme overweight, arthritic
Hammond, Ollie and unfit” as the true
Keeler, Tom LSMC team took to
Mumby and Ben calling them
Hanson rounding unfortunately failed to
out the top 5. The materialise with only a
best placed biker came 16th!!!! The evening was marred with few competitors
confusion though as Notts wall found it tricky to register all the turning up. Although it
new members. Forward planning required for next time has to be pointed out
maybe!!! that SuperDan did
take the overall
LSCC fared a little better in the XC race, top climbers being personal points win
Paul Dewey and Lewis Balfour coming 10th and 11th place for himself:
respectively. The track was insanely muddy and claimed a
number of extremely knackered victims. The seals on a few
Name Club Climb XC DH TOTAL
Dan Braund Allstar 60 31 35 126 and a bunch of other people had fashioned an 8ft high phallus
Tom Mumby Climber 70 20 29 119 out of snow at a classified location somewhere in Lufbra. We
Ollie Keeler Climber 72 21 26 119 left town in the pitch dark and headed in the general direction of
Ben Freeman Climber 76 22 12 110 the peak district, heavy fog and ice on the roads hindering our
Ben Hanson Climber 68 24 14 106 progress. Once we arrived, we parked up and looked at the
Bryn Littlefair Biker 40 27 38 105 map to plan our hike in, Mike’s claim that it was only 2 and a
Ian Johnston Biker 46 36 21 103 half miles proved to be erroneous. We clambered over boulders
Paul Dewey Climber 50 29 23 102 back and forth across a stream and eventually arrived at the
Mike Smith Allstar 64 3 30 97
gully which Kinder
Matt "Master"
Bates Biker 30 38 27 95 Downfall is at the
end of. More
This top 10 shows the complete dominance of LSMC in the boulders were
competition. There was a party on Saturday night at a biker’s sent packing and
house, which saw fire-breathing and the theft of the old Bike we got to the
SeeSaw from Dan and JD’s old house by the two team’s downfall. The ice
captains, Ollie and Bryn who valiantly transported it across was in pretty nice
Lufbra on bikes. It also saw the crowning of LSMC as condition to climb
champions, to a distraught throng of Bikers. on but was
WELL DONE LSMC!!!! unfortunately not
thick enough to
By Ollie Keeler put ice screws
into. This could
mean only one
Attempted ice ascent of Kinder Downfall. thing…. getting a
trad rack out!!!
Starring: Mike “Tonka Toy” Dickson, Rich Greeny and Ollie Mike began our
Keeler. assault of the wall
but got to the first
It all started for me at 4am on a snowy Friday morning in Lufbra ledge and found
when I dragged myself out of bed for our 5am meeting to set off gear placement
to the peak district. The day before, Rich, BenH, Mike, myself tricky. Rich and I
knew things were going awry when Mike actually placed one of I returned to the scene of the action to found that Mike had
his axes in a crack as protection. He used this to descend back found a cunning rock off of which to abseil back down to safety.
to me and Rich on though, but couldn’t get it back out so it was Cheers all round!!! Not to be demoralised, we set off to find
stuck above us and he had to climb back to take it out. another way to the top, Rich eventually finding a little solo to the
top, a few hundred metres around the hill. So we did that,
messed around with some icicles then made the boring but oh-
so treacherous descent from the hill…. No one fell on their arse,
honestly!!!
Our odyssey ended at Calver outside café, as so many do.
Back to Lufbra for tea and tiffin by 4 o clock.
Ollie Keeler
Capel Curig
One of the first fresher’s trips and the first full weekend away for
LSMC of the new year, Capel is renowned for fun scrambling,
hiking, climbing and hut games.
Capel 2006 saw a Friday night of drinking games followed by
the infamous ‘beam game’. Phil B proved himself in the game
where two competitors arch between two parallel ceiling beams
and try to wrestle each other to the mattresses below. The man,
He was then on a ledge with no gear in and, it soon transpired, or woman, who can stay up the longest claims victory. A
no way up. We started to worry and wonder how we were going highlight of the game (well, for the men), was Rayan the “evil
to get Mr Dickson down. I went barrelling off over to the other malteser” doing the splits across the beams…
side of the downfall to see if I could find a scramble to the top
so I could throw him a rope. Unfortunately all I found was a wet Saturday saw a range of different level scrambles around
rock route which had ice at the top that I’d give a grade of about Snowdonia, including completion of The Horseshoe by many
5c from the look of it, not something I was going to attempt LSMC members. Most found the day a challenge due to the
without my stickies!!! gusting winds and intermittent downpours of rain and hail, but
all thoroughly enjoyed the ridge and the decent. Dan’s
navigational skills proved him as a mountain leader as he On the 10th of March, 6 of our strongest climbers in the form of
managed to lead us round the Horseshoe with an apparent lack 2 mixed sex teams will be going to the Sheffield Climbing
of a map! Meanwhile in the other group rumour has it that Byron Works bouldering wall to compete against universities from all
was left to fend for himself in the rain as his group used the around the UK. The boldering competition will be 2 hours long,
group shelter with his exclusion! where by there are 5x4c, 4x5a, 4x5b, 4x5c, 4x6a, and 6x6b
bouldering problems. Points are awarded on the basis of 10 for
Saturday night saw the birth of lunging after a game of name a successful first attempt, 7 for second and 4 for third. The final
tennis. Ollie failed to make the same impact with his pelvic hold must also be held in a controlled manner, so no dynos
thrusting team that Byron has achieved with his lunging team unfortunately!
and further lunge-offs! Fresher’s experienced ‘ride the bus’ for
the first time, with Ant putting in a good first go. In 2005 LSMC came 52nd and 69th out of 74 teams. We did
better in 2006 with respectable results of 36th and 68th out of 84
Sunday had a slow start, with some people (including me!) teams. This year everyone is climbing stronger than in the
multi-pitching some routes at the base of the horseshoe. Little previous years, so an even better result is expected.
Ben did superbly in leading a route in the hail and then finding
the decent for his group. The accent of the final pitch turned out Good luck to Ben Freeman, Greame Hammond, Laura Ashley
to be far worse than the climb! As for the rest of LSMC? A day in the 1st team, and Ollie Keeler, Tom Mumby and Lauren
of indoor climbing at the Beacon centre sheltered from the rain I Foster in the 2nd team.
think.
Go Team LSMC!
Lauren Foster
Ben Hanson
BUSA A Jolly Trip to Bangor.
BUSA, the British University Sports Association, is the In a bid to conquer the heights of Holyhead mountain Emma
governing body for university sport in the UK, organising inter- Bisgrove, Ollie Keeler, Jools O’Neill and I set off on a road trip
university competitions in many different disciplines. For us, the to Bangor in mid- December. With the aid of Bangor University
mountaineering club, rock climbing is our official competitive Student Jon, we crashed in a fully-furnished cellar on Friday
sport. night for the great ascent the following morning.
Sunshine failed to wake us due to the lack of windows; however was lost in my hands. As I made myself comfy and had some
we arose to find Wales awash with sunshine and an almost thinking time 8 meters off the floor I heard Jon say he was
disturbing lack of clouds… The drive to Holyhead from the city going to back off and not risk the crux. Five or ten minutes later
was quick and we arrived at the coast mid-morning for a good of swearing and wishing I was not stuck on a rock face with my
day of leading! leg jammed in a crack to prevent falling and Ollie looking
worriedly up at me having the same thoughts no doubt, I
decided to go for the crux- a nice flake when you can grip.
Trusting my hands and hoping for the best I heaved myself over
the flake and onto the exposed main face. After quickly putting
a badly-placed piece of gear into the rock I flopped over the top
glad to be alive. Unknown to me, when I yelled over the top I
could be heard perfectly but I could not hear anything or feel
any weight on the rope. I heaved the rope through my maze of
gear (note: next time bring twins) and Ollie and Joolss followed
me up the route successfully and without the faff that I
perfected. The three of us headed back to the bottom and
promptly gave up any hope of more climbing due to the cold.
Fare-weather climbers are we!
The rest of the weekend was spent in the Plas-Y-Brenin
climbing wall, a free visit thanks to Jon, and then a return visit to
Holyhead Mountain to retrieve Emma’s stickies that she left at
the bottom of Tension (the dingle). Sunday saw a walking ring
As John and I racked up, myself at the bottom of a HS 4b called
of the mountain, once again with the appearance of good
Tension, we had the sun on our backs and a great view of the
weather and a race up the rear face. I would have won had I not
sea and surrounding rock. Jon set off first on an HS 4c next to
tried to solo some forbidden rockage and pulled a small boulder
me and I quickly followed. A great days climbing one may have
onto my leg, ouch. Much lunging followed as we passed the
thought but as we climbed we realised that sun in December
‘craze’ onto Bangor University and the people of Holyhead
does not necessarily mean heat and by the crux of John’s route
passing in their cars.
he was struggling to climb further. I was climbing in a nice big,
COLD crack that turned out to be very difficult when all feeling
Check out Holyhead Mountain some time- there are lots of mid- committee
graded climbs that would be gorgeous on a warmer day. Also, if member.
you’re there, head down to the sea for some sport climbing that Facing the
is meant to be decent on a hot day. outside of
the van she
Highlights of the trip: me packing in an Ikea bag (seemed to felt a cold,
annoy the driver!) and lunging on a cannon, woop woop! clammy
hand creep
Lauren Foster into the
lining of her
Storytime: Goosebumps…… Scandal at The Stags sleeping
Campsite!!! bag and
over her
In a dark, dark village there was a dark, dark campsite. In the nightdress. She removed the hand abruptly and tried to doze off
dark, dark campsite there was a dark, dark field. In the dark, to sleep, but lay there in fear of her life. She knew no-one. No-
dark field, there was a dark, dark van. In the dark dark van, one knew of the danger she was in. And no-body could hear
there was a dark, dark bouldering mat. On the dark, dark her scream!
bouldering mat there was a dark dark man.
The mysterious committee member tried again and again to
It was a dark dark October evening in the middle of the spoon the young girl with the same result each time…She
fresher’s daytrips and the LSMC crew was finishing a session eventually re-found her voice- a voice that had been temporarily
on the Black Lurcher in the Stags Inn. They left the pub, looking lost through the sheer terror of the situation- and told him to
forward to a good nights slumber in their tents, all except for “bugger off”!
one young girl and a mysterious committee member. She had
foolishly turned down a place in one of the other members tents By: Anon
and opted to rest her weary head in the back of the mysterious
committee member’s van. Little did she know of the horror A month in the life of a LSMC climber
which awaited her.
Well I guess I better introduce myself my name is Graeme, it’s
The innocent fresher entered the van and lay down to sleep. In my fourth year in LSMC though only actively this year and last. I
a matter of moments she was joined by the mysterious was supposed to graduate this year though things haven’t really
worked out with my major project so I’m on academic leave and Thursday I found myself back at the doctors with a soggy and
finally have time to write an article for Grip and climb more now pinkie red bandage thanks to my climbing shoes trying to
which might have been the problem in the first place! avoid the questions while it was redressed. I managed to get to
the EHB for a few hours climbing later in the day and some
It all started so badly, while my climbing inside was going well canoeing in the evening didn’t make think much easier for
my in growing toe was beginning to really kill having it sorted Friday’s redressing. But things were finally looking up I
would mean not being able to walk properly for a about a week managed to climb really well at Nottingham that afternoon and
and not being able to climb for possibly even longer according
to my doctor. Unfortunately Lauren and Ollie were heading up
to the peak the next day, some how I convinced myself it would
be fine by the next day. I had to tell the doctor I was busy all of
the next day so I couldn’t attend the redressing. The following
morning while I could walk it was quite sour but this was the
least of my problems as I couldn’t get my rock on shoes over
the bandage. The answer was a bit of DIY bandaging to the
rescue, by removing all but the last layer of the bandage then
putting some climbing tape on I can just get them on, Get In!
Probably fortunately for me it was a wash out raining as we
arrived in Hathersage but a quick cake had me itching to get out
as it was improving, or so it seemed. By the time we had
walked up to High Neb the cloud had come in and it was
starting to spit, while the rock was soaking wet. Not to be
defeated I found a crack that looked like it might still be do able,
unfortunately the first move involved a toe jam on my bad foot. Graeme on Chequers Buttress
With one route dispensed and socking wet trousers it was had arranged to go to Stanage the next day if I could avoid
decided that we should head home. I was worried that Bex, on drinking too much at Ollie’s house party that night.
her first visit to the peak might be put off, it’s nice in the sun
honestly was all I could say to end a disappointingly rainy Saturday 6pm its pitch black as we head down the hill from
Wednesday, luckily she wasn’t. Stanage by the light of my head torch, I have a massive grin on
my face its been a great day Paul has managed his first lead,
I’ve managed Whillians’ Pendulum and Black Magic a route I Paul finally turns up after his interview we knock out a few more
couldn’t even start last summer and we have done more routes, some guy asks if he could take a few photos as I lead
classics than you can shake a stick at, this is how climbing is Verandah Buttress, he looks familiar but I can’t put my finger on
meant to be. where I know him from, finally I realise its Naill Grimes from
Hard Grit out for a bit of a soloing session and taking photos for
Monday I find myself at Stanage again it’s a glorious February his new guide book so maybe just maybe have a look out for
day can’t believe our luck I haven’t been back to Black Hawk myself and Paul.
Area since I first started to lead properly with my dad several
years before when I remember watching a couple of guys Wednesday myself Ben F and Paul were at Froggatt, I really
struggling to follow their mate up the Eliminator and thinking need to get a job this is defiantly the reason I flunked this year.
one day maybe… well today was that day, could things get any While Three Pebble Slab seemed scary it went ok, but pizza
better? and chips the previous night obviously wasn’t the best thing to
recharge your strength as by the time I got to the crux of the 2 nd
Well it seems the gods were with me that day I felt good and pitch of Valkyrie I was to pumped to make it up not that the wet
fancied another go at Flying Buttress Direct, having previously lower pitch helped either. A banana and a quick sleep on the
crotched on top of the overhang pumped out of my mind last bouldering mat seemed to do the trick while Ben led it. Feeling
summer I hadn’t had the will to carry on I lowered myself off the something should be salvaged from the day as the sun set I
edge and let go just as I realised the cam in the lip was now half soloed Heather Wall and suddenly felt well up for Chequers
way out and only cammed on one side, luckily it held. This time buttress which felt incredible so I still managed to go home with
was different fear was replaced with pure thrills and more a smile!
importantly self belief as I launched across the roof I knew
exactly were I was going… up all the way! The smile on my Wednesday the following week valentine day blues have set in
face took several hours to subside. but at least to take my mind of things we’re heading up to The
Works (the new bouldering wall) in Sheffield to check it out
Tuesday with just about everyone now finished their exams before BUSA. This could only entertainment me until early
LSMC were out in force at Stanage accompanied by some fine evening though it seemed like a quick dinner and more action
blue skies. All round it was a great day, Jools did a fine lead of down the EHB might work, but the injustice of climbing inside
Heaven crack, Byron lead his first VS and Ben F got a repeat of on a sunny day was playing on my mind. The plan unfolded I
the Green Traverse first time at font 7a!!! I stormed up a few would try to get an early night and head to Burbage South/North
mega classics starting with a solo of Heaven Crack, followed by the next day could I do 50 routes in a day? My computer had
leads of Mississippi Buttress Direct and Congo Corner. When
other ideas though and it wouldn’t allow me to find any train Someone once called me a snob for only mainly climbing stared
times till past midnight. routes but I can tell you there is reason why lots of the Vdiffs at
Burbage aren’t… They’re rubbish I have now done enough crap
Just before 8 the next morning I found myself biking to the routes to last a life time, though having said that soloing gives a
station with a huge bouldering mat slung over my back much to better experience. By the sun set I’d climbed my way to the
the amusement of several motorists as I rushed only just other end of the crag by arms were like jelly on the last top outs.
managing to catch the train. Sheffield looked rather ominous The iPod finally ran out of battery as I reached the Fox House
unlike the forecast I forgot to recheck. The bus driver was most for a well earned pint. The final count up was 57 routes in a day
unhelpful and told me to go and buy a watch when I asked I had made it!
when he left and how long it was until then. It materialised I had
5 minutes to get some food for the day fearing he might leave Saturday saw yet another trip to Stanage, The first route were
without me a quick sprint through the bus station found a booth rather wet and scary
that sold papers chocolate and crisps, so two chunky Kitkats, a but once things cleared
Bounty and a pack of crisps to add to the one orange in my bag up I was feeling the
would have to do. love and had a great
day climbing with
Burbage South seemed a nasty place as I arrived just after Byron, Em and Jools
10am everything was green and lichenous and it was blowing a
gale. After two solos for appalling quality it was time to move Sunday saw a return to
on. Was this going to be a complete disaster? I battled round to Froggatt for a rematch
Burbage North the wind having other idea over which direction I with Valkyrie, it fell
should walk, the bouldering mat wasn’t helping acting like a sail. though I had to stand
Burbage North far end seemed much more agreeable the sun on the mid way belay
had made an appearance and I had some good tunes pumping ledge for ages waiting
out of my iPod. A few Vdiff warm up routes and my eyes could for my arms to stop
resist the line of the Right Fin as I climbed up the mat blew being so pumped, note
away so it looked like I’d have to finish it now, a few more do a warm up next
layback moves and I was on the finishing jug mantling out of my time, before leading the
first HVS solo. Everything was going well the routes continued 2nd pitch all in one go.
to fall all day, 2 more HVSs one of which, the Knights Move I Had just done the 2nd
did twice as it was so good and almost double figures in VSs. pitches’ crux when I realise Jools leading Heaven Crack
I don’t have one of my cams to make matters when I try to use interesting when you’re lying on top of it. After another fine lead
the size up one of the wires on the trigger mechanism snaps! by Paul, not sure how it managed to get 1 star let alone 2 it was
Doh. Luckily a nice man has found my lost cam and quick draw time to try both the Unconquerables. I stormed up Left
at Stanage when I post on ukclimbing.com so hopefully this Unconquerable where was the E1 bit felt almost VS?? By
should arrive in the next few days :-) contrast the Right Unconquerable (HVS) seemed to be a
struggle as I ran out off energy and my arms turned into
Monday saw a return to training down the ehb and an aborted balloons, maybe a rest between routes might have been in
first attempt of the first assent of EHB Corner Layback, a order. Only shear determination to get the clean onsite double
Rockfax style comic book will be available shortly and I’ll be got me through to finish off an amazing afternoon!!
back when that window ledge isn’t as wet! I also found out
trying to do Ben’s training sessions in bare feet results in Well that’s February so far and there’s still a week to left to go,
splitting your foot open and covering the hall in blood :-( so I lie when I say a month in the life of a LSMC climber… but
just think of what next week might bring.
Tuesday back to the serious business of trying get back in
shape ready for BUSA Nottingham calls or so I thought… Hopefully you’ve enjoyed reading,
yesterday’s injury seems to be having an effect I have the worst
bouldering score in over a year :-( Finally I would like to thank the following LSMC members
without their help none of this would have happened. The
As with all good stories (I’ll let you decide) it’s good to end on a amazing drivers/climbers: Stan, Lauren, Paul, Ben F, Luke,
high! After the disappointment of the previous day the weather Alex, Creeky, Em (Jool’s gf from Nottingham Uni for those who
forecast was looking goodish so myself and Paul decided to don’t know) and the grumpy bus driver!
have a cheeky afternoon climbing. Heading up the M1 things I would also like to thank the following LSMC members who I
weren’t looking so good and showers as we drove past have climbed with or have been present during the mentions
Birchens wasn’t a good sin. Stanage though was looking good days making it such a special month: Bex, Ollie, Twisty, Jools,
with blue skies and clouds if a little freezing. A break neck Byron, Phil B, and Ben H.
speed walk up soon warned me up and things just got better
and better as the sun came out even if it was very windy as By Graeme Hammond
Paul kicked things off with a fine lead of Heaven Crack. BAW’s
Crawl was next watching Paul’s coming out of the crack feet
first doing the famous moves from the top was quite amusing,
great fun though placing gear while lying on your back is kind of
Lost: (somewhere near Byron’s house!). The journey to the quarry
was perilous, with many a brush with death, pot-holes in the
It was the morning after the night before, with most people road that swallowed whole cars, puddles so deep if you swam
feeling much worse for wear. The night in question was that of through them you would find Australia. The journey was also
the Christmas dinner, involving such extremes as downing plagued with sickness, as the roads twisted and turned, the
Bovril pints, and eating onions, but that’s another story. Several night before took its toll and one young climber was left to get
brave fools had decided on this fateful morning, that the best some fresh air while the rest of the group circled the area in
course of action for the day was to go climbing, regardless of such of the elusive crag.
the hangover situation. So the group set out on an epic journey
across the land known as Somerset in such of much loved rock, The group arrived at the edge of a dark forest after more than 2
but not without hours on the road trying to find the crag (a half hour drive Byron
stopping for tea and had told us), and many a wrong turn mostly due to the lack of
cake at the home of correct road signs and not the complete lack of navigation skills
one of the local amongst them. Inside this dark forest lurked the prize,
climbers, young Somerset rock in all its glory. With time rapidly running out
Byron. Little did the before the climbers ha d to return, they quickly gathered their
parents of gear and headed into the woods, with the aim of getting a quick
Lungemaster Daniel- climb each and heading back to the far safer borough of Lough.
san know, that letting
the group of fearless The group followed a path from the car park into the forest, and
climbers head out that using a map on a board in the forest (obviously a fake,
morning would lead designed to set the trap) they walked fearlessly on, through
them into certain peril. mud up past the soles of their shoes and the thick grassy
undergrowth. After delving deep into the forest, the climbers
The group had began to realise their worst fears, it was starting to rain and the
decided to head for a crag was nowhere to be seen. Pushing further into the jungle
little known quarry, like forest, the group huddled together for safety but after many
deep in a hidden hard miles, they conceded defeat as the sun was beginning to
forest in the set. As the darkness set in, the group started to notice things
backwaters of awry, movement in the bushes, a man in a long coat stood
Somerset watching them in the rain (turned out he was just as lost as us).
In the panic, a mobile phone video diary was made, recording
what they thought mite be their last minutes of this world, then
they ran, ran for their lives to the car, branches lasing out in all
directions, noises following us. Until they reached the edge of
the woods nobody knew if they would survive.
After their much relieved arrival back at the safety of the car,
the climbers swore to tell their tale of peril and bravery in order
to warn other climbers of the darkness that lies within those
woods in Somerset. To this day, they never found out if the crag
exists, or is a myth to lure young climbers to their deaths at the
will of some dark force within the woods.
Duck
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