I caught up with Jen and we decided to start the day climbing at Heathcliff. We arrived mid morning and had a few hours to get some nice long routes in before the sun peaked over the cliff and rendered the crag unclimbable.
Heathcliff is a gorgeous place, a bit of a walk in but that tends to keep the crowds away and we managed to get on the climbs we desired.
Hiking out with a heavy pack in the heat make the lethargy kick in, even though it was late afternoon we still had plenty of time before the summer sun receded, and on a whim we decided to climb a multi-pitch route at Sublime Point in Leura.
We didn't start climbing until around 6 PM, but Jen and I set up 'Smack my Pitch Up', a grade 20, 120m climb up some stunning features.
I lead the final pitch, and spent the last moments of the day belaying Jen whilst reclining against a comfortable tree, awed by the setting sunlight across the valley. A stunning way to finish any day!
That night I followed a friend through very ominous and heavy fog to a secret camping site in Blackheath. It rained overnight but by the time we were ready to get going on Sunday morning the rock was mostly dry. Especially nice was the temperature, a cool thirteen degrees, almost twenty degrees lower than some of the days gone by!
After doing ten pitches the day before I wasn't in any hurry to tick a lot of routes, so Veronica and I went to small crag in Medlow Bath for the morning. We didn't pick shady crag so the climbing was generally hot and sweaty, but we still managed a few decent climbs.
A decent return to climbing in 2017, but I'll be happier when the weather cools a little.
More photos here
