[Stabbsy]

W: Snowed the evening before - even got a bit of pow down the ladder - could do with a ski lift! Complete cellar board YYFY!

Apparently there used to be one, according to a mate who grew up in Sheffield.

[JohnM]

M - NG PE session (managed 3 sets. 12kg assistance) (1 unit).

T - Weighted pullups (3 x 3 24kg, 4 x 5 15kg, 3 x 8 10kg) (1 unit).

W - Shoulder stability + core (0.5 units). Assisted 1 arm hangs (BM lower middle edge - 5 x 7 secs 8.5kg assist) (0.5 units).

T - 20 travelling pullups, 5 x 2 sling assisted one arm pullups, 5 x 1 pulley assisted one arm pullups (-9.5kg) (1 unit).  Trail run 10km 300m.

F - Slopers + pockets (0.5 units), repeaters (0.5 units), shoulder weights and finger tip curls (15mm - 100 10kg, 100 15kg, 85 20kg) (0.5 units). Trail run 20km 679m.

S - Max. pulls (Lattice rung x 5 + 27kg, BM outside edge x 5 + 15kg) (1 unit). X-country skiing 20km 300m.

S - Assisted one arm hangs (BM lower middle edge - 5 x 7 secs 8.5kg assist) (0.5 units). Weighted two arm hangs (Lattice rung x 5 + 27kg) (0.5 units). Ski touring 16km 1043m.

Struggled to do all the units planned for this week and the quality dropped off on Saturday and Sunday. I think I will need to schedule more rest days as even though the sessions are relatively short they are quite targeted and intense. I think the reintroduction of NG PE sessions really wastes me as well.

[Duma]

M - hour shunting on The Prince for something to do. Thought I'd have a proper look at eliminating the arete completely, think I'd got a workable sequence but sadly broke a crucial thumb sprag and don't think it goes now. As consolation had a look at the lower rh sequence that most use, managed all but the rockover first go, it's significantly easier for me like this than than the way I led it.

Is there much shuntable Avon stuff that’s (relatively) ok to set up? Trying to update my list of southern venues that work for last minute solo trips when we can get back out...

Sorry Yoss, I've done very little
A) climbing in the gorge
B) shunting
So can't be much help tbh!

[Yossarian]

Don't worry - I got some excellent top roping beta from Fiend...

[duncan]

‘Ello everyone. Amazed to see shark not doing low-intensity high-frequency hangs, usually quick to embrace the latest fashions!

I prefer to think of myself as open to new ideas despite my age rather than too quick to write things off....

Sorry Simon, that was unnecessary on my part.

Is there much shuntable Avon stuff that’s (relatively) ok to set up? Trying to update my list of southern venues that work for last minute solo trips when we can get back out...

The Ramp (Arms Race etc.) is great for this. Nip over the railings from Clifton Down. You need to take a bit of care scrambling down to the top of some routes.

zero post-viral fatigue (yay!)

Glad to hear this Duncan. 

Thanks Mike, I was a bit concerned for a while suddenly it felt like the fatigue switch was flicked to OFF and I was fine again (albeit rather unfit).

[Fiend]

Pffft save the Ramp routes for the onsight, some of the best inland climbing in the south west.

Glad you're improving a lot duncan!

[andy popp]

Pffft save the Ramp routes for the onsight, some of the best inland climbing in the south west.

I'm sure it would be easy (and tempting) to set up, but I also think it would be a real shame to shunt some of these routes without having lead them. They're proper leads.

[duncan]

Pffft save the Ramp routes for the onsight, some of the best inland climbing in the south west.

I'm sure it would be easy (and tempting) to set up, but I also think it would be a real shame to shunt some of these routes without having lead them. They're proper leads.

Yes...and no. The cracklines: Us (6a), New Horizons (6a+), Mirage, Arms Race, and Them (6c or 6c+), Low Profile (6c+ to 7a+, depending on the finish) have good mostly natural protection. Eminently onsightable. The spaces between: Lost Illusions (7b), Street Life (7b?), Bold as Love (7c?) etc. have crucial fixed gear of various vintages. They do get ground-up attempts, and the occasional onsight, but there is a lot of toproping. Left of the ramp, Was It You? (7c/+) is a bonafide sport route.

Some of the best urban climbing in the UK?

[AJM]

Yes...and no. The cracklines: Us (6a), New Horizons (6a+), Mirage, Arms Race, and Them (6c or 6c+), Low Profile (6c+ to 7a+, depending on the finish) have good mostly natural protection. Eminently onsightable. The spaces between: Lost Illusions (7b), Street Life (7b?), Bold as Love (7c?) etc. have crucial fixed gear of various vintages. They do get ground-up attempts, and the occasional onsight, but there is a lot of toproping. Left of the ramp, Was It You? (7c/+) is a bonafide sport route.

Some of the best urban climbing in the UK?

I seconded Low Profile once upon a time, and my recollection was that it was very peg dependent - I recall a cam at the bottom and then about 4 pegs and a solitary wire in the middle, or something like that. Are you thinking of the same route, or is there more natural protection my leader bypassed?

Bold as Love has at least one bolt on it now, although my memory of belaying on it doesn't stretch far enough to know whether that would eliminate reliance on fixed kit.

In terms of shuntable things I do know you can get a rope onto Aardvark, smooth groove etc fairly easily as I spent some time toproping those on a bitterly cold day many years ago...

[AJM]

Don't worry - I got some excellent top roping beta from Fiend...

Not Avon, obviously, but you already have split rock on the radar I hope.

[Yossarian]

Yeah - it’s been on my radar for a couple of years but haven’t made it there yet. It’s v high on the list for post lockdown though.

[andy popp]

The spaces between: Lost Illusions (7b), Street Life (7b?), Bold as Love (7c?) etc. have crucial fixed gear of various vintages. They do get ground-up attempts, and the occasional onsight, but there is a lot of toproping.

Some of the best urban climbing in the UK?

Fair point, it's a very long time since I've been on any of those routes.

And surely there is no urban crag in the UK that can even begin to compare to Avon. Where else can a flat stroll of a couple of minutes take you from the start of a route like Amanita Muscarina to the start of a route like The Prince (passing dozens of amazing routes on the way).

[Yossarian]

The spaces between: Lost Illusions (7b), Street Life (7b?), Bold as Love (7c?) etc. have crucial fixed gear of various vintages. They do get ground-up attempts, and the occasional onsight, but there is a lot of toproping.

Some of the best urban climbing in the UK?

Fair point, it's a very long time since I've been on any of those routes.

And surely there is no urban crag in the UK that can even begin to compare to Avon. Where else can a flat stroll of a couple of minutes take you from the start of a route like Amanita Muscarina to the start of a route like The Prince (passing dozens of amazing routes on the way).

I had the Avon and Cheddar guide in the mid 90s (because of a previous trip to the latter) and, after one drunken university club discussion about dusty polished runouts I think I mentally filed it away somewhere below Bull's Hollow. Looking forward to recalibrating my southern crag hierarchy.

[spidermonkey09]

M - rest
T - max hangs. unremarkable but steady. RH ring finger felt tweaky in 3 finger drag position.
W - core and stretching
T - repeaters. Half Anderson ahnds with base weight of 6.25kg on the two crimps. Managed a full set on 3FD plus 5kg so hopefully tweak isnt too bad.
F - rest.
S - Robin Hoods Stride/Cratcliffe/Stanton. Freezing cold. Did Cave Problem to start which was good but very reachy. Ended up at Chapel of Rest which was fine once I excavated the top out edge. Hour at Stanton at the end of the day doing Bumlog Millionaire which was good. Brief go at the Knife, great line.
S - rest.

Finger feels tweaky so having a week off, or at least with minimal training.