Secret Stanage Evening Meet

I arrived at the crag to find Mick retreating from Parallel cracks a steep but well protected VS 4b. This was the start of several set backs on the night. Jago then led the climb and Mick followed without too much difficulty.

Jago leading Parallel Cracks.

The action then transferred to Titanic Buttress where Mick attempted Lusitania (S) but had to retreat again. Christine took over the lead and after some to-ing and fro-ing managed lead it.

Christine starting the crucial section of Lusitania.

Mean while Nidal's attempt on Titanic (VS 4c) fizzled out at the first difficulties. As I left Jago and Nidal had stripped the route and joined the queue to second Lusitania.

Nidal's high point on Titanic.

Stanage Evening Meet

Jago, Mick, Nidal Christine and Paul gathered at a breezy and chilly Stanage Popular End on Tuesday evening. Several old favourites were climbed, Jago led Heather Wall, and Gargoyle Buttress.

Mick following on Heather Wall

Mick following Gargoyle Buttress in the gathering gloom

Mick led Manchester Buttress. Nidal led Crack and Corner, Sociology and Castle crack with Christine seconding. Paul looked on and cast an ethical and no doubt critical eye over the proceedings.

Easter Round-up

Jago spent Easter in Wales at Cwm Glas with fellow CC members Andy and Astrid.
On Friday he and Andy escaped the rainy Llanberis Pass and climbed Creag Dhu Wall (HS) and Mensor (VS)at Tremadoc. On Saturday while Andy took over the baby sitting duties Jago and Astrid headed for Tremadoc again and climbed Oberon (S) and Merlin (VS).
Christine and Nick headed for the sunshine in Spain and climbed on Font d'Axia and Montessa in between Mountain Biking, Birding and walking

Font d'Axia

Montessa

On Font d'Axia they completed five routes of grade 4 to 5 While on Montessa they completed a full Ganley at 4+ to 5+.

NZ Sailing Trip

The following was submitted by Rob in New Zealand
In March 2012, the summer veg having been brought to a sudden and premature end by a massive hailstorm, and the goats no longer needing daily milking, Jan and I took our boat to Lake Te Anau.  A lake it may be but at about 60km long, with fiords branching off to the west for about 25km, there's plenty of room.  The fiords are almost the mirror image of the coastal fiords of Fiordland, though not on the same scale.

After a dreadful summer in which very little was done by anyone in the mountains, we were very lucky and hit the first good spell of weather of the year, enjoying a week of sunshine.  The down side was that
there was very little wind for sailing, gentle wafting along on the anabatic winds being the best we could do.  We usually tied up for the night where rivers drained into the fiords, and the main excitement of the trip lay in avoiding trees which had been washed down by the river and lodged on the lake bed near its mouth.  Having fortunately  seen the 'African Queen' in my youth, I knew to hop in the water when the obstructions
became to numerous, and wiggle our boat through them to find a tie-up spot.

A stressful Moment

Washing Day

It was the time of the stag roar, and hunters were out in some numbers chasing them, so I wasn't inclined to venture far inland.  The bush is impressive and appears very healthy, but we found it distressing how little bird song there was to hear.  Captain Cook apparently reported the birdsong to be deafening in Fiordland when he was there, but rats, stoats, cats and ferrets have taken a huge toll, as the native birds have no defences against them.

We were on the lake for a week, but there are a couple more weeks' exploring to be done there, at the speed which we operate.

Rob