The weather was so bad this weekend that I cancelled a client for today, as it seemed little point to him driving up from london to spend a weekend at the beacon. So I had a day off. Facebook helped me track down a friend who was also off so we headed to Tremadog as the skies started to clear.
The crag was a little damp, so we choose the Vector Buttress which is steep enough to stay dry, so dries quicker. I ran the first two pitches of Vector together, I was over dressed in a hoodie and wooly hat and was dripping with sweat at the cave. Although I was trying to climb as quickly as possible, which wasn’t very fast.
Dave followed and suggested we push on and do The Croaker, I have done the route at least twice and everytime was under same circumstances. Once was with Leo who failed on Bananas, another was Will who also failed on Bananas and I might have also belayed Pete when he failed on Bananas, although it might not have been pete. All of this was almost a lifetime ago, or 15 years in real money.
Leo of course went onto great things and I follow his career with a little jealousy as to where his skill has taken him. However I know I could never do what he has done. Will is sadly no longer with us, but was also a fine climbing talent who is missed by many. It is good to remember these fun times with good friends.
However they don’t make me feel any younger or fitter. The Croacker in my memory was straight forward to the roof with a bit of a throw from a jug on the lip. Today it was hideous, steep and reachy.
After that Dave lead the Leg Break Combo on the Grim Wall area and then we climbed Daddy Cool/The Thing. We had only finished up the easy finish, and whilst the 3rd pitch was a little overgrown it was a nice route. The thing top pitch is desperate, I remember trying it by mistake as the final pitch to the HS Reinetta, before I realised my mistake.
A great day out with Dave, who I hadn’t climbed with for a few years. Great to catch up and knock out some classics.