This is Reginald...

...and he was spotted on Saturday barrelling through the mist on his way to savage various team members at Yellowslacks. He may be small and he may have very bandy legs, but boy can he move!

Hard on his heels were some punters who are normally only found lurking in the Churnet Valley: Mark Sharratt and Andi Turner, the latter of whom Reg has the pleasure of owning.

In the end, a large team gathered in the mist to climb what they could. A gentleman known only as "Ben Tetler" impressed the gathered hordes with an onsight ascent of a new E4 in damp and green conditions: two stars and a fine line! Mark bagged another new line, that had earlier been eyed up by a well know photographer from Sheffield...but it'd been too wet for him- apparently!

After the exceitement of this, we retired to Shelf Benches and did yet another new route. I'd looked at this slab for years, but never quite had the cahones to get on it. Just as well, since another tasty E4 6a was the result. There's only one bit of gear, and that according to the first ascentionist, is "kind of specialist".

'Reaquaintance' was put up by Chris Reid, The Best Geography Teacher in Richmond (he tells me), seen in my picture below looking very cheeky.

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Adventure with a capital K

For anyone foolish enough to believe in astrology, they might have said that the planets were favourably aligned on Saturday. By early afternoon, 23 people had made it to the Downfall Ravine to take part in the fun. Cara-Lyn gets the Moral Fibre Award, having set off from Coventry at 630 am to join in, and Liz Asquith gets the Extreme Cakery Award for producing a box of home made chocolate brownies when we arrived at the crag! At the beginning of the day, we had 70 routes left to check around the Amphitheatre, and by the time we set off back towards the welcoming arms of The Sportsman, we had climbed 61 of those, done 21 new routes between VDiff and E3, and taken some outstanding photos.

There were many well known faces in the team: Jo Bowen, Jon Fyne, Chris Tan and 'Wingnut', as well as other random punters such as Neil Foster, David Simmonite and Paul Harrison who just came along for the ride.

My photo shows a gentleman known only as "Ben Tetler" soloing one of his new lines from the day at E3 and 5c. I have better pictures, but you'll have to wait for the guide to see those.

This is what producing a great guide is all about: a strong and adventurous team, thorough & honest route checking, having a laugh and consuming beer and cake. There are many guidebooks out there, but they are all pale imitations of The One! (and they don't provide cake)

Foster's Favourite (12th August)

Just for a change, we're going to Wimberry to get beaten up. The script has been done, so you don't have to worry about checking stuff. We're going to "The best grit crag in the Peak" for the fun of it. Meet in Dovestone car park between 930 and 10 (don't forget to pay...£1 for all day parking) followed by chips and beer in The Clarence.

The Kinder Caper, 11th August

This coming Saturday we'll be at Kinder Downfall. There's plenty to go at, from the uber classic of Downfall South Corner to one of the finest Last Great Problems of grit. Given that it's over 30 minutes to the crag, I respectfully suggest meeting at Bowden Bridge Quarry, Hayfield, between 9 and 930. At the end of the day, refreshments, in the lovely surroundings of The Sportsman Inn, will be provided to those who participate.
Here's a picture of Dangerous Dave on one of his new routes (Irrational Fear, HVS) at the Downfall from a few years ago. I got it from his website which is the best climbing website I've ever visited, Dave tells me.

Bleaklow: Extreme Cakery

I'm sad to report that I don't have a picture of the cake in question because we ate it, but I do have a nice one of the young lady who made it. Ms Clough is enjoying herself at Lower Shelfstones, despite getting inexplicably lost on the short walk to the crag. At the time, she was in the company of another young lady who was once pictured hanging upside down from a chockstone with a certain amount of cleavage on display. I don't think anyone complained (about the cake or the cleavage)

Lower Shelfstones & Hobson Moor, Aug 4th

You should know the drill by now. We'll be meeting on Snake Summit between 9.30 and 10 am, for the pleasant 20 minute walk across the moor to the stones. After a few happy hours there, we'll head on down the valley to Mottram's finest (Hobson Moor, in case you were wondering) for the rest of the day.

One of the best things about the stones is the amazing gritstone throne from which you can view Glossop. It takes a while to find, but once discovered, you won't want to leave it! An afternoon ascent of 'Prehistoric Arete' should be on your list too...a well named route if ever there was one.