Time for Lime

Well since getting back from Spain a few weeks ago, its been all go on the Limestone sport front! Ed's been knuckling down to some hardcore training at the wall to get him ready for the Competition season to kick off. While I've been hitting the crags. Have had some great days out down at Chee dale, WCJ cornice, Dovedale and Malham. Ticks down in the Dale have been the short and sharp Entree 8a and desperate Unleashing the Wild Physigue 8a. Both routes being completely different styles and pretty tough for the grade.
Last week I had a quick hit trip to Malham with two other crushers being Caff and Ethan. We were lucky enough to be there the exact same time as the best climber in the world, Mr Adam Ondra! It was all abit surreal to be honest. We were camped right next to his tent at the campsite and I was on the same route as him (well, the easy first part anyway!!) All quite funny really. Anyway saw him warm up on Connect 5 8a+ and slip off the top of Overshadow! He made Overnight look about 7a!! Prett damn amazing. So yeh, we did manage to do some climbing ourselves with me ticking Overnight Sensation 8a+ and Yosemite wall. Caff did Connect 5 and onsighted Minimum Fuss 7c+ and almost did Power Ranger and Ethan nearly got Raindogs. A good couple of days.




Yesterday we all ventured down to check out Dovedale with Ethan, our local tour guide. First on the send train was Ron's amazing Eye of the Tiger up the centre of Ilam Rock. We decided to climb the route in a sport trad style as most of the gear is in-situ anyway from old pegs, threads and stuck wires. I got the route 2nd attempt after a quick abseil inspection. Its a fantastic route with a 'Big' feal about it topping out on a proper summit! Its relatively safe but still has some spicey run outs and definatly not a sport route!! As for the grade E6 6c seams fair, with about french 7c climbing. We then went further down the dale to check out Reynards arch. This is anouther amazing rock feature containing one of the best 7c+'s around, Arch Enemies. After doing a new 7a to the left we got stuck in to the main event with both me and Ed nailing it 2nd go. A brillinat find!
Right, thats it
Enjoy all the amazing dry crags out ther!

Margalef Magic

We have just returned home after an amazing 11 days in the pocket paradise that is Margalef in Northern Spain. Along with Rodellar, this is the best place we have climbed at. It really is that good (as long as you like pockets!). It is that awesome that we want to make a pilgrimage back out there every year from now on!
The climbing conditions were pretty much perfect, being cool in the shade and bright and sunny when you needed it with only the odd shower and one very heavy down pour, luckily it dries mega fast!
So anayway, we were staying at the chilled out Refugio in the village of Margalef run by Jordi and Miguel. From there we then visited all the best crags and tried tick off some of the incredible routes out there.

Here are the amazing crags we visited and the awesome routes ticked:
-Cova Soleida
Ment en Blanc 8a (Me 1st Rp, Ed flashed it)
Dr Feelgood 8a (Ed onsight, me 1st redpoint after falling from top!)
Esau Diresta 8a+ (Ed 1st Rp)
Anarkoreta 8a+ (Ed Rp)
Un-named groove 8a+ (Me Rp ard!)

-Espadelles, The Ceuse of Margalef!
Telemaster 8a (Ed onsight, me redpoint)
Transilvania 8a (Me 1st redpoint, Ed flash)
Brageutasso 8a+ (Ed 1st Rp)
Batuka 8b (Ed 1st Rp)
7c and 7c+ onsight from Ed

-El Laboratori aka The Lab!
Dawin Dixit 8b+ (Ed Rp)
Photo-shot 8b (Me Rp)
Zona 30 8b (Ed Rp)
Sarau Nocturn 8a (Me Rp)
7c and 7c+ onsight from Me














-Tenebres
Sativa Patatica 8a (Flashed me and Ed!)
2 7c's onsight

-Finestra
Flash Over 8b+ (Ed Rp)
Nina Mala 8b (Ed Rp)
Cubata+chupito 3euros 8b (Ed Rp)
Sargantana Killer 8a+ (Ed onsight!)
El Fustigador 8a+ (Me 1st Rp)
Dando brea 8a (Ed and I 1st Rp)
Aeroplastica 8a (Me Rp)
7c+ (Me Rp)
2 7c's, 3 7b+ (Me onsight)

It really was an amazing climbing trip. We even brushed sides with the likes of Sharma, Andrada, Camargo and a German 16 yr old who had just done his 1st 9a!

I've decided that with all these blog postings, that it's alot more interesting to have loads of inspiring photographs for people to get psyched by and abit of writing, than write alot of boring shit about every route and every move!
Its the Photographs that get people psyched to get out there!!
Enjoy...