[SA Chris]

What's going on? Has Sheffield experienced a sudden cold snap, and everyone taken the day off? Muggy and overcast in Aberdeen.

Bleurgh.

[dave]

i think everyones gone to to beach to see if they can find some chillin.

[squeek]

Lovely and sunny in blackburn, off to malham for the first time after work, bit of a breeze so hopefully it won't be too hot.  Does it get midgies?

[SA Chris]

Are the Kennedys gun shy?

[andy_e]

lovely and sunny in bolton, but i can't be arsed with anythi8ng to do with school. tempted to go on a covert brownstones sesh before my next lesson...

[Stubbs]

Got midged to death at Malham on saturday - wondered why the crag was so quiet when we got there at 11, then the winged hoards descended and drove us crazy.  Ended up going to Kilnsey instead, where there was a nice breeze keeping them away. Well worth checking wind direction in relation to crag orientation before setting out.

[Pantontino]

I got eaten alive on Cloggy on Thursday and again on Craig Ddu last night, and that was with a full spray down of 100% deet ffs!

Death to all midges, evil blood sucking scum aaaaarrrrgghhh....

[webbo]

i'd rather be eaten by midges than climb on cloggy.

[SA Chris]

Death to all midges, evil blood sucking scum aaaaarrrrgghhh....

If this girl succeeds in her quest, I will erect a shrine to her http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=132344&v=1#1833073

[Bonjoy]

Got midged to death at Malham on saturday - wondered why the crag was so quiet when we got there at 11, then the winged hoards descended and drove us crazy.  Ended up going to Kilnsey instead, where there was a nice breeze keeping them away. Well worth checking wind direction in relation to crag orientation before setting out.

 Aye, Kilnsey was in great condition, well dry with a pleasant cool breaze. How was Alternative Optional Extra? You get on any other routes?

[Stubbs]

OMG to say i got spanked by alternative optional extra would be an understatement. I was pretty knackered after working Rose Coronary by the time we got to Kilnsey, i then realised that the first bolt on AOE was ridiculously off route, leaving you a nice rusty peg to clip instead - must buy a clipper stick! I thought i was gonna fall off and break my ankles, which really spoiled the rest of the afternoon for me. Not the best introduction to Kilnsey!
What were you on - there seemed to be a lot of coming and going?

[Bonjoy]

The start of AOE is a bit of a mess really, the bolt bolt is way off left to keep it away from the original E4 I think. Well pumpy for the 7a it's given in Northern Limestone, infact the full length version gets 7b in the new YMC guide.
 I was on the Thumb (got on a very knackered third red point after falling of right at the end of the traverse on both previous shots)and Goose boy was on Ground Effect, he for got the half his gear, hence the toing and froing.

[squeek]

We went to Malham last night and had the place pretty much to ourselves, the midgies weren't too bad to begin with.  Tried to warm up on a 6c that Jee had done before, did it a couple of times on TR first then led it, turned out it was Rose Coronary, which is my first 7a  It's a bit harsh for warming up at Malham.  

After that we retreated to Kilnsey, thinking there would be a bit of a wind there to blow the hordes of midgies away, but there wasn't, we did Directissima and the trad route (on TR) which goes straight up to the first Directissima belay just as it went dark.  First bolt's very high on Directissima, do people normally take a wire or two up with them?  Anyone have an idea what grade Directissima get to the first belay?

[Bonjoy]

Directissima to chain is about a grade easier than the full thing I reckon, but misses out the best climbing on the route. The top bit is steep, juggy and much less polished than the start (apart from were the birds fly in and out of the pocket!). It's no harder than the start but makes the route a fair bit pumpier. Goose boy got well freaked out on the last moves when a hidden Jackdaw in the pocket started pecking his hand!
 At a similar grade to Directissima but less polished Open Road is well worth doing.

[andy_e]

Goose boy got well freaked out on the last moves when a hidden Jackdaw in the pocket started pecking his hand!
 

one of those stereotypical movie "Hanging off edge of cliff, bad guy stamping on good guy's hands" moments that we all encounter so often (according to the public) i was climbing at brownstones when a member of the public said "oh my god wait there i'll get help" when i cut loose at the top of Nexus.

[Stubbs]

Nice one on the thumb Bonjoy - wasn't that one of the routes on your summer wishlist? I'm not so sure about this whole sport climbing thing, that's only the second time i've been to Malham and the first time i've been to Kilnsey, and for a lot of the time i wished i was climbing on sweaty grit somewhere instead! I will persevere, however and i am sure i will start enjoying it at some point!

[squeek]

Goose boy got well freaked out on the last moves when a hidden Jackdaw in the pocket started pecking his hand!

Cheers for the info Bonjoy, I was pretty freaked out by the nesting duck lower down which was starring me in the face from about  4 inch away when I noticed it.  I'll put open road on the list for next visit.

[Bonjoy]

I think you probably picked a fairly de-moralizing route to go at there. Personally around the 7a-7b range at i'd say go for
Hardy Annual 7a+/7b - bouldery start with one hard pull of tinies for a jug, then really good technical bridging up the groove, a bit reachy at the end though.
Ground Effect - 7b Two bouldery sections split by a rest then steady to the top, all on quality clean featured rock
Smooth Torquer - 7a+/7b The boulderers choice. Super short, super steep. Font 6c+/7a boulder prob to the first proper jug, then jugs to the top.
Visitation 7b- Long, vertical, a bit run out but well easy for 7b.
 For easier stuff Open Road and Highway 395 are both very good.

[Stubbs]

Nice one Bonjoy. Think I'll be hitting up Malham on Thursday to get Rose Coronary finished and have a look at the Seventh Aardvark, but will defo bear those in mind for next weekend, when i intend to gt back to Kilnsey.

[Bonjoy]

SA is good, Something Stupid is  also good and a bit easier at 7b. For the easiest 7c tick in town try Chocolate Logger.

[webbo]

Nice one Bonjoy. Think I'll be hitting up Malham on Thursday to get Rose Coronary finished and have a look at the Seventh Aardvark, but will defo bear those in mind for next weekend, when i intend to gt back to Kilnsey.

if your having to work RC you might get spanked by SA last couple of moves are the crux.

[Stubbs]

Got RC leanly on TR the second try, had to run away before the redpoint due to the massed ranks of the midge army. You're right though, should prob work my way up through more of the 7a's before wasting my time on the harder stuff.

[webbo]

i have'nt seen the grades in the new guide but RC used to be given 6c+ and that was when it only one or two bolts in it plus a thread.i always thought consenting was harder despite being the standard warm up.

[mildrip]

Stubbs

I think Frankenstein is a good one and not too bad at 7a+