[scragrock]

Will Nicola give us the Green light to get out?

[sherlock]

Of course she will, the weather has turned shit....

[scragrock]

Pick a cave....Any Cave

[Duma]

I pick Andy Cave

[sherlock]

....and the midges made a brief appearance in the garden last night,not quite biting yet but still...
I'm a proper ray of sunshine this morning.

[SA Chris]

Midges even made a brief appearance here in the east coast.

Midges - tick
ticks - tick
just got hot / humid - tick
haar hovering just off the coast - tick
birds nesting everywhere - tick

Yep, criteria fulfilled, I reckon we will be allowed out to play.

If I carry on working from home I think early morning sessions might be the way to go. can get to the rocks at a 10 minute jog, and usually bright cool and clear first thing. Sun rises 4:30 at the moment.....

[sherlock]

Not much changed from a bouldering POV  then. Stay local which is always open to interpretation. Well have to see again on 28 May.

[scragrock]

We will have to wait for the published guidelines coming out in the next few days.
I thought we might get Bouldering next week But unless we are allowed to “Drive to Exercise” I think the majority of us are still shackled to very local pursuits.

[Anti]

Here in Wales we've got stay at home, exercise from the front door and back only, don't drive to exercise, only if absolutely essential. Unless it's golf. Which isn't even exercise.

[sherlock]

Is there going to be an increase of golfers complaining about boulderers elbow?

[SA Chris]

I thought we might get Bouldering next week But unless we are allowed to “Drive to Exercise” I think the majority of us are still shackled to very local pursuits.

Guess I'm lucky in that respect.

[Anti]

Is there going to be an increase of golfers complaining about boulderers elbow?

Who knows what the tennis players are suffering from right now? Boredom like the rest of us I presume...

[SA Chris]

People playing in our local courts daily. With family members I assume.

[sherlock]

Thinking about it, it's actually a slight improvement in our circumstances. Within 5 miles gets us to Ardmair Beach and the Ruins boulders with the bonus of Mrs S can get a swim in the sea.
From next Thursday, that is.

[scragrock]

Quote from Phase 1-
Getting around: Consistent with the reopening
of workplaces set out in this phase, where
home working is not possible, businesses and organisations are encouraged to manage travel demand through staggered start times and flexible working patterns.
You will also be permitted to travel short distances for outdoor leisure and exercise but advice to stay within a short distance of your local community and travel by walk, wheel and cycle where possible.

Do we think this is open to a lot of wide and varied interpretation?

[SA Chris]

Are you in Ullapool?

Gives you access to quite a bit, assume you have got the Ullapool mini guide?

Ardmair Beach has the best skimming stones in the world, keep you busy for hours. And give you tennis elbow.

[SA Chris]

Quote from Phase 1-
Getting around: Consistent with the reopening
of workplaces set out in this phase, where
home working is not possible, businesses and organisations are encouraged to manage travel demand through staggered start times and flexible working patterns.
You will also be permitted to travel short distances for outdoor leisure and exercise but advice to stay within a short distance of your local community and travel by walk, wheel and cycle where possible.

Do we think this is open to a lot of wide and varied interpretation?

Yes,

"Sport, culture and leisure activities: In this phase
we are planning to allow unrestricted outdoors
exercise adhering to distancing measures and
non-contact outdoor activities in the local area –
such as golf, hiking, canoeing, outdoor swimming,
angling – consistent with the wider rules and
guidance applicable to any activity in this phase"

Walk, wheel or cycle is an odd one though, what do you think "wheel" means?

[sherlock]

Are you in Ullapool?

Gives you access to quite a bit, assume you have got the Ullapool mini guide?

Ardmair Beach has the best skimming stones in the world, keep you busy for hours. And give you tennis elbow.

Yup,we are.There is surprisingly little within 5 miles, though I could walk up Seanna Braigh from the front door.Fuck that.
Reiff in the Woods is about 30 mins away but that would feel like taking the piss and Torridon even more so. I'm not really a fan of crag bottom bouldering  such as Ardmair Crag but I suppose beggars can't be choosers.

[SA Chris]

There's also the stuff at Rhue, bit more exposed to a breeze / sunshine, and a couple of nice (ish) problems. Had a couple of OK sessions when we had a cottage there

[sherlock]

Aye, some decent stuff in a great location. The Forge and Skinshredder both local classics.

[GazM]

You're better served than me for local stuff Nige. Rhue is always good for a circuit, as well as Ardmair beach and crag.

My take on it is that 'local' is a relative term. Obvs you've got to be sensible and think about transmission risk first and foremost, but what's 'local' for someone that lives in the Highlands where driving longish distances is the norm might be very different to what is 'local' to someone in more urban area. FWIW, if I lived in Ullapool I'd probably consider RITW local, especially given that you dont pass through any significant settlements to get there.

Based on my normal lifestyle (and knowing how sparsely populated the area is) I would feel comfortable driving significantly more than 5 miles and still consider myself in my local area.

[sherlock]

Sure. I've considered all that at some length.There's been a shit-load of moral wrangling going on in this house.I guess ultimately it comes down to how you feel and just now it wouldn't 'feel ' right.
Anyhow, this is probably going to go round in a circle again re.
the wrongs and rights when in fact there are no rights and wrongs. Keep well mate and see you soonish....

[SA Chris]

Personally, in my mid half hour or less is local.

[scragrock]

I think I’m on a similar page to Gaz on this one.
If your in Ullapool RITW is almost certainly in “Your Community “.
So I think I will venture into Strathnairn after next Thursday.

I do hope our fellow climbers who have chosen to boulder during the Lockdown have not screwed access for the rest of us.

[SA Chris]

Yep. Apparently some folk at old Portlethen have been getting a bit annoyed.

I feel as coastal resident I'm getting a bum deal as half of 5 miles from my house is in the sea, I've recalculated and by area I think i should allowed 7 miles radius from house. Gets me to Stonehaven and as far as Findon at least.

[mrjonathanr]

Will Nicola give us the Green light to get out?

Thank goodness she’s not called Roxanne.

[sherlock]

 

[scragrock]

https://twitter.com/ScottishMR/status/1263825966536818689?s=20

Yesterday’s statement from MR

[sherlock]

Thanks for that. I'm a little more comfortable about other venues now and it looks as if my 10 year and counting project at RITW will get some hammer. Just a pity that it's one of the midgiest venues in the NW. And I've pulled something in my neck.

[scragrock]

No problem

Yeah RITW definitely suffers from the Midge, Probably the main reason I have only been a handful of times.
Shame really.

Likewise,I think I feel more comfortable about getting out bouldering.
Time to get back up to Rooftown....
Well next weekend anyway.

[GazM]

What's the proj Nige?

[sherlock]

Jeez Gaz if you really want to know here's a wee lockdown quiz for you
Watson described it as the worst problem in Wester Ross.
It's about  9 feet tall.
Despite it's meagre height it's still a stand start.
The sit would be very hard and very good.
It nestles in a  midge infested gloomy, viewless pit.
It's ungradeable. Probably.
But I've tried it for the best part of a decade with hardly any any progress.
It's a sort of compression thing but with balance instead of compression....
Yes, it's pissing down and I'm bored.

To scragrock:
Where's Rooftown, guessing Strathnairn way?

[scragrock]

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/rooftownruadha_nan_eallachan-25517

A wee venue along the loch from Ruthven that Stu and I have been developing for the last few years.

[sherlock]

Cheers!
Now how far is local again?😁

[GazM]

Is it The One Percenter?

[sherlock]

Indeed it is
I've actually done it a certain way but to paraphrase Pat Ament "could grasp the holds but not the problem".
By the way have you ever looked at the sit?

[GazM]

I've not. Not even tried the original. It's often damp when I've been.

Love that place. Still got plenty to do there but suspect it'll be a while till I'm back. Fortunately I've still got a few things to do on the Easter Ross choss to keep me entertained. Sod lockdown, kids make getting out almost impossible!

[sherlock]

I've not. Not even tried the original. It's often damp when I've been.

That's another of it's myriad attractions.