A Stiff Up Her Mawsons

Neil Inspector Mawson joined me this weekend, this year he has mainly been climbing trad routes and homming around. He was whinging that he hasn't done anything hard yet. I guess 8b+ and 8a+ on gear is a bit shit in this day and age. We headed down Pigeon's. I was keen to try a few existing routes so left the project this time. Last year i tried Stiff Upper Lip and it felt pretty hard, certainly solid 8a. I had been told recently about a backhand pocket on the crux which means you don't have to do it the burly undercut way. Also everyone seemed to be doing the move to the last hold with their left so i was keen to try these different methods. Sure enough it was easier with the new beta. The crux is now the move after the backhand pocket, a slap to a decent pocket. The last move going up with your lefthand is pretty easy. First go i dropped the crux but i managed it next redpoint. Neil blew the flash on the crux but got it next go. We had a do on the new extension. Straight after Stiff Upper Lip original is a amazing font 7a boulder problem on sloping pinches that lead to some crimps and the top of the crag. Neil had a redpoint but fell on the boulder. We both thought Stiff Upper Lip was more like 7c+ than 8a but the extension still 8b. Amazing fun climbing anyway.
On redpoint:


Pain to strip!

Will definitely lay down a seige on this one day when i've got less on my plate. I fell off Follow the Prof 7c+ somehow with my fingers on the top of the crag. A true climber i ended up dissapointed that i hadn't done this route rather than enjoying the tick that i did get. Neil tried Stark but was out of beans. You can climb down there at high tide at the moment so its a useful place. If anyone goes down for Follow the Prof take some bogroll to dry the hold by the 2nd bolt before your redpoint. Next day we went and did some routes on Mayfair wall. I re-aquainted myself with Julio, Axle Attack, Mayfair and The Bloods. Only the 2nd time i'd done Mayfair, the first being ten years ago! Its easy to forget what a great wall this is, the routes are fantastic. I felt good on the rock, i definitely feel the benefit of having done a lot of routes this year. For quite a few years now i have mainly just hung on bolts and this has actually made me quite shit at climbing. I even found myself getting intimidated on the easier numbers. Not scared of falling just worried about climbing shit on them. I can see now that this is a bad strategy and there is a lot to be said for mileage and succeeding on routes regularly. Starting at the bottom and getting to the top without falling, its a great feeling! Hopefully this will stand me in good stead now the strength and fitness is returning. I'm as psyched as a ex nun in a cucumber field now. After thinking this was going to be a nothing year there is finally light at the end of the tunnel and the only way is up. Must train harder too!
Some footage of Ioan Doyle on one of the best LPT 8a's, Battle of the Little Big orme. Don't copy the top beta however as he's doing it the hard way!