Members: Sheena Hendrie, Christine Beeston, Geri Mihalkova, Rob Allen, Roger Dyke

Guest: Michaela Schaller

A warm windless day – what a change!

A slightly unusual start to the Meet, in that Sheena and the Meet Leader found Bamford being besieged by families intent on top-roping and no KMC around so pressed on to Burbage North.  There they knocked off Bilberry Crack VD and Bilberry Face (much easier VD) before being recalled to Bamford by the team.  The top-ropers did indeed hog the middle of Neb Buttress all day, but we found enough to do elsewhere….

Starting with a fine lead by Christine of Brown’s Crack HS 4b - one of the Top 50 Routes in the Peak, it used to be VS in my day.  Excellent.

Then Rob gave a master-class in how to lead a hard route and relax enough to place good gear all the way on Bilberry Crack VS 5a.   Geri and Michaela fairly shot up it after him, but the more experienced members of the team found it rather more challenging.   Did I mention tight ropes?

Sheena led the adjacent Recess Crack VD then Michaela led… Recess Crack.

Lunch, then we all adjourned to Gun Buttress, pausing only to decide Short Curve HVD was beyond our skills and to drop a hint to the top-ropers covering the best bit of Neb Buttress.

At Gun Buttress Christine and Sheena soloed the repulsively green Artillery Corner D and Rob led the almost-protectionless Ammo S 4a.

Below the main buttress, on Porthole, Sheena led Portside S 4a, Geri led Slab and Crack D (after Roger had discouraged her from soloing it!) and Michaela led Leaning Slab VD.

Then the midges moved in and the team moved out.