Get your rocks off

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Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:23 pm

Any rock climbers? I had my first proper go last month, while on holiday in France. The guy who's house we were staying with is a keen climber, he learned as a Royal Marine. As we drove around the Pyrenees, he kept looking at cliffs for the tell tale glint of bolts fixed into climbable cliffs.

We chucked his gear in the car and off we went. Here he is getting the gear out, he climbed up the side of the 2 cliffs we visited to fix up the ropes.

Then Hayley and I both climbed up the cliff, with G holding the rope, which looped through a couple of runners at the top. If one pulled out there was another, likewise there were 2 ropes. I only 'fell off' once - when all your weight goes on the rope you know you would have plunged to your doom if the rope had not been there.

You wear magic slippers, the rubber on the bottom comes off old racing tyres. It's suprising how you can put your weight on a foot that is pressed on to the rock. Like with a racing car, warm shoes on hot rock sticks the best. The pointy toes can be stuffed into a crack hole in the rocks.

View from the top:

To come back down, you put your weight on the rope and walk backwards as the anchor man lowers you down.

G said this one was (I think) Hard/Severe grade 5 (out of 8 ) which sounded pretty ambitious for noobs, I thought. I went up 5 times, 2 routes up the first pitch, then 3 routes up a higher one, after re-roping.

It turns out he thought In was very good at it, I think long arms and legs must help. I'm pants at most sports, wish I'd known I could do this 20 years ago (though I may be dead by now).

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:44 am

Nice one Roy, I liked abseiling as well, not lately though, it was a bit hard to find places in Ireland, but there's some great climbs I've done here over the years.

Nice weather makes it a lot more interesting too, great pics Very Happy

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:16 am

I admire you all for having the courage for such an adventure and thanks for sharing. Wink

Me's will never do that. Shocked

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:03 pm

I tripped over a pebble today .. does that count? Laughing

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

That looks fun, actually. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:00 pm

It was fun, except the magic slippers hurt like hell, they were a size to small. G said that was no bad thing, tight shoes keep your feet the right shape.

I might keep an eye on eBay for my own pair, so I can have another go over here (can't see the weather being as good). G stressed I should never buy secong hand ropes or other gear off eBay, just the shoes.

Here's a view of the valley, taken from the cliff top.

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:09 pm

Yeah I would never want to buy used rock climbing equipment! The shoes maybe. I have been a couple of times, it is fun and challenging. I don't think I would take it up as a full time hobby though.

Those are some beautiful piccys though. Thanks for sharing.

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:58 pm

The pics are great, RC, but a couple of them make me feel vertiginous just looking at them. Smile