Stanage camp & climb w/e (Newcomers II)
Saturday
Members: Emily Pitts, Clare Hodgson, James Williams, Dan O'Brian, Dave Wylie, Roger Dyke, Dave Dillon, Mark Pilling
Guests: Jasmine Pitts, Rosie Clayton, Adele Doran, Clay Conlon, Juan Antonio Marquez, Beth Thomas, Jim Smith, Emma Timmis, Sam Arnold, Carrie Marr, Katy Cairns, Anna Reeves, Aysha Madha, Hong T, Anisa Aslam, Alex Cardus, Katarina Lauer
Our order of glorious sunshine was well received on this splendid trip out to the central reaches of beautiful Stanage Edge.
Friday night saw a select group of women collecting together at the local midge encampment - AKA North Lees Campsite. Emily, Jasmine, Emma, Hong, Kat, Adele and Liz braved two nights of Woman Vs Midge and came out alive to fight another day, albeit looking like they had caught a bad case of measles. Clay joined the clan and became an honorary woman Vs midge contestant on Saturday night.
Saturday morning saw us Start off at the 'Away from it all' area, where we managed to steer well away from the crowds and gain exclusive rights to our particular enclave. At the same time a group of four headed off to High Neb where they enjoyed a one day learn to lead course with womenclimb on Saturday, put to the test with a few first leads on Sunday.
Saturday night brought a lovely pub meal with a few well-earned pints and a lift home to the swarm in Aysha's car.
Sunday
Members: Emily Pitts, Dave Shotton, Dave Wylie, Roger Dyke, James Williams, Alice Bows, Kevin Anderson, Jo Stratford, Andy Stratford, Phillipa Maye, Jim Symon, Cathy Gordon.
Guests: Jasmine Pitts, Clay Conlon, Emma Timmis, Beth Thomas, Jim Smith, Geri Mihalkova, Adele Doran, Alex Cardus, Rosie Clayton, Katarina Lauer, Aysha Madha, Nic Beck, Jack Plum, Meirion Tanner.
As the sun rose again on Sunday, Aysha had the pleasure of her first seconding experience outdoors on the glorious starred crack of Via media on rusty wall. Jim and Beth smashed their way through an array of HVS routes including the Tippler and The Flange.
Hargreaves Original gave a good amount of fun for James, Emma, Beth and Jim. Whilst The Groper, led by Beth and Clay, seconded by Emily, Emma and Jim, provided most splendid entertainment for all onlookers and the climbers themselves.
Several hundred screams, grunts, gasps and thrutches later, a whole new climbing grading system was created, starting with RBH (Really Bloody Hard) and finishing with NKJA (Nice Knee Jam Action). More to follow at next year's exciting Stanage meet.
Emily Pitts