Sprang

I have finally got my thin sections made for my dissertation (Orcadian Basin sediments from Spittal Quarry, Caithness), which means I can finally start doing work! But before I said good bye to my life I decided I should have one last day out climbing.

Sprung (Photo Credit: Minerva Design)

With that in mind Chris Prescott, Chris Williams, Sinclair Cooper and I went to Bowden Doors in Northumberland on Saturday. Whilst at Bowden we met two guys, called Alan and Mick, who were photographing some rock formations on the crag and asked if they could take some shots of us too. Always one up for being the subject of a decent photo I happily obliged.

Where it starts to get hard (Photo Credit: Minerva Design)

I really wanted to get back on Sprung (font 7c). I have tried Sprung a number of times but never really managed any significant links on it. My first attempt today saw me link from the sit start up to the first of the sharp crimps after the rock over move. I was pretty pleased, and managed this feet a few times during the day. I still had the crux move to get though. I tried a number of things; pulling really hard, pulling harder still, move foot, pull harder again, but none of these worked.

(Photo Credit: Alan Errington)

In the end I managed to get my right foot out of the dish I use for the rock over, by putting my left foot on the rail below, tensing, then moving the right foot onto the crimp I use in the rock over (it makes sense to me, maybe you had to be there). Lack of skin and energy put an end to my attempts on this. In the end I climbed Canada Dry (font 4+) and Main Wall Traverse (font 5) and had a couple of goes on Poseidons Adventure (E4) , so a bit of an anti climax to the day.
I shall hopefully get some good finger boarding sessions in and return with more strength and skin to complete the problem!

Poseidon (Photo Credit: Alan Errington)

On Friday a I received a new pair of shoes from outdoorkit.co.uk. They are Evolv Shamans, designed by Chris Sharma apparently. I will write a review soon but my first impressions are very good.

Magic