Training update. Injuries already.

A few days into the training now and already certain members have picked up injuries. Luckily only skin injuries and soft tissue ones but enough to hamper progress. Smithy managed to some how open up quite a large whole in his knuckle whilst bouldering today but we are still unsure of how he done it!!!!!!!!

Smithy's mystery injury

He sure holds the record in the group of injuries with his personal best being a broken ankle on the first day of a week long trip to Sardinia. Needless to say he was not a happy bunny but comforted himself by spending the week chain smoking and creating a new sport called off road crutching.

Sam training upper body strength on the ladder

The rest of us however have avoided injury so far and are working on methods of protecting our hands whilst on the ladders with a certain degree of success. Pictures and videos are avaiable in the right hand tool bar.

Multi pitching in Sardinia.

Just got the photos in from the last trip to Sardinia in April 2007. This trip was slightly different from the rest due to the fact that the objective this year were higher grades and pushing our selfs rather than mileage and route numbers. As reported earlier we managed to beat our personal best with climbs up to 7b. The new photos are available in the gallery section in the right hand side of this page. Another first out there was Robs first experience of multi pitch trad climbing. A perfect 100m, three pitch route up the right hand side arete of Budinetto. Me and rob completed the route in about 40mins and by the end Rob was confident in setting up anchors and placing protection.

Sam Setting off to lead the second pitch. Rob On belay. Around 40m up the route. The valley floor visible below.

Deutsch wall was our next objective at 90m high and grade 6c. Unfortunately bad weather and high winds forced us down after just one pitch. This is three years running now were we have not been able to get to the top of the route. Our highest point being the 6c third pitch. Plans for the next trip include Deutsch wall and a few routes on the 180m seven pitch crags just outside Cala Gonone.

Chase The Eights.

The Race is on with the Boys at Revolution Climbing Center. The Challenge??? First one of us to Boulder to the grade of 8a. Currently bouldering around 7b/7b+ this is quite a mammoth task. Especially when our trip to font in France is coming up in September. So the race for the eights is on and training has begun already. Newly installed at the centre is our rope ladder designed by Smithy in order to help train strength. Using it a few times a week, the lads should start seeing some big changes in strength. Over use it though and big damage can be done to muscles. Updates will be made avaiable as well as a rough training guide to what the lads are doing.

Smithy Training on the new ladder installed at Revolution Climbing Center

Greece. Kalymnos Rock Trip May 2007

Just got back from an amazing week in Kalymnos, and i thought Sardinia could not be beaten for rock quality. The place certainly lives up to the hype about the climbing.

May 16th saw John, Joe, Bruce and myself catching our flight over to Kos and then a short ferry journey over to the island of Kalymnos. Unfortunately the plane was delayed which meant we missed our ferry over and had to wait to gone eleven at night to catch the next one getting to bed by 1am.

The next few days were spent getting up early to avoid the heat of the day and climbing on various crags including Odyssey and Arhi both very impressive to look at and climb. Whilist John and myself hit some of three star 6a's and 6b's, Bruce and Joe started off hitting some great 6c's and 7a's climbing some very impressive lines where ever they went.

Joe climbing Neolithic Line 7c at Jurassic Park Sector

After a few days John and Myself decided to up the game a bit and went to try Harakiri at sector Spartacus. Unfortunately thought we went off route at mid height and onto to the next route graded at 6c+. After bailing off this we went up to Jurassic Park sector to meet up with the lads and climbed Themelis a beautiful line of 30m with crux at the small roof half height. The next few days saw flashes of 6a's, 6a+'s and the odd 6b, as well as on sights and redpoints of a few sevens from Bruce and Joe.

Later on in the week Joe and Bruce tried to attempt there first 8a with Helios at sector North Cape. after clipping the draws both made great attempts at it but just fell short of the chains. a great effort and fantastic to watch.

Joe coming down after just falling short of the chains on his 8a attempt

John and myself finished the week off by heading to Kasteli for the morning and climbing some off the three star classic from 5c+-6a+. I managed around thirty routes in my week out there with higher leads coming in the last few days as it took me quite a while to get used to the lenght of the routes out there. another trip is planned for September / October 2007 and details will be posted here.

Sam climbing Joggel and Toggel 6c+

Revolution Climbing Center

The link below should take you to the Revolution climbing Center and give you an idea of what i do for work. Any information on the center that you cant find on the site just email me through the links and ill answer as soon as possiable.

http://www.revolutionskatepark.co.uk/climbing_new/index.html

Dave Collom attempting the dyno at the back of the centre

Scotland 2006.

In July 2006 a small group of us headed up to scotland for a few days climbing on and around Ben Nevis. The group consisted of Paul, Matt and myself with the aim to camp in Fort William and hike to the north face of Ben Nevis each day. After driving up there for nearly ten hours we made our way to the campsite and sent up tents. After sorting everything out and having a little sleep we headed up the tourist path that leads up Ben Nevis and round the side to the North side.

Looking at Ben Nevis from the North Face Car Park. Tower ridge and Douglas Boulder viable left of centre
Our Fisrt day was to be a warm up and practice so we choose Castle ridge which follows the right hand side arete if looking from the CIC hut. After the inital scrambing start to the route up easy slabs the route becomes more vertical and most tend to use ropes at some point. After one or two short rope lenghts the ground eased up allowing us to scramble to the top. A mistake was made which lead us up an exstemely loose and rock fall prone gully to the left of the route which provide an interesting finish.

Looking down Castle Ridge from the top.

After descending down a never ending scree slope we made our way back out via the tourist path and down to the pub at the bottom. Next Day we were out again this time on walking in from the other side via the north face car park. Our Objective this day was Tower ridge. Graded at VDiff is was well with in our grade. We decided to tackle the douglas Boulder start and through trial an error made it to the top only to find the weather close in and the heavens open up leaving us no choose but to abseil off the route and down climb via the right hand side gully back to the CIC hut and out along the path to our tents in the valley below.

Matt and Paul at the top of the Douglas Boulder just before our forced retreat.

Day three saw us hit a few trad climbs around the base of Ben Nevis completing climbs up to VS including multi pitch routes. We had intended to stay the night again but decided to make the long car journey back instead hoping traffic was not going to be bad. All in all it gave all of us a good insight into long mountain routes and more trips are planned for 2007.

Sam outside the CIC hut with Tower ridge in the background

View from the top of the douglas boulder lokking back along to the North Face Car park

Sardinia Climbing April 2007.

April 2007 saw our third trip over to the island of Sardinia. The main objective for this holiday was to try and get up our first grade 7a. Team members were me, Rob Hutton, David Collom, James Heatie, Richard Collom, Katie (long second name i cat spell beginning with S) and Sally Ann Harris. This would be a return trip for many of the climbers on the team. Staying in Cala Gonone our first crag was Cala Fuili. We hit this on the day we arrived and treated it as a day to re-accustom to the rock. Rob,David,rich and myself headed over to the left hand side to do some high fives and low six grades whilst Katie,Sally and James hit the slabs on the steps.
With everyone feeling confident and up for more, the next day we headed up to Biddinetto which has plenty of lower to mid grade climbs up to 6c. Whilst the girls and James headed for the main bowl area, Rob and me headed for the Right hand side arete to try the three pitch trad route which follows the the obvious line up to the top of the bowl. Graded in the guide book and 3c this route was well within our capabilities. After racking up and our camera man in tow (David) rob set up the first pitch but soon hit difficulties. The first pitch looks to of been affected by Rock fall since the time it was put up which now leaves a clean slab which proved to be interesting with poor to no gear to place until the angle mellows off and jugs appear. Around Grade 5a/b now. After following we slung leads and i took the next pitch which gives great exposure for the grade climbing along a narrow ridge line but with big holds and plenty of gear leading to a few delicate moves over a slab avoidable if you take the right hand side up to the next belay point. Rob lead the final pitch which is again great for the grade. There is an alternative route going directly over the overhang but beware of loose rock. the original line takes the left hand side and is protected by a rusty Bolt. Don't trust!!!! Easy ground then leads to the belay point and provides a great view over Cala Gonone. (Pictured Above) After topping out we set about heading down via the left hand side which is easy scrambling ground. More photos to be added of the ascent soon.

Once down we join the others who had been playing around of Some high fives and low sixes including the route that broke a team members ankle in a fall earlier on in the year. Most of the team took falls on these with some impressive ones being taken on the low down crux of the 6c. Me and Katie then decided on Doing the two pitch route Hulu and were forced down after a mini epic on the belay stance of the second pitch and due to the intense heat and no water we abbed down to the find some shade and rest up. Later that day we hit Poltrano with its impressive 90m slabs and the classic line of Deutsch Wall. this route hand eluded me for the past three years as various events forced us down previously. Me and rob had plans later in the week to make another attempt. The evening was spent climbing easier to mid grades with David, Sally-Ann, James and Rich all doing a brilliant 5c which takes you over a small roof providing some superb exposure and great climbing positions.

The next view days were spent playing around on various crags with ascents up to 6c being had by Rob and myself. But still 7a eluded us. Trips to Biddiscotti saw me and rob attempt a stiff grade 6c+ which took a good few tries to work out the low down crux before finally cracking it only to realize the line of bolts shared the same as one next to it which was being climbed by a group of German climbers. Rob hung on the bolt for around half an hour whilst they finished but in the end we decided that the route above was much easier and the hard part had been done some came down. Katie Dave and James attempted a 6a in the corner of the cave which proved to be much harder than the guide suggested but was eventually completed by Dave using a series of interesting moves. Great effort!!!!!

A few days later saw us Back in Cala Fuili were after completeing a few 6a's and 6bs me and Rob headed for a line we had seen the year before. Dubadabur is graded 7a+/b the crux is a low down boulder problem involving Monos and pinch to a long reach to poor holds. Once the first two meters are done the grade eases off to around 6b+ until you reach a ramp line close to the top were the grade eases again to around 6a. After a load of attempts trying to get the start rob finally managed to hold the poor slopers and having clipped the next bolt finished the route to complete his first Grade seven. After retrying the start over and over again i finally managed the sequence with a little help with small intermediate holds and soon found myself at the top of my first Grade seven. Video of robs ascent coming soon. that night the beers flowed!!!!!

Whilst this was going on Katie had a mini epic thanks to a miss understanding between belayer and climber on a pumpy 6a with James almost pulling her off the route after mistaking thinking she had called take when actually she wanted slack to clip. She pulled through though and although not her style of climbing made a good on sight of the route.

Climbing at Cala Fuili

Over the last few days team members climbed some impressive grades considering there short length of time climbing with ascents of up to 6b+ been climbed on sight. A sure sign of some promising talent. Mine and Robs attempt of Deutsch Wall was again cut short because of high winds and rain after reaching the bottom of pitch two. All climbers surpassed the grades they wanted to climb and all was left was too hit the booze one last night and hit the road for the journey home.