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Dave MacLeod
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All the small things
8 April 2010, 6:48 pm
A couple of days off (spent fiddling with typography and researching) was good for my arms. An unexpected cessation of rain and warm spring sunshine was plenty reason to drop drop everything and head across the road to the isles again for another sortie in the cave. After displacing a gaggle of sheep who had been in residence during the storms, I warmed up and pretty much knew it was on. First try, a little shaky, but I puffed and grunted my through to the end of the link project; ‘All the small things’, Font 8a, in the bag. Check Pete’s video above.
All the small things Font 8a. Photo: Stone CountryAs always there is more to add. The link I did finishes at a logical jug in the apex of the cave. But the fun could be extended by dropping back down into the next undercut groove and heading further into the darkness. The moves on this are possible but withstood an hour trying, balancing precariously on stacked buckets to reach up and feel the tiny edges. That one will go at a large grade. Meantime I’m onto the 4* line at the cave entrance, which will be the best Font 8a+ in Scotland if I have my way.Tomorrow though, I’m bound for the western isles for the first time this season, to check things out for later. Off to pack binoculars, sea sickness tablets and a lot of static rope...Dave MacLeod
My book - 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes
Source: Dave MacLeod
comPiler:
Proclamation
9 April 2010, 10:20 pm
Proclamation, Font 7c+ (Photo taken in the old irish tradition of lonely Hebridean first ascents; by self-timer, moments after the actual ascent). Going right from here along the rail instead of up will be at least Font 8a.I had the pleasure of taking the Calmac ferry to Harris today for a week of discovering new places to climb, on foot and tomorrow, by boat. After tea in Hotel Hebrides (much recommended) new cafe in Tarbert, I had two hours to climb some rocks.Niggling in my mind since my last two trips to Harris was a wee boulder problem on Clisham that had eluded me on both sessions. It had looked as though there was one way, and one way only to climb the thing. As it was a bald, rounded prow of gneiss I was foolish enough to fall for that. Of course it took me to accept that I was about to fail a third time to start using my imagination. Fifteen minutes later, I’d figured out that climbing most of it with at least one foot above my head might actually work. I had three minutes left before I had to leave for evening meetings with colleagues on our project.So I did it. It was the first time in a while I surprised myself rock climbing and felt elated on the top of a boulder. The reason for this is a renewed hunger for the direct, hands-on grapple with rock texture, as opposed to the winter of being disconnected from the medium by the length of a pair of ice axes all winter long. The Gneiss does a better job of indulging the appreciation of rock and movement aesthetics, and the great feeling of friction underneath the fingers than any rock I can think of.About fifteen inquisitive sheep witnessed my ascent. A few interrupted their continuous chewing motion to make proud proclamations into the evening haze in the glen. Dave MacLeod
My book - 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes
Source: Dave MacLeod
comPiler:
The last day or two on Harris
13 April 2010, 10:51 pm
All thinking the same thing?
settling in for the spring
Donald's catch while he waited for us
Joe merging blissfully into Glen Scaladale
Force production is known to correlate to chin distortion. At least Joe's extended chin is only temporary.
Another V9 for Harris if I can get that left foot swung round
Done.Dave MacLeod
My book - 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes
Source: Dave MacLeod
comPiler:
Rockcast 2010
16 April 2010, 11:05 pm
The mighty Sron Ulladale, Isle of HarrisIt’s great to be able to talk about this now…Nearly three years ago, the BBC attempted to run the ambitious live ‘Great Climb’ live broadcast on Cairngorm, with myself and a team of climbers from all over the world. We planned, rigged and trained for the big day. And then it rained. The washout was a huge disappointment, partially avenged by my ascent of my project on Hell’s Lum cliff a few days later which became the film ‘To Hell and Back’. Ever since, Triple Echo Productions who were behind the Great Climb project have been planning to make another attempt at a big live climbing event for the BBC. This year, the necessary components have aligned and we have a plan:
Tim Emmett and myself climbing on Ben Nevis in 2007On 28th August, myself and Tim Emmett are planning to attempt a hard new route on Sron Ulladale, the biggest overhanging piece of rock in the UK (700 feet high, overhanging it’s base by 150 feet or so). As you might imagine, the prospect of this brings feelings of massive excitement, together with a fair dose of intimidation, pressure and anticipation. The correct ingredients for a fine adventure.
Harris landscapeI’d love to tell you exactly which part of the mighty Sron we will try to climb, but last week on our recce, close inspection of the cliff was out of the question due to the golden eagles, nesting on the main part of the face once again. If the eagles hatch chicks (best of luck to them!) we won’t be able to look closely at the lines until August. So until then, it’s training and waiting. Naturally, our plan is to climb the hardest possible route that imagination and finger strength allows.
Colin Wells standing at the foot of Sron Ulladale. The rock in shot above him is roughly the first fifth of the cliff height (!).However, we have something else up our sleeves for the meantime. We’ll be doing another challenge to feature in the 6 hour live broadcast. We’ll try a triple five challenge of five new climbs on five hebridean islands in five days. Last week Donald took us around many a far flung corner of the Western Isles, showing us many a gobsmacking unclimbed cliff, geo or stack. After serial protracted deliberations in Hotel Hebrides we shortlisted the many amazing cliffs into five objectives, which we will travel between by boat, sleeping below deck, in camps or under boulders.
I’ll have a lot more to say about this as more plans emerge in the coming weeks. Right now I have to go back to training for it. More on the BBC site here.
Dave MacLeod
My book - 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes
Source: Dave MacLeod
comPiler:
Some quick facts about the Sron Ulladale live climb
17 April 2010, 6:21 pm
Today I’ve been getting some questions about the BBC live broadcast on Aug 28th. Here are some answers as far as I know them right now:What happens if it rains, just like last time?Two possibilities - First the Sron is just about the biggest natural umbrella in the UK. The part we want to climb stays completely dry in the foulest of atlantic weather fronts. Our only Achilles heel might be if an isolated hold or section of the route is seeping from a crack, or the top of the overhangs are too hard to climb in the wet. I’ll know more about this after the golden eagles have finished raising their chicks and I can get on the cliff to look closely. I think in all but a northwesterly gale blowing heavy rain and body numbing cold straight into the overhangs, we should be sheltered and able to climb at least most of it. I have seen some methods of getting to the top by some creative route finding if we can’t avoid wet rock at the top 50m, but it totally depends on the exact nature of the terrain we end up climbing.But in case of a truly grim storm that really interferes with our climbing, we’ll have a ton of footage to show you from the triple five challenge which we are filming next month. The objectives are all pretty hard - E7 or harder. Naturally we have some options here for frustrating weather as well. Either way, there should be plenty of fine exciting climbing action to bring you on Aug 28th.I can’t get BBC2 Scotland, can I still watch it?Yes, it will be streamed live on the BBC website, and shown on the BBC HD channel too. Not doubt there will be plenty of other methods to tune in besides - more on this as I get the information from the BBC.What will you do if you can’t climb your route?I’ll fall off and that’ll be that! I’m expecting we’ll have a ‘living end’ standard piece of climbing to do. I’ll be giving it plenty and will be arriving well prepared, psyched and ready for a fine battle. I’m sure Tim will be too. But such is the nature of doing new things in sport; barriers can’t be broken every time. So we might fall off. We’ll all find out on the day. No pressure then…What islands are you climbing on during the triple five week?I’ll tell you when I see the forecast the day before we actually climb them, and if Donald can get close enough to the cliffs to land us in his boat. In other words, we have a plan, but that plan is guaranteed to change, and change again as the Hebridean weather has the last word. You’ll have to take my word for it that we’ll be climbing some stunning pieces of rock in some stunning places.Dave MacLeod
My book - 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes
Source: Dave MacLeod
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