June in a Nut: Part I

Blogging came easier when I had uni work. The moment I walked out my last exam, I went straight to North Stack Wall, Gogarth. The verbal diahorrea brought on by post exam ecstacy was duly corked as I started up the snaking line of The Cad (E6 6a), but, after a few deep breaths I found myself a third of the way up the wall with un-tieing shoe laces. I was in two minds as to whether I should reverse to the deck, or press on to the foot-ledge mentioned in the guide at two thirds height. I reversed.

As I rocked through the crux, I could see no sign of the supposed ledge and the moves forced me onwards. Eventually I got stood on a 5cm by 5cm square block and began to relax, totally thankful that I had reversed to tie my laces. I stood facing an old bolt stud which can be threaded with a wire, a bolt stud which I'd been told was no longer neccessary as there was a 'bomber' skyhook.
I looked at my skyhook swaying in the wind and at the moves ahead.....
I fiddled about trying to loosen the heads on my wires to thread the bolt, but, none of them would free up, so I was left with some very thin moves to do with only a wobbly skyhook between me and a 90 foot ride. A few tense and tenuous moves led to a mindfuck of a final move, with no other options, I stuffed all my eggs in one basket and piano-played up the wall with my left hand, as my feet were creeping beneath me. Suddenly, time warped back to its usual pace, the calls of fulmars could be heard once more and the sea returned to flagellating itself on the rocks beneath as I grabbed a proper thank-god hold. A final few moves went by, then I sat on top and gratefully appreciated the strength of flaky quartzite.

Well, I'm still over a month behind and If I carry on at this pace, and you read as fast as myself, you'll never catch-up, so here's some delights for your delicate, multi-layered, light sensitive membranes.


PABBAY (Probably About as Brilliant and Beautiful Area as You'lleversee).

Duncan warming up on the ferry. Photo: Gwen Lancashire

Trying to get the burnt bits out the sun on the exposed P3 belay of Prophecy of Drowning (E2 5c). N.B. we were so far North that the horizon can be seen to curve dramatically, the sun doesn't set until midnight either! Photo: Duncan Campbell

Home. Photo: Duncan Campbell

Seconding George on the awesome Johnny Scuttlebutt (E5 6a), Banded Walls. Photo: Will Nicholls

Starting out my short-lived attempt on Every Cormorant is a Potential Shag (E7 6b). Photo: Ben Alsford

Setting off on P2 of Perfect Monsters (E7 6b), Dun Mingulay. Photo: Duncan Campbell

Pabbay and Mingulay from callum coldwell-storry on Vimeo.

Perfect Island, perfect weather, perfect holds and gear, it's just a shame about the company.