Photo by Me on my camera
The van was packed. Three lads, three ropes, 2 ipods, four pairs of tools, three pizza’s and a fuel tank of diesel! It was Friday the 13th…..unlucky? Maybe for some, but that didn’t put off the Scot’s for a wee England invasion!
Dougie and Adam Russell and I made our way south on Friday night to The Works. Its just outside Ambelside in the Lakes. Andy Tuner had and still is putting up up drytooling routes there that has attracted climbers from all around the UK to put their tools where their mouths are and give it what they have! I’ve seen some impressive climbing there in my three visits, and have been very inspired.
The last time I was there, was about 6 weeks or so. I seen Greg Boswell doing the first ascent of his new creation Powerdab M13. It looked cool, a slight ‘S’ bend in the quick draws hanging from the roof, huge moves that would test your shoulders, and the all impending doom of a ground fall! Hence where the name came from. I guess its not unusual for us Newtylers to climb routes with a ground fall potential. In Newtyle there are definitely places you don’t want a tool to rip, and there are places you don’t want to take a huge bite of rope for clipping. So I guess it is only natural the Greg seen this area fitting for a route!
Photo by Adam Russell on his camera
I had a shot of the route once Greg had been on it. I think I got to the first crux which is getting your tool into the stein pull, then I went bolt to bolt dogging just to see how hard this thing was……its hard. Bolt to bolt it seems ok, but climbing it is a bit different. After going bolt to bolt, I had another shot, but I didn’t get anywhere really. Lower off, food, and home.
I kept on wondering if I could climb Poweredab. I mean its M13, at the start of the year I had to relearn Fast and the Furious M10 at Newtyle. M13? I don’t know, but something told me that I could.
Photo by Me on my camera
So after arriving late on the Friday, and had some sleep in the back of the van. We woke to some crazy wind and rain! It shouldn’t matter too much as most of the climbing and The Works is steep over hanging.
A wee warm up was in order, so I jumped on to First Blood M9/M9+. Its kinda long and steep, so I thought, if I climb this slow and get pumped, It should warm me up nicely!
Photo by Dougie Russell on my camera
Dougie got First Blood in and his flash of the route and Adam had climbed it before, but warmed up on it also. Dougie then ripped off a massive block on Bloodline M9+/M10 (probably M11 with the block missing!). And with that slight air of destruction, we went to the upper crag for a shot at Powerdab.
The weather had changed from bad to shite, and thought nothing better to get involved with some ground fall potential. I tied in, and went. The first plan of going bolt to bolt to remember the moves went right out of the window. SEND SEND SEND! And with that burst of enthusiasm and got pumped and shout take four moves from the top! Hold on……four moves? That’s not bad! I was hoping to get the route in to links today. Once my arms had stop screaming, I tied in again.
Photo by Adam on his camera
I felt better this time. I moved quicker, but the light was falling faster. Dougie had a head torch shinning where the holds where so I could see. I made the stein pull first time, which Greg did say was a good indicator that you might have the route. I powered through the second crux and hung below the last big move. I was pumped, not as bad as last time. I waited, shaking out, being patient, can’t afford a mistake now. One more huge move and I can get a toe hook rest. As I pulled round to make the move a gust of wind hit me hard, and the rain lashed my face. I’m going to have to work hard for this. Come on……
GO!
Missed, miles away in fact.
Again GO!, GO! missed again!
Fighting the urge to let go, fighting the urge not to shout the feeble word ‘take’.
Come on!!! Got it! Toe hook. I can’t hang here for long, there’s a better rest, two moves later, a nice heel-toe rest, I knew it. This route was in the bag. My arms recovered quickly, and with one more lock off, my tool was in the last hole, and I was clipping the lower off.
I don’t care about saying it. I’m chuffed to bits with that! From learning a M10 at the start of the year, to climbing M13 six months later, that’s good by my books!
What now? Well it’s Christmas, and for me that means a little break to Spain. Not climbing, well a little, but more in the way of relaxing eating, eating and eating! When I get back there better be some snow on the hills!
Hope Santa is good to everyone, and I might see you out and about.
Long Reach Climbing 